I Need Coffee ☕️

Rules:

Please send submissions to my ask box (sending them all to one place makes wrangling them easier each week). In your ask, please include the creator's handle, a link to their work/post, and what you loved about it!

Please ensure the link is to the creator's original post and not your own reblog or repost of their work (if they're on another platform). The idea is to drive people to visit the creator's page!

The creation does not have to have been posted this week! It can be something older. Also, don't worry about whether or not a rec is a repeat from a prior week. Just looking to celebrate things that made an impression on you this week, whether you've seen it before or not!

NSFW is alright! Just make sure you note it in the ask so I can flag appropriately! Since I'm including 18+ material, minors may not participate. 18+ posts will be tagged with NSFT/lemon/lemony lemon (trying to cover all my bases).

NO incest, underage, cl*necest, master/padawan (or similar power dynamics), dub-con/non-con/rape. Also, no Harry Potter. There are a few others that I also won't share due to my discomfort with them (i.e., Rexsoka), so if you're not sure, ask.

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You can submit GIF sets or edits, but please ensure you are submitting from the blog that actually created them. Wanted to add that caution since there's been a lot of people stealing/reposting GIFs and edits in particular recently. So just be cautious.

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Self recommendations are allowed and encouraged! Shout out your own hard work! You deserve the recognition!

*Rules subject to change so PLEASE make sure you read them before sending something in. If your submission violates any of the rules, I will delete it.

**If you have any questions about any of the rules, don't hesitate to DM me!

Fics: ✨(The Bad Batch S2) Ugly Side by ExecutiveCucumber (AO3) 🪐The Pillar by @wild-karrde Quantum Entanglement: Howzer and Aurelia by @ct-9902 Gregor x Reader: A Series of Dates by @ct-9902 ✨(The Bad Batch S2) Unfinished Business by @apocalyp-tech-a ✨(The Bad Batch S2) Tech, If You Can Hear Me by @starqueensthings 🪐Sweet True Lies by @sleepingsun501 🪐Covetousness by @lady--kenobi 🪐✨(The Mandalorian S3) Liberation by @galacticgraffiti Code 30 by @gospelofme ✨(The Bad Batch S2) The Archium by @eclec-tech Tethered by @thevalesofanduin (Fic Art by @impalafortrenchcoats) ✨(The Bad Batch S2) Descent by Niobium (AO3) Fazed by @purplefangirl42 🪐Kinktober 2022: Breeding Kink w/ Commander Thorn by @samspenandsword

It’s been almost half a cycle since you came to Pabu - thanks to Phee. She found you on Corvus, trapped in the clutches of a self proclaimed order, deprived of your well-being and, what’s even more, your free will. She was initially trying to liberate another ancient treasure, that happened to be the very artifact your cult had sworn to protect, yet as your paths crossed, her mind had changed. You never expected a pirate to give up the precious artifact and instead take you with her… to offer you a life on an island of refugees.

Living on Pabu is - or could be - a dream come true… but you still do not feel at home, even though Sheb Hazard provided you a warm welcome. Maybe it’s because of the distrust you harbor towards people after years of mental abuse and being under control. So instead of attending the daily hustle and bustle at the port or the street market, you sit a little aside when your work is done and just watch them from afar. One day you will join them and will be a part of the community. You just have to bring up the nerves… or wait on a miracle.

And then one week ago - he was there.

Just as lost and stranded as you, watching his brother every day while he was fishing. He sat a little aside on the quay on his own. The singe at his temple, his tired eyes and the color drained from his cheeks… all together giving him a debilitated appearance. And still… you couldn’t help but feel yourself drawn towards him by some invisible threads. Every day you watched him, you got closer and closer but nothing more than a few inches on the brick wall you were seated. And every day you felt a little braver and still not brave enough.

You always thought it was impossible that one day he would turn around and look at you. You… the introverted, plain, shy shadow among all those approachable, talkative people. How could you have known that he was aware of your presence since the first day? He did, intently… and you froze. Unmoving you sat on the wall, your pupils blown wide, wondering if someone prettier, skinnier, and more interesting stood behind you who drew his attention. But there wasn’t another girl. As he eventually averted his eyes to watch his brother again you took your chance to flee, running back home, the butterflies in your belly giving you wings.

It’s afternoon, the sun already low on the horizon. Dark orange rays reflect on the rippling ocean and the heat of the day fades into another balmy summer’s night. Your steps lead you down to the harbor to your usual spot… only this time you find it occupied. He’s there waiting for you… at least that’s what you hope and fear alike.

Fighting down the instinct to turn around and walk away, you slowly come closer. Step by step on wobbly legs.

“Hi,” you mumble as you are just two steps away. “You… ahm… don’t sit at your usual place.”

“How perceptive.”

That wasn’t what you expected to be his first words towards you, yet you weren't very eloquent either. Shit. If the first impression counts… then you messed it up spectacularly. He must deem you an idiot. Your cheeks already start to blush and you turn away to leave.

“Well… okay then. I guess I will just go looking for another place to…”

“I didn’t come here for you to go somewhere else instead.”

“Oh. If you say so.” You stand rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do next. He raises a brow as he gives you scrutiny. Then his head tilts slightly and the hint of a smile appears on his face.

“I won’t ask you to come over a second time.”

Oh. Oh! He wants you to join him. Eyes widening slightly, you hear your breath hitch audibly and the quiet chuckle he rumbles. Hesitantly you walk over and finally sit down next to him, an arm’s length away. Your feets dangling in the air, you place your hands at your sides and clutch the edge of the bricks. And look straight forward at the sea to avoid his eyes.

For a while you sit in silence next to each other. Neither of you are ready to speak just yet. But it feels nice. Crosshair can’t remember the last time he felt so at ease next to someone. When he first came here with his brothers after they rescued him from Mount Tantiss and saved him a life as a guinea pig… there was this urge to run away immediately. Sure he missed his brothers for so long and yet after being isolated and mistreated for months he just wanted to be alone, to find his way back to trust and love. But as soon as no one was around, the awful pictures and nightmares came back. That’s why he found himself doing what he could best - observing. Like he did his whole life from a lookout.

From the corner of his eye he realizes that your posture changes, just minutely turning more towards him and your expression shifts, the tense frown making room for a soft smile. Your inner pep talk was obviously successful.

“What’s your name?” you eventually ask.

He hesitates as if he’s trying to remember his name, or maybe it’s something else that bothers him. You don’t know and are just about to say that if he doesn’t want to tell you it’s absolutely fine as he answers.

“Crosshair.”

How suitable. You wonder if he had his name first or his tattoo.

“Nice to meet you, Crosshair. I’m..”

“Rachel,” he finishes for you and you blink. How does he know your name? The astonishment must be written on your face cause he adds with a smirk: “Phee told me.”

Now you are fairly confused and flustered. He was talking to Phee about you? But why?

“Did she? And what was her reason?”

“Because I asked her, apparently.”

Your fingers dig into the brick wall as your grip tightens. Your knuckles turn white. Would it be too obvious if you ask him why he wanted to know your name? He huffs.

“Did you really believe I wouldn’t do a background check of someone who’s observing me the whole time?”

Kark. For someone who claims himself of not being much of a conversationalist, he’s talking quite a lot in the last few minutes. Again he’s taking in the way your lips part with a little gasp and your eyes darken. And again he’s grateful for his enhanced sight. If only you could see yourself the way he sees you… you wouldn’t be so flustered at all just because he decided to come into contact with you.

“I… I didn’t mean to bother you,” you mutter. The surprised look on your face tells him you weren’t aware that he noticed your presence the whole time and not only yesterday.

“I’m afraid - nothing gets past me. That’s what I am.”

“Who you are?” You bite on your lip considering him.

There’s something in the way you ask him that he can’t see with his eyes but senses it with every fiber of his being. What? Who? Did it ever matter? In the end he ever was CT-9904, defected clone and sniper. At least for anyone else besides his clone brothers who are here with him and a few re… No. He'll never use that word again. Brothers.

"Why do you care?"

The words come out harsher than intended and he frowns at the shocked expression in your eyes. He genuinely wants to know and not to scare you away. And then he says something that probably nobody ever heard from him before.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

Your hand twitches as on instinct you try to reach out and put it on his. You catch yourself just in time. He still doesn’t miss it. And a sudden warmth flows through him.

"If you really want to know… I can tell you." He turns his head towards you, giving you his full attention and the way you swallow can only be described as cute.

"But you will have to tell me something about you in return."

How the few hours with Mayday have changed him….

You bring up all your courage to look back at him, gazing into his eyes. Your eyelids flutter nervously and your breath gets a little faster.

"I would love to hear what you have to say."

Crosshair loses track of time as the two of you just sit and talk to each other. He tells you about his life as a sniper, always having the backs of his brothers from above. You tell him about your aversion to being among people. Both of you talk about how you try to become a part of this patchwork family. And while neither of you get too much into detail what happened in all those months before you came to this refuge, there’s still that deep kind of understanding only souls can share who went through similar fates. The awareness leaves him as stunned as a blastershot.

As he started talking to you he wasn’t completely sure why… or where this is going to lead. And now? Now your presence has its effects on him, the soft tune of your chuckles is the only thing that can cheer him up, and listening to your quiet voice evokes a calmness inside him that he can’t put into words. Yet. After all he’s done, maybe he doesn’t deserve any of this and something like this encounter isn't destined for him. But to know that you accept and maybe even appreciate him the same way he appreciates you, and that.. even with him having so many faults... he is still someone you want to talk to and spend time with instead of any other people. He owes Hunter a lot for bringing him here.

The sun glides lower as you share the longest and most pleasant conversation you had in a long time. Slowly but certainly, your trepidation fades like the daylight… and is replaced by some feelings you wouldn’t have thought possible. Soft and quiet. Letting you float in a comfortable daze.

But much too soon the upcoming hustle and bustle from the people around brings you back to reality and tells you that it is time to retreat to your home. Wrecker’s roaring voice is already calling for his brother to go back home and join them for dinner. Slowly, you rise.

Your mind is spinning… and you wonder if…

There’s no real reason you have to go right now. Will you be able to talk to him again tomorrow, or is your self-consciousness going to put obstacles in your way? He could recap this afternoon and come to the inevitable conclusion that you are a mistake. But how can you ask him for something as close as to a date you had in years, when you are too much and too little just the same? Too much volume and too little charisma. Stars… You wish you could be less insecure and more brave instead.

“Are you okay?” he suddenly asks you, getting you out of your thoughts.

“Uhm… yeah. It’s… I’m f-fine… fine,” you stutter an answer, mentally chiding yourself for being so awkward.

“Sure,” Crosshair sneers and gets up as well.

Both of you fall quiet again. But while you drop your gaze to the ground, too embarrassed to face him and silently searching for an excuse to leave, he is watching you curiously, standing next to you just a little closer than before. Stars! Don’t… don’t blush! But how are you supposed to not be nervous and flustered when suddenly he’s standing only inches in front of you?

“Rachel,” he resumes speaking, his voice all of a sudden soft and quiet. His hand catches your chin ever so gently and urges you to look up at him, brown eyes piercing into yours. “I may not be as smart as my brother Tech, but I’m not stupid either. There’s something wrong with you and I won’t leave you until you tell me what it is.”

You swallow, getting weak in your knees as you look back at him. You have to tell him something. Shit, come up with a smart answer. But his handsome appearance, the way he’s absolutely dwarfing you with his body size, almost has you swooning and thinking straight has never been so difficult, let alone forming a coherent sentence.

“If you don’t tell me, we’re gonna be stuck right here for a karkin’ long time.”

“Uh… I… was thinking,” you murmur, still hoping that you haven’t to voice your thoughts. But he’s still holding your chin and somehow you eventually end up speaking, because of him. Because it’s now or never. You wouldn't get a second chance if you mess it up right now.

“If… if you would like to…” You feel your face burning with heat and your voice failing you. You try to look somewhere else, yet his gentle grip keeps you in place.

“Go for a walk with you?” he asks, without blinking.

“Hm.”

You feel like you lose the ground under your feet, the blush now covering not only your cheeks but your whole cleavage as well. You’re so pent-up with awkward tension that you almost miss the way his observant expression turns into a smile. Almost.

“I’d be happy to come with you, Rachel.”

Without thinking, Crosshair loosens the grip on your chin and smoothes the backs of his fingers over your cheekbone for a fleeting moment. And he watches the shiver rolling through you and the goosebumps prickling on your arms. The sensation of his light touch, of your responsiveness, makes his chest go tight and his stomach flutter. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be here after all. He could get used to civvies being around… and you while he recovers. Maybe…

In all honesty, you don’t even know how you are able to fight the sudden, unfamiliar urge of hugging him right there, in the midst of the square, surrounded by people. But somehow you do. You only realize that you unwittingly took his hand into yours when he gently squeezes it. Both of you look at each other without saying a word, while you are listening to the sounds of the crowd and the sea around you. The background noise is almost silent compared to the beat of your heart echoing in your ears, even with Wrecker being there.

His gaze drops to where your hands are intertwined and you do the same. He chuckles.

“I guess that makes it a date,” Crosshair states.

You can’t help but smile brightly at him. Hearing his words somehow sparks a new hope inside you. After all, there's someone who understands you and cares about you. Who refuses to leave your side. Who would have guessed it could be him - the stranded clone.

“Date,” you say back.

And then you start walking up the mountain, just as the lights come on and Pabu suddenly seems as the most beautiful place in the whole galaxy.

+bonus