#Clone trooper Jesse x fem!reader | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

moonstrider9904 · 2 months

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Don't Blame Me

This one shot is for the Bad Batch Prompt event using the prompt:

“Fuck you.”

“Fuck me yourself, you coward.”

Pairing: Crosshair x Fem!Reader

Tags: 18+ strictly. Minors should not interact with this or any of my writing pieces as they are content for adults only. Smut, sexual tension, foul language and swearing, oral (female receiving) sex, unprotected vaginal sex, creampie, flirting.

Playlist: Don't Blame Me by Taylor Swift

@arctrooper69 Tagging you right here :D

A night like that one was much too rare. The sun had just finished going down beneath the horizon, and the faintest hue of blue still lit the sky while the stars had already begun their nightly dance. The breeze was warm on your skin, even with the drops of water that lingered on you as you sat at the edge of the pool with your feet and calves still in the water, your hands running down your wet hair as you sighed and took in the life of the moment. The speakers played chill tunes, easy to listen to, perfect to vibe with the summery air and the laughs coming from all around the pool.

You looked around and smiled at the fact that all of your favorite troopers were there, and even some you hadn’t seen before—probably shinies who had just joined their platoons. Boys from the 501st, 212th, hell, even the 99s had bothered to come to a summer pool night on Naboo for their shore leave.

You couldn't help but laugh and think you’d seen it all when, across the pool, you saw that silver-haired sniper taking a sip from a bright cocktail. And his eyes were on you too, glaring, but you were used to that. You shot a cheeky grin at Crosshair only for him to roll his eyes and look away.

Your gaze remained on him for a little longer until you heard somebody diving into the pool, and when you looked at the crystalline water lit by the warm bulbs submerged in it, you quickly realized it was Fives as he emerged from under the water running his hands up his face and towards the back of his head, brushing the hair away. In that pose, Fives opened his arms and flexed, showing off his biceps as he shot you his signature charming grin, winking at you.

“These babies have gotten bigger since the last time I saw you, sweetheart,” Fives beamed.

Laughter escaped you—as much as you adored Fives, his attempts at flirting were always a sight to behold. Something about young, handsome soldiers tripping over their feet for your attention made you wish all summer nights were like that one, and to follow along with Fives’ game, you crossed one leg over the other, planted your hands firmly on the ground at your sides and shrugged, pursing your lips together.

“I don’t know, they kinda look the same to me,” you teased him.

“Don’t listen to him,” you heard the voice next to you as Jesse took a seat beside you only to fully get into the pool and swim over next to Fives, adopting his same pose. “I actually think I pull it off better, and I only lift half as often as he does. It’s like I don’t even have to try.”

“Oh, shut up!” Fives yelled, grinning mischievously as he brushed his hand and forearm over the water’s surface in Jesse’s direction, splashing him.

“That’s how you wanna do it, you runt?” Jesse played along and began splashing back.

As if that gesture were a galactic beckoning for the clones, the pool almost instantly became filled with troopers wanting to partake in the splash battle. You giggled as you watched them splash and wrestle playfully—the scene in front of you was probably the best definition of “boys being boys.” You loved it, and laughter wouldn’t stop leaving you. For the duration of that night, you hadn’t enjoyed anything more than what was currently playing out in front of you.

However, across the pool, the same pair of piercing amber eyes glared past the scene and into you, but you weren’t taking notice of that anymore.

It only took a few seconds for the clones’ splash war to no longer be about you, and the water flying in from multiple directions was beginning to get out of hand. Wiping a couple of drops that had fallen near your eyes, you got up and made your way towards the chair where you’d left your things. You slipped your feet into your sandals, smiling at the sound of the racket behind you blending with the music, and then you took the cream-colored shawl you’d taken to the party and wrapped it around your hips in a makeshift skirt. You were in the mood for a drink now, but while the water wars ended, you figured you’d hit the powder room to adjust your suit.

Crosshair watched you from where he stood, his eyes following your silhouette as you walked from the pool to the lounge. Every time your right leg came forward, your skin was exposed by the edges of the fabric wrapped around your hips, offering him a teasing glimpse of your thigh. He picked up on the sway of your hips, the delicate left and right of every step that you took, partnered perfectly with your hands coming back and forth in tandem with your stride. As you walked past the chairs and the tables, Crosshair took in how gracefully your hair framed your face, as well as how perfectly the top of your bathing suit framed your breasts and the top half of your belly, letting him see the skin just above your belly button only for the smoothness to stop just above your womb, where the shawl began.

Fuck. He suppressed a groan. Did you even have any idea how sensual you looked? Clearly you didn’t, why else would you waste yourself on all those amateurs trying to impress you with a basic flex and a splish-splash of water?

You’d made it to the common mirror just outside the restrooms and looked at your reflection in the flattering warm lighting. You combed through your hair using your fingers, trying to achieve a carefree look, a blend between messy and done that seemed right for the night. When you were done with that, you eased a few creases on the fabric of your shawl and tightened the knot—you didn’t want that getting loose on accident—and you smoothed out the top of your bathing suit as well. Once you were ready to head back out into the party, you turned around and began making your way where you came from. Your thoughts on what cocktail you were gonna get were interrupted by a tall, lean silhouette dressed in black coming into view. The sight of those amber eyes made you stop in your tracks, and you couldn’t help the little grin that appeared on your lips.

“Look who finally decided to socialize,” you teased him.

Crosshair scoffed, his eyes looking aside as he did. “Don’t flatter yourself. I wouldn’t waste my time or energy with you.”

You placed your hands over your heart, faking a heartache. “Must you hurt me so?”

“I’m not particularly happy with you,” Crosshair crooned.

You giggled. “You’re never happy with anyone. And you of all people have no reason to hold anything against me, you never even let yourself open up to me.” Your gaze softened and you took a step towards him, holding your fists behind your back and pouting up at him. “Why won’t you let me in, Crosshair?”

Again, he rolled his eyes. “I didn’t come here for this.”

“Something tells me you did,” you answered. “Here I am, what do you want with me?”

“Nothing,” Crosshair nearly spat the word out.

You raised a brow. No one in that party could deny how insightful you were, not even him.

Crosshair scoffed again. “Fine, I’ll bite.”

“Please do,” you couldn’t resist the urge to say.

“Maybe I didn’t like the way the others were making fools out of themselves for your attention,” Crosshair glared. “It was pathetic to watch.”

“Ah,” you crossed your arms, nodding slowly. “So you’re jealous.”

“Fuck, no,” Crosshair smirked. “I just wouldn’t be caught dead being a complete idiot like that.”

“So you aren’t jealous?” You smirked back.

“No.”

“Then why do you look like you’re about to stab someone?” Your smirk widened.

You’d cornered him, and Crosshair hated that. He was used to always having the upper hand, the higher ground, to being on top of everything. Nothing could ever surprise him, and when it did, it only meant he’d screwed up. The fact that you had just done that in the most leisurely of settings made him want to puke.

“Forget this,” he said, his silhouette beginning to turn around.

“I didn’t take you for the type to run away, Crosshair,” you said as your hands went over to your hips and you shifted your weight onto your left side, emphasizing the curves of your silhouette.

Crosshair faced you again, his gaze darkening at the little pose you’d adopted. You noticed his eyes running down your body, but when they met yours again, his gaze hardened.

“Fuck you,” he said, without hesitating.

You scoffed, looking at him from head to toe as well. “Fuck me yourself, you coward. I’d like to see if you can.”

He scoffed, his thin lips curving into a smile as he made his way towards you painfully slowly. Hovering in front of you, he took his fingers up to your chin, tilting your face up, making your breath hitch despite your witty exterior.

“You better be damn serious about that, doll,” Crosshair purred with hungry eyes.

“What, did I stutter?” Your breath shook as you whispered, and your hand snaked up his abdomen and felt his chest over the black shirt he wore. “What other way do I have to tell you I want this?”

The hand that was on your chin traveled back and down to cup the side of your neck, firm, but never hard enough to hurt you. Crosshair’s fingertips rested gently on your nape, and his other hand went up and joined the first in perfect symmetry. He pressed his body closer to yours, never breaking eye contact with you, and your heart beat so fast you were afraid he’d be able to hear it through your chest. He was devastatingly handsome, looming over you, watching you with lustful eyes foreboding passion. It didn’t matter where you were. It didn’t matter if there were people outside—they were enjoying their own night, they didn’t have to be involved in what only concerned you and Crosshair. All that mattered was the sensation of his hands on your skin, your hands over his chest, and the heat beginning to boil low in your stomach.

You half-expected another snarky remark, another sneer coming from Crosshair just to test the waters, but you basked in the mercy of the satisfaction that came when Crosshair finally crashed his lips down on yours. He stepped towards you and you stepped backwards, stumbling into the bathroom for him to lock the door behind him when you were both already inside. The music continued to boom from the party outside, as did the cheers and the laughter from everyone blissfully ignorant of the fire catching between you and the marksman. You didn’t have to worry about being heard.

You blindly walked backwards with your fists tugging at Crosshair’s shirt, your mind swarming with the concept of him as he devoured your lips with luscious kisses and mischievous nibbles. You felt your back bump into the wall next to the sink, and he pressed you onto it, letting you feel the erection growing under his pitch-black boxer bathing suit. You whimpered at the hardness and let your hands travel up his chest and around his shoulders until the tips of your fingers found his silver hair, which you twirled and tugged hoping to get a sound from him. Crosshair pleased you by letting out a low grunt and grew more passionate with every tug you gave to his hair.

One of the hands that was on your neck traveled down to your waist and kneaded your flesh with his fingertips, freeing your neck for him to take his kisses down to that sensitive skin he so badly wanted to mark. You shuddered when you first felt Crosshair suck on your neck, and you were astounded at his ease to find your sweetest spot. He nibbled and sucked such that you were certain there would be a maroon mark on your skin, and you enjoyed every second of it. You were enjoying the idea of coming out of that bathroom with that mark on your neck for everyone to see, and something told you Crosshair would get a kick of it as well, parading you in front of everyone else to show them how it’s really done.

When he was finished with your neck, Crosshair moved down your body leaving a trail of kisses and nibbles whilst feeling every inch of your body he could, including your hardened nipples over the fabric of your swimsuit, until he was on his knees in front of you. His hands greedily squeezed the flesh of your buttcheeks as he focused his kisses on your lower abdomen, just above the line where your shawl and the bottom of your bathing suit began. Unwilling to wait much longer to finally taste you, Crosshair curled his fingers around your bathing panties and pulled them down your legs with ease. You stepped out of them for him to hand them to you for you to hold in one hand, and when your other hand went to undo your top, he was quick to stop you.

“No, doll,” Crosshair purred. “You’re keepin’ that on.”

You giggled at him in response, and by his actions, he didn’t intend for you to remove that shawl either. Part of you would have preferred for Crosshair to have already been shirtless at this point, but any sort of thought faded when Crosshair took one of your legs and wrapped it around his back—it was only until then you became aware that your aching cunt was finally exposed to him.

Crosshair split the fabric of your shawl and placed it over your hips to keep it out of the way; he held your butt with one hand to keep you steady while he used his index and thumb fingers on his other hand to lift the hood of your clit. Your mind barely had a second to ponder on the fact that he knew what he was doing, and when you felt his tongue begin to brush over the pearl of your clit, your whole world faded. A deep moan escaped you, and your head fell back to the wall as your chest heaved at every sensation Crosshair gifted you with. You slipped farther from sanity and nearer into bliss, feeling he’d tip you over the edge in an obscenely small amount of time.

Switching between luscious kissing and precise sucking, Crosshair turned you from confident temptress to whimpering mess, pleased at the idea of having you at his mercy. Your moans grew louder and more desperate, and your hand reached down to find his hair again, twirling and tugging at his beautiful silver locks. You drew a moan from Crosshair, and its vibrations resonated deep within your flesh, finally finishing you off. Your already helpless moaning turned into pleading mewls as the pleasure that focused on your clit exploded into beautiful flames invading every corner of your body. Your muscles tensed as you squirmed, knowing it was only Crosshair’s grip keeping you upright. You were oblivious to the amount of times you whimpered his name, you only had the headspace to rut your hips against him, as if you weren’t feeling enough mind-erasing pleasure already.

You wanted more. You wanted his fullness, his touch. You wanted him.

Crosshair emerged from between your legs as if he were coming up for air after a long swim. You were dazzled, panting in the aftermath of every wave of pleasure you’d just felt, but you managed to look down and see him smirking proudly. Crosshair grunted as he stood up, towering over you again, and just when you were beginning to make sense of the world around you again, you saw him pulling down his bathing shorts to reveal a long, hard erection waiting just for you.

You couldn’t help but moan at the sight, making him chuckle with pride.

“Got room for some more?” Crosshair asked.

You nodded frantically, and without hesitation, Crosshair firmly grasped your ass and lifted you, resting part of your weight on the sink beside you. You clung to him, needily wrapping your legs around his waist, and he could only hum at the sight, pleased. After the painful wait, you finally felt Crosshair sliding himself into you, hissing at the initial stretch of your flesh only for you to moan when it became the most incredible sensation you’d ever experienced.

And Crosshair took it from there. Holding you firmly, he took care of every movement. Your arousal made it easier for him to slip in and out of you at whatever speed he desired, and you could tell he wasn’t planning on putting anything off. He was quick, accurate, decisive, grunting low and seductive into your ear with every few thrusts into your hips. Your nails clawed into his upper back, moaning deeply as you tightened your legs around him as much as you could, and it heightened the sensations you felt.

As he continued to fuck deep into you, Crosshair made eye contact with you for a moment, his cocky exterior suddenly becoming caring, even soft. The thought of your prior conversation entered your mind—how long had he felt that way for you? How long had you been suppressing your own desires for him?

Now that you were in his arms, feeling all the pleasure he could give you, you were certain you were where you needed to be.

A tender moan of his name escaped you just before you felt the pleasure expand through your body again. The moans induced by this second orgasm were far louder and embarrassingly more lustful than those of the first, and Crosshair thrust his hips faster into you as he fisted your hair and gave it a light tug. Your vision went white as you succumbed to the pleasure, to him, until you felt the heat of his release inside you followed by soft, low-pitched moans that sealed every one of your feelings for him.

Carefully, he set you down, and once he was sure that your feet were firm on the ground, Crosshair went limp in front of you. His arms were the only thing that remained strong as he caged you to the wall, panting to recover his breath in tandem with you. His lips were close to yours, and you couldn’t help but reach your hands up to cup his face and kiss him gently. Crosshair kissed you back without a hesitation, retrieving his hands from the wall to place them over your wrists, pressing you deeper to him.

“You never had to be jealous, Crosshair,” you whispered.

“Don’t blame me,” he panted, “for getting a little unhinged at the thought of someone else trying to satisfy you.”

“Hey, if this is the result, I’ll take it any day,” you winked. “I should have known a tease and a challenge was all it took.”

Crosshair smirked at you and let his hands travel down to your waist, straightening his back and lifting your feet up with him. “Wanna show off your hickey?”

You felt the heat rush to your cheeks. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

Crosshair chuckled and pecked your lips, setting you down on the floor again and pulling up his bathing suit again. “Come.”

You put the bottom of your bathing suit on and followed him out of the refresher with your arm linked in his, ready for all the stares you were about to receive. Crosshair would definitely show them all, and you never would have fathomed the idea of parading a fresh hickey in front of a group of men who were flirting with you minutes earlier, but if that love hadn’t made you a bit crazy, you wouldn’t have been doing it right.

#tbbpromptevent #moonstrider writes #tbb x reader #crosshair x reader #tbb crosshair x reader #tbb crosshair smut #tbb smut #tbb fanfic #the bad batch fanfic

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dystopicjumpsuit · 11 months

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Do It Again

I heard we're simping for Tup now, so I'm joining @blueink-bluesoul and @deejadabbles to quench the Tup girlies' thirst. Thanks, @corrieguards for breaking all of our brains with this post!

And THANK YOU to @blueink-bluesoul for generously sharing this outstanding 79's playlist. It was fantastic to write to, and now I'm sad that I can't go to 79's and pick up a trooper of my own.

Rating: Mature/18+/Minors DNI

Pairing: Tup x Fem!Reader

Wordcount: 3.5k

Warnings: SMUT; oral sex; hair-pulling; glove kink (because why not); untouched orgasm; light femdom vibes; DJ writing vanilla characters challenge (impossible)

Masterlist

79’s is packed. There isn’t a single available booth, table, or barstool in the club, and the dancefloor throngs with gyrating bodies: a mix of civilians and troopers in street clothes, dress uniforms, and armor painted every imaginable color. The energy is electric, and the buzz of it prickles across your skin. The music is deafening, the heavy throb of the bass vibrating in your chest as you wait for one of the bartenders to take your order. They are run off their feet tonight, and you feel a pang of sympathy for them. Hopefully, they’ll rake in enough tips to make the extra work worthwhile.

While you wait, you scope out the club, tallying up the possibilities. You fidget with your rings and sway to the music. The strobing neon light is dim and disorienting, and it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the haze of smoke. So many troopers tonight, goddamn.

Your gaze roves across the dancefloor, and a shiny tries to catch your eye. Too eager, no thanks. A loud chorus of cheers erupts from one of the corner booths, drawing your attention. Hello, soldier!

The group slams back a round of shots and taps their empty glasses on the table twice. Four clones and a nat-born woman are crowded into the booth and looking very cozy. You zero in on one of the clones. He’s gorgeous, obviously; they all are. But he stands out with his long, curly hair that he wears loose around his shoulders. The group bursts into a peal of raucous laughter, and the woman in the booth loops her arms around the long-haired trooper’s head and squeezes him into a tight hug while one of the clones across the booth snaps a holo of them. Damn, looks like he’s already taken.

Just then, one of the bartenders taps your shoulder to get your attention, and you turn back toward the bar to place your order.

“Pabu colada!” you shout over the roar of the music.

The bartender nods and holds up a hand, mouthing “Five minutes.”

---

Across the club, Jesse, Kix, Fives, Tup, and Cerra throw back their second round of shots—or is it the third? They’re starting to blur together. Kix has his holocam out and is trying to get the perfect angle for a group selfie. Cerra leans her head against Fives’s shoulder with a small smile that makes Tup just the tiniest bit jealous. Not that he’s interested in Cerra. That would be kriffing weird. But seeing the way she and Fives have this whole unspoken communication thing makes Tup wish he had that kind of connection with someone.

He looks away, and just then, he catches sight of you leaning against the bar, eyeing the dancefloor like a queen surveying her domain. Holy shit, she’s gorgeous, he thinks. He looks away quickly, not wanting you to catch him staring.

“Tup, when are you going to get a haircut?” Jesse asks.

Tup snorts. “You’re no-one to talk, brother. You think that cog tat is regulation?”

“Face tattoos are almost as much of a GAR tradition as standing duty hungover,” Kix laughs.

“I feel kind of left out,” Cerra adds. “I’m the only person at this table without one.”

“Nobody’s going to mistake you for a clone,” Fives chuckles.

“Damn, what gave it away?” Cerra asks.

Tup sneaks another glance across the club at you. Kriff, she’s looking right at me! He whips his head back to the table quickly. Cerra notices and gives him a devious smirk that means she’s planning something, and it’s either going to be incredibly awesome or slightly mortifying.

“See, when Tup moves his head like that, his hair goes all over,” Jesse says. He’s getting loud, and Tup can tell that the Dodbri whiskey is starting to work. “One of these nights, I’m going to sneak into your bunk and shave it off.”

Fives flips Jesse the bird, and Cerra wraps her arms protectively around Tup’s head.

“Never!” she exclaims. “I’ll protect you, Tup!”

The table explodes into a mix of laughter, threats, and banter, and Kix snaps a quick holo, smiling as he reviews it.

“Hey, this one is pretty good,” he says. “Want me to send it to you?”

“Fuck yeah, bro!” Cerra says. “I don’t plan on remembering tonight, so it’ll be good to have proof that it actually happened.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Jesse says. “Except we’re out.”

“Next round’s on me, boys,” Cerra says. “Tup, scoot.”

Tup stands up, and Cerra shimmies out of the booth, then makes her way across the club.

---

It has definitely been more than five minutes, and your feet are starting to get sore. Maybe these shoes weren’t the best idea. But then again, when you picked them out, you didn’t know that half of the damned GAR was on shore leave and there wouldn’t be a free seat within a three-block radius of the club. You are just starting to wonder if you should call it a night when a woman’s voice speaks close to your ear.

“That’s a great dress!”

“Thanks,” you say automatically as you turn to see the woman from the corner booth.

Up close, she’s pretty in a slightly intimidating, maybe-could-break-you-in-half-and-make-you-beg-her-to-do-it-again kind of way. She has kind eyes, though, and her smile is just this side of cocky. You feel a spark of interest as she squeezes in next to you and flags down the bartender.

“Hey, Cerra,” the Twi’lek bartender shouts. “Another of the same?”

“Spotchka this time,” the woman—Cerra—shouts back.

“Six again?”

“Just five this time,” Cerra says. She turns to you. “Unless you want to join us? We have an empty seat in our booth. No pressure, obviously.”

Maybe you could salvage this night after all. The bartender is waiting, so you make a decision in a hurry. After all, there are three other gorgeous troopers in that booth, and if you play your cards strategically, you might end up in the middle of a sandwich made of Cerra and her long-haired trooper.

“Sure!” you say.

“Make that a flagon of spotchka and six glasses,” Cerra calls to the bartender. “Thanks, La’sara!”

The Twi’lek nods and slides the bottle and glasses across the bar. Huh. I guess it pays to be a regular, you think.

Cerra grabs the drinks and leads you around the perimeter of the dancefloor, deftly avoiding the overly enthusiastic flailings of a few troopers who probably should have been cut off a couple drinks ago.

When you reach the booth, the four clones look up, and the long-haired one’s eyes widen with surprise when he sees you standing next to Cerra. She sets the drinks on the table, pushing aside the empty shot glasses to make room. A single glass is still full, so somebody must have skipped a round.

“Kix, Jesse, Fives, Tup,” Cerra says, gesturing to each of the clones in turn. “And this is my new best friend, uhhh—”

She looks at you expectantly, and you introduce yourself to a chorus of hellos from the clones. Tup stands, and Cerra slides into the booth, cozying up to the clone with a 5 tattoo on his forehead. Tup turns to you.

“Would you be more comfortable next to Cerra, or on the outside of the booth?” he asks.

Thoughtful and gorgeous. Boy can get it. You opt to sit between Cerra and Tup. It’s a tight squeeze with six of you in the U-shaped booth, but you don’t mind. Tup’s leg presses up against yours as he settles in next to you, warm and solid, and you lean a little closer to him as Cerra pours the spotchka into the chilled glasses and slides them around the table.

“What are we drinking to?” you ask.

“To brothers,” Cerra says.

“To brothers!” the clones chorus, and a few tables nearby cheer along with them.

“And sisters,” Tup adds, nodding at Cerra. “And new friends.”

Okay, so maybe he’s available after all. His eyes meet yours as you all clink your glasses together and drink. He has the nicest eyes, you decide. Soft and fringed with thick black eyelashes and golden brown and a little shy. Up close, you notice a small teardrop tattoo on his cheek, and you brush your fingers over it.

“What’s this for?” you ask.

He leans in to say something, but before he can speak, the clone with the giant Republic cog tattoo cuts in.

“He’s shedding a tear for all the broken hearts he’s left across the galaxy,” he says with a loud laugh.

“Jesse, don’t be a dick,” Cerra says, and from the way Jesse flinches, you can tell that she kicked him under the table.

“Yeah, Jesse, don’t be a dick,” Kix says. “We all know it’s really to show that he’s still wet behind the ears. Practically a tubie, this one.”

Tup just shakes his head with a smile, and you can tell that he’s used to being the target of his brothers’ jokes. The club is getting louder—or maybe it’s just your table—and you all have to shout to be heard. The level of booze in your glass drops steadily, and at some point, the bartender arrives with another bottle of spotchka and the cocktail you ordered ages ago. The hazy neon light takes on a pleasant glow as you finish your second drink, and you don’t notice the noise so much.

Tup has captured one of your hands in a gentle grip and is circling his thumb lightly over the sensitive skin of your inner wrist. His gloves are rough, but his touch is soft. Each caress sends flickers of pleasure scintillating up your arm, and you can’t help wondering what else he’d be good at with those clever fingers.

The clones banter and tease each other ruthlessly, and your cheeks hurt from laughing at their antics. You howl with laughter at one of Fives’s jokes, when suddenly everyone at the booth snaps to attention in their seats. Confused, you look around to see what’s going on. A clone in full armor stands next to the table, arms crossed, and a stern expression on his face.

“Out. Now.” His voice is hard, and his eyes are cold.

“Sir, yes, sir!” your companions say in unison.

They slide out of the booth and hurry to the club’s exit. Tup catches you by the hand and pulls you along with him. The group bursts through the doors and stumbles out onto the platform outside.

“Booooo, Commander Buzzkill,” Cerra says.

“Kriff, don’t say that so loud,” Jesse says, alarmed.

“I’m just saying, none of the other marshal commanders are as karking uptight as Bacara,” Cerra replies.

“Maybe we were getting a little loud,” Tup says.

“Et tu, Tup’ika?” Cerra asks in a wounded tone.

“We’re going to keep the party going,” Kix says. “You in?”

“Nah, not me,” Cerra replies. “I’ve got to be on the Ro-ti-Mundi early tomorrow morning. We’re shipping out at 0800.”

“Damn,” Jesse says. “Try not to die out there.”

A shadow flits across Fives’s face, and he moves a little closer to Cerra. Kix punches Jesse in the shoulder, but Cerra just laughs.

“Copy that,” she says. “Kix, keep my boys alive.”

“I’ll do my best,” Kix promises. “Say hi to Odd Ball for us.”

“I will,” Cerra replies, clasping his forearm with one hand and pounding him on the back with her other fist. She repeats the action with Jesse, then pulls Tup into a tight hug and whispers something in his ear.

The war is very far away from Coruscant, and for you, like for most people in the Core Worlds, the only real part of it you see most of the time is the clone troopers in their anonymous, dehumanizing armor. As you watch the group say goodbye to their friend, each of them knowing full well that it might be the last time they do so, the war suddenly feels very close and very, very personal. Cerra seems unaffected, though, as she turns to you.

“It was nice meeting you,” she tells you with a brilliant smile. “Take good care of my brother.”

And then, she and Fives are gone, leaving you with just Tup, Kix, and Jesse.

“Let’s go find another bar,” Kix says.

“Actually, I could eat,” you say. “Do you mind if we stop by a diner first?”

“No food! Alcohol!” Jesse exclaims with a lilt in his voice that says he definitely doesn’t need more alcohol.

“You boys have fun,” Tup says, taking your hand again. “We’re going to get a bite.”

The two of you begin walking. It’s late, but there are several diners nearby that are open all night. You bypass the first one, which prominently displays a window sign that says, “NO CLONES.” The night air feels cool and pleasant after the heat and stuffiness of the club, and it’s nice to finally be able to talk to Tup without having to shout.

“So Fives and Cerra are going back to the front tomorrow?” you ask, as a conversation starter.

“Just Cerra,” Tup says. “Fives is an ARC trooper, so he goes wherever he’s needed, but right now, he’s with the 501st.”

“Is that your unit?” you ask.

He nods. “We’re on leave for the next five days, unless something big happens and we get called up.”

“That must be hard,” you say. “Always having that uncertainty hanging over you.”

He shrugs. “We’re soldiers. It’s what we were made for. We don’t know anything different.”

That doesn’t make it right, you think, but you leave it unspoken, not wanting to veer into a philosophical debate when you could be doing something far more fun. A thought suddenly occurs to you.

“That shot that you all left on the table, what was that for?”

“That was for Hardcase,” he says. “We always drink to him on the first round.”

“He must be a good friend.”

“Yeah,” Tup says softly. “He was.”

Oh, kriff. The realization hits you with blinding clarity.

“I’m sorry,” you say.

“Not your fault,” Tup replies easily. “How about this place? Their sign says clones are welcome.”

“Hey, Tup?” you ask softly. “Want to get out of here?”

---

Tup crashes against you as the two of you stumble through the door of your flat. You fumble for the control panel and blindly mash the buttons until the door finally closes. Tup’s strong hands slide possessively across your body, holding you close to him as he kisses you with a passion and skill that you weren’t expecting from someone with his quiet demeanor.

His lips are soft, his breath is hot. He kisses you with tongue and teeth and an exquisite roughness that leaves you breathless and weak. He breaks away from your mouth and works his way across your jaw and down your neck, and when he reaches the pulse point where your throat meets your collarbone, you cry out and arch against him.

“Oh, fuck, Tup,” you gasp.

You feel him smile against your skin, and then he doubles down, kissing and licking and biting and sucking until your legs tremble. It feels like he is eating you alive, and you lose yourself in the sensation. His arms clamp around you, his hands splay wide against your shoulders, and it’s a damned good thing, because you don’t think you could stand on your own right now.

He presses you against the wall and slips down the straps of your dress to get better access to your shoulders, and he works his mouth across your soft skin. As he kisses his way lower, he tugs your dress down, and your breasts spill out into the cool air. He cups your breast and squeezes it gently, then breaks away from you with a frustrated growl.

“What?” you ask in a breathy voice that verges on a whine.

Tup doesn’t reply, just bites down on the middle finger of his glove and yanks it off his hand, and it’s the sexiest kriffing thing you’ve ever seen. He opens his mouth and drops the glove to the floor, and then that mouth is on you, and his bare hand is stroking and exploring and touching, and he lets out a groan of pleasure so intense that it almost sounds pained as his lips close over your nipple.

You hold his head against your chest, tangling your fingers in his long, soft curls. You hear a telltale zip, and your dress loosens and slides to the floor. Tup drops to his knees in front of you, and the abrupt motion tugs your hand down—one of your rings has caught in his hair and yanked it, hard.

“Shit, I’m so sorry!” you exclaim. “Let me get that out.”

“No, wait,” he says, and his voice is a deep rumble. His eyes are dark and hungry as he gazes up at you. “I liked it.”

You swallow, your breath coming quickly and your pulse racing in your throat. You wrap your fingers carefully around a large fistfull of his hair and give it an experimental tug. Instantly, he tips his head backward, his eyes drift closed, his mouth drops open, and bliss floods his features.

“Oh, shit,” you whisper. “You did like it, didn’t you?”

He opens his eyes and stares wordlessly into yours. His gaze lowers slowly, so incredibly slowly, down your body, drinking in every centimeter of you, until it reaches the lacy, barely-there scrap of fabric that is your pitiful excuse for underwear. He licks his lips, and you see his throat contract as he swallows. Sliding his hands up your thighs, he hooks his fingers under the elastic and eases them down your thighs. They don’t make it past your knees before he dives forward to slide his tongue into your sweetness.

“Tup!” you gasp, clinging to his hair to support yourself and inadvertently pulling it much harder than you had before.

He grunts, a ragged and primal sound that vibrates against your clitoris and pulls an answering moan from your throat.

“Again,” he begs, nearly choking on the word.

So you give him what he wants, digging both of your hands into his hair, scraping your nails across his scalp, and pulling his hair hard enough to control the movement of his head. He kneels before you like a supplicant before his goddess, and when he opens his eyes to gaze up at you as he feasts on your cunt, you see a tear roll from the corner of his eye.

“Do you want me to stop?” you ask. “Am I being too rough?”

He shakes his head as much as he is able within your grasp. “No, please keep going.”

His hands grasp your ass to angle you closer to his mouth, and you can feel that he still has one glove on. The fabric feels slightly abrasive as he brushes his thumb over your entrance, and holy shit, you don’t know why that’s so hot, but it is.

“Oh, fuck,” you say, drawing out the words in a desperate groan.

Tup notices the way you writhe against him, and he slides his gloved thumb into you, working you open carefully, slowly, and you feel the fabric begin to glide smoothly against your skin as it becomes saturated with your arousal. All of the muscles in your body begin to tense, and the world narrows around you, until all you see is Tup, and all you feel is his mouth and his hands and his soft, soft hair. He has large hands and thick fingers, and with the additional bulk of his glove, he stretches you gloriously, even as his tongue and lips swirl and suck, and the tension winds tighter, concentrating low in your abdomen— oh shit, fuck yes, right there—

“Don’t stop!” you command, and he sucks hard, and gods fucking yes Tup right there that’s it that’s it FUCK!

You lurch and grind against him, and your legs buckle as you shatter with a ragged scream. Beneath you, Tup lets out a broken, choked whimper as your hands clutch into his hair and pull his head against you, seizing your pleasure.

As your consciousness returns to your body and the haze of lust clears from your eyes, you carefully disentangle your fingers from his hair and brush it tenderly out of his face. He stares up at you with dazed eyes, and when he leans back, you see a dark stain on the front of his uniform trousers.

“Oh, Tup, my sweet boy,” you say as you kneel and pull him into your arms.

“Sorry,” he whispers. “I don’t normally—You’re just really—”

“Shh,” you soothe him. “There is nothing to be ashamed of, sweetheart.”

He drops his head onto your shoulder and nuzzles against your neck. You stroke your hands across his broad shoulders comfortingly.

“Do you want to stay over?” you offer. “My laundry droid can wash your uniform.”

“Really?” he asks.

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Nobody has ever asked me to stay the night before,” he confesses, and your heart breaks, just a little.

“How long did you say you were going to be on leave?” you ask.

“Five days,” he replies.

“Got any plans?”

He shakes his head and turns to look at you with hope in his soft eyes.

“Good,” you say decisively. “Then we’ll have plenty of time to do that again.”

---

Masterlist

Notes:

Cerra is an OC who will be in my next longfic. I wanted to give her a happy memory to make her torment in the next fic all the more poignant, because angst is so much more delicious when you remember the fluff.

The Pabu Colada is a real drink, and you can find the recipe here!

#is chekhov's ring a thing?#bruh girls make the best wingwomen #dystopicjumpsuit writes #tcw fanfic #star wars tcw #sw fanfic #sw tcw fanfic #clone simp #tup x reader #clone trooper tup

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masterjedilenawrites · 1 year

Text

Falling For You

This is my gift for the #cloneficgiftexchange, for the lovely @arctrooper69! I'd heard Jesse was the least requested character in this event so I think I have to pick him from your list of options for this prompt! 😁 Poor guy just needs some love...

Please go check out the @cloneficgiftexchange blog for all the other contributions to this great event! Fics are being posted all throughout today (4/8). Spread the love for fandom writers/creators by reblogging!

Jesse x fem!reader | 6.1k words

Content: light angst, hurt/comfort, misunderstandings, injury, pining, fluff, flirting

Prompt: "I know you said you were falling for me but I didn't expect you to actually fall."

Jesse was a huge flirt.

Everyone knew it. He knew it. For reasons you couldn't comprehend, the skilled and strong ARC trooper, with so many good qualities to his name, put an incredible amount of effort into making "huge flirt" his identifying trait. From little winks to obvious showboating, from cute nicknames to devastating pick-up lines, Jesse made his way around the galaxy with nonstop charm.

You'd been amused at first. You'd never known someone so unabashedly flirtatious as him. It was always the highlight of your day to see him saunter up to your desk with a silly eyebrow wiggle or a teasing comment about your glamorous life as an accountant for the GAR. Even seeing him flirt with others made you laugh. Their reactions to him, ranging from bashful giggles to exasperated eye rolls, broke up the monotony of your day like nothing else could. If you'd had to pick back then, you would've said Jesse was your favorite of the clone troopers.

And then one day, he'd crossed a line. Not in an inappropriate way or anything; no, somehow he always managed to be respectful in that regard, even with his more suggestive comments. It was a line that, once crossed, took your feelings into actual "crush" territory. That, you now suspected, was the start of all the misery you currently felt.

He'd called you a hottie. Not the most intimate or special of names, but it had struck a meaningful chord in you.

"Are you kidding? You're a hottie. A total babe. There'd be a line out the door of guys trying to buy you a drink. Right fellas?"

He was responding to an offhand comment you'd made about not being the type of girl to fit in at 79's. Jesse and a few of his brothers were trying to round up a group to visit the clone bar later that night. Maybe the others had agreed with his flattering response, but you hadn't listened beyond that one word.

Hottie.

Not once in your life had anyone described you that way. Hot, sexy... heck, even just attractive... those weren't words anyone associated with you. The few times your appearance was complimented, it was more along the lines of cute. Maybe pretty if you dressed up a bit. You'd spent your whole adult life up to this moment believing you were undesirable to the opposite sex. Jesse changed your mind.

And after that, he was the only man you had eyes for.

His flirting stirred something different in you. It was a mixture of both pleasant tingles and sour pain. Pleasant when his comments were directed toward you. You ate it up, not bothering to hide your blushes as it only egged him on. You wanted his attentions, as much as you could wring out. And sour when he approached others with the same moves. You didn't just want his attention; you wanted all of it. Seeing him make someone else blush and laugh reminded you of all your insecurities, all the ways you knew you were inferior. You wavered back and forth between loving Jesse and all his charms, and hating how quick he was to just give it away so freely.

The 501st had been back on Coruscant for R&R an almost two full weeks now. Plenty of time to send you spiraling. You saw Jesse almost everywhere you went. In the mess hall, in random hallways, at your own desk because apparently it got good sunlight in the afternoons and he cared about that sort of thing.... The only place you could find reprieve was your living quarters, where you found yourself crumpling into bed with emotional exhaustion each evening.

Even when you didn't see Jesse you still heard about him. All of your friends and colleagues around the base were chattering about whatever smooth compliment he'd paid them that day. There was an ongoing debate in the accounting office over who the sexiest clone was, and your ears couldn't help but turn red every time you heard someone arguing for Jesse. And it was guaranteed you'd hear some story over the caf machine about his moves on the dance floor at 79's the night before. You often scurried away before you could catch any further details, like whether he took anyone home with him. Even if it meant you never got to make your caf the way you liked it.

It was ridiculous how crazy this guy was making you. You were convinced he'd only called you a hottie because you felt sorry for you. Right? How else could he put you in the same category of all these other people who were clearly so much better looking. But sometimes, just for a few minutes in the morning, you'd look in the mirror and pretend you were attractive to him, and this lovely feeling of butterflies washed over you. It was the best feeling, to think that someone like him, Jesse, could want you.

And so you'd carry that light and fuzzy feeling around until you inevitably heard another bar story or saw him flash a smile to some random civvie, and then you'd come crashing down in insecurities all over again.

Just when you were considering maybe seeking some professional help, you found yourself crossing his path just outside the training rooms.

"Whoa!" Jesse exclaimed as you both rounded the same corner and almost collided. He quickly reached out to grasp your shoulders and keep you from falling over. His chest, you immediately noticed, as it was mere inches from your face, was bare and dripping in sweat.

"Easy there, cutie," he chuckled, the first to recover from the surprise.

Cutie. A far cry from being hot. You shuffled back and mumbled an apology, finding it difficult to meet his eyes. Equally difficult was not staring at his shimmering muscles. Your eyes flitted around, searching for something else to fixate on instead.

"What are you doing down here? I thought you said accountants didn't work out. Something about your bodies only being a transport for your heads?" He gave another chuckle and started dabbing his face with a towel. You were surprised he'd remembered that joke you'd made months ago.

"Oh, um..." You were still awkwardly looking around the hallway and it took you an embarrassing amount of time to remember why you were there. "Yeah no, I was uh, meeting with a manufacturer. Had to get some quotes to replace some of the exercise equipment."

Jesse's face lit up just as your eyes flicked to his. Your stomach twisted pleasantly.

"We're getting new equipment? Finally! Half my workout is just trying to get the kriffing treadmill to turn on."

"We'll see," you quickly tried to warn him from getting his hopes up. "It's not cheap, and with the increases in spending for munitions this quarter, there's not a whole lot of funds left to allocate for things like this. I'll have to make a pitch to shift some assets around, or possibly delay that upgrade to the... what?"

You noticed Jesse was chuckling again.

"Oh I love it when you talk budgets to me, sweetheart."

You could feel your cheeks heating up. You weren't sure how to respond, which seemed to amuse Jesse even further. He playfully swatted the towel toward your side as he started to go past you, ready to move on to wherever he'd been headed before.

"Hey, you doing anything later? You know, after you're done with all those funds and assets and whatever?"

You turned to see him walking slowly backward, waiting for your answer. Was he asking you out or merely making chitchat? It didn't seem like a casual offer, or an afterthought, though you couldn't be sure.

"Um, depends." It was your default line anytime someone asked about your availability. Vague enough and non-committal in either direction. You never got trapped into plans you didn't want to be part of, and you were never impolite about it.

"Depends?" he quirked his eyebrow and stopped walking. "Well aren't you a coy one. Didn't realize I'd need to impress you so much."

You weren't sure how to respond to that either. You were all sorts of tongue tied and you were still doing a poor job of not checking out his chest.

"Okay, okay, hear me out," he went on, not seeming too put out by your response. "I know you're not into the bar scene, but there's gonna be this local band at 79's tonight... they do more acoustics and vocals, so, you know, it'll be pretty low key. And a lot of the guys are set on getting tattoos tonight which means it won't be as crowded. I don't know, figured you might be more into that?"

"And... this would be... with you?"

For the first time, you started to see cracks in Jesse's confidence. Just barely. Hairline fractures. Subtle enough to fool anyone who wasn't paying attention, but as evident to you as if they were your own. Jesse cleared his throat and slung the towel over his shoulder, trying to play it off.

"I mean, yeah. If you wanted to. I just have tonight, we finally got our next deployment and it'll be a while so... well, you know, just wanted to spend my last night here with some good company."

This time you did know how to respond, but for some reason your voice wouldn't cooperate. You wanted to holler Yes! and jump for joy, wrap your arms around his neck and give him a smooch. ARC trooper Jesse, the debonair soldier, the only man you had eyes for, was asking for your company.

You heard your name followed by a Hellooo? and suddenly there was a hand waving in front of your face.

"I'm trying to ask you out, girl. You gotta give me something here!" Jesse laughed, and the warmth in his smile brought you back to reality.

"Yes," you breathed, and then swallowed and said more clearly, "yes, of course! I... I would love to."

"Really?"

You nodded enthusiastically. Jesse made a little fist pump.

"Yes! You had me worried for a second there." He started walking backwards again. "But okay, cool. Um, I gotta clean up, and then we got a few mission briefings. Let's meet there at, say... 5? Happy hour, so first round can be on me."

He winked and you giggled, feeling your cheeks heat up again.

"5 o'clock," you confirmed.

"Can't wait, beautiful!" he called over his shoulder as he finally turned around skipped through the fresher door at the end of the hall.

* * *

The rest of your day went by at an agonizing pace, but you finally got off work and could have a little moment of celebration in your quarters, complete with squealing into your pillow and dancing all around. You didn't have too much time to get ready, which ended up being a blessing as you would have surely spent hours cycling through various outfit combinations. You were able to pick the first outfit that came to your mind - cute, comfortable, and very you - without doubting or changing your mind. You spent the rest of your time taming your hair and calming your nerves.

Your anxieties only crept in occasionally, asking such annoying questions as whether you were the only one he'd asked out like this during his time off, or whether he would've found a way to ask you even had you not run into him in the halls.

But there had been joy in his smiles, relief in those tense and deliciously muscular shoulders when you'd agreed. He'd seemed so genuine. How could you worry about whether you were good enough when he'd very clearly asked you out?

So you shoved those pesky thoughts to the side, in a way you hadn't known how to do earlier when there were so many unknowns and uncertainties about the situation. Jesse liked you, he wanted to spend time with you before leaving. That was that.

You got to 79's only a few minutes early and placed yourself comfortably at the bar to wait. He'd been right, it was not crowded or boisterous at all. There were still plenty of people, clones and civvies alike, but enough booths were still open that you wouldn't have trouble finding somewhere to really relax once Jesse showed up.

You gave him about twenty minutes without worry. His meetings could've run long, or the Coruscanti traffic could've held him up. No big deal. You asked for a water from the bartender so you didn't seem rude, and patiently sipped through it while you scrolled on your datapad to pass the time.

As 5:30 drew nearer, though, you began to get concerned. Was he okay? You cursed yourself for not asking for his number, just in case. You glanced around the bar, wishing someone from his troop was here so you could ask. You decided to chance talking to an older, bearded clone who sat just a few seats from you.

"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to know anyone from the 501st, would you?"

The clone nodded back with a little laugh. "I know some. The ARC troopers, anyway. They're regulars. Doesn't look like they're showing up tonight though. Were you wanting to meet them?"

"Well, I had a date with one. Jesse. I guess he's running a little late. Wasn't sure how to get ahold of him, make sure he's okay."

The clone's eyes narrowed.

"Jesse? Huh, didn't picture him for the dating type. Well, anyway, maybe you're right, just running late. Here, let me order you a drink while you wait."

Now you felt awkward. Silly. Just a silly little girl, sipping a silly little cocktail, waiting for a silly little date she was probably too excited for to begin with. That was always the danger, wasn't it? Get your hopes up too high and it hurts that much more when they come back down.

5:30 turned into 6. Couples passed by, filling up seats around the band that had finally started playing. Clones came up to the bar to order, passing you a pitying look before taking their drinks back to their pretty dates.

6:05. What if he had meant 6? What if you had mis-remembered the time? No, you were pretty sure he'd mentioned happy hour, and there were signs all over the bar about that hour being from 5 to 6.

6:10. Whatever you would've found to do on your datapad had you stayed home for the evening didn't seem to exist now that you were here. You fiddled with a napkin, folding and unfolding until it was falling apart.

6:15. You started thinking about what time you should call it quits and head home. Was it weird you hadn't left by now? Should you have tried harder to get ahold of him sooner?

6:17.

"Hey beautiful! Oh good, you got a drink." Jesse was suddenly by your side, draping an arm around your back and placing a quick peck to the side of your head. He then leaned forward to catch the bartender's attention, not seeing your look of incredulity. Behind him was another trooper, one of the 501st medics, who gave you a polite nod but otherwise looked too grumpy to be there.

"Sorry I'm late, Kix here was moping in the med bay and I had to literally drag his ass off the floor to get him over here."

Jesse was all smiles as he leaned an elbow on the bar and finally took a look at you. He whistled.

"Damn, you look great!"

You were momentarily speechless. You didn't know what to make of this. The casual apology for his tardiness, the fact he'd brought someone else along. But then a couple beers were placed on the counter and he swept them up, nodding his head toward the wall of booths in the back.

"Come on, let's find some seats!"

You hesitated only for a moment before getting up to follow. He'd finally shown up. The evening wouldn't be a total waste. You could talk to him about it later, and definitely make sure to swap numbers so this wouldn't happen again.

Jesse and Kix slid into opposite sides of an empty booth in the far corner, positioned slightly behind where the band was set up so there wasn't a great view. Jesse patted the seat next to him for you to join and gave you another dazzling smile as you slid in.

"You really do look great," he said in a low voice by your ear, making you blush and conjuring up memories of that time he'd called you a hottie. He had his arm along the back of the booth, just behind your head, and you could feel the warmth radiating off him from such a close position.

"Thanks, so do you," you whispered back. He laughed and shook his head, but you meant it. He had a blue sort of vest over his blacks that made him look fit and clean. He also smelled nice and it took all your willpower not to lean in to take a big whiff.

"Hey, lighten up, grouchy pants," Jesse called over to Kix, who was glaring into his beer like it had personally offended him. Jesse raised his own beer in a salute. "This is way better than crying on the floor."

"I wasn't crying on the floor," Kix huffed. "And how is this better? I can't even see the band from here."

"Music's meant to be listened to anyway," Jesse shrugged him off.

"What's his deal?" you asked.

Jesse rolled his eyes. "Some girl he liked made fun of his tattoo idea and now he won't get one."

"I shaved my head for it and everything," Kix lamented.

You held back a snicker. You wished you could ask Jesse why his brother's woes meant he needed to join your date. But not only did you not want to seem rude, but the band switched to a new song that had a faster tempo and for some reason the volume also increased as a result. You were having a hard time hearing your own thoughts; conversation with Jesse would be even more tricky.

The next hour passed in an awkward blur. Jesse flagged down a waitress to refill your cocktail, calling her all the same names he'd been calling you today. Sweetheart, cutie... You tried to ignore the sinking feeling in your stomach.

Two more rounds came after that, and you gladly downed each drink just to give yourself something to do. You tried asking him a few questions to get to know him better, but he'd end up turning his answer into some kind of a joke. Most of them were pretty funny, but after a while you got frustrated that he wasn't actually sharing anything with you. He did try to maintain a few conversations, but it was hard to keep things flowing when the band alternated between soft, twinkly instrumentals, and noisy, upbeat rock vocals. And then there was Kix, who had taken up sketching new tattoo ideas on napkins and would ask every five minutes to give your opinions on them.

And then the rest of the 501st piled in, proudly showing off their new ink around the club. Jesse seemed delighted to see them and waived them over, much to your disappointment. He pulled at your arm to get you to slide further into the booth with him, making room for a few clones to slip in, clunky armor and all.

"What you do think?" Hardcase stood at the head of the booth, unabashedly holding up his shirt to reveal a continuation of the blue lines on his head down across his torso.

A chorus of opinions and stories erupted. Fives was trying to reenact Hardcase's squeals as he'd gotten tattooed. Rex was trying to get the clone to pull his shirt back down. Several were ragging on Kix for not joining. And Jesse was laughing hysterically through it all.

You loved to see him so happy, you really did. And maybe it was just the four drinks that were now messing with your head, but you couldn't shake how out of place you felt, sitting in a booth surrounded by clone troopers on what was supposed to be a date between you and Jesse. You had nothing to contribute, no reason for them to pay you any attention. You sat in the middle of a group of people you barely knew, feeling more alone than you had when you'd been waiting at the bar.

Just as you were wondering how you could possibly get out of the booth without making a scene, Kix finally caved in to Fives's nagging about getting his original tattoo idea after all, and the whole lot collectively shimmied out of the booth. You felt Jesse's hand on your elbow, guiding you out. You turned to him once you were both standing.

"Are we really going to a tattoo parlor now?" you asked, hoping he'd see how badly you didn't want to be part of this plan.

"It'll be quick. I think there's an ice cream place near too, we can go there when we're done."

He flashed a reassuring grin and it almost gave you a little bit of hope back. You couldn't remember if you'd ever told him you loved ice cream or if it was a lucky guess. But when you tried to ask if you could just hang out at the ice cream place while the others went for more tattoos, Jesse had already turned to jump on Kix and give him a hard time about crying in the med bay again.

Your ears were ringing from a combination of alcohol, loud music, and annoyance. You couldn't take it anymore. You stepped aside from the group and just gazed at the man who had supposedly wanted your company, and now seemed more content to be in the company of others.

You felt a hand on your shoulder and turned to see Rex, looking over you with concern. "Are you alright? You don't look so good. Do you want us to take you home to rest?"

You shook your head, all you could manage in response at first. Tears had suddenly sprung into your eyes, you weren't sure why. Maybe because it was the first time someone had offered to do something you wanted tonight.

"Are you sure? I can get you some water or...."

"No, thank you," you finally found your words. "I can get myself home. I'll be fine."

"We can take you..."

"No, really, I'm fine. Just, tell Jesse I'll see him tomorrow before he leaves, okay?"

You hurried off before he could offer any further help, and before you would be caught with tears down your cheeks. You didn't want to make a scene, you didn't want to ruin Jesse's fun. But you didn't get far before the clone was calling your name, grasping the back of your arm and turning you to face him.

"Hey, what's the matter, sweetheart?"

If he hadn't used a nickname, you might have tried to play it off. But you remembered distinctly, even in the midst of your intoxication, the last person he'd called a sweetheart was the waitress in the busty crop top. Something in you snapped.

"Am I a joke to you?"

And there they were, those small cracks in his confidence, reemerging and widening before your eyes. Realization pulled the edges apart more and more as you spoke.

"You made me wait for over an hour. Do you know how ridiculous I felt, sitting at that bar all by myself, wondering what time meant you didn't actually care? And then you did finally come, and not only did I barely get an apology, and definitely no acknowledgement of how much my time you wasted without good reason, but I also didn't even get a proper date. I had to sit through all your flirting, only it wasn't directed at me, but to another woman who's paid to pretend your jokes are funny. You didn't answer any of my questions about yourself. You didn't even ask if I wanted a different drink, you just kept ordering the same one. The music also sucks, by the way. And now we're headed off to hang out with your brothers, people you see every day? While I'm the one you're going to leave tomorrow when you deploy?"

You weren't shouting, and somehow you'd even managed to hold in most of your tears, but your exasperated rant did have the intended affect of making Jesse feel like shit. You could see it written all over him. Remorseful eyes, pleading hands on yours, mouth opening and closing in a desperate attempt to find the words to make things right.

"And you know what really sucks?" you continued, feeling your speech start to slur a bit more in your emotional exhaustion. "I do still like you, Jesse. In fact, I think I've fallen for you. You're normally so good, so attentive and... and... simply wonderful. I just don't understand why you couldn't be that way tonight. For me."

Something dawned on you, something you'd suspected before, all those times you caught him flirting around the base with everyone he came across. Those insecurities found their way back to the surface and claimed their victory.

"It's because it's me, isn't it?" you choked. "You don't really care for me, do you?"

The tears were definitely going to fall now. You could hear him saying your name, you could feel him gripping your hands more firmly, but just then the rest of the 501st went marching by, oblivious to the moment you two were caught in, hollering after Jesse to get his ass out the door before they kicked it. It was distraction enough for you to slip out of his grasp and make a beeline for the refreshers.

The ladies room was on the second floor, a narrow flight of stairs serving as the only barrier between you and your chosen hideout. Unfortunately, it created the perfect storm. You were halfway up, alcohol complicating your ability to balance, tears clouding your vision, and apparently at some point earlier in the evening, someone had left a nice puddle of their insides on one of the steps.

You heard your name being called from behind, startling you, just as your foot made contact with the vomit. You turned, slipped, and next think you knew, you were tumbling painfully down the steps. Later, you'd be grateful that you were unconscious by the time you reached the bottom, crumpled on the floor beneath the only man you had eyes for.

* * *

You regained consciousness with a splitting headache and a heavy heart. You remembered everything almost immediately.

It took a few moments for your vision to swim back into focus, revealing a curtained-off corner of the med bay where you were laid on a gurney with a thin blanket draped over your frame. You could tell you weren't wearing the same clothes from before based on the odd, stiff texture you felt against your skin. Possibly a medical gown? One of your arms was also hooked up to an IV, the monitor glowing faintly off to the side.

In front of you, in what little space was left between the bed and wall, was Jesse, pacing. Back and forth, back and forth. He was clearly in distress, wringing the edge of his shirt and looking for all the world like he was waiting for news on whether you'd live or die.

As conflicted as you still felt about your first date with him, you figured you'd better put him out of his misery.

"It's not that bad, is it?" you croaked out.

The clone wasted no time in rushing to your side, trading his shirt for your free hand, grasping it so tightly you winced. His palms were sweaty.

"No, no Kix said you were going to be fine," Jesse reassured. "Just a cut on your head, there, above your eye."

You touched at the indicated spot, feeling a short row of stitches along your eyebrow.

"And a few bruises on your back," he added. Made sense why you were now in a medical gown, they had to check for further damage. "And the IV is for your hangover.

You groaned. "Well if this isn't the most embarrassing thing I've done..."

Jesse made a sort of gasping laugh, like he was surprised to remember there was humor in the galaxy. "Yeah. I know you said you were falling for me but I didn't expect you to actually fall."

You glared over at him, but only for a moment. He was a deer in headlights, waiting to see if his attempt to lighten the mood had gone too far. You started laughing, a silent laugh that still shook your chest enough to hurt. You went back to groaning.

"You know I'm still upset with you."

"I know, I know," Jesse hurried to affirm. He scooted a chair over to be closer and looked up at you with those soft, brown, desperate eyes you'd last seen in the bar. He truly looked miserable. "You have every right to be. The date was a disaster and it was all my fault. I was an idiot, I never meant to make you feel that way."

You nodded but didn't have anything else to say that you hadn't already.

"And for the record, you're not a joke. You're far from it. You're... you're..." He was stuttering, licking his lips as if parched. You'd never seen him - Jesse, the huge flirt - act so unsure of himself, especially when trying to pay a compliment.

He reached for your hand again but held it more gently this time, more reverently. He studied it, as if the words he needed were written on your skin. "It is you, but not in that way you thought. It's always been you. For me. But I guess I did a piss poor job of making sure you knew that tonight."

He flicked his eyes back up to yours, questioning, cautious.

"So..." you tried to wrap your head around what he was confessing. "All those things you've said, about how I looked, and how smart I am... all that. You meant it?"

"Of course I did." Jesse gave you a small but sincere smile.

"But... you've said all those things to other people, too. Did you mean it to them?"

His smiled fainted as he thought about your question and what his flatteries looked like from your perspective. He bowed his head for a moment before looking back up at you. "I just want people to feel good about themselves. One of my first experiences off of Kamino, I came across this woman who'd lost her husband, and that wasn't something we were prepared for. All the ways the war actually hurt people. But then I started talking about her hair and how it looked like silk, and she just lit up. And I don't know, I guess I got addicted, making other people feel good like that. You never know what someone else may be going through. They can be smiling and still need that little pick-me-up, you know?"

Your gaze never wavered from him as he spoke. This was more than you ever knew about the man, and you couldn't deny how it made your chest feel simultaneously tense and mushy.

"And yeah, maybe I lay it on a little thicker sometimes when I'm actually interested for myself, you know, not just making someone's day better. And you don't know who may fire back until you shoot your shot. But I'd always hoped it'd be you. That's why I never gave up, even when everyone told me to. They said you weren't interested. I thought you were just shy."

"I am," you whispered, suddenly self conscious. It was clear now that the soldier had frequented the accounting office more than he had any other reason to, that it was not the only office to get good sun in the afternoons if that was truly his excuse.

"I wish you'd told me," you added. "This is the sort of thing I was trying to learn about you earlier."

Jesse's rueful eyes returned. "Ah, yes, on the worst date in history, brought to you by this dummy."

"It wasn't the worst. Bad, yes, but sadly I have been on worse."

Jesse didn't seem comforted by that. He shook his head. "Would it surprise you to know I, uh... I've never been on a date?"

You blinked at him in surprise.

"Not that that's any excuse," he quickly added.

"Right, but, you didn't know what to do." You felt like you were starting to understand him more. "You did what you knew. What you were comfortable with."

"I kept making jokes because I thought if you weren't laughing then you weren't having a good time. I kept ordering the same drink because I didn't know you might want something else, I thought that was what you wanted and I wanted to..."

"You wanted to make me happy."

"And you wanted to feel special."

You gazed at each other for a long moment, exchanging looks of regret and realization. It was an unfortunate evening, but probably not avoidable. There had been enough misunderstanding from both of you that would've always led you to the same moment. You couldn't have known how the other felt, what they wanted, where they were coming from, until you'd gotten to know each other. And you couldn't have gotten to know each other without the misalignments being revealed.

He was the first to speak again, still feeling miserable about the whole thing. "I was late. I could've at least got that right. I lose track of time, sometimes. I don't know why."

He hung his head but you gave his hand a reassuring squeeze to show him you were okay, and he relaxed in your grip in return, giving you a relieved, though still sheepish, smile.

"I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow," you said quietly. "I feel like we need a do-over on our date now."

Jesse perked up. "What do you mean? This first one's not over yet! There's still time to redeem it."

You looked about the room. "Doesn't seem very romantic. No food. No music. I'm in a tacky gown."

"Nonsense, you look hot."

Jesse held up a finger and ducked behind the curtain. He was gone for only a minute, but your cheeks were still flushed by the time he got back.

"What, you like that one? Hot?" he grinned.

You looked shyly away but still gave a nod.

"Noted."

He had a handful of what looked to be protein bars and a datapad that he deposited onto the bed beside you.

"Food, aaand..." he tapped a few times on the pad until some sort of lo-fi jazz started playing, "... music."

You giggled. "You stole these from Kix, didn't you?"

"His office is in the next room," Jesse laughed with you. "I know it's not glamorous and you deserve a much better do-over from me, but..."

"It's perfect," you whispered, grabbing his hand again. "There is one thing, though."

"Yeah?" he asked eagerly.

"Well, this cut on my head is kind of hurting. Maybe you could... kiss it better?"

You couldn't believe the words that were coming out of your mouth, but you knew with Jesse they'd be received well. And boy did his face light up.

He wasted no time in leaning over you, carefully placing a hand by your side to brace himself, and bringing the other up to cradle the opposite side of your face. His breath ghosted over the stitched up cut, sending pleasant shivers down your spine. Then he finally planted his lips softly over it, letting them linger for a few seconds before pulling back.

"What other names do you like?" he asked, his voice low but tinged with a sort of playfulness that kept the mood light in the midst of these more intimate gestures. "We'll take them off the table for anyone else. They'll only belong to you."

He'd sat himself down next to you and was now lifting up the hand with the IV. You watched, enamored as he brought it toward his lips.

"I like sweetheart," you breathed.

He kissed just above where the IV was taped, a smile behind his action. "Sweetheart. What else?"

"Beautiful."

"I meant, what else is injured so I can kiss it?" he teased. You used your hand to swat at him, even though it hurt a little, and he laughed.

"There were bruises on your back right?" he pretended to lift your gown and you swatted again, this time with your good hand.

"That sort of behavior is for the second date, sir," you laughed. "Or maybe the third or fourth. We'll see."

Jesse brought a pair of protein bars around and made a mock salute with you. "To future dates, then, beautiful."

~ ~ ~

Everything Tag: @damerondala, @dangerousstrawberrypie, @fallingforthem, @harleyevanstan, @imabeautifulbutterfly, @justanothersadperson93, @misogirl828, @itsagrimm, @error6gendernotfound, @theroguesully, @clonesimp, @techie-bear

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#star wars #the clone wars #one shot #clone trooper jesse #arc trooper jesse #jesse x reader #hurt/comfort #fluff #flirting #cloneficgiftexchange

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coffeeandbatboys · 2 months

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Hey! I already sent one in and the Rex cuddles one was so good!! But if you are looking for more I could ask another. According to @moonlightwarriorqueen if I’m not matched with Hardcase it would be Jesse. So maybe Jesse 😜 and 10?

YESSS! Finally! our resident thicc boy 😂 Moonlight knows her stuff too. She’s amazing!

Thank you to @the-bad-batch-baroness @vodika-vibes and ofc @moonlightwarriorqueen for helping describe Juicy Jesse 💀

Prompt: sending little selfies or pictures throughout the day when they’re apart

Warnings: Jesse being charming, lots of suggestive comments, reader is referred to as female, and is dress shopping. Kira is just a random name. She’s reader’s friend tho? Kix cameo because where there’s a Jesse there’s a Kix.

Insatiable (Jesse x Reader)

The holopic flickered up on your comm, brandishing Jesse’s infectious smile and Kix’s tired glare. You smiled.

“What’s my girl up to?”

Your insides fluttered, reminding you that the owner of said smile belonged to you.

“Dress shopping for Kira’s wedding”

You sent a picture of yourself in one of the options you'd picked out. The light blue satin fell around you quite perfectly, hugging your waist and billowing around your ankles. The back went way down in a v-shaped dive, which you knew would drive Jesse absolutely mad.

“Oh cyare, you look absolutely amazing, but if you went to the wedding wearing that I don’t think I’d last three minutes through the reception.”

You smiled, giggling in the dressing room.

“Too bad, Jess. I told her we'd be there and you’re my plus one. I guess you’ll just have to suffer.”

You could practically hear his groan halfway across Coruscant.

“Oh come on Mesh’la.”

You smirked, having far too much fun with this.

“Or, perhaps I could find something else? I think I saw one with wayyy too much fabric on the sleeves.”

“Stars, no.”

You giggled again.

"Wish you were here with me."

"Me too. I'll see you at home, ok?"

Something akin to pride swelled within you at the simple thought of him calling your place home.

"Yeah. Love you."

"Love you more, Mesh'la. Be safe."

He was sitting on the couch by the time you returned with a box of takeout and the garment bag slung over your shoulder.

Oh, maker.

Jesse had a way of sitting with his legs wide apart, and when he was in his armor it only highlighted how thick and toned his thighs were. The sight would often make you a little weak in the knees.

"Hi," you cooed with a shaky voice, setting all of your baggage down to the side, favoring his open arms. You pressed your lips to his in a thankful greeting. He sighed happily and settled his hands on your hips.

"Did you have a nice day, cyar'ika?" he murmured as you pulled away.

You nodded, bending down to pick up the dress and the box of takeout. You stole another glance—that was really a stare—at him in all of his glory, but mentally slapped yourself when he smirked and asked,

“See anything that tickles your fancy, Mesh’la?”

“Oh, it tickles more than just my fancy.” You blurted before you could catch yourself.

He smirked again, this time giving a deep chuckle.

“But I’m hungry.” You added, holding up the steaming box of food.

He cocked an eyebrow and looked like he was trying not to burst out laughing.

“For actual food, Jesse. I don’t wanna have to warm it up if it gets cold. Not as good.” You corrected him, finishing your scolding with a kiss.

He relented and joined you in the kitchen as you split the takeout between two plates.

However, you’d definitely be going for *seconds* later.

#arc trooper jesse x reader #clone trooper jesse x reader #jesse x reader #jesse tcw #tcw Jesse #arc trooper Jesse x fem! reader #clone trooper jesse #arc trooper Jesse #coffee’s 270 follower celebration

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toomanybandstocare · 1 year

Text

{A Night to Remember}

Program: A shattered heart, shot glasses, and strobing lights start your night of selfish love. If a certain ARC Trooper makes his desires known and shows his vulnerable side to win you over for the night, who are you to shoot him down? After all, tonight was supposed to be a night forgotten, and Jesse has made it one to remember.

Pairing: Jesse x GN! Reader

Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort (a lil), Suggestive (a lil)

Length: 3231w

Warnings: Drinking, Make out sessions (brief and at the end), Pet name (mesh'la), Reader's lips are described as pretty once

Counselor Notes: lmk what you guys think :) i've been working on this one for awhile, and feel pretty good about it. until i hit writer's block towards the end, and i knew i needed to just finish it. might do a follow up where it's a date and show more of Jesse's vulnerable/softer side?

Camp Resolute Masterlist

Camper Tags: @staygoldwriting

“So, are you going to tell us what happened?” Kiva pointedly asks you from across the booth. The Nautolan rests his fingers on the amber filled glass. Not a single sip missing from glass the moment he heard you order your night’s vice with edge in your voice.

A night out at 79s always starts with heartbreak and ends with new friends. The club hums full of life as music pulses through the air and colored lights allow glimpses of swaying bodies on the dancefloor. Some tucked away as they press against the wall and focus on their partners for the evening.

“Stood up,” you exclaim and press the heels of your hands into your eyes. Leaning your elbows onto the table, you peer past your fingers and watch as your friends send looks of sympathy and grimaces of similar experiences. “No comm message. Didn’t even tell the people we were meeting up with at the party either, so they all just tried to cheer me up. At least I didn’t have to think about paying for my drinks. They were all so sweet and upset,” you groan.

“Will you finally listen to us and give a trooper a chance,” Jared nudges your side. His warm smile barely masks the mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“No,” you grit out after taking one of your shots. A chorus of groans and protests fill the booth with glasses scraping the table. “Not for the reason you think though,” you’re quick to explain, “I just don’t want to use any of them to get over this jackass. Clones, especially, deserve authentic feelings and care. I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if I hurt one of them just to make myself feel better for even just a parsec”.

After sharing your thoughts, you pull your eyes from where you’ve been fiddling with the shot glasses in front of you. Kiva and Jared look at you with fond smiles that wash away the remaining pinpricks of frustration nipping at your neck.

“That’s so sweet,” Jared hums.

“And such bantha shit,” Kiva concludes.

A surge of shock hits you as both your friends press into your sides and begin pointing out members of the GAR they know in the crowd tonight.

“104th’s in the back corner. Always made sure my needs were fulfilled and very attentive,” Kiva subtly points across the club. Each man decorated in gray plastoid has a carefree expression across their face, but the predatory glint in their eyes sends a shiver down your spine. The one with a scar across one eye solely focuses on his date. Confidence exudes from him as one hand rests securely on the Twi’lek’s waist.

Realization strikes and you snap your head to face Kiva with a confused look, “Wait, aren’t you with Fives?”

Neither man provides any clarity for you, and Jared hums in agreement with Kiva. He drapes one arm around your shoulders as his other hand comes up to tap his fingers in thought on his chin. “True, but I think our friend needs something more carefree and fun rather than all consuming and,” Jared pauses while a wolfish smile creeps across his expression, “possessive in all the best ways”.

“Then I think we’re in luck,” Kiva taps your chin to look in the direction of a group of men just entering. “Looks like the 212th is also planetside”.

“The who?” you look between your friends and let your eyes fall on the group.

Both Jared and Kiva sigh at the same time, “You have so much to learn”.

“They’ll make you feel like you’re their life partner even if it’s only for the night,” Jared sighs and rests his head on yours.

It seems as if everyone in the room stops to admire or call out to the men still fully decked out in orange painted armor. Their helmets sit securely on their sides as their eyes scan the room. Each step is taken with purpose as they determine how the night will end. Brothers come up to them and slap their shoulder guards with congratulatory shouts. While most are excited for friends and dates to pull them away, on clone locks onto your both. A devastating smile tugs at his lips as he shoots a wink to your human friend before joining a group of troopers in blue at the bar.

“I somehow think he’s more interested in Jared,” you say and sink further into the booth cushions. Frustration mixes with the shot you throw back and stings the back of your throat. A warm tingling sensation washes over you with a bitter stab of defeat.

“As much as the 212th are passionate lovers, I don’t think they’re what you need for tonight,” Kiva snickers behind his glass. His eyes solely focus on something -- no someone -- at the bar as he takes a slow sip of whiskey.

You drag your gaze to follow Kiva’s, and to no surprise you find a certain clone with a lovestruck smile looking right back at him.

“The boys in blue are back home, baby,” Jared hollers, causing a couple of shouts to come from the trooper squad.

You roll your eyes and grab Jared’s practically full glass as your own. “Here I thought we were trying to find me a date. Silly me,” you mutter. You wince as the flood of fruit liquor invades your tastes buds, and your friends pull away from the booth. Both quickly weave their way through the crowd to take their place by their trooper’s side.

“I am so glad to see you, cya’re,” Fives exclaims and pulls Kiva into a tight embrace.

As much as he wants to tease his brother for being the sap he is, Jesse can’t tear his gaze away from the one person left in the booth his brother’s partners came from. The flashing lights highlight the curve of your neck. Collarbones just peeking past the collar of your top, and the teasing glimpse makes Jesse bite his lip. His eyes trail across your facial features as he watches the straw of your drink rest on your bottom lip. The tip of your tongue lazily pulls it into your mouth as you take a deep breath before taking a sip. What does your sigh sound like?

“Who’s your friend, Kiva,” Jesse asks without looking away from you. Carefully assessing anyone who passes by your booth.

“You remember Jared, right,” Kiva barely pays him any attention as Fives presses his face into Kiva’s neck. Jesse can barely make out your name between the giggles falling from Kiva and mumbles from Fives.

Craning his neck, Jesse tries to make out what you’ve been drinking, but all the moving bodies block the glasses from sight. Excitement buzzing in his bloodstream as he pulls himself up from his seat. As he walks past the tangled, unofficial couple, Jesse arcs his arm over Kiva’s head to whack Fives with his hand.

“Di’kut,” Fives grumbles.

“Sap,” Jesse throws back over his shoulder.

With just a few steps, Jesse joins Rex, Cody, and Jared at their spots at the bar. Jared rests his fingertips on the top of Cody’s utility belt as the two clones catch up on their latest deployments.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I just had a question for Jared,” Jesse comes up beside where Rex sits. Cody raises an eyebrow and warily eyes Jesse.

“Shoot,” Jared faces Jesse. A smirk tugs at his lip as Cody’s fingers rest on one his belt loops.

“Your friend over in the booth,” Jesse nods in your direction. His posture stiffens at the sight of another clubgoer leans across the side of the booth and smiles at you. “What's tonight’s drink?” Jesse grits out. When the other patron lightly trails her fingers across your shoulder, a snarl pulls at Jesse’s mouth.

“Friend in the,” Jared’s words trail off when he looks back at you now laughing with the other patron. “I thought the plan was pretty clear,”Jared groans, “Shots of Corellian whiskey”.

A low whistle comes from Rex, “Shots? Even I won’t do that”.

“Get me a flight of Corellian shots,” Jesse grabs the bardroids attention. His words come out sharper than he intended, but his stomach knots as he watches you play with the woman’s braids.

“Plan?” Cody tugs at Jared.

“Afraid it’s a night to forget about an asshole,” Jared says and watches Jesse with amusement in his eyes. “Been trying to convince ‘em to give one of you boys a chance, but the thought of finding comfort with a trooper for just a night makes ‘em distraught”.

A soft expression falls on Rex’s face as his gaze shifts between the booth and his ARC trooper. “That’s actually sweet,” he hums and takes a sip of his whiskey.

“Biggest heart to ever love,” Jared nods, “but that also means the more pieces to pick up once it breaks”.

Rapping his knuckles on the bar, Jesse forces himself to take deep breaths. Not even waiting for the glasses to settle on the table, he takes a hold of the flights and walks over to your booth with determination. By the end of the night, he’ll do everything to make sure you’re only thinking about him. Tonight, you're his.

“How about another drink?” Elena asks. Her voice warm and inviting while her dark gaze causes your breath to hitch.

Before you can open your mouth to respond, another body slides into the booth. The metal flight of shots comes into the corner of your view on the table and a large hand rests on the apex of your thigh.

“Already taken care of,” a deep voice rumbles beside your ear.

Your body buzzes as the stranger’s warmth radiates from their body and presses into your back. Every deep breath they take slightly pushes you forward, but their other arm slithers around your middle to hold you tight to them.

“Next time then,” Elena winks at you and walks away.

Shallow breaths try to ease the sparks licking at your insides. Soft lips lightly trail across the curve of your shoulder as a deep chuckle fans hot breath across your skin. Flaming the bubbling heat coursing through your body.

Until your skin pricks from the lack of comforting touch all of a sudden. No longer wrapped up in their embrace as they pull away with a nervous laugh. “Sorry,” their words come out much softer. “I hope I didn’t come across too strongly, but I didn’t want to lose my chance to get to know you tonight”.

Thankfully, the abrupt sound of your body shifting around on the vinyl seat hides your small whine from the lost contact.

The moment your eyes meet the clone’s amber eyes, everything around you seems to fall quiet. You can just make out the faint shadow of a dimple at the corner of his plush lips in the dark lighting. Normally acts of flaunted confidence are received by an eye roll, but the way he leans in close enough just to give you an intoxicating taste makes you meet him halfway. One knee resting on the booth with an arm draped on the edge of the seat, his relaxed posture invites you to join him. Scooting closer, you lay your head on his arm and tentatively let your fingertips rest on his knee. His eyes widen with a growing smile at the sight of your flushed face, only for his eyes to darken when you trail your fingers across the plastoid guarding his thigh.

“Do I get to know who interrupted my chances of finding a date for tonight,” you try to ask with ease. Yet, the words seem to catch in your throat when his other hand returns to your leg.

“Why were you wasting your time searching when I’ve been in front of you the whole night,” Jesse’s voice is all but a low rumble. “Jesse,” he states with a firm squeeze to your thigh.

You bite your lip, desperately trying to hold the gasp trying to escape and breathlessly respond with your own name.

“Pleasure to meet you, Jesse,” you breathe out. Even with the dim lighting, you watch in glee as a soft blush kisses his cheeks.

“Pleasure's all mine, mesh’la,” Jesse matches your softness. His eyes flicker across your face. The electric pull they have on you only draws you in closer as they flash underneath the neon lights. “Cheers, to a night to remember,” Jesse’s hand leaves your thigh to grab one shot for himself and offers you another.

You roll your eyes and shoot him a teasing glare, “Let me guess. Jared set you up to this? Bet he told you my favorite drink followed by how it’s a night to forget”. Your fingers graze against his own as you take the shot glass from him. What was once a playful expression fully intended to make him a little excited, your gaze cuts across the rim of your glass and through him as you easily take the shot.

No matter how many bruises from sparring matches or how many battlefields he’s willingly run into, a cold wave of dread hits Jesse as he holds your gaze. “No,” he stammers and quickly downs the shot to not be rude. Before it can clink against the table, Jesse’s rushing to continue: “Well, maybe. Kind of? I asked him about you”. Both his hands fly in the space between you two, trying to clear the air. Although he’s all too familiar with the thrill of the chase when meeting a new evening’s lover, Jesse’s stomach twists at the sight of your raised eyebrow. Swallowing the shiny like panic, Jesse tries to reign in his emotions. You’re an ARC trooper for kriff’s sake - get a grip on yourself. Body posture still relaxed, but leaning away. Fingers pressing into the table- twitching either for another drink or to grab your card holder to book it out of here. There has to be something.

“I,” Jesse wets his lips, desperately trying to make the words flow. All sense of control and confidence dissipates from him though once his eyes fall on your lips. There it is. Slight smirk pulling your pretty lips and taking the edge away from your expression.

“You?” you hum. Resting an elbow on the table, you lean your head on your fist.

Within the few moments spent with Jesse, you’ve learned more about him just from how he carries himself than any conversation could reveal to you. A man who navigates the unknown world with a sense of confidence. A man who cares for those around him and goes to the furthest extent to show them. A man worth remembering.

“I,” Jesse lowly begins and slides closer to you, “have had my eyes on you all night. Watching how every emotion flickers across your face to create the most breathtaking expressions”.

He trails his hand lightly up your arm. Calloused fingertips ignite the tingling sensation you longed for with his fleeting touch.

“How, even though you’re sitting in a tucked away booth, you light up the room with small smiles and outbursts of energy through the night”. His lips brush against the shell of your ear, and warm breath fans across your already burning body. A chuckle rumbles when Jesse feels warmth radiating from you.

Drowning in his words, you can only focus on the gentle taps of his fingers as they fall across your shoulder. Taking a deep breath, it catches in your throat as your chest rises and meets his own. When did he get so close?

“How,” Jesse says as he drags his nose across your cheek bone and breathes in your intoxicating scent, “out of everyone in this club, your head only turned for me”. A rush of excitement hits him as ghosts his lips over your own. Jesse’s heart thunders at the whisper of your gasp.

Everything feels too much. All the alcohol floods your mind. The soft touches that make you twitch and squirm for more. Golden eyes that seemingly glow as they take all of you in, leaving you bare in front of him. Honeysuckle words that drip into the cracks in your heart and forge new connections. And those fucking lips.

“Jesse,” you say breathlessly. Sparks kiss your lips where the two of you barely meet. Just barely any space separating the two of you. Just enough space to make you dizzy.

“Yes, mesh’la,” Jesse hums. He presses his forehead against yours, and he sucks in a breath as your blown out eyes glimmer at him. Unable to keep any oxygen in his lungs, Jesse’s chest rises and falls fast. His hand travels across the material of your shirt, up the back of your neck, and rests at the base of your head. Fingers shaky as he rubs small circles.

Your arm long abandoned the table as your hands move up both thigh plates of his armor. Fingernails adding new scratches to the faded scuff marks and worn paint. As you slip a few fingers where his compression top tucks into the utility belt, your mind goes numb as the sound of Jesse’s strangled groan. His dark, amber eyes hold a challenging glint in them.

“Jesse,” you say again, almost in a reverent tone of need. Almost as if this man is the last hold on reality you can grasp as you tug him closer. “Jesse, I,” you try to continue. But the words melt on your tongue when his other hand wraps around your waist and pulls you tight. Letting yourself fall into Jesse, the two of you become tangled in each other’s hold.

“You?” Jesse teases with a growing smirk. At this point he can’t tell if he hears the deafening bass or his heartbeat in his ears. If he feels hot from the crowded club as patrons move all around them or if it’s all from the fire that you’ve ignited in him. Unable to tell where his body separates from yours.

“I never want to forget you,” you confess.

“Good thing I never want to let you go then,” Jesse whispers.

Before you process his words, Jesse’s lips press against your own and draw out a strangled moan. His tongue darts across your bottom lip, begging for permission to have the smallest taste of you. Parting your lips, your hands trail across his torso to press into his back and push him impossibly closer into you. Neither of you pay attention to the club goers or the hollers coming from the bar, as lust sends the two of you into a frenzy. His arm draped across the booth wraps around you and pulls you into his lap as it presses into the small of your back. Fingertips toying with the end of your top and barely touch your skin.

When you pull away with a chaste smack, Jesse chases after you. Heavy breaths fall between the pair of you as he rests his forehead in the crook of your neck.

“Jesse, come home,” you pant.

A lazy hum tickles your neck as he drags himself away from your embrace. When he straightens up, his eyes melt like honey when they meet your lovestruck gaze.

“I already am, mesh’la,” Jesse murmurs before pressing a sweet kiss to your forehead.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow then, trooper?" you say and nudge him to look at you. Lips softly grazing against the corner of his mouth.

"And the day after that until death due us part," Jesse promises with a kiss.

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emperor-palpaminty · 2 years

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hi! is it possible you could write a cute lil fluffy fem reader x fives fic where it has all the different times fives slips his hand in your back pocket bf style? i have a hc that he does this a lotttt and the 501st is all like um okay fives we have a mission to do haha if you could do this i would greatly appreciate it. thank you so much!!

So I 100% do this to my husband. One time we had painted my SIL's house and then I did this and everyone saw my handprint on my husband's butt. 10/10 Minty good work. This is 100% a Fives thing.

Not NFSW but there is PDA! Female Reader and Fives!

The biggest thing that had come with a surprise of dating Fives was the sheer amount of touching that transpired. You didn't really mind, and you always had known he had been a physical touchy-feely kind of guy, but it was always funny to see a big and strong ARC trooper constantly touching you as if you were his lifeline.

Being a mission support specialist, you were on base almost always. Personal feelings didn't interfere with work- but you still liked PDA being kept to a minimum. Professionalism and all.

Despite this, the touching remained, though more brief now. The man had approximately zero action or PDA filter.

You grinned as you examined the map, feeling Fives' head nestle into your shoulder and his hands slip into your back pockets. "Is the mission supported?" He mumbled, voice rumbling against your ear.

"Affirmative," You grinned as you resumed working. A steady routine had come- he would come after a mission- typically one where he was not seen for days or weeks at a time- shower, and immediately come to you. And who were you to deny him of some passive affection upon returning?

Fives kissed your cheek, thrice, grinning. "We have the best supporter here on base."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Happen to know all the other clones are jealous." Fives snugged his face into your neck. "Who isn't jealous of having someone as smart and beautiful as you?"

Behind him, Hardcase made a gagging sound, and Jesse groaned. "Fives. We have a mission to plan."

"I'm planning it."

"The map isn't on her butt, Fives." Hardcase squinted down at the map. "Wish it was, though. That would make your job a lot easier."

"I'm being helpful!" Fives argued, picking up his head only slightly as you wrote a few potential squadrons to move out on the map.

Jesse didn't even look up. "Oh yeah? What are you doing?"

"Supporting our specialist."

You giggled as he nuzzled into the crook of your neck. "Look, Fives," You turned your head, chin bumping his cheek. "I love you and I love when you touch me, but you need to be planning."

"I am."

"Oh, really?"

Fives bobbed his head in a nod. His nose bumped you. "There's a canyon on the western side of the map. Just about two kliks out- it'll be a bit longer but we can send in a small attack squadron to infiltrate from the back. Need full climbing and grappling gear, though."

There was a brief mumble of confusion as you moved the map, pursing your lips. "That is, if it's even climbable and has no sensors." You tapped on the cliff and produced a small model of it.

"A recon team, then?" Jesse asked.

Hardcase rounded the table, his own arms wrapping around Fives and leaning on him. You laughed, feeling as Fives' glanced back in shock. "Whaddare ya doing?" Fives tried to shrug him off.

Hardcase hugged his brother tighter. "Look! Hugging her made you think! Maybe it'll have the same effect on me."

You cackled, scribbling notes on the map still. Jesse's stool scraped as he rose from his seat, and he grabbed his holopad. "Good Kriff- we have a mission to plan-"

"Yeah!" Fives agreed. "And we're over here, working hard!"

"You're literally not." Jesse sighed as he moved towards the door.

Hardcase yelled from frapping Fives' shoulder. "Jesse! My brain juices are flowing. This hugging thing works."

You only heard a soft "I don't know how we got assigned to the same team," from Jesse as he left, followed by laughter from the three of you.

After a moment, Fives asked, "... Hardcase? Can you let me go?"

"Nah."

"Darling." Fives tugged on your pocket. "Help me out."

"Sorry, Trooper." You grinned as Fives' groaned, beyond Hardcase's exaggerated snuggling. There was no way that was comfortable with armor. "You got yourself into this. This is one mission I would prefer you support on your own."

#fives #fives x reader #fives x you #arc trooper fives x reader #star wars #clone wars #clone wars reader insert #star wars reader insert #minty writes

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knightprincess · 1 year

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Forgive Me (Echo x Medic Reader) Part 10

Warning: None Words: 1.8K

"A rogue Jedi" spoke Octavius, he'd finally gotten to (Y/N) without any interruption, not that she paid him any attention. For the most part, she ignored him in favor of literally anything else, whether that be mindless tasks to have built up over her rotations on the battlefield or seeing to the troopers who often needed her help. As of recent she'd been called to the Jedi Temple after the bombing in order to help tend to the troopers injured during the attack. The bombing had been the main topic of conversation throughout the GAR and for many residents of Coruscant. Some said it was a well-organized Terrorist attack, while others suggested it was the last resort of people wanting their voices to be heard.

"Her name is Ahsoka" responded Snap, an authoritative tone to her voice. The situation angered her to no end. Although she trusted the Jedi, she questioned how they had come to the conclusion Ahsoka of all people was responsible for the attack. "And she wouldn't do this, she wouldn't do anything that put innocent people in harm's way" commented (Y/N), she was all too aware there was a search for Ahsoka now. She too had been questioned by military personnel, specifically Tarkin. He'd been to the point and refused to listen to anything that didn't back up his own accusations of Ahsoka being responsible. There was just something about the admiral that made her uneasy, something about him made her question his loyalty and motivations.

"Jedi have gone rogue before. This war happened because one of their own turned" argued Octavius, a proud grin painted on his features, almost as if he believed he'd won the debate. Snap merely echoed Wolffe with her eye roll, clearly unamused by the situation but knew there was little she could do about it. Instead, her attention turned to the door, several other members of the 501st had been confined to the base as well. General Skywalker had taken a select few out with him in order to find Ahsoka, and General Plo doing the same. Wolffe had all but promised Ahsoka would be brought back safely, showing his care for the Jedi padawan.

"Hey Snap!" called Fives, his voice being heard long before the Arc Trooper made an appearance. Like many troopers he ignored Octavius, simply referring to him as the cryptographer. Mainly due to Octavius making his unsavory opinions about Clones known to anyone within earshot. He'd gained a bad reputation with clones and other personnel around the base. "Still doing paperwork from the bombing?" asked the Arc Trooper, recalling when news of the attack had come in, no one could believe it at first. It was similar to the time when citizens of Coruscant believed the war wouldn't reach them until the power grid was bombed.

"The senate requested them. Something to do with the investigation" calmly replied Snap, a rare smile appearing on her lips when Fives jumped up on the examination table in the center of the room as if he was preparing himself for a medical check. His helmet was placed carefully at his side, as he swung his legs back and forth. Tup and Jesse could be heard whispering and chuckling outside the door, the pair appearing to be attempting to hide when (Y/N) turned her attention to them. "You're after something" commented Snap, her attention turning to the man her words were directed towards. Quickly she noticed his cheeky grin gracing his lips, no doubt he was up to something again or had already done it and was waiting for the inevitable chaos.

"Me do something, I would never" sarcastically responded Fives, once again seeing (Y/N) grin and hearing his brothers' laughter get a little louder. Octavius leaned against the wall furthest from Snap's desk, clearly frustrated by the interruption and Snap's attention being directed to Fives rather than on him, the cryptographer quickly resorted to loud sighing as if attempting to gain (Y/N)'s attention once more, just as the determination to see his self given mission through to the end was also clear.

"Why are you even here clone?" questioned Octavius, his words hostile and clearly meant as an insult. The moment the last word left his lips, Jesse and Tup's laughter stopped as if someone had put the pair on mute, and Fives smile disappeared instantly. The peaceful atmosphere had been replaced with a tense one, to the point one could cut it with a lightsaber. (Y/N) sighed, suspecting Octavius's attitude would once again get him in trouble, as it had done countless times before.

"Here to escort Snap back to the Resolute" simply but calmly responded Fives, choosing to remain the bigger person even if his instincts were screaming at him to do the opposite. "General's orders, at least until the Commander is found" spoke the Arc Trooper, an ire of sadness ringing through his voice. It was crystal clear to anyone, those of the 501st Legion had been affected by the recent events, even more so when one of their own had come under suspicion. (Y/N) nodded, closing off her datapad and small computer, before tidying a few things away and moving to Fives' side, nodding to indicate to the three troopers she was happy to continue her work aboard the Jedi Cruiser.

"It's times like these when I miss not having Echo around" commented Jesse, recalling the fallen Arc Trooper and the chaos he'd caused alongside Fives. The pair often had a running rivalry going with Boost and Comet from the 104, as well as Waxer and Boil from the 212th. Tup could only chuckle, recalling the stories he'd be told by Fives and some of the other troopers, the mischief and the wager some of them had on how long it would take Echo to admit defeat and finally ask Snap on a date. The brotherly teasing that still took place as a form of encouragement when one of them found themselves in the same position Echo did so long beforehand.

"If we can get Snap back to her normal self, the chaos won't be a problem" chuckled Fives, recalling his self-given mission to get (Y/N) as close to her old self as possible. A task he still had the determination to see through to the end. "We all miss that smile Snap. Even the gruffly old Wolffe" admitted the Arc Trooper, even now he remembered he'd focused on (Y/N) after losing Echo, after all, he promised to look after her.

"Maybe if the cryptographer wasn't in constant stalking mode ...." started Tup, trailing off towards the end upon noticing Octavius was once again following behind, although keeping his distance this time. "At least he can't get aboard the Resolute" commented the trooper, rubbing the back of his neck upon realizing how awkward the situation had become. Although like many he suspected it would get worse before it got better. "Where's Gregor when you need him?" questioned Tup, knowing the Commando had thrust far done a good job at keeping Octavius at bay.

"He was part of the regiment sent to reinforce Obi-Wan" casually replied Snap, recalling when she had given Gregor the normal health check before he'd been deployed days ago, as normal the Commando Captain had made jokes and flirted, a few comments regarding Octavius had also escaped him. "Wolffe went with Plo to find Ahsoka" confirmed (Y/N), knowing many would question where Wolffe had disappeared to. Although the civvi medic thought it was obvious where the battle-worn commander had gotten to. Normally when Plo was tasked with something, Wolffe would be at his side ready to help in a heartbeat.

"We can recruit Wrecker. I heard the Bad Batch was diverted back here. Waiting to be reassigned" cheerfully suggested Tup, a mischievous grin appearing on his lips, one that could rival Fives famous one. "General Skywalker said you have a good repour with us clones" complimented the younger trooper, recalling their Jedi General speaking those words, even if he couldn't;t say for sure when it was. Jesse and Fives soon chuckled at Tup's words, both Arc Troopers likely recalling the past and how Snap basically had most clones wrapped around her fingers, even if she hadn't realized it.

"Reminds me of the battle some of the Commanders and Captains had" absent-mindedly voiced Jesse, reminiscing on times long passed. Wolffe had been reluctant to let (Y/N) go, even giving her the nickname so many referred to her by, all those apart of the 501st had become attached quickly, all but refusing to let (Y/N) go when she was on rotation. Cody and Howzer had found themselves in the same situation, both becoming just as protective as the rest. "Our general had to go through a battle of his own to keep you with us" laughed the Arc Trooper, remembering he'd never gotten an answer on where (Y/N) would have gone if General Skywalker had lost the aforementioned battle.

"I would have been reassigned to the 104th Legion again, or put back on rotation" chuckled Snap. Looking back now, she was aware it was more likely she'd be assigned to the Wolf Pack once more. Even now just over three years into the war, the boys of the 104th legion had yet to find a permanent civvi medic, instead, they had a never-ending flow, most taking the first opportunity to leave and be reassigned to either the Military Base on Coruscant or be sent for further training on Kamino. The odd few had found themselves way over their heads and resigned the moment they rotated back to Coruscant.

"Any ideas where we going once the mess with the Jedi is cleared up?" questioned Tup, finding it funny the only one of the small group of four to know for sure where they were going next was Snap. She always seemed to have inside information, to the point many believed she was gifted with foresight. Almost instantly both Fives and Jesse turned their attention to Snap, once again causing her to chuckle. The sweet sound seemingly brings a sense of normality to all three troopers, giving them a little bit of peace outside of the lines of the endless battlegrounds.

"Ringo Vinda or Anaxes. Either way most likely as reinforcements" replied Snap, knowing it would strongly depend on which set of Generals needed their assistance more. Both battles would be cruel and unforgiving as most of them over the past three years had been. "It's most likely to be Ringo Vinda though, rumor has it the 187th Legion is being sent to Anaxes" added (Y/N), cluing the three troopers in while also ignoring Octavius's footsteps behind them suddenly quickening up. Whether that be because he realized his opportunity to do whatever he had planned was slipping away or because another trooper had scared him was anyone's guess.

"The medics really do know everything" commented Fives, once again wrapping an arm around Snap's shoulders as he and Tup lead her across the bridge to the Cruiser all four of them had been assigned to. Jesse stayed behind to investigate what had happened with Octavius, soon finding the answer upon noticing Fox stood feet from the cryptographer, with his coffee cup in hand, directing the civvi man away from the docking bays, an area restricted to all but authorized personnel.

Masterlist

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ariadnes-red-thread · 2 years

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Ariadne’s Red Thread: Masterlist

Welcome to my little slice of Tumblr. Call me Aria :) Fan of many fandoms, but I write for Star Wars/TCW. I’m chronically lazy with being social on here, but asks and inbox are always open if you want to chat!

THIS BLOG IS DNI FOR ALL MINORS. All of my writings involve adult themes and are rated *explicit*. No clonec*st, anything involving minors, non-c*n, roleplay, or m*ster/p*dawan here, please. Unapologetically pro-choice, pro-science, anti-racist, and a safe space for LGBTQ+. Anything less will not be tolerated.

All individual warnings are posted on the stories. Please conscientiously consume. Masterlist under the cut.

Last Update: 2/09/2024

Taglist

Ao3

Series [Ongoing]: The Last Word [Fives x OFC]

After surviving a massacre on her home planet and rebuilding her life as a medic with the 104th, Mal’s world is thrown back into chaos when she transfers to the 501st and dives into a search for answers that she had abandoned a long time ago. Up against forces that she doesn’t understand and unwittingly a participant in a race against time, Mal turns to her new battalion for help. Fives just wants his brothers to heal after the horrors of Umbara, and he doesn’t trust this new medic is telling them everything.

Mal and Fives' struggle to save those they care about comes together in unexpected ways, and, despite their best efforts, they find themselves thrust together in a battle for the future of a galaxy far, far away.

Series/One Shots [On-going]: My 150 Follower Celebration

Some spicy requests from some very special moots to celebrate this lovely community of clone girlies (gn). Includes Rex x F!Reader, Jesse x GN!Reader, Fives x F!Reader, and Wolffe x F!Reader

One Shot: Promise Me [Jesse/F!Reader, Rex/F!Reader]

When Rex made that promise to Jesse, he didn’t think that he would ever have to keep it.

One Shot: Bad Habits [Fives/F!Reader]

You try to can try to break your bad habits all you want, but somehow you always end up here, with Fives.

One Shot: In His Sights [Crosshair/F!Reader]

As the Bad Batch’s medic, you’re used to seeing the details so you can pick up on changes in your boys. As the team’s sniper and an enhanced clone, Crosshair’s got the best vision of the batch. Somehow, neither of you can see what’s right in front of your faces.

One Shot: Heartbeat [Fives/F!Reader]

You wake up to find that you’re trapped in a cave with Fives. As oxygen dwindles and every breath you take is a countdown to death, you’re forced to confront your feelings for the ARC Trooper.

One Shot: Fields of Gold [Jesse/GN!Reader]

Jesse is home on leave, and he has a special surprise planned for you. Inspired by an absolutely beautiful piece of Jesse art by cobaltbeam

Drabble/One Shot: Shadows of Ryloth [Keeli/Unnamed Fem!OC]

As the end nears, Master Di reflects and confronts his Captain about secrets poorly kept [Trying to fix my writer’s block with a little one-shot/drabble AU if Master Di had a padawan and she and the prettiest clone fell in love. SFW and NO MASTER/PADAWAN. Just 700+ words of angst.]

AND COMING SOON… [More details on the way!]

Series: TBD [Jesse/OFC!Reader]

Series: TBD [Rex/Reader]

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the-bad-batch-baroness · 1 year

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@clonexreaderbingo

MASTERLIST:

Grief Stricken

Pairing: Fives x Fem!Reader

Square: Fox

Summary: Your perfect life is shattered into a million pieces after your beloved Fives is murdered. Overcome with grief, you decide to take out your revenge on the man responsible for his death.

Please Hold My Hand

Pairing: Clone [insert] x Fem!Reader

Square: Relax

Summary: Today is your yearly gynecological exam and you’re less than excited about it, but your boyfriend is there to make it better.

Locks of Love

Pairing: Tup x Fem!Reader

Square: Tup

Summary: After a long deployment, Tup returns home and joins you for a picnic in the field where you two first met. While enjoying the spring weather, and each other’s company, you ask him to braid your hair.

Beloved

Pairing: Fives x Fem!Reader

Square: Fives

Summary: A horrible smell leads to a precious discovery. You and Fives have been enjoying your life together, but everything is about to change now that you’re pregnant. While your hormonal imbalance rages, Fives must hang on for dear life as he’s dragged through the stages of fatherhood. Luckily, the 501st has his back and comes to the rescue more than once.

Dancing Your Way Through The 501st

Pairing: 501st x Jedi!Fem!Reader

Square: "What are you doing here?"

Summary: You’re not sure who you want to go home with tonight, so you challenge your favorite 501st boys to woo you on the dancefloor.

Lean On Me

Pairing: Kix x Fem!Reader

Square: Kix

Summary: You're out dancing with your friends when you sustain a knee injury, and Kix comes to your rescue.

A Man's Worth

Pairing: Tup x Fem!Reader

Square: Obsession

Summary: Your date-night with Tup is interrupted when your stalker finds you and won't leave without you. Tup heroically comes to your defense, but it is overpowered by the assailant, and you are taken away. After your rescue, Tup struggles with his insecurities and self-worth as he tries to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Cushions

Pairing: Kix x Fem!Reader

Square: "Leave me alone."

Summary: Kix comes home to find you hiding in a pillow fort.

Queen of Hearts

Pairing: Vampire!Fox x Fem!Reader

Square: "Your eyes sparkle."

Summary: On your way home from work one early morning, you catch Fox drinking a man's blood in a back alley, and it changes your life forever.

Fortunately Unfortunate

Pairing: Jesse x GN!Reader

Square: Tradition

Summary: Jesse’s number is drawn in a lottery, forcing him to participate in a cross-training event with the 212th, and he’s not happy about it. However, his view of the training mission changes when he crashes into your life, literally.

Of Frogs and Clones

Pairing: Hardcase x Fem!Reader

Square: Mystery

Summary: It's the clone's last night in the barracks together as soldiers and Hardcase drinks a mysterious liquid from Jesse's duffle that turns him into a frog. With the help of his brothers and the Right To Love Matchmaking service, they work against the clock to find him "true love's kiss" and turn him back into a human.

Dancing Lights

Pairing: Wolf!Wolffe x Fem!Reader

Square: Smile

Summary: During a mission on a frigid planet, you get lost in a blizzard and Wolffe becomes desperate to find you before you freeze to death. Once he does, he’s forced to reveal a secret part of himself in order to protect you from a territorial pack of wolves.

Puddles and Paddles

Pairing: Brett (OC) x Fem!Reader

Square: Party

Summary: On your way to a party for Tungst's promotion to ARC trooper you take some time to play in a puddle, but when Brett gets wet, he decides to teach you a lesson when you get to your destination.

Combat Cold Cuts

Pairing: Tech x Fem!Reader

Square: Tech

Summary: Your favorite team of Navy SEALs just docked and are looking for some good food.

Caution to the Wind

Pairing: Wrecker x Fem!Reader

Square: Wrecker

Summary: For her birthday, Omega asks you and Wrecker to ride the roller coaster with her at the fair.

The Last Notch

Pairing: Fives x Fem!Reader

Square: Regret

Summary: In a dystopian Star Wars universe where clones aren't just soldiers, but also pleasurable objects used to help finance the war, Fives starts to question his role in the Erotic Bingo lottery system when he meets you and discovers something more fulfilling than sex.

#tbbb writes #CFB2023 #masterlist

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rexxdjarin · 2 years

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Captain's Log: Chapter 7

Vigilance

Series Summary: The galaxy is in turmoil. The Republic has fallen, giving rise to the sinister reign of the totalitarian Empire, led by the insidious Emperor Palpatine. The millions of valiant clone troopers of the former Grand Army of the Republic are now blindly sworn, against their will, to protect a regime they once sought to destroy. After being saved from a terrible fate by his former-Jedi ally and close friend, Ahsoka Tano, seasoned veteran CT-7567 Clone Captain Rex remains loyal to the pillars of Democracy, freedom and truth that shaped the former Galactic Republic. We follow him now struggling to deal with the personal aftereffects of survival and finding his place in the galaxy alongside the only person he has left. You. The love of his life.

[previous] [next] part of Captain's Log series post on ao3

Pairing: Captain Rex x Fem!Reader (she/her pronouns used) Word Count: 13.7k (im going on a trip for a while and don't know how soon i'll have the next update so this is kinda a combo of two chapters to make up for that!) Series Rating: Explicit (18+ only, Minors DO NOT INTERACT) Chapter Summary: Rex and Reader finally come up with a plan to help The Bad Batch remove their inhibitor chips, but things get complicated quickly. A little harmless flirting gets someone into a little trouble. Chapter Warnings: Explicit Sexual Content, Smut, Blowjob, Somnophilia, Exhibitionism, Dirty Talk, Possessiveness, Mild Jealousy, Language, Mentions of Death, References to Canon Plot, Political References, Canon Typical Violence

The whole planet was dappled in golden light from this system’s sun and reflected off every slowly rusting piece of metal discarded here. The sunsets would probably be considered beautiful and a destination for tourists if not for the overcast smog and all the heaping mounds of space junk, both former Republic and Separatist.

On Bracca, scrapping was really the only way to make a living. Their Guild controlled everything on this planet, if memory served me correctly. We certainly were not interested in getting involved with them or getting caught using impounded ships as operating rooms for chip removal more than we had to. But this was the best plan Rex and I could come up with. No one here was looking for deserter clones, which gave us all the advantage.

We’d landed our ship around the outside of an abandoned and defunct starcruiser and met the Bad Batch crew in the Marauder a few clicks East. Taking two separate ships was risky, but Rex wasn’t planning on including them on the rest of our missions. If they wanted to help, he wouldn’t stop them, but we couldn’t risk anything happening to Omega. Taking care of her first was their duty now.

The seven of us trudged through the junkyard surface, looking for a ship in good enough shape to enter safely and praying a medical station was still intact on board. Rex scouted ahead, preferring to lead his men from the front like always. Hunter watched our backs from the rear, his acute senses keeping an endless watch on our surroundings. That left me, Echo, Tech, Wrecker and Omega to walk and keep ourselves occupied between them.

We all took turns carrying Omega when her little feet got tired. Hell I wished someone could pick up and carry me too. I walked beside Echo, filling him in on all he missed between Rex and I and especially the events of the last week or so. I didn’t tell him about Ahsoka. The fewer people that knew she lived, the safer she’d be.

Omega clung to Echo’s shoulders, opting for a piggyback ride from her brother. She and Echo seemed close, their relationship showing the sensitive, nurturing side of him that I always knew was there. The side that I always remembered jumping out to help when Jesse drank too much. That offered his hand when I’d stumbled drunk out into the open air to walk home from a night at 79s. That was the shoulder to cry on in private when unsuccessful missions got to be too much for Fives’ to cope with alone.

Echo was always there for everyone. He was the call that answered back whenever you cried out in need. That was why his name fit him. Not because he endlessly repeated orders as a cadet, but because there was no cry for help that he’d ever leave unanswered. No one would ever go through something alone when they had their Echo around.

Omega picked up on that right away. The more I watched them interact, the more I realized how comforting she found him. Sure, Hunter seemed to be her favorite. An almost Fatherly figure to her. Teaching her strength and leadership, but also scolding her when she needed to learn a lesson.

Echo was Hunter’s perfect compliment. He encouraged her where Hunter protected. He fostered her interests and paid endless attention to her everyday needs while Hunter worried about keeping her safe. To say I was proud of how he cared for her was an understatement. It seemed like destiny that he was here to help raise this special little girl.

Wrecker was more like her best friend or her true sibling than a parent. He was a big kid himself, after all, enjoying everything with childlike wonder and boundless energy. The two played together, teased each other, joked and laughed. I was glad she had someone with the emotional intelligence to realize how important it was entertain her, to let her be a kid and take her mind off the fact that they were all running for their lives.

Tech seemed the least prepared to deal with a child. No amount of information he researched could prepare him for the actual act of parenting. That didn’t stop him from trying though. He did his best to prepare. Taking little notes of things she told him about and writing down little details about her like tracking her height, foods she didn’t like, any bumps and scrapes she got so he could make sure they got better. He documented every little piece of information he could about her and taught her things through knowledge and data. The same way he taught himself.

But Omega, of course, had never been around another human woman in all her life. She was fascinated by me, sticking close to me as much as she could and asking me a zillion and one questions about myself. Which of course I answered. She was very curious and very smart, those brown eyes reminding me so much of all her brothers, but especially of the one I loved. Blonde hair and brown eyes, just like my Rex.

“So what’s a junior senator? What do you do?” She questioned, resting her head on Echo’s shoulder.

“Write lots of reports and do research about what’s going on on the planet I serve. Tech would’ve loved it probably.” I joked, earning a snort from Tech.

“Oh yes, I’m sure the Republic would’ve loved to hear a clone’s political ideas.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head at me.

“I would. I planned on working to bring a vote for clone’s rights to the open senate before…everything…” I sighed, shooting a surprised glance at Echo, shocked that he hadn’t filled them in on my fierce activism yet.

“Really? But you’re a nat born, why should you care what happens to us?” Tech questioned, making both Wrecker and Hunter stop in their tracks to listen to my response.

“Because it’s the right thing to do. You’re living beings. You are owed the right to ya know…live.” I stated plainly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Echo smiled and looked up at Omega who was grinning with admiration at my words.

“See why we liked her so much, kid?” He patted her hand with his own.

“You were going to openly argue for us in front of the entire Republic?” Hunter asked, speaking for the first time in a while. Disbelief setting into a mind slightly more suspicious than most clones, even his batch mates.

Rex turned over his shoulder and winked at me, quietly encouraging me to show off the power of the freedom fighter within that he loved so much.

“You’ve never seen me argue. You think Rex is a fighter? You should see me in action. Would fight for you all until the very end.” I smiled proudly, not sure if they realized just how much I cared about all of them. Not just because I loved their brother. The Republic couldn’t create an army of human beings fighting for the rights and freedoms of millions of people on hundreds of worlds without guaranteeing those same rights extended to the clones too. It would be hypocritical to say anything otherwise. No one was free unless they all were too.

Hunter shook his head, a small smile creeping across his tattooed face. He seemed actually impressed this time. “Between you and Echo here, Rex sure knows how to pick some good ones, doesn’t he?” He motioned us all to keep moving, patting Echo on the back and lifting Omega onto his own shoulders now.

“Wrecker? How are you feeling?” I asked, watching him walk forward a lot quieter than he’d been the last few hours.

He grumbled, “Could be better. My head hurts.” He massaged his temple, trying to coax the pounding headache to subside at least temporarily. I glanced over his face, searching for any other signs of discomfort. Pupils dilating, facial twitches…anything else Rex described feeling before his memory went dark.

“No…anger or anything? Just the headache?” I asked again, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on his massive bicep and pleading with him to give me an honest answer.

“N-no ma’am. No..uhm…N-Nothing else to report.” Wrecker stammered, his cybernetic eye and his brown eye working in tandem to study my face up close. I was making him nervous and I don’t think it was because of the chip.

“Good. You keep letting me know how you’re feeling. We’re going to take care of this.” I affirmed, pulling my hand away, realizing it was my touch that was making him nervous.

“Rex? Are…are we there yet?” Omega asked quietly from over my shoulder, her nimble hands retying the bandana around Hunter’s head.

Rex stopped, scanning the terrain in front of us and pointing to a still smoking starship in front of us. He looked determined, powerful, and stars- so handsome. I walked up behind him, taking his hand and leaning into his side. He hummed softly, “that’s the one. Just up ahead. Seems like it was just brought here. We’ve got a good chance of finding a medical wing that’s still working.” I smiled up at him hopefully, signaling a beaming pride that had grown from watching him in action like this.

“Let’s head over then. Tech, you know how to do this type of operation right?” Hunter questioned his brother, glaring at him as if to demand he lie just to set Wrecker’s worried mind at ease.

“Yes, Sir. Studied up on it the whole way here. Between the diagrams I saw and Rex’s experience, we’ll get things right, Wrecker. Don’t worry.” Tech said, awkwardly patting his far taller brother’s shoulder. The boys all let out a collective sigh at once, grateful that we finally seemed to have found the right place.

Rex turned away from our destination in front of us to look me up and down, scanning me for any signs of weariness. The worry in his face quickly softened to familiar admiration, leaning forward to press a kiss to the top of my head. “How they holding up you think?” He asked me, as if the well-being of his men wasn’t something he excelled at gauging.

“They’re resilient. Especially Omega. She’s a fast learner, intelligent, empathetic…sweet. Reminds me of you.” I muttered, bumping his shoulder with mine playfully. “Though something tells me you never asked that many questions as a cadet.”

“No, I was more the watch and learn type. Cody was the one always asking questions. He was way more talkative than me.” Rex laughed, shaking his head and sighing. “I hope he’s alright.”

“We can check in on him too when we head back to that Cantina.” I offered, remembering I hadn’t gotten the chance to do all the research Rex and I talked about. It all sort of went out the window when he heard Echo’s voice walk into the bar.

“You think the boys know anything?” Rex wondered aloud, as if to ask me how much we’d actually talked about. I glanced behind us at all of them fumbling around in their pockets, looking for a spare ration stick or two to give Omega.

It was funny how, despite all the cloners did to make them human war machines, they could not program away or genetically alter natural instinct. These men all cared very deeply for their family units and possessed the most innate need to parent in one way or another. It was said that came from the original donor himself.

The illusive Mandalorian model had specifically asked for one unaltered clone he could raise as a son. The need to nurture someone, to foster growth and provide for was an inherent genetic trait that was unexpectedly passed down in all his clones too.

I saw it in Cut, abandoning the war entirely to choose to raise the children of the woman he loved. I saw it now in how each member of clone force 99 stepped in to provide something helpful to Omega’s development. And I saw it in Rex, looking out for every single one of his men, ensuring they grew strong and protecting them even at his own risk. They were all highly skilled warriors, probably the best in the universe, but they were just as human as I was. It didn’t matter how they were made.

“I think they’ve had a more important priority, my love.” I smiled at Omega whose acute senses were able to pick up on me gazing at her. She was as observant as Hunter.

“Forgive me for asking but…how did you meet Rex?” She asked, pointing to my hand affectionately joined with his. Rex blushed and ran his hand along the back of his neck nervously. The story was more embarrassing to him than he was probably willing to admit to men who revered him.

The hint of freckles on his nose were darkening from exposure to this planet’s harsh sunlight and it made his skin flush from the heat. He looked hot, sweaty and most of all tired, but the determination in his eyes reminded me of that first day I met him. He was working hard and pretty stressed then too, but he wore it very well.

“Let’s just say we…ran into each other at a senate gala once.” I laughed, leaving out the part where he dumped expensive champagne down a dress he later ruined even further by spilling something else on me.

Echo giggled, “Oh yes. Ran into each other.” He raised his brows at us suggestively and motioned for Hunter to cover Omega’s ears. “You totally didn’t make a complete mess inside a supply closet that Fives and I had to put back together for you.”

Rex opened his mouth to say something in his defense, but I quieted him by turning his face toward mine and crashing my lips into his. He brought his massive hand up to both block their view and hold my face. Wrecker rushed to slide a hand over Omega’s eyes, but she ducked underneath and watched with admiration in those starry eyes.

I broke the kiss, blinking up at him in satisfaction and watching the distinguished Captain’s usually rigid formality falter. He softened, shoulders sagging, cheeks flushing and coughed awkwardly at such rampant public display of affection.

“We are forever grateful that you covered for us both, Echo. Stars where would we both be without you?” I teased, curling my hand into Rex’s again and looking at the stunned faces of the men who only ever saw him while in command. Never like this. Rex smiled at me in agreement, shaking his head at my unending boldness and walked us both down to where the rest of them stood.

“Well I think it’s wonderful. Nala Se always said clones weren’t meant to love. Just to fight for the Republic at any cost. But…clearly that isn’t true.” She pointed up at the two of us and turned to Rex. “How…how did you know?” Omega asked, fiddling with her sleeve awkwardly.

Rex looked up at me with the same starry-eyed amazement that Omega did not thirty seconds before this. He knelt down to her level and patted the top of her head. His face softened, “You just know, kid. You look at someone for the first time, you feel it and you know.” He explained, his gaze fixed on me beside him. “That’s part of why what we’re doing is so important. I want you to live to experience moments like this. We can be more than just soldiers.”

“You really believe that Cap?” Hunter finally asked, after silently watching Omega interact with a couple for probably the first time.

Rex let out a deep sigh and stood up, tightening his fist by his side and raising his chin. His shoulders squared and he stood at attention, almost as if expecting a salute, in order to capture the attention of everyone standing in front of him when he spoke next.

“I do. With all my heart, Sergeant. There’s more out there for us than just fighting and dying. And I think you already have a little someone to show you that.” He chuckled, lifting a hand to pat Hunter on the shoulder. He looked stunned, as if someone had just walked up to him and handed him some kind of almighty victory.

Maybe in a way, Rex was validating some kind of dream that deep down every clone had. Of a life outside of battle. Away from pain and loss. Separate from their prearranged commitment to the cause. Detached from the dehumanizing treatment that was only getting worse under the new regime.

Rex wasn’t just a survivor of the clone wars.

Rex was a living, breathing example of a man’s greater purpose. To live for oneself.

Together, we were a beacon of hope, a lightbulb igniting in the minds of men who spent their entire lives fighting in a dark tunnel with no end. It was like our arrival at their darkest hour gave them permission to expect a new day to dawn for them sooner than they thought.

We all stood together in silence, basking in the harsh glow of the sun setting on Bracca. The uncertainty of war and the future for its soldiers coming to a bittersweet but needed close at days end. Omega grabbed my hand and pulled us all close, huddling us together to wait for the sun to dip below the horizon. To end their final day as soldiers and look forward to a tomorrow where they could just be people. Men with no orders to follow and no more brothers to lose.

“So beautiful, isn’t it?” Wrecker commented, sighing out as he bear hugged all of us in his impossibly large arms. Everyone hummed some kind of agreement, except Rex. His eyes weren’t glued to the sunset like all his younger siblings. His were fixed on me.

I rested my head on his armored chest and watched the waning sunlight lick his features. Rich warm eyes seemed to hold the sun’s rays captive in their amber irises. The darkening freckled dots on his nose mapped out all the scattered stars in the galaxy. The stubble on his jaw made him look more handsome by the day, dark features with blonde hair was a good look on a clone. Though few had the rampant boldness to pull it off like he did. Rosy brown lips parted like they were parched for more than just water and I drank in the desire pouring off his body.

“Yeah, as beautiful as always.” Rex replied, gazing at me like I was the only thing he saw. I reached a hand up to caress his blonde hair at the back of his neck, now long enough to begin curling slightly. His expression darkened, the realization that we had to keep moving dawning on him again. He shrugged, as if to silently apologize that this moment couldn’t last longer and searching for reassurance.

He was on a mission like the hundreds he’d done before. With me by his side, all he needed was my constant support to keep us going. I nodded understandably and turned back into the light, knowing we had a duty to fulfill. “Let’s keep moving.”

—

Venturing inside the old Jedi cruiser was easily the most dangerous thing I’d ever done. Even with all the running and hiding Rex and I had done the last few weeks. The whole place was covered in rust and littered with creatures who survived off of scavenging inside the dilapidated crafts. Which was ironic because that’s exactly what we were doing. Scavenging for medical supplies.

The metal halls were practically falling down on top of us and we had to take extra care with every step. Omega and I stuck close to each other since neither of us had much experience scouting or doing any kind of in field action. The boys flanked us on either side. The old med bay was just at the end of the hall and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“All the times you called me from a cruiser I never thought I’d end up on one like this.” I scoffed, leaning in the doorway that Hunter and Rex had just opened.

“Me neither.” Omega said, shuddering as a large bug of some kind scampered across the floor. “Is this going to work?” She asked, tugging on Hunter’s hand and curling around his hip. “I’m…scared. Just because it worked for Rex doesn’t mean it will this time.” Her skepticism showed wisdom far beyond others her age. Mostly, she just seemed very worried about Wrecker, who sat down on the operating table with his head in his hands.

“We’ve gotta try, Omega. I trust Rex. We all do.” Hunter assured her, patting the top of her head and glaring nervously up at where Rex and I stood. They were blindly putting their faith in their older brother’s hands. He would never steer them wrong and even though this was exceedingly dangerous, it was life or death. Rex wouldn’t recommend it if it wasn’t absolutely essential.

Little Omega was even more unsure than Hunter, her eyes flitting back and forth between Wrecker sitting in increasing discomfort and the old medical equipment that Echo had managed to ramp up.

“And it’s not going to hurt him?” She asked tentatively, pulling at Rex’s hand to get his attention.

“Well…I uh- I don’t really remember. I’ve never been on this side of it.” Rex said sheepishly, shrugging at the obvious lack of assurance that provided. He glared at me, pleading with me to step in and comfort a kid I barely knew about something I had no knowledge of. The worry on her face made her look slightly older than she was, her smaller brows creasing together to form a tiny scowl and chewing on her bottom lip anxiously.

“Omega, the sooner they all remove these, the better. You can eat that snack you all like and hopefully find somewhere safe. Maybe you’ll get your own bunk or your own armor. I’m sure Tech can fashion you something.” I smiled, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and watching her tiny shoulders ease just slightly at my words.

“Who’s to say I haven’t already started on some of those things…” Tech remarked, prying around inside his pack for the right tools to scan Wrecker’s head for the chips location. The crown like device communicated to one of Tech’s datapads and beeped perceptively as it explored his brain for the chip.

“I think I found something…” He declared, tapping on the holopad and following prompts on screen.

“I can’t believe it…” Hunter remarked, eyes flicking between the pad and Wrecker groaning in pain. Rex unconsciously shifted closer to me, his hand grabbing my hip instinctively. Omega’s little frame was starting to shake a little, so overcome with nerves that she couldn’t stand alone like this. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at Rex and I beside her. She drew in a shaky breath before pulling herself into my side, flanked by Rex’s armored thigh.

“I can’t watch.” She muttered, burying her face in the side of my jacket. Hunter sighed, immediate concern breaking his concentrated brow. His eyes met mine, as if to ask if it was okay and I nodded reassuringly. My instinct to comfort and protect her taking over me like it seemed to take over anyone else she got close to.

“Stick with her, okay kid? We’ll get this over with in no time. I promise.” Hunter said, rubbing her arm before turning back toward Echo and Tech discussing how to proceed. Wrecker groaned louder, removing Tech’s equipment and shoving him away as the operating medical tube whirred to life behind him. He winced in pain and gripped the side of his head tighter, making Rex uneasy enough to ball his fingers into a fist.

“Echo…we need to speed this up. Get this going. I don’t think we’ve got much time.” He warned, stepping toward Hunter and explaining what little he and I did know about how the chips affected other clones.

As far as we knew, very few clones could resist the order. The only thing he and I vaguely heard about was one Commander who fought alone against his own men for turning on his Jedi General. The report we overhead at the Cantina was brief and of course didn’t include names or battalion numbers. Just that he was imprisoned and made into an example of what the Empire did to any traitors. Clone or otherwise. I hoped it was Fox, but the way he acted the last time I saw him at the Senate building made me doubt that hope.

Rex probably hoped it was Cody, though that would mean that the General that was killed was Kenobi, which made him equally as sick as if that General had been his own. Fighting against the chip was so rare, so genetically improbable, that it might as well be impossible. All the more reason to get the cursed thing out of Wrecker as fast as possible. Or who knows what consequences we’d face.

Wrecker had gotten suspiciously quiet, save for the groans of painful agony he was letting out every few seconds. To the point that I, who barely even knew him, had noticed the absence of his normally extroverted and explosive personality. He wasn’t acting like himself at all and Omega looked up at me anxiously, no doubt sensing the change too.

Rex and Hunter were muttering things to each other quietly, too entrenched in serious conversation to notice and Echo was busy plugged into the operating table. Tech pulled out some kind of anesthesia in a tiny syringe and held it up to Wrecker.

Suddenly, Wrecker’s hand slid off his forehead and shot out at Tech’s arm, holding the stem back from coming any closer. He bowed his head, slumping slightly as his eyes blinked closed, reopening again with dilated pupils. His jaw tensed and he let out a deep, menacing growl so loud it made all the blood in my body freeze. His other hand lurched forward and seized Tech by the throat, lifting him off the floor. Then the robotic, lifeless words fell out of his mouth and my heart stopped.

“You’re in direct violation of Order 66.”

Before I could even realize what was happening, Tech went flying across the room, slamming into the wall like a lifeless doll and Wrecker yelled at the top of his lungs. Rex’s body flew over mine faster than I’d ever seen him. His armored chest covered where I stood clutching onto Omega for dear life. His arm wrapped around my side, his left hand drawing his blaster pistol. Wrecker howled, throwing pieces of the old med bay across the room and nearly crushing the medical bay’s operating controls.

“You’re all traitors!”

Echo disconnected from the operating table and hurled himself across the room, slamming into my exposed side. “He’s gonna destroy the equipment. You gotta get him out of here!!” Echo yelled, drawing his own weapon and firing stun blasts off the reflective walls in an attempt to at least disorient the large clone.

Hunter leapt into action, hurling a canister against his brother’s broad back. He was met with a strength of resistance he could never match in a million years and crashed to the floor. The now busted canister hissed air from the open cracks and Omega yelled in fear after Hunter.

I pulled her into me, cradling her to my chest. I drew my own blaster from my jacket pocket and set it to stun. “Let go!! I have to help him !!” She screamed, as Hunter wrestled and struggled to try to subdue Wrecker. Tech had crawled across the floor and reached us, whipping out two blaster pistols and held Omega’s arm.

Rex’s looked at me with a cold severity in his eyes that I’d never seen before. He grabbed my forearm and motioned to Omega and Tech. “Stay here. Protect them like I know you can.” I gripped Rex’s forearm, making a silent agreement with him and tucking my blaster to my chest.

“Go.” I confirmed, gripping Omega tightly and ducking down behind a makeshift barrier of boxes and metal wall shrapnel.

“We’ll draw his fire. Omega, stay with Tech.” Hunter yelled, nodding at Rex and Echo as they moved with a perfect soldier’s precision back out into the empty hallway.

Wrecker grabbed his helmet and threw it on, following them hastily. They disappeared down the hall and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“Are you both alright?” Tech asked urgently, giving us the once over before grabbing at an exposed and bleeding wound in his own arm.

“Wrecker nearly knocked your lights out and you’re asking us if we’re okay?” I retorted, watching blue stun blasts light up the hallway just outside our door. Old ammunitions canisters flew back and forth, crashing and hissing out trapped air as they battled each other.

A strange calmness had fallen over Omega, who had crawled forward and grabbed a blaster from the floor. Her clone battle instincts were kicking in. Cool in a crisis, mind racing with plans of action, jumping forward to help out instead of waiting for situations to resolve themselves. If there was any doubt that she came from the same genes as the boys all did, there certainly wasn’t anymore. She was a Jango Fett clone through and through.

“They’re going to get fucking killed out there.” I yelled at Tech, leaping forward after Omega as she slipped out into the hallway unnoticed. “Stay here and protect the med bay. I’m going out after Omega.” I declared, Tech offering no argument as I passed through the blast doorway and into the hall.

Omega stood face to face with a towering Wrecker. She was a quarter his size but probably double his confidence as she held her ground, weapon bared up toward him.

Wrecker held Hunter against the wall by his throat, his large fist more than capable of snapping his Sergeant’s neck without much effort.

“Anyone found in violation of Order 66 will be terminated.” Wrecker bellowed, the threat filling the empty hallway. His fingers started to slowly tighten and Hunter’s eyes went wide.

BANG.

Omega fired. Her shot met the wall beside the two, dissipating into nothing. Wrecker straightened up, letting his brother slip from his grasp and spun around toward his little sister and best friend.

She held the blaster up again, threatening him with another stun blast before thinking better of it and turning tail down the other end of the hallway. Wrecker’s large strides bounded after her, my own frantic footsteps not far behind. I could hear Hunter sputtering and choking, trying to return air into his lungs. I didn’t see any sign of Rex or Echo.

A disgusting, sickening pang of fear stabbed my gut at the thought of losing either of them like this. I choked it down to deal with later as I focused on chasing after Omega. She had dashed down the hallway, sliding underneath a slightly ajar blast door. But between her and I stood Wrecker. Massive and unhinged and raging in anger.

This wasn’t him. He was kind. He was gentle and carefree. He cared so deeply about how the people around him felt. He would never. Never. Willingly do this. It was the chip. Reading about it or listening to Rex explain it was nothing compared to watching it tear the humanity from the man we all knew.

He was nothing more than an organic weapon, controlled like a mindless droid. There was no warmth in his eyes, no quirks that were particularly unique to Wrecker, no free thought or resistance. It was dehumanizing, twisted and horrible. I’d never been more unnerved by the treatment of another human being in all my life. Nothing made me more sure of my commitments to our mission, to Rex, to helping the clones than watching him suffer as the chip took over his mind.

He was too big to slip past and he’d already beaten me to her. I hope she knows how to hide. He lifted the blast door completely, stalking into the room as quietly as a nearly 7-foot-tall clone could. The metal junk littering the floor made walking hard but provided excellent cover for someone as small as Omega or myself. I made a mad dash for the door, ducking behind a fallen wall panel and peering into the room.

Wrecker was searching every obvious hiding spot in the room. Wherever she was, she had done a good enough job of evading him so far. It took all my will power to quiet my breaths and make my hands stop shaking. I couldn’t let him hear me. I was her last line of defense. From this vantage point, I couldn’t stun him because I risked hitting Omega.

The scraping of metal ripped me from my thoughts as Omega’s screams rang out into the halls.

“This isn’t you! It’s the inhibitor chip!”

“Conspiring with traitors makes you a traitor.”

“Wrecker! I don’t want to hurt you!” The sound of guns exchanging hands and Omega’s small whines filled my ears. “But Wrecker…you’re my friend.”

“Good soldiers follow orders.” He whispered, the creepy sentiment stinging me the second I heard it. I thought only of Fives. Who gave everything to try and stop this. Who never followed orders he didn’t wholly support. Stars we needed him more than anything right about now. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I couldn’t let her shoot him or vice versa.

I moved to strike, only to find another back pressed against mine. I spun around, shoulder to shoulder with Rex, his head seemingly still ringing from being shot or stunned or thrown. He nodded at me, mouthing a countdown.

3..

2..

1..

Rex and I dashed in, nearly arm in arm. His perfect shot finally landing directly on Wrecker. He slumped to the floor right in front of Omega and she went flying into the safety of Rex’s arms. She was sobbing, burying her face in his shoulder and blubbering out words. “That…was…so scary…” She cried. He closed his eyes and curled his hand around her neck comfortingly.

“It’s alright, ad’ika. You’re safe. He didn’t mean it. We’re going to help him.” Rex cooed, wrapping her legs around his waist and grabbing my hand with his. “Let’s go get the boys. We need to do this fast.” We set off down the hallway, finally ready to end this nightmare once and for all.

—

By the time we’d removed all their chips and left the ship it was close to midnight. The boys were all too tired to head back to the Marauder and our ship had a homing feature that allowed it to fly back to us on autopilot. Thankfully, the pirates who used to own it had added some extremely useful modifications.

We managed to find a sort of makeshift island, too small to land the garbage ships on and probably at some point used as a break spot for the Scrapper’s guild. Bracca was way calmer at night and delightful breezes blew across the once tropical landscape. The air was far less muggy and thick and we’d decided sleeping outside for the night might provide us all with the literal breath of fresh air we all needed. The Bad Batch left us Rex and I alone briefly to clean up a little, have something to eat and search through the inside of our ship for usable blankets.

Rex and I set up our cot and took time to hold each other close and appreciate the little step we’d taken toward accomplishing our greater goal. We’d saved five lives today. Five clones were finally free because Rex and I cared enough about them as individual human beings to give them the life together that they all deserved.

I gazed at him, completely lost in thought as he stared up at the night sky beside me. “Ya know…I used to think that hope was pretty and soft and caring and delicate. But now I know it’s not. It’s bruised, battered, bleeding…a little broken, but loyal, determined, fierce and resilient. Hope looks a lot like you. I think your brothers look at your face…your face…and I know they see it too.” I said, resting my head on his chest.

His gloved hand curled around mine and his eyes fell away, lips curling into a shy smile. “You saying I’m not pretty?” He joked, rolling his eyes playfully and bringing his other arm around to roll me on top of him.

“Rex.” I laughed, thumping his chest weakly and staring at him in moderate annoyance. “You know what I meant. I’m trying to have a moment here.”

“Did Padmé teach you how to give such good speeches or were you always so good at that?” He asked, stroking the side of my cheek with his thumb.

“She helped a little. But I mean it. You lived because you were supposed to. Force works in mysterious ways right? Your life means something, not just to me, but to all clones. You’re their hope.”

“And you’re mine.” He admitted, shifting to bring my face to his, resting his forehead on mine. “For whatever happens when we’re past all this. When we complete the mission. Thank you for helping me through this. For staying for me. For…for everything.”

“Love requires no thanks. It’s selfless. And unconditional.”

“Anakin used to say that. Thought it was just a Jedi thing.”

“I think you know it isn’t.”

“You really are an angel, you know that? You are all the starlight in my sky. Like Echo said, you always were my sun on Kamino. Always my reason to look up. No matter where I was, you were out there. And I was coming home to you. I’d battle death a thousand times to get back to life with you.”

I smiled down at him, tears in my eyes blurring my view of the most perfect man I could ever ask for. “I love you.” I whispered, in complete lovesick shock at my partner’s sudden ability to form sentences poetic enough to bring tears to my eyes. Before he could continue, sounds of the other boys approaching with blankets interrupted our conversation.

“We’ve got our things. Let’s settle in for the night. It’s been a long day.” Hunter declared, eyeing Rex and I intimately pressed together.

“Omega, you get the cot. I know you’re tired, Tech and I will set it up, ok?” Echo whispered, patting the head of the sleepy-eyed little thing who was just barely clinging on to consciousness after such a traumatizing day. They all got to work putting together a makeshift camp and before we knew it they were all huddled around a small fire.

Wrecker, exhausted and still healing from the roughest day he’s ever had, was relaxing with a little doll Omega had probably given him for comfort. They all seemed tired, scared and fatigued from being constantly on the run now. But at least now, they were safe from the inhibitor chip. All four of them were never going to be used against their will ever again. They finally truly answered to no one. And that gave Rex and I enough peace to allow ourselves to drift into a satisfying rest. I closed my eyes and listened, hoping to one by one hear them all fall asleep. Which wasn’t happening at all.

“She looks at him like he’s the greatest man the galaxy has ever seen. With those eyes. Fuck- what I wouldn’t give…for a pretty thing like her.” Hunter shook his head in amazement, the tiniest hint of a smile crossing his normally unreadable face.

“I mean…he sort of is. Isn’t he? Can’t say I’d blame her for choosing one of the most highly decorated, best genetic replications of the prime model.” Tech pointed out, lifting his goggles off his eyes and relaxing back into the hammock he’d set up.

“You’re all full of Bantha shit. It’s not because he’s decorated or good at fighting or anything like that. She likes him because he’s selfless, he listens, he’d do anything for the people he cares about.” Echo gestured to himself, very obviously pointing out that his mere presence among them proved that. “Women care about stuff like that.”

“I suppose you’re right. Those are nice qualities to have in a partner at least as far as the human psyche goes…” Tech inhaled like he was going to continue on an explanatory tangent when Wrecker groaning interrupted him.

“I think it’s because he knows when to shut up.” He shot back at his brother gruffly, “she is so pretty though. And tiny.”

“Only in size, not in personality, that I promise you.” Echo laughed, fondly remembering one of numerous times I’d successfully stood up to creatures three times my size without fear. “Sharp tongue too if you mess with her.”

“Don’t tell me anymore or I’ll fall in love with her.” Wrecker huffed, waving his large hands around trying to brush the idea of me from his mind. “Rex would really want to kick my ass then.”

The boys fell silent, all immediately regretting discussing this the second they heard Rex’s name. They respected us together enough to know better than to even think a dirty thought about me. The crackling of the fire was the only thing I could hear now, the planet’s ghost town feel looming over us even heavier at night. I thought they might’ve finally fallen asleep before someone sighed out.

“I bet it’s the blonde thing.” Hunter chuckled. They all agreed.

I’d been listening to them from our cot, my back turned to them as I pretended to sleep buried in Rex’s armored chest. He actually was asleep, finally feeling comforted surrounded by the sound of his brothers voices, knowing we were both safe.

I turned over in Rex’s arms, curling my fingers into his and feeling them unconsciously tighten to receive them as he slept. The lull of voices hushed quickly as they collectively held their breath, unsure of my state of consciousness. I started giggling softly, flicking my eyes open to glance around at all of them pretending they weren’t watching me. I decided it was as good a time as any to have a little fun like I used to with the 501st boys back home.

“Echo’s right. It’s his good heart…” I yawned, pressing my backside further into Rex curled behind me tightly. His hands were grabby and body possessive even as he slept, somehow always mindful enough to keep me close to him. The boys averted their gaze, pretending they didn’t feel a sense of hopeless longing and mild jealousy at the idea of cuddling into someone else’s warm body like this.

Intimate touches and vulnerability were not a shared experience amongst this group of brothers. They weren’t afforded that luxury and that was why they desired it more than anything else. Whether they could admit it or not. “…and ya know the mind-blowing sex.” I confessed, knowing exactly how to press the buttons of the touch starved men in front of me.

Instantly, it was like I’d reignited the smoldering fire in front of us. Wrecker protested the loudest, pulling his pillow over his eyes and shouting into it “maker, you can’t just say things like that.” Echo laughed out loud, shaking his head as the filth he expected from me finally came out.

“Yes, she can, if it’s the truth. Sexual discussion is healthy in relationships.” Tech pointed out, not entirely sure if it was to the group of us or to himself.

“Talk about highly decorated…that’s what he should be given a medal for.” I praised suggestively. “Do they enhance that part too?” I teased, shifting to rub up against Rex a little more. I wished he was up to hear this. It would be funny to watch his face go red at such graphic praise. He liked it, never one to shy away from bragging about himself when he deserved to. And he definitely had earned that right.

“Hey now…little ears…” Hunter scolded, motioning to a slumbering Omega, passed out in a deep sleep in the only cot the boys had. “You are something else.” He rolled his eyes, smirking as if he knew from experience how he’d deal with someone like me. “Rex certainly has his hands full.”

At that, Rex’s hand on my waist actually tightened, gripping me possessively and pulling me into him. “And I can still take down all four of you at once…if I have to.” He grumbled sleepily from behind me.

Echo laughed, “aaand there he is. Right on time. It’s even funnier than I remember.” He turned to rest his hand behind his head and sunk into his hammock. “Rex still playing with fire…At least some things in the galaxy are still ok.”

“Playing with fire, so that’s what we’re calling it now?” Tech said sarcastically, turning off his data pad and pulling his blankets up to his chin.

“That doesn’t even begin to describe it.” Rex shot back, as I practically felt his smirk buried into the crook of my neck. Normally, he would scold his men for getting this bold, but this time he was joining in knowing it would throw me off.

“Look who’s not so sleepy all of the sudden, Captain.” I teased, the tiredness lacing my words with a lazy, lust filled tone. It felt like all the air in the atmosphere was sucked out at once as his title spilling out of my mouth really awoke something in the rest of the boys. Must be a clone thing.

“Stars above…call me Captain too.” Wrecker blurted out, the banter wholly becoming too much for him.

Rex, immediately noticing far too many wandering eyes, pulled our blankets up over my face and rolled me on top of him. A dark grumble bubbled in his chest and he inhaled to keep his composure, “That title’s only for me. Isn’t that right cyar’ika?”

“Sir, yes, Sir.” I responded, still baiting him in front of everyone with a submissive tease that I knew was both driving him nuts and making him at least a little mad. He glared at me with just the right amount of black lust filtering into his gaze and I smiled back, half apologetically, mostly not.

“Go to sleep.” His voice scolding, but the heat between his thighs and his grip on my ass telling a far different story. I nodded and set my head down onto his chest, the rapid flutter of his adrenaline pumping heart setting me at ease. “That goes for all of you too.” Rex ordered, turning his head and scowling at them, a silent threat to brush the memory of this aside or at least to not let him see them think about this ever again.

“Goodnight boys.” I giggled as the bad batch guys all mumbled out an exhausted but affirmative goodnight, knowing Rex would kill them if they kept this line of conversation going. I traced my hand up Rex’s neck and turned his face toward mine. “Goodnight, my Captain.” I pressed a delicate kiss to his lips and any of the annoyance he felt at me pushing my luck earlier melted away.

He hummed, cocking an eyebrow at me and sliding his hand underneath both layers of clothing on my bottom half. A firm hand clenched a dominating grip on my right cheek, fondling it roughly. I looked up at him, his strong jaw ticking like he was plotting a punishment good enough for the stunt I pulled. Which was exactly what I hoped he’d do. I tipped my head, blinking an innocent curiosity back at him. As if I didn’t do this intentionally.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook for this yet, mesh’la. You’ll see. Goodnight, my little tease.”

—

“Keep quiet.” He whispered, hot breath fanning in my ear roused me from a sound sleep. My body was warm, head still in a fog from a dream filled with details I couldn’t remember. I could feel his arm underneath my side, armor clattering against my skin as he covered my mouth with his gloved hand. I blinked my eyes open, my vision beginning to focus on the dark stillness of the planet’s surroundings. It wasn’t morning yet. The sun wasn’t even close to rising.

“Rex why-“ I opened my mouth to speak to ask him why he woke me, only to be immediately cut off by the sliding of his gloved fingertips along my slit. I whimpered, tipping my head back onto his shoulder. I canted my hips forward into his hand, sending his touch brushing across my clit.

“There ya go…that shuts you right up. Feels good hmm?” He muttered, placing a featherlight kiss behind my ear. The fabric of his gloves provided delightful friction as he traced one finger teasingly over the bundle of nerves. It made a white-hot current of pleasure radiate out from my core. I nodded, the pace of my breathing speeding up as his fingers did. My eyes flicked around our surroundings remembering we were not alone out here.

“The Boys?” I reminded him, reaching a hand up to try pulling his arm away from where he was torturing me.

He chuckled darkly, “Echo took Omega inside the ship. I don’t care about the others. Let them hear what I do to you.” He pushed my thighs apart, opening me up more for him and dipping two fingers into my opening slightly.

“R-Rex.” I whimpered softly, reacting to his fingers threatening to penetrate. I suppose this was what I deserved for being so openly explicit in front of the guys.

“That’s it. My name. That’s all I’ll allow you to say. All I want them to hear spilling out of that filthy mouth, cyar’ika.” He grumbled, scolding me with his words but pleasuring me so powerfully and perfectly with his hands. His fingers pushed inside my entrance, fluttering with need he’d coaxed out of me with only words.

Was he…? Jealous? Jealous of how his brothers eyes looked at me so longingly. Such a pretty thing being so vulgar so proudly. I knew exactly what I was doing teasing them and that was solely to rile up Rex. I did not expect him to get jealous enough that he’d take me right here, outside while his brothers slept beside us. To act so possessive of me that he couldn’t help but stake his claim, mark his fucking territory right here, right now.

I expected to maybe get punished later on when we were alone on our ship after we left them. But the way they watched me, craved me, lusted after me must’ve stirred something greedy, possessive, dominant inside him. I was into it. Very, very into it.

“I was just having a little fun…” I pouted, nibbling his thumb resting on my lower lip. He buried his face in my neck and kissed right along the deep vein of my pulse. He sucked a deep hickey so hard onto my skin I could already feel the blood pounding to form a purple bruise. His fingers curled inside me, pressing against the sensitive spot on the front wall he knew drove me crazy. I bit my bottom lip to hold back a loud moan as dizzying pleasure shot up my spine.

“No, you bad girl. They want you. They want to have you like I do. But you’re gonna remind them who you belong to…” He groaned, twisting his fingers and burying them to the knuckle inside me. My hand flew back to grip his side, using his strong frame for leverage as I ground my hips down to meet his thrusting hand.

“Y-you, Rex. I belong to you.” I moaned, digging my fingers into his arm and pulling his hand away from my mouth so I could be heard better.

“That’s right, mesh’la. You’re mine.” His fingers curled, pressing the pads of his gloved fingertips into a spot that made my mind blank and my toes curl. I hissed loudly as the tension building in my core tightened, my walls closing in on his wide digits. His now free hand slid down my stomach, trailing circles across my skin before resting a searing pressure on my clit. My eyes rolled back in my head and I instinctually thrusted my hips up to follow his touch.

“Fuck.” I whined, “Rex…don’t stop, don’t fucking stop. I need to cum for you. Please.” He rubbed faster circles as I egged him on, my grip on his hip tightening. He slowed, despite every inch of my body begging him not to and pulled his soaked hands from between my thighs.

“Hmm…since you want to keep running your pretty little mouth…” He brought the wet edges of his gloves to my lips and pushed them inside, running the taste of me along my own tongue. “Bet you taste so good for me…” His chest was heaving behind me as he felt my lips wrap around his fingers. I swirled my tongue around the fabric, tracing the tang on every stitch and making him grumble in satisfaction. I popped off him as he slid his fingers out, instead using them to hold my face as he engulfed my mouth with his tongue to taste as much of me as he desired. A warm exhale washed over my face as he broke the kiss, holding my gaze and smirking as we both fought through our lust to catch our breath.

“Would rather be tasting something else, Rex.” I replied suggestively, pressing my ass against his lap, his bulge probably wildly uncomfortable underneath his codpiece. He groaned as soon as I bumped him, clearly painfully hard and as desperate to be touched as I was.

His hands explored underneath my top, squeezing both breasts in his trembling hands. He whimpered in my ear from behind and traced his tongue along the shell of my ear. Hips rotated against my backside, grinding his needy cock into the space that called for him so many times before. He wanted this, but was holding back.

I had to egg him on more to draw out this possessive side of him and encourage him to throw caution to the wind. Forget how many rules this might break or how awkward it’ll be tomorrow. Who cares? We needed this.

“What would they think…? If they woke up and saw my mouth wrapped around you? Think of how badly they’d want me then. Stars I’d be such a sight.” I teased, pushing him past the breaking point.

I could feel him getting hot with arousal and a little anger behind me. “Mesh’la…still won’t learn your lesson…you really want to tempt me hmm? Fine. I’ll just have to fuck that bold little mouth quiet.”

I turned over in his grasp and looked up at him for the first time since he woke me. His brows were furrowed in a grumpy scowl, and if I didn’t know any better I’d think he actually was mad at me. But that loving twinkle in his brown eyes reflected in the light of the moon and signaled his undying affection for me, like they always did. The crinkles by his eyes deepened as a small smile stretched across his face, eyes darting over how the shadows of the moonlit night danced across my features.

“Go ahead…you’re in charge, Rex. I deserve it. I’m yours.” I smirked, rocking my core against his and fumbling with the magclips of his codpiece to remove the armor in our way.

“Aww see? Only I know how to get you to behave.” He chuckled, brushing the hair from my forehead and helping me remove the plastoid with his free hand.

“You’re the only one I want to behave for.” I retorted, freeing the armor from his lap and tossing it carelessly to the ground next to our cot. At this point, if the sounds woke up any of the three boys around us, I can’t say I’d care a single bit. I ran my hands along the hem of his bottoms, rolling the fabric down until his cock sprang up against his lower abs. He exhaled in relief as my hands wrapped around the shaft, gently tugging at his pounding length.

“Mmm cyare fuck. Need to…see you prove it.” He groaned softly, tipping my chin up to his face with his curled fingers and slipping his thumb into my mouth. I bit down on the digit gently and smiled devilishly up at him.

“You don’t believe me?” I asked, shifting my body down the cot as quietly as I could underneath our blankets. There was nothing I wanted more right now than to kiss down his entire torso. Over every scar, curve and hardened muscle he had. To pay him extra special attention because I just fucking loved him so. But there wasn’t time to remove all the armor and as much as I wouldn’t mind if any of the others saw me, I wasn’t going out of my way to be careless enough to wake them up either.

I laid my cheek on the cool plastoid covering his thigh and threw the blankets off again, revealing how dangerously close I was to slipping him into my mouth. “Could never want anyone else but you. This pretty cock…has ruined me for anyone else.” I whispered, coaxing my fist over the blunt head and collecting the wet droplets of precum already leaking out of the slit.

His eyes screwed shut and his body tensed as I soothed the throbbing ache of his cock with just a few touches. “S-show me,” he hissed through gritted teeth, “show me how it ruins you.” I looked up at him through dark lashes, biting my lip in satisfaction as he instructed me to worship his cock exactly how I wanted to. I dragged open mouthed kisses up the thick vein on the underside before slowly placing the tenderest gentle kiss on the tip. I moaned softly, letting my tongue dart out to flick the slit and taste him more.

I smiled, my lips spreading against him and making him toss his head back as the sight became too much for him. “My favorite view in the galaxy. My Rex…maker did your brothers staring make you a little jealous?” I asked, twisting and guiding my wrist up his shaft and dribbling saliva into my waiting fist.

He let out a pained exhale, disguising a filthy moan and meeting my gaze with lust heavy lids. His brows knitted together in concentration as he tried hard to keep his composure. He took a deep breath, tangling his fingers into my hair and gently pressing my lips to his cock. “Not jealous.” He said stubbornly, his jaw tightening as I blinked up at him.

“Hunter thinks I’m a handful.” I teased, spitting sloppily all over his cock and slicking it down the shaft. I parted my lips, slowly sliding him further into my mouth. I watched his eyes flutter closed, trying so hard to stay annoyed at me for acting out.

“Because you won’t behave for Hunter like you do for me. Isn’t that right, little brat?” He smirked, a low rumble growing in his chest as I popped off of him. His fingertips grazed my cheekbone and he tipped my chin to force my gaze back up at him, expecting an answer.

I beamed, “Mhm. I’m only good for you…Captain.” I watched the mischief in his eyes darken his pupils even more as I told him exactly what he wanted to hear. And calling him by his title always did things to him. I leaned forward and swallowed him down again, lips wrapping around the girth of him and never breaking eye contact.

“Such a good girl…remembers all the ranks…follows all my rules.” He whispered, his voice straining more and more as I bobbed up and down on his cock. Drool rolled down the underside, lubing up my twisting fist and slicking my movements even more. He pulsed against my lips, adrenaline and blood making him grow thicker and needier in the wet cavern of my mouth. Both my small hands twisted in opposite directions as I stroked him, while obscene and prominent suckling sounds filled the stale night air.

Part of me wanted those boys to hear this. Wanted them to watch their superior take me the way only he could, the way he deserved. To allow him to flex why he was in charge and they weren’t. As much as he got off on claiming me, I got off on him pulling rank and taking charge of everyone around him, including myself.

“Of course I do. I’m the Captain’s girl. I have to set a good example.” I teased, knowing full well I had broken a ton of rules and pushed past more than a few boundaries by working up every man around me on purpose. He pulled my hair slightly, positioning my lips where he wanted and thrusting his hips up to shove himself between them. His broad hand wrapped around the back of my head, guiding me at the speed he wanted. I moaned around him, letting the tip of him bottom out on the back of my throat.

“Fuck, mesh’la. Say that a little louder for me? You’re whose girl?” He asked, panting as I inhaled, forcing back gags and swallowing around his cock. My lips pulled taut around the width of him and my jaw ached from holding my mouth open for him to fuck into. I blinked up at him, bleary-eyed with tears streaming down my cheeks, wetting his thigh armor beneath us with a mixture of spit, precum and tears. He smiled at the sight of me absolutely ruined by his cock beneath him, a lovesick haze glazing over the dark lust in his eyes. He guided me off him, wanting to hear only one thing out of my mouth.

“Yours. Rex’s girl. Always.” I gasped out between desperate breaths for air, precum filled saliva strands trailing from my lips to his cock. I collected the wet mess and slicked it around his sensitive tip, my thumb caressing the frenulum and wrapping my lips around the weeping hole. The second my lips connected with his cock again he practically howled, curling fingers around my neck and resting the other on my shoulder to grip me as close to him as possible.

“Good girl. Only my name comes out of that perfect fucking mouth. Stuffed full of my cock. You love it, don’t you? You love blowing me so messy…drooling on my cock. My perfect filthy girl.” He praised as I nodded in response, pulling the blanket off to get an unobstructed view of my face. Or maybe it was because he wanted me to be seen doing this. Something really had gotten into him if he was bold enough to do this with eyes possibly watching us.

He was pounding against my tongue, slowly rolling his hips up as I swallowed him down. I whimpered around him as he picked up the pace, fucking into my mouth as he promised. The sound of gags filled the air, no longer muffled by a blanket over my head. I took in several deep breaths, letting my jaw slack obediently and allowing him to slip back as deep as I could. He grunted lowly, his thighs twitching beneath me and signaling how close he was. He pulled my hair back harder than before, lifting me off him and catching his breath. I wiped my lips with my fingers and reached down to swipe the slick between my legs. Rex let out a loud, exasperated exhale at the sight and grabbed my other wrist.

“No more touching until I say.” He groaned, almost pleading with me for mercy. I knew that working him up only to make him watch me play around would have him spilling all over us both way too soon. I sat up on my knees and slowly made my way up his torso, fingers tracing the seams of plastoid covering the plane of his chest. I rolled my body against his, making him tremble with hopeless want. I hovered my upper body above his and dangled my slick covered fingers between us.

“You sure you don’t want to taste what all this possessiveness does to me, Captain?” I taunted, watching him grit his teeth, desperately trying to maintain the control between us. His lips quirked, drawing a mischievous grin across his tense face. His heavy hands latched onto my hip bones and he leaned in close enough to draw my fingers into his mouth. A low groan left his lips as he instead brushed his stubbled cheek against mine, bringing his lips to my ear and swirling his tongue over the sensitive spot beneath it.

Suddenly, he slapped both hands down onto my ass hard and gripped the flesh tightly before saying out loud for the entire planet to hear, “No cyar’ika, I would rather feel it.”

He drove my hips down, splitting me apart on top of him as he speared up into me brutally. The pressure of his cock forcing my swollen walls apart made me scramble for something to grab onto. I found the comforting width of his shoulders and dug my grip into them.

I buried my face in his neck and squealed, “Rex- oh fuck, Rex.” Fire ignited from the base of my spine to the tips of my fingers. He pushed my hips down onto him, pressing his cock up into a space inside me that felt so good it tore the breath from my lungs. My pussy spasmed around the thick length tearing into me and he choked out a low whine at my body’s jerking reaction to his sudden entry. The explosion of pleasure wracked my nerves and I pressed sloppy kisses along his jaw just to keep myself from screaming. He guided my hips up and down to start a slow, ruthless pace.

“Got you so worked up, didn’t I? Acting so bold because you needed me to fuck you like this.” He muttered in my ear, lifting his thighs to repeatedly sink himself into my heat. I twisted my hips, finally comfortably opened up enough to do some of the work myself. I sped up, the flesh of my thighs slapping against his lap obscenely as I rode him with all the strength I could gather.

“Yes baby. I-I like when you show off.” I whispered, resting my hand on his jaw to turn his face towards mine. “Mmm reminds me why you’re in charge.” My jaw dropped open as he held my center in place with one strong arm, shallow snaps of his hips making his writhing torso catch my clit. Tingling radiated from our joined hips outward and I rested my cheek against his as I moaned softly.

He huffed in amusement, clearly pleased at my submission to him. “Seems like you wanted to remind everyone I’m in charge, needy girl. You want me to show them who owns this little pussy?” He asked, his hungry eyes watching how pleasure contorted my features. The blissful rocking of his hips made the width of him stretch me open almost painfully, every thrust carrying a jolting buzz of delight through my every last nerve. I could feel the building pressure in my gut cinching tighter and tighter. The drag of his cock repeatedly breaching my tight entrance sent wet heat drenching my cunt and coaxing sounds out of me that I could just barely hold back.

“Please, Rex. Want them to hear how good you fuck me.” I begged, my insides beginning to clamp down on his cock still railing into me harshly. I fluttered around it, my entrance pulled taut to fit the sheer size of him and the arousal he’d caused slicking each movement.

His head lolled back against the pillow as my words hit him. “That’s my filthy girl. Begging me to make you scream.” He leaned forward and captured my lips with his, his tongue overpowering mine and teeth pulling down on my bottom lip. “Go ahead. Let them listen to how good my cock makes you feel.” He whispered, his lips brushing mine with every word.

A moan ripped through me as he sat up more, changing the angle and sending the tip prodding into the deepest part of my pussy. My back arched as he bottomed out into the spot over and over again, tears brimming up in my eyes as the pleasure threatened to overwhelm me.

“Right there. Ha-harder, Rex.” I gasped, choking for air I couldn’t inhale without forcing the vice grip on his cock to wind tighter. I sat up, resting my palms on his flexing pectorals and my nails scratching red marks across the dark skin. His gaze traced up my exposed chest, following the craning of my neck to my face, brows raised in expressive ecstasy. “fuck you feel so good.” I whimpered, tracing my hand along my thigh wrapped around his waist. He knew where my hand was going without even watching it and he grabbed my wrist to keep it from moving.

“No hands, mesh’la. I’ll decide when you cum.” He almost growled, his gravelly voice deepening as he made the seductive threat. “Sit back and let me watch that little cunt take me.” He asked, grabbing my shoulders and tipping me back until I rested both palms on his still plastoid covered thighs. The new angle allowed him a perfect view of how I sheathed him with each thrust, my wet folds enveloping every last inch of his pounding cock. I tossed my head back and moaned louder, the sound loud enough now to bounce off the ruined metal hulls of the ships in the distance.

His gaze jumped from our joined centers to my tits bouncing and back, thoroughly enjoying how each brutal shove into me racked my entire body. “Look at you…fuck- you’re so good for me. Might even let you cum like this, pretty girl.” He reached forward and caressed the curve of my breast with his thumb. The nipple budded up at his touch instantly, goosebumps erupting on my skin now exposed to the cool night air. He hummed in delight and traced his calloused hand down my torso.

I watched him with desperate anticipation, hoping to the stars above that he was finally going to touch me. He smiled up at me, reading the pained look on my face and pouting up at me mockingly. I whimpered, twisting my center around him in figure 8s chasing the mountain of pleasure I was desperate to find the peak of.

“C-can I…cum now, Rex? I want to…” I wailed, the simple act of asking his permission setting a smoldering flame of heat alight in my core. He slid the hand roaming my torso down to where my touch starved clit ached for attention and gingerly rubbed light circles across it with his thumb.

I cried out in agony, the pleasure searing through my body blanked my mind of everything but Rex’s hands on me, Rex’s thighs supporting me beneath him, Rex’s cock pounding and pleading for release inside me.

He laughed, strained and breathy, but clearly amused and enjoying this. “If you ask politely…show me you remember how to behave now…” He offered, pressing on my clit harder and burying the head of his cock into the perfect spot that only he could ever seem to find.

“Please, Rex. Please.” I gasped, searching for some part of him to grab onto and immediately finding his already outstretched hand, tangling his fingers between mine. Suddenly, he sat bolt upright, his mouth latching onto my nipple and biting down as the change in angle pierced into a spot that forced the built-up pressure in my core to finally burst.

“My mesh’la. Make me so fucking proud. Cum for me. Right on my cock you love so much.” He said, the rambling words of permission signaling his own climax wasn’t far behind mine. “Show ‘em all how pretty my girl is when she cums for me.”

“Rex!”

Pleasure cascaded down my body like a waterfall, my mind numb to the feeling of anything else but orgasmic euphoria. My thighs tensed and my fingers curled, squeezing his hand and the strewn blanket for any kind of stability. The sheer force of my orgasm propelled my body upwards, as if to keep my head above water before the wave pummeled me back down in its undertow. An extinguishing ripple of pleasure flushed through the blistering heat of arousal that had been torturing my body. It washed down through my core and made the aching tightness entrapping him in my walls release.

He let out a low groan and held my hips to his tightly as he let my spasming walls milk the release out of his overstimulated cock. “That’s it. Look what taking my cock does to you. Only I can fuck you full like this. You’re fucking mine. Fuck, mesh’la. Fuck-“ He hissed, each erratic thrust dismantling all that was left of his domineering strength.

The flexing inside my heat dragged rope after rope of hot, sticky cum out of him. My insides felt ruined and heavy, weighed down by the twitch of his cock and the seeds of his euphoria saturating any remaining empty space. He was practically whimpering beneath me, the pleasure too good for either of us to contemplate changing positions. His hands wrapped around my back and held me into him, aftershocks ravaging both of us. Slippery skin slid against skin, panting breaths too hot to cool either of us down.

I slumped onto his shoulder, lazily rocking my hips to chase the wave of pleasure as it receded away gradually. His broad chest heaved under me and his hand cupped the back of my neck. An overly satisfied giggle left my lips. “Mmm…Rex.” I hummed, nuzzling into his neck and delicately kissing places I’d bruised.

“You gonna behave yourself now?” He teased, stroking my hair and messaging the back of my neck with his outrageously strong hand.

“If acting out gets me fucked like…that? Never.” I laughed, biting down on a particularly pretty purple spot I’d gifted him with.

“Good.” He snorted, “I’ll just have to teach you this lesson again, my pretty girl.” A deep, gruff hum bubbled up in his chest, as he pulled us both back down onto his cot.

I reached my hand up to brush his cheekbone, ghosting my touch down his jaw. I tipped my head to the side, marveling at the lengths such a perfect man would go to affirm his love for me. He proved how much I meant to him every single day. He never had a single thing to worry about. Sure millions of others shared his face, those same dark eyes, determined grin, strong jaw and deep voice. But they weren’t him. No matter how many versions of him I ever met, they would never compare to him. He was more special than he even knew.

His inability to shake the deeply ingrained idea that they were all just numbers wouldn’t stand in the way of how deeply intwined our souls were in the cosmic force. I wasn’t even a Jedi but I could feel this. I knew it in my heart that this clone wasn’t like his brothers at all. Because Rex’s very soul was forever changed by the bond we’d formed together. That was something no geneticist or messed up cloning experiment could ever change. We were one now and we always would be.

“I am yours. You know that, right?” I muttered, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to his lips still open and panting from exertion. “Just wanted to give you the chance to remind other people. You’re still a bit of a showoff.” I giggled happily, propping myself up on one arm resting beside his head and letting the other hand smooth over the expression breaking the usual tension that formed across his brow bone.

He watched my chest rising and falling trying to catch my breath and dragged light fingertips up and down my bare back. Warm hands pulled me back together from my usual explosive high and curled his protective grip around my smaller frame.

“You just put on a show like that and I’m the show off?” He teased, rolling his hips lazily against mine and laughing softly. He tucked hair behind my ears and eased me down onto his chest. He nuzzled his cheek onto the top of my head and wrapped his arms around me tightly. “I think you like me showing off, cyar’ika. Always have.”

“Yes, well, you look too good doing it not to.” I whispered, peppering light kisses along his neck and smoothing my fingers along his collar bone. “We should probably try to actually get some sleep.”

“Some of us have been trying to do that for hours now.” A deep, harsh voice grumbled from somewhere in the darkness around us. Hunter. Exactly who started all this in the first place.

I looked up at Rex, wide-eyed and shrinking into his body in embarrassment. He laughed, pulling the blanket back over my naked body and flexing proudly that his loud claiming of me had actually been heard by those he intended.

“Sorry, boys, but this isn’t the GAR barracks anymore. I no longer have to follow rules I don’t like.” He said, rolling my body on top of his and holding me in his grasp. If anyone told me even a few months ago that Captain Rex was doing this, I would’ve fainted probably. But hell who cares anymore, right?

“Something tells me that those rules never stopped her.” A second, loftier voice responded. Tech.

I giggled, “No, they didn’t.” Remembering the select few times I’d snuck into his quarters, too needy after a month’s long mission to wait for him to come to me. Senator’s staff clearance permissions giving me special entry to certain places was convenient. Besides, most of the 501st knew the drill by that point anyways. If they ever heard anything, they knew better than to mention anything to their commanding officer.

Rex traced his fingertips up my spine, the way he always did when he was thoroughly satisfied. “How much did you hear?” He asked, the wry smile on his face proving that he absolutely was not sorry he’d woken them.

“More than enough.” Hunter replied in a huff, as if the graphic display had disturbed some dream he was having. Perhaps the teasing had gone a little too far with him. The sound of rustling blankets and then padded footsteps filled the silence.

“Where are you going?” Tech asked, using a datapad to illuminate the darkness.

“Check on Omega. Get some real rest.” He shot back, his boots meeting metal. “Goodnight.”

I looked at Rex sheepishly, feeling a little guilty about flaunting something in front of him that he clearly craved. Rex shrugged, not exactly thrilled about the idea of this particular brother thinking about me like that.

“Sorry we woke you.” I whispered, turning over to apologize to Tech.

“That’s alright. Don’t worry about Hunter. He’ll…get over it.” Tech explained, his eyes meeting mine over the top of his holopad. He seemed unbothered and I shrugged away my worries about Hunter’s hurt feelings.

“Tech…are you able encrypt those? So no one can track you or anything?” I asked, sitting up with our blanket wrapped across my chest. He laughed softly, as if even asking that was a silly question.

“Of course I can. Why do you ask?” He said, sitting up and rifling through his pack beside him.

“Rex and I need a way to…do some research without enemy eyes finding out.”

Rex, intrigued and likely following my train of thought, swung his legs over the side of his cot. “We need a way to get intel from inside the Empire. Inside the clone network. Check on some people.”

“Hmmm…I can give you a spare to surf the holonet. But tapping into the inner workings of the Empire is dangerous…I’ll have to look into how to do that safely. Here.” He replied, tossing Rex the extra pad he pulled from his bag.

“Thanks Tech.” We said together, Rex bumping the back of my shoulder with his. Tech hummed some kind of you’re welcome before settling back down in his makeshift bed. Rex rested his chin on my shoulder as we both looked on the holopad like we’d never seen this technology before.

“Who should we look for first?” I whispered, the search database blinking and waiting for me to enter in the aurebesh letters.

“Look us up.” He replied, typing his designated number into the former republic database and hitting search.

CT-7567: Rank - Captain. Battalion - 501st. Last Mission - Siege of Mandalore. Status - Killed in Action, Cruiser crashed on moons of Bogdon System. Body never recovered.

“Hmmm…well I don’t feel dead.” He joked morbidly, scrolling back up to enter in a new name to the search field.

I typed in my own name and found…nothing. My existence wiped from Senate records. “What?” I whispered out loud, my eyes wide with surprise and Rex’s deep in thought. “Only those with Senate clearance could do this. Someone’s…watching my back.”

Before Rex could speak, footsteps racing down the ship’s ramp made us both turn away from the mystery in front of us. Through the darkness, we could just make out Echo’s silhouette illuminated by a few soft lights inside our ship. He was panting, clearly desperate to give us some kind of urgent news.

“You two better come inside. Someone’s sending you a coded transmission. Highly scrambled and classified and you’re not going to believe who it is.”

---

Introducing the Captain's Log Taglist! I've had so many people ask me to make one so they get notified when new chapters drop so I am starting one! Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed! tag list: @starwarsmeninhelmets @literallydontlook @thefact0rygirl @moonstrider9904 @pedropascalsx @ashotofspotchka @fett-djarin @zinzinina @love-like-poetry @captainrexi @galacticgraffiti @kaminocasey @calkestiis @pinkiemme

#wip captains log chapter 7 #wip captains log #captain rex x f!reader #captain rex x you #captain rex x f!oc #captain rex x fem!reader #post order 66 #post order 66 rex #captain rex smut #star wars fanfiction #the clones smut

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jenstar1992-2 · 3 years

Text

A Light in the Darkness

Pairing: Echo x Mechanic! reader

Warnings: Language, loss, grieving, and slight mentions of sexual activities (nothing descriptive)

Word count: 9,989

A/N: So, I had to change the timeline a bit to make a few things seem more logical, and while writing this I envisioned Echo in his newest style of armor because I thought the armor he wore at the end of season 7 would have been too recognizable, and wouldn’t have furthered the story like I wanted. Also, props to my little sister @sgarrett49 for helping me make a big story decision, I couldn’t make up my mind, so she did it for me. Thanks sis! 😊💕

Part 2

Never in your wildest dreams did you think you’d be anything more than friends, let alone actually come to truly love one another, but here you were, deeply and hopelessly in love with a man who treated you as if you were his everything. Little did you know, you were.

You and Echo had been together for almost two years now, and it was honestly the best relationship you had ever been in, and you knew within that first year that he was the one, so you did your best to hold onto him, and to what you two had built together. However, this was usually easier said than done, as you came to find out that dating a soldier could be rather difficult, not to mention quite taxing on the nerves. Not a day went by where you didn’t worry for him, and the constant feeling of him being taken away from you every time he went off on another mission was hell. He would always reassure you before every departure that he would return to you, and that nothing would stop him from doing so, and you believed it every time, which is why when you’d gotten word that their ship would be returning soon from the mission on Lola Sayu, you ran to greet it, already waiting on the landing platform as the ship landed and everyone began to unload.

Your eyes scanned every face that exited the ship and when they landed on that of your friend, a smile grew on your face as you waved to him.

“Fives, hey”, you shouted.

He looked in your direction, making eye contact with you for a moment, and that’s when you noticed the sullen look on his face, which only deepened when he met your eyes. He then looked downward, avoiding your gaze, as he continued walking to the hangar, not saying a word. You thought that was strange as he was usually the one in a good mood and would often greet you with a smile and a hug after missions, but not this time.

Needless to say, you were confused as you watched him leave, until someone said your name from right behind you, startling you out of your daze, and you turned around to see who it was.

“Oh, Rex, hey, do you know what’s up with Fives, he’s acting off, did something happen”, you asked curiously, and that’s when you saw that the somber look you’d seen on Fives was adorning the captain’s features as well.

“Rex, what’s wrong”, you asked, then looking around, only to notice that people had stopped coming off the ship and the ramp was beginning to close. “Where’s Echo?”

Rex’s face dropped even more at your question, and he looked to the floor to avoid your gaze as he spoke.

“(Y/N), there’s something I have to tell you”, he said in a low voice.

A sudden cold chill ran through your body, and you felt a heaviness fall upon you.

“Where is he Rex”, you asked, already putting the pieces together, but desperately wanting it to be something else, anything else.

“He, he was trying to save the shuttle, so we could escape”, he said, pausing to place something in your hand. Looking at it you saw that it was the pendant you’d given Echo after you’d hit your one year mark, the word “Always” engraved in Aurebesh decorating it’s face, it hadn’t just been a simple gift, it had been a promise, a promise that, no matter what, you’d always be there for him, always love him, and it was something he’d treasured and kept on his person at all times, especially when he was away from you. He’d told you that having it allowed him to have a piece of you with him, which was a great comfort. As far as you knew, he was never without it, so when Rex placed the object in your hand, you knew what had happened before he even had to tell you. It was clear he knew this as well, as he didn’t proceed to state the obvious, but instead offered you a sorrowful, “I’m so sorry (Y/N).”

You stared at the pendent in your hand for a long moment, still trying to fully comprehend what this meant, because it didn’t feel real. It felt like your world was crumbling down around you and your senses started to fade until all you could see was blurs, everything you heard was muffled, and all you could feel was… nothing, you were numb. It took you a minute to come back to reality, and once you did, your senses returned like a hard punch to the gut, everything hitting you at once.

You closed your fingers around the object in your hand, its cold surface stinging your skin, and before you knew it, you were on the ground. You’d crashed to your knees, with such force that if you had been more aware you probably would’ve noticed the intense pain that ran through your legs at the impact, but you weren’t, so you didn’t. All you could do was kneel there, clutching the only thing remaining of the one you loved with all your heart, as you let out a noiseless cry, before finally inhaling and openly sobbing.

Seeing you like this broke Rex’s heart, you were one of his closest friends, him being one of the only people, besides Fives, who knew of your and Echo’s relationship, and had been so happy for the two of you, so supportive, it killed him to see you so distraught and know that there was nothing he could do to fix it. So, he did the only thing he could do, he kneeled down in front of you, drew you into his arms, and just held you, held you until the tears ceased, until you had nothing left to give. He held you for as long as you needed, and although he knew it would never be enough, it was all he had to give.

After a long while of crying and silent comfort, you finally managed to pull yourself together enough to stand. You then allowed Rex to take you back to your quarters, where you immediately fell into bed.

Rex left once he felt it was necessary, wanting to give you some time to be alone, time to think, to mourn in peace. Before he left, however, you stopped him and handed back the pendant, although he was unsure if he should take it.

“(Y/N) are you sure. This is all that’s left, you should keep it”, he said.

You shook your head. “I can’t”, you said, your voice almost a whisper. “It’ll just be a reminder of what I lost and seeing it every day will only make it hurt more.”

“If you’re sure…”, he began.

“I’m sure”, you said, stopping his next words.

He nodded then and turned to leave, only stopping at the door to look at you over his shoulder, his expression saddened.

“I’m sorry”, he repeated.

“Me too”, you replied, before watching him take his leave.

You spent the next few hours lying in bed, staring at the wall, trying hard not to burst into tears again as all the memories started flooding your mind. You’d wanted to spend your life with him, to give him the world, but that was no longer a possibility, and that hurt most of all. You weren’t sure how you were going to get through this, but you did know one thing; you couldn’t just give up. Yes, you lost the person you cared for most in this galaxy, but he wasn’t the only one that needed you, you had friends that needed you too, friends that had also just lost a big part of their lives; you’d lost your love, and they’d lost their brother. You would need each other, and so you would carry on, hard as it would be, and be there for them, like you knew they would be for you.

As you slowly began to drift from consciousness, the image in your mind was of him, giving you that perfect smile you adored, a smile you’d never see again, but knew you’d yearn for.

You then fell into a deep sleep, your last conscious thought being one that drew one last tear from your eye, which you let slide down the side of your face until it met the pillow beneath you.

“I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

***

It had been a long couple of years to say the least, so much had changed in your life, and you still felt like you were trying to catch up with it all.

A few months after the mission to Lola Sayu, you’d been asked to take on the position of field mechanic, which you had agreed to right away. You figured all the moving around and non-stop action would help take your mind off the overwhelming sadness that had become your new companion, and it did, for a time.

However, the universe has a funny way of forcing you to do what you need to, and after a couple of months in the field, you were sent back to work on Coruscant, and this lasted for about a year before you were able to be sent back out.

During that year you had done a lot of reflecting, planning, and most importantly, healing. It took time, but you were finally able to live with the grief that had once consumed you, and you had made it to a place in your life where you could be yourself again, even having someone new in your life that brought you a great deal of happiness.

You now shifted between field and on-world work, in order to maintain your new life, and the relationship thriving within it.

You had been away for a couple of months and had just returned to Coruscant not two days before getting right back to work. The bills never stopped, so neither did you.

You were currently working at your station in the hangar, doing your best to repair an almost completely totaled gunship, when your comm went off. You sighed and made your way down the ladder you had been propped up on, picking up the commlink from your worktable and lifting your welding mask before answering.

“Yeah”, you said, very unprofessionally. You couldn’t help it, you hated when someone interrupted your work, no matter who it was.

“Hey, it’s me, you think you could meet me outside, got a ship for you to look at.”

The voice was all too familiar, and you groaned internally. Of course, he would be the one to try and weasel his way into your busy work schedule.

You gave a heavy sigh before answering. “Look at, or fix? There’s a difference Anakin, and I’m a bit too busy at the moment to add anything else to the ‘fix’ list”, you told the jedi.

But, as always, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Oh, come on, these guys really helped us out, the least we can do is help fix their ship, and we’re not even sure it’s anything major, could be a quick fix, especially if you’re the one tasked to it. Besides, I promised them the best mechanic the GAR has to offer, who else would I call”, he asked, yet again trying to sway you the only way he knew how, damn him, he knew you couldn’t say no when you had a reputation to uphold, not that you were vein about it, it was just nice to know all your hard work was noticed and what you put out was reliable and sought after.

“You know, flattery doesn’t get you everything you want, Skywalker”, you told him, but after a long pause, you responded. “Be out in 5.”

“You’re the best”, he said, and you could practically hear the triumphant smile through his voice.

“Yeah, yeah”, you replied, annoyed that he had you caving to a request for the umpteenth time.

You collected a few of your more commonly used tools and dumped them into your toolbox before closing it up and hauling it off the table, then begrudgingly making your way out to the landing platform. Once there, it didn’t take you long to spot them. Anakin was standing among a group of other men, all soldiers from what you could tell, including Rex, who you were actually happy to see, as it had been a while since you’d even spoken to him. They’d been shipped out to aid in the fight on Anaxes only a few weeks after you yourself had been shipped off to yet another distant planet in the Outer Rim. Honestly, you were just glad he returned, and was seemingly unscathed. However, the joy of seeing your friend couldn’t overpower the feeling of annoyance that had quickly built in you, and you pulled down your welding mask to cover your face in an attempt to hide the deep frown that you now felt pulling at your lips, you didn’t want that to be the first impression these men had of you, so you tried to get your emotions and your expression under control as you closed the distance between you and the group.

“Ah, there she is”, Anakin said, his tone jovial.

You came to stand before him, dropping your toolbox next to you, quite unceremoniously, and crossing your arms.

“What’s with the mask, you hiding from us now”, he asked jokingly, which only pissed you off more.

“Oh, believe me, you don’t want to see the face I’m giving you right now”, you replied.

“Come on, you’re really that mad?”

“Yes. You do know I don’t actually work for you right, you can’t keep asking me to drop everything because you need something. I have a gunship in there that needs a hell of a lot more than a tune-up, and if I don’t get it repaired within the allotted two weeks, they’re gonna scrap it”, you explained, unintentionally letting out some of your anger through your words.

“And, the Republic never seems to have an issue getting more, I’m sure we can get a new gunship in no time”, he said, not seeing your reasoning.

“That’s not it Sir, she doesn’t like waste”, Rex answered on your behalf.

You looked to him, then finally lifting your mask to smile at him.

“Thank you, Rex”, you said, before turning your attention back to Anakin, your eyebrow raised as you gave him a look. “At least someone gets it.”

“Alright, alright, I’m sorry, this’ll be the last time I interrupt you, promise”, Anakin said, raising his arms defensively.

“Yea, I’ll believe that when I see it”, you scoffed, then removing the mask completely and setting it beside your toolbox. You then turned your attention to the group of unfamiliar faces and gave them a warm smile. “Sorry, I’m not usually like this, it’s just that this one has a way of bringing out my inner bitch”, you told them, gesturing to Anakin, who just rolled his eyes.

“No need to apologize Ma’am, we understand”, said the man at the front of the group, clearly the leader of the bunch, as the others simply nodded their agreement. “I’m Hunter”, he said, offering you his hand, which you took and shook firmly.

“(Y/N), nice to meet you, I take it you’re in charge here”, you asked him.

“I am”, he replied.

“Good, so, what’s wrong with your ship?”

“Not quite sure, we were hoping you might be able to help us figure it out, that is, if you’re willing. We understand if you’re too busy”, he said, quickly adding that last bit to not seem demanding, and while you appreciated the possible out, you were already there, so you might as well follow through.

“It’s alright, I’m always busy. What’s one more project”, you said, giving him as cheerful of a response as you could muster at the moment, and you took the short moment of silence that followed as an opportunity to scan over the rest of his squad, getting a more detailed look this time.

They were definitely clones, but none like you’d ever seen before, their features slightly similar, but still differing from one another, and certainly from your typical clone. This was true, at least, for the four you could see. They had a fifth member, but it seemed he was taking your initial approach, as he had kept his helmet on, which was effectively blocking you from getting any decent view of the face underneath, so you were only left with your assumptions. All you could discern was that he was looking straight at you, unmoving, and you could almost feel the intensity of his stare, even through the visor. This caused you to shift, feeling a bit uncomfortable that a complete stranger was looking at you in such a way, the feeling only made worse by the fact that you couldn’t actually see the expression being sent your way.

“Great, it’s settled then. You’ll help them out and I’ll get started on keeping my promise by getting out of your hair”, Anakin said from behind you, causing you to turn and give him one last glare before he made his exit.

You shook your head before looking to Rex, who was now giving what looked like a slightly confused, if not frustrated, look to one of the men in front of you. When you looked back, you noticed the helmeted soldier looking back at him, and shaking his head slightly, as if saying a silent, “no”. You thought this was strange but didn’t have time to think about it in any depth as your attention was soon brought back to Hunter, who was now making his way to their ship and beckoning you to follow.

As you walked the short distance, the other three introduced themselves to you, and the one called Tech began explaining to you all the things he’d already checked and the causes he’d debunked, telling you he hoped this information would help you in finding the problem a little quicker, now that you knew all the things it wasn’t. You weren’t annoyed, as this did help to narrow it down, and once you’d made it to the ship, you got right to work.

As you rummaged around the innards of the ship you now knew to be the Havoc Marauder, you couldn’t help but notice the unidentified member of the group talking to Rex, although, it seemed as if they were having an argument of sorts, nothing too heated, but one that definitely had Rex frustrated, which was a rarity as far as you knew.

You shook off your curiosity and got back to your inspection, and soon your eyes lit with realization.

“Ah ha”, you exclaimed. “Here’s your problem, your flight stabilizer is shot”, you explained.

“Impossible, that was one of the first pieces I checked, and I saw nothing wrong with it”, Tech told you.

“Well, not to be rude, but you must not have checked thoroughly, because that’s definitely where your problem is”, you said confidently.

“And just what makes you say that”, he asked, seeming a bit insulted by your accusation.

You then grabbed the part and hauled it out of its compartment, then turned it so that the side that had not been easily visible when it was hooked up was now facing him, revealing a small puncture mark in its side.

He looked at the part in your hand, then back to you, a look of surprise now adorning his features.

“How did you…”, he began to ask, but you just shrugged.

“Just gotta know what you’re looking for. This problem is actually pretty common in Omicron-classes, and usually stems from the stabilizer not being installed correctly. My guess is whoever put it in made adjustments that were too tight, and this caused it to be too close to this here”, you explained, pointing to the piece of machinery that had been right next to the one now in your hand, and had a piece jutting out from it, “which allowed it to rub against the stabilizer until it eventually punctured it.”

The commando just stared at you for a moment, still trying to process how he could’ve missed that, but he soon composed himself and spoke.

“Oh, well, that makes sense”, he said.

“Can you fix it”, Hunter asked, coming to stand next to his comrade.

You scoffed. “Of course I can, and lucky for you guys, I just so happen to have a spare flight stabilizer back in my work station, I can grab it and have you fixed up in no time”, you told them.

“Then what are we waiting for, lead the way”, Hunter said, gesturing you forward.

You nodded and began the walk back to the hangar, heading for your work area.

Rex came to walk beside you soon enough, and you couldn’t help but inquire about the strange behaviors you’d just witnessed.

“Hey, is everything okay, do you know that guy”, you asked him in a whisper while subtly gesturing to the man in question.

Rex looked to you, then sighed. “It’s… complicated, I can’t really explain right now”, he whispered back.

You gave him a confused look, but decided you wouldn’t push the matter, Rex always had his reasons, and they were valid, you were sure this instance was no different.

“Okay”, you said, drawing out the word. “Well, in any case, I’m glad your finally back safe”, you said, smiling up at him, which he then returned.

“Thanks (Y/N), you too.”

***

Echo felt like he was glued to the floor as soon as you removed your mask, and he found himself looking at a face he never thought he’d see again.

You were still just as beautiful as he remembered, maybe even more so, and all he found himself able to do was stare at you, completely mesmerized, as you spoke to the general.

He saw the annoyed expression you were giving the man, and while he knew it was one given out of genuine upset, he couldn’t help but note the way your nose scrunched up and the corner of your mouth quirked up a bit, a look he had always found strangely adorable.

All he really wanted to do in that moment was run to you, scoop you up, and pepper your face with kisses like he used to, but he quickly reminded himself that, that wasn’t a good idea. It had been a long time since you two had seen each other, and he had changed, significantly. He wasn’t sure you’d even want him anymore at this point, hell, you’d probably already moved on. No, he wasn’t going to mess things up for you by exposing his identity, he’d simply admire you from afar while he could, much like he had all those years ago, before he’d plucked up the nerve to actually talk to you.

When Rex sent him a look that was clearly meant to coax him into revealing himself to you, he simply shook his head, earning him a look of confusion from the captain, but Rex wasn’t about to go against his wishes, and ended up keeping quiet about it as well, that is until he confronted Echo a short time later.

You had just started your examination of the Marauder’s inner workings, when Rex approached Echo, arms crossed.

“Alright, you wanna tell me what that was all about, why didn’t you say anything to her”, Rex asked, looking a bit disappointed.

“I couldn’t, I can’t, not like this, it would only upset her, and I don’t want to do that. It’s better if she just doesn’t know”, Echo explained.

“What are you talking about, that woman loves you with all she has, I know it, just like I know she’d be elated to know your alive”, Rex told his brother, desperately trying to convince him.

Echo sighed. “I’m sorry Rex, but I just can’t, please try to understand.”

“You know if she found out you were hiding from her, it’d break her heart.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing she won’t find out”, Echo replied.

Rex then let out his own sigh before responding. “Fine, I won’t say anything to her, but I still think that you should”, he said before going to catch up to you as you walked in the direction of the hangar, followed by Hunter and Tech; Crosshair and Wrecker deciding to stay in the ship as they figured it would be repaired shortly, and they’d be leaving soon.

After a moment of contemplation, Echo decided to follow you all, figuring that if this was to be the last time he’d see you, he’d better keep you in his sights.

***

You soon made it back to your workstation and began your search for the part, while Rex excused himself, saying there was something he needed to do, but he’d be back.

After a few minutes of searching, you were beginning to get irritated with yourself. While you were a great mechanic, you were lousy at keeping track of your things, and often misplaced parts and tools around your station, it was actually something Echo used to tease you about, often saying how you’d lose your head if it wasn’t attached. You’d always scowl and tell him to help you look instead of just watching you frantically search around like a crazy person, mumbling about how you knew it was around there somewhere. You would only get more annoyed when he would then find whatever you were looking for in less than half the time, not that this feeling lasted long as he always had a way of bringing a smile back to your face, usually by way of some cheesy joke, followed by some form of flattery. Where this never fully worked for someone like Anakin, it always worked for Echo.

“Are you sure you have the part”, Tech asked after a good ten minutes of watching you search the mess that was your workstation.

“Sure, I’m sure”, you replied, not looking at him as you continued searching, “and I’m pretty sure it’s over… here”, you said, moving to the far wall.

He and Hunter exchanged a look before deciding to help in the search, each taking a different section of the space, and before you knew it, all three men were looking around for the illusive piece of machinery. Soon enough you heard someone behind you clear their throat, prompting you to turn around.

You saw that it was the fifth member of the group, face still hidden, standing in front of you now, and before you could ask what he wanted, you noticed the stabilizer he was holding out to you.

“This what you’re looking for”, he asked.

You were a bit stunned to hear him speak after being so quiet all this time, but this short utterance did allow you to further your theory as to who was beneath that bucket. It was odd though, while he sounded a lot like your typical clone, there was something else there, something you couldn’t quite put your finger on.

You took the part from him and gave an awkward “thanks”, while he only nodded in response.

Just then, the sound of someone yelling cut through the hangar, causing you all to look in its direction.

“Hey, get back here you, I told you to stay close”, you heard Jesse yell as he chased a, surprisingly quick footed, child through the hangar.

She giggled at his attempts to reach her, her smile only growing as she caught a glimpse of you, and then made a b-line in your direction.

When she was only a few feet away she reached out her arms and called to you in a high-pitched voice.

“Mommy”, she screeched, as she launched herself at you.

You bent down, placing the stabilizer on the ground next to you, then catching and scooping her up in your arms, a bright smile now adorning your face.

“Hey”, you said with a laugh. “What are you doing here Little Miss?”

“Running from me for starters”, Jesse said as he approached, winded from the chase.

You looked to the young girl with a raised eyebrow.

“Is that true”, you asked her.

“Uncle Jesse slow”, she announced, giggling throughout her whole sentence.

You hummed and looked to the man in question, who then offered you a shrug.

“What, she’s a fast little thing”, he said, that being the weakest defense you’d ever heard.

“She’s two”, you told him.

“And a half”, he argued back, causing you to roll your eyes at him.

“Whatever you say, now, back to my question, what is she doing here, I thought you two were going to have a movie night back at the apartment, and has she even eaten dinner yet”, you asked him.

Jesse scratched the back of his neck, abashed.

“Well, we were going to do all that, but then I got Rex’s message and we came here instead”, he explained.

“What message”, you asked him, confused.

“The message I sent him, telling him to meet me here”, Rex said as he entered your station, “thought Lena might be missing her mother”, he explained.

Your daughter let out a small gasp when she saw him. “Uncle Rex”, she shouted excitedly, while absentmindedly reaching for him.

You set her down and watched as she attacked him with the same force she had with you earlier, the scene making you chuckle.

“I think she missed you more”, you told him.

He chuckled as well as he bent down to her level, catching her in a hug, smiling warmly at her when she eventually pulled away to stare up at him.

“And how’s our little soldier today”, he asked her.

“Good”, she told him, then gasping as if she’d just remembered something. “Uncle Rex, I been practice.”

“Oh, practicing what, little one”, he asked.

Lena then stepped back and straightened her posture before giving her uncle her best salute, all while desperately trying to keep a serious face. You both found it very adorable.

“Yes, you have been practicing, good job”, Rex told the girl, but when she didn’t change her posture, he gave her a confused look.

“You suppose to say”, she whispered.

Rex’s confused expression changed to one of understanding, as he now knew what she’d been waiting for.

“Right, sorry”, he said, then standing straight himself before clearing his throat and letting out an authoritative, “at ease”, which finally prompted Lena to relax her stance. He then bent back down and opened his arms to her again. “Now, as you were”, he said, and she once more launched herself towards him, hugging him with all the strength her tiny arms could muster.

***

Echo was left stunned.

Mommy, she’d called you “Mommy”, and Rex’s words only confirmed she was yours.

So, he had been right, you had moved on. You had a daughter, probably a husband too; you had a family. He’d be lying if he said this information didn’t leave him a little brokenhearted, but overall, he was truly happy for you, he was glad you had been able to find some happiness again. Why hadn’t Rex told him, did he think he wouldn’t be able to handle the news? Well, whatever the reason, he now knew, and he was glad he hadn’t revealed himself, for it certainly would’ve caused quite the mess.

He looked at the girl, taking in her appearance; big brown eyes, hair the same color as yours, and her skin was a lovely shade of copper; she was beautiful, just like her mother.

Seeing this child, who looked almost like a little version of you, brought back memories of late night talks you’d had about your plans for the future. How after the war, you both would leave and move to a quiet planet far away, get a house, start a family, and just cherish the rest of the time you had together. It seemed as though you at least had part of that dream now, and he hoped that one day you’d get the rest of it, even if it wasn’t with him, because as long as you were happy, then so was he.

***

Once Lena pulled away from Rex again, she looked around, finally realizing there were others besides her mother and uncles in the space around her. Her eyes came to land on one in particular, and she walked over to him, her eyes then going wide as she stared at his cybernetic arm.

“What happen”, she asked, pointing to the artificial limb.

Your eyes went wide. “Aileen (L/N)”, you scolded her lightly, knowing she didn’t mean anything by it, but wanting her to know it wasn’t polite to ask such things. “We don’t ask people things like that, it’s rude”, you told her, bending slightly and pacing a hand on her shoulder, before then looking at the man with an apologetic expression, “I’m sorry, she’s just…”, you began, but he soon cut you off.

“No, no, it’s alright, she’s just curious”, he said, trying to reassure you he wasn’t insulted by the question. He then bent down so he could speak to her without looking too intimidating. “Well, you see, I had an accident, and I lost my arm, so, I had to get a new one”, he explained in a soft tone, holding his arm up for her to see better.

Lena looked as if she was thinking this answer over before she finally asked, “You have boo-boo?”

You then heard the man chuckle from beneath his helmet.

“Yeah, yeah I had a boo-boo”, he confirmed.

Lena then stepped closer to him, kissing the palm of her hand before placing it on the forearm of the cybernetic limb.

“There go”, she said, then asking, “better?”

While you couldn’t see the man’s face, you were sure he was smiling, you could hear it in his next words.

“Much better, thank you Lena”, he told the child.

“You welcome”, she exclaimed.

You sent him a thankful smile as he stood once more, then turning your attention back to Lena.

“Not that I don’t love seeing you Sweetheart, but Mommy still has some work to do, and I believe you have a grumbly tummy to feed”, you said, starting to direct her back to her uncles, who still stood near where they entered.

She turned her head to look up at you, a pout now on her face.

“But Mommy”, she whined.

“No buts, now go with Uncle Jesse”, you told her.

“Actually”, Rex cut in, “Uncle Jesse can take the night off, I’ll take over babysitting duty”, he said.

“You sure”, you asked him, not really surprised at the offer, as he did this more often than not, but you always had to make sure. You never wanted to inconvenience them, and often tried to hire a babysitter instead of just relying on her uncles to take care of her while you were working, even though they told you time and time again that there was no need, and that they’d be more than willing to take on the responsibility. Even going as far as to try and get you to let go of your live-in nanny, who you’d hired shortly after your maternity leave was up, a leave that had been graciously extended due to the circumstances, to take care of Lena while you were away doing field work, but you wouldn’t budge on that one, seeing as you never knew who would be shipped out and when, not wanting to risk leaving her with a complete stranger as a result of having no other option, so you kept the nanny for those necessary times. However, when she would send you the weekly update, she’d always mention the numerous visits Lena had gotten from multiple uncles during that time.

You had come to realize rather early on that the clones took to the fatherly role very easily, and even the ones that didn’t, still enjoyed the company of their little niece, but they all protected her as if she was their own, and you couldn’t be more grateful.

“Of course, besides, I could use some quality Lena time, feels like I haven’t seen her in ages”, he said before bending down to make eye contact with the girl. “What do you say kiddo, you want to go get somethin’ to eat, I’ll let you pick, and maybe we’ll even pick up a special dessert on the way home, how’s that sound?”

“Yay”, Lena shouted.

“Alright, but be on your best behavior, okay”, you told her.

“Okay Mommy”, she replied.

“Seriously, do you have to one up me like that”, Jesse asked Rex, who just shrugged before picking up his niece.

“Gotta stay the favorite uncle somehow”, he responded.

Jesse scoffed. “Who said you were her favorite”, he asked.

“It’s pretty obvious who she prefers to spend time with”, Rex told his brother, being a bit smug in his delivery.

“Really, okay then, let’s see”, Jesse said before looking to the child now in Rex’s arms. “Lena, you pick, boring dinner with Uncle Rex, or fun movie night with lots of snacks with Uncle Jesse”, he asked her.

Lena thought about this for a minute, she then raised her arms in the air and excitedly yelled, “Both”.

The two men looked to one another before smirking at their niece.

“Well played Kid”, Jesse remarked.

Rex then lifted Lena, so she was sitting on his shoulders and the three of them left to begin their busy night.

You couldn’t help but laugh at their antics as you watched them walk off. Your daughter was turning into the most spoiled kid on Coruscant, but you didn’t have the heart to intervene.

After they were out of sight, you got back to work, going to pick up the previously discarded part off the ground before turning your attention back to the three men occupying your workspace.

“Sorry about that, now, let’s get that ship of yours fixed”, you said, now with a little more pep in your step. Your daughter had that effect on you, just like her father before her.

As you walked back to the ship, Hunter spoke up.

“Cute kid”, he said.

“Yes, and quite well spoken for someone of her age”, Tech added.

“Thanks, but I can’t take all the credit, she gets a lot of it from her dad, especially the brains”, you admitted.

Hunter hummed before asking, “And Lena’s father, where is he?”

You suddenly looked to your feet, your pace slowing a bit.

They noticed and Hunter now felt bad about asking, seeing it was clearly a touchy subject, and he tried to back track.

“Sorry, you don’t have to answer that, it’s really none of my business”, he said, but you shook your head and looked back up, picking up your pace once more.

“No, it’s alright, I just… haven’t talked about it in a while, that’s all”, you explained. “Lena’s father, he… he died a long time ago.”

You’d finally made it back to the ship and quickly adorned your work gloves to begin your repairs, trying to ignore the pitied looks you were now getting, as you started.

“Oh, I’m, I’m sorry to hear that, was he…”, Hunter began to ask, but you already knew the question, so you answered before he even finished asking it.

“A soldier? Yeah, he was, a damn good one too, saved a lot of lives… before he lost his own”, you told them, continuing to install the stabilizer.

“What happened?”

You huffed a bitter laugh. “Same thing that always happens, a plan goes awry and things get crazy, this time he just happened to be in the line of fire”, you said, not wanting to go into any more detail than that.

“I’m sorry, I know that must’ve been hard, and then having to raise a kid on top of it, I can’t even imagine how frightening that was”, Hunter said somberly.

“You’d think it would be, huh”, you said, your hands slowing as you thought back to that time in your life. “But you know, the crazy thing was, I didn’t feel that way at all. I thought I’d be scared out of my mind, but all I felt was… relieved.” When you noticed their confused expressions, you continued. “When I lost Lena’s father, I was a wreck, and I went to a very dark place for a long while, so, I threw myself into my work as a way to escape the pain, which could only work so well. But, when I found out that I was pregnant, it was like a spark was lit within my mind, and with it came a small light that slowly grew as time went by, and that light ate away at the darkness that had clouded my thoughts, then… she was here, and it was like she chased away what was left.” You had no idea why you were telling them all this, but once you started, you couldn’t seem to stop, it was like you were letting out the thoughts that had been trapped within you for years, and so you didn’t stop yourself. “The first time I saw her was an experience I can’t fully explain, she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and when she looked at me with those eyes, his eyes, everything felt right again. It’s like she was the piece of himself he left behind, so I wouldn’t be alone” you explained, taking a pause before finishing. “That’s why I named her Aileen; it means ‘shining light’, which is what she is, my light in the darkness, the one that always guides me home.”

You hadn’t realized you were crying silent tears until you felt them land on your exposed collarbones, quickly wiping them from your face with the back of your work glove and clearing your throat as you made the final adjustment, finishing your task.

“There, now you should be good to go”, you told them, and you began packing your toolbox back up, trying to avoid their gaze as you now felt a bit embarrassed for practically telling your life story to a bunch of guys you just met.

However, they didn’t seem to mind.

As you stood, you felt a comforting hand land on your shoulder, and you looked up to see Hunter smiling warmly at you.

“Thanks for the help”, he said, keeping his tone soft.

You smiled back. “No problem.”

He and Tech then walked to the ramp, the latter giving you a kind nod as he passed.

“Oh, and by the way”, Hunter said, turning back around. “While Lena may have gotten her smarts from her father, she definitely got her spirit from you. You’re a strong woman (Y/N), she’s lucky to have a mother like you.”

You just stood there for a moment, surprised by his comment, but also warmed by it.

“Thank you”, you said.

He nodded and then looked to the man behind you, giving him a questioning look.

***

Echo watched as the tears began to stream down your face, and he wondered if you even noticed them, although you probably didn’t; you were so wrapped up in your memories to notice anything at this point.

Throughout this whole conversation, the wheels in Echo’s head had been turning, and he had slowly begun to piece together the information you had been providing them, but it wasn’t until you said something about Lena being, “the piece of himself he left behind”, that it finally clicked.

You hadn’t moved on, you hadn’t found someone else, hadn’t been with anyone else, which meant…

***

“Hey, you coming”, Hunter asked, seeing him just standing there as if he’d been gob smacked.

You turned around and cocked your head, confused by the man’s odd behavior, and gave him a curious look. It seemed as if he were contemplating his next move, and after a moment he straightened his posture and walked over, stopping right in front of you. You couldn’t see them, but you felt his eyes on yours, could feel how intense his stare was; it was actually a bit intimidating, and you fidgeted a little where you stood.

Finally, after an intense and, quite frankly, awkward few seconds of silence, he spoke.

“I’m so sorry, for everything. You shouldn’t have had to go through that on your own”, he said.

This surprised you more than Hunter’s earlier comment, and your expression only filled with more confusion.

“Um, it’s okay, really, it’s not like it was your fault”, you told him, but he quickly shook his head.

“No, it is, it is my fault, I was the one who wasn’t careful, I was the one who risked everything, and I’m so sorry (Y/N)”, he said, emotion slowly growing in his voice.

“What the hell are you talking about, I don’t even know you”, you said, not knowing where this was coming from, or why this guy was even apologizing to you in the first place.

“Yes… you do”, he said, reaching into the pouch on his hip, pulling something out, and holding it out toward you, allowing you to look at the object laying on his palm. As soon as you laid eyes on the object, your heart stopped and it felt as if the breath had been stollen from your lungs. Lying on his open palm was a pendant, his pendant, the one you’d last given to Rex out of grief, the one you couldn’t bear to look at for so many years because it was a reminder of the promise that had been broken the day you thought you’d lost it all.

“Where did you get that”, you asked, your voice breathy, almost as if it were meant to be a whisper.

He looked down at the pendant in his hand before answering.

“Rex returned it to me, after they rescued me from the Separatists, but before that, you gave it to me, said it was a promise, a promise that you’d always be with me, that we’d always be together, that you’d always love me. I never thought I’d see it again, never thought I’d see you again, but I’m glad I was wrong”, he said, finally looking back to your eyes, noticing that they were filling with tears.

You walked closer to him, desperately searching for his eyes behind his visor.

“Echo?” Your voice was barely audible, as his name escaped your lips on a breath.

He nodded, not being able to vocalize his confirmation as he was trying to hold his own rising emotions back; he wanted to be strong for you, even though he knew you didn’t care if he expressed his emotions openly, and that you didn’t always need him to be the rock of the relationship, but he still tried, nonetheless.

You let out a mixture of a sob and a sigh before suddenly wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him into an eager embrace. When he reciprocated and wrapped his arms around your waist, you pulled him in tighter, holding on for dear life, afraid if you didn’t that he’d disappear before your eyes.

“How is this possible”, you asked over his shoulder.

He chuckled. “It’s a long story.”

“And you’re a damn fool if you think I’m not gonna want to hear it”, you said, a smile now tugging on your lips.

“You will, but later. For now, let’s just focus on this”, he said, giving you a light squeeze around your middle to emphasize his words, making you laugh.

You stayed like that for another few minutes before you spoke again.

“I missed you, so much”, you whispered, your face right next to his.

“I missed you too Cyar’ika”, he said.

The utterance of the Mando’a term of endearment widening your smile. You hadn’t realized how much you missed hearing the language roll off his tongue.

You loosened your hold and pulled back to once again search for his eyes before slowly reaching for his helmet, wanting nothing more than to remove it and finally see him after all this time, you needed to, needed to see his eyes looking back at you, then it would be real. Before you could attempt to do this, however, he lightly grabbed your wrist, his right arm laying on top of your other one, effectively blocking it from lifting.

“What’s wrong”, you asked him, confused, and a bit worried, by his actions.

“A lot has changed, I’ve changed, I’m not the same man you remember (Y/N)”, he told you.

“That’s pretty obvious Love”, you said, your eyes shifting to the cybernetic arm that currently lay atop the back of your left wrist.

“It’s not just the arm; that explosion took a lot from me, the Separatists even more so, and the whole thing left me, well, broken”, he admitted.

You paused as his words caused a wave of sadness to wash over you, then anger. What had they done to him? Whatever it was, you wanted to wring their necks with your bare hands, how dare they even think to touch him. If you didn’t hate those Seppie bastards before, you certainly did now.

You quickly tried to calm the growing fire building in you so you could give a response that wasn’t full of anger; he didn’t deserve that from you, truth be told, he didn’t deserve any of this, but that was a conversation for another time, right now you had to stay focused. You shook yourself from your thoughts and were finally able to find your words.

“So what, we’re all a little broken if you think about it, it’s just that not all of us wear it on our exterior, either way it’s nothing to be ashamed of”, you said, trying to sound reassuring.

“I know, it’s just… I guess what I’m trying to say is, you might not like what you see”, he explained.

You felt a small flicker of anger rise within you once again, but for a completely different reason. Did he really believe you to be so shallow, didn’t he know you better than that?

You suddenly grabbed the sides of his helmet and gently pulled his face closer to yours, a look of determination on your face.

“Now you listen to me, and you listen good. I don’t give a damn how different you look on the outside, you’re still the same man I fell in love with on the inside, I can feel it”, you told him, your expression softening. “I will always love you Echo, no matter what’s under that helmet.”

He considered this a moment before nodding and releasing your wrists, allowing his arms to fall to his sides.

You wasted no time in gently lifting the thing off, hearing a low hiss as it released itself and loosened, making the task much easier. You pulled it out toward you as you went so as not to catch it on his chin, then finally removed it, getting a glimpse of what lay beneath, the face of your lost lover.

It was as he said, he was different; his face was thinner than you remembered, eyes a bit sunken and their color dulled, looking more gold now than brown, his once tanned skin was now pale, and the hair you used to run your fingers through was now gone, allowing you to see the small metal protrusions that now scattered along the sides of his head. Yet, even with all these changes, you still found him to be the most handsome man you’d ever laid your eyes on, and you’d spend the rest of your days proving that to him if you had to.

Still, his appearance told you something; he had suffered, most likely in more ways than one, and probably to a degree you couldn’t even fathom. These thoughts brought the tears back to your eyes, how could something so terrible happen to such a good person. You would never understand it.

You brought your hands to his face, softly placing a hand on each side, using your thumbs to caress the skin under them.

“Oh, Echo”, you whispered, the tears making your eyes glisten.

He grinned a humorless grin.

“I told you it was bad”, he said, giving you a small shrug.

You shook your head. “No, it’s not that”, you explained. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all that, and alone, no less.”

He then smiled a more genuine smile and placed his hand on top of yours.

“I wasn’t alone”, he explained, causing you to look at him curiously, but he continued. “You accompanied my thoughts every day, you were right there with me, encouraging me to stay strong and that everything was going to be okay, you were what got me through, you were my light.”

This only brought more tears to your eyes, threatening to spill over at any second.

You gently pulled his face closer, looking deep into his eyes.

“I love you”, you said softly.

“And I love you, so much”, he replied, voice just as soft as yours had been.

You then leaned in, slowly closing the gap between you.

The kiss started out much like the ones you both had shared in the past, soft and loving, but soon changed as something deep within you took over, and you moved your free hand to the back of his neck, then slowly moving it upwards until it rested at the base of his skull, as a means to take more control of the situation, using this new hand placement to pull him closer, effectively deepening the kiss. The action seemed to catch him a bit off guard initially as it sent small shocks through his system, something he hadn’t experienced in a long time, but he soon was able to regain some semblance of composure, then wrapping his right arm around your waste and using his forearm to push against your back, pulling you closer in the process, and allowing himself to melt into the kiss.

You two had, had some very intimate and emotional moments in the past, but nothing like this. You both were putting everything into it; the years of longing, feelings of loneliness and loss, as well as the utter relief and happiness of being together again, it was all poured into this one kiss.

It took you both a minute to realize you needed air, and even then, you were reluctant to pull away. You eventually did manage to separate from the kiss, but your hold on one another didn’t give, and you stood in that embrace for a while, foreheads touching, and eyes closed, both content to just bask in the presence of the one before you.

After a few minutes like this, Echo spoke the only other thought that had been on his mind.

“And Lena, she’s…”, he began to ask, stopping short, still slightly worried he might be wrong.

You opened your eyes and leaned back just a bit so you could look at him, a warm smile on your face.

“Yours”, you asked, finishing his question. He then opened his eyes and nodded. “Yes, she is. Although, I’m surprised that’s even up for question, who else’s would she be?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess my first thought was that you’d moved on, found someone who was actually worthy of your affection, it took me a minute to even consider the possibility that you hadn’t, and that she was my…”, he said, cutting himself off again, this time in an attempt to stifle the emotion welling in his voice. This was all so much in such a short span of time, and it was finally hitting him. He’d gone from thinking you were lost to him and that he’d have to let you go, to finding out that, in fact, you weren’t, and he didn’t, that you still loved him with your whole being, you were still his, and on top of all that, he now had a daughter, he was a father. So, getting a bit emotional was completely understandable, and you gave him a minute before continuing the conversation.

“I know, it’s a lot to take in all at once, but you don’t have to rush into anything if you’re not comfortable, we can take things as slow as you need to, she doesn’t need to know…”, you began to explain, quickly getting cut off.

“No”, he said with a sense of urgency. “No, I don’t want to hide this from her, don’t want you to have to hide it either. We’ll tell her, together.”

“You sure”, you asked.

He smiled and pulled your face closer, so your foreheads were touching again.

“I’ve never been more sure”, he responded, then slowly leaning back in, but before he could completely close the space he stopped and pulled back. “Well, almost never, there was that time I was very sure Rex would find us in that supply closet, really wish I hadn’t been right about that one though.”

This sudden change of subject surprised you, but also had you bursting out into a fit of laughter, both at the way he so casually brought up the embarrassing incident, and also at the memory of Rex’s face when he’d opened that door and found you both in a very compromising position. It had taken him a good few weeks before he could look you in the eye again.

“I still can’t believe he let that one slide, well, almost, I knew we wouldn’t get out of that without at least one of us getting a talking to”, you said.

Echo chuckled, remembering the twenty-minute-long lecture he’d received from his superior on the incident.

“Yeah, but it was worth it”, he said, lightly bumping your nose with his.

You let out a small laugh.

“You’re an idiot”, you told him playfully.

“As long as I’m still you’re idiot”, he responded, his eyes suddenly looking deep into yours once more.

You reached your hand, that had been released seconds ago, to find his, that was now resting on your cheek, then finding the pendant that was still hanging from his fingers by its attached leather cord and taking it. You held the metal piece in your open palm, looking down at it for a moment before taking the cord in both hands and placing it around his neck, allowing the pendant to rest comfortably against his chest plate. You then rested your hand atop the piece, rubbing your index finger along its engraving.

You looked back to his eyes.

“Always”, you said with a smile.

This time he didn’t stop as he leaned forward and captured your lips in another kiss, one that was just as passionate as the last, but that also held a promise of the future you both had hoped for, one that now had become possible again.

“Well, that was… unexpected”, Tech said from his place on the ramp, the two commandos having just witnessed the entirety of your interaction.

Hunter chuckled. “Go get the others, it looks like we’ll be staying for a while longer”, he told his brother.

Neither you, nor Echo, heard their brief conversation, too wrapped up in what you were doing, and too content to care about anything else. In this moment you were truly happy, as well as relieved, because for the first time, in a long time, you felt whole again.

Clone boys taglist: @sgarrett49 / @dreamingofclones / @justanothersadperson93

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