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nahoney22 · 2 months

Note

have you seen the film 500 days of summer? If yes I’m sure you’re familiar with the photocopy room kiss? so please may I request this type of kiss with female reader and the bad batch for your 4k followers? The scene makes my heart flutter every time 🤩 thank u :)

500 Days of The Bad Batch

All Bad Batch Boys X F!Reader

authors note: oh I love this film and that kiss is probably one of my faves in all film history! So let’s see what I can do.

warnings: can be read as Gender Neutral reader, Fluff, heated kisses, touchy touchy, mutual pining, no established relationships, quite steamy in some places so be warned, first kisses, ex imperial Crosshair.

For those who haven’t seen the film, here’s the scene…. now imagine it with your fave batcher 😍

As you stepped into the Marauder, your mind was a whirlwind of uncertainty, unsure of what you were thinking as you mindlessly cleared the workstation next to the man who had been occupying your thoughts every passing day. The air grew thick with tension, and a sudden pang hit your stomach as silence enveloped both of you, neither knowing what to say. You licked your lower lip nervously, stealing a side glance at the Clone before summoning the courage to finally, take the leap…

Echo ��

Your presence didn't go unnoticed by Echo, never had and never will. But what he didn’t expect was for you to silently approach, not a word uttered on your lips; but with a kiss on your mind.

As you stood inches away, he turned to address you, his eyes slowly widening as his nose almost brushed against yours. "What..?" His question was barely audible, words choked in his throat at how close you were, but you silenced him completely as you placed your lips to his, sealing the unsaid desires.

He froze, bewildered, and then kissed back with a fervor that matched your own, the intensity of the moment consuming both of you in a whirlwind of passion and longing.

Your hands rested upon his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, as your lips moved in sync with his. His flesh hand cupped your jaw, gently guiding your movements, as you both lost yourselves in the intoxicating dance of your tongues and the softness of each other's lips.

Eagerly, you pressed against each other, feeling the heat radiating between your bodies as your hands roamed, exploring every inch of each other's skin. Gently, you glided your tongue along his lips, eliciting a stunning gasp from his throat, a sound that sent shivers of desire coursing through you.

His scomp rested on your hip, and you could sense his fear of hurting you with even the slightest pressure. So, you pressed more into him, allowing him to support your thigh as you raised it, deepening the connection between you.

He smirked against your lips, a silent acknowledgment of your subtle gesture, as he seized the opportunity to hook his scomp under your thigh, drawing you closer until you were pushed into the workstation, the hard surface grounding you both in reality amidst the haze of desire.

But all good things must come to an end.

The kiss broke off, Echo's eyes remaining closed as his breath shuddered in spent ecstasy, his mind reeling from the intensity of the moment and the overwhelming emotions that flooded his senses.

When they reopened, you simply smiled softly, a silent exchange of understanding passing between you as you placed one last kiss to his lips before leaving, not saying a word but leaving his mind in a blissful whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that lingered long after you were gone.

Hunter 💋

Hunter could hear you. The thumping of your heart and the rush of blood in your veins. He could smell the sweat of your palms that you nervously wiped on your pants, and he caught another scent, something that should be kept behind closed doors.

What he didn’t sense, however, was when you appeared beside him, a finger nail width away “Your hearts beating fa-.” He cuts himself off once he turned in your direction, eyes looking down at you as you stared longingly up at his.

Hunter was not one to get overly nervous but as your hand moves up his arm, your breath fanning his face, he felt as though he couldn’t breathe. And then you kissed him.

In that moment, he became alive.

Desperate hands grab at your hips, pulling you into before as he lifts you and places you on-top of the workstation as your tongue dances with his and your hands tugging in his hair. You grab at his bandana, tossing it to the ground and learn how soft his hair is. More so, it was easy to grab which gave you the perfect leverage to deepen the kiss.

He stands between your legs, moaning softly into your mouth as you tug at his hair and he brings you impossibly closer, welcoming the unexpected kiss to which both of you seemed to have wanted for so long.

But then you stopped, you stare at one another for a moment. You get up, straighten out your clothes and leave. You hoped his senses would tell him the answers he now needed. He best tidy his hair up too before the others see him.

Wrecker 💋

His heart always started to beat irregularly when you were around, and today was no different. The air between you crackled with unspoken words as you both stood in silence, the tension palpable. For someone who usually spoke a lot, Wrecker struggled to even string a simple 'hello' as you stood beside him, his mind racing with a million thoughts and emotions.

Summoning courage, he turned to face you, only to almost stumble back at your sudden close proximity. He tried to read your expression, wondering what you were thinking.

Then, as if on cue, your hands landed softly on his shoulders before jumping up, wrapping your legs around his torso which sending a jolt of electricity through him. He looked down at you in surprise, quickly holding you up with his hands resting on your arse.

A soft smile graced your lips, a silent invitation, before you slowly leaned in towards him. His breath caught in his throat as he felt your warmth radiating towards him, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Are you going to kiss me?" Wrecker muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, afraid that speaking too loud would break whatever fragile spell was transpiring between you.

You didn't answer with words. Instead, you closed the distance between you, sealing your lips over his in a gentle, yet passionate kiss. Wrecker's mind went blank as he melted into the kiss.

The galaxy around you both faded away as the kiss deepened, the taste of you overwhelming his senses. Soft moans escaped both of you as your tongues danced together in a sensual rhythm, lost in the moment.

His fingers dug into your flesh, holding you close, as if afraid you would disappear if he let go. But you showed no signs of pulling away, your own hands exploring the contours of his body, igniting a fire within him that he couldn't ignore.

When your lips finally parted, both of you were left breathless, your eyes locked in a silent exchange of emotions. With a soft kiss to his scarred cheek, you gently let yourself down from his grasp, leaving him more confused than ever before.

But deep down, amidst the confusion and uncertainty, Wrecker knew one thing for certain - this wouldn't be the last time you shared a moment like this.

Tech 💋

His face is down in his datapad, a usual sight and occurrence in the bustling command center, but when you’re near, Tech loses focus. Deciphering someone’s feelings was not his forte, making him grateful you were willing to show him.

He noticed you silently approaching, a subtle sway in your hips that had him peering to the side, waiting for you to speak, but nothing is said.

"Is there something I can help you…" he trails off slowly as you raise a hand and lower his datapad to the side, still clutched in his grasp but now a little shakily, "...with?" he finishes with a gulp, his voice slightly trembling with uncertainty.

You close the distance, silently nodding once, your eyes locking onto his with a soft determination. The proximity allows him to feel your breath mingling with his, and he can't help but inhale your sweet scent.

Then, you feel his lips as you press a subtle kiss to his, a gentle yet firm declaration of your intentions. Tech's mind races as he processes the sudden intimacy, his senses overwhelmed by the softness of your lips against his own.

At first, he doesn’t kiss back, mind and body freezing in shock at the unexpected gesture. But as your lips move, gesturing to deepen the kiss, he responds tentatively, his movements hesitant but filled with longing.

Stumbling into it, clumsy at first, he feels the weight of his datapad slipping from his grasp, the clattering sound as it hits the ground echoing in the quiet space. Ignoring the distraction, his hand instinctively snakes around your waist, pulling you closer to him, the warmth of your body pressed against his own sending shivers down his spine.

Dexterous fingers find their place at the back of your head with his other hand, threading through your hair as he deepens the kiss, his breath mingling with yours in a silent exchange of desire and passion.

Your hands are on his body, moving, massaging his body as he licks your lower lip, craving a deeper sensation.

But suddenly you pull away, not wanting to get a head of yourself. He stares at you, words trying to part his lips but nothing comes out and so he is left with the taste of your lips and the hum of machinery and the soft glow of screens in his ship.

Crosshair 💋

Crosshair didn’t like you. Or so he thought. Since rejoining the Batch, he had become increasingly wary of strangers, preferring to keep to himself most of the time. Yet, despite his aloof demeanor, you had always made an effort to reach out to him, to include him, and it made him feel a strange sense of warmth and belonging that he couldn't quite explain.

Full of surprises, Crosshair was taken aback when you weren’t chatting away beside him as usual. When he turned to look at you, his trained eyes didn’t even catch you walking straight up to him. Your approach was silent, almost ghost-like, as if you had appeared out of thin air. Before he could react, you leaned up and kissed him, catching him completely off guard.

He backed away instantly, his instincts screaming at him for letting his guard down, for allowing someone to get this close. But then he looked into your eyes, and something in them held him captive. It was a silent plea, a shared understanding that went beyond words. There was a feeling being shared between you that he could no longer deny, no matter how hard he tried.

So, he pushed you up against the nearest wall, his mouth crashing onto yours in a desperate, hungry kiss. It had been so long since he had allowed himself to feel anything, to indulge in such intimate contact. He savored the sensation of your lips against his, the warmth of your body pressed against his own, igniting a fire within him that he had long forgotten.

Losing control, he gasped against your lips as you tugged on his clothes, urging him to come closer, to deepen the kiss.

With a subtle bite to his lower lip, causing him to part his lips with a groan, you took the opportunity to sneak your tongue into his mouth, exploring every inch of him with a desire that left him dizzy with desire.

The kiss was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions - desire, longing, and a hint of vulnerability - leaving Crosshair breathless and yearning for more when you left without saying a word.

Masterlist

Taglist if you want to be added or removed (please note I’ll remove you if you’re not interacting with my work 🤍)

Tags: @id-rather-be-a-druid @the-bad-batch-baroness @photogirl894 @whore4rex @imperialclaw801 @temple-elder @mysticalgalaxysalad @imalovernotahater @tech-aficionado @grizabellasolo @therealnekomari @tech-depression-inventory @brynhildrmimi @greaser-wolf @tinyreadersmur @seriowan @kaminocasey @marvel-starwars-nerd @ladytano420 @ladyzirkonia @thesith @raevulsix @mssbridgerton @cw80831 @andyoufollowyourheart @littlefeatherr r @kaitou2417 @eyecandyeoz @captxin-rex @jesseeka @ashotofspotchka @theroguesully @ladykatakuri @jambolska-grozdova @arctrooper69 @padawancat97 @staycalmandhugaclone @ko-neko-san @echos-girlfriend @fiveshelmet t @dangraccoon @plushymiku-blog @chrissywakingup @pb-jellybeans @nunanuggets @sleepycreativewriter @erellenora @zippingstars87 7 @ezras-left-thumb @knightprincess

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#the bad batch #the bad batch x reader #tbb #tech bad batch #Hunter Bad batch #wrecker bad batch #crosshair bad batch #nahoney22 writes #echo bad batch #bad batch #tbb x reader

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suzukiblu · 1 month

Text

WIP excerpt behind the cut; Clark panic-adopts his teenage clones (yes, including the supervillain one).

“Why does Superman have civilian clothes?” Match asks instead. Thirteen–pauses, then just shrugs.

“Ask him,” he says, which means he knows and is just being an asshole. Figures.

“More thorough scans would be helpful,” Jor-El says as they approach a very large . . . well, Match genuinely doesn’t know. It might be a computer. There’s a screen involved, at least. The rows of crystals underneath said screen are definitely not a part of any kind of “computer” he’s ever seen before, but it’s still the likeliest theory he’s got. “The infirmary is not currently optimized for cloned lifeforms, but we should be capable of extrapolation where necessary. And the Fortress’s programming is certainly familiar with Kryptonian-human hybrids, at this point.”

Match doesn’t respond, considering how obvious a statement that was. His genes are functionally identical to Thirteen’s, after all, so of course Superman’s already familiar with his physiology. Well–of course he’d have access to Thirteen’s files, more accurately.

“Um,” Thirteen says, frowning in confusion. “It is?”

Match cannot believe how incredibly stupid his gene donor is. Is Thirteen somehow under the impression that advanced alien technology can't access Cadmus’s files? Hell, the Agenda can get into those with minimal effort. Cadmus’s lab security is not impressive. He's walked right in the front door enough times at this point.

“It is, yes,” Jor-El agrees. “If you could hold still for a moment, please. Both of you, ideally. We may as well scan you as well, Kon-El.”

Match–frowns.

Wait. If the Fortress already has Thirteen's files, then why . . .

A pale blue-white light materializes from the crystals beneath the screen and pans over both him and Thirteen. He doesn't feel any hint of warmth from the light or hear anything, and there's no pain.

In addition to the pain he's already in, he means. Obviously.

The whole process seems very . . . simple, for a DNA scan. Not involved enough.

Not–what he would've expected.

That's all.

He assumes this is just a first step, and the actual analysis will involve something more invasive or–

“Scan complete,” Jor-El announces as the light flicks off. “Genetic profiles now on file for Kon-El and the as yet unnamed new member of the House of El currently classified as ‘Match’. Proper name impending.”

Match has absolutely no idea what to say to any of that.

“I think the AI is malfunctioning,” he says to Thirteen, who scowls at him.

“Rude much?” he says.

“It just called me a ‘member of the House of El’,” Match reminds him dubiously.

“. . . maybe Kal can run a virus scan or something,” Thirteen mutters under his breath with a grimace. Match resists the urge to roll his eyes. It's a gesture he only ever started doing to impersonate Thirteen anyway.

“All Fortress systems are currently running at peak performance,” Jor-El says like a malfunctioning AI would even be an accurate source, then gestures off to the side. “The basic medical supplies are this way. Please follow me.”

“The damage is minimal,” Match says. He's healed from worse without wasting medical supplies. The burns aren't even third-degree. Superman can't possibly want to spend actual resources on him, much less anything that would presumably need to be replaced or recharged later.

“Then treatment will also be minimal,” Jor-El replies matter-of-factly before heading off. “This way.”

He's definitely malfunctioning.

Thirteen follows Jor-El, though, and Match doesn’t know what else to do, so he does too. Either way he doesn’t want Superman to catch up when he’s by himself, so . . .

He doesn’t even know what Superman is doing right now, aside from presumably making whatever call he needed to make, and who knows what that’s about or for. Maybe he’s warning the Justice League about the likelihood of the Agenda causing problems for them, publicity-wise. Or . . . something to that effect, anyway.

They’ll take the opportunity to, he’s sure. The Agenda doesn’t miss opportunities like that.

The infirmary is sparse and open and both laboratory-bright and laboratory-sterile, but still . . . off, somehow. Something about it just seems . . . off.

Match isn’t sure what, exactly.

Maybe it’s just that he can’t smell blood or bleach.

Jor-El instructs him through using the cleaning wipes and disinfectant spray and strange alien bandages from the supplies–Match, like usual, uses his tactile telekinesis to keep himself from flinching when it hurts–and Thirteen tries to help, which is irritating. Match glowers at him until he backs off, which takes twice as long as it should.

Superman probably wouldn’t appreciate him killing Thirteen, after all the fuss. And Superman’s . . . in charge of him now, he thinks. Technically. Probably.

For now, at least.

The Agenda will want him back, so . . .

So for now, yes. Until the Agenda reclaims him and disposes of him as a failed experiment.

Superman would be–harder to reclaim him from, though. Harder than government custody. Maybe even harder than the Justice League in general, because Superman by himself doesn’t necessarily have to answer to the same specific pressures the whole League altogether would.

So if he does . . . whatever Superman wants him to do, exactly–if he does whatever makes Superman want to keep him, for whatever reason Superman decided he wanted to keep him to begin with . . .

He won’t be disposed of as soon, if he does that. Eventually Superman will change his mind and the Agenda will take him back, but–only eventually.

Not yet.

So he just needs to do that.

Match can do that. Superman can't be any harder to please than the Agenda. He . . . thinks he can't, anyway.

Superman tolerates Thirteen, so . . .

#wip: clark panic-adopts his teenage clones

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winniethewife · 5 days

Text

The consequences that are rendered (Crosshair x F!reader)

Gif by @theworstbatch

Warnings: Angst, Hint of unrequited love, season 3 spoilers

Words: 677

“Now, there's a sight!” Wrecker’s booming voice confirms everything they had hoped, She looked at Hunter with a smile, Omega was finally home. She looks at Hunter with a smile on her face, the emotion on his face was almost overwhelming. She motioned for him to go a head.

“Go ahead, I’m right behind you.” She says softly with a smile. As he starts to the entry port they hear Wrecker speaking.

“We crossed the galaxy four times looking for you.” Wrecker’s voice is filled with tears as he put Omega down from lifting her up in the air.

“Five. But you're the one who found us.” Hunter’s calm voice still showing the excitement he’s holding. She watched as he skipped a couple steps down to reach the young girl, her heart soars as she watches the scene unfold. The way the two of them hugged, she couldn’t be happier. Well there was one thing that could make her even happier, but she was sure that would never happen. She leans on the door frame watching the sweet reunion unfold. The tears in her eyes threatening to spill over.

“But how did you escape?” Hunter asked as he looks at the blonde clone girl with affection.

“I had help.” She said and as they all looked to the ship the sight nearly brought her to her knees. It was like seeing a ghost. Crosshair disembarking the ship, she couldn’t believe her eyes. After a moment of bewildered silence she started to walk over to him, she was stopped by Hunters hand on her shoulder. She looks back at him silently pleading with him. She needed to see for herself, needed to know for sure. Hunter nods his face worried but understanding. As she walks on Hunters hand runs down her arm until he touches her hand, holding it for a second before letting go, she was never his to loose, but they had been through so much together, he had hoped… but as she walked over to his brother, He knew, his fingers finally pulled from his grasp.

“Crosshair.” Her voice filled with pain. “Its…its been awhile.” He couldn’t look her in the eye. He had done something unforgivable. He didn’t deserve to look at her. to see the love in her eyes that somehow remained after all this time. She put her hand gently on his face, gently guiding his eyes to hers, as he reluctantly followed her actions he choked up. It was almost too much, seeing her face again after all this time.

“It has…Its…It’s been too long. cyar’ika” He says the name with soft affection, in a way he hasn’t heard his own voice sound in so long he doesn’t even recognize it. He hesitates at her touch, he feels like he doesn’t deserve her affection after everything he put her through, but his need to feel her overpowers his doubts he puts his hand over hers and nuzzles in to her hand, letting the soft feeling of her hand and her familiar scent fill his senses. She smiled with tears in her eyes, running her thumb over his cheek, treasuring the feeling of him. Crosshair closes his eyes, wanting to savor the moment.

“I’m…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. ” He mutters, he doesn’t know what else to say, he dosen’t believe he is worth forgiveness. Before he can try to say another thing, he is surprised by the feeling of her lips on his, the taste of her flooding his mouth, the feeling was everything he remembered, everything he missed, everything he had dreamed about. He thinks od those nights he stared at the celling of his cell thinking of this moment. He wraps one arm around her waist and pulls her in closer as he kisses her back, with more intense passion, his other hand on her upper back, holding her close. She’s surprised at first, letting out a little shocked sound before matching his passion, both her hands holding his face between them.

He was home.

He was finally home.

Masterlist

#star wars #the bad batch #tbb crosshair #tbb #star wars the bad batch #the bad batch season 3 #tbb season 3 #clone force 99 #tbb spoilers #tbb fanfiction #the bad batch x reader #the bad batch crosshair #crosshair x reader #crosshair x you #f!reader #star wars month #may the 4th #Spotify #a different approach

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clu-ven · 1 year

Note

I don‘t know if your Requests are open, but if they are could you write one where the Reader is a Jedi and traveling with the Bad Batch and when they meet Rex in the Bar she finally reunites with him and the Bad Batch just being so confused that a Jedi and Clone were in a relationship while the Republic was still there.🤗

That Familiar Feeling

word count: 3.4k

tags: vague mentions of dealing with grief and order 66, self-doubt, crying, many happy kisses

~and before anyone points it out, lemme just say this doesn't exactly match the scene of Rex reuniting with the Batch (for obvious reasons and because I forgot little details which is annoying me lol)~

Something’s… off.

Entering Cid’s Parlour, the feeling of the force overwhelms you. It’s as if someone has thrown cold water over you, the force welcoming you with an eerie friendliness. It makes you falter, stopping abruptly as the sensation ambushes you.

“Oof-” Echo walks straight into you, bumping against your shoulder. He takes a step to the side, his surprised expression quickly becoming one of concern “You ok? What is it?”.

“I… I’m not sure,” you answer honestly, before trying to ease his worry “It’s probably nothing, I’ll be fine in a few minutes”.

Echo isn’t convinced but he gives you a nod, not wanting to pry. “If you’re sure…” giving you a swift once over to make sure you didn’t get injured on the mission, he carries on.

It’s been a while since you last connected with the force, becoming hesitant to reach out ever since it happened. You tried in the initial days after the order was given but the overwhelming pain and grief that greeted you each time made you pull away.

It’s not something you could deal with then and it’s not something you can deal with now, the wounds still fresh in your mind.

But this is a different feeling. It’s the force you used to know, something that worked with you and not against. It’s familiar… and that puts you on edge.

With this familiarity brings a fear of the unknown. When you worked hand in hand with the force, you could have located what’s causing this in a matter of seconds… but nowadays, where you go from week to week without reaching out to the force, it’s much harder, with the subtle shift in atmosphere being your only warning that something is different.

Your eyes scan the parlour, though there’s nothing out of the ordinary. The usual crowd is here, drinking their problems away and playing Dejarik.

Unfortunately, the Batch has gotten back later than expected, so the limited sunlight that graces Cid’s parlour during the day has vanished. Now, you can only rely on the frustratingly dim lights to help your investigation.

“C’mon, this way,” Cid cuts off your search, walking past you as she gestures to her office. Everyone begins to follow her, though you’re more reluctant.

Hunter catches your eye and you know he can sense it too but through a different method. Exchanging uneasy looks, you both make a silent agreement to stay on high alert before trailing after Cid and into her office.

Thankfully Cid isn’t in the mood for nonsense (when is she?) and so she gets straight into business. You stay quiet during the debrief of the mission and the accompanied discussion of payment, your mind elsewhere.

Although the feeling isn’t as strong in here, it’s still undoubtedly nearby, invading your every thought. Even when Cid’s focus turns to you, the feeling’s hold on you doesn’t fade.

“What’s her problem?” her voice is faint, as if she’s far off in the distance.

You don’t react. While this feeling is certainly daunting, a part of you is scared that if you push it away, this sliver of familiarity will slip through your fingers and disappear forever.

More talking ensues, though it’s more like mumbling to you, and you presume Cid has brushed past your reserved demeanour.

The harder you focus on the force, the quieter their voices become. Closing your eyes to further centre yourself, the feeling slowly becomes intelligible. You’re so close to uncovering what is causing this when it happens.

The sound of blaster fire is so sudden, you accidentally let go of the feeling, your body tensing at the noise. Your eyes dart open and for a split second, everyone freezes, the realisation of conflict sinking in before military training quickly takes over.

You reach down, instinctively going to grab your lightsaber but instead find a blaster in its place. Turns out, carrying a lightsaber in a galaxy where Jedi are seen as traitors isn’t the best idea.

Hunter takes the lead, charging out of the office and into the main area. Cid keeps up his pace, ready to defend her business with everything she’s got. You’re next in line, alongside Echo. Tech and Wrecker are the last out, both keeping Omega close.

As the other patrons scurry out, a hooded figure stands by one of the tables. Placing their blaster down on the metal surface, their armour immediately catches your attention. You almost didn’t notice the colour painted on to the plastoid, the dim lights distorting the shade of blue.

It can’t be. Surely not.

As much as your brain wants to rationalise it as being someone else, the instantly recognisable blue of the 501st is hard to deny. Before the figure pulls down their hood, the feeling finally reveals itself to you.

This familiar feeling is not one to fear. It is not the grief of losing one’s you admittedly became attached to or the terror of how the war ended but instead, it’s the exact opposite.

It’s a reminder of why you fought so hard. It’s the warmth people can bring, the safety you give others and is fondly reciprocated. But it’s more than that. It’s love. It’s Rex.

“Who are you?” yells Cid, gesturing to him. The others are still on high alert, with not even the likes of Echo noticing the comforting blue paint.

His gloved hands cautiously pull down his hood, revealing the face you’ve longed to see again. He looks uncertain, his eyes glancing over everyone until finally landing on you.

Although his face is sullen with a mist of hesitancy shrouding his expression, you can still see his gaze soften for you. And that’s all you need to know it’s actually him standing in front of you, not some brainwashed soldier or distraction sent by the Empire. It’s truly him, the Rex you know and love.

Despite always wanting to hold out hope that you would meet him someday, you couldn’t deny the facts stated on the Empire’s records. You remember the ache in your chest when Tech read it out, solemnly stating that Rex was reported dead.

Tears sprout from your eyes, a mixture of pure happiness and relief washing over you. Echo opens his mouth to speak but you get there first, taking the words out of his mouth.

“Rex!” his name comes out as a choked cry, your knees starting to buckle as you close the distance between you both, Hunter and Cid automatically stepping out of your way.

You don’t think you’ve ever felt so much emotion at once. Even when you first heard the news that Rex supposedly perished with the others, you suppressed your emotions. Though that was more out of fear, unsure if you could control the power of the force while facing so much grief.

Perhaps that’s another reason why you distanced yourself from the force, scared that the constantly lurking presence of the dark side might have used such powerful yet negative emotions against you.

You know Rex isn’t a big fan of PDA, especially around his brothers but as you throw your arms around him, you feel him hold you back. His strong arms wrap around your waist, one hand running up your back to keep you as close as possible.

It’s a surreal moment to feel him against you, his hard armour hidden underneath his cloak digging into you as you try to press yourself even closer to him. Not that you particularly care about that right now. The only thing that matters at this moment is Rex.

Burying your face into his neck, the warmth of his skin soothes you and for the first time in months, you relax.

“I… I thought you…” you want to say a million things at once, your brain unable to pick one coherent thought to say “I heard what happened… the mission report said you were… Oh, Rex”.

Giving up on trying to speak, you move to see that handsome face of his again, your hands instinctively coming up to his jawline.

The look in his eyes isn’t what you’re expecting. A mixture of worry and fear shines in his gaze, his eyebrows pinching together as he wordlessly looks at you. It doesn’t take a jedi to figure out why this is his initial reaction. Considering the recent event between all clones and jedi’s, it’s understandable for him to be nervous.

He’s scared that you won’t trust him, that what you once had together has died alongside the Republic. There’s only one way you can think of that can give Rex the reassurance he so desperately yearns for. Using your hands to keep his head in place, you kiss him.

At first, you feel him tense. The shock that not only are you kissing him in general but in front of his brothers making him freeze. But just as you wonder if you made the right move, Rex melts into the kiss, his grip on your waist tightening as his lips begin moving against yours.

Unbeknownst to you, as your lips touch your beloved Captain’s, the Batches' mouths all happen to fall open. Well, most of them anyways. Tech is too busy doing something on his datapad to witness the kiss.

Wrecker, who stands next to Tech, gives his brother a nudge. Tech looks up at his shocked face before looking over at you and Rex… and then casually back down to his datapad.

“Wha- Tech,” Wrecker tries to whisper “are you seeing what I’m seeing? Or was I hit on the head too hard?”.

Tech glances up again just in time to see the end of the kiss and you affectionately bury your head back into the crook of Rex’s neck, the both of you whispering sweet nothings to one another.

“Considering her reaction when I informed her of the Captain's supposed demise, this isn’t a surprise” he shrugs, refocusing on his datapad.

Despite Tech’s statement that this isn’t a surprise, it most definitely is for Hunter, who stands there in complete shock. Even with his heightened senses, Hunter didn’t expect this. He isn’t sure what to do or where to look but thankfully, Omega grabs his attention.

She lets out a small gasp as she makes her way to the front of the group, looking up at the others before a large grin spreads across his face.

“They look like good friends” she gives Hunter a wink and he rolls his eyes, subtly placing his hand on Omega's shoulder so he can swiftly cover her eyes if you two kiss again.

Just like his brothers, Echo’s mouth falls open too but his lips quickly form a smirk. Memories come rushing back to him as he remembers the rumours that you two liked each other as well as the countless number of times Fives would try to get the Captain to admit his feelings.

It’s a strangely satisfying moment to see you both wrapped in each other’s embrace, finally getting some closure to what was once seen as a far fetched piece of gossip.

Speaking loudly so you’ll both hear, Echo pats Hunter on the back “C’mon, let’s give them some space”. As you pull your attention away from Rex, you watch the others silently agree, most of them giving you a reassuring nod before retreating to the bar area.

Within a matter of moments, you lead Rex to one of the quieter parts of the parlour, your hand in his as you sit on one of the lumpy couches. Rex sits beside you, hand still enclosed around yours.

You watch the Captain with adoration in your eyes, giving him a moment of silence as he gathers his thoughts. Your gaze lowers to his neck, noticing how his Adam's apple bobs anxiously. But then, he speaks.

“I… I thought about you every rotation, no matter how painful it was” Rex keeps his gaze down, watching how his thumb begins to rub the back of your hand “I wasn’t sure if you… well, if you made it. I tried searching for you through mission reports but when the Republic fell, my code was denied access to all official reports”. He huffs out a laugh “I was surprised the Empire was smart enough to do that”.

Giving his hand a small squeeze, you smile, though Rex doesn't notice, his eyes still cast downwards “Tech was able to hack into it. I’m marked as missing in action and uh, well, you’re actually marked as deceased”. You’re unsure how to deliver such news, unable to tell whether being labelled as dead is a good or bad thing, both choices having some pro’s and con’s.

Rex nods, quietly taking in this new information, though right now, he’s not that bothered by what the Empire has him marked as. Rex has more important things to address, the Empire surprisingly being at the back of his mind.

Staying silent, he lets the moment pass. Rex knows why you’re telling him this and he finds some solace in how you want to give him any intel you have. But there’s more important matters… or, well, relationships to discuss.

Yet despite its importance, Rex is hesitant to bring this up. On one hand, he doesn’t want to mention Order 66 or the horrors it caused but he can’t just ignore it either.

As much as he wants to bask in his ignorance, oblivious to what you’ve been through since then or how you feel about the clones, it’s not something he can do. He has to know how you feel.

Speaking rather abruptly, the words spill from his mouth “I’m sorry for showing up without any warning”.

You’re taken aback by his words, not seeing a reason why Rex should be apologising. Taking a deep breath, he elaborates “I’m not sure where you were when it happened, or what you’ve been through… I don’t even know if you want to see me and if you don’t, I’ll go”.

Finally Rex looks up at you, his eyes glossy as he tries to keep his composure. But his voice betrays him, his tone cracking as he continues “I want you to know that, you won’t hear from me again if that’s what you think is best. You have that choice. I don’t want to put you through more pain, especially after everything this face has done to you”.

You know he’s referring to the clones in general, doing a small gesture to his very recognizable face. Although Rex wasn’t with you when Order 66 was put in place, he has some understanding of what you’ve been through.

Rex has had a lot of time to think about this, to picture how his brothers suddenly turned on you and tried with all their might to kill you.

It was this very thought that made him hesitate when you first entered the parlour. He was going to call out to you but then the doubts crept in. Maybe you wouldn’t see him but instead simply see the face of a clone, a face that tried to kill you, albeit not him specifically.

You’re sure you can feel your heart ache, watching as Rex tries his best to keep his emotions at bay. Bringing your hand up, you gently cup his face.

Before you can even speak, Rex leaves out a shaky breath, your touch comforting him in ways he didn’t know was possible.

Your voice is stern, determined to get your point across so Rex will undoubtedly understand how you feel. “The only thing this face has done is love me, cherish me, care for me when I’m injured…” you list out as Rex closes his eyes, hanging on your every word “carry me to bed when I’m too stubborn to rest, cheer me up when I’m sad and it’s this face that’ll go to the most dodgiest looking parlour in all of Ord Mantell in the hopes of finding me there”.

He smiles at that last part, a stray tear running down his cheek as he opens his eyes.

You’re quick to wipe it away, mirroring his smile with one of your own. Needing to keep you close, Rex rests his forehead on yours, savouring the sensation of your breath hitting against his face. “You’re sure?” He asks in a low whisper.

“Positive” you confirm, unable to resist the urge to capture his lips in another kiss.

Over at the bar, Wrecker tries his best to inconspicuously look over. Keeping his gaze fixed on the two of you, he nudges Hunter, causing the Sergeant to groan. “They're kissing again” he announces.

Echo rolls his eyes, poking Wrecker with his scomp link “Stop gawking at them, will ya?”. Wrecker flinches away from him, almost stumbling on to Hunter “Hey! Watch it with that!”.

“You’re the one who needs to watch it,” Echo retorts, his gaze drifting over to you two as he repeats his sentence in his head. “Actually, no, don’t watch it or well, them” he tries to clarify, huffing at himself before hastily stating “you need to watch where you’re staring!”.

“I’m just keeping an eye on her!” Wrecker snaps back “I didn’t think Regs and Jedi’s were on good terms anymore”.

Hanging his head low, Hunter tightens his grip on his drink. “Will the two of you shut it?” he huffs, feeling the inklings of a headache coming on.

Echo opens his mouth to say more but stops himself, not wanting you and Rex to join them mid-argument. Instead, he decides to take another swig of his drink.

“Wrecker does have a point,” Tech chimes in “Rex could still have his inhibitor chip in place”.

Echo wastes no time in jumping in again, determined to defend his Captain. “Oh yeah, he definitely looks like he’s still chipped,” he replies sarcastically.

“Perhaps another defective chip? Or maybe the control the inhibitor chips possess are only for a limited time” Tech thinks out loud, purposely ignoring Echo’s response.

“This is one long kiss,” Wrecker comments, causing Echo to once again roll his eyes as he realises Wrecker is still looking over “you don’t think they're going to uh… y’know… take it further? They know we can see them, right?”.

Echo doesn't even warrant that question deserving of a reply.

Almost causing Hunter’s heart to jump out of his chest, Omega chirps up “How would they take it further”. She looks up at the Batch with an excited smile, the adrenaline of another clone being here yet to settle.

Hunter shoots Wrecker a glare, hurriedly fishing a few credits out of his pocket. “Here, kid” he drops the credits into Omega’s hand “do me a favour and beat Wrecker in a few games of Dejarik”.

Omega’s eyes grow wide at the credits as she leaves out an “Oooooh” noise. Barking out a loud laugh, Wrecker beams “C’mon best of three, loser has to buy the winner Mantell Mix”. As the two of them wander off to another part of the parlour, Hunter leaves out a silent sigh of relief.

The abrupt sound of Wrecker’s laugh catches both you and Rex off guard, causing Rex to reluctantly break off the kiss. His eyes dart from your face to where the others relax at the bar. “Was that directed at us?” he quietly mumbles, heat racing to his cheeks.

Giving him a reassuring smile, you peck his lips one more time “I doubt it, Rex”.

Rex gives you his signature lopsided smile in response, something you’ve ached to see for months. It makes you want to kiss him again but you can sense the others glancing over.

“You ready to go over to them?” he asks, though judging from how his gaze lingers on your lips, you’re not the only one with the urge to kiss.

“Yeah,” you nod, giving him a playful nudge as you add “the sooner you say hi to your brothers, the sooner I get you all to myself”.

Rex chuckles in reply, standing as he tries to compose himself. “Oh you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to get you alone” he offers you his hand, shooting you a mischievous wink as he does.

“Well, Captain, you just have to wait another twenty minutes and I’m all yours” taking his hand, you stand, ready to reunite Rex with the Batch.

#captain rex x reader #captain rex fanfiction #captain rex #star wars clone wars #clone captain rex #captain rex x you #the bad batch #tcw rex #tcw rex x you #clone trooper x reader #clone trooper x you #ct 7567 #clone wars fic #captain rex fic #tbb captain rex #sw tbb #tbb

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thesoftboiledegg · 5 months

Text

"Mort: Ragnarick" was pure fun, but a different kind of fun than "Rickfending Your Mort" and "Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie."

"Rickfending Your Mort" was a laid-back clip show that gave the viewer a break after the insanity of "Unmortricken"--a smart decision but not one with a lot of substance. "Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie" has been controversial. I thought it was entertaining, but it would've worked better as a YouTube short.

If "Unmortricken" represented lore episodes at their best, "Mort: Ragnarick" was the best of classic Rick and Morty adventures: a wildly imaginative plot, goofy satire, fantasy science and Rick and Morty working together as a duo, reminding us how much they need each other.

Rick's the driving force behind these adventures, but without Morty, he's just a miserable old man trying to distract himself. Morty's the heart and voice of reason. He also gives Rick something to live for. Without him, Beth, Jerry or Summer, why do anything?

Rick pretends to live for science, but "science" just caused decades of grief and isolation. His family isn't a concept; it's an entity that loves him back.

Bigfoot, an evil pope, Pokeballs, Valhalla, clone bodies, infinite energy sources, zombie Summer, Rick screaming "PO-O-O-O-OPE!": only Rick and Morty could combine all those concepts into one cohesive episode. I never thought "Wow, that took me out of the story." The Pokeball came close, but the end credits scene tied it all together.

Jerry's scene was a standout, too. Chris Parnell's reading of "Nana!" was genuinely sweet. It seems like Jerry's becoming a (mostly) willing participant in Rick's schemes instead of a helpless guinea pig. Is Rick learning that releasing his iron grip on his family makes them more attached to him, not less?

I also loved it when the Vikings called Rick a witch. He loves crystals, plays with magic, has two crows as familiars: damn right, he is!

You have to suspend your disbelief a couple of times, mainly when Bigfoot attacks Rick in the kitchen (he crushed Rick earlier like it was nothing, but now Rick walks away with a few scratches?) Still, the little character moments overshadow these flaws.

Judging by old posts that I've seen floating around, I think Rick and Morty's relationship is finally becoming what fans wanted it to be in seasons 1-3. Rick's still mean, but he's less dominant and more of Morty's mischievous co-conspirator. An alien mobster freaking out in "The Jerrick Trap" because of Rick's "touch my grandson and die" policy is straight out of fanon.

Rick's more physically gentle, and Morty responds in kind. He grabs and supports him when Bigfoot attacks him at home and touches his arm during their weird, overdramatic Bigfoot send-off. His pained cry of "Rick!" when Bigfoot nearly crushes him is heart-wrenching. Operation Phoenix is back online, but Morty's tired of watching him die!

Season five is when Rick started showing emotions on his face besides that cold, pissed-off glare--we all know the one--and in season seven, it's accelerated to Rick crying in front of others. He matches Morty's feelings instead of pretending that he's above human emotions.

Needless to say, dudebros have been flooding Adult Swim's Instagram comments and Twitter replies with "Rick and Morty is shit now!" "Rick's too nice!" "Rick and Morty has gone woke!" Justin Roiland's firing gave them more fuel, but they started even while he was still on the payroll.

Their favorite line is "Rick isn't Rick anymore!" And they're right. Rick's not the asshole from seasons 1-2 who had a couple of redeeming qualities. He's not the monster that he was in season three and parts of season four. He's not the defeated man in season five who started to realize that he's hurting people but still wanted Morty to look after him like a child.

Season six is when he started to grow up--not a lot, but enough that he began taking on adult responsibilities instead of thinking he's a teenage boy who sees another teenager as his peer. I wish we saw more therapy appointments, but while they're mostly off-screen, we're definitely seeing the effects.

This doesn't make Rick a great person or atone for what he's done. Some of his crimes are beyond atonement, and not just the obvious ones like blowing up planets. This is a universe where everyone has a body count and events that should've destroyed Earth have no effect on civilization. Death and destruction don't mean that much.

His worst crimes are the personal ones: destroying Morty's psyche in "The Vat of Acid Episode," treating his family like garbage for most of season three. You can't atone for that. You can't apologize for that.

However, I don't only judge characters by their past. I judge them by their capacity to change.

Walter White is a brilliant character, but he's not a personal favorite because his arc is a slow descent into hell. Rick's slowly climbing out of his crater, and while it doesn't erase the past, it's still happening. For me, that's more satisfying than watching a monster become a bigger monster.

Of course, he's still not above cosplaying as Odin while wearing a golden crown that literally says "GOD." But the former "no girls allowed" alpha male has become a dedicated therapy patient who's also a thirst object that would make bros cry about double standards. Sure, Rick, you're a god, now put on that weird half-shirt and prance around a little.

#rick and morty #rick sanchez #morty smith #review #mort: ragnarick #season seven

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signedeclipse · 11 months

Note

Hello, it's me again! 🫣 I loved your headcanons about the blind reader! Especially the ones with Hantengu. 😊

This time I would like to request headcanons for Hantengu, Gyokko and Douma with a reader who has a chronic disease. I know this is a serious subject but it's very close to my heart because I suffer from one. I wondered how the demons would react to a partner who has chronic pain and often feels sick. They feel frustrated with themselves and get angry when they can't do certain things because of their illness. I can imagine that they envy the demons for their strength and health and have thought about becoming a demon themselves. They sometimes push themselves too much because they want to keep up with their demonic partner. But when their illness isn't flaring up, they always want to be as active as possible and be close to their partner.

Thank you in advance! Hope you have a wonderful day! (⁠✿⁠^⁠‿⁠^⁠)

Douma | Gyokko | Hantengu [X Reader]

In which their s/o is struggling with their chronic pain and tries to push it aside.

Douma

He was always glad that the cold climate you had living with him helped, since for many it was more harmful than helpful

He was familiar with the idea that coolness helped inflammation and helped your body regulate, but he also had to make sure you weren't overdoing it and getting yourself sick

Douma can almost feel your guilt whenever he steps in, so he does his best to remind you in ways that seem less like him telling you

'Can you warm my jacket for me?'

'Could you get the fire started and watch over it until I get back?'

While it may feel good, it makes you more prone to staying out too long and medicine can be hard to get his hands on during certain times

The worst part for him is being so high ranked, because he knows you know of his strength

Will hide it and down play it all the time in hopes you stop thinking about it so often

How impressive could it be if it hurts his favourite human?

Douma would like you to join him in being a demon someday, but he hopes its because you want to be with him as opposed to because you want to escape yourself

Gyokko

His poison art was actually inspired by the fact that he produces a lot of antidotes for some of your more physical ailments to help soothe the feeling

Think aloe vera but so much better

Might even say you can only get it if you hug him so he can produce it where you touch him, but he won't force it if it's really bad and you just want to rest

He has fought in front of you before, so you've seen his regenerative capabilities and the ways he bounces back in seconds, its honestly irritating at times

If only you could sprout a new immune system, or some new joints

Gyokko insists that it's painful and more excruciating than it seems, but he's kind of lying just because he doesn;t want you to feel so inclined to demonise

He makes mini pots for the medicines and salves he learns to make with cork lids so you can use them when you need

Your own personal pharmacist but so so so much better

Hentengu

He's always found himself to be extremely weak and unlucky

But you manage to be so much more unfortunate than him, so he worries for and cries for you more than he does himself

You were so kind to love him, and yet the world cursed you terribly? It's so unfair

Worries that you could die anytime from your ailments even if you tell him that isn't how it works, so he prefers to remain in a range of you to which he can hear your breathing or heart rate

The clones are more than happy to keep you in shape, but Sekido especially keeps you from trying to match them in any way shape or form

"It's ridiculous to expect results like this as a human, we have lived for centuries you haven't."

Whenever you feel light headed or need fresh air Urogi will take you for a little flight, usually by a body of water such as the ocean to enjoy the best air possible

Karaku just jokes that he has enough muscle for the both of you so you'd be greedy to get even more muscular, I mean, leave some for the rest of the clones!

Hates the idea of turning you into a demon but any day if its really bad and you are in enough agony he would do it just to see you smile again

Authors Note - Originally I wasn't planning to do this request because I don't suffer from any chronic pain, but a friend of mine who does decided to beta read so here we are! I hope these can help in some way, wishing you the best <3

#douma #douma x reader #gyokko #gyokko x reader #hantengu #hantengu x reader #demon slayer #demon slayer x reader #demon slayer headcanons #kimetsu no yaiba #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #kny #kny x reader #kny headcanons #headcanons #x reader #reader insert

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au-wannabe-the-very-best · 7 months

Text

An AU that I admittedly daydream about from time to time, and I'm only now deciding to write down.

Akari and Ingo, both still without their memories, return to the present. They think that the more they interact with the world, the more memories will come through. And in Ingo's case, it does! He begins to remember his life, trains, his family and friends... He's eventually reunited with them, and it's a wonderful and happy reunion.

But Akari doesn't remember anything. Things are familiar every so often, but there's no memories to accompany that familiarity. Eventually Ingo helps her with contacting the police, hoping they can sort through some missing persons files and get a lead on where Akari is from.

No one in Unova fits Akari's description. They try Sinnoh, and no one fits her description there either.

They keep trying, of course. Ingo and his brother take Akari out to see the station, to the amusement park, to different restaurants. They watch TV shows together, some Unovan ones and Sinnohan ones, but nothing seems to click. They go through popular children's movies, things Akari is sure to have seen at least once in her life— But she's watching it like it's the first time. She doesn't remember any of it. She can't predict how any of the stories go, outside of logical deduction.

She's beginning to panic. Is she even a real person? Thinking about it, all she's ever known is her name, and the arc phone. And her "phone" isn't much of a phone, it's just a map and a journal. An indestructible one, granted, but still not a phone. Because she's seen phones now, and they're not... She doesn't know how to work it. She doesn't know what "apps" are. She didn't know calling people was a thing.

She assumed she was from the future like Ingo because of the amnesia, and the fact that he eventually recognized her phone. It had made sense to her. Now nothing makes sense to her.

She's scared. She doesn't belong here, and she doesn't know what to do about it. Ingo is starting to see just how panicked she is, and his reassurances don't seem to actually be getting through to her. He's worried.

Eventually, her DNA has a match. An identical match. To a miss Dawn Berlitz, the current champion of Sinnoh, who isn't, in fact, missing. Nor does she have a sister.

Akari is right, she realizes. She isn't a real person. She's just some clone of one. She doesn't have childhood memories, she doesn't have a family who raised her, she has no one who was waiting for her. Because she didn't exist.

She has a mental breakdown.

#Submas #Ingo #Emmet #Akari #PLA Akari #Subway Boss Ingo #Subway Boss Emmet #Finding Her Purpose

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starlazergazer · 1 year

Text

Spare Key

Pairing: Anakin x reader

Request: An AU where your left eye is your own color but the right is the color of your soulmates, set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Anakin runs into his soulmate on a lower shadier level of Coruscant where she works as a bartender for a bar that mostly deals with mercenaries and bounty hunters. From here the reader and Anakin have to work through the issues of Anakin not being able to form attachments and the jedi order

Warnings: Some swearing, some jealousy, lots of angst

Word count: 3K

A/N: sorry this took me so long to get out but I really hope you like it I had a lot of fun with the creative freedom and hope you like where I took the story! Sorry it’s angsty!!

Anakin had never much bothered to study the color of his right eye. There was no point in it really, the jedi code was strict, jedi knights could not form attachments with anyone, even soulmates did not trump it, though it felt cruel for the universe to give him one anyways.

A part of him long ago had mourned the loss of what could have been, had he stayed on Tattooine could he have met her? Was she out there somewhere waiting for him? A soulmate that could never be. Did she even know?

But as he grew up, started to get more serious about being a jedi knight and exactly what that meant he accepted it, accepted that perhaps the order had a reason to establish such a rule it their code. His mind became filled with other thoughts, troubles, dreams, desires, and he forgot about the soulmate that could have been and the color of her eye.

That was why he didn’t think twice when he saw the color of the bartenders left eye as she bent down just beside him to put a round of drinks on the table.

A part of him, a small part that never grew up or moved on, noted that the color of her left matched the color of his right but that didn’t mean much. There were only so many eye colors out there and he had met more than enough with the right color but that didn’t mean they were the ones.

He had a mission to focus on anyways, a table of mercenaries spread out around him as they accepted him as one of their own, talked of the job they were planning to pull off in just a few days, Anakin’s ears finely attuned to the conversation to report back to the council later.

A small break in the conversation as drinks were passed around and the man next to him asked for another, a voice sweet as honey answered him smoothly, the tone hinting at a smile behind those words and Anakin felt his attention being pulled, his gut wrenching ever so slightly as he found he needed to see who had spoken them, needed to see the smile for himself.

He was met with quite possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, the quick glance he stole just moments ago when she set down glasses not nearly enough to do her features justice, a soft smile playing on her lips that was effortlessly lighting up the room, drawing out a similar one on the man next to ham’s features along with quite possibly the most polite words he’d heard the man utter since sitting down. Somehow even getting a please at the end of his question.

He felt himself smirk at the sight, his eyes climbing further up her features before he froze, a very familiar left eye staring down at the mercenary as he spoke, his own eye.

A part of him insisted that it was a fluke, that blue eyes were common in Coruscant, that surely that couldn’t be his own, but at the same time he couldn’t let it go, couldn’t shake the thought as it consumed his conscious mind, his eyes only breaking from her as she slipped past to go back to the bar, his gaze hovering in the empty space where she had been for far too long.

“I’ll go grab that for you” the words were out of his mouth before he could even think them, a hand clapping the man next to him’s shoulder briefly as he stood up and made his way to the bar, at the moment not caring that he was abandoning his mission.

He walked up to the bar on Shakey legs, leaning more onto the countertop than necessary as he watched you work, pouring another drink for his table, her eyes flicking up to his as he stared for longer than what was polite.

She, however, didn’t seem to notice, her body freezing as her gaze connected with his own, her own eyes dancing happily back and forth between his, studying every detail carefully, drinking in the familiarity those eyes brought

“Oh-ah-what can I get you?” something snapped her out of the paralysis, her posture snapping upright as she tried to go back to her job, a distinct pink hue taking over her cheeks as he did so that had Anakin grinning.

“I’m Anakin” he held out his hand, not caring that that didn’t answer her question.

“Y/N” she returned with a smile, clearly showing that she didn’t care either, the handshake going on for a few seconds longer than was necessary.

Eventually Anakin regretfully withdrew his hand, elbow coming up to lean on the bar, by no means eager to leave “Can I just say you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen”

And to his delight she laughed at this, head going back slightly as her body shook with it. With that sound Anakin knew that he was screwed, you both were. Because there was no way this could possibly end well, but he was sure going to enjoy every moment with you in between

“Did you have a good date tonight?”

The question came from a darkened corner of your apartment, the familiar voice cutting unexpectedly through the silence making you jump slightly as you walked into the room, turning to shut and lock your door with an uncomfortable chuckle.

“You scared me” you tried to avoid the question, tried to move naturally to pull down the end of your dress, to act like this was all normal.

And to an extent it was, it wasn’t the first time Anakin had used the extra key you gave him, telling him he could come by whenever he liked, knowing he needed a place to get away from the order every once in a while. But this time was different, you knew it would be if he were here, was why you never even considered bringing the guy home with you that night, while that and a few more reasons…

“Did you have a good date tonight?” he repeated his question again and you knew you weren’t getting out of answering it. His tone wasn’t curious, it was flat, accusatory, it was a tone looking for a fight and you had a hard enough time talking yourself into going on the date in the first place, let alone defending that decision to Anakin.

“It was fine” you forced a shrug, forced your tone to be light and nonchalant, forced yourself out of the little foyer and into the room where he could actually see you from his chair, walking over to the kitchen for a glass of water, putting distance between the two of you as if that could calm the oncoming storm.

And to your surprise it seemed to work, his next words coming out much softer than before, barely more than a whisper “I haven’t seen that dress before”

You looked down at your dress as if you had forgotten what you were wearing, eyes grazing over the short, tight, black dress you had worn tonight for your date, a dress you’d worn because you knew you looked good in it, something your date obviously had noticed too. “It’s new”

You heard Anakin’s loud breath from across the room, a long sigh followed by a bitter chuckle, “you bought a new dress for him”

“Anakin why are you here?” you sighed, hands coming naturally to your hips as you looked down at the Jedi in his seated position, gearing up for the fight your could feel coming, the tension in the room thick enough you could feel it.

“I just want to know” he shrugged casually, giving you a moment’s pause to prepare for his next words, for the sucker punch he knew he was about to deliver “what’s the point?”

And just like that you could feel the anger building within you, feel every ounce of patience start to leave as you crossed your arms defensively over your chest, willing yourself to keep a level head “if you’re here just to start a fight you can leave”

“I was just curious” he had a smirk on his face as he pushed himself to his feet, as if he enjoyed taunting you like this “you know he’s not the one, will never be the one, so why bother?”

Your chest puffed as you forced calm deep breaths as he approached you, words forming and dying within your head as you formulated your response. Because there are still options you wanted to scream, for no other reason than to remind yourself of that fact. This was real life, shit happens, soulmates die, or never meet, or are jedi knights sworn to a stupid jedi code to never form attachments and people still needed options for a relationship, for intimacy, for love.

But you knew that argument would fall on deaf ears because it fell on your own the same way. Because it was too hard to believe you could still move on while he was here, to settle for second best while your soulmate stood right in front of you, the evidence written in his eyes that were identical to your own in every way.

“What would you have me do Ani?”

And you could feel the defeat slipping into your tone as you asked, the spite in you ebbing and flowing with the sadness in a way too complicated and too exhausting for you to keep up with as you mourned something that never was and never could be. How can a person mourn a relationship that does not exist?

You watched Anakin’s chest rise and fall before you as he took a few deep breaths in contemplation, the time bringing down his anger in his tone before he answered “I don’t know, I just-I thought I’d have more time”

This time it was your turn to laugh bitterly, taking a few steps back from him not needing to feel his overwhelming presence right now “Okay how about you give me a number, the number of days I’m allowed to wait before moving on and I’ll stick to that yeah?”

Another sigh escaped him as he dragged a hand down his tired face, “Look this is…this is hard for me-“

“Oh and you don’t think this is hard for me?” you asked with a scoff, hands coming back up to cross over your chest.

His eyes raked up and down your body for a brief second, the action sending shivers up your spine before he scoffed “oh yeah looks like you’re absolutely miserable”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” you demanded with a raised brow, neither of you bothering to cap the volume of your voices, not caring if your neighbors could hear at this point.

“Oh poor Y/N has to go out on dates with guys who fawn over how beautiful she is” Anakin put a slight whine in his voice as he mocked you, “Least you don’t have to watch your soulmate fall in love with someone else”

“And who’s fault is that?” you countered immediately but you could feel the pressure starting to build in the base of your throat, the draw in your forehead as your eyebrows drew together.

Anakin drew his in response, his voice doping down once again as he looked at you in confusion, “you blame me for this?”

Seeing the way your lip quiver ever so slightly, the glass sheen that grew over your eyes, Anakin was reaching for you instinctively, but you batted his hands away quickly, taking another step back, curling your arms around yourself protectively “who else would I blame?” you asked hollowly “you’re a jedi, you can’t form attachments, you don’t get to have a soulmate, I don’t fit into your world”

Anakin’s response to that came quickly, “say the word and I’ll leave”

And it was spoken so softly, so earnestly that you froze on the spot, eyes bouncing back and forth between his, a perfect match of your own. “what?”

“Say the word and I will leave the Jedi order” he repeated never breaking eye contact with you, never hesitating on a single word.

“No you don’t mean that” you said softly, shaking your head ever so slightly because he couldn’t mean that. The jedi order was Anakin’s life, it is all he’s ever known, it had his mentor Obi-wan, the closest thing he had to family.

“I could get a job with you” he insisted nonetheless, taking slow steps towards you, grabbing your hands in his and giving them a soft squeeze “or fixing things, maybe a mechanic, I don’t know but I could figure it out. Just say the word and I’m yours”

And gods that was exactly what you had always wanted to hear from him. Because he was yours, he was your soulmate just as you were his, and here he was telling you that you were his priority, that he would give up everything for you, that you were more important to him than any future or destiny set out already before him.

Gods did it hurt to hear those words knowing they could never be true.

“that’s not fair” your words came out as barely more than a whisper, the first of your tears finally spilling over the surface and down your cheek, the lump in your throat growing so large it hurt.

“We could live here” he continued on, a soft smile on his face as he spoke “cook eachother dinner, watch movies on the couch, do normal couple things-“

“Stop, please Ani just stop” you had to cut him off, had to stop the image of what your life could be like from forming, stop to onslaught of what ifs from streaming past, because you were weak, and you knew if he kept going, if he kept staring down at you with that hopeful smile and puppydog eyes that you would cave.

“Just say the word” he whispered back to you, giving your hands another soft squeeze.

You pulled them out of his, pulled your body away from his, shaking your head as you put as much distance as possible between the two of you “you can’t put that on me Anakin. You don’t get to make this my decision so that you get to resent me later for making it”

His brows furrowed at that “I wouldn’t resent you, I want to leave the order, I want to chose you, just tell me that I can”

“You can’t” a bitter laugh escaped you at that, a glare sent his direction because he knew why he couldn’t, knew why things had to be the way they were and still was insistent that it was your problem, your fault “I know about the prophecy, I know you’re supposed to be ‘the chosen one’, that you bring light to the force or whatever, so you don’t get to just walk away from everything”

“And yet here I am” the anger was bighting back into his voice, the volume starting to rise again “saying that I will walk away from everything for you”

Another tear spilt over and you didn’t bother to wipe it away, refusing to break eye contact with Anakin as he dared you to say something, dared you to tell him to stay. Why did he have to make it so hard, why couldn’t he accept that this was the way things had to be. “I will not be that girl. I will not be the one to doom the entire galaxy, the entire order, especially while we are on the cusp of a war, for selfish reasons”

Anakin took a minute to respond, a deep breath filing the silence before another small hollow chuckle “and you still say this is my fault?”

And there it was, the reason he had started this fight, to release him of his own guilt. To be able to say that he wasn’t ruining your chance at having a relationship with your soulmate, rather you were ruining his.

And at this point fine. You were tired, done with the same argument, done having to rationalize everything not only to yourself but to Anakin as well. If he wanted you to be the bad guy then fine you’ll be the bad guy.

“Anakin” you sighed, a hand coming to your forehead as you pinched the bridge of your nose as you prepared yourself “just leave”

You could see him set his jaw at your words, the way his hands balled up into fists, but he said nothing more, simply made for the door.

“Leave the key”

He froze at the words you had thrown back at him last minute, the implications you were trying to sneak upon him in the last seconds, his head whipping around to look at you.

“Why don’t we talk about this tomorrow” he tried to grovel with you, tried to back down from the ledge you had put you both upon.

“I can’t do this anymore” you pleaded back to him, arms defensively over your chest as you tried and failed to maintain your eye contact, seeing your own eyes staring back at you hurting too much “can’t keep having the same argument, I can’t have you around all the time, so close and never close enough. I can’t do it anymore Anakin”

And he blinked back at you in surprise, hesitating for a long moment before he thrust his hand into a pocket of his robes, rooting around for a minute before extracting a small metal key, holding it stationary in the air for a second before hesitantly setting it down on your coffee table, hand hovering above it for a moment before he extracted it.

“I’ll see you around then…right?”

The hopeful tone in his voice killed you, both of you knowing that your paths didn’t cross naturally, that he was often gone for weeks at a time on missions, that he had a war to win.

“Yeah Ani, sure”

And he forced on a smile at your words, the corners of his lips just barely tilting up before he turned back around and headed for the door, your eyes breaking down to the key.

There was the sound of the door shutting, then a brief pause, and the sound of footsteps retreating down the hall before you were ushered into the deafening silence of your empty apartment, eyes never breaking from the small metal key on the coffee table.

Part 2 Here

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balis77 · 4 months

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Limbus Faust Theory Time

Ok, so I've been thinking about this for a while. Ever since someone on Limbus' TvTropes page pointed out some Faust (Book) symbolism in Faust's base ego I've had this big fucking theory about Faust that I already know can't be confirmed until her Canto. And considering that (By the current order) that's gonna take like 2 years, I'm just gonna say it now.

Faust is actually a clone of the original Faust.

My evidence

Faust's symbol is a Flask. Now while Play!Faust (and the actual guy he was partially based on) was an alchemist, a flask specifically is a symbol of one character in the whole book/play; the Homunculus. The Homunculus is born as a small flame inside of a glass flask (And yes this is what Father from FMA's initial form was based on), created by Faust's (pre-deal with the devil) assistant Wagner who wishes to see the world. To this end, the Homunculus accompanies Faust and Mephistopheles to a Walpurgis Night (Sound familiar?) where they discover the wonders of nature. At the end of their segment, they shatter their flask and become one with the ocean.

It's weird that Project Moon would give Faust, based on a character who's literally the namesake for the term Faustian bargain, a symbol based on the flask instead of say, a demon. Not to mention Faust's sword saying Walpurgisnacht and her association with the in-game event. Unless of course, Faust isn't supposed to represent Faust himself, but rather the Homunculus. And that word almost universally regarded as a term for an artificial approximation of a human.

Every base EGO (Other than Rodion and Mersault for whatever reason) has a shadow across it that correlates to their respective Sinner's backstory in some way. Of the ones we have so far; Yi Sang's is a wing (Representing the wings he saw on his other self in the mirror and his status as a wing asset), Ishmael's is an anchor (Her previous status as a sailor and metaphorically her weighing herself to getting revenge on Ahab), Gregor's is a bunch of grasping hands (His experiences during the Smoke war), and Sinclair's is a tree with a snake going around it (Representing the temptation Kromer gave him that he gave into, which resulted in his family being slaughtered by her).

Faust's base EGO has the shadow of three separate people standing around her. Going off the original story, these would correlate to Faust, Wagner, and Mephistopheles standing around the Homunculus' flask. This is the specific bit pointed out by TvTropes that gave birth to this whole theory.

The abnormality EGO each character gets also tends to relate to them in some way, on a similar level to how each EGO used in a realization in Library of Ruina represented certain experiences. For example, as of the time of this writing Ishmael has Roseate Desire, Blind Obsession (Both relating to obsession and refusal to let go), Capote (Blind rage), and Ardor Blossom Star (Guidance or the lack thereof without a goal).

Faust's current EGO as of this writing include 9:2 (Forbidden knowledge), Telepole (experimentation), Hexnail (Abandonment), and Fluid Sack (Lack of direction), which in my opinion fits more with a creation trying to find their purpose in life after being free of their creator than someone willing to sell their soul for infinite knowledge.

It's mentioned that Faust rarely sleeps, and she rarely seems to be as affected by things like motion sickness or exhaustion as the other Sinners, which points towards her having some kind of inherent enhancement in some way.

The backstory of the homunculus matches with a shared desire among a lot of the other Sinners who we do know the backstory of; namely the idea of exploring the world and finding people you can truly call companions along the way.

Now, why do I think Faust is specifically a clone of the original and not say, a lab-created experiment? Well:

When we see Yi Sang's flashback to him agreeing to join the Company, we see him being recruited by someone who has to be Faust. She has the same voice actor and character name color... except we also never see her face, and the figure notably isn't identified as Faust and is instead credited as ???. Not only does the game usually explicitly identify a character as long as they've been properly introduced, but even the "But Yi Sang didn't know who it was at the time" doesn't work considering he's remembering and knows who Faust is now.

Faust is Sinner #2 instead of Sinner #1. While we can't be certain that Sinner numbers are based on recruitment order (Though there does seem to be some precedence in that Heathcliff seems to have been around when Ishmael was recruited, and he's #7 to her #8, and #10 Dante may have been recruited in their original self before Sinclair, Outis, and Gregor and simply never introduced to the group) it's odd that someone who otherwise acts as the head of the company (Recruiting Vergilius and Yi Sang, making the bus, etc.) would only be #2. In fact it's odd for that person to be in the field in the first place.

We know cloning is possible in the City, enough so that the Head outright has a law governing it. Namely, that only one copy of a person can exist within the City after week's time period. Note how that's worded. Only one copy of a person can exist within the City after a week's time period.

Conveniently, we now know the inner workings of the bus just so happen to have a portal that leads to different parts of the Outskirts.

Faust has a habit of referring to herself in third person, but she's a bit inconsistent about it. In fact, a lot of the time it happens when she's boasting of knowledge specifically. But maybe she's not saying things in third person. Maybe she's intentionally saying "Faust is a well-renowned genius" instead of "I am a well-renowned genius".

Faust being a clone would also fit with who actually runs the company itself. It doesn't seem to be the Purple Tear (The three who attack Dante in the prologue seem to be her agents) and Faust is the one who seems to give everyone instructions, including both Dante and Vergilius, yet there has to be someone coordinating all the other aspects of the company like arranging travel and the Before and After teams. But maybe it is Faust doing everything. Just not the same Faust we're interacting with.

To sum it up, I think Faust is the one running the company, but not the same Faust who's part of the Sinners. I think she made a clone of herself, imparting all her knowledge into it before going to the Outskirts to run the company from there (Just like how Ayin and Carmen had their original facility there), leaving the clone to fulfill its own desire to see the world and also take the risk involved with becoming a Sinner in her place. The reason Vergilius gives so much respect to Faust? Because she's a proxy of the original, the original who recruited him and the other Sinners in the first place. The various shady shit Faust does? All on orders from the original. Faust's constant boasting of her own knowledge in third person? She's trying to convince herself that she's as good as the original Faust instead of just a copy.

If anyone has any evidence they can think of, feel free to reblog with it.

#limbus company #limbus company faust #theory #character analysis #faust

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eddathegreat · 4 months

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Worm and Ward and Familiarity

I saw a really great analysis of Worm working with tropes while Ward works against them by @greatwyrmgold, and it reminded me of a more general contrast that I noted:

Worm is coming from a very familiar place and being pulled out of that. The Undersiders have fairly relatable experiences (on average). Poverty, bullying, neglect and abuse by guardians. I'd argue that, as extreme as Alec's experience is, it would resonate with many who have dealt with indoctrination in their youth (like me). Brockton Bay is a city on economic decline, struggling to stay afloat, and afflicted with violent crime. There's superpowers thrown in, sure, but it's fundamentally very familiar human shittiness and problems that drive a lot of the story.

The powers are definitely weird and creative, but it's still unmistakably a superhero story. Bugs, darkness, flight and strength and durability, contact biokinesis. Superheroes and supervillains in costumes fighting each other, hijinks and blood loss.

Except that there's Endbringers, and Echidna, and Cauldron, and Scion. The culmination of the story is peeling back the mask of a familiar superhero setting to reveal a cosmic horror story.

Ward is set in the aftermath of that.

There's a massive megacity that still doesn't have a name. It's basically a country, but it's led by a mayor. Infrastructure is just barely there, lots of people are still living in tents, the internet is just barely running and not everywhere. People with superpowers are no longer just superheroes and supervillains, they're... what, exactly? So many threats that were once contained are now running free, the ratio of normal territory to gonzo hellscapes has been turned on its head. The skyline is torn apart by portals to other worlds, and it's fucking with the weather. There's a political movement against people with superpowers, and there are people affected by superpowers with their own identity, and both of those groups are very conspicuous in how hard it is to treat them as an analogy for any other groups. People are estranged from their own environment, and it's a brave, terrible new world in the shadow of a slain god.

The superpowers are less straightforward. Being unable to be pointed at, impregnation tentacles that fuck with the effectiveness of other powers, lots of cluster triggers and grab-bags, etc. The powers are more obviously reflective of the cosmic horror story people have had to wake up to, unfamiliar, weird, and deeply upsetting.

The characters are also pretty dang weird. Rain is a lot like Alec, and I think he might actually be the most normal of the bunch. Body dysphoria+, sharing a body with a sibling, attachment issues, living as a clone or as a sort-of clone. Not totally unrelatable, to be sure, there are parallels with real life experiences, but these are more their own thing, not so recognizable.

This makes Victoria kind of the perfect protagonist, matching the themes: she's estranged from who she was and her old connections; her home city is gone; she's gone through something absolutely mind-bendingly terrible that is among the worst that people can experience IRL and then some; her power has changed; she was raised into the weirdness of superheroics and is pioneering how it looks in this new world; she's knowledgeable about the weirdness surrounding powers, giving her a good eye for understanding the new world.

I think a decent fraction of Ward's relative unpopularity sadly comes from this: estrangement from the once familiar. The characters can't be related to as easily, the powers aren't so iconic, and the setting feels undefined. I don't think Ward is inherently worse for it, it's just a bit of a tougher sell.

#wildbow #worm #worm web serial #wormblr #ward #ward web serial #wardblr #victoria dallon #victoria #glory girl #antares #web serial #media analysis

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the-bad-batch-baroness · 2 months

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Infectious

TBB & Fem!Reader

Chapter 3: Rumors on Scorro

Summary: You're completing your final practicum on Kamino as part of the experimental non-clone Combat Medic program. After graduating top of your class, and being inducted into the prestigious 407th Medic Unit, you get assigned to Clone Force 99. Neither of you are excited to be working together and tensions run high. However, those tensions dissipate when the Bad Batch unexpectedly falls ill while on a covert mission. Running against an unknown clock, it’s up to you to figure out what’s causing the illness before it ultimately kills you all.

Pairing: TBB & Fem!Reader

Characters: Hunter, Echo, Crosshair, Wrecker, Tech

Tags & Warnings: BAMF fem!reader, enemies to friends, humor, action, angst, hurt/comfort, canon typical violence, mild suggestive themes, explicit medical descriptions, whump

Word Count: 5.7k

Author's Note: WE'RE BACK BABY!!! Yeah, that's right. Finally. After all of this time, the next chapter has arrived 🥳 I told y'all I would be updating my other series fics in the new year, and I meant it. This chapter has some Echo angst in it, because why not. FYI, since it's been 9 months, I went back and edited the first two chapters to match my current writing style. No plot elements changed, just style, grammar, word choice, etc. As always, please enjoy 💚

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3

As the ship leaves the stormy atmosphere of Kamino, you turn your head to look out the transparisteel viewport and are greeted by the sight of endless stars twinkling brightly across the ebony horizon. You smile wide knowing this view will never get old. The galaxy is vast and beautiful, and getting to see it up close and personal, while also doing something you love, is priceless. This really is a turning point in your life. A new chapter to be written and explored.

When the ship levels out, you unstrap from the jump seat and start exploring the Marauder. You have a feeling you’ll be spending a lot of time aboard this ship, so you want to familiarize yourself with it as much as possible. You walk back towards the stern, where Wrecker is, and look around, but there's not much to see. Then make your way back up toward the bow and step aboard the bridge. You weave between Hunter and Crosshair, and stand behind Tech.

“So, where are we going?” you ask while looking over Tech’s shoulder at the controls.

Without turning around, Tech answers. “Agamar. It’s a rather barren planet found in the outer rim. The terrain is inhospitable to most, but we will manage.”

“What’s the mission?” you ask further, excited by the prospect and intrigue.

“There’s a separatist base they want us to route,” Hunter says. “A simple in-and-out mission.”

You nod your head at the explanation, but he makes it sound like routing a heavily guarded separatist base is a walk in the park. You have to remind yourself that they are an elite force of clones and are genetically modified for the toughest conditions. It amazes you that such clones can even exist and your fascination with them grows. You wonder how they look in action and if they live up to all the rumors the regular clones whisper about on Kamino. Only time will tell.

Hunter rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck. “Get some sleep, all of you. We’ll be there in a couple hours.”

You want to say something funny, like 'aye aye captain', but decide not. Instead, you simply nod and make your way back to the bunks. Laying down on the flat rack, you stare up at the ceiling. There are too many pre-mission jitters vibrating through your body to fall asleep. Even after shutting your eyes and calming yourself, it's just not enough. So, you toss and turn, getting more aggravated that your body won’t drift off, since being tired for your first mission is not an option.

You sigh and sit up, then peer around at the others who are soundly asleep in their bunks and chairs. You’re not sure how they can fall asleep so fast. It’s either a genetic thing or a military training tactic, but whatever it is, you don’t have it. You decide to get up and pace around to try and wear yourself out, and when you do, you hear something. The ship is quiet and your ears perk up immediately at the sound. Wanting to investigate it, you quietly slip around your squad.

One by one, you pass by them, waiting and listening to hear who made the weird sound. Not Wrecker. You move on. Not Crosshair either. You check the next one. He’s making noise for sure, but not the sound you heard. It’s not Tech either. You move towards Hunter, a little nervous that he might wake up and catch you staring at him, but you pause and listen. Nope, not him. You purse your lips. That only leaves Echo. Carefully, you tip toe over to him, wait, and listen.

He's not making a sound, and with a shrug, you turn to leave, thinking you’re a level of crazy for hearing things on a quiet ship. Then it happens again. You turn back around and look at Echo. He’s sleeping rather soundly, with soft rhythmic breaths and gentle rises and falls of his chest. No breath obstructions, you note to yourself. You wait and watch for a moment, then he says it again. It’s faint, breathy, and almost unrecognizable as a word, but you hear it regardless.

Fives.

You knit your eyebrows at the odd utterance, and wait a little longer, listening to see if what he mumbles changes or if he’s repeating the same word. After a couple standard seconds, Echo says the same breathy word again. Fives. You wonder what it means. Maybe it’s a special numerical sequence from his time back on Skako Minor? You shrug at the mystery, but are happy that it’s not a breathing issue. You turn to leave him be, but he mumbles something else.

Fives come back.

Oh. Your heart drops. It’s a person. He’s dreaming about someone he knows, or maybe someone he once knew. You sigh and let your eyes turn soft, knowing exactly what it’s like to dream about loved ones. It’s been several years, but you still dream about your parents. Sometimes you can’t fill in all the gaps of your dreams as you slowly forget things, but it still pulls at your heartstrings every time they show up to give you a hug in the realm of sleep.

As your thoughts wander a yawn escapes past your lips. Finally, feeling tired and ready for sleep, you return to your bunk and crawl onto the hard surface. Laying on your back, you close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to settle yourself. You still wonder who Fives is and what they mean to Echo. Your psychology books tell you that dreams can be a subconscious escape or a subconscious desire. Knowing next to nothing about Echo’s past, it could be either one.

You take another deep breath and exhale slowly. Closing your eyes, you let yourself drift off to sleep, but in a split moment, a rough hand shakes you back awake. You shoot up and hit your head on the bunk above you. Ouch. Nursing your newly formed bump, you use your other hand to rub the sleep out of your eyes. When you come out of your groggy haze, you can hear snickering coming from the rest of the squad. Ha ha, yes, very funny. You think to yourself.

“Rise and shine,” Hunter mocks as he walks away from your bunk. “We’re here.”

Gathering your composure, you swing out of the bunk and head over to the cockpit for the landing. You look out the viewport as you enter the atmosphere of Agamar and your face lights up with excitement. This is it. Your first mission. You want to squeal, but something tells you that no one else is going to appreciate it, so you keep it internal. The ship lands on the rocky surface of the planet with only a slight wobble. Tech wasn’t kidding when he said it was inhospitable.

Your excitement grows as the squad gears up with their packs, and you follow suit the same way. You double check your pack to make sure you have all the medical necessities and do a mental headcount of your supplies. Once satisfied with your inventory, you sling it across your back and toss your bucket snug on your head. You’re all set to go on your first mission. The ship door opens, light beaming in, and your heart begins to race. This is it. This is your moment.

You take your first steps forward to leave the ship when Hunter stretches an arm out to stop you. “Not you,” Hunter says. “You’re staying here.”

“What?” you question. “But what about the mission?”

“Your mission is here,” Hunter says. “You’re staying on the ship with Echo.”

“But, sir!” you argue. Your feelings of excitement crumble. “I belong in the field!”

“You belong where I tell you you belong, medic,” Hunter snaps back. “Or are you ignoring an order from your commanding officer on your first mission?”

You huff and clench your fist. “No, sir."

“I didn’t think so,” Hunter says, then turns to face Echo. “We may need a quick extraction, so keep your ears on.”

“Understood,” Echo acknowledges with a nod.

Hunter nods back and heads out of the Marauder with the rest of the squad, well, the rest of the squad except you. You remove your bucket, plop down on your bunk with an angry grunt, and lean your head back against the wall. This entire assignment has been one big pissing match, and every time you think you’re making progress, you get sidelined. How are you supposed to make Kix proud if you don’t see any action? You release another angry grunt and cross your arms.

“Careful,” Echo says. “You’ll lose your voice if you keep grunting like that.”

You roll your eyes. “Aren’t you upset being stuck here?”

“No,” Echo answers. “It’s not unusual for someone to be left back with the ship. Keeps people from stealing it.”

With such a small squad of men to work with, you guess that makes sense, and since Echo is your unofficial chaperone, it makes sense that you were left on the ship with him. However, even though you try to explain it to yourself in those practical terms, you still think it's to spite you. You sigh. At this rate, you’ll never get to prove your worth as a Combat Medic to any of them. To these special clones, you’re just useless dead weight and not worth their time.

As the planetary rotation moves forward, you find odd things around the ship to busy yourself with, but you’re still bored. Echo is not much of a conversationalist and he hasn’t moved from his spot in the cockpit. You end up sprawling yourself across the seat in the gunner’s nest and looking out the window at whatever draws your attention. There’s some trees, a little snow on the ground, and a few stray wildlife that come into view. Nothing too spectacular, that’s for sure.

Finally, after hours of sitting by yourself, you decide to go back to the cockpit and sit with Echo. You're still curious about this Fives person he mentioned in his sleep, and you think maybe now might be a good time to ask him about it. You walk into the cockpit and sit down in the chair across from him, bending one leg up onto the chair and resting your chin atop your knee. Echo silently acknowledges your presence and returns to looking at the setting sun over the horizon.

You fidget with your fingers as you mull over whether to ask him about what you overheard last night. It might be private, and he may not want to tell you, but your curiosity is getting the better of you. “Echo,” you ask. “Who's Fives?”

Echo shifts uncomfortably in his seat and stays silent for a couple of minutes. “How do you know that name?” he asks. His words hang heavy in the air.

“You…” you begin, then pause, unsure of how to tell him. You don't want to sound creepy, but honesty is the best policy. “You said it in your sleep.”

Echo sighs, but doesn't turn his gaze from the orange sunset. “Shouldn’t you have been sleeping too?”

“I’m not used to sleeping on ships,” you answer. You can tell by the tone of his voice that this is a sore subject and you're starting to regret bringing it up.

Echo swivels his chair to face you and worries his lip. His eyes are full of sadness and his countenance is engrossed in pain as he searches for the words he's looking for. A small smile flashes across his lips. You wonder if he's thinking about a memory.

“He was my brother,” Echo says, his voice quiet at the strain of saying his thoughts out loud.

You can tell by his choice of words and his tone of voice that this brother isn’t around anymore and you feel a twinge of sadness settle in your gut. You understand a thing or two about the loss of a loved one. “What happened to him?” you ask.

“He was murdered,” Echo says, his fist tightening as he looks back out the viewport. “By one of our own.”

Your expression turns from sadness to shock and then confusion. A clone killing a clone? Does that even happen? Why would a clone do that? Your mind rushes a mile a minute trying to wrap your head around the idea, but you cannot seem to reconcile it. It’s too bizarre of a concept to comprehend. Every clone you've ever met was a brother to the one next to him. So, for a clone to kill another clone, it’s like a family member killing another family member. It’s unheard of.

“I’m sorry, Echo,” you offer as a consolation. “You must miss him.”

“Yeah,” Echo says, his voice distant. “I do.”

“I miss my parents all the time,” you say, trying to bridge the gap and build a connection.

“I remember you mentioning they’re dead,” Echo says as he turns to face you.

“About ten years ago,” you add. Now it's your turn to look out at the sunset.

“I’m sorry,” Echo says.

“It’s fine,” you shrug. “It hurts, but it doesn’t hurt like it used to. I know they’re out there watching over me, somewhere.”

Echo snorts. “You believe in that Jedi force stuff do ya?”

“Not really,” you answer with a small laugh. “But everyone needs to believe in something.”

“That’s fair,” Echo says.

“When I look up at the stars,” you begin with a smile while staring fondly out at the horizon, “it’s almost like I can feel them with me, you know? Watching over me as I make my way in the galaxy.”

“Sounds nice,” Echo says.

“I bet Fives is watching you too,” you say, then look at Echo with soft eyes. “He hasn’t left you alone, just like my parents haven’t left me.”

“Maybe,” Echo shrugs, then chuckles. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he came back to haunt me.” His brief small smile fades as his countenance reverts back to a frown.

“We’ll see them again some day," you say, trying to stay hopeful. “I just know it.”

“That would be something, wouldn’t it?” Echo half-jokes, but you can hear the part of his heart that wants what you're saying to be true.

He wants to see his brother again, desperately. So much so that he calls out to him while he sleeps. He must agonize over Fives’ death. You understand because you’ve been there. You’ve stared death in the face, the kind of death that leaves you thoroughly alone. You don't need to understand psychology to know what his subconscious thinks about on a daily basis, and your heart hurts for him, but you know there's nothing in your medpack to mend a shattered heart.

You and Echo stare out of the cockpit in silence and watch the sun fall beyond the horizon, sharing in this solemn moment and appreciating the company. The veil of night arrives and the stars begin to shine in the dark sky. The billions of bright burning lights feel comforting. The stars aren't very visible on Kamino, but here, on this planet, they are bright and beautiful. You relax your shoulders and lean back, thinking that maybe this assignment isn’t so bad after all.

However, your sweet moment is interrupted by Hunter’s voice over the comms. He’s calling in that quick extraction now and by the amount of yelling and blaster fire in the background, this is going to be a hot one. Echo relays the affirmation, sets the coordinates, and lets Hunter know that both of you are on the way to pick them up. You're slightly surprised that Echo included you in the transmission, but now is not the time to be celebrating your first taste of inclusivity.

“Civvy, strap in,” Echo orders as he starts pressing buttons and flipping switches to get the ship going. “This is going to be a bumpy ride and I don’t need you falling out of the ship.”

Ah, there it is. You sigh and head back towards the jump seats and strap yourself in for the wild ride ahead. Echo expertly maneuvers the ship to the squad's location and brings it in low so they can climb on board. You can hear the blaster fire outside and as the door opens to the ship, you watch them file in while firing off blaster bolts to cover each other. It’s the first time you’ve seen any of them in action and you're a little awestruck. They don’t move like other clones.

Tech next to Echo and Hunter yells for them to get them out of here. The ship moves again, this time more aggressively, as the enemy continues to fire at the Marauder. Wrecker moves to the gunner’s nest and shoots down the vulture droids that are following behind. You tightly grip the bars on the jump seat as the ship rocks from the blasts. Thankfully, the shields are up. The ship flips upside down, sideways, and every other way you can think of to out maneuver the droids.

At long last, the ship breaches the atmosphere and moves into space. Tech initiates the hyperdrive and pulls the handle down to enter into hyperspace. Once safe in a hyperspace lane, you let out the breath you were holding in, then flick the safety release on the jump seat and push them over your head. You get up from the seat and wobble forward, not realizing your legs turned to jelly from all of the excitement, and let your feet stabilize before trying to walk.

“Woah, that was fun!” Wrecker hollers as he brushes by you and moves towards the cockpit. “Echo, you should have seen this place. It was crazy.”

“Not as crazy as being sling-shot across a ravine,” Crosshair grumbles and pushes past you. He sits down in one of the swivel chairs and starts cleaning his rifle in silence.

“I said I was sorry,” Wrecker apologizes. “But we won!”

“Correction,” Tech says as he lifts a pointed finger in the air. “I won.”

Crosshair rolls his eyes and pulls a few credits from his pocket and hands them to Tech.

“Much obliged,” Tech says as he stuffs the credits in one of his many satchels.

The exchange has you lost in bewilderment. Clearly, something happened during the mission and you’re curious to know the details. You look at Echo, hoping he'll ask for more information about it, but he doesn’t, leaving you more curious. You do find it odd, however, that they had some form of amusement out on the battlefield. From your time on Kamino, most clones don't find blaster fire fun. Clone Force 99 really is different compared to the rest of the clone forces.

“I assume your mission was a success?” Hunter asks while walking by you, breaking you from your thoughts.

“Yes… sir,” you answer with a twinge of hesitancy, a little unsure of what your mission was other than staying on the ship with Echo.

“Good,” Hunter says. He reclines in one of the empty swivel seats and clasps his hands behind his head. “Glad to hear it.”

You can’t tell if he’s being serious or if he's trying to make fun of you. Either way, you brush it off and focus on more pressing matters, like what's next on the mission agenda. Will you go back to Kamino? Or will you wait for more orders? That’s what good soldiers do, isn’t it? Follow orders? You’re still unfamiliar with all of this, so you’re not sure what to ask or what to do with yourself. Rather than make new issues by asking more questions, you retreat back to your bunk to relax.

But the boredom of waiting creeps in and you start to doze off. Your eyelids are heavy even though you barely spent any energy this rotation. It doesn't take you long to remember that you didn’t get much sleep the night before and now that the adrenaline is wearing off, your body is telling you it needs rest. You don't fight it and let your body go to sleep, hoping you won’t be woken up. As a medic, you must get rest whenever you can so you can be at your best at all times.

This time you wake up on your own terms, when your body feels rested. You’re not sure how long you were out, but no one bothered you so you assume everyone is still waiting for new orders to come across. You sit up in your bunk, without hitting your head this time, and stretch out your arms. You roll your shoulders and crack your neck. The bunks aren’t exactly soft, but they do their job. Swinging your legs over the side of the bunk, you get up to use the refresher.

As you head towards the refresher, the rest of the squad is huddled around and speaking amongst each other. Hunter looks serious and has his arms crossed, which can’t mean anything good, and Echo is arguing with him, again. You forget the refresher for a moment and walk over to add your presence to the mix. Hunter notices and glances at you before turning back to Echo. Not realizing where you are standing, Crosshair gives you a small jab on your behind with his rifle.

The sudden touch startles you. “What was that for?”

“You’re blocking my view,” Crosshair hisses. “Move.”

You roll your eyes. “You could've just asked me to move, you know. That's borderline harassment.”

“If you looked more like a window than a door, I wouldn’t have to borderline harass you,” Crosshair snarks and flicks his toothpick in your face.

Your nose scrunches and eyes close when the little wooden projectile hits your face. As your frustration builds, you take a deep breath to calm yourself. You want nothing more than to tell that sniper where he can shove his rifle, but you won't. It's not worth it because it will only fuel his bullying further. Instead, you choose to let it go. This time. There are points where you will cross the line, and he keeps dancing around that line. If he ever crosses it, you'll let him know.

“Can we get back to more important things?” Hunter asks, shifting his gaze between you and Crosshair.

Echo huffs and shakes his head. "I don't like it."

"We don't have to like it," Hunter says. "Orders are orders."

"What orders?" you ask.

Hunter swivels to face you. "There's rumors of an imperial base operating out of Scorro." Tech pulls up a holo of the planet and Hunter continues his explanation. "According to our intel, the GAR sent a squad of clones to scout the base, but their comms suddenly went silent. Another squad of clones were sent after them with the same result. Now they want us to investigate."

"Do they know what happened to the clones?" you ask, curious as to what's causing Echo's skepticism.

"No," Hunter crosses his arms. "They were never recovered."

"No one went back to get them?" you ask.

"It would be a waste of resources," Tech adds. "Besides, based on the trend, sending another clone squadron would yield the same results."

"But aren't we another clone squadron?" you ask, this time your nerves bleed through.

"Stop worrying!" Wrecker exclaims. "We can take on whatever they throw at us!"

His words don't make you feel better about the situation. While Echo is the only one openly objecting to the new mission, Hunter's facial expressions tell a different story than what he's leading everyone to believe. Your first inkling was the fact that he hasn't shoved you aside for this conversation. In fact, he's answered your questions without issue. He's serious about this in a way he hasn't been since you've met him. The fact that Hunter is worrying, has you worrying.

"I still don't like it," Echo frowns. "How'd they lose two clone squadrons without so much as one distress signal?"

"Maybe a new type of droid?" you offer. "Or their signals were jammed?"

"Groundbreaking ideas," Crosshair says.

"Everything is a valid option," Echo adds.

Crosshair rolls his eyes.

"Enough," Hunter says. "We're going to Scorro to investigate the rumors and to find the missing clones. Double-check our supplies and prepare for anything."

With the sergeant's final words, everyone scatters to prepare for the mission, except for Tech who punches in the new coordinates and sets the course for Scorro. You linger in the cockpit, silently observing Hunter as he pulls out his knife and twirls it around his fingers. The mission makes you nervous even though it shouldn't. You'll probably end up staying on the ship again, but maybe that's not a bad thing. You shake your head at the thought. That's not why you're here.

"Sergeant–"

"You too," Hunter says before you get a chance to ask. "You're coming with us."

You smile and nod. "Thank you, sir."

"Don't get the wrong idea," Hunter adds. "I need Echo for this mission, and I'm not leaving you alone on the ship."

"Yes, sir," you frown then turn back towards the bunks to get yourself situated.

Of course it would be too good to be true. For a second, you thought he actually wanted you on this mission, but he just wants to keep an eye on you. As a medic, you can help the missing troopers if they need medical attention, which you're confident they will. Your presence on the mission should be vital, not just an afterthought. Although, you shouldn't be upset that you're going on a mission, but you wish it was because of merit and not for the sake of babysitting.

Regardless, you will do your best on this mission and prove to Clone Force 99 that you are a good medic. That they need you. You're not sure how, but you will. When you get back to your bunk, you triple-check the supplies in your pack and stock as many bacta patches and stim shots as you can fit, plus some essential fluid and mineral packets, ration bars, and a few medical odds and ends that make sense to bring along. You want to be prepared for anything.

With your preparations made, it's another waiting game until you reach Scorro. You don't remember reading about that planet in your studies, but apparently it's rather primitive in nature, which is why no one has settled on it. It's an abandoned planet, making it a great outpost for mercenaries, pirates, and separatists. Pulling out your data-pad, you do a little more research to see what you can find out, but come up with the same dismal results that your holo-texts had.

It's not much longer before the Marauder drops out of hyperspace and the olive-green planet comes into view. When the holo-text said that Scorro was primitive, it wasn't kidding. It looks new and unabused by modern progress, and its vegetal hue is highly alluring. Your curiosity has now surpassed your trepidation about the rumors and missing clones. You're excited. This is a great opportunity, even if it's dangerous. The closer you get to the planet, the faster your heart beats.

“According to the scanners, there are no active fauna on this planet,” Tech states. "But the air is breathable."

“Just because the air is breathable doesn’t mean it’s good for you,” you point out. “Carbon monoxide is breathable but you’ll die before you figure out it’s bad for you.”

“Correction,” Tech adds. "The air is non-toxic towards human life-forms."

"Glad we could sort that one out," Crosshair says. "Any more words of wisdom?"

You narrow your eyes at him. "No."

"Take us in," Hunter says. "Land just outside the coordinates of the last clone squadron."

"Affirmative," Tech says, then flips a few switches before piloting the ship into the planet's atmosphere.

Once the ship has landed, Hunter addresses the group. "Our mission is to locate the two missing clone squadrons and investigate the rumors about an separatist base of operations. We'll use teams of two and spread out in an 800 meter radius from the last known coordinates. Keep the comm lines open and have your blasters at the ready."

Everyone nods and gears up, including you. Before you put your bucket on, you glance at the medic mark on your shoulder pauldron. No matter what happens, you have a job to do. You're a medic first. These men, your squad, are in your care and it's your responsibility to make sure they all survive. Steeling yourself for what's to come, you bite back every lick of fear that tries to take hold in your mind. You've trained hard for this, and you're not going to get cold feet now.

The side loading ramp opens and the bright sunlight of the planet blasts into the dimly lit ship. No turning back now. You follow the rest of the squad out of the ship and step onto the fresh earth of Scorro. For someone who grew up on Coruscant and spent the last cycle on Kamino, this much vegetation is mesmerizing. The sun is so warm, and the earth beneath your feet is so soft. This virgin planet is breathtaking. You take a few more steps forward, then Hunter stops.

"Tech, Crosshair, go east," Hunter says while pointing in that direction. "Wrecker and I will go north. Echo and Civvy, you'll go west.

The group nods and heads out in their respective directions.

"Stay frosty men," Hunter says over the comms. "There's no telling what we'll be up against out here."

You and Echo silently walk towards the western end of the perimeter, keeping your eyes peeled for any signs of the clone troopers or separatists. After a couple minutes, the silence grates on your nerves, but Echo seems focused right now. A little too focused. You know this mission bothered him from the beginning, but there seems to be something else about the way he carries himself that indicates it's not just about the mission being odd. There's something deeper.

As you continue forward, your foot kicks something hard. Looking down, you catch a glimpse of the familiar white plastoid clone trooper helmet, which is attached to a body shrouded by tall weeds. Your stomach flips. You weren't expecting to find one of them so quickly.

"Sarge," you say in the comms. "I found a trooper." Crouching down, you check for a pulse, but as you expected, there is none. "He's dead."

"We're making our way to your position now," Hunter says. "How'd he die?"

While your medic training didn't have an autopsy course, you inspect the body for the usual suspects. The armor is still intact and there's no signs of a struggle, which you find odd. There's no blaster marks, claw marks, bites, or scratches on the armor either. The black bodysuit isn't even ripped. He must have died from something. You pull back some of the black bodysuit and notice the tissue is necrotizing, but you don't see anything suspicious. Then you scan the body.

"Civvy, status," Hunter interjects over comms.

"I'm not sure how he died," you admit while reviewing the results of the scan. Echo looks over the body too, but doesn't come up with anything substantial. Not that you needed a second opinion.

"What do you mean you're not sure?" Hunter asks. "You're a medic, you should know how people die."

"There's no wounds," you explain. "He looks normal. Fine, even. Besides being dead." You don't mention it, but the fact that there are no organisms feasting on the clone's flesh also baffles you. You'd figure there would be more decay markers, but there's not even a single worm.

Hunter and Wrecker make it to your position and Hunter looks over the body, confirming what you said. "Then how the kriff did he die?"

You look up at Hunter from your crouched position next to the body and shrug. "We'd need a full autopsy to determine that, but the scans indicate no internal injuries either."

"So, he died from nothing?" Echo asks.

You shrug again. "Maybe he had a heart attack. That doesn't show up on portable scanners."

"Eighteen clone troopers died of a heart attack?" Hunter asks, his voice sounding distant.

"No," you rebut. "But maybe this one did."

Hunter points past you and you stand up to see what he wants you to look at. You tilt your head from side to side, scanning the area he's pointing at, when a glint of white pops up on your HUD. Then another. And another. Your eyes widen and your mouth gapes. The ground is littered with seventeen more troopers half-covered in tall weeds. The first squad and the second squad, dead mere meters from each other. You've never seen so many dead bodies before.

You feel your stomach grow queasy, and you rip off your helmet to vomit. As a medical student, you've seen cadavers, held organs in your hands, been bathed in blood, but nothing prepared you for the sight of a mass death. There's something menacing and sickly about it. You know most clones are never retrieved from battlegrounds and you know most clones will never see a proper burial, but knowing and witnessing are two different things. It's heartbreaking.

"You all right?" Echo asks.

You pant from the spasmic exertion, but find your voice. "I'm fine."

Tech and Crosshair arrive at your position soon after, and take note of the bodies. Everyone feels it now, the pressure looming thickly in the air. Something happened on this planet. Something killed these eighteen troopers and it killed them silently. There's an anxiety that creeps in as you wonder what it possibly could be. What is the silent hunter? How does it find its victims? And how can you and your squad escape from it? Perhaps, it may even be too late.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Echo says to Hunter.

Hunter sighs. "Me too."

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3

Masterlist

A03

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