The Royal Family | Chapter Two

hey i can’t help but feel awful! u didn’t have to change it to reader i’m always pleased with whatever work u bring! that’s why i’ve been a fan for years now and u are truly so very talented and if u want to keep it OC it’s fine i was just wondering. whatever floats ur boat❤️🥺

Oh honey! Don’t even worry about it. You know, I was actually reading it over and I was just like “No I really do like it better as a reader story.” I had a bunch of people telling me to keep it and change it, so I just went back to the way I wanted it. The reader was in the original transcripts and I’m trying to stay true to that. But yeah!

Forgiveness | Crosshair from The Bad Batch

Summary: When Crosshair reunites with his old squad, there are some unresolved tension between you.

Warning: spoilers from episode four, slightly jealous Hunter, recalling imprisonment with the empire, some angsty feelings

Pairing: Crosshair x Fem!Reader

Type: Oneshot

Word Count: 2.1k words

Note: Just had this one shot on my mind for a while and wanted to get it fully written. Let me know your thoughts down below!

The past several months had been incredibly difficult for the team. Having just lost Tech and Omega, they didn't quite know what to do or where to go from there. They spent months chasing down leads, desperately searching for any sign that would tell them where the Empire was keeping Omega. But every mission only resulted in another dead end with no usable intel.

It felt like they'd fallen into the same repeating cycle. They'd hear a whisper of something, follow that whisper, and find nothing that could aid them in their search. They refused to give up, especially their leader who was more determined than ever to bring her back home.

After many long tiresome months, their search was finally over. In the end, Omega was the one who had managed to escape from confinement and send a coded message to rendezvous somewhere safe. Now, Omega stood directly in front of them with big tears in her eyes. They'd never felt a stronger sense of relief than having her back safe and sound.

"I had help," Omega told them.

Turning around to face the ship that she'd arrived in, their eyes seemed to follow her line of sight. A figure emerged from the ship's gangplank, descending the ramp slowly. When the infamous sniper came into view, Hunter and Wrecker felt slightly unnerved. They still didn't trust him, watching his movements with extreme caution.

However, as soon as you'd seen him, it almost felt like your heart had dropped to the lowest point in your stomach. Your breath hitched in the back of your throat and you fought the tears that threatened to release. You couldn't believe your eyes.

Sensing your sudden swelling of emotions, Hunter spun around on the heels of his feet to face you. He took a single step forward and reached out to you as if to comfort you, calling your name very so gently.

But you just couldn't look away from Crosshair. Your Crosshair.

The one who had betrayed his family to join the Empire's forces. The one whose chip had activated during the order and changed who he was as a person. The one who hunted you. The one who was finally offered the second chance he wanted so badly by his squad, but refused them in the end. The one who left you and vowed he didn't love you as you had loved him. That Crosshair.

After the Fall of Kamino, Hunter was left to comfort you during one of your lowest times having since been rejected from his younger brother on that platform. He lost count of how many nights you cried yourself to sleep in his arms. You never talked about it, but he knew somehow. That maybe there was still apart of you that cared deeply for him, which was why it hurt all the more.

Now, coming back to your reality, you truly didn't know how to feel. You never thought you'd see him again or if you had expected to see him again, it wouldn't have been in this current situation. He just stood there looking directly at you.

His face was blank. He showed no emotion whatsoever.

Finally, having gathered your courage, you started walking towards him without taking your eyes off him. Hunter had tried to stop you once again, roughly grabbing your forearm to halt your movements.

"Y/n. Wait," Hunter's voice came out rather gruff and harsh.

He was warning you. He didn't know what else to say, but it didn't matter because you quickly tore your hand out of his grasp. And you continued your approach across the space between.

Finally, you came to a halt in front of him. His eyes never looked away from yours and he continued to remain unreadable with his emotions. He waited expectantly.

He didn't know how you'd respond to seeing him again because the last time he had seen you, you confessed your true feelings for him and he chose the empire over you. He'd seen the hurt flash in your eyes when he said he didn't love you, how you fought the tears from falling at his words.

Months later, you were standing in front of him once again. He half-expected you to lash out in anger at him. He wondered what you'd say to him, thinking of how your voice would sound when you tell him: "How dare you show your face again?" He'd even take a couple hits from you if you were angry enough. He wouldn't care, because he deserved all the hate you had for him.

The very last thing that Crosshair expected was to hear a choked sob escape past your lips as your walls came crashing down around you. You closed the distance between the two of you, wrapping your arms tightly around his torso and burrowing your head into his chest. You clung to him so desperately as if you were afraid he'd slip through your fingers again. The tears began to fall down your cheeks as you held him close.

At first, Crosshair didn't know what to do with himself. He stood in your arms stiffly and awkwardly. It took a while before his shoulders finally eased up and he shakily raised his arms to wrap around you. He propped his chin onto the top of your head, relishing in the sweet feeling of your embrace. He closed his eyes slowly.

In the distance, Hunter's gaze hardened. He felt his fists clench at his sides instinctively. A newfound sense of anger began to arise in the pit of his stomach.

"I don't care about the things you've said or the things you've done," you spoke softly. This confession confused him even further. "What matters to me is that you're back."

After another moment, you reluctantly pulled yourself out of his grasp. You flashed him a brief smile, quickly wiping away the tears that stained your cheeks. You created a little distance by taking a step back, wanting to respect his boundaries. He watched you silently because he was honestly too shocked to say anything.

Leaving the rendezvous point in the Marauder, the now reunited members set a course to return to the safe haven planet known as Pabu. The Marauder was traveling through hyperspace, enveloping the entire ship in a tunnel of blue and white flashing stars. The little gonk droid waddled into the cockpit happily.

In the sleeping quarters, Wrecker and Omega had long since fallen asleep in each other's arms. They held Lula between the two of them. If you looked closely, you'd be able to see the faint smiles on their faces while they slept, knowing that they were both so happy to be reunited with one another.

Meanwhile, Hunter tried to busy himself at the control center. He typed on his brother's old data pad, figuring out what their next steps were going to be. If he was being honest with himself, his mind wasn't entirely focused on the task at hand. He often found himself glancing towards the cockpit upon knowing that was were his brother currently resided.

Brushing right past him, you walked directly into the entrance of the cockpit. He watched your retreating figure, which went unnoticed by you. An overwhelming sense of sadness filling his senses as he remembered the longing feeling you felt towards his brother and not him.

When you came into the cockpit, Crosshair was sitting in the copilots chair with his back turned to you. He was chewing on a toothpick, mulling his thoughts over. You were slow to make your presence known to him, gingerly stepping forward in your place.

"I made up your old cot for you," you told him with a hint of hope in your voice. "Thought it would be a good idea for you to get some rest."

He hummed. "And where will you sleep?"

"I--I don't know what you mean," you stumbled over your words, laughing awkwardly to cover it up.

"You used to sleep in my cot during my leave of absence," Crosshair recalled this piece of information because Omega had once told him about it during their time of confinement. "So where will you sleep?" Crosshair repeated himself.

"There's always that extra cot," you said rather sorrowfully. Your gaze fell to the floor when you remembered the notable absence of your squad member.

Hearing your response only made Crosshair close his eyes. It was all still new to him: the fact that he lost one of his brothers. He wasn't used to the feeling of him not being there because he'd always been there. He never imagined what life without Tech would look like. And now, he had to live that reality.

Since Tech died, you hadn't been able to bring yourself to cleaning up his personal space. His old workbench was left exactly how he'd left it with tools and gadgets scattered randomly. His cot was a whole other ordeal. There were wires coming out of places there shouldn't be wires and greasy parts had stained the sheets. Every time you looked at it, it was almost like he was still there living among you. So you never touched it.

That was until now when the need for another sleeping place arose.

"He's been watching you like a hawk," Crosshair's voice was quick to pull you away from your thoughts as he quickly changed the subject. You furrowed your eyebrows in slight confusion.

"Who?" You asked.

"Hunter," Crosshair rolled his eyes. His tone almost hinted: who else would it be?

"Oh," you replied softly, not really knowing how to respond to that.

"He worries about you, you know that right?" Crosshair added. He kept his back to you.

"Well, I--I never..." you threw a brief glance over your shoulder, but you were still at a loss for words.

"He'd be better for you," Crosshair confessed. He dropped his gaze down to his hands which shook ever so slightly in his lap. He clasped them together to stop the shaking. "He's cared about you for a long time and he's been able to take care of you. That's more than I can say."

"Crosshair," you breathed steadily. You called out for him and tried to peer around the chair. "What's this all about?"

Contemplating his next words carefully, Crosshair remained silent for a moment. He closed his eyes and turned his head away as if he wanted to run away from all of his thoughts and feelings. But he knew he couldn't do that.

"I---I care about you," Crosshair confessed, but he still refused to look you in the eyes.

Shoulders depleting at his confession, you felt your own breath escape your throat and your heart clenched tightly in your chest. You struggled to find the words to respond, opening and closing your mouth like a fish out of water.

"B-But I thought..." your voice trailed off as you took a single step forward. You recalled the conversation on Kamino.

"I know what I said!" Crosshair yelled back a little louder than he expected initially. You weakly took a step backwards in retreat, feeling him pushing you away again.

"What changed?" You inquired curiously.

"When I was...in confinement...I had a hard time sleeping," Crosshair began to explain. He kept his gaze locked on his hands as he relived the painful memories. "Every time I managed to fall asleep, I'd think of you. And it made me realize how much I missed you."

There was only silence that followed.

"I've made mistakes; done things that I'm not proud of. But one of my biggest regrets was pushing you away," Crosshair was speaking from the heart.

Before Crosshair knew what was happening, he felt a warm hand come in contact with his cheek. The hand urged him to turn his head and look up directly into your soft and kind eyes. You observed him silently, gazing deeply into the depths of his eyes to look for any deceit or falseness.

But all you could find was a truly broken soul. He had never looked at you like that before with such a tone of pain and hurt behind those eyes. He raised his shaky and unstable hand to grasp your wrist and hold your hand against his cheek. He seemed to lean into your touch, relishing the feeling of your skin against his own.

His hand tremors didn't go unnoticed by you. It was something he carried with him now. And he'd have to find a way to work through that struggle.

There was a part of him that wondered if this was all just another one of his dreams of you. That he'd only imagined escaping prison with Omega, fighting for his life, reuniting with his brothers, and finally confessing his feelings towards you. He closed his eyes and expected to wake up from this horrible dream at any moment. But instead: Crosshair only heard you say.

"I forgive you."

Casual reminder that Hunter is LITERALLY the person who brings a knife to a gun blaster fight.

What makes this even funnier? In this scene, Anakin says "Hunter, hold them off," and Hunter's response is to drop the blaster he's holding in exchange for his knife.

shading practice with hunter :D

i think i would fold if he looked at me like that

I am writing an eddie munson one shot, would you like to be tagged when I post it?

Absolutely! I love reading other people’s work.

@webslinger-holland IS BACK EVERYBODY 😭 am I the only one overly blown away by this 😂 like wHaT?? This made my day y’all 💕omg she’s back 😭💕

SAVE ME SALT AND PEPPER HUNTER SAVE ME!!!!

The Royal Family | Chapter Four

Summary: When two royal family’s decide to conjoin their countries, they arrange a marriage between their eldest children. Once the two royals meet, it takes a lot of convincing before they are ready to begin their reign together...

Warning: sexual tension, flirting, lots of kissing

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

Type: The Royal Family Series

MASTERLIST

The spring day opens with the same gentle pace as the new blooms. The winter time had passed in its somber majesty. It had only brought skies of richly marbled greys and trees so elegant in their bare beauty. Those cold days for calmness and reflection are waning now. And a new spring energy will rise. 

The blossom arrives like cake frosting on the trees in delicious creams and pinks. The petals burst out from lower down the branches, leaving the tips still in tight bud. The evergreens and spruces scented the air with their new growth. The trees had almost looked like dancing ladies. They wore dresses of different shades of green dresses which were more fabulous than any designer could craft. They would move in perfect harmony with each other, choreographed by the gentle breeze.

The eastern palace had been frantically scurrying around the place to clean up the last minute touches. The servants had been working all day to prepare for the garden party that would take place in the late afternoon. The gardeners had to make sure that the royal garden looked its absolute best for that special day.

The gardener (who was a little old man) had spent the whole last week working diligently on the gardens himself. He liked to shape the trees to his liking with his clippers. He groomed the bunches of flowers with his bare hand, occasionally sending some to the palace for the princess. He was also able to clean the fountain from the last winter. Now the garden would be the prime and perfect centerpiece for the garden party.

The grand tent had been set up to linger underneath some trees. The footmen had been ordered to carry the various tables and chairs out to the tent for set up. The maids would organize the tables and chairs to their liking. They placed the white lace tablecloths on top of the small white circular tables. 

The ladies that worked in the kitchens were carrying out the fine china dishes. They were also starting to bring out the food that they would serve at the garden party. The little fluffy sandwiches would be served on the silver platters for it would be the main course. There were breads and biscuits that were practically tumbling over the sides of the wicker baskets on the wood table. There were small bowls of various fruits on the side, drizzled with a teaspoon of sugar. And there was one particular thing that would be a grand surprise.

A few small kettles of water were placed on the table to make warm tea. The little teabags were neatly ordered in little rows, showcasing the number of different flavors. And a little bowl of sugar was placed beside the warm kettles for a little added sweetening. 

There were beautiful crystal glass pitches filled to the brim with pink lemonade. The ice buckets would come out later, so that the lemonade could be served with ice cubes for the guests. There were also a few bottles of champagne for the gentleman that didn’t really care for lemonade. There were pitchers of nice cold milk that would be served to the children. There were beads of water running down the sides of the glasses due to the cold liquid within the pitcher.

The princess of the east would be hosting her first garden party. She had spent the last couple weeks sending out invitations, choosing the foods that would be served, and organizing the decorations to her liking. She was beyond overwhelmed when the day had actually arrived. 

She was telling the servants to do this and that. She had changed her mind in regards to the champagne. She found herself rearranging the setting on the guest list for the millionth time. She also made a grand request the day prior. She wanted there to be chocolate at the garden party (which was hard to come by).

The good news concerning the young couple’s courtship had rapidly spread throughout the entire kingdom. The servants whispered amongst themselves. Many of them were placing bets on the date that the royal couple would be engaged and married. The entire royal family was beyond thrilled with the news, expressing their sincere congratulations to the young couple. This garden party would be to celebrate their newfound courtship.

The three princes had found themselves walking amongst the preparation of the party in the front yard. The three of them did not pay any mind to the servants scurrying around them, frantically trying to make the last minute adjustments. They would settle their gazes on the young princess who was growing more stressed with each passing moment. 

"Tell me, dear brother," Harry said with an evident smirk plastered on his face. He turned his head to look at his older brother standing beside him, tilting his head to gesture towards the princess in the short distance. "Have you kissed her yet?" Harry wondered. 

"That is none of your business," Thomas said. He had been quick to avert his gaze, choosing to pretend to be focused on something else instead of having to listen to his brother’s taunting voice. Though he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, he couldn't suppress the smile from growing on his lips. This would give away any secrecy in the matter.

"Oh...so you have kissed her,” Harry concluded. He could see the evident blush on his brother’s cheeks. He would only raise his eyebrows in amusement, chuckling to himself at the notion. "My brother has had his first kiss,” Harry exclaimed a little too loud for his brother’s liking. 

In the background, the prince’s personal assistant was making sure to linger behind them. He had turned his head to search some of his surroundings, watching the servants scurry around with keen eyes. His baby blue eyes would settle on this young servant carrying a bundle of neatly folded lace tablecloths. He could have sworn he had never seen anyone more beautiful in his life. 

In that give moment, the princess was fussing over this beautiful bouquet of flowers in the center of the table. She had taken one single step backwards to admire her work. She almost wondered if she had picked the right china dishes or if she should send for the other one. She just couldn’t think straight.

“You look stressed,” Thomas called. He had taken a few steps forward in his place, leaving his two brothers and personal assistant behind. He had grown to know her well over the past few months, especially during their courtship. 

“I am stressed,” Y/N confessed. She had turned her head to look over the small stretch of her shoulder, staring at the three princes in her presence. She took hold of one of the white lace tablecloths from Elsie. She spread the tablecloth onto the next table. “There is still so much to do,” Y/N sighed. 

“Let’s go for a walk,” Thomas suggested. He strode towards her, stopping to stand right in front of her. He could tell that she was about to make some protest, but then she began to process his words. He spoke again. “It might take your mind off things,” Thomas hinted.

The princess of the east had glanced at some of her surroundings in fear that some of the servants might catch onto the conversation between them. She was able to come up with a hundred excuses, but he simply refused to accept them. He had started to lead her away from the commotion with a hand on the small of her back. She was very reluctant to leave the front yard for a while.

The two royals were walking down the long gravel pathway of the newly opened gardens of the palace. He had caught her mumbling to herself under her breath as if she were making mental notes in her head. He had to tell her to not worry about anything. He said that he knew something that would take her mind off things.

With great precaution, the prince had brought the princess to a small stone gazebo hidden beneath the trees. He turned his head to look over the small stretch of his shoulder, checking to make sure nobody was nearby.  He grasped onto the her, leading her towards the well-known hideout. He placed his hand on the small of her back, politely pushing her forward first.

The princess grabbed a handful of her skirt with both hands, lifting her skirt up so she could climb the steps. She did not hesitate to walk towards the stone wall of the gazebo. She found herself spinning around on the heels of her feet to face him, pressing her backside against the stone wall. 

The prince had been following behind her. He turned his head to search some of his surroundings one last time. He quickly joined her in the privacy of the stone gazebo. He walked right up to her, so that he could press his body against her's. The coast was clear. They were alone now. 

In an instant, their lips crashed together in synchronized harmony. He had carried his hand to rest below her ear, cupping her cheek with his large hand. His thumb was caressing her cheek in the most soothing manner. His other hand rested on her hip, holding her closer in his embrace. She ran her fingers over his forearms. She pulled him closer until there was no space left between them.

Their hearts were beating rapidly against their chests, threatening to break through the thin barrier. They could practically feel the blood and adrenaline pumping and coursing through their veins. They felt a rush of euphoric bliss envelop their beings, making their hearts sing with pure joy. Their hearts could barely contain the million different emotions surged through their bodies; desire, hunger love, lust. 

The prince's mouth was warm; the caress of his lips gentle yet firm. He found himself tilting his head to the side to deepen their connection. He pressed his pink tongue against the seam of her little lips, begging for entrance. His tongue delved into her mouth, exploring every single aspect without any hesitation. He moaned at her sweet taste.

The princess's lips were so soft and smooth. Her lips were moving against the prince's lips as if they were two perfectly fitted puzzle pieces. She stifled a surprised gasp as his soft lips captured hers again, causing her body to flush with heat. She could feel the heat traveling through her veins, warming her heart. 

The young woman was currently trapped between the stone wall and the strong prince. Though she didn't seem to mind. Her fingers were digging into the sleeve of the prince's coat, pulling him even closer to her. She refused to let him go. The obscene noises of one's saliva exchanging was streaming throughout the stone gazebo, bouncing off the hard walls. Their lips molded against each other’s perfectly. The kiss was so passionate.

In the end, the two human beings would need oxygen to survive. They had quite reluctantly pulled away from each other. They leaned forward  to rest their heads together. They panted heavily to regain their breath. They stared into each other’s eyes, feeling at a loss for words.

"Thomas," the princess gasped. She breathed steadily to herself. She was lost in his gaze. “We must get married soon. I cannot bear to go another day without being able to express my love for you to the entire world. I need you," the princess begged him.

"I agree," he said. He was smiling softly down at her. He nudged the tip of his nose against her’s. "But...I need to finish sorting out a few things first. I need to finalize my inheritance, prepare for my coronation, and begin to start learning how to rule a kingdom." 

There was a brief moment of silence between the two of them. She had found herself glancing between his eyes and lips, contemplating whether or not she should just kiss him right there and then. She opened her mouth to speak from her heart. 

"I wish...I were an ordinary woman,” the princess of the east confessed. She lifted her hand to weave her fingers through his long locks of hair. She hummed softly to herself. “That way, we wouldn’t have to worry about hosting garden parties or sorting out inheritances. It would just be you and me...forever and always,” the princess of the east concluded. 

“But you we not an ordinary woman," the prince shook his head at her. He had been so gentle to tuck a single strand of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.  He could feel her leaning her head into his embrace, holding onto his hand. "You are a princess,” the prince whispered to her. 

With some hesitation, he had taken her into his arms once again. His soft brown eyes were shimmering with the strong sense of hunger and desire. It would take all of his strength to be gentle with her. He let his lips touch her’s so lightly that he could hardly feel it. He pulled away in an instant. 

For a brief moment, the two royals just stood there staring at each other. Unable to resist any longer, he had stooped his head down to her height. Their mouths pressed together in a long passionate kiss. They had grown closer together until there was no visible gap between them. It was the kiss of a man who had waited years for the moment, and feared that it would never come again

His warm lips brushed against hers in the most delicate and delicious manner. He was forced to swallow the groan of pleasure that slipped past her sweet lips. She pressed her hand against his sculpted chest, memorizing the feeling of his firm hard muscle underneath her hand. She could feel his heart beating within his chest. She smiled against his lips. 

When the time came, the guests had begun to arrive for the garden party. The lords and ladies were wearing some of the finest silks for the joyous occasion. The princess of the east was currently standing at the front of the tent, greeting the guests with a bright smile on her face. Her dear prince was standing right beside her. 

The dukes and duchesses would bow or curtsey to the royals. They had also gone to great lengths to offer their congratulations to the young couple on their new courtship. They were so proud of the royal family at this moment. 

The young children were running amongst the crowds of adult in the tent. The sound of children’s laughter could be heard throughout the courtyard. They were playing with each other. They must have been on a sugar high from all the sweets and treats.

The earls and dukes were currently playing a game of croquet in the front yard. They would use the long wooden mallets to strike the colorful balls into the metal hoops stuck in the ground. There was a servant on the sidelines who was keeping track of the score. 

The marchionesses and baronesses would be found chatting amongst themselves about the latest topics and trends. The ladies could be easily found hiding underneath the tent in the cool shade. They just loved to indulge in the foods and drinks that were being served at the garden party. They were also very keen to point out how the prince was fretting and fawning over the princess. 

At one point, Prince Thomas had draped a white lace shawl over Princess Y/N’s shoulders to provide some warmth and comfort. She had turned her head to look over the small stretch of her shoulder, sending him the kindest smile. She could feel his strong hands resting on the tops of her shoulders, which only brought her even more comfort. 

During one of the conversations, Thomas had wanted to dismiss himself for a brief moment. He tilted his head to the side so that he could press one small kiss to her cheek. She had just barely leaned into him. She had already begun to miss his touch once he had left her side. She wanted him back right away. 

The young prince had told the servants to prepare a small picnic underneath one of the shady trees. They would lay out this nice cream colored blanket on the soft blades of grass. The servants would also bring some refreshments for the royals.

Within a few short moments, Prince Thomas would return to his princess’s side. He had actually dragged her away from this boring conversation with an older duchess. He was quick to dismiss themselves from the duchess’s presence. 

He had guided her towards the small scenery hidden underneath the shady trees in the short distance. He held out his hand to show her the display with a proud smile on his face. She did not hesitate to smile back at him. She picked up the skirt of her dress, stepping onto the soft blanket. She lowered herself into a proper sitting position for a princess with her legs bent to the sides. She noticed that he had joined her side on the blanket. 

Slowly, Prince Thomas had poured two glasses of champagne for themselves. He had handed her the glass of bubbly golden champagne, holding his own in the other hand. He proposed a small toast to the success of her first garden party, which would only result in a small giggle from her. He clicked his champagne glass against hers in a gentle notion. He took one long sip of the gold liquid.

During this time, the princess of the east had found herself observing the garden party from a distance. She could see the two young princes talking amongst the ladies. She also saw her father speaking with the prime minister. She almost couldn’t believe that she was able to put this whole thing together. It was just perfect.

Beside her, the prince of the north was laying on his right side. He had propped himself up with his forearm. He was currently watching the game of croquet in the distance. He had a handful of green grapes in his hand, popping them into his mouth on occasion.

Slowly, the princess had turned her head to look down at the prince sitting beside her. She could see that his body was facing her, but his line of focus was directed to the game. She lay her hand to rest on top of his own. 

Without hesitation, Thomas had turned his head to direct his attention back towards her. He was so taken back by her beauty. He was awestruck by the way her long locks of hair tumbled over her shoulders and the way her creamy skin was glowing in the afternoon sunlight. He was looking directly at her with such love and adoration in his eyes.

She had worn a soft cream dress for the garden party. She had these pretty little gloves with lace around her wrists. She was holding her white lace parasol in her hands, which had provided her some shade. She very easily could be mistaken for an angel from the heavens. 

“What are you staring at?” she wondered. She was looking down at him with a slight tilt of the head. Her soft and kind eyes were sparking with curiosity. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

“You,” he confessed. He had been pulled away from his thoughts about her. He was quick to reach over to grab the white china bowl of small chocolate (dipped) strawberries. “Here. Try this,” he said.

The young prince pinched one of the small strawberries between his fingers, carrying it towards her light pink lips. She did not hesitate to wrap her lips around the strawberry, digging her teeth into the sweet and juicy fruit. She closed her eyes in pleasure, moaning at the wild taste in her mouth. 

Very gently, Thomas pulled the green stem of the strawberry away from her mouth. He could clear see a small smudge of chocolate lingering at the corner of her lips. She had grabbed one of the cloth napkins to clean the chocolate. She lifted the napkin towards her mouth, but she was quickly stopped in her tracks.

In that moment, he had taken hold of her wrist to halt her movements. He pulled her hand away from her face, keeping a steady hand on her. He forced himself into a sitting position on the picnic blanket. He slowly leaned forward until he was only centimeters away from her face. He pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth in a simple kiss. 

His tongue had slipped out of his mouth to collect the smudge of chocolate, drawing it back into his mouth. He turned his head to kiss her properly on the lips. He did not hesitate to swallow her moans of absolute pleasure. His insistent mouth had begun to part her trembling lips, sending wild tremors throughout her nerves. He would never forget the taste of her lips in that exact moment. She tasted like chocolate. 

TAGLIST: 

@averyfosterthoughts @drishtisikarwar @littlekidsteve​ @casualprincess77​ @halparkebitch @xoxohollands​ @parkeret @namoreno

So beautiful said 😭😭😭

I keep rewatching that epilogue scene and, the way Hunter and Omega talk about her joining the Rebellion... You can tell this is not the first time they're having this conversation. And I just can't help but wonder what the previous one(s) must have looked like.

Because something tells me it wasn't peaceful.

I just can't imagine Hunter having any other reaction than an immediate, definitive "absolutely not" the first time he hears about Omega wanting to join the Rebellion. Just like I can't imagine Omega being okay with that reaction.

Were they arguing about it? Were they butting heads and not backing down from their respective points? Because they would. Absolutely, they would.

Did their brothers have conversations with both of them separately? Did Wrecker tell Omega to give Hunter a break because he's old and worried? Did Crosshair convince Hunter that he can't keep a grown woman grounded just because he's scared about her? Did Echo tell him that if this is Omega's calling, he has to let her do her thing?

She tried to sneak off. As if she didn't want to go through this again. As if she thought leaving without a goodbye would be easier on everyone and this way no one can stop her. After all, she made up her mind. She's going. But when she turns the light on and spots Hunter sitting there, she's not even surprised. She nods to herself like of course. Of course he's here.

This literally sounds like they've been over this before. But this time the conversation is surely more peaceful. They both have the other's perspective in their minds now.

This is my choice and I know it scares you but I need you to understand.

I know I won't change your mind but I don't want you to go, I want you to be safe.

This must have been said before as well. Maybe in anger. Maybe in pleading. Or desperation. I wouldn't be surprised if Omega got very frustrated with Hunter for treating her like she's still a kid. Nor would I be shocked if Hunter had trouble articulating his point of view in all his worry and panic. But here, it's a confession. It's very vulnerable. It's the truth Hunter doesn't want to hear and gives a reason why.

Omega is a grown woman now. Skilled, capable, brave. Hunter doesn't doubt that. But to him, she's always going to be his little girl no matter how old she is and I am still speechless at the fact that we actually see him not only struggling with it but also admitting to it.

Back on Pabu, after they escaped Tantiss, Hunter told her: "We've all fought enough battles for one lifetime." And now, years later, Omega echoes this back to him. "You've all fought enough." Almost like she's reading Hunter's mind and knows that if he can't stop her, he's going to want to join her.

The way he wants to reach after her here when she gets up. Like he wants to say wait, no, don't go yet!

But this is her fight, just like she says. She's never been able to sit still, we know that, we've seen that. Just like Echo back in season 2, she can't stand the thought of staying down and doing nothing when there are people out there fighting for freedom. People she can help. She's a skilled pilot now (I can bet she'll become most famous in the Rebellion for her flawless Tech-Turn), she has absorbed everything her brothers have taught her over the years like a sponge and now she wants to use that. After years of living away from the fight, she's finally ready to get back out there and make a difference in the galaxy. Fight for peace because that is her calling.

She's ready, but Hunter is not.

You can tell it's literally tearing him apart to watch her go. That's his baby, the whole reason he's living the life he has now. He gave his blood, sweat and tears so she could grow up safe and happy and away from the Empire's clutches. And now she's going back right into them, willingly.

But she's all grown up. And he has no choice but to let her go do her thing. So he holds her close and I don't doubt sends out a prayer that she comes back to him safe and in one piece. He closes his eyes and commits the feeling to memory because who knows when will be the next time he gets to do this?

And it might be destroying him inside but he's so damn proud. And he knows she's got this. She doesn't need her old man to watch her back anymore.

And yet still this old man, with gray in his hair and beard, this old man whose posture is hunched and who is moving slowly and having difficulty standing up because of his accelerated age, is telling his very grown up and very capable daughter that if she needs him, he's going to pick up his blaster, don the armor and join her in the fight.

Because that's what fathers do.

The Emperor of Magic | Part 4

Summary: The emperor manages to get inside one of the crow’s minds, but he isn't able to hold off against her for very long. It begins to compromise the rest of them.

Warning: +18 Warning, swearing, crows forced to succumb to past traumatic memories/nightmares, eyes of crows turning black as well as fingertips

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader

Type: Series

Word Count: 2.3k (sorry it’s short)

Series Masterlist

Author’s Note: The reader’s dialogue is italicized because she actually doesn’t verbally speak to the crows, only through their thoughts. Also, past memories are written in italicized for better distinction between what is past and what is present.

Upon hearing that name, Kaz Brekker felt a familiar cord being struck in the deep and dark crevice of his heart. As that name was a painful reminder of who he once was and what he was forced to leave behind. He often reminds himself that that person is dead and he is all that remains. 

With his head hanging low, Kay’s gaze shifted upwards to glare at the prisoner with hooded eyes. His jaw was locked and his hands clenched together into tight fists at his sides. He was seething with anger.

“How...” Kaz stopped himself in order to regain his composure. “How do you know that name?”

He said this out loud, which only caused slight confusion amongst the crows. They didn’t seem to understand what he was asking, but they recognized that he was staring directly at the fugitive. They didn’t quite understand what was happening.

His question went completely unanswered. The emperor of magic simply stood there facing his general direction. He seemed to narrow his eyes at her, mentally wondering if there was a smirk plastered on her face underneath the bag over her head. He wouldn’t brush it off.

And so he repeated himself. “I said...how do you know that name?”

More silence.

Without thinking, Kaz went to grab the gun at his side. He raised it up and instantly fired a shot, which caused a short bout of mayhem between his crows at his recklessness. They called out his name in utter shock, having been taken away by his action. 

The gun did exactly what you’d expect a gun to do rightly; it fired a bullet that should have lodged itself between her eyes. However, the bullet stopped directly in front of her face and dropped to the ground. He carelessly threw the gun away.

“Fuck,” Kaz cursed under his breathe. He walked away momentarily as if trying to find a way to vent his anger.

“What the hell is happening?” Jesper demanded an explanation.

“She’s messing with my head,” Kaz said slowly. He tried to shake the feeling he felt of her looming presence, but she wouldn’t leave him alone. She had infiltrated his memories having just discovered his name. “I can feel it,” Kaz explained further.

“But how?” Inej questioned.

“I don't know!” Kaz almost lost his temper with how loud those words came out. “I don’t know how she got into my head, but she knows my name.”

All of the sudden, Kaz saw brief flashes of his memories from the past. He was hunched over his desk, looking over the plans nearly three years ago. He watched his former self take hold of the plans and crumple them up. He discarded them.

Out of instinct, Kaz squeezed his eyes shut tightly in hopes of blocking her out of his mind. He quickly shook the memory out of his line of vision. It didn’t take long for him to realize that she had been the one to activate that memory. 

He began pacing back and forth. He could feel the strong sense of fear taking over his demeanor, feeling at a total loss of control over his thoughts and memories. He was shown another memory of himself in his office. He heard the familiar voice of Jesper and Inej talking to him, but his former self didn’t look up.

Upon being shown that particular memory, Kaz was able to put the pieces together. When he turned his body to face the prisoner, he saw that she was no longer looking towards him, but rather, with her head slightly lowered. He narrowed his eyes at her odd demeanor.

“Boss,” Jesper watched Kaz carefully. “What you doing?”

“She’s looking for something,” Kaz spoke mostly to himself.

“What?” Wylan perked up. “I-In your head?”

“Yes,” Kaz nodded.

“How do you know for that she’s looking for something?” Nina added.

“Because she’s silent,” Kaz examined. He only knew this because he too also grew silent when he was thinking hard about something. “She’s focusing,” Kaz noted.

For a brief moment, Kaz wondered if it was a coincidence that he saw himself in her mannerism. He studied her carefully as if she was a newfound species he had just discovered. He wondered what she could possibly be after.

“What is she looking for?” Matthias asked him.

A beat of silence was all that followed. One particular memory came flooding back to Kaz’s mind; the one where he finally chose to present his grand scheme to the rest of the crows. In the memory, the voices of the crows were quick muffled as if they were struggling to become clear. His former self hadn’t looked up at them just yet as they filed into the room.

Finally, a wave of realization overcame his features. His shoulders dropped in defeat and his face went blank. He could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she tried to make out who belonged to those voices. Now Kaz realized what she was searching for.

“It’s you,” Kaz breathed in realization. “She’s looking for all of you in my memories.”

And that instantly became his biggest mistake. For this job, he recruited his most trusted companions; the ones he had worked with in the past and the ones he knew he could rely on to get any job done that was thrown their way. Now he had put them in harms way.

He tried so hard to block that memory out of his mind for the pure sake of his crew. It felt like he was pushing his shoulder against a solid door in attempts to keep an intruder out. He was using all his mental strength to keep her out, but it wasn't going to be enough. The door cracked open.

The blurry images of the memory came into his line of vision. He saw the heist’s plans laid out in front of him. Those distant voices that had once sounded rather foggy had now grown into something clearer. Much to his surprise, Kaz’s memory of himself was the first to speak in a normal voice that could be understood.

“The person we are breaking out of the court isn’t just an ordinary scientist this time,” Kaz’s former self placed his hands on the table to lean forward in his place. “They aren't Grisha, but they are more powerful than them.”

“More powerful than Grisha?” Wylan wondered out loud. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “Is that even possible?” Wylan almost scoffed in the memory.

In that exact moment, Kaz was ripped out of that particular memory. His eyes snapped open. He quickly redirected his attention towards the youngest member of the crew who stood not too far away from. He was compromised at this point.

“Wylan Van Eck,” the emperor of magic’s demonic voice sounded. “The demolitions expert.”

Both Wylan and Kaz heard that demonic voice speaking in the back of their minds. And it frightened them both terribly.

“G-Guys,” Wylan stuttered. He had just glanced down at his hands to see that his fingertips had begun to grow black “W-What’s happening to me?” Wylan’s voice quivered in fear.

“Wylan,” Jesper called out desperately. 

But there wasn’t enough time to save him. His eyes were overcome with a wave of darkness that turned them pitch black. His body succumbed to the darkness taking over which resulted in him collapsing to the ground. His mind began to wander through the abyss of his worst nightmares. And there was no telling when he’d come out.

From there, it all came shattering down around them. It was a chain reaction. For the crows had grown to be somewhat like a spiderweb; each of them were connected to one another in some way or another. Returning to the memory only showed Wylan turning to face Jesper who stood directly beside him. 

“So remind me why we are breaking them out?” Jesper from the past asked almost sarcastically because it didn’t seem like a very appealing heist to him.

“Because she is worth nearly 100 million kruge,” Kaz shut him down in the memory.

By this point, Jesper had abandoned his post to hurry towards Wylan’s body. He dropped down to his knees, gathering the boy into his arms for comfort. He tried to wake him up by desperate tapping his cheek and calling out his name. But nothing changed.

“Wake up, please.” Jesper begged. He felt tears pricking the corners of his eyes. “Please Wylan. Wake up.”

“Jesper Fahey,” the demonic voice resounded once again. He perked up upon hearing his own name in the depths of his mind. He was slow to turn towards the prisoner. “The sharpshooter,” the voice added.

“What the hell do you want with us?!” Jesper was seething with anger. He quickly rose to his feet and proceeded to reach for the guns at his sides. He pointed one of his guns directly at her face. 

Though, in reality, Jesper knew that his precious guns would be no match against the emperor of magic. He had seen firsthand his boss fire a single round at her and she completely deflected it without flinching. So his eyes shifted towards the only person they all believed could take her down. 

Without much warning, Jesper’s eyes grew black just like Wylan’s had done not two minutes earlier. His mind became clouded with memories from his past. He flinched at the pain it brought him. His arm eventually fell at his side and his body dropped to the ground.

The familiar voices from the memory came flooding back into Kaz’s head. He had to watch Jesper turn his attention to Nina who stood beside him. She spoke up next.

“Where is she contained?” Nina asked, glancing back down at the map. 

In the background, Nina’s eyes had only widened in horror upon seeing two crows collapse to the ground. She raised her hands to stop whatever madness was ensuring since she was always reminded that she was the only one who might come close to stopping her. All she needed to do was stop her heart.

“Nina Zenik,” the deep voice spoke to her. Nina’s own heart dropped. “The heartrender.”

Out of instinct, Nina looked towards the one person who always kept her grounded. She knew what was going to happen next. She reached out for him only to see the tips of her fingers growing black in color. Her once beautiful green eyes changed to this pitch black shade of horror. 

The strong heartrender stumbled forward for she was unable to keep herself standing up anymore. Before Nina was able to fall to the ground, Matthias was able to catch her in his strong arms. He lowered her to the ground slowly just as she slipped past the darkness.

The memory returned once again. 

“She’d be kept here,” Matthias pointed to the center of the map where the White Island stood. “In the dungeons to be specific,” Matthias added.

In the memory, Nina’s former self had shifted her attention to the great fjerdan who stood beside her. He knew the court better than anyone in the room. The change shifted to compromise the next victim.

“Matthias Helvar,” the demon breathed. “The druskelle.”

Upon hearing his name, Matthias lifted his head to look directly at the emperor standing before him. He felt his own jaw lock into place. His blood began to boil in anger. His hands clenched into tight fists as he held the body of the woman he loved dearly.

“Demon,” Matthias hissed. “Go back to hell.”

Out of pure anger and resentment, Matthias stood to his feet with every intention of putting one final stop to the emperor. But he too fell under fatigue. He began to loose his footing, dropping one knee to the ground. He glanced towards one of the last two crows remaining. He tried to hold himself up and be strong for as long as possible. His eyes became black and his body tumbled to the ground.

In utter shock and horror, Kaz was forced to watch his four closest friends succumb to the darkness. He glanced at each of their unconscious bodies, feeling the panic and fear growing stronger with each passing second. He didn’t know what to do; he wasn’t in control anymore.

His heart stopped for a second as he heard a sweet familiar voice from that same memory resound in the back of his mind.

“But that means...” Inej’s voice trailed off in the memory. She was one of the few who knew exactly who he was talking about. “The Emperor is real?” Inej asked horrified. 

“Yes, Inej Ghafa.” She turned to face the voice who spoke to her in her mind. “I am very much real.”

Instinctively, Inej had to shifted her body to face towards Kaz. She held onto the last sliver of hope that he’d be able to save her and save them all. She had this panicked look on her face that he will never forget as he had never seen her look more terrified in her life. 

This was the final straw for him.

“Wait!” Kaz begged for the first time in his life.

Without hesitation, Kaz broke into a full run towards the emperor. He had every intention of putting a stop to her schemes because she had passed a line by messing with his crows. Unbeknownst to him, Inej had just fallen to the ground behind him. She slipped past the veil. He raised his cane above his head, fully intending to bash her head in.

But right as Kaz brought his cane towering down, his body fell through black clouds. The darkness had taken hold of his senses, which rendered his body completely useless in reality. When Kaz lifted his head to get a feel of his unknown surroundings, he was met with his worst nightmare staring directly at him.

OOOH!!!! Only one more chapter to go! What are everyone’s thoughts? What do you think is gonna happen in the last chapter???

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