#Wiping the other's tears away | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

depressed-sock · 8 months

Text

Strays and the Hands that Feed Them by depressed-sock

Part Three ( 9,389 words )

Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars - All Media Types

Relationships: CC-1010 | Fox & Darth Maul, Coruscant Guard Clone Troopers & Darth Maul

Bad Things Happen Bingo: Wiping the other's tears away

Mainly Feral, Savage, and Maul pov's this time around! Tried to give everyone a different reason to be crying: anger, pain, mourning the loss of a relationship, relief.

...

Feral breathes in deeply, taking in the tainted air of Coruscant as he makes his way through some back alley on one of the lower levels. He didn’t catch the number that Thorn had typed into the elevator but Feral knows it’s farther than he’s been allowed to go before.

It’s such a different world compared to his small village on Dathormir that’s only ever been filled with other Nightbrothers. There are so many other kinds of people here, so many buildings that tower far above where the ground of the planet should be. It comes with dangers far different than what Feral could have ever imagined possible. Some of which are far easier to deal with than the beasts that roam his home’s swamps.

Some of which, that are more difficult because you don’t realize they’re a danger until it’s nearly too late.

Despite the sickly air and the varied people and the towering cities, when Feral breathes all he can feel is a heartbeat similar to Dathomir. That darkness that clings to his skin and melts into his bones. Feral hadn’t even noticed there was a darkness on Dathomir but Coruscant brings that fully to the front of his mind.

Because it is here but it’s weaker. Sometimes he can’t tell if he’s breathing easier because of that or suffocating from the lack of it.

Thorn bumps him, a soft shoulder-to-shoulder touch to ground Feral back into the moment. “Come on we’re almost there.”

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Feral huffs out an amused laugh. One thing he has learned in his time here is that Thorn likes… detours. Which Feral thinks actually means getting lost, even though Thorn claims he isn’t lost only ‘finding new possible routes’. Feral refuses to call him out on it because Thorn’s detours are a break Feral always sorely needs.

It helps keep his mind off of Savage who still refuses to meet Feral’s eyes or stay in a room longer than a few moments since Thorn started introducing them to the intricacies of Coruscant and its people.

Savage whose hand has left a ghost of an imprint on Feral’s throat.

The near-constant dull pain reminding Feral just how nearly his brother had come to crushing it while he’d been temporarily under the Nightsisters’ control. Feral has never blamed Savage for it but he thinks Savage must carry some blame considering the most he’s seen of his brother is when they’re both working together for Slick and Maul.

Maul who is a whole other problem Feral doesn’t know how to deal with.

The situation sparks something deep inside Feral. A dark pit of smoke fueled by the fire that burns in his thoughts. None of this is fair. None of this is right.

Thorn groans, stepping over something broken that had been tosed into the alleyway and just left there to rot. “I’m not lost!”

Feral blinks as he steps over it next, rushing his steps to keep even with Thorn. Trying to remember what he just said. Something about the right direction? He chuckles when the words finally register in his head, “You said that last time and we ended up two hours away from where we were supposed to meet your supposed contact.”

Thorn specifically pulls off his helmet, clipping it to his side, so he can make a face Feral, “That was the contact’s fault! Gave me bad directions and then didn’t even show up anyway.”

Feral just shakes his head with a grin, remembering Thorn getting sidetracked by baby tookas that had eventually led in a chase to get them all before they walked off a platform and into the air traffic. “I’m sure the tookas appreciated the bad directions at least. Even if they didn’t like being grabbed by their tails.”

Thorn had gotten scratched for that. There’s still a tiny hint of red marks along his jaw. Clearly healed but on the verge of becoming light scars.

“Says the tooka that got dropped in the Guard’s office,” Thorn mutters with an eye roll. Eventually giving in to the smile he’s trying so hard to fight when Feral laughs.

“Yes, as one of the newest members of team Stray Tooka, I can speak for my brothers and say we appreciate your efforts. Even when you fell into that puddle that made you smell terrible for a week after that.”

“I swear you’re supposed to be the nice one.”

“Am I not being nice?” Feral asks with a tilt of his head and a frown. Trying his best to hide his joy at the teasing.

“Making fun of me after everything I’ve taught you.” Thorn tsks with a shake of his head. He stops a moment, looking quickly around, before motioning Feral to follow him down a different alleyway.

“I’m sure learning how not to catch tooka’s will be very helpful to me one day,” Feral nods his head sagely, easily dodging the smack aimed at the back of his head.

“Alright, smartass. Let me teach you a new lesson it’s called: Thorn is always right and has never gotten lost.” Thorn holds out a hand and Feral grasps it as Thorn drags him into what Feral had thought was just an odd-looking building.

Instead, he’s greeted by a lush jungle of plants that have grown and overtaken the interior.

“What?” Feral blinks, taking in the area with surprise.

“Used to be a greenhouse the Jedi looked after. Mainly focused on growing food for the poorer levels.” Thorn shrugs, “Someone in the Senate threw a fit about it though, so the Jedi supposedly stopped caring for it, a little bit just before the war started.” Thorn walks in, fingers brushing over leaves, “No one bothered to get rid of it and I’m pretty sure a Jedi stops by every once in a while making sure the automatic system is still keeping everything alive. Or they do their Jedi magic on the plants, I’ve never seen them stick around long enough to ask.” Thorn shrugs again, reaching up into a tree and plucking a fruit.

He tosses it to Feral, “I know Zabrak’s diets are more meat based but you can enjoy fruits right?”

“Of course,” Feral studies the fruit in his hands, softly rolling it back and forth. His eyebrows pinch together, “There’s no contact here, is there?”

“Just us.” Thorn turns and moves deeper into the plants, Feral follows behind close enough that Thorn can easily drag him down onto a bench beside him. “Figured you could use some time away from everyone. Looked like they were starting to get on your nerves.”

Feral winces, “I didn’t think anyone noticed.” He’s usually better at hiding when he’s upset. Better at controlling the temper that wants to flare up just beneath his skin. He’s weak, he knows that now.

Too weak to protect his brother. Too weak to keep his emotions in check.

Too weak to fight the darkness growing in his veins with each second he breathes in the Coruscant air. He doesn’t understand why it’s worse than Dathomir when it’s so much weaker. On Dathomir it existed not just inside of him but beside him, around him. A part of him like it was apart of everything else. Here it sticks like something foreign. It clogs his lungs, burns his mind.

“It’s kind of hard to hide that from us,” Thorn leans back into the bench, “We have to be aware at all times of other people’s emotions because you never know when something that turns from quiet contemplation will turn into nearly beating you to death.”

Feral winces. He’s seen what others have done to the clones. He didn’t think there could be anyone worse than the Nightsisters but… well he’s not happy to be proven wrong. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s just our lot in life.” He reaches out gripping Feral’s shoulder. “We don’t think you’ll hurt us Feral we think you’ve been through some fucked up shit and haven’t had a chance to recover. Sometimes you’ve got to let those emotions run free and here the only thing you can break is a bunch of plants that’ll all grow back anyway.”

Feral lets out a shuddering breath. “It’s my fault.” He chokes on his words, “It’s my fault that Savage... I was too weak against the Nightsister, I joked about being able to keep up but I couldn’t.”

His hands clench the fruit, claws digging in, juice dripping down his fingers, thick like blood. “I hate them. Hate that they’ve done this to us. Changed us so that we can’t be the same anymore.” His fingers dig deeper crushing the fruit, he bares his teeth at it. “My brother can’t even look me in the eyes anymore. Because all he sees is when he held me by my throat and almost broke my neck.“ He tosses the fruit down. There’s an itch under his skin that forces him to stand and pace.

He mourns what has been lost. Of course, he does. But he’s angry too. Angry at himself for needing to be protected, angry at the Nightsisters for causing all of this, angry at Savage for avoiding him, he’s even angry at Maul who didn’t show up soon enough to save either of them from this.

Maul would say to use the anger, fester in it. Let it power him. But there’s no power here, just this feeling of overwhelming emotion that wants him to tear himself and everything around him apart.

It feels nothing like the darkness of Dathomir. Dathomir was always harsh, never kind but in a way that was just how life always is. The cycle of life, death, decay, then life again. It wasn’t despair, it wasn’t anger. It was just what it has always been, never pretending to be anything different.

It feels like the darkness that’s infected Coruscant. Sickly, infesting, overpowering everything that is him. Feral wonders if this is how Savage felt when the Nightsisters first changed him. Power forced into his veins, spreading like infection until what’s left behind is someone unrecognizable.

He misses his brother. Misses his village, misses everyone he cares about. Misses the children he would help care for. And all of that just makes him angrier.

He growls deep in his throat, lashing out against a plant that tangles onto him when he brushes too close. Rips it to shreds then does so again and again and again. He’s panting, tears running down his face as his knees hit the ground and he curls in on himself, letting out a keening sound.

He’s so angry at everything and everyone. It doesn’t make anything better, it just makes it all hurt worse. Seeping into the open wounds in his heart and in his head.

A hand rests on his back and Feral’s breath shudders at the touch. He looks up to find Thorn sitting next to him on the ground, hand rubbing circles on his back. “Feel any better?”

“No,” his words come out as broken sobs, “I feel like something’s putting poison into me.”

Thorn frowns at that, studies Feral for a moment with narrowed eyes. Then he pulls at Feral’s shoulder forcing him to sit up. “Well let’s try something else then.” He brushes Feral’s tears away and settles into an awkward pose trying to cross his legs, wincing as his armor doesn’t allow the movement. He sighs, unclips his thigh armor and tries again. “I don’t know shit about Jedi meditation but sitting around like this surrounded by plants is something they do so we can start there.”

Feral’s smile isn’t all there, he wants to hurt Thorn even though he really doesn’t. Wants to lash out and kill or just leave and not come back. Instead, he mirrors Thorn and closes his eyes.

“Breathe in deep and hold it for a few seconds before letting it go.”

Feral does, following Thorn’s example even though it seems he’s mostly guessing at what to do. It’s enough though. Feral feels himself calm, feels the drain his emotions have left on him. Feels the emptiness left behind.

He’s tired now. Exhausted. But he feels better. Less heavier, less like something is digging itself into him.

He breathes and for the first time in months, he feels more like himself. He breathes and for the first time in months the air feels a little less tainted.

…

He’s not sure how it happens. He’s in a bit of a daze after that but he ends up leaving the makeshift greenhouse with Thorn and by the time he realizes it they’re now in Fox’s office.

Feral lays down curled up on the couch. Staring blankly at the wall as Thorn takes over Fox’s desk. Going over some of the datapads on Fox’s desk with a frown. At one point Fox walks in, brushes a hand softly against his horns, then he moves with purpose as he immediately goes to shove Thorn out of his seat. Stealing it back as he sits down and starts to work.

Never once questioning why Feral is here as Feral drifts off into sleep.

…

“Hey Fox, what are the odds the Evil fucker did some dark side shit to infect people on Coruscant?”

“What do you mean?”

“Took Feral to let off some steam and he said he felt worse. Like something was trying to poison him.”

“…I’ll ask Maul. Maybe that’s how the old bastard is hiding himself from the Jedi.”

…

Maul is several hours deep into strategy planning when one of his hirelings knocks on the holo table, he’s stationed himself at, to get his attention. “Hey boss, there’s a clone wanting into the base. If you don’t hurry I think the Mando might do something drastic.”

Maul pinches the brow of his nose and curses quietly under his breath. He should have expected something like this to come up eventually. He hadn’t exactly hired any of these people for their pleasant sensibilities but he’d hoped they were more intelligent than they looked.

They know Maul has a deal with the Coruscant Guard. Or at least they should know, Maul hasn’t exactly been subtle that one of his main contacts and suppliers is a branch of the Guard. Slick and those under his command had been reluctant at first but they’ve developed enough of a working relationship that they’re not afraid to come to Maul when they need someone dead or need to make an illegal deal. So Maul’s crew should be fully aware that Maul will shred them into pieces if they even think of touching any of them.

Maul doesn’t run, that would be too much weakness shown to people he doesn’t fully trust. Instead, he strides promising death with each step he takes as he exits his office and out into the warehouse proper. He expects to see the Mandolarian being the one causing trouble. Instead, she stands between the clone and several of Maul’s other hirelings, gun drawn on them.

Maul looks the clone over and at first glance Maul doesn’t recognize who they are. They’re in plain clothes not a speck of armor in sight, though that would not have been much help in most cases anyways. As he nears though he can see the familiar scowl that belongs wholly to the Guard’s CMO.

“Touch him and I’ll flay you fucking alive Cross.” The Mando growls, her grip tightening on her gun as the Cathar bares his teeth.

“It shouldn’t be here Arla, it’ll blow our whole operation-”

Neither of them notices the way Shivers rolls their eyes in exasperation. “Considering I patch up your boss in my free time, and the fact that we work with him, I’d think your operation is safe from me. Also Cross was it? Next time you touch me without my permission I’ll let you bleed out when you eventually show up at my clinic.”

The Cathar blanches at that. He must be familiar then with the fact that there’s a clone who runs a free clinic in the lower levels. Maul watches the flash of regret that crosses the Cathar’s face and he feels zero sympathy for the man.

“They,” Maul growls as he takes the steps down to the main floor, “Are free to come and go from here as much as they want.” The way Shivers relaxes noticeably at the sound of his voice makes something purr in satisfaction deep in Maul’s chest.

He can’t say he’s surprised at Shivers showing up here. He’d been expecting it to happen sooner or later considering how often the medic likes to corner Maul as soon as he steps foot on the planet. If he didn’t know better he’d think the medic had gone through with their threat and placed, instead of a bomb in his spine, a tracker.

Maul’s paranoia had him check for that the first time he left Coruscant after recovering. There’d been nothing anyone could find but Shivers is smart. Probably let Maul’s paranoia settle then got him when he wasn’t paying attention. All of his Guard are like this, hitting their targets when no one else would ever be aware. It makes Maul want to let them loose from their shackles of the Republic just to see the real damage they could all accomplish.

Shivers waves a hand in Maul’s direction glaring down Maul’s group of criminals with no fear. “Are we done here? I’ve got things I need to talk to your boss about.”

The Cathar grits his teeth stalking off and pulling his cronies after him. The Mandalorian hesitates before she shoves her gun in its holster, not turning to look at the Clone as she walks off in the opposite direction.

“Are they all like that?” Shivers asks with clear displeasure on his face.

Maul glares at the few lurkers who’ve stuck around, watching as they scramble to leave in the face of his ire, “If they are I might have to kill them all and start fresh.”

“Fox would say that’s a waste of resources,” Shivers delivers with a bland tone.

“Fox would send them all on a ‘trip’ and they’d most likely end up crashing into a sun.” Which has apparently happened to at least one particular delegation early on in the war. Maul doesn’t know why Fox had them killed but he’s certain they all deserved it. “Not that I don’t mind your presence here but I believe that we’ve already had our appointment Shivers.” Which had involved several needles much to Maul’s displeasure.

“We have a new one,'“ Shivers scowls. Shifting with a faint hint of nervousness. “I need to speak with you privately.”

“Of course, this way,” Maul turns on his heel, making his way back up to his office, Shivers trailing close behind. When he enters he lets Shivers shove past him before he shuts the door. He doesn’t lock it as he makes his way to his table, dropping into one of the chairs and making sure that the medic has a clear way to get out of the room if they want to. “I’m assuming that this isn’t about anything I’ve done.”

Shivers snorts as they kick out a chair and sit across from from him. “No, though I should be considering you’ve got Jedi that have been trying to hunt you down. They won’t stay distracted forever by the evidence of abuse and corruption from members of their order and the other natborn officers in the GAR.”

Maul hmms, “I was wondering why they’ve been so quiet lately. And I have no one in the Guard to thank for that?” He glances down at his claws as he idly picks them clean. How easy was it for them to get that information? How much of it have they been saving to take down the Order or at the very least cull the bad seeds in it?

It kind of pisses him off. The greatest enemy he’d been raised to help destroy is already failing from within. Maybe it was his old Master’s plan this whole time. Maybe it’s the failings of incompetence and complacency, of choosing not to act and rather let things fester.

“I’m not here to discuss that anyway,” their fingers tap nervously against the table, leg shaking like an unstoppable force. “I need you to test my shields.”

Maul’s eyes widen in surprise. “Why?” The question comes out harsh, fueled by the sudden wave of anger that rushes through him. Has someone tried to break into the clone’s mind? Does someone need to die? Slowly and painfully. Specifically by Maul’s hands.

“Listen,” Shivers holds up their hands letting a wave of calm certanity brush Maul’s senses, “I just need to make sure my shields can hold up to someone digging for information.”

“Has someone tried that already?” Maul lets his anger burn a second more under his skin before he lets it go. Calm overtaking so he can listen clearly to what Shivers has to say. He has to be careful, with Fox’s theory of Sidious poisoning the force on Coruscant. Maul can’t afford to be incapacitated by vengeance.

“No, not yet. Or at least as far as I’m aware no one hasn’t yet.”

“You would know.” Maul is certain of that. There hits a point in force nulls where it’s impossible not to tell that something else is in their head with them. The clones would know sooner than that because they are actively trying to prevent that intrusion. There’s a few other reasons but Maul doesn’t think any of the clones would be overjoyed by them.

Shivers nods his head. “Good to know.” They bite their lip before continuing. “Early on in the war I got myself purposefully reconditioned.”

“You what?” Maul hisses, the anger flaring back up is quieter but no less deadly.

Shivers winces, “Yes I’m aware how fucked that sounds. I don’t know why I did it for sure, just that I found something I shouldn’t have found. That knowing whatever it was put me and everyone else in the Guard at risk so I did the only thing I could that would guarantee I’d either forget it entirely or would have a hard time recalling anything about it for a hopefully long period of time.“

They take a long breath in through their nose and out through their mouth. “But it’s more than that. I did something on Kamino before my reconditioning and I left behind a datachip with information I should only access as a last resort. I need to know that my shields will hold long enough to protect the information.”

“Have you looked at it yet?”

“Not yet but I need to. I found something on accident…” they wince at whatever thought has popped up in their head, “…and I need to know if it’s the same thing I found before.”

“I’ll help.” Maul holds up a hand to stall whatever Shivers is about to say next. “But you should be aware that this will hurt. If you truly wish to test your shields against the might of a Sith, I will have to try and take your mind apart and into pieces.” For the first time in his life, Maul doesn’t really want to do that. It’s a necessity, he understands that and will do it because it is. But he doesn’t want to.

It’s… an odd feeling.

“Do it.” Shivers nods as they brace themself in their chair.

Maul gives no warning as he digs into the shields, trying not to flinch at the way Shivers chokes back a scream.

…

Shivers stumbles into Fox’s darkened office covered in sweat and with a raging headache that’s pounding hard enough that tears are slipping free from Shivers’ eyes. They’d never been particularly interested in getting the same treatment Fox gets on a near-daily basis but it’s an eye-opening experience. Maybe they should knock Fox out more often if this is the bullshit he’s been hiding from Shivers.

They hit the light switch, wincing as the light pierces into their skull. Shivers groans shutting their eyes tight but all that seems to do is make it worse.

They can hear Fox groggily stirring from where he passed out on his couch. His voice slurring with sleep, as he roughly asks, “What’s the emergency?”

Shivers breathes slowly battling the nausea from the pain back. “Remember when I made you send me back to Kamino to get reconditioned?” There’s a moment of silence that spreads out between them.

Shivers almost regrets sending Maul away. The Zabrak had been insistent that he take Shivers wherever they wanted to go, so Shivers ended up back in their medbay. Then they sent Maul away because they didn’t want him to know what was on the datachips.

Not yet. Not until Shivers did and could tell Fox. Then Fox could figure out the rest of this bullshit.

“Shivers?” Fox is in front of them gripping their shoulders, holding them steady.

The tears are running down their cheeks from the pain in their head. They can barely register as Fox reaches up and gently brushes them away. "Shivers I need you to focus on me."

They focus long enough to get out, “I did that so I could investigate what the longnecks put into our heads.” Then they promptly pass out into Fox’s arms.

…

Savage sits across from Slick who sips at his beer and looks down at his cards. Savage isn’t entirely sure what card game it is that they’re playing but for some reason, he feels mocked by it.

“Go fish,” Slick takes another sip, ignoring the glare Savage is giving him.

“This would be easier if you actually explained how to play the game.” Savage growls out through his teeth. Annoyance at this clone growing by the second.

A part of him is aware of what Slick is doing. Pushing buttons until Savage snaps and proves him right about whatever theory he’s concocted in his head. It’s a familiar thing. He’s watched brothers come back from the Nightsisters like that. Testing boundaries to see what would warrant punishment.

“Which is exactly why I haven’t explained it.” Slick puts two cards down into the pile, a matching pair.

“Slick be nice!” Mouse complains from across the room, her blind eyes milky white as she turns her head in their direction. Even so, her hands still move with precision, putting back together one of the little droids that roam the halls. “Savage is kind enough to actually play with you. If you piss him off you’ll just have Jackal and Jackal cheats.”

“It’s a valid strategy!” Comes a voice from the hall as a clone passes by the room. Savage only catches the tell end of a purple mohawk to confirm that it is indeed Jackal, getting back from wherever Slick had sent him.

Slick shrugs his shoulders, “I mean if he didn’t cheat it wouldn’t be fun.”

Mouse makes a face, nose scrunched up in displeasure. “You both are so weird. Savage if you don’t want to play with him, you can help me set this little guy loose on the Senate.” She holds up the fixed little droid who lets out a series of high-pitched beeps that make Mouse startle out a laugh. “You’re absolutely right. Savage is very smart and should give up before Slick switches the game without telling him again.”

Savage sighs, tossing his cards onto the table and standing up. Not bothering to waste any more time on this. “What do I need to do.”

“Just help me get the little guy anywhere in the Senate without being seen.”

He grabs the little droid from her, frowning at it, “Why?”

She laughs and shrugs, “You never know when you’ve got to have a mess cleaned up.” Her grin is sharp, “The little guy can even take care of bloodstains.”

Ah, right. Savage had forgotten for a moment that all these people inhabit Maul’s tendencies in one way or another. It’s not like he can’t deny he feels the same. Death has never bothered him but he’s never craved it to the extent he does now. He wonders if it’s the witches’ doing or if something finally broke in his head when he held Feral by his throat and almost crushed it.

“I’ll get it done.”

“Thanks Savage! I’ll have the twins get you a treat for all your hard work later.” Mouse reaches up carefully finding one of his arms and grabs it gently to help pull herself up. Unafraid of the fact that Savage could easily reach out, grab her by her throat, and kill her easily with a single flex of his fingers. All of the clones are like that here. Unafraid.

Yet still ready to kill him if he proves himself unworthy of their trust.

The only exception is Jackal and Nexus who both avoid being alone in the same room with anyone who’s not a clone. So it’s not necessarily Savage they are afraid of. Though there is no doubt that both of them would fight him tooth and nail just as viciously as the others would.

He huffs out a soft laugh, before turning to leave. Guiding Mouse to follow him as she uses her free hand to unhook her helmet from her belt and slide it onto her head. Savage steadily ignores the way Slick is smirking down at his cards, now playing a wholly different game since Savage abandoned him. “Ask Nexus for the shift roster, that’ll give you the best times to sneak around the Senate.”

Savage hums an affirmative in response. Mouse lets go of his arm once they’ve passed the doorway and walks by his side with no difficulties.

“Thanks again, “ Mouse says, taking even perfect steps, “I’d ask Fox but he absolutely hates droids. Though he’s gotten a little bit better. Apparently, he made some deal with the mouse and other cleaning droids to just ignore each other’s existence. It’s kind of funny cause most of the droids actually like Fox.”

“They like someone who hates them?” Savage asks dryly.

Mouse shrugs, “They get treated as either invisible or something to be kicked around by the natborns. We all know what that’s like, especially Fox. So when Fox says he ignores them, it just means he won’t verbally acknowledge their existence. He still makes sure not to step on them and gets out of their way when they’re just trying to do their job.”

Savage doesn’t really get it. But he supposes he doesn’t have to.

“Come on, Nexus should be in one of the backrooms hacking into something they shouldn’t be,” Mouse says as she leads the way.

…

Savage stares at the building before them as he sits crosslegged near the ledge of the alcove they're hidden on. He’s already gotten the droid up to one of the upper floors and now he’s here with Mouse. Safely out of sight and hidden from any prying eyes.

Mouse hesitates and Savage can feel the spike of fear before she removes her helmet. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen any of the Guard other than Slick take off their helmet outside of their safe places. He understands why. Sees the reason before him as Mouse’s white eyes stare blankly forward.

He’d asked once why she didn’t get prosthetics. She’d said that at first it was fear and now it’s just because she doesn’t want to. She’s changed permanently in a way none of her brothers can understand. She’s fine with the change, not happy but settled with it. And none of them question her decision.

“So…”

“Thorn put you up to this.” Savage narrows his eyes, looking at her as she darkens in color and scratches the back of her neck.

“Kind of? I have the most experience with… being forcibly changed and accepting the fact that I’ll never be who I was before.”

Savage tightens his hands into fists. Claws digging into his palms. “I agreed to be changed. You did not.” he spits out, “I enjoy the power I’ve been given.”

She sighs at his outburst. “That’s all mostly true but there’s still something about it that’s upsetting you.”

“It has changed me in ways I didn’t think it would…” He breaths in closing his eyes for a moment before blinking them back open, “I thought my brother was weak and that he deserved to die by my hand because of it. I wanted to kill him.” His palms begin to bleed. “I nearly did.”

“And now you’re avoiding him.” She nods her head like she understands. A part of him wants to be outraged at the assumption to be angry and lash out. Mostly though, he’s too tired to care. “You know when I lost my eyes, the Senator made my patrol partner hold me down.” Mouse reaches out looking for a place to sit, and Savage reaches out an arm to meet her open hand. Letting her use him as a guide to help her to the edge next to him. Knocking a knee against his.

“Locks can’t even be in the same room as me anymore.” Mouse pauses, taking in a breath before she continues. “She tells us that it’s because she thinks what happened is her fault. That she should have disobeyed orders, should have felt something other than emptiness as she held me down and let the fucker poor acid in my eyes.” Mouse taps her fingers against the side of her thigh armor, “She followed orders. Just like any of us would. I think what she’s really afraid of is that she’ll have to follow orders again and hurt me worse.”

Savage is quiet as Mouse continues to tap out some unheard tune in her head.

“You know what’s really sad about all this? I’ve already forgiven her. I know that it wasn’t her fault, it was someone else’s orders, and if she hadn’t done it something much worse could have happened. I just wish she’d stop avoiding me so I could tell her.”

Savage narrows his eyes and gives her an unimpressed look he knows she can’t see. “You’re not subtle.”

“Thank you!” She grins. “I’ve been told a hard smack with a blunt hammer makes people listen better.”

Savage sighs, forcing his hands open, ignoring the blood that covers his palms. “I can’t be who I was before.”

She shrugs, “You don’t have to be. You can accept the changes that have happened to you and you can grow. It’s easier though when you have someone to grow with you. Helps the person who you hurt too. Especially if they’ve already forgiven you. Both of you were victims and both of you are different because of it. It’s good to remind each other that you still love each other despite it all.”

She shoves her shoulder against his. “It doesn’t even have to be today or tomorrow. Eventually, though Feral’s gonna corner you if you don’t seek him out first.”

“Is that what you plan to do with Locks?” Savage asks dryly as he looks away from her and back to the Senate. From here he notices he can see the Chancellor’s office.

Mouse giggles, “I have a whole plan set up. She’s never going to know what hit her.”

“Probably a blunt hammer.”

“Hey!”

…

They sit there several moments longer. The sky growing lighter with each second as the silence lingers. Before Mouse breaks it once more.

“I really do miss her.”

Savage looks over and sees the tears falling down Mouse’s cheeks, he unconsciously reaches out, brushing the tears away.

“…Did you just smear dried blood on my face?”

“…That… was not my intention but…”

Mouse’s laugh is bright as she punches his shoulder, “Alright Brother, heart-to-heart is officially over. Help me back to base and I’ll help you beat Slick at his stupid card games.”

…

Maul is sitting in a chair he’s stolen from Thorn’s side of the office, his feet up on Fox’s desk while he eats whatever greasy food has been dropped into his lap. He honestly doesn’t understand the appeal but he’s not picky enough to actually deny the food. He knows every bite counts no matter how disgusting it is.

Fox is sitting across from him, food forgotten as he goes through another stack of flimsi work with a scowl.

“Out of curiosity does he just give you all his work to do for him?” It wouldn’t surprise him if Sidious pushed all his work on the poor clone. It’s not like Fox could tell him no after all.

“A good chunk of it,” Fox bites the end of his pen as he reads through whatever is in front of him, “Nothing life-changing important and nothing that I could alter to help my brothers. Everything else seems to be free game though.” He signs the bottom and moves on to the next, “Sometimes I get lucky and he forgets to vet what comes through. Like this one.” Fox taps the flimsi with a grin. “Proposal bill to cut funds to the GAR, which means the Guard would be down to half rations and even less medical supplies.”

Fox opens a drawer, pulls out a stamp, and puts a large ‘denied’ on the paper followed by the Chancellor’s signature. “Turns out because of his emergency powers Palpatine can just shut down a bill before it ever makes it to the floor of the Senate.”

Maul hums, taking another bite of his food with a wince. “I didn’t realize you were low on medical supplies.” In fact, Maul remembers it being fully stocked last time he was there.

Fox waves him off with an eye roll. “Senate doesn’t give us shit. We buy all of that with our own credits.”

“I’m also absolutely certain you don’t get paid,” Maul says with a slow sarcastic drawl. Considering how eager Slick is to get Maul involved with the Guard’s own criminal enterprise he knows exactly where all that money comes from.

Fox hums, signs another paper and, finally Maul has had enough. He sits up, feet clanging to the floor as he puts a hand over the next paper Fox is trying to look at. “Eat. You’ll upset the others if you don’t eat this horrid meal.”

“It’s really not that bad Maul.”

“Considering the way you’re avoiding it I can’t help but think you agree with me.”

Fox rolls his eyes, picks up his fork, and takes a large bite of food humming in satisfaction. “I was wrong. This is much better than not that bad.”

“You all disgust me.”

…

“Oh, It almost slipped my mind, but Feral mentioned you picked up a new oddly shaped clone trooper.”

“Maul.” Fox’s tone is a warning.

“Very Togruta shaped in fact.” Maul takes a sip of his drink, savoring the taste of the wine.

“Leave it.”

“In fact, just the other day Thorn was laughing hysterically about it.”

“I have a knife and I’m not afraid to stab you with it.”

“Is that what you said to the Jedi when they found out you stole-” He doesn’t get to finish as Fox vaults over his desk and full body tackles him to the ground.

…

Maul has several moving pieces and yet none of them could account for the fact that one of his old master’s tools is currently sitting in his base. Sly Moore sips her tea, head tilted at just the right angle of arrogant. Next to her is Fox who thankfully looks just as annoyed as Maul feels.

“I want a place among this” she sneers, “criminal empire you are building.”

“You really came here thinking I won’t just kill you here and now?” Maul leans forward with a true air of curiosity about how someone can be so presumptuous, even as he places his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber. Honestly, it would be a good opportunity. He knows Moore has had a hand in changing many a Senator’s mind to side with Sidious with her abilities. With her gone he wonders if the strings would be cut.

She sets her cup down and blinks slowly. “I think that the Marshal Commander is smart enough not to let you waste resources you will need for your future endeavors.”

Fox sighs, head in his hands as he winces like he’s suddenly in pain.

Maul snarls, eyes narrowed on Moore as he lets his power suffocate the room. “I suggest if you want to keep your head, you keep your mind from his.”

She blinks, Fox looks up to glare at her but shakes his head at Maul, “She’s fine. I’ve had a headache since this morning, it’s not her trying to probe around in my head. Besides, she’s already learned her lesson about why that’s a bad idea.”

That gets an actual reaction from Moore as her eye twitches. Maul will have to ask about that later. For now though.

“Well then. Let’s see what you can provide to my empire and maybe I can find a place for you in it.” Maul grins, even as Fox rolls his eyes in exasperation.

Moore gives him a sharp smile of her own. “How about we start with the video proof of Palpatine’s dealings with Dooku.”

…

Thire is staring down the criminal seated across from him. The poor fucker who got caught hacking into the local electronic billboards, putting up a profane amount of anti-war propaganda. Nothing directed at the clones which had been a surprise. In fact, Thire feels like this is the first criminal who hasn’t been spitting any kind of vitriol at any of the clones during and since her arrest.

But it had caused enough chaos that the Guard’s forces are currently split between redirecting traffic and protecting the Senate building from a growing number of protestors. There have been several speeder crashes, injuries but no casualties so far, and while the protestors are currently peaceful it’s only a matter of time before they turn violent.

Hopefully, by then Fox will have convinced the Senate Guard and Corsec to do their jobs. If not the Guard will take the brunt of the violence and it won’t be pretty.

The Nautolan seems calm all things considered. She has her hands clasped in front of her, head raised proudly and unafraid. She spoke calmly when they first brought her in, even though it was only to ask for her lawyer.

A lawyer that Thire has yet to contact. He thinks he can get away with not contacting them at all. After all that would leave too much of a trail behind for what he has planned for the Nautolan.

Stone had said that Maul needed a reliable hacker, completely unrelated to the Guard, and here one is. She’s even got a perfect amount of self-righteousness. If Maul spins it right he can have her eating out of the palm of his hand. Make her think that what she’ll be doing is revealing some horrible truths about the war in order to stop it.

It’s mostly the truth anyway. It’s just there are a few other reasons that no one but the Guard and Maul need to know about.

Thire can already tell that she wouldn’t need the full explanation. She’d see the truth Maul would lay out for her and take it. Run with it. Sow the chaos they need. Thire’s still pissed at the harm she’s unintentionally caused the Guard but he’ll be nice just this once and tell Maul to give her a good enough paycheck as a bonus.

She’ll be a good fit for Maul’s crew. And if she’s not? Well, it’s no skin off his nose if she needs to disappear one day.

Thire grins with enough teeth that she shifts uncomfortably. “Someone’s paid your bail. So we’ll be releasing you with restrictions. Don’t try to leave the planet.” He shuffles some of his paperwork before leaning forward toward her with a menacing promise, “We’ll know if you try.”

Her black eyes open a bit wider in shock.

Thire leans back in his seat, humming to himself as he finishes signing off the paperwork. Quickly shooting a message to Stone then Maul. Stone will make her paperwork completely disappear, erasing any connection to the Guard. And Maul will be waiting just outside to snap up his shiny new hacker.

…

Maul’s plans are nearly all in place when one of his pieces is taken off the board, and a much larger problem takes its place. Fox has missed several check-ins with the other Commanders and any trackers they might have had on him have gone silent. Maul would usually be more annoyed about that than worried at this point.

It’s not the first time Fox has disappeared. He’s always returned mostly intact. Fox is a capable man, he’d fight tooth and nail to get back to his Guard no matter what state he’s in.

The problem lies in the fact that Maul was days away from enacting his plan, Fox is now missing, and Sidious has sent Maul an invitation. Wanting an audience with him. If Maul were any less paranoid he’d blow off the invitation with how close he is to ending Sidious. Not take it as the threat it is; a blaster pressed to a certain clone commander’s head.

Fox is missing and Sidious is nothing if not vicious when it comes to things he thinks belong to him. It wouldn’t have taken much for his old master to realize that Maul has been working with the Guard. Probably realized it the first time he couldn’t easily break into any of the clone’s minds. His arrogance would have made him let Maul continue on, not believing anything Maul would do could ever touch him.

Something has changed.

Maul would like to say it’s his plans working so effectively but there’s something else. A shift in the air that makes it easier to breathe, to see what the force has laid out in front of him. The madness that is always clawing at the edges of his mind is blissfully silent.

Sidious’s power is beginning to fail him.

Maul plays idly with the force suppression cuff he’d removed long ago. Spinning it on a finger as he heads up the darkened hallways of the Senate. He wonders if it was the clones who found his old Master’s well of power or if it was his brothers. A combination of both perhaps. Feral would have been sensitive enough to it that he could have led the way but he wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it.

He takes the stairs, walking past the elevator despite the calling in his blood to hurry. Fox will live. He will suffer and Maul will use that suffering to strengthen his anger when he faces Sidious. But Fox will live.

Because if he doesn’t Maul will burn this entire planet down and kill every single person not affiliated with the Guard. He’ll do it slowly, by hand.

He tucks the cuff away as he nears Sidious’s unguarded office. Kicking the door open and stopping just as he enters. His focus fully on the figure who lies still on the floor. Maul almost can’t breathe at the sight. His first instinct tells him that the figure is dead but Maul can feel the last remnants of consciousness holding firm. The familiar stubbornness of it echoing in his mind.

Fox. Fox whose chest barely rises. Fox whose armor is discarded, whose face is shredded beyond recognition, and whose back is so bloodied Maul fears he’s lost too much blood.

“Do you understand yet Maul, what happens when you disappoint me?” His old master stands over Fox’s prone form, his eyes glowing that familiar putrid yellow. “I’d thought you’d learned the lesson long ago but you do always exceed my expectations in idiocy.”

Maul huffs out a broken laugh, “I always did learn the best from my mistakes didn’t I?” He prowls to the side of the ornately decorated office. Not daring to go closer in case his old master took Maul’s movements as a threat. “Last time I came here and fought you by myself, you left me discarded with the trash of this planet.”

“A mistake on my part,” Sidious gives a faint smile and acknowledging nod, “I should have torn you fully apart but what can I say? This old man had such high hopes that you’d learn your place.”

“I have learned.” Maul forces his gaze away from Sidious, away from where Fox lies so still on the carpet. His blood is sinking into it, darkening the bright red to a nearly black color. Instead, Maul focuses on the streets of Coruscant outside the window. “Of course, none of what I’ve learned is anything you would have wanted me to.”

“And what is it that you’ve learned my old apprentice?” Sidious’s words are all teeth behind his pleasant smile. He thinks that Maul is here for a fight and Maul won’t deny that he wants to rip the bastard’s throat out. Sink his teeth in and let the blood fill his mouth.

It would be so easy to give into the hatred, the anger, the fear. It wouldn’t be the overwhelming calling it has been for the entire time he’s been on Coruscant. It would be his own pure power. But that’s not why he’s here. That’s not his plan. It would only give Sidious the satisfaction of getting under Maul’s skin.

“Sometimes revenge is better served by someone else’s hands.”

Sidious’s comn unit on his desk starts to frantically beep. Outside on the streets of Coruscant billboards and screens shift to a singular scene. A series of videos and information flashing across each and every screen. All the proof that Stone had given him and the video evidence Moore had provided is now on full view for every single person in the galaxy to see.

Sidious hasn’t noticed yet. Still too far back into the office, still too close to Fox. His old Master glowers at his back, and from the reflection of the glass he sees the man stretch out a hand towards the comn unit while another grips his lightsaber.

“What have you done Maul?”

Maul’s smile is filled with his teeth as he bares it at his own reflection, watching as traffic comes to a stop on the streets. As people land, get out of their speeders, and stare at what is being displayed. “I’ve done nothing.” He won’t claim this one. This was all built on Fox’s and Stone’s hard work, Maul just made sure everyone could see all the pieces put together.

After all, what’s better than watching someone’s whole world crumble down around them?

“How does it feel Sidious? To have everything you built, everything you worked for, crumple into dust?”

Sidious curses as he opens his comn. “You think this means anything?” Sidious cackles. “I still have an army at my disposal.”

“Do you?” Maul asks with an amused tone. He doesn’t know what Shivers found, only that it was important enough that the Guard broke their own rule. No GAR contact, no dragging them into this mess. Whatever it was, it was important enough that Shivers contacted every single medic they could get a hold of.

Maul hears the comn click on. “Commander CC-2224 Execute Order 66.”

There’s only the sound of static that greets them. Nexus must have cut off GAR communications.

“Tsk, tsk. It looks like the Commander isn’t taking any calls today Chancelor,” Maul mocks with glee turning to face the full fury of Sidious.

He tilts his head to the side as the comn unit is thrown at his head. It hits the glass just behind him, shattering it fully. Sidious lights his lightsaber, casting the room into shades of red in the darkness. He steps closer to Maul, face twisted in anger.

Maul leaves his own lightsaber on his hip, giving Palpatine a bored look, “What’s wrong Master? Have I not exceeded your expectations? After all, I’ve destroyed you without laying a single finger on you.”

“You don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been up to Maul? That you’ve been meddling in the Senate for the sake of the clones? You’ve lost your purpose and chose to help the things that I’ve made to die and serve.” Sidious sneers, “It seems now that all of them are a waste of credits and need to be culled.”

“I’ll wish you luck in that,” Maul laughs delightedly, “They’re all quite vicious when they want to be. You might end up dead before you even realize it.”

Sidious snarls and jumps towards Maul just as he lights his own lightsaber, blocking the attack. “I’ll start with the Guard. Make them execute each other for my own pleasure. Or maybe I should make them torture each other first?”

Maul rolls his eyes, and uses his free hand to grab Sidous’s wrist as he shoves off Palaptine’s attack with his lightsaber. Forcing his old master away from him and closer towards the window, as Maul takes a position between him and Fox. “You are so confident Master that they will listen. When I know for certain that they’ll do whatever they please if it means protecting their own.”

Sidious sneers reaching a hand out towards Maul.

His expression of confusion is almost as sweet as the sudden anger as he realizes exactly what Maul has clipped around his wrist.

Maul smiles sweetly, “So creative aren’t they? I still don’t know where they found a force suppression cuff but it is quite useful. To useful to just toss away.”

“You think that I can’t kill you, even with a small handicap like this?” Sidious laugh has an edge to it as he shakes his wrist. “Maul I didn’t think I could be more disappointed in you.”

Maul can see the glint of a rifle on the building just across from the Senate. Can feel the edge of danger in the force.

Sidious can’t. Too focused on Maul and cut off from the force. His senses dulled.

“I’m sure I can figure out a few more ways to disappoint you.”

He grins as a shot goes straight through Sidous’s head. Then Maul reaches out in the force and pushes the body through the window just before Sidious’s body begins to fall to the carpeted floors. If the shot isn’t enough the drop without force powers will be.

The Dark Lord of the Sith is dead. Maul breathes out, unsure if he really feels anything from that sudden revelation. Sidious is dead and gone.

He turns off his lightsaber, clipping it to his belt as he makes his way over to Fox’s prone body. He kneels, gathering the clone into his arms. Fox shudders at his touch, swollen eyes blinking open to hazily stare up at Maul.

“I’m thinking Isolation one should be safe enough for you to recover in,” Maul jokes at this odd paradox of how they first met.

Fox’s laugh is rough, cut off by small hiccups as tears slide through his bloodied cheeks. Maul rests his forehead against Fox’s, readjusting Fox so he can wipe away the tears. “He’s dead, Fox. You’re safe now.”

“He better fucking be.” Fox rasps out. Hand weakly gripping Maul’s tunic like it’s a lifeline.

Maul gets an arm under Fox’s legs, stands, and carries him off, stepping over the mouse droids that rush into the room. He doesn’t see Savage as he slips free from the shadows, but he knows his brother gathers Fox’s discarded armor.

Maul’s still not sure what to feel. If he should feel satisfaction that his revenge has succeded or anger that his plan relied on him not striking the final blow.

He almost feels hollow. Not in an empty way but in a way that there’s nothing further to do. He can finally rest once he’s made sure Fox survives.

They are all safe.

He is safe.

It’s all he needs right now.

#star wars the clone wars #star wars #bthb #bad things happen bingo #Wiping the other's tears away #commander fox #darth maul #fanfiction #my writing #sock-writes #writer on tumblr

4 notes · View notes

obsessedwithegos · 2 years

Text

BTHB: Wiping the other’s tears away with Emil

CWs: Emotional whump, Familial whump, Talk of reason for cutting off a family member in the past

Notes: Canon in the even further future! But hey! More comfort and recovery!

~~~~~~

It’s been 7 months since Emil was fortunate enough to meet Jolene and start helping her with her work on the ranch and tonight she granted him to do egg delivery by himself to get him used to going out by himself before his first birthday since he’s escaped.

He was on his way to the last house of the night, looking at the piece of paper Jolene gave him to note the name and pronouns. ‘Adeline Melite, she/her’.

Huh, she had the same first name as his sister. He wondered how she was doing as he walked up the steps and knocked on the front door.

“Hello?” A voice calls out from behind the door, Emil assumed she was looking through the door’s peephole.

“Hello! I’m Emil with your egg delivery! I’m covering for Miss Jolene for tonight!” He cheerfully greets.

There was a pause.

“Miss Melite?” He asks, wondering if she wanted him to leave the eggs at the door or not.

The door slowly opened, revealing a woman with short brown hair. Her bangs covered an eye patch, her remaining brown eye with hints of gold stared at Emil, wide with shock.

Despite the changes, Emil recognized her immediately. “Adeline?” His voice was soft, he couldn’t believe it.

He couldn’t believe that he was seeing his little sister again.

“Emil?” She whispered. She glanced around before opening the door further “Would.. You like to come in?” She asked.

He nodded. Once she moved out of the way, he walked in and looked around.

Adeline’s home looked comfortable and well kept, he recognized one of their dad’s decorative fans displayed on the wall behind the couch.

She closed the door behind him before carefully taking the remaining cartons of eggs from him.

“I have so many questions, Adeline.” He says, unsure of where to start.

“Can I ask one first?” She asked.

“Of course.”

“When did you get turned into a vampire?”

Emil pauses, becoming painfully aware of the fangs in his mouth. “Almost 4 years ago. I was on my way back home late when I was attacked and turned.” he answered.

There was an awkward silence.

“What.. What did I do to make you cut me off?” He finally asks the question that had been bothering him for 8 years.

Adeline gives her brother a sympathetic look. “You know how Evher doesn’t like vampires?” She asked.

A nod “Unfortunately.”

“I had already been turned when I found out that’s who you were becoming a priest for.” She explained. “I couldn’t handle staying in touch with you while you were worshiping them so passionately and spreading their word. I knew it would mess with me mentally. That’s why I cut contact with you.” She took a deep breath, it was a hard choice for her to make and one that still upset her. After all, she had cut him off for following his own passion and dream.

“Excuse me, I.. I need a moment while I put these away.” She says before moving to go to her kitchen to put her new eggs away and to also grab the money to pay for them.

She took another deep breath to collect herself before returning to the living room and to Emil. She held out the money “For the eggs.” She clarified.

Emil accepted it, putting the money into the box Jolene provided to him to hold payments. “So.. Are you a lawyer?” He asks, recalling it as her dream job.

Adeline’s attempt to stay collected fell apart. Not only did Emil feel guilty about her cutting him off, now he was also a vampire, but on top of all that he remembered that she wanted to be a lawyer ever since she was a kid.

She nodded as she tried to fight back the tears. “Yeah. Yeah I am.” She answered with a smile “I’m specialized in defending people like us. Vampires, werewolves, the rare zombie.” She elaborated, essentially saying she protected those with potentially infectious curses.

Emil beamed at her, his heart swelled with joy and pride to hear how well his sister was doing. “I’m so glad to hear that. I’m so proud of you Adeline.”

She couldn’t hold it back anymore, she lets the tears fall as she goes to tightly hug her brother.

He tensed at the sudden touch but quickly relaxes, he sets the basket down and hugs her back.Tears of joy were quick to start forming and falling as it sets in just how real this is.

The two hugged in silence for a while, both letting themselves cry.

“I’m so happy to see you again.” she whispered as she pulled back a bit to see his face.

Emil reaches up to wipe away her tears “Hey, you should dry your eye before you corrode.” He jokes, recalling the same joke he used to make when they were younger and he was trying to cheer her up. It was a joke about how her name initials were originally AAA like the battery.

Adeline laughed “And leave your face soaked?” She says as she mimics his movement to wipe his tears away as well.

He smiled, “I’m glad to see you again too.” He hesitantly fully pulls away from Adeline. “I.. I should probably head back before Miss Jolene worries.” He said, picking up the basket again. He didn’t want to leave her so soon but he also didn’t want Jolene to worry.

She nods in understanding as she moves back to the door so she could open it for him. “Hey Emil?” she says to get his attention as he heads out.

He stops to look at her. “Yes?”

She kept her smile. “Feel free to stop by any time. I’ll be sure to visit Jolene more often to see you.” She figured he didn’t have a phone as reception and internet at Jolene’s was pretty bad.

Emil’s face lit up once again. “I’ll be sure to do that. I’ll also look forward to your visits.” He says with a wide smile. “Have a good night, Adeline.”

“Have a good night, Emil.”

With that, Adeline watches Emil walk down the steps and start to leave, only briefly pausing to wave goodbye. A gesture that she returned.

Once she could no longer see him, she closed and locked her door with a happy sigh. Her night now massively improved.

~~~~~~

General: @emmettnet @thebluejaysworld

Kira story: @whumpsday

BTHB: @badthingshappenbingo

#owe writing #my writing #whump #whump tag #bad things happen bingo #emil tag #adeline tag #wiping the other's tears away #emotional whump #familial whump #comfort #emil writing tag #adeline writing tag #ask to tag #if I scheduled this properly it should be posting around the time I wake up!#Also small note incase their dad's decorative fan being up in Adeline's living room gives the wrong vibe: Both of their parents are still #alive!!! They're in or around their 60s and still going strong!!!#prompted writing tag #if any of this doesn't make sense- I'm blaming it on finishing it at 2:15 am hgsjdkfghdkj #if anyone needs clarification on anything feel free to ask!#also note: despite his massive improvements when it comes to getting used to things he's still not even close to ready to live on his own #as he's only now getting used to doing things for jolene and not for himself. doing things for himself again is going to take him YEARS #bc if i remember right i said he moves out from her place at 38 #recovery trope #BTHB: Original work / Original Characters

24 notes · View notes

macaroonkitti · 5 months

Text

Quick treat for my Zelda followers, thinking about Link post totk <3

#why didnt they lose the arm permanently 😔#I mean i know why. but why #I really really love the parallel to the beginning of being able to catch Zelda when you missed her hand in the beginning #but theres something more powerful to me about making up for your mistakes even when there were consequences for them #link cant catch zelda with the same hand as before because it is gone. so they used their other one #theres probably a more poetic way to say this but idk #oh this also lines up with zeldas draconification and why i give her dragon features #you cant wipe all of that away after doing something forbidden. there are consequences #loz #legend of zelda #tloz #the legend of zelda #link #princess zelda #totk #tears of the kingdom #totk spoilers #my art

478 notes · View notes

juneviews · 4 months

Text

cooking crush (2023) | theory of love (2019)

#theory of love #cooking crush #offgun #theory of love the series #cooking crush the series #off jumpol #gun atthaphan #thai drama #my gifs #bypiningbisexuals #parallels #I fucking love how every offgun shows have parallels amongst each other #off wiping gun's tears away will ALWAYS get me

304 notes · View notes

da-birb-writes-sometimes · 9 months

Note

OMG I’m so excited for this!!! Can I request Vil with the prompt rainy nights?? Can it be fluffy and romantic? Anyway I hope you have a wonderful day!! :)

Rainy Nights; Vil Schoenheit

Content; Fluff, gender-neutral reader, established romantic relationship

Content Warning; Reader cries because of a movie, death (movie)

Word Count; 700+

Author's Note; I had a vision; watching old movies with Vil as the rain came down. I had a lot of fun writing this, and this is also my first solo Vil piece, so I hope I did him justice here.

As a reminder, do not put my work — or others for that matter — into AI as it steals. Link to Masterlist

You were rummaging around the TV console, going through the numerous DVDs and VHS tapes that were just sitting around and collecting dust. Tonight was your night for movie night, as yesterday was Vil’s, so you were weighing your options. Sure, there were streaming services, but there’s just something that hits differently with a physical copy, flaws and all. Plus it’s not like you could go out since it was raining like no tomorrow outside. So, movie night.

“Having any luck,” Vil gently called from the washroom, still doing his nightly routine.

Your eyes still scoured the various cases, trying to find the perfect one. “Not yet. Just give me a minute, m’kay?”

Vil gave you a hum as an answer, leaving you be.

Horror movie? No, he wouldn’t like that. Mystery? Too predictable… And then you found what looked like the most faded cases, colour worn away from age and a hand going back time and time again. That one.

Pulling it out, you dusted off the case, inspecting the title. Of the smudged-out words, you could make out The, some kind of smudged-out word, Blossom. It looked like a black-and-white movie, and on the front were the protagonists with their backs together, flower petals surrounding them, and a dagger above them. This, this is perfect.

Vil came out of the washroom, wearing his matching royal purple pyjamas and house robe, and glowing from the various skin products that he used. He looked curiously over your shoulder. “Hmm, The Bitter Blossom,” he mused, turning his gaze to you. “Is that your pick, Schatz?” His tone was light, a sign that he approved, and was mildly surprised at your pick.

“Mhm,” you hummed, placing the VHS tape into the VCR player. Whoever had played it last had saved you the trouble of rewinding it. “Have you watched it before?”

“Surprisingly, no. Copies of it are extremely hard to come by.” He got the sofa ready, adjusting the pillows, grabbing one of the many quilts, and a box of tissues, just in case. He noticed the look you were giving him, “I haven’t watched it, but I have heard about how it ends.”

You raised a brow, but shrugged. You pressed play and scrambled over to your spot next to Vil, getting comfy and pulling that handy quilt over the both of you — the rain had made it a little bit chilly.

The Bitter Blossom started playing. Not only was it in black-and-white, but it was also a silent film. The protagonists were two lovers who met by chance, their relationship going from cold strangers to a budding romance.

But why had Vil grabbed the tissues? The movie was almost over, it couldn’t possibly—

But then the antagonist, a jealous ex of one of the main protagonists, stabbed the love interest in the back with a dagger. The movie ended with the protagonist hugging their love interest, flower blossoms falling down around them.

“Do not let the bitter blossom of hatred and vengeance bloom in your heart or mind, my love. Do not let it ruin the happiness which we fleetingly had.” The words flashed on the screen before the movie ended with the screen fading into black.

That, that was why Vil had grabbed the tissues. Wait, were you crying? That would explain why Vil was gently dabbing away the stray tears as they rolled down your face.

“A lovely film, love,” he whispered, “I should have warned you about the ending—”

You stopped him by grabbing softly at his hand, bringing it up to cup your face. “No, it’s alright. It was a beautiful movie,” you hiccuped, leaning into his touch.

Vil caressed calming strokes on your cheek, the slow movements helping you focus on him. He placed a kiss on your forehead, a gentle hum escaping as the kiss lingered. “Oh potato,” your old nickname from when the two of you were still just only acquaintances, “what am I going to do with you?”

You grabbed a tissue and loudly blew your nose, “Cuddles?”

Vil sighed softly, but put his arm around you, resting his head against yours and placing a kiss to your temple. “Alright,” he hummed and continued humming a gentle tune until you were falling asleep. While he would prefer sleeping in bed, he supposed he could stand to cuddle with you on the sofa as the rain eased up outside.

~~~~~~~

Schatz; German for treasure, a common term of endearment

Tags; @azulashengrottospiano [I've seen the Vil brain rot and gushing], @eynnwwyjth, @xxoomiii

#dove does events #follower event #twst #twst x reader #twst x gn reader #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland x gn reader #vil schoenheit #vil schoenheit x reader #vil schoenheit x gn reader #also i decided to go with a VHS tape since i wanted them to watch an old OLD movie; plus i miss my VCR player #soft vil content to heal the soul #he also cried a bit but was very subtle in wiping away the lone tear #hopefully i wrote vil with some justice as I'm still trying to characterize him right #potato; said with love #sofia!#i also think this is the longest one as of yet ; just checked and yup! it is #that might change though as i write the others #thought about having reader call vil their 'schnucki' [sweetie-pie] but decided against it #but it does live rent free in my head #i wonder how many people read through all of my tags; cuz i do hide some gems in there as little easter eggs of sorts

536 notes · View notes

prostocupoftea · 1 month

Text

tw: kinda violence (no blood, but still), kinda graphic descriptions of violence in song lyrics

Asmodeus

i promise there won't be much pain~

Asmodeus

song - Asmodeus Song - Puppet History

yapping n version w/o text under cut

Yes i put my playlist on shuffle and now one of the key moments in my au is forever embeded with this song

I just listened and like "yeah i bet your physical body being deleted feels like possession by a demon"

Oh, yeah, also this is first official post about my au ((: Now we can officially play my favorite game - guess who gets more dead in this part of story!

okay yeah that's Sonny getting deleted, im sorry simps, but i promice he is not dead forever at that point in the story-- yet----- >:) sorry im feeling mischevious today heheheheh

//btw i do not have canon-canon design for Sonny yet, im still in the process, so here is a placeholder but since he is kinda half-deleted it also works

//also most of the plot holes are being patched so soon enough timeline can be drawn and i'll finally post it structurally as plot goes so yay!!!

Do not look at the kinito's hand too much you will understand that this is first time i make 3d interact with 2d :')

W/o the text

also this is literally this i am not sorry

#i didn't post big thingies for two days i have withdrawals #my silly guys killing each other <<<<3333 awww they grow up so fast *wipes away tear*#and you thought i joked around when i said that i'd make sonny suffer even more? >:)#like him pls he took more time than i thought he'd take #also puppet history nerds - hi. im sorry i didn't actually watched it T_T. but i love your songs. they are amaizing.#also fored perspective in 3d is so hard fglsskd;gj;sdjd #kinitopet #kinito pet #kinito the axolotl #kinitopet fanart #kinito fanart #kinito 3d model #prosto cup of art

66 notes · View notes

phosphophylight-of-my-life · 11 months

Text

oshi no ko aqua is such a fun character bc by most counts he's a more than decent guy.

in his first life he regularly visited hospital inpatients who had no visitors. he was genuinely happy and excited to help Ai deliver her babies, because he wants her to be happy on her own terms. he saves Akane simply because he can, and gets angry at the staff on her behalf. he doesn't stop at saving her life and spends sleepless nights turning around her public image. at that point there was nothing in it for him to keep akane around, she was just a person he was able to help and wanted to help.

by most counts he's a pretty decent guy who steps up when people need him most, except. except he's also a guy who really wants to kill his dad and that makes him manipulate people somewhat often and this is somehow not entirely at odds with his instinct to help others

#oshi no ko #like he's a doctor i can rly respect yknow #except for the patricide thing #gorou said do no harm unless it's my dad #also the way that gorou regularly visit patients is something SARINA has to tell the audience and not gorou #bc to gorou is nothing worth mentioning #for quite a while i was like man gorou is kind of sleazy for only visiting sarina esp when she's so young and vulnerable #but he visits the others also... sarina was just the most special patient to him because she introduced him to ai and also #because she was a kid whose parents never showed up #also SPOILERS FOR LIKE CH90+ OR SMTHING BELOW #the way aqua doesnt let akane dirty her hands like ok aqua we get it you want the best for everyone who isnt your dad #wipes tear someone get him therapy hes a decent guy who's ruining his life #also the way he is conscious of how he's playing w akane's feelings and tries very hard to be honest with her and to do her right #like sigh okay aqua i GUESS i cant hate you #and that one ghosting kana arc where i wanted to beat him up and then he was like i dont want to drag kana into this & he looked terrified #like SIGH. OKAY. FINE AQUA i cant hate you after all #like apart from the patricide (which is big know) the biggest downside to his personality is how cold he is #he pushes ppl away all the time and is just borderline rude #but like idk i feel like thats a byproduct of his 'i plan to go to jail for patricide and dont want to drag others down' mindset #which is like... well. you can't hate him for that.. he's looking out for others in his own way

264 notes · View notes

three-bunnies-in-a-trenchcoat · 6 months

Text

It was a great archon quest for Furina lovers (me) but a horrible one for Childe lovers (also me)

#using one hand to wipe away my tears at furina's story and using the other to type a strongly worded letter to hyv #mb's two am rambling #genshin impact #furina #childe

64 notes · View notes

picaroroboto · 7 days

Text

I see you.

#limbus company #dante lcb #dante limbus company #canto iv spoilers #because Dante and the Tearful Thing both suffer in the place of others #and since the memory wipe didn't work on them Dante is now the only one who knows of it's suffering #something like having an obligation to not look away from the terrible things around them

22 notes · View notes

petorahs · 10 months

Text

as a longtime zelda fan im subscribing to the theory that skyward sword's ending caused another timeline split where:

a) ss!link dueled demise and sealed him in the master sword, subsequently putting fi into "a sleep without end". this is where every other game takes place

b) ss!link used the goddess statue to kill the imprisoned demise like it was supposed to happen before ghirahim messed everything up. this is where totk and botw take place.

it explains why botw/totk!zelda can still hear fi in the master sword despite no other hero after ss!link ever interacting with her (cause shes asleep), why there are two (2) imprisoning wars (pre-ALttP, and Totk's) and why the latest two games are so far removed from everything.

it also explains why totk!ganondorf became the second coming of the demon king, because demise was never truly killed in that timeline. link wished for the complete eradication of demise, not his hatred. the triforce makes no distinction between good and evil, after all.

in a), hyrule is founded by hylians from ss!zelda and link's time, in b) the zonai descended and rauru founded hyrule instead

the only debunk of this theory i see is b) timeline not having a fully forged master sword since ss!link took it with him to kill demise. a) timeline still having the mother goddess statue brought down to the surface also has could be contested but i think that can be explained by skyward sword needing to end in a closed timeloop, and the triforce's power doing its thing. thoughts?

#aishi.txt #the legend of zelda #totk #botw #skyward sword #tears of the kingdom #breath of the wild #aishi.docx #sadge cause i wanted to believe that botw (being a series reboot) took place after the original legend of zelda on snes #like how fitting #but also i choose to believe totk was made not to just fck over lore enthusiasts and not just be explained away with #'oh the other games are just legends nothing more' like i dont think they would simply invalidate the rest of the series like that #this theory appeases nintendo's desire to wipe the timeline debate clean and start fresh #while also appealing to the lore fans like me LOL #and ofc not invalidate every other game #anyway thats my take. love totk despite its silly lore #theres also something to be said about a) timeline's zonai. i think they essentially became the twili in a) but thats another theory #for another day

86 notes · View notes

darlingsart · 1 year

Text

Can not stop thinking about a modern au where Achilles has to keep Pyrrhus on one of those kid leashes bc he’s literally a little demon

#tsoa #the song of achilles #picking up ur little monster from pre school after he terrorized all the other kids the entire day #also I thought it would be insanely funny if in a modern au Pyrrhus actually likes Patroclus #like he PREFERS him over Achilles #Achilles telling Pyrrhus to do smth and he just throws a tantrum and is like ‘NOOOO!!!’#but Pat tells him to do the exact same thing and Pyrrhus gets up wipes his snot and tears away and is like ‘okay papa Pat :)’#like the idea of him terrorizing Achilles his actual father but being a sweetheart to Patroclus is actually hilarious

271 notes · View notes

lessthanimpressedlesbian · 2 years

Text

Just realized we're only two days away from potentially getting this ultimate seating arrangement

#critical role #marisha ray #laura bailey #laudna #imogen temult #imodna #god i want the eye contact #and for them to actually be able to hold hands and wipe away tears during intense rp moments #i felt so robbed every time imogen had a nightmare #hopefully we'll get this though!#or even marisha on the other side of sam #i just want them to be next to each kther

296 notes · View notes

alisaint · 1 month

Text

went to respond to a post in my usual um actually— ☝️🤓 fashion but managed to accidentally refresh the app somehow instead of clicking rb.... so sad that the universe would hit me with a counterspell like tht. anyway. will byers IS a crybaby (said affectionately and proudly) and he does cry frequently both because his life fucking sucks and because he's very empathetic and sensitive and so easily moved by others. if he cried any more frequently than he already does then his eyes would just be wet 24/7. it's okay to admit this and we don't need to counteract a stupid asshole's "he's such a whiny crybaby i hope he dies 🙄" takes with objectively incorrect statements like "will hardly cries." like cmon man....

#i shan't stand for it bro he's a CRIER! a WEEPER! im surprised he doesn't keep a hankerchief in his pocket to wipe away his tears #with how often he cries and i think that's a BEAUTIFUL trait to have i think we do him a disservice by acting like it's not true #reclaim that shit. yes he is a crybaby. what about it? what's so bad about boys crying? about boys feeling and expressing their #emotions? about boys loving others and being moved by their pain and kindness? what's so bad about it?#please explain it to me :)#they won't bc then they'd look like a raging bigot lmao like don't cower and submit to their attacks bro PUFF YA CHEST OUT AND BITE BACK 🗣

5 notes · View notes

kunikidas-lost-glasses · 10 months

Text

Sigchuuzai headcanon - Sigma having scars on his neck

TWs: Major Spoilers for Sigma’s backstory, mentions of slavery, description of injuries

Takes place in my BSD Fix-It AU (post-DoA arc). Sigma is a member of the ADA here and lives together with Chuuya and Dazai in an apartment.

The main reason why Sigma wears turtleneck sweaters is so he can hide the scars which go all around his throat.

The scars are from the time where he was kept as a slave at the organization which captured him in the desert and who used him for his ability. Back then was always wearing a heavy and tight shackle/metal collar around his neck which left his skin bruised and scarred.

When Fyodor told Nikolai to get rid of it after Fyodor took Sigma into the Decay of Angels, the skin underneath the metal had been irritated, red and bloody and there where the edges of the collar had been, the skin was bruised and had little cuts due to the metal being uneven and with sharp edges.

While the irritations and the bruises would disappear slowly after weeks, the cuts and bloody areas became scars.

They are very faint and one would probably only see them if they focused explicitly on his neck but for them, they will always point out. Whenever they wear something which isn’t covering their throat, they will feel as if the scars would be the first thing everyone would see when looking at them. Like they would be some colorful sign used for advertisement which blinks with obnoxiously bright lights.

Even after he exchanged his old outfit for a new one after he joined the ADA, he kept wearing a turtleneck sweater.

Of course, Dazai noticed that no matter which outfit Sigma would wear, his throat would be covered with something. A turtleneck sweater, a scarf, even in summer Sigma would find ways to cover his neck in a stylish way.

He would never ask about it though, not wanting to make his partner uncomfortable or make them feel pressured to tell him. If Sigma wanted to tell him, he would be there but Sigma should come to him out of his own will, when he felt ready and comfortable.

Chuuya did the same. He too wouldn’t confront Sigma about it but in secret, he and Dazai were a bit worried about them.

Of course Dazai thought about possible answers to Sigma always covering his throat but he never did some research about the others' past. He knew a bit about it from what Fyodor told him when they both had been at Meursault but he didn’t know in depth details or what happened in this year before Fyodor found Sigma.

Even after work, when Sigma was alone with Chuuya and Dazai at their shared apartment, he would still always cover his throat. To bed, he would usually wear a kerchief, praying that neither Dazai nor Chuuya would ask him about it.

During their first night together at the apartment, Chuuya did in fact ask Sigma if he was feeling well and Dazai asked him if he felt sick or had a sore throat but after Sigma told them that this wasn’t the case, the other two simply exchanged a glance and never asked about it again.

It stayed like this for months until one evening, Dazai accidentally saw Sigma without his neck covered.

He forgot to knock before entering their bedroom despite the door being closed due to being way too caught up in thought.

He was startled out of his thoughts when the pillow which Sigma threw hit his face

He quickly apologized and left the room as quickly as he came but he actually didn’t even look at Sigma’s neck. Out of reflex he looked away as quick as he could and didn’t even think about stealing a glance out of curiosity.

However when Sigma came to him into the living room and sat down next to him on the couch where Dazai had been waiting until he could go into their bedroom to change a few minutes later, Sigma seemed incredibly nervous and when he asked Dazai if he saw “them”, he wouldn’t stop unconsciously picking at his fingers.

Dazai was completely caught off guard and gently took his partner's hands into his, asking what he meant.

He was already ready for Sigma standing up, hitting him with “nothing” and quickly walking away, telling him to forget it but instead of doing so, Sigma would take a shaky breath, pointing at his neck which was uncovered.

That Sigma had scars on his neck was one of the possibilities which Dazai considered but seeing that this really was the case, made Dazai’s heart sink a bit.

He just replied that he didn’t see them but he also thanked him for showing them to him, since he remembered that this was what Chuuya said when Dazai showed him his scars for the first time.

Sigma just nodded.

There was a long, heavy and awkward silence between them afterwards. Dazai didn’t dare to ask them the story behind the scars and Sigma didn’t dare to say anything, anxious thoughts filling up his mind.

However, Dazai wouldn’t let go of the other’s cold and shaky hands, gently caressing the back of them with his thumbs and squeezing them reassuringly.

Sigma was the one to break the silence, telling Dazai about the organization, the slavery, his time in the desert, the metal collar, what they made him do and everything else.

His voice was shaky and sometimes his voice would crack while his eyes were filled with tears.

Dazai listened to him quietly, holding his hands.

He didn’t show it, but hearing about what happened and what they did to him, made him feel more anger than he felt for months.

After Sigma finished telling him, Dazai quietly thanked him for telling him all of this.

Afterwards there was a short silence before Dazai pulled Sigma into a tight hug, which Sigma quickly returned.

They clinged to Dazai as if their life would depend on him as they couldn’t hold the tears back anymore

Dazai held them, burying his face in the crook of Sigma’s neck, telling them that they didn’t deserve all of this but also telling them that they stilled looked beautiful with the scars visible and he reassured him that he loved him (and Chuuya) more than anything in the whole world.

He also thanked him once again for the trust to tell him about it.

He let Sigma cry as much as they needed to, not letting go of them.

Sigma felt as if a whole mountain got lifted off his heart. He had never talked about this with anyone and showed his scars to nobody and even if he knew that there had been no reason to feel that way, he had been scared of the reaction of Dazai and Chuuya. Now that at least one of them knew about it and after being able to finally talk about it with someone dear to him, it genuinely felt as if tons of weight were lifted off his heart.

He apologized to Dazai between his sobs, telling him that he had wanted to tell him and Chuuya about it much earlier but that he had been scared to do so.

Dazai quickly shushed him, replying that everything was alright and that that wasn’t something he should feel sorry about and that he didn’t need to apologize for which Sigma thanked him and hugged Dazai even tighter if that was even possible.

They sat there for quite some time like that, holding each other and Dazai letting Sigma cry it all out until Chuuya suddenly came into the living room.

The redhead had been at work until evening and when he came home, he immediately noticed that something was wrong

When he found Sigma and Dazai in the living room like that, he felt his heart squeeze in his chest, quickly going to them, asking what happened, his voice thick with worry.

Sigma flinched upon hearing Chuuya’s voice, not having noticed that he came home and entered the living room already but relaxed quickly again.

Dazai just looked up to his partner with a small smile, greeting him and telling him that everything is alright again.

Sigma then looked up too, pointing at his throat and telling Chuuya that they’ve been talking about those.

Upon seeing the scars, Chuuya showed more openly his small shock and worry before sitting down next to his partners.

Sigma then proceeded to tell him everything he told Dazai too and while it was still hard for him to do so, it was much easier this time. He also apologized to him too but Chuuya told him the same as Dazai did.

He then thanked Sigma too for their trust and for telling him before pulling them in a hug.

Chuuya too had teary eyes after hearing what happened.

He not only told Sigma how much he loved him but he also mumbled that he will find the people who did this to him and that he will make them suffer just as much as they made him suffer.

Sigma looked at him a bit shocked but before he could say anything, Dazai pulled Chuuya back into a hug, telling him that he didn’t have to do that and Sigma quickly joined their hug, thanking Chuuya and telling him that he genuinely appreciated it but that he really didn’t needed to do it.

For the rest of the evening they sat curled up together on the couch, not watching TV but just enjoying being in each other’s presence and Chuuya told Sigma quietly how beautiful he looked, making Sigma blush before telling Chuuya that he looked even more beautiful.

Dazai then proceeded to whine, telling them that he felt left out, making them both laugh before kissing Dazai which made him blush in a dark shade of red as well as stop working for a second.

Ever since that day, Sigma would only cover his neck during work and when they would go out but not at their apartment anymore.

Only during bad days where he felt more insecure again or when he couldn’t stand seeing the scars since they would always remind him about what happened he would cover them up with something.

Dazai and Chuuya both told him that while his scars remind him of this awful time, they are also a reminder and a proof that he managed to escape and that he survived it, that it’s over now and that he’s safe now and it makes him feel a bit better.

Chuuya showed him his pencil scar the very same day where he told them about his scars, telling him the history behind it.

Sigma might have cried a bit again, making Chuuya feel bad which made Sigma feel bad so they ended up hugging each other.

When Sigma feels bad about his scars again, Dazai or Chuuya (depending on who’s with him) sometimes kiss the scars lightly

They also sometimes do it during more intimate times.

To this day, it always makes Sigma feel better, safe and loved.

During the first time when Chuuya unexpectedly kissed Sigma’s scars, Sigma teared up a bit but not out of sadness or any other negative emotion. Simply because he felt so loved.

The only other person who know about the scars and their history is Ranpo because Ranpo is Ranpo and after a year in the ADA, Atsushi and Yosano know about it too since Yosano saw them while she treated Sigma after a mission and Atsushi knows it since Sigma trusted him enough to tell him about it.

Only like 2 years later, he finally stopped covering his throat all the time, feeling more and more secure in his body and in the ADA.

Chuuya and Dazai still want to make the members of the organization suffer.

#Finally some real content again #I'm sorry for the long wait #Chuusigzai>>>#Sigma easily cries because I say so (I'm projecting)#Them #Chuuya was scared that he made Sigma feel bad when he teared up after Chuuya unexpectedly kissed his scars #Sigma just smiled and tried to wipe his tears away; trying to assure Chuuya that he didn't do anything wrong/didn't made him feel bad #but just gave up and pulled him into a kiss #I've listened to “Constellations” by “Duster” and other music with that vibe while writing this on loop #Sigma didn't deserve all that shit which happen to him. To think about all of this makes me so sad #bsd sigma #sigma bsd #bsd dazai #bsd osamu dazai #bsd osamu #bsd dazai osamu #bsd chuuya #bsd chuuya nakahara #bsd nakahara chuuya #bsd #bungou gay dogs #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bungou sd #bungou stray dogs headcanons #bsd drabble #bsd headcanon #hurt/comfort #bungoustraydogs #bungostraydogs

24 notes · View notes

jinxquickfoot · 6 months

Text

@badthingshappenbingo prompt: Wiping the Other's Tears Away

Find the fic on Ao3

She meets him at a ballet class.

She’s started attending them every Tuesday and Thursday night whenever she’s not needed at SHIELD. The studio is four blocks away from her apartment. The teacher is German, strict but fair, and Natasha learns to take her critiques in stride. She will not be punished for failure here.

The Widow’s Veil and wig are applied before she steps out her front door. She chooses the face of a woman with a square jaw and an unfashionable haircut, reveling in the idea of being plain. Invisible. Being no one at all.

Until she notices him watching her.

He’s not tall. His forehead barely reaches above hers when they pair off to practice lifts. His voice is too loud. He has dropped her twice.

He makes her laugh, though.

She learns that his name is Victor. She learns that he’s divorced, no children. She learns that he wanted them, she didn’t. She learns that he likes Italian food. She learns he misses the last class of every month to go to his niece’s recital. She learns how he moves. She lets him learn how she moves.

He asks her to go for coffee with him.

Two weeks later, she quits the class and never goes back.

Tony has long ago given up on keeping ‘regular’ hours.

It was a habit that always annoyed his parents—staying up inventing until four in the morning and then sleeping in until two in the afternoon. Boarding school had tried to correct him, with staff dragging him out of bed in the wee hours and his roommates slamming him with harsh words when he tried to keep the lights on too late. Girlfriends had left, time and time again, sure that his unwillingness to lie beside them at night denoted his lack of feelings.

His routine is easier these days, now that he has access to research on how ADHD affects sleep patterns. He and Pepper keep separate bedrooms for the nights when he can’t get himself to nod off. The other Tower residents know to leave him alone when he’s in his workshop. He lets DUM-E and U and Butterfingers trundle around him for company as he works, only laying aside his tools to visit the Tower’s kitchen for a midnight snack.

It’s not all that uncommon to run into another Avenger there. The serum means Steve needs less sleep than the rest of them. He’s often up early when Tony is up late, preparing for a run to chase away the ghosts of the past. Clint’s insomnia might even be more chronic than Tony’s, to the point where Tony has laid aside a workbench just for trick arrows so they can sip coffee and work side-by-side without the expectation of conversation.

Finding Bruce is always the hardest. It’s been over a year now, and no matter how Tony and the others try to assure him he’s safe at the Tower, still the nightmares persist.

This is the first time Tony has found Natasha there.

He freezes in the doorway. This isn’t a careful question to make sure Steve has everything he needs, or the understanding nod he exchanges with Clint, or the squeeze he gives Bruce’s shoulder. The scents of honey and ginger drift across the space, Natasha’s shoulders slumped over a steaming cup of tea.

Then he hears the sniffle.

His first urge is to turn right back around and go back to his workshop. Of all the Avengers, even Steve, he had had the rockiest start with Natasha. After everything that had gone down with Stane, it still stings that his first few weeks with ‘Natalie’ had been a ruse to uncover his secrets. Even now, she’s the only Avenger he doesn’t spend time with one-on-one. He certainly doesn’t feel qualified to interrupt a midnight crying session.

Then she looks up, and their eyes meet, and any thought he has of fleeing evaporates. “Got room for one more?”

He half-expects her to tell him to get lost. Instead, she indicates the chair opposite her. “It’s your kitchen.”

“Our kitchen. My coffee pot though, I don’t care what claim Barton thinks he has to it.” He makes his way over to said pot, clearing out the dregs and dumping them in the trash to make a fresh brew. “Want one?”

“You got a decaf option?”

He mimes offense. “What, are we centenarians?”

“No, those would be the two blond ones with muscles constantly trying to outdo each other.”

Tony huffs, trying to locate a clean mug. “Members of this team attempting to upstage everyone else? Impossible. I wouldn’t know anything about that.” He gives up and fishes a cup out of the dishwasher, using the movement as a cover to get a better look at Natasha. The lights in the kitchen are all off, and he can only see the outline of her face by the moonlight streaming in through the window. It’s enough to see that her eyes are puffy, though.

Washing up the cup and pouring the coffee gives him an excuse to turn away, preparing his next words. Then, feeling as though he’s stepping out onto a tightrope he tries, “Do you want to talk about it?”

She doesn’t shrug him off. He takes the chair opposite her, careful not to crowd her space. “I was on a date tonight.”

Whatever Tony's expecting to hear, it isn’t that. “And he, what, turned out to be an enemy agent? A Life Model Decoy? Several armadillos in a trench coat?”

Even in the dim light, he can see her lips twitch. “No,” she replies softly. “He was normal. Completely and utterly normal.”

“How dare he.”

“I know, right?” She brushes her thumb against the side of her cup, any traces of a smile gone.

"Do we have to send the brigade after him? You know how Steve feels about the boys who aren’t proper gentlemen to their dames.”

“It wasn’t him,” she murmurs. “It was me.”

“You know,” Tony breaks the long silence that follows. “Never really pictured you of all people having dating troubles. Thought you wrote the book on seduction tactics. Saw a few myself when you pulled them out on yours truly. Not bad, Widow.”

She finally looks straight at him. “I never apologized to you, did I?”

Tony shrugs that off. “You had a job to do. I’m alive because of it. I’m hardly complaining.”

“Fury would disagree on the hardly complaining part of that statement.” She swirls the tea around, not taking a sip. Tony suddenly wonders if she had just wanted something warm to hold between her hands.

Tony glances around the kitchen. “Still. I’m probably not your first choice of nighttime beverage buddy. Well, we all make do with what we got.”

But Natasha shakes her head. “I can’t imagine talking dates with Bruce or Steve would go particularly well.”

That Tony can understand. He’s more than once walked in on Steve looking mournfully at the black and white photo of Peggy Carter tucked into his compass. And from the lack of a certain Betty Ross seen around the Tower, Tony’s going to bet that flame has long been extinguished. “Clint?”

“That’s… complicated.”

“Because you two were…?”

“It’s complicated.” Natasha’s tone makes it clear that door is closed.

“So you’re stuck with me.”

Natasha reaches out to take his wrist. Her palm is warm from the mug. “No one’s stuck with you, Tony.”

Whatever words he was going to stay next stick in his throat. They sit in silence for a little longer, as Natasha’s hand slowly cools against his skin.

“I could make him fall in love,” she says finally. “I saw all the ways I could break him down. Every weakness I could exploit, every opportunity to make him let me in.”

“Sounds… efficient.”

Natasha freezes, and then swiftly takes her hand back. “Yes,” she whispers. “I’m efficient.”

Tony’s dated Pepper long enough now to know when he’s said something incredibly stupid. “Sorry.”

“It’s true. I could make myself the only woman he thinks about for the rest of his life.” Her hands tighten on the mug. “I just have no idea how to make him fall in love with me.”

Tony clears his throat, shifting in his chair. Romantic advice is well out of his wheelhouse, thank god Rhodey is asexual, and there isn’t much decent counsel he can pull from his own disastrous years in the dating pool. “I don’t think you make people fall in love with you,” he tries. “I think it just kind of… happens after you spend enough time with them. I think that might be the point of dating. Or, you know, hiring enough personal assistants until you find the one that decides to stick around.”

Natasha stares into her tea. There’s no more steam rising from the mug as the liquid goes cold. “He didn’t even know my real name. Not the best foundation to build a relationship on.”

Tony manages a smile. “I don’t know, I think you and me are doing okay, all things considered.”

She lifts her head to look at him. “Are we?” she asks quietly. “Doing okay? You don’t trust easily to begin with, and then I lied to you.”

“And told Fury I shouldn’t be an Avenger, I got the CliffNotes. You know your little personality assessment came during the week I was dying, right? Think that may have been responsible for a few outliers in your data.”

“I didn’t know you then. You… weren’t what I expected.”

Tony decides to steer the conversation back into safer waters. “Well, maybe you don’t know this guy either. Maybe he’ll surprise you.”

“No, he won’t. People surprise me once a decade. Clint got the last one. You get this one.” She sighs. “So maybe 2020 is the year to try dating again.”

“Or maybe you’ll get a bonus surprise. You never know. If I found someone that’s lasted longer than a month, maybe there’s hope for anyone.” He snaps a loose thread off his t-shirt, watching the material snag. “What made you give this guy a chance, anyway?”

Natasha is quiet for a long moment before she closes her eyes, fresh tears spilling from under her lids. “It was just nice having someone to dance with.”

Tony’s moving before he’s even fully aware of what he’s doing, and reaches over to wipe the next tear off Natasha’s face. He freezes the moment he realizes what he’s done, sure he’s crossed a boundary when she goes still. Then, she slumps sideways and puts her head on his shoulder.

He’s not sure how long they sit like that. He doesn’t move though, managing for once to hold his tongue until Natasha’s ready to sit up, using the sleeves of her sweatshirt to dry her face.

“Your tea’s gone cold,” Tony remarks, not sure what else to say. “Do you want me to make you another one?”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t come in here for tea.”

Tony’s suddenly struck by the image of Natasha Romanoff sitting alone in a dark kitchen, waiting god knows how long for the off-chance one of her friends would find her there.

“So, someone to dance with, huh?” Tony clicks the side of his watch, lighting up the face. The time reads 1:48 a.m. “So—were you planning on sleeping anytime soon?”

Natasha eyes him, more curious than wary. “You got a better offer?”

“I can one hundred percent say, without the shadow of a doubt that yes, I do.”

She doesn’t ask where Tony’s driving them. It’s so rare that she gets to relax in a passenger seat without worrying about the destination. Rock music blasts over the speakers as Tony steers them into an underground parking lot, the door opening automatically as the Audi approaches. Tony nudges the car into a parking spot, several other ostentatious vehicles keeping it company. “Ready?”

“You know, usually it’s me acting all cryptic.”

“Thought I’d give you the night off. Come on.” He leads her through a door in the side of the building and down a corridor, all ragged concrete and graffiti, until they approach a second door well within the building. Now, she can hear the thump thump thump of music; a heartbeat reverberating off the walls.

“Tony.” She glances down at her athleisure gear and sweatshirt, suddenly all too aware she hadn’t even brushed her hair before they left. “I’m not dressed for a nightclub.”

“No one will care.” Tony gestures at his own ragged t-shirt and grease-stained jeans. “That’s the whole point of this place.” He gives a jaunty wave to the camera propped above the door. “You got a phone on you?”

“With what pockets?”

“Any kind of camera?” Tony presses. “Now is not the time for hidden spyware, Widow. SHIELD tech or not, these guys will find it.”

“Nothing. It’s my night off.” The door swings open, the beat of the music intensifying as Natasha is greeted with a staircase lit entirely in red.

“Little further,” Tony prompts her, offering her his arm. She takes it, following his lead. He guides her to yet another door, this one guarded by a man twice her size. He runs a metal detector over first her, then Tony, before nodding in approval and pushing open the third and final door.

It opens onto a packed dance floor.

None of the other patrons pay the slightest bit of attention when Tony Stark enters the room. “No cameras,” Natasha remarks, taking in the club. It was small, the dance floor surrounded by a handful of booths, only a third of which were filled as every other body in the room moved to the beat as one.

“And no unwanted attention,” Tony says, leaning down so he can be heard over the music. “If you see someone you recognize here tonight, no you didn’t.” He reaches out his hand. “May I have this dance, Miss Romanoff?”

Smiling, Natasha takes it. She lets Tony pull her into the crowd of bodies and, together, they dance until dawn.

#bad things happen bingo #bthb card #natasha romanoff #tony stark #marvel #mcu #avengers #2012 avengers era #wiping the others tears away #breakups #comfort #natasha and tony being siblings

14 notes · View notes