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kaleldobrev · 5 months

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When You're Ready

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Fem!Reader

Summary: A case hits you particularly hard and all you want to do is be alone

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: Cursing (3x), Mentions of violence/blood, Pestering Sam, Fluff, Dean being a good and supportive boyfriend

Authors Note: I did a “Dean version” of this called Hauled Up where reader comforts Dean after his experience with Michael | These aren’t related in any way, but they’re just similar in nature | If you liked this, don’t forget to like & reblog. I really appreciate it! Feedback is always welcome ♡

Three Days Ago…

Your hands were hot, sticky, and covered in blood as you held the large hunting knife in your hands. As you held the knife with a firm grip, you stared at the lifeless body of the creature under you. You felt tears start to well up in your eyes, and a few hot tears fell down your cheeks. This particular kill had hit harder for you than it should have; and you were currently debating if you had done the right thing in killing it. The creature was killing in order to provide for its sick child, a child that’s now dead because of the three of you.

“Sweetheart…” you heard Dean say, but his voice sounded so muffled like him or you were under water. “Sweetheart…” he said again, his hands on either side of your shoulders now. He looked down at the body, and then looked to see that the knife was still firmly in your grasp. “Wanna hand me the knife?” He asked, and you shook your head; unsure of why you had said no. “Okay, you don’t have to,” he reassured. “You wanna stand up for me at least?” You hesitated for a moment before nodding; and you carefully started to get up, with Dean holding onto your shoulders in order to help you up smoothly.

You looked down at the ground, almost refusing to look at him. "Hey," he said, tilting your face to almost gently force you to look up at him. "You did the right thing, she was going to kill you," he told you. "You protected yourself," he added. His words somehow seemed so meaningless to you, as it didn't feel like you had done the right thing.

Without a second thought, you instantly wrapped your arms around him; gently crying into his chest. His hands wrapped around you as one of his hands started rubbing your back, quietly shushing you as a way to try and calm you down. "It's alright Sweetheart. Let it out," he whispered into your hair before kissing the top of your head.

Present Day…

Dean was in the War Room with his feet propped up onto the table reading more on the creature that the three of you had killed a few days ago. He knew that you guys had done the right thing, but it was killing him knowing how hard you were particularly taking this case. He wanted so much to help you, but he knew the only way he could was to just let you come to him — not being forced to talk about it when you weren't ready; the same way he processed things.

“She still hasn’t come out of the room uh?” Sam asked, walking into the War Room. Dean looked up and shook his head. “It’s been three days.”

“And?” Dean asked, sounding slightly defensive. “If she doesn’t want to come out of our room, I’m not going to force her.”

“Has she talked to you at all about what happened? Why it affected her so much?” Sam asked. He was genuinely worried about you, as he’s never seen you this affected by a case before.

“No, she hasn’t said anything to me,” Dean stated. “She’ll tell me when she’s ready.”

“Have you asked —” Sam started to say, and Dean quickly cut him off.

“I’m never going to force her to talk about something she doesn’t want to,” he said, as calmly as he could muster, even though there was slight annoyance in his voice. “If this is how she chooses to process, who am I to tell her she can’t?”

“Well, you are her boyfriend and —” Sam began to say, but again, he was cut off by Dean.

“And? Just because I’m her boyfriend, doesn’t mean I have a say in how she chooses to process something,” he stated. His emotions starting to become heightened; more defensive. “She’ll talk about it when she’s ready.”

“As her friend I’m worried,” Sam said, his voice sounding the tiniest bit sad. “I’m gonna go talk to her.” He got up from the chair he was sitting in and turned on his heels, about to walk out of the room. But Dean’s voice made him stop in his tracks.

“Talk to her if you wanna get chewed out,” Dean said, turning his attention back to the book he was reading. He knew if Sam went to go and talk to you about this; ultimately forcing you to talk about it, it was not going to end well for him in the slightest.

Lying underneath the covers alternating between sleeping and crying was essentially all you had been doing the last three days. The only times your routine was disrupted was when Dean came to bed at night and held you, or rubbed your back as you cried gently into his chest; or when he had forced you to leave the room to take a shower, a shower that consisted of you just sitting on the floor and him doing the washing for you.

You were thankful for Dean, thankful that he didn’t force you to leave the room nor did he force you to talk about what had happened; why you had reacted so strongly. You felt as though he was the only one that really understood, understood the fact that this was the way you processed things, as he was similar in this way.

But you knew that it wouldn’t be long until Sam would come and talk to you, or at least attempt to, as you had no desire to talk about it; at least not now any way. You knew that he deeply cared for you as a friend, deeply cared for you like a sister; but you hated how he would force either you or Dean to talk about your feelings when neither of you had wanted to. He was doing it out of pure concern of course; but neither you or Dean liked being pestered, when neither one of you did the same to him.

There was a light knock at the door, and you knew that it could only be one person: Sam, as Dean didn’t need to knock — it was his room too after all. “Y/N?” Sam asked, his voice slightly low. “Can we talk?”

“Is Dean hurt?” You asked, your voice was a little muffled, but you tried your best to speak loudly as you had no desire to get out from under the sheets.

“No but —” Sam began, but much like Dean did earlier. You cut him off as well.

“Is Dean dying?” You asked.

A puzzled look appeared on Sam’s face. “No but —”

“You can leave then,” you said. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“But the hunt the other —” before he could finish his sentence, you unearthed yourself from the sheets and grabbed one of the pillows from the bed and threw it in Sam’s direction, promptly hitting him just below the neck. “I’ll uh…I’ll leave,” he said, quickly shutting the door and leaving.

Sam walked back into the War Room, and Dean didn’t even bother looking up. “How’d the pep talk go?” He asked, turning the page.

“She threw a pillow at me,” Sam replied, sitting across from Dean.

“Ha!” Dean said, laughing. “That’s my girl,” he smirked. “Told you it wouldn’t end well for you brother.”

“I’m sorry if I’m the only one that’s concerned,” Sam stated.

Dean looked up now, closing the book he was reading; and shot Sam a stern, pissed off look. “You don’t think I’m fucking concerned about her?”

“Well you’re not acting like you are,” Sam replied.

“And how would you like me to act umm?” Dean asked. “Enlighten me.”

“I don’t know. Actually trying to get her to talk about what happened!” Sam exclaimed.

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that this is how she just fucking processes things,” Dean said, his voice getting more angry and annoyed by the second.

“Well the way the both of you process your emotions is fucking jacked,” Sam knew that he had crossed a line with his comment, as Dean’s face looked like he was about one more sentence away from punching him in the face.

“I’m sorry we don’t process our emotions like you do,” Dean said; getting up from his chair and walking out of the War Room, leaving Sam who was currently holding his face in his hands.

If there was something that Dean hated and loved about you, was the fact that the both of you were so similar. He loved it because you two were always on similar wavelengths; almost as if you could read each others minds and emotions. The two of you just clicked; clicked to the point that sometimes it scared him how perfect the two of you were for each other. But at the same time, he hated it; hated it because he could see how stubborn he could be through you. But the thing that he hated the most, was that because he couldn’t help himself with certain things, he couldn’t help you with certain things — and now was one of those times.

He would never force you to talk about why this case had affected you as much as it did, as he knew that you would talk about it when you were ready. But what Sam had said to him really hit him hard because he was worried about you; but he didn’t want to show it because he knew that if you saw him worried, it would force you to talk about it when you weren’t ready just to appease him — and that was the last thing that he had wanted. He always wanted you to do things at your own pace; much like how you had let him do things at his own pace.

When he had entered the bedroom, the light was still off and he could see your outline underneath the covers, barely moving. “Hey beautiful,” he said softly.

“Hey stud,” you mumbled from underneath the sheets.

“Mind if I come and lie down with you?” He asked, already making his way toward the bed.

“I’d like that,” you said. You lifted up the sheets on his side of the bed so he could easily slide in. “Can I be big spoon?” You asked.

Dean smiled. “Of course.”

Stripping out of his jeans and flannel, he slid into bed and got underneath the covers with you; completely encasing yourselves. You wrapped your arms around him, and snuggled your face into his back, giving it a small kiss. “Thanks for not forcing me,” you said, after a few minutes of silence between the two of you.

“I’ll never force you to do anything Sweetheart,” he replied back, taking your hand and kissing your knuckles. “I love you, and I’ll always support you no matter what.”

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#dean winchester x you #dean winchester x reader #spn #supernatural #spn one shot #supernatural one shot #spn imagine #supernatural imagine #dean x you #dean x reader #reader insert #female reader

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joshslater · 1 year

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Granny’s Will

A rewrite of JD's story. Similar stories and bonus material on my Patreon.

"You should stay away from him," she hissed in a low voice. I turned my head towards Cody's creepy granny and saw her leaning my way. "What?" I answered, not understanding what she meant. "Tell Cody you don't love him. You were only with him for the sex, but now understand how shallow you are. Tell him you are not good enough for him, clearly. You're also not good for him. He's just so full of disgusting thoughts now. Soon his grades are going to suffer. You're like a parasite, pumping him full of poison."

Her voice went harsher the further she went on. I just stared into my empty plate wondering if she was for real. If she would end the tirade with a "j/k lol", but I hadn't heard a single joke from her all evening. "I'm..." I started, unsure what to say. It was just so unhinged, like a rambling better suited a century ago.

"Should I get the desert?" Cody asked, returning from his bathroom break, and clearly not reading the mood of the room. We made a good couple on campus. He was the captain of the Lacrosse team, and supplemented his hard training on the team with some extra gym time to have a fitness magazine cover toned body. I was on the cheerleader team with body of a nymph. All rack and ass, long smooth, tanned legs, and tall enough to kiss him without standing on my toes. I decided to give my response to his granny right away, and left my chair to join him. "It's already here," I said and kissed him on the mouth. Not a quick kiss either, but with tongue and passion. With my tongue still in him I turned him around so I could see his grandmother. She looked pissed and her saggy face had turned red. Good. I locked eyes with her and gave her the finger behind Cody's back. Her eyes were turning red too. And glowed.

There was a sharp slap in my face, as if someone hit me with an open palm, and I felt a shock of pain through my entire body. I was thrown backward and fell, or perhaps rather forcefully pushed down, crashing into a bed. All pain was immediately gone and I was lying on my back in a silent and dim room. Faint sunlight glowed through the drawn curtains.

My thoughts were a jumble. While I didn't feel cold, I was naked and the sheets were damp with sweat. I leaned up, my eyes still adjusting to the lack of light, and saw a room I hadn't seen before. At the same time it was a kind of room I knew very well. Beat up weight bench, piles of laundry, X-box under the TV, and fit babes showing lots of skin on posters on the walls. Your standard sports jock room. Also filling the room was the dank smell of sweaty dude I also knew very well, and never liked when visiting the guys on the team for some... at home exercise.

"No fuckin' way…" I muttered, grabbing my throat hearing the deep mumble that escaped my lips. I felt the thick bulge in my neck, then stripped the sheets off me to see a massive, bulky body that wasn’t mine! “FUUUUUCK!” I shouted, jumping out of bed and hurling my beefy self to the full-length mirror hanging on the back of the door.

Staring back at me was a tall, tanned, and incredibly ripped jock, the epitome of a dumb fratboy. Handsome but dickish face framed by unruly curls. Wide, hefty rounded shoulders, pecs that bounced and flexed at even the slightest move, jutting out from my brawny chest. A killer 6 pack, shredded from practice, and the V-line of a god leading down to a big bulge in the trunks. My trunks. I turned to look at my back and suddenly the vision of my cheerleading friends giggling about “jockbutts” as we watched the guys play came to mind. Athletic, striated thighs and calves like footballs completed the look before ending in pair of big sweaty feet. The tongue of my kicks just by the door told me they were size 15. Dude, ya know what they say about big feet? Totally true, yo! I was starting to bone up just looking at myself, filling out the trunks! Wait till the chicks see me! WAIT! NO! Chicks?! I mean, my Bros… Nah, fuck dude why would they care? They’re just as swole! uuuuugh… my head….

I staggered from the mirror and fell back on the bed. What the fuck had just happened? My head was pounding and my stomach growling. I knew this was Cody's granny's fault, somehow, but spending any more time in this rank room wouldn't solve anything, and to leave I needed something more than the loose, grey trunks I was currently wearing. The room was a mess, but inside the wide open wardrobes I only saw winter clothes. I grabbed a pair of basket shorts from the floor next to the bed and put them on, and their pair of socks from the floor under the shorts. Just as I was about to open the door I also decided to step into the sneakers.

The house was foreign to me, but lots of the decorations and furnishings were familiar. I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where my mother was making breakfast as if nothing was out of the ordinary. She offered me second helpings of everything, complained that I was eating her out of the house, and told me I needed to shower before heading to school. I tried to argue that I was going to the gym with Cody after school, but she firmly told me that wouldn't be of any help to anyone who had to sit near me. It was only after I was in the shower I realized I somehow knew my schedule for the day. What was going on?

The house was in the old suburb the city had turned into a rent-controlled zone. All the buildings looked much more dilapidated here compared to our real house, but the upshot was that the school was within walking distance. As I was short on time I threw on the same clothes and a sweatshirt, grabbed the backpack, and started to jog there. Halfway to school Cody's granny suddenly stepped out of nowhere just in front of me. "One week," she said.

"What the fuck is going on?" I said, still not used to hearing my deep voice. "You have one week to show you can control that lustful body of yours. If your dick squirts a single drop of your disgusting ball phlegm you'll be stuck like this where you can't hurt him," she said in her shrill voice and poked my chest with her nail.

Just as suddenly as she appeared she was gone, and I felt a chill down my spine to my balls. I'd never felt a sensation like that before, but then I'd been a dude for like an hour. It was like you needed to pee, but different, and I could feel my recent dick stiffening again. Obviously the old crow had gifted me with a horniness attack as a parting gift. It was almost physically painful to not touch my junk and rub one out right then and there. The remainder of the way to school was agony as I jogged past worn-down houses built for Korean war vets back when, with MILFs getting in their cars to get to work. Occasionally a car with a babe from school would zip by, and when Riley from my class waved I was so close to bust a nut. I don't think it was the actual jog that made me arrive at school all sweaty and smelly.

School was weird. Obviously I knew everyone in class, but somehow it wasn't a shock to them that I was suddenly this muscular jock. My usual spot had been moved to back in the room, and the teachers weren't really paying much of any attention to me. Which was probably a good thing, because man did I have a lot of issues to deal with. Who designed these desks? They were way too small to sit straight in. I found the only bearable way to sit in them was to slouch, legs spread apart to not slide off the seat. That however made a full display of my erratic boner. If I focused on what the teacher tried to tell us I could take attention away from my horny dick long enough for it to get soft, but as soon as one of the girls answered a question I could do nothing but stare at their back and remember from PE how they looked naked. Queue tenting and feeble attempts to cover it up.

I squirmed and sweated my way through the classes, half the time thinking a sweatshirt was the worst decision with how clammy I was and half the time thinking what a masterstroke it was to hide in it. I was close to losing it during lunch. You might think that just putting more people in a room wouldn't be an issue. You can only have so many people in your field of view after all, and the ratio of hot to average people is the same. But somehow the average-looking people melt away and your eyes keep darting between the super hot people, most of which I'd showered with at cheerleading practice. I did my best to keep focus on the food, and it kind of helped because as soon as I started eating I realized how hungry I was.

Time dragged on during the afternoon, and I did my best to stay unfocused. Listen to the teacher, but zone out from class interactions and certainly everyone in class, and above all don't think of your own body and how it feels. Most teachers left me alone, and the one that didn't I managed to give an answer that satisfied him enough that I wasn't totally asleep.

After school Cody and I went to the gym. I somehow knew that we usually did that on the days with no lacrosse practice, which was kind of unsettling to me. How much else of my mind and my memories had his grandmother soiled? It was nice to finally be alone with Cody, but he was acting quite different than he used to around me. I was after all just a teammate now, albeit someone he was friendly enough with to be his gym buddy. He seemed chattier and less guarded than I've ever known him. Lots of talk bout the cheerleading team and babes in general, which I did my best to deflect. We changed into our gym clothes, for me a grey tank top and shorts with a printed sunset on, and went to work. I was again shocked that I knew things I didn't know before, like how to use the gym equipment and spot for Cody. He for his part continued to talk about girls, and that's when it hit me, as I saw ourselves in a mirror wall. He was trying to impress me. Despite him being the captain, he clearly saw me as the top dawg, at least regarding girls and sex. The player among his peers.

As unsettling as some of the revelations at the gym had been, at the end, once I got Cody to focus on the exercises, it felt cleansing to work as hard as possible. It was like all of the sexual buildup over the day got released and replaced with glowing muscles. Most of it anyway. Walking back home from the gym alone with my thoughts I was confused with how the day had ended. Not only was I still with Cody, but I had somehow become his best buddy. It was bewildering why his granny had made that change, but I was grateful for it. Above all though it felt like I had a shot. I could survive one week of this and come out better for it.

Immediately as I stepped into the mess that was my room I wasn't so sure anymore. The walls were filled with scantily clad women, just at the line of what is acceptable to sell to students. Pop stars, actresses, and photo models. But worse than that was the smell. That jock room smell, heated by sunlight all day. Even before this transformation nonsense I would associate it with sex, though from an entirely different point of view. I could feel the horniness coming crashing in fast and rushed to the bathroom for another shower, a colder one.

I spent all the time between dinner and bedtime playing on the X-box, trying to avoid thinking about anything but the game. Several times during the games I caught myself joining in with all the sexist shit my teammates kept saying over the voice chat. It wasn't that it got me hard again, but it did make me worry about how easily bro speak kept creeping in.

The boner I woke up to was almost painful. The room was warm, I was hot, and my dick strained the fabric of the trunks I had gone to bed with. Barely awake my right hand almost automatically started to slowly grab and rub my hot rod when all of a sudden the last clouds of sleep vanished and in panic I realized what I was dangerously close to do. I jumped out of bed, rushed into the shower, and had another close call before I lowered the temperature. I needed to come up with some sort of plan to survive this week.

I threw together a shitty lunch box, protein bars and fruit, so I could avoid the school cafeteria. I put on a cut-off T to not melt in the classroom, and compression shorts as underwear in the hope of keeping that troublesome dick in place. I brought the tangled mess of headphones with me so I could tune out the class and focus on the book and the board. I was determined to not fail.

The day started out fine, though Mr. Carlton in English objected to me wearing the headphones. I told him to back off for one week, as I was on my period. The rest of the class laughed, he blushed, and left the matter. Honestly I scared myself again with that response as I kept having these short moments when I didn't act like myself, but like this douchy frat dude.

At lunchtime I was starting to feel real horny again. If not for the compression shorts under my loose basket shorts I would be visibly tenting. I went to the stadium to get away from everyone and do a few laps in the hope that physical exercise would keep the libido in check, like what happened when I worked out with Cody. Just as I had hoped the area was deserted. No one else was dumb enough to be out on the track at midday in this hot weather. I wanted to get two or four laps in, to get 800 or 1600 meters, but it was too hot. After one lap I could feel the sweat running down my back. Instead I ended up cooling my dick in the drinking fountain by the bleachers to numb it a bit, downed half a gallon of water, and ate my packed lunch.

It felt like things were going downhill from there. Jessica kept staring at me during US history and then invited herself to team up with me during chemistry. It was like she didn't care I had practically soaked my shirt during lunch. It took me longer than I want to admit, and a fragrant lab with ammonium chloride, to realize that perhaps she reacted the way she did because of how I smelled and not despite it. Of course that witch must have done something with my pheromones, if that wasn't new-age bullshit. That meant I would have to keep my distance from girls too, because no way her magic worked one way.

Thankfully next on the schedule was Lacrosse training with Cody and the team. I knew all these guys since I started cheerleading, some longer, but this was way different. I was one of them, moreover one they looked up to almost as much as Cody. I ought to have been harder than ever getting into gear with all those muscled bodies, but I barely rocked a semi. Though to be fair I was probably the best looking guy of the bunch. All those thoughts just vanished as soon as we entered the field. It was just me, the team, the coach, and the game.

I don't think I can put in words how exhilarating it was to not think of anything but what was happening right there and then. Time just rushed me by and we were heading back to the locker room again. Cody made sure to walk just next to me, patting my shoulder, and telling me how great it had been. He was right.

We talked about what had gone well, what we needed to improve, how Alex had screwed up all his passes, how Lauren from the cheerleader squad had looked at me throughout practice, how Cody's group project in Spanish was falling apart, what games I had been playing last night. Not until we stepped into the showers did it hit me that this was all wrong. I was his girlfriend, not his mate. I don't know if he noticed any shift in my demeanor, because as I was lost in those thoughts he began staring at me. "Fuck, you really are hung as a donkey" he said, and I looked down at my soapy hand absentmindedly jerking my fully erect dick off. Fuck! I stopped immediately. "Keep at it, bro. Looks like you need it. Why's everyone so quiet?" he said and left the showers. I realized we were the only ones left, though we had been the last ones back into the locker room from the field.

The showers only had one setting, lukewarm, so I couldn't go for a cold shower. I desperately needed one, apparently. I hadn't even noticed what I was doing before Cody rescued me, and I wasn't even through the second day. I quickly rinsed off the soap, made hasty work with the towel, and returned to the locker room.

"Looks like someone is ready," a smirking Lauren said from across the empty locker room. I was too surprised to hide anything with the towel in my hand. I stood frozen, like a deer in headlights, completely naked, and with a raging hardon. "I asked everyone if we could have a moment," she continued. She was wearing the white sneakers, the knee-high socks, and the cheerleading skirt from our uniform, but was topless. Her beautiful sand blonde, wavey hair reached down to her perky, round breasts. I had always been envious of that hair, but it was the boobs, jiggling as she approached me, that kept my attention. I could feel hormones rush into all the primate parts of my body while I stood still. She kept getting closer until at last her chest touched mine. It was like something snapped inside me, like a glass ampoule in a glow stick, that couldn't be put back. I grabbed her and kissed her, long and deep. To hell with Cody's granny's witch games. She did this, so she can undo it. I just needed to empty my balls into this slut. She wasn't wearing her spankies and I knew for a fact she was on her pills, so we were almost instantly on my towel on the bench with her legs over my shoulders, squeezing my fuck stick.

It was everything I had hoped for, though probably much quicker than she had hoped for, when my shattering orgasm came. Whoever said girls' orgasms were better had never tried out this body. Fucking hell how good it felt filling the bitch up. She was still smirking when I pulled out my dick and leaked our smoothie blend on my towel. "Now be a slutty boy and keep the rest of the chicks off Cody," she said, eyes glowing red.

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just-aake · 7 months

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Boundless Devotion - Part VII

Pairing: princess!Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: MedievalAU. Natasha is the eldest princess of the Romanov Kingdom. As the time of her coronation approaches, she is suddenly forced to make a decision – either find herself a partner or her parents will choose one for her.

Warnings: slight fluff

Words: 5310

In the days following that night, Natasha has been spending more time with you, just like before. The two of you work together and continue your search for a solution to break the mind control's hold on you.

Her mother had only been involved in the early stages of the original Black Widow operations, so she was unfamiliar with the specifics of the process that further developed this version of mind control.

She suggested to Natasha that the person who may be able to provide more information about the subject would be your father.

When Natasha shared this with you, you fell silent for the rest of that day. Seeing how the suggestion upset you, she decided not to bring it up again.

As the date of the festival approached, Natasha found herself increasingly busy with overseeing most of the preparations, a task assigned to her by her mother.

Consequently, this left her with little time to see you.

The castle's staff quickly noticed how this affected their princess's mood.

On days when she couldn't see you at all, Natasha became upset and sullen, often sighing deeply throughout the day as she completed her tasks.

For some unknown reason, on those days, Natasha felt like she missed you even more than during the past year when you had avoided her.

However, with the festival finally here, she was excited to spend time with you again.

In her personal study, Natasha is currently reviewing potential leads to discuss with you later when a knock on her door interrupts her. She invites the unexpected visitor in, and when she sees who it is, she raises a brow in surprise.

"Shouldn't you already be at the festival with your children?" she asks.

Clint chuckles and nods at her question.

"I was going to head over right after this."

His voice drops into a more serious tone.

"Do you have some time to talk for a bit?"

At that, Natasha places the documents down on her desk and gives him her full attention, gesturing for him to continue.

“There have been some cases of guards and soldiers disappearing within the kingdom,” Clint reveals.

“Why hasn’t anyone informed me about this?” Natasha asks, frowning in confusion that this is the first she’s hearing about such incidents.

Clint offers a shrug as he explains.

“Well, those missing typically reappear after a couple of days, so there hasn't been much cause for alarm. Most of the higher-ranking soldiers assume that they must have celebrated a bit too hard and got lost on their way back.”

Natasha frowns deepens hearing the careless handling of such a suspicious situation.

"But that's not the strange part," Clint continues with an unsure expression. "When they return, they have no recollection of what happened to them or where they've been."

Natasha crosses her arms in thought before glancing down at her notes on the Black Widow operations.

It’s a bit unnerving how this new information lines up with how the operations usually went in the past, that period marked by disappearances and memory loss from the victims.

Is it possible that it’s just a coincidence?

Clint clears his throat to regain her attention before continuing, "I've also found the information that you requested about the man involved in the attack at the cemetery."

With how intent the stranger was on hurting you, Natasha decided to investigate further about the man to figure out his motives and plans that day and prevent anything like that from happening to you again.

“So who is he?”

“As Lady Y/N said, he used to be a soldier in Stark's army during the war and was the one responsible for the murder of Lord Dreykov's wife. Not only that, apparently he's guilty of other crimes as well — such as the slaughter of his entire squad on a mission and even the murder of his wife and children. He's been marked as a criminal and has been on the run ever since.”

Natasha shakes her head, puzzled at the information.

“So why risk coming back and revealing himself now?”

“Unfortunately, the guards at the dungeon say he’s refusing to answer any questions unless…” Clint trails off, hesitating to speak the next words.

“Unless what?” Natasha presses suspiciously with a furrowed brow, already sensing she won't like what he's about to say.

“...unless he gets to speak to Lady Y/n.”

"No," Natasha immediately objects, her tone unwavering.

She won't allow him anywhere near you again.

"Absolutely not," she adds, giving Clint a stern look, leaving no room for discussion.

"Understood," Clint acknowledges in understanding. "I'll see if they can find another way to get him to talk."

Natasha gives him a grateful nod before asking, "Was there anything else?"

"One last thing," Clint says with a small smirk. "The queen sent someone to tell you that you were supposed to meet with her at the festival already to discuss your responsibilities for the day."

Natasha curses softly under her breath, realizing she was so absorbed in her research that she had forgotten about her prior commitments with her mother.

After a quick horse ride into town, Natasha finds herself at the entrance of the royal tent, her arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently as her mother outlines her duties for the day.

“—then I'll need you to return here in a few hours to greet the nobles arriving from the other kingdoms. After that, there’s the jousting tournament…”

Glancing to the side, Natasha's attention drifts away from her mother’s voice when she spots you in her vision, strolling alongside Wanda and Pietro.

She can’t help but smile fondly as she sees you laughing at one of Pietro's failed attempts at a game booth.

“Then there’s the—,” Melina stops mid-sentence, realizing Natasha is no longer paying attention.

She follows her daughter's gaze and notices that it is you who has captured her focus.

With a knowing sigh, Melina dismisses her next words with a shake of her head.

“Never mind, I’ll just have your father handle most of this, but at least come and greet the members of the other kingdoms when they arrive.”

When Natasha doesn’t respond, Melina waves her hand in front of her daughter’s face.

“Are you listening, Natasha?”

“Yeah, okay, meeting later, I’ll be there,” Natasha acknowledges her mother's words distractedly, her gaze still fixed on you.

Melina sighs in exasperation and departs to find her husband, leaving Natasha alone, completely absorbed in watching you.

You look good, she admits, your expression lighter and happier than before.

Natasha has always known you were beautiful, but with the sun shining, you seem to glow even more under its rays.

A sudden shove against her side draws her attention away from you, and she turns to look at the culprit beside her.

“You’re staring,” Yelena points out before casually tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

“What?” Natasha frowns at the accusation. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you were,” Yelena rolls her eyes at her sister’s denial, “I’ve been standing next to you for a couple of minutes already, and you didn’t even notice.”

Letting out a huff of disbelief, Natasha decides to change the subject.

“Was there something that you needed, Yelena?”

“Nope, but if all you're going to do is stand here the entire day, then I’ll just go over and hang out with Y/n instead.”

Yelena moves towards you, but Natasha grabs the back of her collar and pulls her back, preventing her from going any further.

“Don’t you need to go find your other half?” Natasha remarks.

Yelena, still hanging by Natasha's grip, appears unbothered as she continues eating her snack. She shrugs in response to Natasha's question.

“Kate’s busy preparing for the archery competition.”

“Then maybe you should follow her example and prepare for your own competition,” Natasha lectures her.

Yelena groans, “God, you sound like mom.”

Natasha quickly lets go of her grip at that statement and rolls her eyes before turning to look at you again.

Beside her, Yelena adjusts her collar back into place and then glances between her sister and you in the distance curiously.

“So are the two of you still pretending to be a couple?”

Natasha glances at her before nodding in response.

“Of course, mom’s been off my back ever since we started. Meanwhile, Y/n can have the time she needs to find a partner for herself without having Lord Rumlow breathing down her neck. Everybody wins.”

Yelena blinks at Natasha in disbelief for a moment before exclaiming, “Oh wow, you’re serious.”

“What?” Natasha asks, giving her a perplexed expression.

“Nothing, it's just...I guess I've underestimated how clueless you are when it comes to romance.”

Yelena rubs her chin, whispering to herself under her breath, “I really thought you would’ve realized by now.”

“Realize what?” Natasha presses, slightly annoyed at her comments.

With a teasing smirk, Yelena makes a zipping gesture across her lips.

“I can’t say. That would be cheating.”

Rolling her eyes at her antics, Natasha pushes her sister away in another direction.

“Go bother Kate.”

“All I’m saying is you should take some time to reexamine your relationship with Y/n before it's too late," Yelena urges before walking away with a nonchalant wave goodbye.

Squinting at Yelena in confusion, Natasha shakes her head, dismissing her sister's warning.

There’s nothing wrong with her relationship with you, at least not anymore now that you and she have cleared things up.

Her friendship with you is still as strong as before.

Turning around, Natasha is about to make her way over to you but is stopped by a lady she recognizes as the daughter of one of the other noble houses.

“Princess Natasha, would you like some company this afternoon?”

Natasha gives her a tight but polite smile at her offer before refusing.

“Oh, uh, no, thank you but—.“

Another lady appears, presenting a plate of baked treats at her, blocking her path.

“Would you like to try some of these pastries, princess? They’re freshly baked.”

“I’m good, thanks,” Natasha responds politely.

She attempts to maneuver around the ladies, but more and more people begin to notice her presence and gather around her.

Soon, she finds herself quickly encircled by a crowd of ladies, their voices merging into a cacophony of compliments and inquiries directed at her.

Natasha tries to look in your direction, but to her frustration, she can't even see you anymore through the crowd that's formed around her.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, over where you were at, Pietro groans in disappointment when the ball rolls out of the target, signaling his loss once more.

“Pietro, you’re going to lose all of your money at this rate,” Wanda remarks.

“Like you can do better,” he counters.

Wanda grins confidently at the challenge and hands a coin to the vendor for another round. She tosses the ball at the target, and it spins on the rim a couple of times.

Just as it was about to fall out, the ball suddenly tipped into the goal.

The vendor claps in amazement and hands Wanda one of the prizes.

You pull her away quickly.

“Wanda!” you whisper with a chastising tone. “You shouldn’t be using your power like that.”

"What? I'm getting a lot better with them, and nobody even noticed," Wanda reassures you.

Pietro hums beside you in thought.

“Hey, do you think you can do the same to win any of the other games?”

“Pietro!” You turn your reprimanding tone toward the other twin.

He raises his hands defensively, exclaiming with a nervous chuckle, “I was kidding!”

He turns his head to the side, seeing another game booth before muttering under his breath in thought, “Sort of kidding.”

When he sees you are about to continue your reprimanding, he points at another booth.

“Oh look, they are selling pies! I’ll go get us some slices!”

Pietro runs off quickly before you can stop him.

You shake your head at him, letting out an exasperated huff.

Loud chatter rises in the distance, catching your attention, and you hear faint chants of the princess' name.

You turn with an excited smile, expecting to see Natasha.

However, your smile drops slightly into a bittersweet line when you see the scene in front of you.

A feeling of disappointment creeps into your heart.

You had hoped to spend some time with Natasha today at the festival, having grown accustomed to all of her attention and time spent with you recently that you forgot how public events like these usually went.

Natasha always ends up being surrounded by people who adore her.

Beside you, Wanda notices your sad expression, and when she looks at the cause of your shift in mood, she nods in understanding.

She pulls on your arm to get your attention.

“You know, you are technically her partner. You can go over there and be with her.”

You consider the option of taking advantage of your fake relationship with Natasha to be by her side before shaking your head lightly.

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

Wanda frowns at your refusal before asking, “How are things going between you and the princess anyway?”

“Good, I guess,” you answer, tilting your head in thought. “Last time, we found some old notes on the initial trials of the operations. That might give us some new ideas.”

Wanda deflates when she realizes that you were only talking about the research you did together. She crosses her arms and sighs exasperatedly in disappointment.

“I could’ve sworn something more was going to happen between you two, especially since I found the both of you in bed together that morning.”

You quickly cover her mouth and look around to see if anyone had overheard her comment.

“Sleeping, Wanda,” you stress with a small blush on your face. ”We were just sleeping. Nothing happened.”

You remember how you had woken up that following morning, surprised to find Natasha's sleeping face beside you. Her arm was wrapped around you protectively as she slept, securing you in place. Not wanting to wake her, you decided to go back to sleep.

Later, you were awakened again. This time by the sound of Wanda clearing her throat with a message from Queen Melina looking for Natasha for their usual morning meeting.

Natasha had rushed out after hearing that, with a quick goodbye and a promise to meet up later.

You had given Wanda a sharp warning glare before she could make any teasing comment about the situation.

Thankfully, she didn’t bring it up again.

Until now.

Wanda places her hands on her hips, frowning at you.

“Do you like Princess Natasha?” she asks plainly.

You look away from her accusing stare and wave your hand casually.

“Of course, who doesn’t?”

Wanda pokes you in the shoulder, annoyed at your response.

“No, not as a friend or as the princess, I mean, do you like her?”

You feel your face heat up at the question, and your heart beats faster at the thought of being more than friends with Natasha.

“I—it’s not like that, Wanda. There’s nothing going on between Natasha and me.”

Undeterred by your denial, Wanda presses on with a meaningful tone, “But do you want there to be?”

At her question, you look at Natasha, and that warm feeling from before immediately fills your chest again.

Over the past couple of days, you’ve already realized what that feeling you’ve been having around the princess means, and your expression twists down dejectedly at the reminder.

“You know I can’t, Wanda,” you say sadly.

“Why not?” she presses.

“Because…” you pause, closing your eyes briefly in frustration. “Because we’re friends, and we just repaired that relationship. I'm not going to ruin it over some little feelings.”

Wanda furrows her brows at your response, “That’s not fair. You never go after what you want.”

She gestures to the crowd of people surrounding Natasha, all of them trying to get her attention.

“You have a better chance of actually being with her than any of those ladies,” Wanda points out confidently.

“That’s not true,” you say, shaking your head in disbelief. “Natasha can have anybody she wants. Everybody loves her. She’s kind, smart, brave—”

“I’m sure the same can be said about me, Lady Y/n,” a grating voice interrupts you.

You grimace, a silent sigh escaping your lips at the sound of the insufferable noble. Turning around, you give him a tight expression.

“Lord Rumlow, what a surprise,” you say sarcastically.

Next to you, Wanda doesn’t bother hiding her disgust at the presence of the noble, already familiar with his persistent advances toward you.

Deciding to try and get this conversation over with quickly, you ask, “Was there something you needed?”

His eyes roam over you shamelessly in a way that makes you feel thoroughly repulsed before finally speaking with a smug smirk.

“Well, seeing how Princess Natasha won’t be participating in the tournament later, I thought I'd let you know that I would be honored to receive a token of your support for me,” he says, his tone filled with false humility.

Before you can respond, Wanda scoff beside you, muttering in disbelief, "Unbelievable."

Rumlow's eyes narrow as he focuses his attention on her.

“What did you just say?” he asks with a warning in his voice.

Unbothered, Wanda meets his gaze defiantly and continues, “You've got some nerve, requesting a favor from a lady who has already rejected you. Multiple times too.”

“Why you little…“

His face twists in anger as he raises his hand to strike her, but you swiftly step in front of Wanda, catching his wrist in a firm grip before you address him.

“Lord Rumlow,” you say, your voice is calm but with a clear, warning undertone, “she is someone very important to me. So, I strongly suggest you reconsider your next action before you do something that would greatly upset me."

He pulls his hand away from your grip and points towards Wanda with a sneer.

"That girl should know better than to address me that way."

“Then allow me to instead,” you interject firmly, silencing him.

“Wanda is right. You are truly unbelievable. For some reason, you can’t seem to comprehend that I have absolutely no interest in you whatsoever. And you are arrogant to think that I would give you any favor, given my relationship with Princess Natasha.”

He scoffs, his face reddening with anger and embarrassment as some people stop to listen and watch the interaction.

“The only reason you chose her over me is because of her status. If she weren’t the princess—”

“I would still choose her,” you state firmly.

He sputters in disbelief, “But—”

You raise your hand in a silencing gesture, giving him a harsh glare.

“Understand this, Lord Rumlow, even if she wasn't the princess, even if she were just an ordinary person in the kingdom with no title, I would always choose her over you, every single time.”

Rumlow gapes at you, too stunned to respond.

Crossing your arms, you lean in slightly and lower your voice in a threatening manner.

“Now, I believe you should find somewhere else to enjoy the festival and leave me and those I care about alone, unless you want me to continue to humiliate you further.”

Rumlow’s eyes dart around at the now small crowd of onlookers, who are blatantly watching the confrontation with interest.

With a disgruntled sneer, he turns and stomps away, but he only manages to go a short distance before stumbling.

Right into a plate of pie.

In front of him, Pietro gasps exaggeratedly, in a way that is too dramatic to be real, when the pastries that he was holding are smeared all over the lord.

He quickly apologizes to Lord Rumlow before hurrying over to you and Wanda, barely concealing his smirk as he discreetly high-fives his sister.

Rumlow curses loudly in anger at the mess on him before scurrying away from the laughter of the nearby people.

You're almost certain you saw the familiar red mist disappearing from his shoe when he stumbled.

Turning your attention to Wanda and Pietro, you shoot them a suspicious look.

However, they both maintain innocent expressions while also avoiding your gaze.

You attempt to maintain your reprimanding demeanor, but even you can't stifle the laughter bubbling up within you, and soon, the three of you are sharing a hearty laugh at the absurd situation.

After a moment, Pietro lets out a contented sigh.

“That was the most fun I’ve had in a while.”

You nod in agreement. It was the kind of story that you know Natasha would enjoy hearing about.

However, when you look back at her, your smile fades, replaced by disappointment at the reminder of how she is still surrounded by her admirers.

Pietro notices your expression and leans in to whisper to his sister, “What's up with her?”

Wanda responds with an exasperated sigh.

“Y/n wants to spend time with the princess and is upset that she’s surrounded by other women.”

“Wanda!”

Unbothered by your exclamation, Wanda shrugs.

“It's true.”

Pietro glances over at the crowd and then back to his sister with a mischievous smirk.

“Hmm, Wanda, are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

Wanda matches his expression with a sneaky look of her own.

“I'll handle the distraction,” she announces.

“Then I'll run in and grab the princess,” Pietro declares.

The twins nod at each other in agreement.

When you realize what they mean to do, you try to stop them.

“Wait, you two, don't—”

But it's too late.

They have already left your side, heading toward the crowd.

Natasha gives a tight smile as yet another person tries to engage her in conversation. She's been trying to excuse herself for a while now, but the amount of people around her just keeps growing.

Suddenly, dozens of kites seamlessly drift through the crowd, capturing everyone's attention.

They then shoot up high into the sky causing the onlookers to look up in awe, entranced by the spectacle of colorful kites twirling in the sky.

Natasha, however, observes the kites with suspicion.

Something about their movements seems unnatural, especially since there's barely a gust of wind in the air.

Before she can contemplate it further, a hand grabs her wrist and swiftly pulls her through the crowd.

Unable to see who’s holding her, she's about to break free when she's thrown forward out of the crowd and into someone’s arms.

You catch her in surprise, providing support as the princess regains her balance.

When Natasha pulls back and sees you, a charming smile appears on her face.

“Hey, you,” she breathes out in greeting.

You bite your lip to contain your smile.

“Hi,” you reply, and for a moment, the two of you simply gaze at each other.

The sound of a high-five grabs your attention, and you turn to see the twins returning to your side, both wearing satisfied expressions.

“I think that went well,” Pietro comments, fixing his slightly disheveled hair from the hurried run.

In response to his words, Natasha looks at you curiously in realization.

“I guess I should be thanking the three of you for the rescue then.”

You laugh lightly in amusement as you raise a disbelieving brow at her.

“Oh, so being surrounded by women fawning over you now qualifies as a situation that requires saving?”

“Careful, Y/n, that almost sounded like you were jealous,” Natasha teases with a smirk.

Rolling your eyes, you huff in disbelief before gently pushing her away from your arms, allowing her to stand on her own.

“Please, if I got jealous every time someone wanted your affection, I'd be jealous my entire life,” you counter.

“Well, thank you anyway,” Natasha chuckles before giving you a soft look. “So it looks like my schedule cleared up. Is it okay if I join you three around the festival?”

“That’s fine—“ you start.

“Actually,” Pietro raises his hand to interrupt. ”I have a date, so I have to go.”

You give him a suspicious look, but he just winks at you before dashing off.

Wanda starts to back away as well.

“And I think I’ll check out the fortune teller. Have my future read and all that.”

You catch Wanda’s hand before she can escape, whispering to her accusingly, already aware of her intentions.

“You don’t even believe in that stuff.”

“Well, I do now,” Wanda whispers back, slipping her hand from your grip before looking pointedly at the princess, who is waiting patiently a short distance away. “Maybe they’ll tell me when you’ll finally decide to act on your feelings.”

She turns and leaves quickly with a wave goodbye, exclaiming. “Have fun, you two!”

Your mouth hangs open in disbelief as Natasha steps up next to you.

“So, I guess it’s just you and me,” she says before adding, “This could be like our second date in public.”

Recovering your composure, you cross your arms and look away from her as if considering her offer, humming teasingly, “I don’t know, I wouldn't want to deprive you of the chance to be with all of your admirers.”

Natasha bumps your shoulders playfully before a small smirk appears on her lips.

“You know, jealousy looks cute on you,” she comments, before taking your hand and bringing it up to her lips for a soft kiss. “But, to be honest, I’d rather spend my time with you.”

Your heart quickens slightly at her flirty statement, and you feel your words catch in your throat, too stunned to respond.

Sounds of coos and awes surround the two of you, snapping you out of your flustered state and reminding you of your supposed relationship with the princess in the eyes of the people of the kingdom.

Even though you know Natasha is doing all of this to keep up appearances, you still can’t help but blush in response.

You just hope Natasha doesn’t realize how real your reaction is to her actions and words.

Looking back at her, Natasha gives you a fond smirk before tilting her head in question.

“So what do you say, Lady Y/n, would you like to join me on another date?”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Natasha watches you with a soft smile as you admire the performers on stage, completely entranced by the show.

She had initially focused on the performance as well, but when she glanced over to see your reaction, she found herself distracted and unable to return her attention to the stage, becoming more interested in watching you.

Natasha finally tears her gaze away when the performance ends, and she joins you and the crowd in clapping.

As she finishes, her hand naturally finds yours, and she intertwines them again.

It's strange — she's never noticed before how perfectly your hand fits in hers.

As the crowd disperses around you, you turn to look at her in question.

“Your turn, what do you want to do next?”

At your question, Natasha surveys the surrounding festivities before nodding toward a game booth where participants are throwing darts to pop the balloon targets.

“How about a friendly competition? Whoever gets more points wins,” she suggests.

You glance at the game she's referring to and nod in agreement before pulling her toward the booth.

“Sure, it’s been a while since the last time I beat you at a game,” you tease her.

Natasha follows behind you and lets out a laugh of disbelief.

“That last time was a tie, and you know it.”

You glance over your shoulder at her with a small smirk.

“Whatever you say, princess.”

Arriving at the booth, Natasha hands the vendor some coins for a round for each of you, and he places ten darts on the tabletop, five for each person.

Natasha picks up the first dart and smoothly throws it at the targets, popping a balloon. She gives you a confident smirk before stepping back with a dramatic gesture for your turn.

You roll your eyes fondly and take your position, aiming carefully before throwing your dart and popping a balloon.

The two of you continue with each of you popping a balloon during your respective turns until only one dart remains for each.

“How about a little wager?” Natasha suggests before you take your final shot.

“So much for just a friendly competition,” you say, laughing lightly. “Alright, what are you proposing?”

“If I win,” Natasha pauses with an amused smirk, “You let me teach you how to fight with a sword one day next week.”

You laugh lightly in amusement at the reminder of your promise and nod in agreement.

“And if I win?”

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

“That’s not really something a soon-to-be ruler should be promising,” you tease her as you line up your shot.

With a careful throw, your dart hits the center of a balloon, giving you a perfect score.

You raise a brow challengingly at her while Natasha nods approvingly at your shot, unworried.

When Natasha picks up her dart, you speak up in question.

“What about if we tie?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Natasha says, smiling confidently and turning away from the targets to look at you.

She holds your stare even as she throws the dart.

Neither of you look at where it lands, but the unmistakable popping sound of two balloons signals the winner.

You accept your loss with a small teasing smile.

“You could have just invited me. I would’ve agreed to come anyway.”

“Yeah, but this way was more fun.”

You hum in agreement as you absently trace a pattern against the wooden booth.

Wanting to make sure everything is okay, Natasha takes your hand, stopping your movement as her thumb softly caresses the back of your hand.

She tilts her head at you in question, “We don’t have to train if you don’t want to.”

“No, I want to,” you say reassuringly, giving her a small smile. “Besides, you've been stuck with me in the library the last few times we were together. It's only fair if we do something you would enjoy.”

Frowning at your dismissal of the joys of being in your presence, Natasha pulls you closer, holding both of your hands in hers to ensure you focus on her words.

“Hey, I enjoy doing anything with you,” she insists.

When a smile appears on your face at her words, Natasha feels her heart warm with that strange feeling again at the sight.

She's not sure if it's because it's been a couple of days since she last saw you, but to her, you look really stunning with that happy expression.

Without thinking, she feels herself unconsciously lean in closer to you.

"Y/n!" a familiar voice calls out, bursting the peaceful bubble between you two.

You both turn to the source of the shout.

Before Natasha can react, you are swept away from her in a twirling hug, lifting you slightly off the ground as you let out a surprised yelp.

The blonde-haired newcomer smiles widely as she steadies you back on your feet in front of her.

"I was hoping to see you soon!" she exclaims.

You laugh lightly, regaining your balance and leaning slightly on her arms for support as you return the friendly greeting.

"It's so good to see you too. I haven't seen you in a couple of years with all your traveling."

The person finally turns to Natasha with a casual smirk and nods in greeting.

"It has been a while since we were all together, hasn't it, Natasha?"

Natasha hides her displeased feelings at how you were taken away from her side and responds politely.

"Yeah, it has."

She eyes the hands still clasping yours, her teeth clenching slightly.

"How have you been, Princess Carol?"

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Series Masterlist : Boundless Devotion

a/n: Thank you for reading!

Taglist: @lightwhoranoutoflight, @taliiiaasteria, @romanoffprentiss, @canvascoloredin, @silentwolfsstuff, @blacklightsposts, @arcturusseer, @presser24, @dvrkhcld, @jujuu23, @screechcat, @vivs46, @cd-4848, @youneversawmehereooooooo, @pancakefan7529, @confusedspaceotter, @natbelovasblog, @izzy-b09, @iamheartless, @mrsrushman

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x fem!reader #natasha romanoff imagine #natasha romanoff x you #natasha romanoff fanfic #black widow x reader #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff

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wild-karrde · 21 days

Text

In Command - Part 20

Master List | Previous Part | Next Part

A/N: An update while on vacation? Sure why not. As always, thank you to the phenomenal @teletraan-meets-jarvis for beta-reading for me!

Chapter Rating: E (18+ minors skeedaddle)

Warnings: explicit sexual content (PiV sex, oral sex, cum eating, fingering), language

Word Count: 8.5k words

“That cake was AMAZING!”

“Wrecker, we’re all honestly surprised you tasted it at all with how fast you ate it,” Hunter teased.

“Yeah, I think you’ve scarred some of those service droids for life,” Senna joked.

“Did you see the one? Wrecker almost took his arm off!” Echo was laughing so hard tears were pricking at his eyes now, and Senna joined him, doubling over in the middle of the hall as they walked back to their rooms. Maybe it was the wine or just the relief of being safe with full bellies, but either way, the mood had lifted significantly among the group. Even Tech was smiling and engaging in conversation rather than ignoring everyone in favor of his datapad.

Wrecker shrugged. “I was hungry, and they were in the way.”

“Perhaps you should keep in mind that they are also responsible for preparing your food, Wrecker. Threatening them may not be the best idea,” Tech pointed out, and even Rex snorted in amusement at that.

“Was that a joke, Tech?” Senna teased.

The goggled clone blinked at her, and Senna swore he was trying to stifle a grin.

“Take it as you wish.”

Their laughter echoed down the halls as they returned to the wing of the palace they were staying in, dying off as they all bid each other good night and returned to their rooms.

“Try to get some sleep,” Echo murmured to Senna, and she shoved him, her face heating. He chuckled, moving off down the hall to his door.

Rex leaned against the wall as she punched the unlock code into the keypad for their room. “What was that about?”

Senna shrugged, blowing her hair out of her face as the door slid open. “Just Echo saying good night.”

She didn’t look at him, but she could hear his huff of a laugh, could practically feel his smirk as he slipped his hand into the small of her back, gently ushering her into the room.

Senna strode to the center of the bedroom, suddenly nervous for reasons she couldn’t understand. She turned to watch Rex lock the door behind them before he met her eyes. The only sound was their breathing as they stared at one another, seemingly unsure of where to start, paralyzed by choice with nothing inhibiting either of them this time.

Where do I even begin? There’s so much I want.

And nothing will stop me from taking it.

It was strange to think that Senna had been afraid of having this, having the person she’d wanted so desperately with all of her feelings reciprocated. The rest of the galaxy fell away outside of the door, and Senna’s entire universe shrank to the size of the bedroom with Rex at the center of it all.

Fuck, I love him so much.

Mercifully, Rex moved first, closing the gap between them with a measured patience that sent need coursing through Senna. He cradled her face, and she felt herself melt into his touch as he smiled down at her with darkening eyes.

“I believe I made you a promise,” he rumbled. “And now I have all night to fulfill it.”

Senna felt herself tremble with excitement as he leaned down to kiss her, working his lips gently against hers as his hands slid to her waist. It wasn’t until he slipped his hands under her shirt, his calloused palms grazing her skin that she finally felt some of her wits return to her, enough for her to not let him take the lead entirely. Her tongue grazed his bottom lip, and he groaned, permitting her entrance as his grip on her tightened. Senna allowed him to back her against a wall, letting out a small grunt when her shoulderblades bumped into the hard surface. Rex made no apology, instead slotting his knee in between her legs as he pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it somewhere to be forgotten. Senna ground against him desperately as her fingers dug into the back of his neck. She whined as his lips left hers, moving along her jawline to her neck. He left one mark, and then another, sucking bruises into her skin where her clothing would cover as his hands worked at her breastband, removing it as well and flinging it aside.

His hands were immediately on her breasts, cradling them before tugging gently on her nipples just enough to make Senna gasp. She felt his mouth curl into a smile against her skin at her response, and for whatever reason, some of her competitive edge resurfaced. She pushed him back from her, relishing in his confusion before she spun him against the wall, effectively swapping places.

“You are far too clothed,” she rasped, pulling at his shirt eagerly. Rex’s grin returned as he helped her slip the garment over his head.

“Can’t have that now, can we?” he teased.

“I think I made you some sort of promise too,” Senna whispered as she nipped at his collarbone, her fingers tracing the bandage on his chest. “If it’s not too much.”

She felt Rex shudder slightly under her touch. “I don’t recall you promising anything.”

“Then let me refresh your memory,” she whispered directly into his ear, nipping at the lobe before she trailed kisses down his neck and chest, sinking to her knees in front of him. Rex inhaled sharply, and when she met his eyes, they were blown wide.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I… would you believe me if I told you I dreamed about this?”

Her fingers found his belt, undoing the clasp as she kept her eyes on his.

“Sounds like I’ve got a lot to live up to.”

He cupped her chin, his thumb pushing against her lower lip as he frantically helped her undo his trousers with his other hand.

“You’ve already exceeded it in every way, Sen.”

She kissed the pad of his thumb, blushing under his gaze. Rex caught his lip between his teeth as she freed his cock, stroking it a few times. She adjusted such that the head grazed against her bare breasts, dragging her thumb over the head and spreading the precum leaking from the tip over the flushed skin.

“I’ve dreamt of this too,” she whispered, pressing closer so that she could kiss Rex’s bare hip teasingly. His muscles flexed as he jerked towards her with a sharp inhale. “Wondered what you tasted like, how you’d feel against my tongue, what sounds you’d make.” She blew against the tip, and Rex whined.

“Senna, please.”

She grinned wickedly. “I thought we had all night.”

Before Rex could retort, she wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock and sucked gently, savoring the taste and warmth of him as she flicked her tongue against any sensitive spot she could find. Rex’s head thunked against the wall as he unleashed a curse, his hand still gently cradling her face. Senna smiled, running her tongue along the bottom of his length, tracing the vein she could feel there.

“Fuck,” Rex groaned.

Slowly, Senna worked Rex further into her mouth, fighting against her gag reflex and the ache of her jaw as she took him deeper with each bob of her head, her fingers wrapped around the length she couldn’t yet reach. She’d never taken anyone as large as Rex in her mouth before, but the way he was sweating and moaning was addicting, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever tire of the sight of Rex, muscles flexing, jaw clenched, eyes locked on her as she allowed him deeper each pass. When her nose finally met the curls at the base of his cock, she swallowed, and Rex’s hands flew to her head as he gasped.

“Maker alive, do that again. Oh gods, please do that again.”

Every thought she’d have of taking her time flew from her mind as she heard his plea. She wanted to shatter Rex.

Tears streamed from Senna’s eyes, but a thrill shot through her at seeing her lover doubled over, gasping and whining and begging for her. She obliged, fighting harder against her gag reflex, practically choking herself on him. Rex’s fingers tightened in her hair, but he didn’t hold her down or press her further. His control only made her want more. Senna pushed her face against Rex hard enough to pin him against the wall, and she drove his cock so far into her throat that she knew she’d be hoarse in the morning, but it was worth hearing Rex whimper and feel his control finally start to slip.

“Sen, I don’t want-”

Senna released him with a gasp, panting as she pumped him quickly. Strings of saliva connected her lips to him still.

“Rex, I want to taste it,” she rasped. “Please let me taste you. Give it to me.”

He swore again as she took him to the back of her throat once more before she began to bob up and down, swallowing when she was able to. Her cunt was screaming for attention, and she slid a hand between her legs as her lips went numb around Rex’s length. She glanced up at him through watery eyes and almost came from the sight of him alone.

The captain was wrecked. Sweat slicked his skin as he did his best to focus on her through hooded lids. Broken curses and stuttered praises poured from between his lips as he watched her, and she relished in every second of it. His abdomen flexed in front of her eyes, and she felt his cock twitch against her tongue. She knew she was close to claiming her prize.

“S-Sen, I-I…”

She wrapped her hand around him, twisting firmly as her knuckles followed her lips, her fingers growing slick with her own saliva.

“Oh, f-fuck, Senna.”

Rex came hard, coating Senna’s tongue in warm stickiness. She swallowed everything he gave her, flicking her tongue over the tip of him to clean him off until he shuddered.

“S’too much,” he mumbled. “T-too much.”

Rex leaned down and kissed her, sinking to the floor along with her, but never releasing his hold on her face as he practically pulled her into his lap, panting against her lips. She kissed him back fervently, grinding her soaked cunt against his thigh again, desperate for any friction.

“That was… so fucking good,” Rex gasped. He pulled her against him, resting his forehead against hers as he fought to regain his breath. His fingers stroked her bare spine. “Was it ok?”

She giggled against his mouth. “It was perfect. I told you I wanted to taste you like that. From the source.”

Rex’s eyes had darkened again.

“Well, it’s only fair that I return the favor then.”

With a strength and swiftness that drew a surprised whoop from Senna, Rex scooped her into his arms, nearly tackling her backwards onto the bed in three strides. His hand cradled her head as she fell against the mattress, panting as his mouth worked down her body, anticipation sending shivers down her spine. His fingers hooked into her trousers pulling them and her undergarments off in one swift tug. He kicked the rest of the way out of his pants, kneeling at the edge of the bed as his lips reached the inside of her thigh. In between panting breaths, he scooped under Senna’s ass, hauling her to the edge of the bed and pulling one leg over his shoulder. Senna shuddered as his breath hit her warm, wet cunt in a huff that almost felt like a sigh.

“Beautiful,” he breathed.

Senna’s skin broke out in goosebumps as he nuzzled the inside of her thigh, biting softly against the tender flesh until she whined.

“Don’t tease,” she gasped.

There wasn’t a single glimmer of mercy in Rex’s gaze as he looked up at Senna from between her spread legs. “I thought you said we had all night, love.”

Senna couldn’t tear her eyes away from Rex as he stuck two fingers into his mouth, keeping his eyes locked on hers as he gently withdrew them, running them along the soaked lips of her cunt. She whimpered again, her fingers gripping the duvet hard enough to drain the blood from them. Rex smirked.

“I’ve looked forward to this.”

“Well I wouldn’t want you to deprive yourself any longer,” Senna gritted out, her brow furrowing as she tried to bite back another whimper.

Rex grinned triumphantly before leaning down and licking into her. Senna’s back arched off the bed as his fingers slid into her, immediately finding the spongy place inside her and pressing against it. Rex’s other hand gripped her thigh, holding her firmly in place as his mouth explored her. Sometimes he removed his fingers, using them to instead apply pressure to her clit as his tongue prodded into her. Then, as her orgasm built, he’d swap back, leaving her huffing in frustration until he plunged his fingers back inside of her, sucking at her sensitive bundle of nerves.

His mouth was heaven, and before long, Senna found herself grinding back up to meet his tongue. Rex relaxed his grip on her hip, groaning into her as she clenched around him.

“You going to cum for me, pretty girl?” he mumbled into her folds.

“P-please. Please let me, Rex.”

“I want to taste it.”

He redoubled his effort until it felt like every nerve ending in Senna’s body was stretched taut, ready to snap. When she glanced down between her knees, electricity licked up her spine. Rex was stroking himself as he devoured her, his cock hardening again in his hand as he worshiped her on his knees.

“Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease,” she begged. “Don’t stop. Right there.”

The wet smacking sound of Rex devouring her echoed between her pants and moans, and finally, Rex gave her what she wanted, snapping the tension as Senna came with a scream that poured out between her clenched teeth. She rode out the aftershocks, drifting through her haze until Rex’s damp lips pressed against hers once more.

His knees were pressing hers further apart, and she wrapped her legs around him.

“Tell me what you want, Senna,” he whispered against the shell of her ear. “I’ll give you anything.”

This time, Senna had a response. “I want it all, Rex. Everything. I want you. I need you inside me.” She kissed him back, tasting her own release on his tongue. “I love you. Fuck I love you.”

He rested his forehead against hers as his cock caught at her entrance. Calloused hands cradled her face as he pushed into her, slowly stretching her to accommodate him.

“I love you, Senna. F-fuck. You feel so good. So good for me.”

Senna’s fingers wrapped around the back of Rex’s neck as she buried her face in his shoulder, sighing into his skin as he bottomed out inside of her.

“All for you, Rex. All yours.”

“And I’m yours.”

Rex pulled her apart slowly, adjusting his hips and noting how Senna whined and writhed beneath him. She should have guessed he’d be meticulous, but his patience drove her wild. Desperation clouded her senses, and she couldn’t understand how he fucked her so methodically, so patiently, carefully crafting her orgasm while she clawed at his back. She came again, trying to muffle her screams in his shoulder, but Rex was having none of it.

“I want to hear it all, Senna.”

“B-but what about the others?”

“Door’s got a soundproof setting when locked,” he rasped. “I’m selfish. I want all of your sounds just for me.”

That was all the encouragement Senna needed as Rex put his hands behind her knees, folding her in half and driving his cock back into her, bringing her another orgasm in a matter of minutes. She had no doubt he meant to make good on his promise as he moved her again, molding her malleable body to his liking. All of the possibilities that had overwhelmed her had also apparently been bouncing around in Rex’s mind, and he seemed intent on checking every box in one evening. He took her on her side with one leg hooked over his hip, he lifted her into his lap as though she weighed nothing, spearing her on his cock, and when she felt as though she couldn’t possibly orgasm again in this lifetime without spontaneously combusting, he rolled her onto her hands and knees, taking her from behind.

Her cunt was swollen and she knew she’d feel sore in the morning, and her throat felt raw from crying out Rex’s name. Sweat slicked both of their skin, and the sheets stuck to them, damp from their bodies. Even still, she couldn’t get enough of him, and she wasn’t about to tell him to stop.

“One more for me, Sen. I know you’ve got one more in you,” Rex grunted from behind her.

“Rex… I…” Senna wasn’t even sure what plane of existence she lived on at this point, floating between bliss and some other world where ‘pleasure’ was an inadequate word to describe anything she felt. And yet, somehow, she felt the coil tightening in her gut again as Rex’s fingers dug into her hips, pulling her back into him. She felt her ass rippling with every thrust, a wet slapping sound coming from between her legs as Rex fucked her.

“You can,” he growled. “Touch yourself for me, pretty girl. You’ll give me one more.”

Senna slowly adjusted, her body feeling gelatinous, but somehow she managed to prop herself up on one elbow, her fingers finding their way to her swollen clit, rubbing with a practiced pressure that immediately pushed her towards the edge. Her forehead stuck to the sheets, and suddenly, she felt Rex brush the hair off of her shoulder before his fingers gripped her, pulling her up against his chest with one of his arms draped across her collar bone, holding her up.

“Look at how gorgeous you are,” he whispered into her ear, and Senna’s eyes fell on the mirror in one corner of the room.

Her hair hung in loose waves, sticking to her sweaty body and Rex’s chest. One hand gently cradled her throat while the other tightly gripped her hip, guiding her along his length. Her breasts bounced with every snap of Rex’s hips, and she could see his cock disappearing inside of her with every thrust, his balls swinging forward to slap against her clit. But the thing that set her entire body ablaze was the way Rex was watching her in the mirror, his dark eyes focused on her face and expressions. He looked hungry, enamored, in charge and at her mercy all at the same time, as if he was taking everything he wanted but would submit at her word.

His hand slipped from her hip, finding her clit and pressing with just the perfect amount of pressure, as if he’d been touching her like this all of his life.

“Cum for me, Senna.”

She nearly passed out, screaming as she soaked the sheets beneath them with her release. Rex’s arms held her up as the room around them disappeared around them in a haze, and she sagged against him, wrung out and undone in every way.

“I’ve got you,” Rex gasped in her ear as he held her close. Gently, he lowered her down onto the pillows, leaning over her and brushing away the hair that was stuck to her face. Sweat trickled from his brow, but his expression was softer, more tender as he stared down at her.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“No,” she replied. Rex’s brow furrowed with concern.

Senna planted her palms against his chest, pushing him onto his back and clambering on top of him clumsily.

“Your turn,” she gasped, pushing her hair back out of her face.

Rex rested his hands on her thighs, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles. “Sen, you don’t have-”

“Shhh,” she insisted. “I want to.” She felt his cock twitch against her ass with interest.

“Are you sure you’ve got the stamina for it?” he asked teasingly.

She glared at him before angling her hips and sheathing him inside of her in one smooth motion, sitting up on his hips and grinding down until she felt him bottom out inside of her. Rex groaned, his grip on her tightening, and Senna huffed with victory.

“Pretty sure,” she laughed, rocking her hips against Rex and enjoying the way his chest heaved beneath her fingertips.

She teased him for a while, allowing herself to catch her breath as she slowly raised herself, letting the cool night air hit Rex’s slick cock before dropping herself back down to meet his hips, relishing in his grunts and groans of pleasure. Finally, when her head was a little clearer, she picked up the pace, bracing her hands against his shoulders as she rode him, finding pleasure when the head of his cock brushed the place inside her that had her seeing stars.

“Senna.”

She hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes, but snapped them back open to look down at Rex. His lips were parted slightly as he reached for her, cradling her face and running his thumb along her lower lip. She kissed it.

“You’re so gorgeous,” he whispered, resting his other hand on her hip to slow her. Senna took her cue from him, whining when he began to meet her slow grinding with his hips.

“C’mere.” He pulled her down so that their foreheads rested against one another. Senna braced herself on either side of his head, dropping to her elbows so that she could graze her nose against his. Her hair hung down, curtaining the two of them in together so that all she seemed able to focus on was his eyes, locked on hers. He groaned quietly into her mouth as he met her hips again.

“Just like this,” he rasped. “I want to finish just like this. Looking at you like this.”

“Ok,” was the only response she could muster. Her body felt heated again, burning under his touch but needing more of it. Her breasts rested against his chest as she pressed her lips against his, whimpering into his mouth.

The room was quiet except for their soft gasps and whines and the rustling of the sheets, and something about the quiet intimacy of it all almost made Senna cry.

“I love you,” Rex whispered, his voice slightly more strained. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Rex.”

“I-I never… fuck… I never thought I-I’d feel like this… with anyone. B-but here you are. I never stood a chance.”

She laughed quietly before he punctured it with another gasp when he began guiding her hips to grind himself deeper into her. It felt as though his cock was reaching something so deep inside of her, somewhere no one had ever touched, and Senna cried out.

“I want it all with you, Senna,” Rex continued. She’d never heard him talk like this, but fuck if it wasn’t unravelling everything in her. “I d-don’t ever want to be without you again. I wanted this for so long. So long. And I don’t think I can lose you. Ever.”

“Rex.”

“Senna.”

“Rex, I-I… I’m gonna-”

“I know. I know. Me too.”

“Don’t stop.”

“I won’t. I won’t ever stop.”

Rex gasped, swearing as he came, and his grip on the back of her neck tightened. The warmth between her legs drew a stuttering, breathy cry from Senna as her orgasm met his. The two of them rode out their highs, sighing and panting into each other’s mouths until Rex eased Senna down on the pillow next to him. Her leg remained draped over his hip as he kissed her tenderly, cradling her face.

Finally, Rex relented, laying back on the pillows and pulling the covers over the two of them. They lay facing each other, the sweat still glistening on their foreheads as their panting finally calmed to a normal rate of breathing. Senna traced her fingers along Rex’s neck and collarbone as she looked into his eyes.

“Well, that was a pleasant upgrade from a cave floor,” she grinned.

Rex let out a deep breathy laugh, letting his fingers intertwine with hers. “I couldn’t agree more. And this bed is better than the one at the inn.”

“Yeah.”

They lay in silence for several more moments as Rex traced patterns on the skin of her hip and she shivered under his touch. Pulling the sheet up to cover her abdomen and chest, she scooted closer to him, resting her forehead against his as his hand drifted across her waist and pressed into the small of her back, pulling her closer.

“Did you mean what you said?” she whispered after a few moments. “About never being without me again?”

She was glad he didn’t answer instantly, that he took a moment to think about it before smiling at her, stroking her cheek.

“Yes. I do mean that.”

Senna hesitated for a moment.

“How do you think our story ends?”

It was a question that had been sitting in the back of her mind ever since she’d first considered the possibility of being with Rex. What would their future look like? How would it all end? With the two of them married? With children? It seemed like they should be on the same page in terms of the end goal, but if she was honest, she had no idea what she hoped for.

Happiness, I suppose.

“How do you want it to end?” Rex asked, rubbing his thumb along her lower lip to deter the nervous chewing she’d started.

Senna sighed. “I don’t know. I want to be happy.”

“Are you happy?”

“Of course. But there are many ways to be happy with someone that you love.”

Rex laughed softly, letting the thought hang between them for a few moments. “Would…would you want to get married?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Senna met his eyes, her azure irises boring into him. It was something she’d considered of course, but hearing Rex say the words out loud only solidified her desire for it in her mind. She wanted to be bound to Rex in any way she could. Of course, it would take time to be sure. She wasn’t that impulsive.

In fact, marriage wasn’t something she’d really thought of as a possibility for herself, even after the war. It seemed silly to consider that path when she was so focused on survival and keeping herself hidden. But then Rex had come along, and something about him had always made her certain it was a thing he’d desire if he was with the right person. When she’d first met him, she’d just never thought that she would be that person for him.

Senna leaned into his touch and nodded. “Yes, I suppose I would. If that’s something you’d want as well when the time comes.”

Rex smiled widely, seemingly giddy in a way that Senna had never seen. “That is very much something I’d want after this is over.” He hesitated, suddenly appearing a bit nervous. “Although…I’m sorry I have no surname to give you.”

Senna giggled. “What makes you think I’d take your name anyway?”

Rex huffed before throwing an arm around her and squeezing her playfully, digging his nose into the spot near her collarbone that he’d clearly noted was ticklish. Senna wriggled in his arms until he finally released her, bumping his nose against hers.

“Good point, I suppose.” He let his thumb run over her cheekbone, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “I…I’d have no issue taking yours. I kind of like the name ‘Aven’.”

Senna’s smile faltered slightly. “I don’t think I’d want to keep that name. I’m no longer that person anymore. In my mind, Senna Aven didn’t survive Order 66. I mean, I did, but-”

“I understand,” Rex tried to reassure her.

“It’s just…” The words escaped Senna, and that frustrated her. Her teeth dug into her lip once more, and again, he soothed her nerves again with his thumb, trying to keep her from bloodying her own lip with her nerves.

“If you don’t stop doing that, I’m not going to have anything left to kiss.”

She smiled. “Sorry. It’s a habit when I’m thinking.”

“When are you not thinking?”

She huffed and rolled her eyes, but couldn’t muster any argument. Instead, she let her hand drift to his hip as she met his eyes.

“What if…what if we chose our own surname? Something that was meaningful to us and kind of symbolic of us starting over? A new beginning.”

Senna could see him thinking the suggestion over.

“I chose my own name when I was a cadet,” he said slowly. “So in a sense, it’s a family tradition, I suppose. But this seems so much more important than picking ‘Rex’. It’s something I’d share with you.” He met her gaze. “The person I love.”

She watched him quietly as he thought for a few moments, and then his eyes widened slightly. Rex intertwined his fingers with hers as his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

“There’s a word in Mando’a, atiniir. It means ‘to endure’ or ‘to tough it out.’ It’s a word I heard the trainers use when I was a cadet, and I think that kind of describes the both of us.”

Senna turned the word over on her tongue, considering it.

Atiniir.

Endurance was definitely a word that felt right for her and Rex. They’d endured the war, the aftermath, hell even each other before they’d fallen in love. After a few moments, she grinned at him.

“We don’t have to decide now. It was just a thought,” Rex said, suddenly nervous.

Senna smiled at him, and the worried pinch between his brows vanished. “Well, then I wouldn’t have to worry about changing my initials,” she joked. Leaning more into him, she captured his lips in a kiss, and he tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her to him. Parting her lips from his, she rested her forehead against his.

“If we last long enough to get married, I’d be honored to share that name with you, Rex. I love it.”

Rex smiled, stroking her cheek as he held her close to him.

“And I love you,” he murmured softly.

—

The following morning, Rex awoke to an empty bed, but this time, everything felt decidedly different from Lothal. Senna had gotten up an hour ago, trying to not wake him. He’d felt her watching him sleep for a few moments before she leaned down and kissed him, and after all of her effort to let him sleep, he figured it would only be rude to let her know he was awake. After the main door had hissed shut behind her, he’d managed to drop back off for a little while, dreaming of the night before, of her smile, her laugh, and the way she looked wrapped around him. But now, the dreams were no longer enough, and he was ready to track her back down and feel her in his arms for real.

Rolling over and opening his eyes, he immediately noticed a metallic glint on the pillow next to him. Rex picked it up, turning it over in his hands and examining it. It was a piece of metallic tubing a few centimeters in length that had been bent at a right angle. It had a small nozzle on either end and in the middle of the bent line, two spacers seated along the tubing that spun as he turned the piece over in his hands. He could see that they’d fused together, which he assumed wasn’t good, but beyond that, he wasn’t sure what the hardware was for.

What’s she playing at? he thought, his mouth curving into a grin despite his confusion.

Rex dressed quickly with some clothes he found in the room’s wardrobe that seemed to be the right fit, slipping the piece of metal into his pocket before stepping out into the hallway. He stood still for a minute, straining his ears to catch any clue of where Senna might have gone. After a few moments, he was rewarded with the sound of quick footsteps and a familiar grunt from further down the hall, and he strode off towards the source of the noise.

After wandering through a few corridors, he came upon a wide open room with massive archways that opened to the outside. A cool morning breeze was blowing, whistling slightly through the archways and tugging at the corners of Rex’s shirt. The room appeared to be some sort of training center, with targets at one end of the room, weight training equipment at the other, and in the wide open space in the middle was Senna, her lightsaber humming as she parried an invisible opponent. The cerulean sleeveless tunic she wore rippled like water as she spun, and Rex could see the back of it was soaked with sweat. Her hair was tied back in a long braid that whipped back and forth as she turned on her heel and struck another blow at her imaginary assailant. She grunted and yelled as she attacked, and he realized that was the sound that he’d been hearing from down the hall as she moved through the same sequence again. Rex leaned against the edge of the archway, watching her until a quiet voice next to him made him jump.

“Seems like she’s getting her stuff back,” Echo whispered. “Or at least she’s certainly trying to.”

Rex glanced sideways. Hunter, Wrecker, and Tech stood behind Echo, Wrecker munching on some kind of bun he’d likely gotten from the kitchens. The clones were out of their armor and wearing lightweight clothing clearly meant for them to work out in.

“I think that encounter with the Inquisitor shook her up a bit. It’s been a while since she was challenged on that level, and trust me, she hates to lose,” Rex said under his breath.

“She didn’t lose though. She survived,” Echo replied.

Rex smirked. “She won’t see it that way.” He glanced back at Senna. “I’m not sure her using that lightsaber out in the open is a good idea though.”

“Organa’s aide assured us no one would come down to this part of the castle,” Hunter replied. “We were feeling antsy and were assured this would be a safe place to blow off some steam.”

“Are you all going to stand there like mynocks on a power cable, or are you going to come over here and make yourselves useful?” Senna called from the middle of the room, her back to them.

Rex snorted and Echo rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as they all stepped further into the room. Senna finally turned to face them, the tiny wisps of hair that had come loose from her braid sticking to her face and neck. She smiled at Rex, her eyes roving over him. He realized it was the most well-rested she’d looked in a long time despite the hours they’d spent wrapped around one another the night before. The sudden image of her on her knees in front of him invaded his mind, and his cock threatened to noticeably stiffen in his pants. He tried to subtly adjust himself, but Senna’s sharp blue eyes flicked down to where his hands were trying to hide an erection, and her lips curled into a mischievous grin.

“Something on your mind, Captain?” she asked under her breath, bumping her shoulder against his.

“Oh, just the fact that you seem to be walking just fine,” he murmured into her ear.

She winked at him. “I suppose I am, even if I am a bit sore. Voice is definitely hoarse if that’s any consolation.”

He smirked at her. “Guess I’ve got more work to do.”

“If you’re up for it,” she teased. Turning to the rest of them, she raised an eyebrow. “Anyone wanna spar with me? I could use the practice instead of shadow boxing.”

“Only if you put the lightsaber away. Otherwise it won’t be much of a fair fight,” Hunter joked, walking over to grab two of the wooden staffs that were leaning against some of the weight equipment. Stepping forward, he tossed her one and she caught it above her head, giving it a few experimental spins to test its balance.

“Deal,” she said, a sly grin spreading across her face as she deactivated her blade, clipping her hilt to her belt. Rex and Echo took a seat against the nearest wall while Tech stood at the edge of the padded flooring and Wrecker sat on a weight bench. Senna squared her feet, taking a ready stance as Hunter let the staff dangle at his side, stalking around her confidently.

Rex leaned over to whisper to Echo. “Care to make this interesting?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“I’m betting he doesn’t land a hit on her.”

Echo shot him a skeptical look. “Not a one? I think that’s a little overconfident. It is Hunter, and you know how competitive he can get.”

Rex nodded. “Twenty credits?”

“You’re on.”

Just then, Hunter lunged at Senna. She easily sidestepped him, and his swing flew by her. The sergeant tried to redirect his momentum, swinging the staff backhanded towards his target, and again, Senna lightly stepped back and out of the way.

Rex raised an eyebrow at Echo. “Still feeling good about that bet?”

Echo grinned. “He’s got time. He’s testing the water still to see what she’ll do. I’ve got faith in him.”

Hunter was walking slowly around Senna again, and a smirk was tugging at her lips. She squared her feet once more as Hunter stalked behind her. Her eyes drifted over her shoulder, and she swung her hips to the left just as he stabbed at her midriff, releasing her staff with her right hand to wrap her fingers around his wrist and pull him towards her. Hunter stumbled, off balance as she spun him and stepped forward, knocking him on the floor. His weapon clattered away from him as Senna knelt on top of him, pressing her staff to his throat.

“Got ya,” she teased, tongue poking between her teeth.

Hunter’s face was blank for a moment before the confident glint returned to his eyes. Shifting his weight, he bucked his hips upward, knocking Senna forward. She flipped over the top of him and onto her back as Hunter whirled away from her to grab his staff. Kicking herself back up into a crouched position, Senna brandished her weapon outwards.

“Is that all you’ve got?” she mocked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not even close, sweetheart,” Hunter rumbled, and he charged forward. His footwork was no longer sloppy and he had adapted to her parries as he pressed her. She retreated backwards, blocking his blows as he continued his advance.

“See, now he’s got her figured out,” Echo whispered. “He’s matching her footwork and fighting style.”

“We’ll see,” Rex said.

They watched as Senna and Hunter sparred, dancing around one another and testing the other’s reactions. Echo was right; Hunter had adjusted, but Senna still had one or two tricks up her sleeves. She was more focused than Rex had ever seen her, more determined.

“She knows this is just practice, right?” Echo asked after a few minutes.

Rex glanced at him. “I told you she doesn’t like losing.”

“Is that all this is?”

“What do you mean?”

Echo leaned closer, lowering his voice. “It seems like there’s something else here. Not just a friendly competition. I don’t know that Senna’s just fighting Hunter right now.”

Rex sighed. “The Inquisitor caught her off guard.” His mind drifted back to how frustrated she’d been the night Fisk had tried to assault her, anger crackling in his chest despite the months that separated him from that moment. “And she doesn’t like it when… when someone gets the drop on her.”

“Who else then?” Echo pressed, sensing Rex was holding something back.

“An Imperial named Fisk. He was on Lothal. She underestimated what he was capable of. And she almost paid dearly for it.”

He could tell Echo knew him well enough to pull the pieces together, and he saw a similar anger flare in the eyes they shared. His brother’s jaw clenched as he sat back, watching Senna with a very different expression.

“I’m surprised you let him live.”

“Oh, if I had it my way, he’d be at the bottom of the darkest hole I could find,” Rex gritted out, his fist clenching reflexively. “But she insisted the mission came first.”

“Damn her sensibility,” Echo joked mirthlessly.

“Yeah,” Rex agreed. “She’s very protective of me. Perhaps too much so. She was willing… to do far too much to keep me safe.” He picked at a cuticle on his index finger. “She almost wouldn’t be with me because she was afraid it would put me in danger.”

“Danger has a way of finding you, Rex,” Echo chuckled.

“That’s what I told her.”

They fell silent for a few more moments, letting the clacking of Senna and Hunter’s staff echo around the room.

“I’m glad she wasn’t harmed,” Echo said quietly. “And I’m also glad someone is looking out for you.”

Before Rex could respond, a frustrated growl from Senna drew his attention back to the sparring session in front of him. Hunter was still pressing Senna towards the edge of the mat when she suddenly dropped to her knees, rotating back behind him. From her kneeling position, Senna went to hit Hunter in the back, but he leapt into the air in a backflip, striking at her as he passed overhead. She reached up and grappled his wrist again, shoving him back farther than he’d anticipated for his landing, forcing him to tuck and roll upon impact. Spinning on her knees to a standing position, Senna advanced. Hunter was still kneeling as she struck at him, the wood cracking together loudly in the quiet of the room. The sergeant was desperately trying to get back to his feet, but Senna’s relentless flurry of blows kept him off balance until finally, he stabbed at her out of desperation and she dodged it, bringing her arm down to lock his sword arm in place while she brought her staff to his throat again and pressed forward, trapping his kneeling leg underneath him. There was no escape this time, and Hunter grinned as he dropped his staff and raised his other hand in surrender.

“You got me.”

Echo sighed as he fished around in one of his belt pouches before slipping the credits into Rex’s outstretched hand.

“I saw that,” Senna called over her shoulder as she helped Hunter up. “It wasn’t really a fair fight though. I’m going to bet that style of combat isn’t in the training manuals on Kamino.”

“You would be correct,” Tech said from where he’d been standing. “However, some of us did take it upon ourselves to learn the skill.” Setting his datapad on the ground near the wall, he walked over and picked up a staff, twirling it lightly with his wrist.

“You, Tech? Really?” Hunter asked.

“Yes. Why is that shocking?”

“I guess…you know what, nevermind. It’s not. Have at her.” He walked over to slump against the wall and slid down into a seated position next to Rex, wiping his face on the edge of his shirt. “She’s something else.”

Rex bit back a proud grin, some of the tension leaving him as he caught Senna’s eye. “Indeed, she is.”

Tech mirrored Senna with his stance, tucking one hand behind his back as he brandished the staff in front of him. The two slowly circled each other until Senna feinted left, testing Tech’s response. He seemed unphased as he sidestepped her, maintaining his balance and parrying her test strike. Stepping back, he resumed his defensive position, waiting for her next move. She imitated Hunter, stalking around him with her staff hanging at her hip. Tech maintained his defensive position, waiting for her attack. This time, Senna raced towards him, leaping into the air and swiping at Tech’s off shoulder as she flew over him. Tech dropped to his knees, rolling away from her slash and spinning to face her as she landed. Their battle went on for several minutes as they tested each other, Senna poking and prodding at Tech’s defenses and Tech managing to block every blow. Finally, Senna went for a feint and then charged Tech, swinging as he parried her attack. She continued to press forward until Tech suddenly dropped low, kicking her legs out from under her. Senna let out a surprised curse as Tech changed his momentum, stepping forward to grasp her sword arm as she toppled to the ground. He locked his staff with hers, twisting it so she was disarmed and the wooden rod flew across the mat. Holding her arm to his chest, he knelt on her ribs, panting.

“I do believe I win,” he said evenly. His expression was neutral, but his eyes were glinting triumphantly behind his lenses.

Rex chuckled to himself.

Oh, she’s going to hate that.

Sure enough, Senna’s hand that Tech had captured by the wrist twitched, and his goggles wiggled on his nose as she tugged at them with the Force.

“Don’t you dare,” he warned, standing up and releasing her.

“Oh, come on, just a bit of fun,” she teased as he helped her up. To Rex’s surprise, she gave him a light, playful shove. “Well fought, Legs.”

Echo glanced at Rex. “Does she take instruction?”

“At your own risk,” Rex replied.

“Yeah, well I want her to be prepared too. For Inquisitors or the next sleamo she encounters,” Echo muttered, pushing himself to his feet. “Would you like to know what you did wrong?” he called out.

Senna turned, cocking an eyebrow at him. He shrugged. “I am a strategist. It’s what I do.”

Her face split into a wide smile, and she bowed dramatically. “Enlighten me then, Corporal.”

Echo stepped out onto the mat, his spine straightening and his scomp arm drifting behind his back while he gesticulated with his biological limb. Rex had to fight back a laugh at how serious his little brother became.

If only Fives could see him now. He’d have teased him relentlessly.

“You shifted your weight too early and got too close to him,” Echo told Senna, who to her credit, was listening attentively. “He’d clearly been waiting on you to do that the entire time, but you just hadn’t gotten overly eager until that last point. Also, you have a tell for when you’re going to step within proximity. It’s slight, but you shift your weight to push off your left foot more so than your right, and you lean your hip outwards.”

“Giving away all my secrets, Echo?” Tech joked dryly, wiping sweat from his brow on his sleeve. “He is correct though. That was exactly my strategy.”

Senna nodded. “Let’s go again then.”

Rex smiled to himself.

Atta girl.

—

Senna and Tech went for another half an hour before she bested him, and in another hour, she was beating him consistently. At that point, the clones switched things up, having her fight Tech and Hunter at the same time, and when she won those battles, they had Wrecker start chucking small sandbags at her during combat to just add one more thing to dodge. Echo and Rex gave feedback from the sidelines, providing minor corrections to make her less of a predictable fighter, and Senna took each bit of feedback in stride.

I won’t get surprised again. And it’s been a long time since I felt this… right.

Her blood roared in her ears and her muscles burned, but she loved it. She hadn’t sparred, really sparred since her time at the temple. She’d kept herself locked away for so long, and there was clearly rust there, but her progress was evident. Now, when she reached out, she could feel everything around her without having to strain. She wasn’t completely attuned yet, but what had been a struggle a few weeks ago now felt natural again.

With time. It’ll come back with time. Just gotta be patient.

By the time the sun was starting to sink lower in the sky, Senna felt her stomach rumble, and called a halt to the combat. They were all drenched in sweat, and she could feel blisters starting to form on the bottoms of her feet, but she felt satisfied. Tossing Hunter the staff she’d been working with to be replaced on its rack, she strode up to Rex, wiping her face on her shirt.

He beamed at her. “Well done.”

The compliment made her face feel warm, and she was glad she was already flushed so he couldn’t see its effect. “Thanks. Still not sure I’m where I need to be.”

“But you’re in a better place than you were this morning,” he insisted.

“I suppose,” she conceded.

Reaching into his pocket, Rex pulled out the trinket she’d left on his pillow. “By the way, what is this? I found it on your side of the bed this morning.”

It had been a silly, spur-of-of-the-moment idea, and now it felt even more childish with Rex’s confused expression. Senna ducked her head bashfully, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Well, last time I left while you were sleeping, I don’t think I uuuuh made my feelings very clear. I know it was silly, but I wanted to leave something so you’d know I was thinking of you. In case you got worried.”

Rex chuckled. “I wasn’t worried. But what is it?”

Senna took the metal from him, turning it over in her palm. “When I mess up something during a build or repair, sometimes I keep the scrap. Don’t know why, but I kind of like having the mementos. This was a piece of fluid line from the speeder bike on Lothal.” She poked at the ruined metal. “I accidentally fused the two spacers together and messed up the tubing bend a bit, so I just kept it. It was in my pocket the night we had to leave.”

Rex took it back from her, turning it over in his hands with a look of newfound appreciation. He met her eyes. “You’re a bit odd, you know that?”

Senna tipped her head back and laughed at that. “You knew what you were getting into.”

“I did,” he confirmed with a grin.

Slipping her arm around Rex’s waist, Senna turned to recommend they all go get food, but before she could utter a word, Bail Organa walked briskly into the room with his head aide and two guardsmen. Senna stiffened at his appearance. The senator was nervous and winded, as if he’d half-run here. Rex noticed too. She felt his hand rest protectively on her shoulder. Organa glanced around, clearly glad they were all in one place before he spoke.

“I’m afraid we have a problem.”

Tag List: @redheadgirl @cyarbika @witchklng @djarrex @arctrooper69 @sleepingsun501 @ladytano420 @rexxdjarin @echos-girlfriend @zoeykallus @leftealeaf @galacticgraffiti @hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall @ariadnes-red-thread @goblininawig @merkitty49 @fives-lover @ladykatakuri @runforrestr @baba-fett @daimyosprincess @obihiddlenox @bucketbunny99 @fordo-kixed-rex @nerdika @amish---paradise @arctrooperechy

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magicalmadrigals · 3 months

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The Innocence of Intimacy - 1

[Synopsis: A series of one shots following the relationship of Julieta and Agustin Madrigal from the fledgling days of their relationship into the beyond.]

Read on AO3 or under the cut! ♥️

Julieta brought a hand to her stomach as she laid down next to Gus on the little rug in the treehouse, full from the picnic they shared, and sighed under her breath as she got comfortable and looked up at the stars. She had had the most wonderful evening thus far and that was all thanks to him making it so special. When she met him at the treehouse like he asked, she rolled her eyes when he showed up with beestings all over him. She could remember muttering something about him needing to be a lot more careful, but then he pulled out the most beautiful roses and she forgot why she was annoyed with him.

It was a year to the day they met – well, to the day he fell on his face and got healed by her for the first time – he told her when she inquired as to what the occasion was. Him being so sentimental made her laugh initially, but then she thought about how he remembered that when it had truly slipped her mind and it made her heart melt. She should have expected something like that from him in all fairness. He was so sweet, probably the sweetest man she knew, and him wanting to celebrate this moment made a lot of sense. She had loved having him a part of her life since he came to Encanto rather early last year.

He was the clumsiest hombre she had ever known and, admittedly, she had probably healed him more than anyone, but her seeing him so often helped them bond and he quickly became her best friend. He made life so fun and her long, hot days in the middle of town so much easier to get through. He was a very important part of her life and she couldn’t imagine it without him in it any longer. She didn’t want to either. A world without him was a world she did not want to live in and she didn’t mind admitting it. Her mamá didn’t care much for him, she had made that clear, but she felt that way about most people.

She no longer cared as much about what her mamá thought though.

She refused to let her dictate who she could and could not spend her time with any longer.

Turning her head in his direction to see him staring up at the stars above them, she smiled before she turned her attention back to them and connected them with her eyes to see the constellations. “I guess Pepa must be in a good mood for once,” She teased, lifting her hand from her stomach in order to tuck her arm beneath her head. “I love coming out here to look up at the estrellas, but her clouds get in the way most of the time and it makes it hard to see. They look beautiful tonight though, don’t you think?”

“Sí…”

She sensed he was feeling unsure of himself when he took a minute to respond and his voice trembled when he did, but when she turned her head again and felt him brush his fingertips against her own her breath caught in her throat. She lay still for a second, unsure if it was intentional or nothing but a slip of his hand, but there was no doubt in her mind when he caught her eye and did it once more. Her not moving her hand away helped him grow in confidence. He started to play with her fingers and she only moved closer to him, her fingers brushing against his own in response as she shared a smile with him. She could tell there was still a little uncertainty there. He still feared she was going to pull back at any moment and break the spell, but doing anything of the sort was truly the farthest thing from her mind.

She had wanted this for longer than she could remember.

He had been dropping hints for months now, he must have fallen for her – quite literally – as quickly as she did, making excuses to linger near her in town and standing close enough to her to brush her arm with his when they chatted. She wanted to be certain that that was what it was before she did anything about it though. She had been wrong in the past and it was so humiliating, an experience she had zero desire to repeat, but he was proving she was right to believe he wanted more than friendship from her. He wanted the same thing she did. He wanted her and knowing that filled her with so much happiness.

Once they had gone on like that for a little while, exchanging deft little touches, she brought her hand back slightly and the look of disappointment that flashed across his face did not go unnoticed by her. Rather than let him think the worst though, she pressed her palm flat against his and laced her fingers with his own before squeezing his hand when he swept his thumb across her knuckles. “I thought you had no idea.” He told her, his cheeks turning crimson as she chuckled gently and cuddled close to him.

“You are many, many things, amor, but subtle is not one of them.” She teased. “I always had a feeling.”

“You could have told me and put me out of my misery.” He replied with a slight pout.

She nodded. “I would have, but there are two reasons why I decided not to. One reason was because I had a hard time being sure if they really were hints or if I was making something out of nothing. When I realized that I was right, it became more about me knowing how important it was to you that you got to make the first move. I could easily have been the one to take your hand then. You have no idea how many times I have wanted to do that when we were together, but I would have been rushing you into it and it wouldn’t have been right. Leaving it to you meant it took a lot longer, but now you’re ready too.”

He brought his free hand up and moved her curls out of her face, tucking them gently behind her ear, and when he laid his hand on her cheek he stroked his thumb against her skin and sighed. “I want you so much,” His voice was soft as he studied her features. “But I already know your mamá won’t allow it.”

“Mi mamá has no reason to know,” She brought a hand to the side of his neck and moved closer to him until they were chest to chest, leaning her forehead against his and smiling at the feeling of his breath against her face as his hand fell to her waist. “I love her so much, I do, but she believes she can control more than she can. She thinks she can control me and who I fall in love with – I know she has been out trying to track down an hombre for me – but I refuse to let her. If we have to keep this a secret for the time being so we can be together, then fine. You make me so happy and I am not letting her ruin that.”

His hold on her waist tightened as he leaned back a little to look at her. “So…what now then?”

“We carry on like normal for a while,” She shrugged. “Mamá will catch on quickly if we spend too much time together in town. I think she already has her suspicions and that would only convince her further. We have this though,” She pats the wooden panels of the treehouse beneath them. “She knows nothing about this place. The only people that do are us and my hermanos. Félix too, probably, because I know Pepa sneaks him up here no matter what she says. None of them would run and tell mamá about us if they found out though. Not even Bruno. He might – no, he will – complain, but he won’t do that to me.”

“As long as I get to hold you, I’m contenta no matter what.” He admitted.

He released her hand then and opened his arms to her and she smiled, shuffling into them without so much as a second thought and lying her head on his chest as he wrapped them tight around her. She could feel him running a hand up and down her back as they laid there together in comfortable silence for a time, her own hand curled into his shirt, and her eyes fell shut when he buried a kiss in her curls.

She already knew it was going to be hard to keep their relationship a secret from her mother.

They would be discreet and, like she said, her brother and sister would keep their secret if they asked, but this was her mamá she was talking about. It was as though she had a sixth sense or something. In her childhood, she managed to know she and her hermanos were going to get themselves into trouble long before they even had the idea to do so. It was rare that things got by her, so there was the slight fear she would work it out before she was ready for her to, but she would stand her ground regardless.

She was almost an adult now, a fully grown woman, and she was allowed to make her own choices.

She was allowed to be with the man she loved if she wanted to be and that was exactly what she’d do.

No matter what her mamá said.

#young julieta madrigal #young agustin madrigal #julieta madrigal #agustin madrigal #julieta x agustín #agustin x julieta #julistin #agustin and julieta #julieta and agustin #encanto julieta #encanto agustin #encanto fanfic #encanto fanfiction #encanto fic #the madrigal family #the madrigals

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sashaisready · 4 months

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Chapter Fourteen

Lee Bodecker (The Devil All The Time) x Femme Reader

A year after the sudden death of your husband you find yourself at a loose end, unsure what to do next. You're also learning about your sexuality - your hidden desires and fantasies creeping out now you're no longer playing the role of the good wife. A certain Sheriff in town could be the one to awaken something in you.

Series Masterlist

Chapter 15

Warnings: references to murder, grief/mourning, sexual assault

Weeks morphed into months, in some ways it was like nothing had ever happened. You carried on at the diner as usual and allowed yourself to get swept up in French fry grease and coffee refills to keep your mind busy.

Lee knew your shift pattern and meticulously planned his visits for when you weren’t there. He came in once or twice when you were working but you quietly ignored one another, Gina’s cornering him routine finally paying off.

Nobody knew what had broken up the town’s newest couple but nobody was brave enough to ask. Gina had once given your shoulder a gentle squeeze when Lee had walked right by you and not acknowledged your presence. She was warming up to you, was sweeter to you on the job. All it took was a horrible break-up, apparently.

You avoided the police as much as you could. You kept your head down and your nose clean, not even risking jaywalking just in case, always keeping your eyes averted if a cruiser drove by. The library had been sold off and the boarded up windows made you feel sad to look at. Partly because it reminded you of that first time with Lee. And partly because it was you’re a reminder of your failure to protect it. You occasionally met up with the diner ladies for a coffee though, and had been a semi regular visitor to their art class.

The Davey stuff had died down quicker than expected. There had been the funeral which had a huge turnout with high ranking cops from the nearby towns all coming to pay their respects, and the station put up a small plaque in town to honour his memory. The brave hero who died protecting the town. It made you sick that it existed and that nobody knew the truth about him, but you kept your silence. If Lee was struggling with guilt then you knew nothing about it.

Another cop was shot and killed in Meade a few weeks after they found Davey. It was some crazy drug dealer high on his own supply with some sort of grudge against the police. He’d attacked another officer about fifteen miles or so away too – although that one had survived. Eventually the guy was killed in a big shoot out with Meade police. It was hypothesised and widely accepted that this guy must’ve killed Davey too, probably driving around at night until he found any random cop and then opening fire. You thought Lee must’ve been delighted that such a neat explanation fell into his lap. Easy to pin it on the dead guy. Although nobody seemed to wonder how he would’ve got an armed Davey deep into the woods beforehand. Or how someone high on so many narcotics managed a perfect single shot between the eyes.

You had mainly been avoiding Julie. You felt immense guilt for the role in her husband's death. You hadn’t pulled the trigger but he died because of you. Aside from that, she just reminded you too much of yourself after Arthur died. It was painful to confront, shaking loose some old memories you’d long repressed. When you saw her face, it was like looking into a mirror from another life.

As for Arthur, you were still reeling from Lee’s little announcement. It had tarnished your memory of him, a black stain on what you thought your marriage was. It was hard not to have closure as you couldn’t confront him about it. You didn’t even know who she was, and she’d moved away, so you couldn’t confront her either. Probably wouldn’t have spoken to you anyway. You just had so many questions that would never be answered. When did it start? How did they meet? Did he feel guilt, or did he not care?

Maybe it was for the best. You should let a wound heal and close up, not keep picking at it and picking at it – unless you wanted to bleed again.

In a way it was freeing. Before this you had thought of yourself as a bit of a failure of a wife, letting your marriage down. But now, Arthur wasn’t perfect anymore. Far from it. And Lee had been right, he had made you feel bad. You had started to go over old memories with fresh eyes – Arthur had been a good man. He had been decent to you, smart enough to ensure you were financially sorted in the event of his death. But you also realised how frequently his snide little comments put you down, making you doubt yourself. Making you feel inferior just because you were trying to love him. Husbands shouldn’t do that.

And Lee. You thought about him often. The old fantasy of Arthur coming home and getting into bed with you like nothing happened was now about Lee. Sometimes you thought about rushing into the station while he worked and telling him you loved him, that you wanted to reset and try again. That you’d forgiven him for Davey and you understood why he did it.

But too much had been said between you. You had both hurt each other. You didn’t even know what you’d say now.

Rumours around town were that his drinking was bad again but you never knew what was truth and was just hear'say. He could’ve found a nice new girl for all you knew, happily moved on and wanting to leave you in the past. You didn’t think you’d be able to cope if you put everything out on the table for him and he knocked you back.

It was a chilly afternoon when you were walking through town running some errands. It was so cold that hardly anyone was out on the streets, sensibly camped out at home rather than braving the harsh winds like you.

As you turned the corner you saw the memorial plaque you loathed so much…and standing in front of it, Julie.

She was wrapped up in a big coat, carefully studying the meticulously engraved script and putting flowers underneath it. She must’ve sensed you as she turned and saw you, giving a little wave. You smiled weakly, striding over.

“I feel like I barely see you these days” she said gently as you approached her.

“I’m sorry. Work has been busy, and I have a bunch of stuff around the house I’m working on” you told her apologetically.

A lie.

“And maybe seeing me is a bit like seein’ a ghost?” she offered kindly.

Your eyes dropped, embarrassed that she saw through you so easily.

“I’m sorry Julie. I am. I know I could’ve been better. I know full well how hard this is” you said sincerely.

She shook her head. “No. I get it. I wouldn’t want to re-live this either. This must’ve unearthed a bunch of stuff for you”.

You nodded. “It has, yes. But still, I could’ve put my big girl panties on”.

She chuckled warmly.

“How are you getting on?” you asked, your eyes moving to the plaque.

She shrugged. “Some days are better than others. The life insurance came through so that’s a big help. And everyone has been so nice and supportive. I can’t remember the last time I ate something I cooked myself”.

You nodded. “I remember it well. Maybe just stay away from Mrs. Harlow’s apple pies..”

Julie shrieked. “Oh my goodness! I thought that was just me. The apples inside were RAW?”

You laughed. “I took a bite of mine and I swear the crust was just raw dough. She means well and is an angel but that lady cannot bake. The worst thing was she kept bringing them…I ended up throwing one in the creek”

You both giggled until Julie clutched at her sides.

“God, it feels good to laugh again” she muttered, wiping her eye. “I haven’t done that in a while”.

You smiled warmly. “It’ll come. As a fully paid up member of the Knockemstiff Widow Club I can assure you it gets easier”.

She smiled back. “The ‘K.W.C huh? And how many members does your club have?”

“Well, officially just me right now. But we are accepting new memberships, it’s just nobody wants to join”.

“Can I join?”

“Sure. The one rule is no undercooked apple pies”.

You both laughed again. It felt nice to bond, to talk to someone who understood. You were so annoyed at yourself for avoiding her for so long.

“Can I tell you something, in secret I mean?” she asked, eyes darting to check for any passers-by.

“Of course” you said. “KWC honour”.

She smiled at you meekly. “Sometimes…my husband wasn’t always good to me” she whispered.

You nodded, dropping your voice. “In what way?”

“Well” she said gently, her eyes looking at the ground. “He was a good man. Never laid a finger on me. But sometimes in the bedroom…he liked it rough. But like…scary rough. Y’know? But I didn’t. And I told him I didn’t like it that way. But he still did it anyway…you know?”

Your heart lurched and you reached out to take her hand. “That sounds horrible. He shouldn’t have done that”.

It never occurred to you that Davey’s taste for violence would impact his wife too. But of course it did.

She nodded. “I know this sounds awful…but when he died. Part of me. Only a small part of me. Secretly…was relieved in some ways. That’s terrible isn’t it?”

You shook your head. “No. It’s not. Actually…Arthur wasn’t always nice to me either. He used to put me down, make me feel bad about myself. And then after he died I found out he was having an affair”.

Julie gasped. “Oh my goodness…I’m so sorry”.

“It’s okay” you told her, squeezing her palm. “It’s funny. I loved him so much, and he was a wonderful man mostly, but sometimes felt like I was walking on eggshells or scared to be fully myself in case I got it wrong. Sometimes like you...I feel glad he’s gone. Because I’m free now”.

Julie’s eyes filled with tears and she smiled warmly at you. You both stood hand in hand in the cold for a little while, basking in the inner warmth that only comes from being seen or understood by another person.

For a moment you considered telling her the truth about Davey and what he did to you. But what good would that do? It would only bring her more pain and anguish when she's already suffered so much. Besides, Davey was gone now and couldn't hurt her. Or anyone ever again. Collapsing her world benefitted nobody.

“It gets easier. Take it one day at a time” you told her. “Maybe eventually you’ll meet someone new down the line, if you feel ready”.

“Like you and Lee?” Julie asked tentatively.

“Me and Lee aren’t me and Lee anymore” you said quietly.

She nodded. “I heard. But you know he's fallin’ apart without you”.

“What do you mean?” you asked keenly.

“Oh y’know I see him around. He ain’t himself. Drinking more. And you know he’s always hanging out by the diner”.

Your face screwed up with confusion. “What do you mean?”

“C’mon you don’t know?” she laughed lightly.

“No…?”

“Oh hon’. The other day when you were workin’ I was passing by and he was standing out in the lot talking himself up to go in and see you. Gina said he’s always hanging around out there”.

Your stomach flipped. “What? But he ignores me when he sees me…?” you protested quietly.

“Does he? Or do you ignore him?” Julie asked.

Your mind raced.

“Julie…I gotta go”.

#lee bodecker x reader #sheriff lee bodecker #lee bodecker #lee bodecker x you #lee bodecker x female reader #Awakened fic

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cloudlessly-light · 1 year

Note

Prompt! Em pegging Hotch? yes please…

A/N: This is like the third time someone has asked me this and initially I wasn’t going to do it since I can’t really see Hotch as a bottom, but the more I thought about it I realized that I wanted to do it even if it’s completely new territory for me. I hope you guys like it!

Title: Uncharted territory Summary: Emily wants to peg Aaron, and he lets her Word Count: 2.5k Rating: Explicit Warnings: Smut, oral, rimming, pegging, dirty talk, top Emily, bottom Aaron

It’s never been hard for Emily to talk to Aaron about what she needs and wants, something that came easy before they fell in love, and even easier after. She knows he feels the same, that the communication between them was seemingly effortless even during the hardest of conversations.

It makes things easy, makes her feel secure in a way she never had before. For the first time she could truly say that she trusted someone with her life and she felt honored that he felt the same.

Their trust also came in handy when trying new things in the bedroom. Aaron had been limited to his experiences before her, had awkwardly told her fantasies that he previously had only kept to himself. Emily loved it, loved that he felt secure enough to bring up what he had always wanted to try but hadn’t felt comfortable enough to voice to Haley or Beth. So they delve into different things, bondage, sensory play, role play and it was a new realm of pleasure.

She wouldn’t say that she was a novice when it came to sex, she had tried almost everything she wanted to try but found that with him, everything was better. He had a thing about control, something she had already figured out. But Aaron Hotchner controlling her pleasure or teasing her to the verge of tears would never not be one of her favorite things. But she still had this itch, something she hadn’t asked him about yet. She knew why, knew that it would be something to work up to and even though he was the least judgmental person she knew, she was worried of his reaction.

She decides one night to just come out and ask him, foregoing any small talk and just ask him as they relax into the couch together.

“Have you ever thought about being fucked in the ass?”

In hindsight she should have waited until he had swallowed the wine in his mouth as he starts coughing and some of the red wine spills from his lips.

“Sorry.” She hands him a napkin and bites her bottom lip, unsure of the way he’s looking at her.

“You really just decided that was something to blurt out huh?” He laughs and she immediately relaxes at his reaction. “Where did that come from?”

“I don’t know…” She shrugs as she plays with her cuticles but his warm hand is quick to intertwine with her fingers to keep her from doing any damage. “It’s just something I’ve thought about I guess.”

“About if I’ve been fucked in the ass or you wanting to fuck my ass?” He hadn’t really thought about it before, had no experiences to any kind of anal play before Emily and even then, it had been her idea.

“Both?” She feels his hand squeeze hers and she smiles sheepishly. “I mean it would be hot seeing you like that.”

Aaron stays silent, thinks about what it might feel like, what it would be like. He’s not thrilled about the idea, but he’s not exactly turned off either. But he didn’t know if he would be able to let go like that, if he could though, it would be for her.

“I’m not saying that we’re doing this, but I guess we could try something simple?” He finally says and Emily looks both relieved and exhilarated at the same time. “But to be honest, I’m not sure if that’s something I’d enjoy.”

“If you don’t want to we obviously don’t have to do anything.” Emily assures him, her face nothing but understanding and it makes him smile.

“Like I said, maybe start slow, we’ll see how it goes.”

And they do go slow, Emily not even mentioning it for weeks after. It makes him almost curious about it as he thinks more about it, and he knows that she’s waiting for him to come to her. It’s tempting and when she’s in between his legs and sucking him off one night, he almost does. She’s licking over his balls, her tongue lower than she normally would go, but then she pulls back to take his cockhead back in her mouth and he can almost feel the disappointment, but doesn’t miss the glint in her eyes.

It’s another week before he relents. She’s licking teasingly along his shaft, her fist around the base as she pumps him lazily. He’s gripping the sheets in his fists, groans when she sucks the tip of him and then pulls away.

“What do you need baby?” She asks quietly, her eyebrow raised as she twists her wrist making him tense.

“More, Em more.” He barely sees the smirk on her lips before she lays between his legs on her stomach, his cock back in her mouth and sucking harder. She takes him as deep as she can, pulls back with a gasp and then he sees her trailing lower.

“Is this okay?” She asks, eyes on him as she dips her tongue between his legs, barely making contact with his skin.

He shivers at the first swipe of her tongue against his hole, the feeling new and strange but not bad. He groans and nods his head and he feels her tongue again, more pressure this time and his eyes shut tight.

“Fuck, fuck that feels good.” He hears himself saying through the pleasure his body isn’t sure how to react to. It makes Emily more confident, her tongue lapping over him and her hand wraps around his shaft, hard as steel and Aaron’s body buckles into her touch.

“That’s it baby.” She whispers as she watches the confused bliss on his face. She feels the muscle relax as her tongue pushes against him, jerks his cock harder and to her surprise his familiar fingers finds her hair and tugs her harder into him. She had a feeling that he would enjoy this, but she didn’t think he would react this strongly this quickly.

“Don’t stop, fuck keep doing that.” He mumbles and he can vaguely hear Emily moan as his fingers tug on her hair.

“You want more?” She rasps through harsh breaths, only pulls away long enough to see him nod before she pushes her tongue against him again, mimicking what he used to do her. Her hand wraps tighter around him as his thighs tense on either side of her, his hips grinding in a way that made her own want pulse between her legs.

Aaron feels his entire body go numb with pleasure as she slowly works a finger inside of him, his eyes shooting open as he leans up on his elbows to watch her. He’s sweating, his body hot as she pushes her finger up, hitting his prostate and he can’t control the growl that builds in his chest. Another finger pushes inside of him and he’s sure he’s going to rip the sheets from the way he’s gripping them.

Emily watches the muscles of his abdomen tense as he looks at her with eyes dark enough to look black. His lips are parted as he pants, skin flushed and she realizes that this is how he so often sees her, desperate and yearning. The power rush makes her smirk, the heat of it pulses between her thighs.

He can feel his orgasm in his entire body, vision blurring and barely able to breathe as she twists her wrist and her fingers hooks inside of him and he feels his entire body give in to the pleasure of it. His release is hot and thick as it lands on his stomach, Emily not stopping until he’s visibly relaxed and breathing slowing. He watches as she gently pulls her fingers away and her tongue comes to lick his cum of his skin and suddenly the reality of what just happened hits him and he feels an overwhelming need to take his control back.

He grabs her and pushes her onto the bed, his body hovering over hers as he stares at her.

“Fuck that was so good baby.” She whispers, but her words are cut of by his lips on hers, hard and claiming.

He makes her fall apart three times on his finger and tongue, another two times on his cock just because he can and Emily can’t wait until they do this again.

After the initial shock of how much he liked it, he’s more relaxed when it happens semi-regularly, Emily starting with fingers and then moves on to toys and then one night he finds himself on the edge of the bed as Emily stands in front of him securing a strap on.

“Are you sure?” She asks as she adjusts the straps around her hips, fits it against her so the vibrating bullet at the base is pressed against her clit.

“Yes honey, I’m sure.” He answers somewhere between arousal and exasperation. It was the fifth time she had asked and he appreciated it, but the vision of Emily securing a strap on and standing in front of him made his mind go blank. He wanted her, wanted to experience this with her.

Emily lubes the dildo attached and adds some to his already prepped hole, a smile showing on her face as he shudders from her touch.

“Stay still for me, will you?” She gives him a look and he relaxes as her knee hits the mattrass and he spreads his legs wider. “I’m going to fuck you so good baby.” She coos as she presses the head of the toy against him. She watches his face carefully as she pushes forward, his body resisting the initial intrusion at first.

Aaron groans as she slowly fills him, the dildo thicker and longer than any toys they had used so far. But it feels good, mind-numbingly good and he gives her a nod to continue. She doesn’t stop until she’s pressed against him, her hips flush against his and she releases a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“Wow.” She whispers and experimentally pulls out a little and he jerks slightly. “You look so good like this.” She tells him and if he hadn’t been on the verge of overwhelmed from the sensations she was causing, he would have pinned her down in seconds. But he doesn’t, instead he lets her slowly find a rhythm, long and deep strokes of her hips that has his head falling back into the bed as groans and curses falls from his lips.

Emily feels powerful, that’s the only way to describe it as she watches the man she loves, the man that always is so control of every situation, gives all that up for her. She fumbles with the button on the toy, moans as the vibrations start against her clit and it makes her move harder.

“Fuck, Em, fuck it’s so good, don’t stop please don’t stop.” He’s not really aware of what he’s saying, his entire focus on the pleasure of the dildo pushing inside of him, mixed with the breathless moans coming from her above him. He opens his eyes just in time to see Emily’s head falling back, a look of something new on her face and he can feel the way she’s clearly chasing her release.

She grinds against him, rolls her hips against the base of the toy and effectively pushes the dildo as deep as it can go inside of him. The sound of his deep growl makes her eyes snap to his and she feels herself drip from the way he’s looking at her, want and love and need in his eyes. She looks at his cock, swollen and red as he leaks onto his stomach. It looks massive laying against him, neglected and straining.

“You want me to touch you?” She grins as he bites his bottom lip, and she slows her hips. She’s still pressed deep inside of him, the vibrations against her clit getting her closer to her own release and she slowly drags a nail over his shaft.

“Fuck!” His fist hits the bed as he grasps the sheets, trying to ground himself. “Fuck yes, I want you to touch me.” He watches desperately as her hand hovers over him, his cock jerking in response. “Please.” He adds and is immediately rewarded by her warm hand wrapping around him.

Emily starts moving again, fucks him in time with her moving hand and she can see his whole body reacting to it. She can feel her body start to give in to the pleasure from the vibrations, her orgasm building in the pit of her stomach.

“You’re close aren’t you?” She asks as she watches his body tense with each push of her hips.

“Yes, so close.” He groans through clenched teeth and her hand stops momentarily until his eyes meets hers.

“Hold it, come with me.” She moves as hard as her body allows her too, making the toy press harder against her clit. She pants as her vision starts to blur, her hand starts to jerk him again and she knows that it won’t be more than a few moments until he’s coming. She feels her muscles burning from the effort, the pleasure rushing through her and when she sees the way he’s clinging to the sheets as he tries to hold off his orgasm she comes hard.

Aaron can barely think as he hears the low moans falling from Emily’s lips as her body starts to shake. He groans loud and deep as he gives in to the pleasure he’s been trying to hold off. His body jerks and buckles as he comes, the pleasure bordering on painful as Emily slowly starts to come down from her own high, her hips stuttering and then slowing.

She’s careful to pull out of him and remove the harness and goes to the bathroom. She doesn’t waste any time wetting a towel in warm water and then goes to clean him up.

“Are you okay?” She asks as she gently drags the towel over his abdomen and his hand comes to her hip.

“I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to use my legs again.” He smiles and when she’s done cleaning him, he pulls her down against his body. “I’m more than okay honey, are you okay?”

“I never realized how much of a workout fucking can be.” She grins and he laughs as he pulls her into a kiss. “It was good though?”

“It was fucking fantastic.” He promises and pushes some hair out of her face. “Don’t think I won’t be fucking you into the bed tomorrow though.”

“I can’t wait baby.” She lets himself fall into him, the warmth and safety of his embrace as she lets herself take a moment to just be with him. After a couple of minutes of silence she lifts her head and looks at him with a smirk. “I knew you were a bottom.”

“Woman, do not push it.”

#hotchniss #hotchniss fanfiction #hotchniss smut #aaron hotchner x emily prentiss smut #aaron hotchner x emily prentiss #dom emily prentiss #top emily prentiss #criminal minds smut #criminal minds fanfiction #bottom aaron hotchner #sub aaron hotchner

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ravennaortiz · 4 months

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Chapter 4 of the Juice and OC Stormie Rayne story.

Warnings: As always this is an 18+ story. General themes of the show such as violence, drugs, swearing, smut etc. Mention of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault/harassment are in some chapters.

*Next Day*

Stormie woke up to sunshine peeking through the curtains in her brothers guest room. This was probably the best nights sleep she'd had in years. Feeling safe really could do wonders for a person she thought to herself as she stretched her arms. As she did so her gaze fell to the empty space in the bed where her daughter should have been. Stormie tried to stop the panic rising and be rational but she couldn't as she darted out of the room.

"Are you okay?" asked Half-Sack as Stormie ran into him as he stepped out of the bathroom. "Isabella is missing" explained Stormie panic making her voice high pitched. Half-Sacks brow furrowed in confusion as he knew for a fact Isabella was in the living room where he left her with Juice. "She's not. She is with Juice in the living room" soothed Half-Sack as he held her in place gently. "You left her alone with him?" snapped Stormie her panic turning to anger as she struggled to get away. "Juice wouldn't hurt her. You don't have to be in survival/ protective mode all the time now Storm. I'm serious. No one in the club will hurt either of you or let you get hurt." explained Half-Sack as he held eye contact with her.

Stormie tried to calm herself as she listened to her brothers words. "Its.....hard" stated Stormie as tears prickled at her eyes. "I promise you it will get easier. You gotta trust me" replied Half-Sack as he pulled her in for a hug.

***

"Mommy!" shouted Isabella as she saw Stormie and Half-Sack walk in to the living room. "SpongeBob is on" she added as she pointed her spoon of cereal at the TV before going back to watching it. Stormie had to smile at how relaxed her little girl looked sitting next to the mohawked biker both intently watching the TV as they ate cereal. "Morning Stormie" called Juice as he glanced quickly over shooting her what seemed to be a signature smile. "See. All good" whispered Half-Sack as he moved to sit back in his chair. Stormie considered the scene for a moment before moving over to the couch and sitting on Juices other side hugging her legs close to her chest.

The four of them spent the next hour watching TV in a comfortable silence when a knock came at the door. Half-Sack got up and opened the door to Gemma. "Morning guys. I thought I would pop over and see if I could steal Isabella for the day?" questioned Gemma as she looked at Stormie. "Umm" started Stormie unsure about the idea. "Mommas deserve a little freedom hunny, trust me. Clay and Tig will be with us so no need to worry. Anyways this will let you go get the rest of your stuff from back home" stated Gemma her tone making it clear she wouldn't except any answer but yes. "Okay" replied Stormie as she nodded her head.

****

The tension rolling off Stormie was thick as she walked though what used to be her home. She never thought she would set foot back in this place let alone with her brother and two of his friends. Chibs and Juice had volunteered to join them for backup if it was needed. She felt weirdly embarrassed as she looked over the normal mess and then the obvious mess of a home invasion as she made her way to her room to get things. She had already packed the rest of Isabella's things and random bits from the rest of the house which the guys were loading up in the van.

"You okay" asked Juice quietly as he stood in the doorway of her bedroom watching how she had herself plastered to the far wall as she looked at her bed with tears. "Its stupid" muttered Stormie as she wiped at her eyes as she tried to will herself to just gather her things. "I....I'm afraid...of the underside of the bed. Like... a monster.....under....it" struggled to explain Stomie as she flushed with embarrassment. Juice nodded as he walked in the room a bit. "Well, let me take a look for you." he offered as he knelt down on the floor and lifted the covers to look under it. "You" started Stormie feeling bad he was on the floor but a shook of his head stopped her.

"All clear" stated Juice as he looked up at Stormie. "Thanks" stated Stormie as she offered a tentative smile before taking a breath and stepping forward to grab a bag on her bed and moving to her closet to grab things. Juice went to head out when Stormie turned to him. "Would you mind waiting while I gather my things? I don't like being in here alone" questioned Stormie as she bit her lip nervously as her eyes darted quickly to the blood stains still on the floor and walls. "Of course" replied Juice as he looked back at her.

An hour later the group was back on the road. Stormie watched as the sun set while they made their way back to her new home. She was ready to start living and not be in constant survival mode.

Return to Chapter List

#sons of anarchy #ravennasmasterlist #juice ortiz #soa fanfiction #soa fanfic #SunshineSOA #StormieRayneOC #juice smut #juice fanfic #juice fanfiction #juice imagines #half sack epps #juice ortiz fanfic #juice ortiz fanfiction #juice ortiz headcanons #juice ortiz x oc

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whumpshaped · 10 months

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whumpee (female) with a caretaker (male) but they are friends and just take care of each other. Whumpee can't sleep alone and caretaker offers to stay. Whumpee and caretaker fall asleep cuddling. just pure comfort and support but it's familial/platonic

niche whump tropes

tw lady whumpee, past trauma

Whumpee reached out without thinking, grabbing onto Caretaker's shirt. She didn't want to be alone. Not after everything. She didn't feel safe, she never did, it felt like she would never ever feel safe again; not unless Caretaker was there with her. Protecting her.

"Whumpee?"

She didn't want to say it out loud and sound pathetic. She kept her gaze fixed on her hand, avoiding looking at him, hoping he'd understand and just go along with it. He wasn't going to make her "use her words", was he? No. No. That was Whumper. Caretaker would never humiliate her on purpose.

Sure enough, he placed a gentle hand on top of hers. He didn't pry it off, instead tracing soothing circles into her skin. "It's okay. Do you want me to stay?"

Whumpee nodded jerkily, so quick and so embarrassed that she was afraid Caretaker would pretend not to have seen it out of common courtesy.

"Okay. Just let me know if you change your mind at any point." He sat back down on the bed, but Whumpee kept tugging on his shirt anyway. She glanced up at his face to see a confused expression, and she wished he would just get it. "You, uh... do you want me to..." He trailed off, just as awkward about the situation as her. "I mean, it's not an issue, I just... thought that'd be... I thought you didn't like... cuddles and the sort."

There it was. Caretaker was judging her, wasn't he? Because she had foolishly crafted this image of herself, one of a tough, unapproachable, emotionless leader, one that never had problems, never even liked any of this sentimentality. At one point, maybe she had actually been like that. But she had changed a lot since her time with Whumper, hadn't she?

Either way, she wanted nothing more than to be held by someone she trusted. Caretaker was on the very top of the list, having been her biggest help, best friend, and rescuer all in one. And now he was going to realise just how pitiful she'd become and leave. Whoever needed a weak leader? He must've been so uncomfortable already, god, he must've felt pressured, disgusted-

"I just want to make sure I understand," Caretaker said softly, interrupting the spiral. "So please, can you just nod if you want me to, um... hold you?"

Whumpee hesitated. She could still say no, and preserve some of her dignity. Pretend it was a misunderstanding. But Caretaker was looking at her with eyes devoid of any malice or judgement, and she was inclined to believe that he wouldn't make fun of her. Maybe that was a ridiculous amount of false hope. But she nodded, finally letting go of his shirt to allow him to properly climb into bed with her.

His embrace was cautious and unsure, with small stops, just in case she wanted to tell him off. She didn't. Instead, she nestled into his arms, enjoying the warmth of another human body pressed against her own.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Whumpee was baffled. She should've been the one thanking him. She wanted to ask, 'For what?' but all that made out was a small, questioning sound. It proved to be enough to prompt an explanation.

"For, um... putting so much trust in me. I just... always had this, this horrible feeling, that you bottled everything up... that you pulled away from everyone because... I don't know. Maybe you thought asking for a hug would make us see you differently." His hold tightened for a moment, gently squeezing her now fragile body. "All any of us ever wanted was to protect you, you know. Just as much as you wanted to protect us. As a team, it was... hard to see you so guarded all the time. We always comforted each other, and you always comforted us, but... I don't know. We were all worried."

Silence fell upon the bedroom, only broken by their soft breaths. Neither of them moved. Both of their thoughts were racing. Did he say too much? Had she been a recluse of a leader? Did he offend her? Did she offend them all?

"All I- all I want to say is... thank you for giving me permission to help. Or at least try to. You're not alone, you know. We're all here for you. Whatever you need."

She squeezed back after a small pause, in silent acknowledgement. Caretaker let out a relieved sigh.

"Try to sleep now. It's been a long day."

#asks #rosewriteswhump #niche requests #comfort #recovery #past trauma #lady whumpee

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ceaselxss · 1 month

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"How did it feel?" Rufus asks in a low tone, curious to know the answer to his question. "Going up against the Ancient. For so long, you were a mere bystander."

The worst was over; Tseng would heal and recover. Unfortunately, the Medical Team had been hesitant to use materia in the process. Something about concerns regarding interaction with any unknown elements he may have come into contact with while in the Temple. So he would have to heal and recover the natural, extended way.

Somewhere along the way he'd ended up in a private room. He appreciated it, but it also left him with nowhere to escape from a question he didn't particularly want to answer.

"Bystander..." He spoke slowly, feeling out each sound as the word fell from his lips. "Is that how you saw it?"

To him, bystander offered a sense of neutrality and innocence that he didn't feel suited their dynamic. Still, he realised that he didn't know how Rufus viewed his mission - it wasn't something Tseng spent a lot of time talking about.

"She was..." He began, hesitated, and tried again. Easier to talk about it like a report. "She was adept at her Ancient magic; capable of offensive and supportive styles of combat. It suits fighting alongside others. She avoided close quarters so I had to focus a little more on the Wutian girl and the escaped Specimen. Still, I can understand why Reno and Rude had trouble with bringing her in. As a group they fought well; you wouldn't think they'd only come together recently. She's always been good at making connections with people. I admit I'm unsure if much would have changed if I had had Reno with me instead. I was also informed that she was able to manipulate the Temple itself."

But that wasn't what Rufus had asked.

"I didn't enjoy fighting her. I didn't enjoy harming her, or watching Elena do it. I didn't enjoy watching her fight at the Saucer either. I've known Aerith for a long time; as an asset I needed to protect, but it's hard to maintain complete disconnect over such an extended assignment. It felt wrong to hurt her. I hope it's not disappointing to find out your right hand is still human beneath the suit."

The last bit was accompanied with a strained attempt at a small laugh, though he went quiet quickly as the motion shot pain through his side.

#ivory paragon #rebirth spoilers

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c-cw-f-saeko · 4 months

Text

sunday six 🤩

hello ! thank you @ohayouasagohan for tagging me as always !!!!!

i meant to post this last week but it was a bit too gloomy for new year's eve LOL so have it now. i decided to write a tessohui breakup one-shot 😍 omg yes!!!!!

ill probably post it on ao3 later just for the yearly tessohui fic quota

see under the cut! thank you !!

The city air was cold against his exposed skin. It blew once, then twice — the faint smoke of his burning cigarette falling back into his eyes. It burned, but as he blinked his watering irises, his gaze fell even further than before.

He brought the tobacco to his lips once more — an attempt to soothe his lingering lack of courage.

He sought something to focus on other than the distant city chatter. Maybe the many neon signs would do, but they seemed so dull. No less than how he felt in this instant, never less pathetic than the sigh he let out at the sound of the sliding door behind him.

He inhaled his cigarette another time — just as bitter than before.

“Aren’t you cold,” she asked, her faint steps slowly getting closer. But he could tell. She hesitated to brave the cool wind as one foot struggled to follow the other. The question, the stalling in her steps… she wished she didn’t have to do this. Perhaps, a subtle invitation to somewhere warmer, but alas fell on deaf ears.

His back was still turned to her as he imagined her face many times over. Still, nothing came to mind just yet — maybe it would be shock, or even disdain. He could imagine it over and over again, as his thoughts twisted left and right, up and down.

“Seonhee,” he exhaled, to her surprise as the answer she was expecting never came.

He shook his head, taking a step back to face her. A short pause to be hit by the confusion embedded in every pore of her skin. Unbeknownst to herself, she held her breath for short moment, unsure of what to expect.

His eyes didn’t linger anymore. He stared right back at her — but his words stalled to arrive as if late to travel the distance between them.

“…”

“Let’s break up.”

The sudden buzz in her ears took over the noise of the city.

Like that, right now and in this manner. She wouldn’t have seen it coming. He continued nonetheless.

“I thought I would be fine the way we were, but…” his words trailed off, unsure of how to even continue. For every day, hour and second that passed, he knew this realization would come. The longest he dared to force himself to accept it, the more it rejected him. Even trading every fibre of his being wouldn’t be enough.

His jaw tightened at the admission, and yet, it didn’t hurt no less.

“I was wrong.”

The wind blew hard once more as if to push them apart.

“Is this about-” her voice was lost in the air, but her thoughts were falling back into place — as the missing piece of a puzzle. The conclusion was short-lived; Barely enough time for the possibilities to unravel in her head that he cut her sentence short — down to the most obvious, as much as both of them didn’t want to admit.

“Yes,” he added, his gaze moving away.

She shook her head in disbelief, rejecting the most obvious. There was no way that could be the truth, no way this is what they had come down to, but she saw nothing else. Stuck in a tunnel perhaps, who could blame her.

Seconds passed before either spoke again. There was no need to make it more agonizing than it was. Both knew exactly what it was about.

“So…” her voice trembled, unsure if it was from anger, confusion, hurt, or perhaps everything at the same time. Swallowing back tears as she held onto the last straws of her pride. She continued carefully, in the hopes of being wrong once more. “You were just waiting to see if I was going to change my mind isn’t it.”

“No, I-” he refuted quickly. The inside of his cheek bitten to weigh his following words a little longer. All the claims of his intentions being pure, and yet, it was like he did everything on purpose, like he was being selfish at her expense. It was far too late now; they just couldn’t continue. “I could never force you to do that for me. I just… made my choice.”

It was fair isn’t it. Nothing she truly could argue with, and yet.

As he stood before her, she saw someone else. A retired performer, now showing its true colors. Through all the days, hours and seconds they shared, this what everything was about. She wanted to believe the words coming out of his mouth, but she couldn’t ignore the growing agony in the pit of her stomach. Everything would’ve been fine if she had swayed in his favor; she believed that to be true, it had to be.

“Then, why did we…” she asked to no avail, and truly nothing in particular. “Did you even,” her sentence cut short, words stuck at the bottom of her throat – cursing at herself deep down for the tears rolling down her face, wondering why anger didn’t take over. As she stood there small as she ever felt.

Why bother if, deep down, it was known from the start – believing otherwise had been foolish. She saw it. There was no urge to prove her wrong, in his demeanor of someone that left a long ago. He held back on reaching for her hand, despite how his words rang to ears.

“I really did love you Seonhee but,” He stared back at her, hand still curled over itself. There was no need to offend her further, right at the moment he sounded the least sincere to her. He persisted; in the hopes she saw where he was coming from.

“Yua needs me.”

________________________________________________

this is yua btw

#tesso #seonhee #tessohui #yakuza #rgg #sunday six #wrote about them three times and we get a breakup fic already #oh well #oops!!!!

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poeticmoonspirit · 2 years

Text

These Things I've Done - Part VI

Part I Part II Part III Part IIII Part V

[FLASHBACK]

"You don't remember her? You will soon, I promise!" Zuko bellowed, holding his flame-engulfed fist at the man, his hands shaking in uncontrollable fury.

Katara stopped him, gesturing for him to give her a shot at making the man talk.

"So you won't talk, huh?" She pretended to ponder on this predicament, unaware of the fear plastered on the man's face. She kicked him so hard that one of his teeth fell out. Blood trickled down his chin as he spit at her, a mix of blood and saliva on her shoe. She kicked him again.

"Answer me!"

She raised her arm, making the man fall onto his knees, unaware of the shock and admiration and utter fear on Zuko's face as he watched the waterbender control the man as if he were a puppet. Blood seeped out the corners of his eyes as he tried to breathe. He gagged and choked and yelped. She looked at the man now, his eyes facing hers, anxiety racing through her veins.

It wasn't him.

Katara remembered the eyes of the man who killed her mother as clear as day. They were golden, bitter, vile. Full of unbelievable hatred.

Cruel.

No, this wasn't him at all. This whole time she'd been wasting precious minutes that could've led her to the real culprit by now. She sighed, her voice shaken and small.

"It's not him." She turned back to the firebender, uncertainty and fear washed over her features, "Zuko, it's not him."

"What do you mean it's not him? He's the commander of the Southern Raiders! It has to be him!"

She closed her eyes in exhaustion, then opened them again and headed out the way they came in, saying absolutely nothing. Zuko narrowed his eyes at the action.

"Well if you're not the man we're looking for, tell me who is!" He growled, grabbing the man by his throat.

"Y-you must be looking for Yon Rha! H-he retired ages ago!" Zuko listened to the man as he gave them instructions on how to find the former commander's residence. Zuko turned back, hoping to find Katara, but found that she was already gone.

•~•~•~•

"Katara? Katara!" They had made it back onto the mainland and he had lost sight of her once again. He groaned. They needed to stick close together. There was no telling what would happen if she'd been captured.

He surveyed his surrounding, until he came close to a tree in the middle of the village Yon Rha was said to reside in. Katara was leaning against it, wiping her eyes and biting her shaky lips. Her cheeks were tinged red.

"Katara?" He said, unsure of how to approach her like this. They were still in uncharted territory, not exactly enemies but not exactly friends either.

"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" He tried. He didn't want to overstep any boundaries she might have and he definitely didn't want to judge her for how she may be feeling in the moment.

She turned to look at him, clearing her throat and wiping her eyes. "Do you—do you think that I'm the bad guy here? That maybe I overdid it back there?"

He didn't want to give her something she wanted to hear. So instead he spoke from the heart and hoped that she'd consider it.

"When you've been wronged, it's only right to want justice." She looked at him then, really looked at him. She watched him briefly touch his scar as he said this.

She didn't want to butt in his personal life and any secrets he may have had about his scar, but she'd always been curious. Everyone always said it was from a training accident of some sort, and for some reason she just wanted a distraction and—

"Who gave you that scar?"

It was almost like he had been hit, if his reaction to the question was anything to go by. His eyes were wide, gold eyes simmering into pools of amber. He looked away before briefly meeting her gaze again.

"Why do you—why do you say 'who' instead of 'what'?" He asked, his left eye twitching now.

Katara felt like she had just crossed a major line, and now she had no idea how to take a step back without undoing the damage that had been done.

"Because when you said "when you've been wronged" your hand went to your face almost immediately. I-I was just curious and I'm sorry that I asked. You don't have to answer—"

"My father."

There. Those two words danced in between them, shame filling Zuko's core and shock and anger filling Katara's. She didn't know what she was expecting but the Fire Lord himself was the last thing on her mind.

"Y-your father? How—" She couldn't comprehend why a parent would do that to their own child. But this wasn't just any parent. It was Ozai. "How did—why?"

He gave her the short version of what happened and before Zuko finished, she found herself on her knees, spewing the contents of her stomach. Zuko ran over to her, quick to grab hold of her hair and move it out of her face.

"H-how could someone do something like that?! Zuko, I had—I had no idea—"

"It's okay—"

"No, it's not!" She yelled. Her body was trembling, from the retching or anger, she didn't know. But now everything made more sense. His desperation to bring Aang back to his father, his story about his mother.

La, he'd been abused. And for so long he had endured it.

"Katara." He crouched down and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "We have to keep going. This isn't about me right now, it's about getting closure and justice for your mother."

That's right. That was the whole reason they were even here in the first place. She almost forgot.

"And don't — don't feel like you have to do this, okay? Do it because you want to, not because you feel like you're terrible if you don't. You do what you feel is right. What I think doesn't matter right now. What I am doing this very moment is only a small part of what I have to do for the rest of the world. You're owed that, Katara."

Katara got up to her feet, a new sense of appreciation for the prince. Yes, he had betrayed her in Ba Sing Se, but he was working to make amends. And that's all she could ever hope for.

So with a look of determination, she cracked her knuckles and glanced back at him. "Okay. Let's do this."

•~•~•~•

"We weren't behind the bush, old man. And I wouldn't try firebending again!"

Katara slid into view then, pulling her mask down to face the monster that had been plaguing her nightmares for years. She looked into his eyes. They were the same ones that held his cold and sinister soul. The same ones that watched her mother as she burned alive, her last thoughts of her family. Katara cracked her knuckles again, a habit she'd been doing lately. Zuko was on her left side, her immediate go-to should anything go wrong.

But no, nothing would go wrong today. She would make sure of that.

"Do you know who I am?"

The man flinched at her venom-covered words, the way she said them. He looked even harder now, seeing the blue in her eyes, the brown complexion of her skin. She was Water Tribe. How could that be?

"N-no, I think you may have the wrong—"

She clenched her jaw. "Oh, so you don't remember me?" She stepped a bit closer, "How about now?"

He remembered then, those glimmering blue eyes of the Water Tribe child all those years ago. But no, that couldn't be...could it?

"You're that Water Tribe girl!"

She wanted to beat the living shit out of the man after hearing the genuine surprise in his voice. How dare he?

"Seven years ago you killed my mother. She told me to leave because she knew she wasn't going to make it out alive. She knew! She cooperated! And you killed her anyway!"

The man looked utterly terrified at Katara's expression. Her eyes were wide, a snarl on her lips. Zuko looked ready to kill the man himself, but he knew that it would be wrong. This was her battle, not his. Not unless she said otherwise. So he remained quiet.

She raised both arms, creating a blanket of water over the three of them. Zuko lifted his mask to take it all in. She was truly a master. The only person he'd seen have this much control and mastery of their element was his sister.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I can give you money to compensate! You could have my mother if you'd like!"

She said nothing, creating hundreds of icicles and aimed it at him.

"You think I want money? A substitute mother? You're a fucking joke! You got to live your years while my mother didn't! Did you think about what that would do to me or my family?"

"We're just peasants though, right? Well joke's on you! I'm the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe! The one you thought you killed! And now I'll be the one to end your life!"

She let the icicles pierce through the man one by one until his screams were no more. Blood poured out onto the wet ground, mixing in with the water. When did it start raining?

Katara fell to her knees, completely shut down. She couldn't feel anything, couldn't comprehend anything. She felt warm arms envelope her, rubbing soothing circles into her back.

She almost forgot Zuko was here, too.

So she gripped his arm tightly, unable to speak or say anything but somehow he got the message.

"I'm not leaving you. Don't worry. I'm right here."

And like a crumbling wall, she continued to fall.

#i have a MASSIVE migraine right now #Trigger Warning: Blood and Mentions of Abuse #zutara #anti kataang #ficlet

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fumikomiyasaki · 1 month

Note

🤝🫣💕✏️ for Carol with Silver and Jade

Oc x Canon Asks

Silver:

🤝: How did they meet in the first place? What was there first impression of each other?

There is two versions... one where Carol stays in Ramshackle where they would meet among the campus and one where she transfers to Diasomnia and meets him there.... either way I feel she joined him as he fell asleep just watching out for him and reading a book... making sure nobody disturbs him... she felt calm around him and he had somewhat comfort with her being around... they were not obligated to act close but could still enjoy anothers company.

🫣: Who stumbled the most with their feelings around the other? How much did the other person notice?

Silver didn't notice her feelings even if she often watched him from afar and admired him for how pretty he was... I mean she didn't noticed either he took a liking to her but he was less obvious about it... they just thought they liked another as buddies when it was actually more behind it.

💕: Who confessed first and how? Did it go as planned or did shenanigans ensue?

Definetly Carol would have spoken up about it... she has so many crushes but maybe one event where Silver fell asleep against her made her blurt out her feelings thinking he was asleep but he heard it all and whispered back to her that he loved her too... she grew quite red unsure if she heard that right but a kiss soon after was proof enough as she hugged him with a happy smile.

✏️: How canon compliant are you with them? Do you stick pretty close or just have fun cause it’s your ship so no one can tell you what to do other wise?

I am honest... even If I research and read up everything I can I haven't touched the game since the scarabia chapter so... all my information is relying on wikis and translations right now... I try my best to stick to what I know and headcanons but that could not 100% be canon complient

Jade:

🤝: How did they meet in the first place? What was there first impression of each other?

Carol imidiatly took action hearing about the messes Ace and Deuce got themselves in and she had zero trust in Jade at first but also... she was intrigued... he tried so hard to keep that polite gentlemanly facade... tried hard to win her over and calm her down so she continued the talk in hopes to understand him more... with time she got more along with him... I feel he also felt she was too stuck up and wanted to teach her a lesson at first but with time her behaviour had him curious too as well as how much she could read a person.

🫣: Who stumbled the most with their feelings around the other? How much did the other person notice?

This one is very slowburn but... Jade was barely noticable aside that he teased her more affectionately and she got red from it so he knew right away she took a liking to him but could play it off and mess with her a little. While she was flabbergasted that anyone think he liked her as more than that.

💕: Who confessed first and how? Did it go as planned or did shenanigans ensue?

I could see them have a joined mountain trip to find some mushrooms together where she helped him dig some up and find them to have a one on one talk... and eventually have a confrontation where she asked hesitantly if he ever be genuine and what he truely think of her just to be hit by a kabedon and a surprised admitance of his feelings that caught her quite of guard and confused but in the end she returned a kiss to him but said he needed to at least tell her a little bit more at times... and the funniest about them is still to me that Jade knows she is often sought after by others so he is that menacing smile behind her when she walks keeping her safe.

✏️: How canon compliant are you with them? Do you stick pretty close or just have fun cause it’s your ship so no one can tell you what to do other wise?

Same as above

#twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland ocs #twst #disney twst #twistedwonderland #twst ocs #twistedwonderlandoc #carol ann #oc x canon #silver twst #jade leech #carol x silver #carol x jade

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hbosswrites · 1 year

Text

Aftermath of Betrayal

(I am so very sorry about how late this is, there are no excuses. Here’s r4spb3rry-t4rt‘s request of a non-ship Chorus Trilogy short.)

Carolina wasn’t sure what to do with herself. She’d spent the majority of their time on Chorus alone with Epsilon, sleeping in ruins, washing with river water that was tested for radiation. If it weren’t for the AI in her head she wouldn’t have spoken aloud for weeks.

And now, here she was, surrounded by soldiers who barely tolerated allowing those standing near them to live. They were petty, mean, and childish to each other, and if the pettiness boiled over, they started waving weapons around.

Epsilon had decided to spend time with Caboose, leaving Carolina at odds with herself, looking for something to fill the hours. Thankfully, just as she started feeling uncomfortable, Simmons ran up to her with a heavy-handed wave.

“Carolina! Perfect, I was just looking for you!”

Well, that was odd. Simmons liked her well enough, but she couldn’t remember the last time he’d actively sought her out.

“Simmons, what’s happening?”

“It might be nothing, but it also might be something. No one has seen General Kimball for a while.”

“Kimball is the general of the New Republic, correct?” As if she was unsure about the hierarchy of the armies when she’d spent weeks stalking the whole planet. “I’m sure she’s busy. Things have been a lot, and I’m sure that bureaucracy is in hell right now.”

“Yeah, but…she was really close to Felix.”

Carolina felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. Had she missed something? She’d thought that she’d dealt with the few moles the paranoid mercenaries has left behind enemy lines. If the general was one of them, that was a massive blow.

And also didn’t make any sense.

“Close, like working with him?”

“Close like he was her friend. He took care of the army, he got hurt taking care of us.”

“Oh,” That made sense to Carolina, “He conned her.”

Simmons practically beamed through his visor.

“You understand it! I knew you were the person to deal with this! Could you talk to her?”

“Why me?”

“Well, one, you’re more of an outsider than the rest of us and you’re not as involved or invested as we are. Two, you’re a woman.”

Carolina felt herself prickle at that.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Sometimes a woman in a position of power might want another woman to talk to? Maybe she’d think you’d get it?”

She wanted to be annoyed with him, but he did kind of have a point. Carolina had spent a great deal of her life surrounded almost completely by men, and there were points that she’d wanted to talk to a woman about ‘woman things’. She didn’t know if that was as much of a thing on Chorus, but maybe he was right and she needed someone who understood the experience of being a woman in a leadership position.

It wasn’t hard to find Kimball’s office, partying soldiers casually pointed the way as she walked the halls of the base, until she was outside a nondescript white door with a sign taped to it that said ‘buzzer broken, please knock’.

Carolina knocked on the door, a little amused that the base was so low tech that it didn’t have buzzers that worked or security cameras on the doors. It was better to be amused than to think too hard about it and be worried.

There was a loud noise, like something massive fell over, before shuffling and a shout.

“Just a minute!”

The door opened and a soldier in full armor answered. The tan and ice blue told her that this was either the general or someone wearing her armor. Once she spoke, any doubts were washed away.

“Can I help you?”

Carolina had heard that voice a number of times on radio waves hacked by Epsilon to keep her in the loop.

“General? I’m Agent Carolina, I was hoping you had some time for me?”

The general nodded and stood aside for Carolina to come in. She pressed the panel and engaged the lock before she met Carolina in the center of the room.

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Agent, the Reds and Blues speak very highly of you. What can we do for you this evening?”

Carolina stood with her arms behind her back, at attention, hopeful the woman would recognize the attempt at respect. She wasn’t sure if this was the best in, but it would start a conversation, hopefully.

“I am here to give a full retelling of the events since the Reds and Blues crashed on Chorus. I was told you wanted my account as soon as possible since I’ve had the least entrenched experience.”

Kimball made a face and sighed heavily.

“I feel like this is something I should call Doyle in for,” she rubbed at her eyes. “Fuck it, I’m not emotionally ready to deal with him.”

She pulled her helmet off and circled her desk to pull a bottle from one of the drawers.

“Drink?”

Carolina pulled her helmet off and smiled. This was good.

“Sure, as long as it’s something that won’t eat my insides. I’ve heard about some of the alcohol your people brew here.”

“I promise it won’t kill you quickly.”

Kimball pulled a mug and a chipped cup out of her desk and poured into both before she passed the mug to Carolina and drank from her own. She had no idea what the offering was, but it didn’t smell terrible, and Carolina had survived drinking contests on the Mother of Invention. She could make this work even if it tasted like paint thinner.

They drank in mostly silence, occasional comments passed between them like the bottle, none of them were terribly important until Kimball let out a soft noise and caught Carolina’s eyes.

“It makes me crazy thinking about how easily we were duped. Doyle and I could have tried for peace talks ages ago.”

Just as Carolina was about to jump in and remind her that they were both thoroughly manipulated, Kimball shook her head.

“I have no doubt that Felix and Locus would have removed us if we had tried, now that I have context, so many of our leaders died because they were tired of the bloodshed.”

“And you trusted him.”

“Of course I did, Felix was in position when I was still running around like the privates, blowing up tanks and foraging for edible mushrooms so we would be less likely to starve on a daily basis.”

Kimball gulped down her cup and made a pained noise before sheput her head back in her hands.

“Hell, I don’t know how we’re going to make it now. Felix was the one supplementing our supplies.”

“He and Locus had several cashes, I’ve already cleared them out and moved the contents. It’s not what you’ll need to live for a year, but it will keep things going a little while longer. Focus on merging the armies, Wash and I can take their place bringing in supply cashes until you’re able to stand on your own.”

Kimball stared at her for a beat, long enough for anxiety to churn, before she beamed at Carolina.

“You’re amazing.”

Carolina felt a blush form on her cheeks. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been complimented that way.

“I’m really not.”

Kimball smiled and put a hand on Carolina’s shoulder.

“You saw a problem, you took care of it. I wish I’d been able to do half of what you’ve done, you’re a hero.”

“You ran an army, people who were scared, who were underdogs at odds with a greater power. Your people have managed to be smart, capable, and kind. That’s usually the first thing that goes when adversity strikes. People can’t afford to worry about being kind when they’re starving, when they’re in survival mode. You can deny credit if you want, but some of that is you. You’re a good leader.”

Kimball bumped her cup against Carolina’s and they both drank.

“You act like you’ve seen it.”

“I have, kind of. I’ve listened into conversations over radios, I’ve watched soldiers, and I have the benefit of knowing what it’s like to work for a leader who doesn’t care about you or anyone around you. Who sees you as pawns, as an experiment, as barely real. Your soldiers dance and sing, they have been fighting each other for years, but they all laid their weapons down and came together. That means something.”

Kimball waved that off.

“They are smart enough to know they were being manipulated.”

Honestly, it made Carolina a little sad. She could feel that, more than Kimball realized.

“Being smart and knowing you’re being manipulated are not a guarantee that someone will be rational enough to realize they’re being manipulated. It might not stop them.”

Wash didn’t know much about the New Republic. The Federal Army wasn’t the most forthcoming about the enemy other than calling them terrorists, and to a certain extent, Wash believed it, but he had a feeling that the soldier in tan and aqua armor, crouched in a ball and crying outside Tucker’s hospital room door was probably not there to blow him up or finish the stabbing that Felix started.

He stepped nearly in front of the soldier, completely unnoticed, before he cleared his throat to catch his attention. The soldier jerked and flailed dramatically, before he stood up and saluted. Once Wash nodded and told him to stand down, he relaxed and rubbed his visor across his arm, then jolted as if he had forgotten that he still had a helmet on.

It was painful to watch how adorably he reacted.

“You’re Agent Washington, right? I’m Lieutenant Palomo, Captain Tucker’s right-hand man. I was just waiting for him to wake up and be ok for visitors.”

Ah, Wash knew who this one was. Tucker talked about him a lot during their travel time, enough that Wash knew that Tucker would appreciate the company to keep his mind off of the stab wound.

Wash nodded and patted Palomo’s shoulder.

“Well, tell you what, why don’t I check in on him and see how he’s feeling? If he’s awake, he needs company, or he’ll menace the medical team.”

Palomo bounced in place and nodded so vigorously that Wash’s chest ached.

Wash put in the security code and peeked his head in at Tucker, who looked so vulnerable on the bed, but he was conscious and babbling at a medic. She looked like she could use a break, and Wash could hardly hide the grin in his voice.

“Sorry to bother you, but there’s a soldier out here wanting to see Captain Tucker and I think he could use some company.”

Palomo peeked around Wash enough that Tucker caught sight of him and his eyes narrowed in that playful way they did when he wasn’t actually annoyed.

“Fuck you, Washington,” Tucker whispered. There was venom in his voice, but Wash could see the gentility around his eyes. Palomo must have noticed it as well because he started to push through the door.

The medic nodded and stood up, taking a moment to stretch as they did so, before heading to the door.

“He could definitely use some company. Just make sure you don’t jostle him; his stomach has a giant hole in it and we’ve only just gotten it back together.”

Tucker made an annoyed noise as the soldier pulled his helmet off and wept loudly at his bedside between wheezing and babbling about how worried he was. Tucker carefully patted him on the head and made soothing noises.

They made eye contact for a moment, and Wash nodded as he closed the door. Wash could watch the door for them and give them a chance to have their moment. They both clearly needed a moment of vulnerability.

“Damn, Palomo,” Tucker chuckled and wheezed, “You’re crying like a bitch.”

“Yes, sir.”

The parties were loud and crazy. Caboose and Donut were surrounded by soldiers and dancing under flashing lights to the sound of pulsing beats. The base was filled to the brim with drunk, grabby, soldiers who wanted the Reds and Blues to party and be there as some kind of symbiol of change. He fucking hated it. He didn’t want to deal with other people anymore, the noise, the chaos, it was all too much.

All Grif wanted was a burger, a dozen blankets, and a week-long nap.

Which was why two of his people were perched in his favorite hiding spot, obviously. Nothing could go easy when he was exhausted and still a little messed up from the fight, not if the universe had anything to say about the subject.

“Bitters, Matthews, what do you want? I’m tired and I’m going to sleep, so you’ve got five minutes before I grab you both and toss you out.”

Grif expected snark from either of them, but instead Matthews threw himself into Grif’s arms, sniffling like he was trying to hold back sobs, and Bitters wasn’t far behind him. They squeezed him hard, Grif could feel Matthews shaking against him.

“You can sleep when you’re dead, asshole.” Bitters groused.

He did his best to swallow back the comments that had become an automatic defense over the years dealing with the other sim troopers, the casually cruel comments that he traded with his friends as a way of avoiding this exact scenario, and instead tried to channel his inner big brother. Dex was a little out of practice at this point, Sister had been out of touch for literal years, but some things were clearly more instinct than practice.

Matthews started to wail, then quieted, which lead into Bitters snarling angrily at Grif for some reason.

Grif eventually managed to get the two off him long enough to sit down in the premade nest and pull blankets for them. It wasn’t a cheeseburger and a nap, but this was what he got, apparently.

“Alright, if we’re gonna do this, let’s fucking do this. You can yell at me all you want, but I’m gonna be comfortable while you’re doing it. I refuse to stand any longer than I absolutely have to.”

He didn’t know who sent the message out, but it wasn’t long before the rest of his squad invaded the space, thoroughly destroying any future use of the hiding spot by them being too many to fit inside without leaving the space open and exposed for all to see. He would have to move everything he’d managed to hoard.

It was going to be a pain in the ass to find as good a spot as this one without getting caught.

But the soldiers were so happy that he was alive, that they were all alive. They all had stories about meeting Feds and talking to them and how stupid they were, but…maybe they weren’t evil. They told him they were terrified he’d abandoned them and how much of an asshole that would make him if he ever did. They told him how effective his ‘specialist training’ was in keeping them alive when bodies fell around them (identifying the best ways to hide, the best places to fire from without being tracked, and how to play dead in a way that wouldn’t lead to being double tapped). Grif had no idea they actually cared that much, or even paid attention in a way that kept them alive.

It was like something out of a horror story, but it was also kind of amazing to hear.

And while part of him was irritable and just wanted to fucking sleep until he didn’t hear bombs and bodies ringing in his ears anymore, he couldn’t be angry with people who somehow knew he was craving something specific and brought him the closest equivalent to a cheeseburger that the New Republic’s kitchen could make.

“Are you going to leave us again?” Matthews managed to get out through wheezing, choking sobs.

Bitters rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat, trying to bring his cool Maverickness back in.

“Sure, people think you’re a hero and everything right now, but it’s not like there’s anywhere to go that’s better than here.”

It was a strange question, since they weren’t wrong, especially now that it was basically decided that the armies would be banding together as one. Grif wasn’t even sure that the Reds and Blues could leave since they had kind of been adopted by the two generals and their respective armies. Grif wasn’t sure he’d be allowed to go somewhere else. At this point, they were mascots.

“As soon as I can get off this planet, I’m going home.” Grif did his best to sound normal, “But I don’t think that’s gonna be until Chorus is safe. So, no, I’m not gonna stay here forever, but I’ll be here until this shit is done. I guess. Since I don’t have a choice and all.”

He winced a little and waited for them to react.

Bitters shoved Grif’s arm a little and pulled his blanket up to his chin.

“I guess that’s all we can ask for. I wouldn’t stay here if I could leave.”

One of the soldiers turned on ocean noises and dimmed the lights, and Grif finally felt safe enough to relax for a few minutes and get some desperately needed sleep.

The parties wrapped up, leaving the base quiet in ways it rarely was. The joyous revelry of a battle ended would soon be overcome by fear, anxiety, tension, and infighting. There would be hard times ahead, but for the moment, there was peace, and the soldiers would revel in it for as long as it lasted.

#r4spb3rry-t4rt #rvb secret santa #rvb secret santa 2022

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