#lde23

What should one purchase a slightly reclusive, often sarcastic, ex-Empire clone sniper for Life Day? Kriff if you knew.

And to make the stakes that much higher, you had feelings for him. If this gift didn’t go over perfectly you faced the potential of losing the friendship you had spent so much time cultivating, and that was not a fate you wanted to experience.

Ever.

But the issue was, you were completely stumped on a gift, and you couldn’t just go up to Crosshair and ask him what he wanted for Life Day. Best case scenario, he looks at you with a confused expression before muttering something tiny. Worst case scenario, he tells you that he doesn’t want anything from you, and that you had misread every interaction you’ve ever had with him. Neither of them were really great, if you were weighing the options here.

You couldn’t even ask his brothers for ideas, because they were all brand new to the concept of Life Day as well. That, and you didn’t really want to admit why you were so stressed out about what to get Crosshair. The things you had purchased for Hunter, Echo, Wrecker, Tech, and Omega were all simple and functional, nice things that you hoped they would be able to utilize in their daily lives but still would have never purchased for themselves. But in your mind, Crosshair’s gift had to be different, had to be perfect for him in a way that he would never forget.

You had first spoken to him a few months ago, after spending ages watching the stoic newcomer sit on the docks to watch the sun rise and set. Because fishing was your primary trade, the odd hours you kept made it so you crossed paths with him quite a few times, and eventually you mustered up the courage to greet him kindly and make sure that he knew he could come to you if he needed anything.

It took a few more interactions for you to really get through to him, but soon you were at the point where you considered him a friend. And since he would sometimes seek you out at random points in the day to talk or ask questions about whatever was troubling about his new way of life, you liked to think that he considered you a friend as well. And as you walked through Pabu’s open-air market, you could feel the pressure of getting the perfect gift only growing in your mind.

Some of the options were purely functional, and that was an option, but you weren’t sure if that would really communicate to him what you were trying to get across. Some things were purely aesthetic, and as much as you believed that he deserved to own nice things, you weren’t sure if he would want those either. Earlier this year you had given a home decoration to Hunter just because you thought he and Omega would like it, and it took a moment for him to really understand what the purpose of it was. Crosshair seemed like the type of person who might value something more if it was some combination of pretty and useful. But even then, what should you get him?

A fishing rod would be functional, but would he enjoy it? You enjoyed fishing, but of course there were certainly people on the island whose skills and interest lay in other areas, and maybe that was the case for Crosshair. His eyesight was keen, but what if he wanted to move away from that kind of activity and start something more artistic?

You passed by all sorts of trinkets and treasures, wondering the whole time about what he might want, when eventually you laid eyes on a simple black bag. It looked unassuming at first, similar to the satchel you had purchased for Echo, but a smile crossed your face when you saw what was inside.

A deep blue blanket, made of the softest material you’ve ever felt, appeared in your vision, and you instantly knew that this was a perfect gift. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t as useful as the things you had for his brothers, but there was no doubt in your mind that he deserved it. You’ve been to the house where they were staying, you knew that Crosshair had taken to sleeping on the couch (despite the fact that his brothers always offered to procure a bed for him), and maybe this would help make that experience just a little more comfortable. You could see that he sometimes struggled to allow himself simple comforts, and maybe if you handed one directly to him, he would be more apt to relax.

After talking with the seller and purchasing the blanket, you walked back to your home, content in the fact that you were going to (hopefully) play in important role in making sure that Crosshair’s first Life Day was as wonderful as it should be.

***

Despite its origins as a Wookie holiday, the people of Pabu always went all out when it came to Life Day, especially in the last few years. It was a source of happiness in a time where things often looked bleak, and spending time with one’s loved ones while sharing gifts and a meal certainly helped stave off some of the mounting dread about the Empire’s growing reach and inevitable dominion.

And this year, you had certainly gone all out. Anything you could put on the walls to make the inside of your home brighter, you did. By the time the Bad Batch were knocking on your door, you had put up so many sparkly decorations that you wondered if you would be blinding them as they arrived.

But of course, it was all worth it to see the reaction you got from Omega as she stepped inside. “Wow! This is amazing!”

She raced over to you, and you gave her a hug. “I know, right? And this isn’t even the best part!”

Her eyes got wider, something you didn’t even think was possible. “Really?”

You nodded, telling her to wait right there while you got something from another room. Gift usually came around after the meal was finished, but sometimes traditions were made to be broken.

The rest of the Batch had just finished settling down in your living room as you stepped back into the room, arms laden with bags and wrapped gifts. “I have something for all of you.”

Echo’s eyes grew wide. “What?”

“Part of Life Day is giving presents,” you said brightly. “And I wanted to make sure you guys got the whole experience.”

“But we didn’t get you anything,” said Omega, and you could see worry start to form in her eyes.

“I don’t mind,” you said. “But I’ve always liked giving gifts better anyway.”

You could see most of that worry evaporate from her face, and you handed out the bags and boxes to each of the recipients. You watched with a smile on your face as everyone opened their gifts, and you were overjoyed knowing that everyone liked them. Omega gave you a big hug as she opened the small fishing rod, because she had been begging you to teach her to fish for some time, and she couldn’t stop hugging the small plush creature you had wrapped alongside it.

You watched Crosshair out of the corner of your eye, wanting to see his reaction when he opened the blanket, and your nerves were soothed as you watched him smile when he took the blanket out of the bag. He didn’t put it down, and you really hoped that meant you had picked the right gift for him.

Hunter, Tech, and Echo refused to let you finish cooking the meal (which you weren’t really complaining about), and Wrecker was playing with Omega somewhere outside, which meant that you and Crosshair were by yourselves in your living room. As you sat next to him on the couch, you wondered if you were going to be the one to speak first, and what you would even say.

But surprisingly, he was the one who broke the silence. “Thank you, for all the gifts.”

“You all deserve to have a nice Life Day,” you said. “And I hope I succeeded in making that happen.”

“You certainly did,” he said softly. “I don’t think I can ever repay you for the kindness you’ve shown me since I arrived.”

“I don’t need to be repaid,” you responded. “You will always deserve kindness Crosshair, no matter what you think about yourself.” Your words were a little more personal than usual, but you had talked to Hunter enough about his past, and seen him out in the middle of the night too many times to not realize what was going through his head sometimes.

If he was surprised about what you said, he hid it well. “Thank you,” he said, and you knew that this tiny gesture was coming from a place of sincerity. He fluffed the blanket out so that it covered both of you, and you couldn’t help but smile at the way he couldn't stop running his fingers across the soft material.

You didn’t need a confession of love or some kind of grand gesture from him, especially not when he was still working on healing his own troubles and adjusting to his new life. The smile on his face and the clear happiness he was feeling was worth so much more to you anyway.

Maybe things would change between you in the near future, but at this moment in time, you couldn’t help but believe that you were exactly where you’re supposed to be. 

- the end -

When you first agreed to help some of your friends in the 501st bake something to help pass the time on the ship, you expected it to be low key. You were on a flagship in the middle of the galaxy, the battalion wasn’t technically on shore leave yet, and the Resolute’s kitchens weren’t exactly made for this kind of thing. But of course, you should have known better than to expect anything but utter chaos from your current company.

“Hey, what kind of eggs are these anyway?” Jesse asked, inspecting the container like he was trying to diffuse a bomb.

Kix looked up from his datapad, where he was reading the recipe. “Why do you care?”

“Because if they’re tooka eggs I don’t want to eat them!”

Fives cut in, yelling across the room to enter the conversation. “Tookas don’t lay eggs you di’kut!”

“Oh yeah, then what laid these?”

It was then that Hardcase decided to add his two credits, and of course you couldn’t expect anything less. “No, a gundark laid these!”

“These are definitely not gundark eggs,” you said, turning to the group as you spoke. “They come from a small bird that’s native to Naboo, but now they can be found on a lot of different planets.”

Jesse nodded. “Because people like to eat them?”

You nodded. “Yeah, both the bird and their eggs have grown to become part of several different planets’ cuisines. We’re very lucky that Coruscant is one of those planets, or we might not be able to do this right now.”

Once the ingredients were all organized (though you knew it wouldn’t last long), it was time to bake. “I think we have enough room and ingredients so that we all don’t have to hover over the same mixing bowl,” you said.

You expected a nod to your words, maybe a joke about turning this into a competition, but instead you were greeted by Jesse practically jumping up from his seat. “Do we have enough for three teams?” Jesse asked.

“I think so, why?”

“Great, then Kix and I-”

But before he could finish his sentence, Fives decided to speak. “Jesse and Kix, me and Hardcase, and you and Echo!” he said, looking around at everyone. “Sounds good!”

You watched Kix’s face as Fives spoke, and there was a nagging feeling in the back of your mind that they all knew something you didn’t. “Is everyone okay with that?” you asked, trying to look at everyone’s faces.

The chorus of agreements you received as a response only strengthened the idea that there was something at play you didn’t understand, but you didn’t know enough to even begin questioning it yet.

After confirming that everyone else was all set to start baking (and making sure Fives and Hardcase knew that you were keeping a very close eye on them), you and Echo began to measure the ingredients for your little batch.

If anyone had asked, you would have been fine working with any one of the men here, but you were (secretly) very glad that you were with Echo right now. And if by chance the secret did come out that you were playing favorites, you would simply defend yourself by saying that by working with Echo, your baking was most likely to succeed, since he was the most careful of the bunch. But in reality, it was more than that.

Your friendship with Echo was very quickly blossoming into full-blown feelings, and you would take any chance you got to be near him. You couldn’t help but fall for the kind and gentle ARC trooper, and every single time the 501st went out on a mission you worried about what might happen. Right now though, those thoughts were far from your mind, and you shared a smile with him as you worked together.

***

Despite your fears about accidentally blowing up one of the Republic’s prized flagships, the actual baking process wasn’t too painful. Sure, there were small mountains of flour all over the floor and somehow Fives managed to get eggs in his hair, but with this group, that could have happened on any given Taungsday.

Once the cookies were finally cooled off, and the space having been (mostly) cleaned up, you began to set out all the different frostings, sprinkles, sugars, and candies that you had hidden away to decorate with. You had to keep this step a secret from the boys because you knew all of your fun ingredients would have been eaten before you knew it, and now it was finally time to have some fun.

Which of course, given your current company, meant that it was time to make another big mess.

This time you weren’t exempt from the chaos, as much as you tried to be careful. But there was always something more endearing about decorated cookies that looked just a little bit wrong, so you had no issues with the mess. And there was less of a chance that major injuries would be sustained during this step of the process as the others, so you weren’t as watchful over everyone.

When Fives had pulled out a vibroblade and proceeded to cut some of the cookies into different shapes before baking, you had almost had a heart attack. Thankfully, you intercepted that quickly and handed out (slightly safer) cooking knives so everyone could busy themselves with creating different shapes. Some of them (like Kix’s carefully carved out tree) turned out better than others (like Jesse’s attempt to make a cookie in the shape of the flagship, which now looked like a misshapen blob).

You and Echo had stuck with simple designs, and were now decorating a fleet of circles, hearts, and stars. You worked together like a well-oiled machine, wordlessly handing each other exactly the candy or decorating implement that you needed at that given moment.

Your focus was razor sharp as you tried to arrange the small candies on top of the frosting, and you jumped slightly when someone tapped your shoulder. When you realized it was just Echo, you relaxed. “I don’t want to bother you, but you have some chocolate on your cheek,” he said.

“Oh,” you breathed, completely frozen in place as Echo reached up and gently swiped the tiny glob of frosting off your cheek. Internally, you were screaming. The two of you were so close, and his hands were so warm, this had to be some kind of dream. You moved apart after the small moment, but the smile on your face never went away, and soon the background noise of the others laughing faded away too.

Which is why it was such a surprise when you looked up to see the room completely empty (except for you and Echo). It was still an absolute mess, but Jesse, Kix, Fives, and Hardcase were nowhere to be found.

The two of you shared a confused look, and Echo moved towards the doorway, only to turn back after a moment. “The door’s locked.”

“What?” Reaching out towards the panel, you found out that he was right. These types of doors didn’t usually lock, but there was an override programmed on the datapads of high-ranking officers just in case something came up where it was a necessity. The possibility of having a situation that would require it was rare, so even as the battalion’s auxiliary support officer, you didn’t have that capability. “How would they have locked it?”

“Someone must have swiped Rex’s datapad,” Echo said. “Because the ARC ones don’t have this command.”

“Why would they want to lock us in here?” You’ve always had a suspicion that Jesse knew about your crush on Echo, but you could never truly confirm it. You would not be surprised if this whole thing was his idea, and that he was trying to move things forward.

“Oh I am going to kill them,” Echo muttered. “This has Fives’ sticky fingers all over it, that-”

“Echo, you said softly, reaching out to tap his hand. “It’s going to be okay. I can send a comm to General Skywalker, and we’ll be out of here in no time.”

“It’s not that,” he said, and the look on his face certainly piqued your attention. “They’re trying to get me to admit how I feel about you, and somehow it’s working.”

Everything stopped in your brain. For the briefest moment, all your thoughts were static, completely unable to register what had just been said.

Echo must have seen the look of sheer shock on your face, because he stepped forward. “You don’t need to do or say anything if you don’t want to,” he said. “But I guess my brothers are right in that you deserve to know how wonderful I think you truly are.”

By some miracle, after a moment of silence you were able to respond in a coherent way. “But Echo, I think you’re wonderful too.”

You’ve seen Echo smile on multiple occasions before, but the look on his face after you spoke was something so much more special. The two of you were close enough that he could easily reach out and take your hand, and you could have sworn you felt sparks fly as you touched. You so desperately wanted to kiss him, and it seemed he wanted something similar, because moments later your lips were on his.

But of course, perfection can’t always last forever, because the door to the room opened, and the two of you sprang apart. You should have known that it would be Fives who was standing in the doorway, a look of pure joy on his face. “Kix owes me 10 credits!” he yelled, and the sound of whoops and cheers echoed through the halls. Clearly, their little plan had succeeded.

But Echo did not look as amused as his twin, so you took his hand again, pulling him out of the room and into the hallway of the ship. “Wait, where are you going?” Jesse asked.

“We’ve got things to do,” you said simply, and you could see Echo’s eyes widen as he took in your implication. “And if any of you disturb us, or the kitchen isn’t sparkling clean by the time we get back, I’ll tell Rex that you’re the ones who swiped his datapad.”

Your threat had the intended effect, and you leaned in to place a kiss on Echo’s cheek while his brothers rushed back into the kitchen. “Come on,” you said with a smile. “We deserve some privacy.” 

- the end -

With every little chuckle you heard from Phee, your heart beat in jealousy at not being Tech’s center of attention. You thought it wouldn’t be an issue in the beginning, assuming that Tech would remain uninterested in Phee’s flirtatious advances. But the more she hung out with the team, the more he warmed up to her subtle compliments and faint touches. Before you knew what was happening, he was hanging out with her whenever you and the batch had time off from the crazy missions Sid continued to send you on. 

Then she took you to Pabu and things really spiraled. Their time together increased each day and you barely got to see him. You couldn’t blame him really, or Phee. You just wished you had more time or perhaps been a bit more brave about your feelings towards him.

Another random laugh fills the afternoon air, this time from Tech, and you can’t help but stop what you’re doing and look at the two of them enjoying the preparation for Life Day. You look with longing at the man who managed to captivate your heart with a simple, random fact, and you sigh heavily at knowing that you’ll never really have a chance with him. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Hunter breaks your sad train of thought, and you turn around to look at him, silently praying that he didn’t just notice you staring at his brother. You pack the decoration boxes and look down to the ground, pretending you don’t understand what he’s talking about. 

“What?” You ask once, and when Hunter doesn’t respond right away, you glance at him quickly to try and gauge his reaction, hoping that you can fool him by acting as clueless as possible about his question. He stares at you silently, uncrossing his arms and heading towards you to help you out with the rest of the boxes.

“I- I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Sarge.” You say in passing as you make your way to the storehouse, already thinking of some lie to respond with in case he dragged this out. When you set down all the empty containers, you shut the door behind the two of you and head towards the center of the town. 

“Don’t do that…not with me.” Hunter breaks the silence after a while, stopping you in your tracks and waiting until you acknowledge him. You ring your fingers nervously, gulping down the nervousness that built up in your throat before facing him. There’s another fake reply at the tip of your tongue but before you can say anything, Hunter beats you to it, stopping you from embarrassing yourself any further. 

“Come on, you can’t lie to me.” He furrows his eyebrows, looking at the couple standing not too far from you before centering his attention back on you again.

“I’m not lying.” You’re more defensive than you’d like and Hunter sighs in irritation, shaking his head and taking those last few steps towards you. The last thing he wants to do is embarrass you but he knows this conversation won’t go anywhere unless you willingly open up to him. 

“Then why is your heart racing? I can practically feel you shaking. You’re not even looking at me.” Your palms grow sweaty the more he reveals those little details about you. 

“Talk to me.” You never thought you’d hear him plead for anything and when you finally look at him, you see a genuine, heartfelt expression on his face, one that makes you feel even more horrible about the predicament you found yourself in. 

“It’s not important, don’t- just don’t worry about it.” You wave your hand around and turn around to walk away from him, only to feel a strong hold wrap around your wrist and stop you from going anywhere else. 

“Tech is a genius, but he can be incredibly dense at times.” Hunter waits until you meet his eyes again before he whispers that last sentiment. The shock of the exclamation sends your heart racing, and your eyes widen in horror at the prospect of everyone else potentially knowing your feelings for Tech. 

“Wha- how…how did you know?”

“I know mesh’la, I know.” He loosens his grip a little, but doesn’t let you go completely, not wanting you to run away from him. The two of you stand in quietness for too long to your liking, and you give up on trying to pretend you don’t know what he’s talking about. 

You give up on trying to make it seem like you’re okay. 

“Is it that obvious?” The chuckle is self-deprecating, and you avoid looking into his hazel gray eyes, afraid you’d cry if he continues to give you that horribly sentimental expression. 

“Not to the others, although Echo guessed just as much a while back. But no, the others don’t know.” Hunter lets go of you then, but he doesn’t move away from you, wanting you to know that he’s here to help in whatever you’ll allow him to. 

“How did you find out?” You move away from the crowd slowly forming around the town square, wanting to have some privacy from prying eyes, from Wrecker and Omega. 

“I notice the way your eyes light up whenever he walks in the room, or goes on one of those rants about kriff knows what.” Anyone else would have laughed at you, but you feel at peace knowing that Hunter would never tease you about something like this. He was too kind to joke about such an intimate little secret. 

“Hmm.”

“And your heart beats like you’ve just run across the whole of Coruscant.” Hunter adds as he comes to a halt in front of the house you reserved for yourself when you first got to Pabu. 

“Ahh, that is extremely embarrassing.” You turn away from him as you respond, not wanting to be at the receiving end of whatever comment he was going to throw your way.

“It’s not…it’s natural to react that way when you have feelings towards someone.” You’re a little surprised by his explanation, mostly because you never thought he’d be the type to speak so sweetly about something as awkward as emotions. 

“Right.” You can’t help but smile when you see him shrug at you, and as you’re about to unlock your door, Hunter turns around and grabs the knob, preventing you from reaching for it, let alone turn around and get away from him. 

“You know what you need?” He asks, and you shiver at the sudden drop in his voice, wondering why he was suddenly becoming so friendly with you. 

“Please enlighten me, because this whole conversation hasn’t been humiliating enough as is.” You laugh in an attempt to diffuse the tension slowly building in between the two of you, but Hunter doesn’t crack a single smile, roaming his eyes down your neck and taking in a deep breath before meeting your gaze once more. 

“You need to get your mind off of him, just for a little while. Find a distraction…sometimes you have to stay busy so you don’t feel.” You’re too distracted by the proximity between his body and your own to dwell on the true meaning behind his words. 

“Yeah well, good thing we’re staying here. Helping rebuild the city will definitely take my mind off of him and…ugh, I guess make me focus less on seeing the two of them together.” Looking past him to the slowly busying town square, you completely miss the way he bites his lower lip as he studies you closely and shakes his head at your response. 

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh yeah, what do you mean th-” Turning your focus back to him, the words die in your throat when you finally notice the way he’s looking at you. You part your lips in a gasp, finding it difficult to breathe as Hunter leans into your space and groans his intentions against your jaw. 

“I mean…you need to get your mind off of him, and onto something else…perhaps someone else.” Your body freezes at the unexpected intimacy of the moment, and although you know you should push him away and tell him to forget whatever was happening, you tell yourself that this might just be what you need to forget about Tech. 

“I s-see.” Hunter’s hand reaches for your waist, holding you against him until he’s sure you’re accepting his advances. He smiles at you, his eyes twinkling with mischief that sends a zap of lightning down your spine. 

It was a warm day in Pabu, but having Hunter flush against your chest makes you even more heated, and you gulp down whatever nervousness was threatening to make itself known in the form of a rejection, allowing your fingers to dance along his forearm before you grab onto his shoulders for support. 

“W-what do you have in mind?” He gets even more bold then, wrapping his arm around your back and pulling you in until you nearly bump your forehead against his nose. 

“I think you know.” His voice is gravely, and it occurs to you then that he may have always had this deep baritone, but you just never truly appreciated it until now. 

“Humor me, Sarge.” You smirk right back at him, eyes dancing from his lips to his piercing gaze in preparation for what he’s about to say. 

“Well, you’ll first need to find someone willing to help you out, someone who knows all about distractions. Then, you take them somewhere private and…how should I put this, kindly ask them to fuck your brains out…take the edge off a little…and if you start thinking of him again, you get on your knees and have them dick you down real hard…till you can’t think straight.” His lips graze across the skin of your cheek, down to your neck, as he promises you the filthiest sentiments, and if you weren’t sure you knew the man standing in front of you was far beyond the average man, you would have asked him how he had you melting into his arms in such a small period of time. 

“Maker,” you nearly reach up to kiss him but then quickly remember that anyone can see you. Before you can push him away, Hunter nudges you harshly to get your attention again, not wanting you to get distracted by your surroundings or if anyone might hear what the two of you have in mind. 

“Hmm, I think your body agrees with me sweetheart. Why don’t you have that tired brain of yours catch up?” He nods at your head, tilting his head to the side as if he was asking you a silent question. 

“Do you…do you know someone that can do all of what you just said?” 

“You’re right in luck baby, I happen to be free for the next couple of hours.” Hunter responds right away, knowing that it would be extremely difficult to have you like this again. 

“Ahhh, t-that saves me from looking then.” You smile when he rests against you and nudges your nose with his own, aquiline one. 

“So, what do you want?” Again, his voice is smoother than honey, sending you spiraling in a matter of seconds out of anticipation. 

“I thought you…don’t be cruel, please.” You kiss the corner of his mouth, feeling the rough stubble across his sharp cheeks burn you in the sweetest way. Hunter turns his head far enough to finally tough his lips with your own, the kiss ending far too quickly to your liking but leaves you begging for more. 

“Never…never. I mean, how do you want it mesh’la? You want it slow, soft, sensual…” He slithers his hands across your body, leaving a trail of fire across your skin with each sweet touch he graces you with. 

“Or do you like it hard and fast…till you can’t scream anymore?” He digs his nails into your curves then grabbing and squeezing your ass until you nearly fall against him.

“Oh fuck…I- Hunter, please.”

“You’re a big girl, use your words and tell me what you want!” Hunter combs his hand into your hair, tugging on it harshly until you throw your head back and give him access to your neck. He descends down on you like a madman, nipping and sucking on the soft expanse of your skin until you’re panting in his embrace. 

“You want me to be sweet with you…or do you want to feel me with every step you take tomorrow?” He licks the bitemarks he’s left behind, chuckling to himself when he feels you shaking in his arms and practically begging him to fuck you right out in the open. 

“Please Hunter, be- be rough with me. As rough as you want.” You reach for the collar of his shirt, fisting it in your hands as if you were holding on for dear life. You should have known that as everything else, Hunter would easily take you down without breaking a sweat. 

“A girl after my own heart.” He chuckles then, the sweet sound shooting straight into your chest and making you wish he just pushed the door behind you open and took you somewhere more private. 

“I’ll take my time with you next time baby, worship every fucking inch of your body as you deserve. But tonight…tonight I’m going to teach you how to take me…please me…open up for me and take my cum like the good girl I know you are.” He kisses across your damp skin in between words, finding it difficult to continue holding back when he could practically smell your arousal the more he whispers into your ears. 

“I’m going to fuck you into the next galaxy sweetheart, till the only name your pretty little brain can remember is mine and mine alone.” Your heart beats so fast Hunter thinks you might pass out, but as you melt into his arms and pull him closer to you, he knows that you’re enjoying this as much as he was. 

“And believe me when I tell you, I’ll know if you’re thinking of him. So be a pretty little sweetheart and focus on me.” He moves away to take a better look at you, raising a curious eyebrow when he finds you completely lost in every touch and every sweet word he was gifting you with. 

“Yes,” you barely manage to breathe out, waiting for whatever he still has in stock for you. 

“Yes?” Hunter asks, his expression turning more serious when you open your eyes and look right into his own. There’s something so erotic about how much he can sense every little reaction you have to his advances, but he sets his thoughts aside long enough to hear you openly consent to him. 

“Yes, sergeant.” Those two words are music to his ears, and he steps away instantly, but not before making sure you can still stand on your own two feet. You snap out of your haze when you no longer feel the heat of his body against yours. 

“Good girl.” He grabs your hand and leads you away from your home, down the tiled pathway towards the quieter side of the island. 

“Where…where are you taking me?”

“Some place where you can scream my name without worrying about anyone hearing you.” He nearly stops in his tracks when he hears you moan in response to his words, but he knows that if he looks back now, he might never make it to his own place. If anything, the reaction he gets out of you makes him walk quicker, not caring for how you stumble several times as he continues towards the smaller, but more private homes at the bottom of the island. 

You can’t look away from him, and as you follow him blindly, you find yourself surprised at not wishing he was someone else. Maybe because you’ve always found him objectively handsome, all the clones were if you were being honest, or perhaps because you’ve always wondered what it would be like to be with someone like Hunter, someone who you knew would be so attuned to every sound and every muscle twitch you’d have that he’d know instantly how to please you. But the longer you dwell on it, the more you realize that you’re lucky to have someone like him pay you this much attention, or even be willing to give you this favor. 

Little did you know that while you were longing for Tech, Hunter was struggling to keep his own feelings at bay. He didn’t want to take advantage of you, far from it, but he figured that maybe, just maybe, if he showed you how much he cares for you, you’d look at him instead of his brother. 

He can feel your eyes on him, and his heart skips a beat at the prospect of finally having your attention. Hunter wants to ask you if you’re sure about this, but as he approaches his residence, he finds himself less willing to break the two of you out of whatever cloud you’ve fallen under, afraid that you’d change your mind and leave. 

The thought nearly breaks his heart, but as he slows down and unlocks his door, he feels your hands shaking even harder, and he knows then that he needs to give you an out because you may not be able to take it yourself. 

“Sweet girl, you’re trembling.” He turns around and cups your neck, forcing you to look into his eyes so you’re sure he doesn’t mind if you walk away from him. 

“If you’ve changed your mind…if- if you don’t want this anymore, we can stop. It’s- it’s okay.” The words sound less convincing to his ears, but he braces himself for the rejection he’s sure you’re about to give him. 

“No, Hunter please.” Your instant response sends a wave of relief and reluctance through his chest, and his eyes widen for a fraction of a second before they soften again, knowing that if you noticed his expression, you might push through just to not upset him. 

“I won’t have you against your will baby.” He leans over and kisses the small space in between your eyebrows, waiting until you relax against him before he pulls away and meets your gaze again. 

“I want this, Hunter. I- I want you. I’d be lying to myself if I said otherwise.” You tug at his forearms, wanting him to not shy away from you, perhaps even afraid that he’d change his mind and tell you to leave. Your nerves slowly rise again and Hunter must sense your spiraling thoughts because he pulls you into the small space and shuts the door behind you, pushing you against the wall and stepping impossibly close to you so you can only feel him. 

“Tell me what you need. Right this moment.” 

“Can you just...hold me for a minute? I- I need to feel your arms around me.” You barely manage to breathe out the request, not because you think he’ll laugh at it but because you find yourself having a difficult time thinking of a single coherent thought. 

“Sure thing ad’ika, come here.” Hunter slowly walks back to the small bed at the edge of the wall, sitting down on the soft surface of the covers before pulling you into his lap. You follow him quietly, finding it oddly soothing to have him in control of your actions rather than your own mind. You throw your arms around him and rest your head on his chest, willing yourself to relax as soon as you feel his hands roam across your back soothingly. 

“I want you to focus on my heartbeat.” You do as he says, moving your head down a little further so you can listen to his heart. If you’re shocked by how much faster it is, you say nothing and dwell on the fact that he may be just as nervous as you are. 

“Take deep breaths,” Hunter slides one hand underneath your shirt to test the waters, shutting his eyes and smiling to himself when your muscles relax deeper into him. 

“Nothing else matters, little one. Only you, and me…right here and now.” He reminds you one last time, massaging your back and turning his head every once in a while to kiss you. Hunter shuts his eyes to commit this moment to memory, unsure of whether he’ll ever get to have you like this again or not. He says nothing after, wanting to ensure that you have all the time you need before the two of you do anything. 

You’re not sure how long you spend in his arms but when you no longer feel nervous at being in his presence, you pull away and rest your hands on his chest, willing yourself to be brave enough to look into his eyes after experiencing such an intimate moment with him. 

“Feeling better?” He reaches for your chin and moves it up softly to take a better look at you. As soon as he looks into your eyes, he smiles at you, waiting until you return the expression before doing anything else. 

“Hmm.”

“Then why don’t you lay back for me.” He moves you off of him and studies you closely as you maneuver yourself around his bed. You’re less shy than before, that he’s sure of, but you do as he says more confidently, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Hunter, and makes him imagine all that he can do to you. 

“You know, I- I always thought you had a soothing voice,” you break the silence reluctantly, biting your lower lip when you notice Hunter smirking at the unexpected sentiment. 

“Yeah?” He questions as he kneels on the bed and slowly crawls towards you. 

“Yes, but now…now I’m realizing it’s your presence.” You waver in your response, finding it difficult to think of anything when he’s looking at you like you’re his prey. 

“Tell me more.” Hunter demands, dancing his fingers across whatever skin he has access to and watching as goosebumps erupt across your body at the simple touches. 

“It’s in your touch, your- kriff, your movements…your gaze.” You arch your back when Hunter digs his nose at the space just above the edge of your pants and takes a long whiff of your scent. You think that if anyone else has done something so strange, you’d be turned off by it, but this was Hunter, and scenting was important to him, especially since he must have been getting awfully close to you because he liked what he could smell. 

“Glad to be of service,” he comments in passing, nudging your shirt up to get more access to the skin of your stomach. He kisses your navel, breathing you in with each new bit of flesh he came across. 

“Gods above,” you can’t take it anymore, reaching for his shoulder and trying to pull him closer to you so he could speed things up a bit. 

“No sweetheart, it’s only me.” He chuckles at the whine you send his way, looking up at you as he parts your thighs and makes space for himself in between. 

“You’re d-driving me insane Hunter.” Hunter doesn’t move an inch as you try to bring him closer. If anything, he slows down even more and takes both of your hands into his own, softly kissing the wrist of each one before bringing them above your head. 

“If you’re still coherent, then I’m not driving you insane enough.” He’s teasing you, and if you didn’t know better, you’d think he was pushing you to a point where you could do nothing but beg for him. So distracted with the patterns he’s drawing across your arms, you don’t realize where the other hand is reaching until you feel his grip tighten around your throat. 

“Ahh, please.” You arch your back, grabbing the sheets beneath you in an attempt to keep your hands where he asked you to. You want nothing more than to wrap your arms around him and surrender to his lips, but you knew better than to disobey his orders. Hunter was a strict man in the field, and you were positive he wasn’t any different in this context. If anything, he was probably even more severe now. At least you hoped he would be. 

“And remember baby, it’s ‘Sergeant’ for you. Got it?”

“Yes, sergeant.”

“Now, do me a favor and keep your hands there.” He taps twice on them, waiting until you nod in agreement before he sits back up and takes your wrecked form. He hoped you’d open up for him easily, but he never thought you’d be so needy, let alone greedy for him. 

“But how will you take my clothes off?” You pout at him, the expression making Hunter wish he could flip you over and fuck you into oblivion. But he knew you needed him to be soft tonight, even if you were adamant in making him get a little rough with you. 

“Let’s not spoil the fun.” He warns with a pinch to your hip, chuckling at the way you jump and your thighs unintentionally close around him. 

“A bit sensitive, aren’t we?” He rests one hand near your head as he leans down and kisses the corner of your mouth, waiting for you to breathe before touching your lips with his own. It’s a chaste kiss, yet it sends your heart leaping through the roof because of how unexpectedly tender it is. 

“I…haven’t done this in a while.” You whisper against his mouth, chasing him along when he begins to pull away again. 

“Shame,” it’s such a simple comment, and yet you feel a string of butterflies in your stomach at the implication behind it. The fact that you held Hunter’s focus when so many on the island were begging for it makes you wish he could have approached you sooner. 

“Hmmph,” the sound of your moan reaches your ear instantly, and you try to hide from Hunter out of embarrassment, but he doesn’t let you, moving down your body slowly and continuing to drive you mad with need for him. 

“Go on baby, moan for me.”

“What if s-someone hears?”

“Everyone’s in town for the celebrations,” he reaches down and unbutton your pants, looking straight into your eyes as he pulls the fabric down your legs and throws it behind him. You try to close your legs quickly, afraid he could smell how wet you are. But Hunter is much faster than you, and he prevents you from moving another muscle, looking down once at the dark patch on your panties before meeting your eyes again, silently letting you know that he could smell you long before this very moment. 

“No one’ll hear you, mesh’la. So beg all you want, you’re mine tonight.” He slips one finger beneath the edge of your panties, thumbing at the skin of your hips to get you to calm down a little before he does anything else. 

“Only tonight?” You don’t mean to ask this question, not now at least, but you figured you may as well see if this was a one-time thing or not. 

“Oh I don’t get to decide that, you do.” He surprises you with his answer, and the shock must be visible on your face because Hunter tilts his head to the side and stares at you until you realize you really were in control of what goes on between the two of you. 

“So if I- oh kriff, if I want you to fuck me every night…”

“Then ask me nicely.” He slips one hand underneath your shirt, raising it above your stomach to your chest and laying it across your sternum to feel your heartbeat. When you don’t respond right away, he slides his hand a little further and draws random patterns just below your breast. 

“Better yet, beg me sweetly…and I’ll give you my cock whenever you like.” He promises as he continues to edge you into submission, something that makes you wish you could yell at him about and thank him for. 

“T-thank you, sarge.” Your breathing becomes erratic the longer he touches you anywhere but where you want him, and just as you begin to give up hope, he removes his hands completely from your form and reaches behind him. 

“Do you trust me cyar’ika?” The question is asked with hesitance, and you’re not sure why he’s asking you this all of a sudden, but when you hear the sound of a clasp coming undone, you know why he’s being so serious. 

“You know I do.” It’s the first thing you said since he dragged you behind him where you aren’t practically shaking beneath him, and once he’s completely satisfied with your response, he pulls out the blade from its holster and flips it around. You’re enamored by the swift movement of the weapon as it dances in between his fingers, and the faster Hunter plays with the knife, the more difficult you find it to breathe. 

“Then look at me.” He demands as he stops swinging the knife around, and you obey him instantly, gulping excitedly as he leans over your body once again and places the sharp end of the knife at the top of your shirt, inches below your neck.  

“Don’t,” Hunter warns slowly, nicking small holes into your shirt until the article of clothing rips down the middle, “move,” his voice is somehow even more gravely than before, and you stop breathing altogether, not because you think he’ll hurt you but because you can’t help but feel turned on by how focused he is on you and how safe you feel with something so dangerous, “a muscle.” He continues to ruin your shirt and you can’t find it in yourself to care one bit, knowing that being at Hunter’s mercy was worth far more than any shirt you could own. When he completely separates both sides of the fabric, he slips the wide edge of the knife beneath the fabric and pushes it to the side before grabbing the other with his fingers and displaying your nude skin to his hungry eyes. 

You let out a deep breath and refuse to look anywhere else but his dilated pupils, clenching your thighs tightly at knowing that you were the reason behind such a dramatic reaction from him. 

“I can smell you, little one. Does this turn you on?” He finally looks away from your heaving chest to your eyes, and when he finds you already staring at him, he smiles to himself and places the knife down gently on the small table near his bed. You’re disappointed that he clearly won’t be using it anymore, and Hunter notices the small expression because he trails his fingers down your front and pinches one nipple to get your attention. 

“Use your words and tell me.” You arch into his rough ministrations, whispering your response and moaning for more. 

“Y-yes, it does.”

“I knew you’d be fun.” He soothes the heated skin of your breast, drawing small circles around one nipple just as he leans down and takes the other in between his teeth. You whine his name over and over again, and Hunter growls his approval against you, lapping up the bitemarks he left around your hardened peak before sucking harshly on it again. 

“Fuck, I do love how sensitive you are.” He manages to say right before diving for the other nipple and tasting your natural scent along with the soap you use to shower. 

“And how hard your nipples perk at the touch of my fingers.” He thinks you’re about to move one hand so he reaches quickly for it, gripping it tightly and keeping it against the bed while he leaves angry marks across your chest. 

“Ahh maker, please sergeant.” Your moans are becoming louder, and Hunter decides then and there that if you were going to scream for him, it should be his name falling from your lips, not his rank. The only warning you get before he descends down your body is his hand slipping underneath your panties and instantly pushing two fingers into your cunt. You’re dripping for him, and his thick fingers rub against your tight walls with an embarrassing ease. 

“Kriff, I know I asked you to call me that, but forget it.” Hunter looks into your eyes as he lets go of your wrist and grabs the back of your neck, not bothering to say anything else as he lunges for your mouth and swallows your moans. You part your thighs and your lips for him, not caring for any rule he’s given you as you throw your arms around his neck and pull him closer to you. He fingers you slowly, but as begin to clench tightly around him, Hunter can’t hold back anymore and he moves off of you with a wet smack before crawling down your body. You’re shocked by the sudden urgency of his movement, and as soon as you reach for his hair and tug on it, you feel his warm lips close around your clit and his tongue aggressively lap at the engorged bundle of nerves. 

“I want you to scream my name, mesh’la. Scream my name as you come on my tongue.” 

“Hu- ahhh g-gods!” You’re not aware of what you’re saying, and the harder Hunter thrusts his fingers into you, the quicker you feel your release coming along. 

“You smell…so sweet.” Hunter manages to breathe in between his assault on your pussy, and you let go of his hair to grab for the sheets beneath you, not wanting to hurt him by how hard you’d pull on his hair. 

“But you taste so much sweeter.” He feels his cock harden as the taste and scent of you fill his nostrils. Normally, he’d find it overwhelming to be surrounded by so many strong scents, but the more you gush for him, the more he wants to dive into you and make you soak him with your arousal. 

“Hunter, oh right there…please.” You reach for his hair again, but this time, you pull so hard that his red bandana comes off in your hand and reminds you to loosen your hold so as to not overwhelm him with too many sensations. 

“Sorry, I-” You try to apologize but the words trail off when Hunter looks up and shakes his head at you. 

“I don’t mind, sweet thing. Go on, pull as hard as you want.” He leans down and kisses the hand near his head, nipping at your thumb to let you know that he was feeling more than okay. 

“But won’t that-” You don’t want him to feel like he needs to do this for you, but Hunter distracts you again, rubbing at your clit with his thumb to get you to listen to him. 

“Please cyar’ika, let me feel you…everywhere.” Hunter begs you, pushing your thighs apart even more in an attempt to get you to do as he says. He doesn’t wait for a response then, descending down on you again with more passion than you thought him capable of in such a setting, and before you know it, he has you right at the edge with his expert hands and his enthusiastic mouth. You should have known that he’d know what you like quickly, but something about him being so attuned to your responses pushes you closer to your orgasm, and before you know it, you’re shutting your eyes and letting the flood of sensations overtake you. 

“Hmm fuck, that’s it.” You scratch at his scalp as you pull on his hair, the action driving Hunter nearly mad and making him grab at your stomach to keep you planted to his face. 

“Hunter…I- I’m co-” His harsh breathing and how hard he continues to lick at your clit is all you need to fall apart, and as soon as he coils his fingers inside you and rubs your tight walls, you come around him instantly, shaking violently beneath his firm body and screaming nonsense into the damp air of the room. It’s becoming nearly too much, and although you want him to stop, you can’t find it in yourself to push him away, a part of you sensing that he may need this as much as you. So you let him continue his assault on your cunt, and before you realize what’s about to happen, Hunter pulls away and watches as you soak his arms and his bed with your juices. He doesn't let up once, plunging his fingers into you so quickly that you manage to wet even his thighs. When he hears your heart beating impossibly rapidly against your chest, he slows down and removes his hand from you, pulling away and watching as your panties hide you from his eyes again. 

He waits until you look at him before he slowly sucks on each of his fingers, smirking to himself when you hide behind your arms and close your thighs immediately. 

“I changed my mind.” His voice is rough, and you’re not sure if it’s because he’s turned on or because he’s having a difficult time breathing just as you. Then the words settle in your remind and you move your hands away to take a better look at him. 

“W-what?” You don’t have time to grab him as he gets off the bed and reaches for his shirt, throwing it away as well before unzipping his pants and pulling them down his thighs and stepping out of them before kneeling on the bed again. 

“We can do rough later. Right now, I want to watch you come undone…slowly.” He grabs your ankles and pulls them apart, not caring for how blatant he’s being with his staring as he moves towards you again. 

“Fuck baby, you’re gushing for me.” His disbelief sends a shiver down your spine and you softly smack his thigh to get his attention away from your heated core. 

“Hunter, don’t- don’t say stuff like that.”

“And why shouldn’t I?” He narrows his eyes at you, daring you to say anything in disagreement. 

“It’s…embarrassing.” You manage to whisper out, only to have Hunter shamelessly wipe the wetness over your legs with his hand. 

“No, it’s fucking sexy mesh’la….and if I had known taking my shirt off would turn you on this much, I would have walked around naked since you came on board.” He reaches for your hand and you squeal suddenly when he tugs you harshly until you nearly smack his chest. Looking down at you, Hunter bites into his lower lips as he pulls the rest of your shirt away and throws it away, not bothering to push you back into bed when you rest your hands against his naked chest and feel his muscles flex and unflex. 

“Speaking of taking things off…” You try to grab your panties but Hunter stops you, shaking his head and bringing your hand back to his skin. 

“No, keep’em on.” 

“But-”

“These are mine now, and I want nothing more than to smell your cunt and my cum on them…when I take them.” Hunter nods down at the wet article of clothing as he swipes your hair away from your face and softly grazes your bruised lips. 

“Hmph, you’re a shy little thing aren’t you?” He wonders out loud when you turn away from and rest your forehead against his stomach, once again feeling a sense of pride wash over him at being the one to bring such a reaction out of you. 

“Do the honors.” He takes your hands and moves them down his rigid form, not missing the way your breath hitches when you feel the muscles on his stomach flutter at the soft touch of your palms. You don’t dare look up at him as you drag his boxers down his hips until his cock juts out from beneath the elastic. 

“Oh fuck me.” You stop what you’re doing as soon as you see the size of him, and Hunter uses your moment of distraction to his advantage, pushing you back into the bed and moving away to step out of his boxers before returning to you again. 

“Since you asked so nicely.” He remembers the biosheath and finds one in his drawer instantly, but before he can take it out, you take his wrist and bring it back to you. 

“Wait-” You stop him, unsure of what to say now that he was looking at you with such an unreadable expression. 

“You don’t have to- like I said, I haven’t done this in…in a while. And I’ve-” Your attempts to explain to him that you don’t have anything and that you wouldn’t mind it if he didn’t use a biosheath with you evaporate into thin air, and as you give up on trying to relay the message, Hunter shuts the drawer and lays on top of you. One look into his eyes gives you away and you turn from him to avoid whatever embarrassing words you’re sure he’s about to relay to you. 

“You want me to fill you with my seed, little one?” The question is asked in such a low voice that you nearly miss the playfulness in between. You refuse to acknowledge him, afraid of how much he’d drag this out if you told him outright that you wanted to feel him leak out of you. 

“You want me to fuck my cum deep inside your pretty little cunt?” He asks again, this time as he slips his hand in between your bodies and wraps his palm around his hard cock, lazily stroking his length while teasing your clothed clit with the tip of his dick. He goes on for too long, and when you can’t take it anymore, you moan in agreement, hoping that the outburst pushes him to finally, finally, fuck you. 

“O-ohh gods, please…please.” The way he cups himself and teases the both of you nearly sends you into overdrive, and just as you begin to give up hope, Hunter tugs aside your panties, and pushes his cock against your wet folds, giving you a taste of what’s to come. 

“Keep begging baby.”

“Please Hunter…I need you. I- I want you to come inside me, want to feel you all night long.” He was planning on making you cry for him, but the sound of your voice telling him everything he’s heard a thousand times in his dreams sends him reeling and before he can warn you, he pushes his cock into your slit, arms nearly giving out at finally feeling your cunt welcome him in. You arch your back as soon as you feel his thick, hard cock fill you, and although you should be embarrassed at how easily he slides into you, you don’t bother thinking about it, not when Hunter was finally giving you what you’ve been craving. 

“Kriffing hells, you feel so good mesh’la…so tight and hot for me.” He stops moving, the heat of your cunt making him nearly lose his mind and whatever bit of control left in him. 

“Hunter-” You don’t like the fact that he’s stopped pushing into you, but then he moves and you realize that maybe you needed a second to get used to him after all. 

“I know, love. I know, just a little bit more.” Hunter kisses your forehead, lips quivering at the thought of being too much for you to handle. He waits until you’re relaxed a little before he gives you more of his cock, and when you drag your nails across his arms and grab onto his shoulder, he stops again to soothe you. 

“You want to be a good girl for me, don’t you?” 

“Yes…oh maker yes.” Your voice breaks, making Hunter wish you weren’t so kriffing sensitive to him. 

“Then open up for me…take me.” He leaves a trail of wet kisses down your neck, licking and nipping at the taut skin in an attempt to distract you from whatever discomfort you were feeling. 

“Haa…ahh, you’re- so fucking hard.” Your words are unexpected, and Hunter fists his hands tightly into his pillows so he doesn’t do something he’d regret. He unintentionally thrusts the rest of his dick into your pussy, the action knocking the breath out of the both of you and sending a strike of pleasure down your spine.

“Only for you, sweetheart. O-only for you.” Hunter breathes against your chest, cursing at how much better you felt now than in his dreams. He could feel every inch of you squeeze him, and if it weren’t for the fact that you told him it’s been a while, Hunter would have begged to fuck you like he wanted. But it has been a while, and the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt you. When you wince at the slightest of movements, Hunter pulls back and studies you, carefully listening to your heartbeat and looking over you to see if you were too uncomfortable to do this now. 

“Are you okay?” He should be the one asking you this question, not the other way around, and even though a million compliments run through his mind, he barely manages to respond to your question. 

“Fuck, I’m more than okay.” He hisses out as you clench around him, and before he can let you know that he’s not reacting out of pain but of indescribable pleasure, you reach for his hair and tug him down, begging for him to do anything besides remaining still. 

“Then move…” You cross your legs behind his back to tempt him into moving against you, but Hunter remains impossibly still, resting his forehead against yours as he tries to tell you why he’s having a difficult time moving. 

“N-not yet, just let me feel you. Let me…feel all of you.” He hopes it’s enough for you to stop asking him to move, but he should have known better. 

“Is- is it too much?” Your shyness makes itself known again, and Hunter swears beneath his breath because he genuinely didn’t mean to come off so strained in his response. 

“No, it’s- you’re perfect.” It’s both everything he’s feeling and barely an explanation of what he’s reserved for you for so long, but he can’t find any other word to describe what he’s experiencing with you now. You’re about to ask him to keep talking when he finally listens to you and pulls out a little before thrusting back in. 

“Oh.” The simple word riles him up more than he cares to admit, and he sets a slow and sensual pace to calm himself down and give you what you desire. The small room fills with sounds of your harsh breathing and Hunter’s controlled growls, and before you know it, he’s hitting every inch of you in a way that makes you see stars. Then you look at him, and you find his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes shut tightly, and you just know that it’s because he wants to do more with you. 

“Hunter,” you call for him, soothing his back with your hands to let him know that you weren’t going anywhere. 

“Hmm?” His eyes flutter open instantly and you wonder if their color was always so intense and dark, or if this was just a product of what the two of you were doing. 

“Don’t h-hold back.” You cup his neck and pray to the maker that he listens to you.

“I already told you cyare, I want you to fall apart for me…nice and slow.” He pronounces each word with a soft push of his hips against you, and you know then that this would definitely not be the last time you sleep with him. It couldn’t be. 

“But I-”

“I want to commit you to memory. The way your heart skips a beat when I kiss your shoulders,” he leans closer against you and leaves a trail of wet kisses across your sternum to your shoulder, biting it playfully when he notices you trying to move along with him. 

“The way you bite your lips when I pinch with your nipples,” you throw your head back in ecstasy as he pinches your nipple and rolls it in between his thumb and his index finger. 

“The way your eyes shut when I sink my teeth into your skin,” Hunter takes one last look at the pleasure etched on your expression before taking the other hardened peak into his mouth, rolling his tongue around your nipple before biting down harshly just below the reddened skin. 

“The way your cunt clenches around my cock when I pull your hair,” you wrap your arms around his back and pull him flush against you when you feel him comb his fingers into the hair at the nape of your neck and pull harshly on it, the action letting you know that Hunter was most certainly capable of being rough with you, but was choosing to get your body used to his soft touch first. 

“And- fuck…ah fuck, the way your tight walls invite me in deeper when I play with your clit.” He lets go of your hair and slides his hand down your body, squeezing your hips and scratching along your thighs to leave his mark. As soon as you open your eyes and look at him, he begins to draw small circles around your clit, all the while picking up his pace just a little to get you closer to your climax. 

“I want it all baby,” he begs for you, roaming his eyes across your body to get his fill of you before he brings the two of you to the edge. You’re so sensitive from before, but something about having Hunter pay close attention to you makes you welcome whatever he has to offer you. 

“I- I’m close.” You manage to whisper to him as he continues to play with your body, and you realize the mistake you did in your claim when you hear him laugh and pause in his ministrations. 

“Already?” He doesn’t expect you to answer, but you whine his name and roll your hips around to get any form of friction. Hunter is distracted by the movement, and he resumes his attention to your clit, grunting with need when you reach down and scratch his stomach to urge him on. 

“D-don’t tease.”

“Never…never.” He responds immediately, thrusting into you with shallow pushes, already feeling the knot in his stomach slowly unwind the more he feels your heat pull him in. 

“I can feel your fucking heartbeat, can feel it singing for me the harder I fuck you.” Hunter cries out in a mixture of pain and pleasure, sitting up and moving the hand on his stomach down to your clit to get you to touch yourself.

“Please Hunter,” as soon as you start teasing your clit, Hunter grabs both of your hips and fucks into you with slow, languid movements, knowing that if he picks up the pace any further, he’d have you screaming so loud that the rest of the batch may actually hear you. 

“What do you want? Tell me.” There is a layer of sweat covering your body and making Hunter lose his mind. Your scent is more pronounced now that it has ever been, and he’s not sure if he’ll be able to interact with you normally now that he knew what you smelled like as you prayed for him to fuck you harder. 

“I want you to come with me.” Your request storms into Hunter’s mind, making him wish he could just tell you how he feels, how he’s felt for so long. 

“Kriff,” he throws his head back and looks at the ceiling, knowing that tonight would replay in his mind until you came to him and asked him to take you to bed again. 

“So close…so fucking close. Hunter, please…let me feel you come with me. Come inside me.” You grab one of his wrists in an attempt to remain grounded, and Hunter can’t help but whine at the desperation you were trusting him with. Never in his life did he think he’d have you so unabashedly wanton, but here you were, telling him that you wanted nothing more than to feel him come with you. 

“You’re killing me baby.” Hunter growls and looks down at where you’re joined, not caring for how crazed he must appear to you as his hair swings back and forth, and his face shines with sweat. 

“Oh-hhh f…fuck right there-” you scream into the darkening room, no longer able to hold back the pleasure from seizing you and showering you with a most beautiful distraction. 

“Mesh’la, I-” whatever he’s about to say is cut off by your lips as you pull him into you and mold your lips with his own. It’s a hungry kiss, and Hunter prays to the Force that you’re desperate for him out of necessity and not out of simple, physical attraction. He gives you what you want regardless, slipping his tongue into your mouth and surrendering himself to the pleasure just as your walls flutter around his cock and signal your orgasm. Feeling you tighten even harder around him is almost too much, and he doesn’t realize he’s thrusting so violently into you until you break the kiss and scream his name. He fucks into you without abandon, growling your name over and over again until he lets go and falls over the edge with you. You’re aware of how harshly you’re dragging your nails across his back, and before you can apologize for accidentally sending him into a sensory overload, Hunter is falling against you and sinking his teeth into your shoulders, shooting his cum so deep inside you that you feel the warmth of his seed spread across your body. Neither of you stop moving, wanting the other to reach absolute pleasure before you finally slow down. As you come down from your highs, you wonder if you should ask Hunter what he was going to say right before he came, but you get distracted by the way he begins to slowly move off of you. 

“No wait,” he’s about to move off of you when you throw your arms around his neck and keep him flush against you. You can almost feel his heartbeat sound against your chest, and you’re sure he can hear your own singing for him, but you pay no mind to it, instead focusing on the heat of his skin as it slides against yours. 

“Stay.” You ask once, hoping that he’d listen to you without wondering why you wanted to have him crush you with his weight. 

“Wrap your arms around me tightly.” He says after a while, and as soon as he knows you did as he said, he slips his hands beneath you and holds onto you as he rolls around. The action shifts his cock inside you, and both of you moan out in unison at the shock of oversensitivity that strikes across your spines. He is careful when he moves again, and once he’s comfortable on his back, he slides his hand up your body and grabs your neck. You pull back to look into his eyes, offering him a lazy smile before resting your cheek on his chest again. 

“Does this feel good?”

“I- I liked your weight on me…but yes, this is nice.” You decide not to lie to him, knowing that he may misunderstand your answer if you didn’t give him the whole truth. 

“Noted.” You can hear the smirk in his own voice and snuggle closer into him, not realizing that your playing with his hair until he nuzzles closer into your hands.

“Stay as long as you like, ad’ika.”

You make a mental note of asking him what all of those words mean later, but for now, you surrender to his embrace and the gentle touches he continued to grace you with. Neither of you say anything else as you relish the sweetness of the moment, and before long, you notice that Hunter’s heart was beating much faster than it should. You’ve been sitting without much movement for a long time, so you wonder briefly why his heart was threatening to leap out of his chest. The thought of being the reason behind such a reflex makes you think differently of Hunter, and you hope that your hunch is right or else you’ll end up making a fool out of yourself when you ask him to take you to bed again. 

Just thinking of doing this again with Hunter sends your spiraling and you unintentionally clench around him, but this time, you realize that he’s grown hard again. In fact, you could feel him pulsing inside of you, and you hope he doesn’t sense the shift in your body or else you’d have to explain to him why you were getting wet again. 

“Don’t forget our little agreement sweet girl. I told you I’d know if you were thinking of him.” Hunter breaks the silence suddenly, and you frown at the sentiment, not because it was far from the truth, but because Hunter thought you were thinking of Tech and not him. 

“I didn’t forget.” You pull away and pout at him, wanting him to see that you clearly weren’t lying to him. 

“Then what’s making your heart race so suddenly?” It’s the first time Hunter asks a question that he clearly doesn’t know the answer to, but when you look away from him and draw strange patterns over his chest, he knows instantly what it was you’re thinking about. 

“Interesting…” You roll your eyes at him, unable to hold back from giggling along with him when he cracks a smile and laughs at your obvious irritation. 

“H-Hunter,” you break the moment and gulp nervously when he meets your eyes and gives you his undivided attention. 

“Yes, mesh’la?” If there was ever a moment where Hunter was at his most peaceful, you think it may be this one. 

“Kiss me? Please?” You’re reluctant in your request, unsure of whether he’d draw the line here now that you weren’t actively trying to fuck each other. But as he’s done so many times in the past few hours, he surprises you with an answer that you’d later pinpoint as the first time you truly felt something deeper than attraction for him. 

Rex had been drawn to her from the start. It wasn't just her compassion that captivated him, but the way she seemed to truly listen, to understand the pain of others and guide them through it. He had seen her soothe frayed nerves with just a few words, seen her bring a semblance of peace to tormented souls. And each time, he found himself admiring her more, the professional respect gradually intertwining with a deeper, more personal affection.

But expressing those feelings was a battle in itself. Rex was a man of action, not words. His emotions were a private affair, often hidden behind a facade of stoicism. Yet, with (Y/N), he felt a desire to open up, to share parts of himself he had kept locked away.

The winter evening was a symphony of crystalline beauty, the snowflakes dancing in the air like a myriad of tiny stars. It was on such an evening that Rex found the courage to ask her out. The ice rink, with its festive lights and the promise of shared laughter, seemed like the perfect place.

"Hey, (Y/N)," Rex started, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the ice rink tonight? Thought it might be a fun way to unwind."

(Y/N) looked up, surprise flickering in her eyes, quickly replaced by a warm smile. "That sounds wonderful, Rex. I'd love to."

The ice rink, aglow with twinkling lights and festive cheer, was a stage set for an evening of clumsy grace and laughter. Rex, with the effortless glide of a seasoned skater, approached (Y/N), who was clinging to the rink's edge like a lifeline. Her determination to spend time with her crush had brought her here, but her skating skills were as untested as a ship's maiden voyage.

"Seems like you've found a new best friend in that railing," Rex quipped, skating up to her with a playful smirk.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, her grip on the railing tightening just a tad. "Well, it's certainly more reliable than my skating skills," she shot back, her tone light but tinged with a hint of nervousness.

Rex chuckled, extending his hand towards her. "How about you ditch the railing for a while? I promise I'm a better partner than cold metal."

Hesitantly, (Y/N) took his hand, her heart skipping a beat. As they slowly moved away from her safety net, she wobbled unsteadily.

"Whoa there, are you trying to skate or are you practicing your penguin impression?" Rex teased, his grip on her hand reassuringly firm.

"Hey, I'll have you know penguins are very graceful creatures... on land," she retorted, trying to mask her anxiety with humor.

Rex laughed, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Alright, let's focus on the basics. Just follow my lead and try not to mow down any innocent bystanders."

They began with simple glides, Rex patiently guiding her through the motions. Every time she faltered, he was there, his presence a constant source of support.

"You know, for someone who clings to railings, you're surprisingly adventurous," he noted, as she took a shaky glide forward.

(Y/N) grinned, feeling a surge of confidence. "I have a good teacher," she said, her voice softer, more sincere.

As they continued, Rex's teasing became a comforting rhythm, a playful undercurrent to their conversation. He joked about starting a skating school for the hopelessly uncoordinated, playfully suggesting she could be his first student. She laughed, the sound mingling with the crisp night air, her earlier apprehension melting away like snow in the sun.

They attempted a cautious turn, Rex's instructions interspersed with light-hearted comments. "Okay, now just pivot on your left foot... or just do a wild spin, that works too!"

(Y/N)'s attempt at a pivot ended in a whirl of arms and a near collision, but Rex's quick reflexes saved them both from a tumble. They ended up in a close embrace, her hands on his shoulders, his arms around her waist. For a moment, they just looked at each other, the laughter fading into a moment of silent connection.

"See, you're getting the hang of it. Soon you'll be out-skating me," Rex said, his voice warm, his smile genuine.

(Y/N) felt a rush of warmth, not from the exercise, but from the feeling of being this close to Rex, of being the focus of his playful yet caring attention. The evening was no longer about skating; it had transformed into a dance of words and laughter, a shared experience that spoke of budding feelings and the promise of more.

As they left the ice, their hands still joined, the night seemed to wrap around them, a blanket of stars and possibilities.

The transition from the ice rink to the bustling Christmas market felt seamless, a continuation of the evening's enchantment. Rex, still holding (Y/N)'s hand, felt an unspoken reluctance to let go, their fingers intertwined as they navigated through the vibrant maze of stalls and lights. The market was alive with the spirit of the season, each corner a new discovery, each sound a note in the festive symphony.

(Y/N)'s eyes sparkled under the canopy of Christmas lights, her gaze wandering from one stall to the next with childlike wonder. "Look at these ornaments, Rex! Have you ever seen anything so detailed?" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of awe and excitement.

Rex leaned in to look at the intricate glass baubles she was pointing at. "They're pretty amazing. You have a good eye for these things," he replied, his tone laced with genuine admiration.

As they moved on, (Y/N) couldn't help but shiver slightly, the cold finally catching up with her. Rex immediately noticed, his concern evident. "Getting chilly?" he asked, his hand instinctively rubbing her arm in a comforting gesture.

"Just a little," she admitted, a slight quiver in her voice.

Rex's eyes scanned the nearby stalls, landing on one that promised warmth in a cup. "How about a hot drink to warm you up? What would you like?" he asked, ready to fetch whatever she desired.

"Surprise me," (Y/N) said with a trusting smile, her eyes twinkling in anticipation.

Rex returned shortly, two steaming cups in his hands. He handed her a hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, the steam rising like a warm embrace. "Thought you might like this," he said, his eyes searching hers for approval.

(Y/N) took a sip, the warmth of the chocolate spreading through her. "It's perfect. How did you know?" she asked, her smile brightening the already illuminated night.

Rex shrugged modestly. "I just took a wild guess. Glad I got it right," he replied, his own cup of mulled wine warming his hands.

They continued their stroll, sipping their drinks and sharing laughs. Rex pointed to a ring toss game. "Bet you can't get three rings on those bottles," he challenged, his eyes gleaming with playful mischief.

(Y/N) accepted the challenge, her throws missing the mark but eliciting more laughter than disappointment. "Seems I'm as good at this as I am at skating," she joked, her laughter infectious.

Rex joined in, his attempts equally unsuccessful. "Looks like we're both in need of some practice," he conceded, his smile never fading.

Their journey through the market led them to a photo booth adorned with festive props. Rex, ever the instigator of fun, grabbed a Santa hat, placing it on his head with a grin. "Your turn, choose your festive disguise," he said, handing her a pair of reindeer antlers.

(Y/N) put on the antlers, striking a pose. "Ready for our close-up, Santa?" she teased, her eyes shining with mirth.

The photos they took were a series of silly poses and laughter-filled moments, each click capturing the joy and ease of their burgeoning relationship.

As they neared a group of carolers, their voices harmonizing in a timeless Christmas tune, (Y/N) felt a pull towards Rex, a desire to be closer. She leaned against him, her head resting gently on his shoulder. "I love this song," she whispered, her breath visible in the cold air.

Rex's arm found its way around her, pulling her closer. "Me too," he replied, his voice soft, his heart full.

The journey from the vibrant life of the Christmas market to the quiet streets leading to (Y/N)'s place was a mix of comfortable silence and soft conversation. The car ride, with Rex at the wheel, felt like a gentle deceleration from the evening's excitement, a gradual return to reality, yet tinged with a reluctance for the night to end.

(Y/N) sat beside him, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. The evening had unfolded like a chapter from a fairy tale, each moment with Rex adding another layer to her growing feelings. She glanced at him, his profile illuminated by the passing streetlights, a sense of warmth enveloping her.

As they pulled up to her apartment, the car's engine coming to a quiet stop, a sudden nervousness gripped her. She didn’t want the night to end, not yet. "Thanks for tonight, Rex. I had a really great time," she said, her voice laced with sincerity.

"Me too, (Y/N). It was... it was really special," Rex replied, his tone reflecting a depth of emotion that resonated with her own feelings.

There was a pause, a moment suspended in time, as (Y/N) gathered her courage. "Would you like to come in? Maybe watch a Christmas movie or something?" she asked, her heart racing with the boldness of her invitation.

Rex turned to look at her, surprise and happiness mingling in his eyes. "I'd like that," he said, a smile spreading across his face.

Inside her apartment, (Y/N) felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. She busied herself with small tasks, turning on the lights, taking off her coat, anything to calm the fluttering in her stomach. Rex followed her in, his presence filling the space with a comforting warmth.

"So, any favorite Christmas movies?" Rex asked, his voice casual but his eyes holding a hint of anticipation.

(Y/N) thought for a moment, wanting to pick something that would set the right tone. "How about 'It's a Wonderful Life'? It's a classic," she suggested, hoping her choice would prolong the warmth and closeness of the evening.

"Perfect choice," Rex agreed, settling onto the couch.

In the cozy confines of (Y/N)'s living room, with the final scenes of "It's a Wonderful Life" painting flickers of light and shadow, Rex and (Y/N) found themselves in a world of their own creation. Their confessions of feelings had woven a new tapestry of emotions, coloring the room with an unspoken promise of something profound and beautiful.

(Y/N) felt a whirlwind of emotions as she leaned into Rex, his arm around her, a gesture of comfort and connection. His heartbeat, steady and reassuring under her ear, was a melody that harmonized perfectly with the rapid beats of her own heart. The air between them was charged with a new energy, an anticipation of what was to come.

Rex, overcome with a sense of rightness and completion, looked down at (Y/N), her eyes lifting to meet his. In her gaze, he found reflections of his own feelings – a mixture of wonder, happiness, and a profound connection that went beyond words. The room, with its soft lighting and the quiet hum of the ending movie, seemed to fade into insignificance, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a moment that felt as timeless as it was fleeting.

As the closing credits rolled, the music a soft undertone to their shared silence, Rex gently tilted (Y/N)'s chin up towards him. Their eyes locked, conveying depths of emotion that words could never fully capture. The distance between them lessened, the magnetic pull of their mutual affection drawing them closer.

(Y/N)'s heart raced as she realized what was about to happen. Her nervousness was a fluttering bird in her chest, but it was overshadowed by a profound desire, a yearning that had been building throughout the night. She could feel Rex's breath, a warm whisper against her skin, the closeness sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

And then, in a moment that seemed both an eternity and an instant, their lips met. It was a gentle collision, a soft convergence of emotions and desires. The kiss was tentative at first, a careful exploration, but it quickly deepened, fueled by the pent-up feelings and the undeniable connection that had brought them to this point.

The world outside, with its cold winter night and silent stars, seemed a universe away. In that kiss, they found a warmth and a rightness that spoke of shared futures and whispered promises. It was a first kiss, but it carried the weight and depth of something much more, a symbol of a bond that had been forged in shared laughter, stolen glances, and unspoken affections.

As they finally pulled away, a breathless moment later, their eyes opened to a world that seemed brighter, more vivid.

In the aftermath of their first kiss, a silence filled the room, profound and comfortable, wrapping Rex and (Y/N) in a cocoon of newfound intimacy. The flickering lights from the TV cast a soft glow on their faces, revealing shared smiles and eyes bright with emotion.

Rex, his heart still pounding from the kiss, felt a clarity he had never experienced before. Looking into (Y/N)'s eyes, he found the courage to give voice to the feelings that the kiss had only begun to express. “(Y/N),” he started, his voice low and filled with emotion, “I need to tell you... I’ve fallen for you. It’s been building for a while, but tonight, everything became so clear.”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened slightly, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. Her own emotions, a tangled mix of joy and affection, bubbled to the surface. “Rex, I feel the same way,” she confessed, her voice a whisper of shared sentiment. “I didn’t realize it until tonight, but what I feel for you... it’s more than I ever expected.”

Their confessions hung in the air, simple yet profound, bridging any distance that had once existed between them. In that moment, they understood that what they had was special, a connection that went beyond mere attraction or companionship.

With a newfound boldness, (Y/N) leaned in for another kiss. This one was different from the first – it was a confirmation, a seal on the feelings they had just confessed. Their lips met with a gentle urgency, conveying years of unspoken emotions and desires. It was a kiss that spoke of beginnings, of a journey they were now embarking on together.

Eventually, they pulled apart, their smiles reflections of their inner happiness. (Y/N) suggested, “How about we watch another movie?” Her tone was light, but her eyes held a deeper invitation, a desire to prolong the magic of the evening.

Rex nodded, his heart still soaring from their exchange. “That sounds perfect.”

They settled onto the couch, (Y/N) fetching a cozy blanket which she draped over them. As she snuggled into Rex's side, the warmth of their closeness enveloped them, a physical manifestation of the emotional warmth they were both feeling.

As the opening credits of the new movie rolled, they found themselves less focused on the screen and more on the comfort of being in each other's arms. The movie played on, but their attention was on the soft sound of their breathing, the gentle rhythm of their heartbeats, and the warmth of their entwined hands under the blanket.

In the dimly lit room, with the soft murmur of the movie playing in the background, Rex and (Y/N) lay under the cozy blanket, a sense of complete contentment enveloping them. The outside world, with all its noise and haste, seemed a distant memory, irrelevant to the sanctuary they had created here, in (Y/N)'s living room.

Their confessions of affection still echoed in the space around them, a tender yet powerful admission that had changed the very air they breathed. Now, under the blanket, they found themselves in a world of their own making, a world where every glance, every touch, spoke of the deep connection they shared.

(Y/N) looked up at Rex, her eyes shining with unspoken emotions. In his eyes, she saw a reflection of her own feelings – a mixture of wonder, joy, and a profound sense of rightness. It was as if all the scattered pieces of her life had suddenly clicked into place, forming a picture that was more beautiful than she had ever imagined.

Rex, feeling her gaze, turned to meet her eyes. In that moment, words were unnecessary; everything they needed to say was conveyed in the depth of their look. He leaned down, and their lips met in a gentle kiss, a soft caress that spoke of new beginnings and uncharted futures. The kiss was a whisper of promises, a seal on the feelings they had just shared.

As they pulled away, their smiles were reflections of their inner happiness, a happiness that was as much about the presence of the other as it was about the connection they had forged. They stole another kiss, and then another, each one a celebration, a joyful acknowledgment of the journey they were embarking on together.

Lying there, with Rex's arm around her and her head on his chest, (Y/N) felt a sense of completeness she had never known. The sound of his heartbeat was a steady rhythm that seemed to sync perfectly with her own. Every so often, they would exchange a look or a smile, a silent conversation that spoke of shared joy and the comfort of being understood.

Rex, with (Y/N) nestled against him, felt a sense of peace that was new and profound. The weight of his past, the uncertainties of his future, all seemed to fade away in the face of this simple yet profound happiness. He kissed the top of her head gently, a gesture of affection and protection.

The movie played on, but it was merely a backdrop to their own story, a story that was just beginning. Every touch, every shared laugh, every quiet moment under the blanket was a brushstroke in the masterpiece they were creating together.

Just the previous year, he’d been discharged early from the military due to family hardships. His adoptive father, Ninety-Nine, had fallen seriously ill which resulted in much limited mobility and flagging health, though he was stubbornly holding on. Ninety-Nine was tough in his own way and not easily knocked down and never let his disabilities limit him. He honestly was one of Cody’s biggest heroes for just that fact alone. No one was more inspiring than Ninety-Nine. 

To top off the struggle, his half-brother, Fives, was killed in action, while his other half-brother, Echo, was seriously wounded. This had dampened (but not destroyed) Ninety-nine’s spirits which slowed his healing. Cody had come back to take care of the family broken by loss.

The family. 

And what a family it was: a mix-matched group of boys and a sickly older man but they belonged together. 

Ninety-nine had taken care of all the Fett boys in some way or another after they’d been abandoned by their father Jango. He’d been the one to find Plo Koon who fostered and eventually adopted Wolffe, Sinker and Boost—but he’d raised under his own roof a rowdy bunch which included himself, Rex, Fives, Echo, and the Quadruplets (Cody didn’t know if technically Se or Fett was more accurate for them) soon nicknamed ‘the bad batch’.

And it was these that Cody called family. Home. It wouldn’t be complete totally again, but they could heal — and he’d do whatever he could, nay, he wouldn’t rest, until they did.

More than anything Cody wanted to take care of Ninety-nine, especially in the beginning. And that he did, but because Cody was an overachiever—he’d signed up for college classes as well. Then he added a job on the side to match; a small part of him regretted it. It was getting to be a lot, but joining the military right out of high school wasn’t easy either, so if he could make it then, he could do this now, he reasoned. 

That was a year ago now, and Ninety-Nine was finally on the mend. 

This year would be special, since everyone—well almost everyone—was going to be home. The first year since they’d all left, that they’d be back. 

They’d be back. Home, and together again.

Like they should be.

Echo was finally released from the hospital, healing from his extensive injuries and adjusting to his prothstetics, and the quadruplets’ tour was finally over. Though none of them were injured, it wasn’t without repercussions either.   

“Hurry up, Cody, or we’ll be late!” a shout broke him from his musings. “And don’t forget the basket!”

The Fetts were on their way to a dance—a Christmas dance—hosted by their longtime family friends the Jetti’s, and there was going to be an auction for charity, sleigh rides, and everything, as they did every year. Ninety-Nine insisted on bringing something to join the auction every year and this was no exception. Even when they couldn’t make it to the dances, Ninety-Nine was giving something.  

Cody wasn’t much of a dancer. He never cared to go to them much. But for some reason he was really looking forward to it this year. Perhaps because it was Christmas, and magic had a way of creeping into people’s ordinary lives, transforming into something beautiful and new. 

And it was this Christmas hope that kindled something warm inside his heart, and excitement. 

— — — — — 

The room was alive with flashes of color and the sound of music, laughing and cheering. The pitter pattering of feet was just as loud as the happiness of those in the room excitedly making known to each other through various conversations and well wishes. Quick steps made their own rhythm and stories which echoed off the dance floor. 

It was at this moment you felt beautiful, standing under the Christmas lights and bathing in the general glee and spirit of the room. Your throat squeezed as if holding in a laugh and a smile pulled at your lips so much your mouth hurt, but in a good way. The Christmas magic worked its way through your veins. The tingling of invincible tinsel tickled your fingertips, an energy flowing through you which was contagious. Smiles you sent to others were easily returned and frowns turned upside down. 

It was at this particular moment, the Fett family walked in. 

The name wouldn’t have meant much to you in normal circumstances. Why would that name stick out among so many others who were there? 

But you had a reason for knowing it, and his name was Cody. 

You saw him leading his train of brothers in through the door, guiding the old man by the arm. He flashed his charming smile to the host and exchanged hands. 

The music started up again and your sister grabbed your hand, dragging you into the ring or people forming a group dance with interchanging partners. You had to focus, otherwise you’d lose your step. 

It was only two seconds, but in those two, the entire Fett family was dispersed throughout the room and you lost all track of where Cody had gone. 

— — — 

Moving lithley, you kept up with the music and the people twirling and leaping around you. The dance went in a circular motion and patterns were interchanged. You clapped and danced and laughed along with everyone else, pushing yourself to go faster and faster as the song was ending.

Twirling and twirling you finished with a bang.

You looked up and saw you were in Cody’s arms, who looked just as shocked as you did to see you there. 

Then he froze there, mouth slightly agape. His eyes danced across your face and his slight panting may have been more than just catching his breath from the dance. He swallowed nervously.

“Um, hello.” He stuttered nervously.

“Hello yourself,” you smiled  back reassuringly, “nice to run into you.”

Cody chuckled a little at that, then a silence fell between the two of you. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare! It’s just...you look so beautiful underneath the holiday lights.” 

You chuckled at his embarrassed realization. Cody turned pink and looked like he wanted to cave in on himself, which you had to say was really adorable and made you laugh harder. The thought of the brave warrior being startled into a stuttering school boy because of you.

The sound of your laughter filled the air with a contagious glint of mirth. Soon, Cody found himself laughing too. 

The music started up again and people took their places all around the two of you. 

“Would you, um, care to go again?” he asked, holding out his hand. 

“Gladly!” 

Not just one song but two that soon turned into three. When you were tired, you headed off to the corner to drink hot cocoa and watch the others. You were so caught up in talking to each other that you hadn’t realized that the time ran late into the night. It was near midnight when you sighed and looked at your watch. 

“Well, I’ll see you around.” You finally said a little sadly. Just because Christmas was around the corner didn’t mean all the work was done. You had one more paper to write before you were free. 

“I hope so!” He responded genuinely which just made you laugh again.

“Oh you definitely will. I sit two rows behind you and three seats to your left in class.” 

Cody gawked. 

You couldn’t have?! He’d surely have noticed you?!

“I even asked you for notes once. And, you also asked me for notes once too.”

His mind was racing, trying to think back to those times to verify the claims with his memory. 

You chuckled lightly. 

“I don’t expect you to remember though. You were always very preoccupied, with good reason. Your cousin, Waxer, told me the whole story.”

Big mouth Waxer. Could have counted on him to blab the whole story to everyone (though in this case Cody was grateful he did, not that he would admit that.)

“I have to say, I would have done anything for you. You had to just give me a chance.” 

“Oh, you don’t have to be so drastic, darling,” he smirked, “I’m here now, and I’m all yours. After class tomorrow, would you want to go skating?”

"It's a date!"

━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━

Strands of green hung around Omega’s door frame as she sat in the gunner’s mount that served as her makeshift room. The young girl had never experienced a real Life Day before. Kamino wasn’t known for their festivities; the long-necks claimed they took away from their work time. So although the boys didn’t have much experience actually celebrating the holiday either, they all tried their best to give Omega a perfect first Life Day.

Hunter had let you all stop for a few days on a snowy planet. With enough supplies, he figured you could take a break somewhere festive for the holiday.

Wrecker had let Omega sit atop his shoulders to hang up homemade garland around the Marauder.

Tech had taught her about the history behind the holiday, telling her everything he had learned from the Holonet.

Crosshair had taught her to make the perfect snowball and helped her perfect her aim.

And Echo told her stories every night before bed he had heard back during his days celebrating Life Day in the 501st.

Yes, all the boys had done their best to give Omega a perfect Life Day. But Omega was even more excited to give them a perfect Life Day. The girl had the biggest heart, so that’s how you found yourself crammed in the gunner’s mount with her, carefully watching as she stitched her design.

She had wanted to give the boys gifts, and when you recommended pajama pants, she jumped at the idea. The boys only had their blacks and sometimes the Marauder could get cold, even for them.

So the two of you found the perfect red and black pants that would match the team’s colors, and Omega was insistent on adding the Clone Force 99 symbol onto the pants, skull and all.

“It’ll be perfect!” She claimed.

So you found the sewing kit you kept in case someone’s clothes needed repair and showed her how to sew.

The girl was very intent in her escapades, listening and watching your stitching intently. She put her all into making the design. And when she was disappointed about her stitches being crooked, you reassured her that her brothers would love them no matter how they looked.

“I’m done with Tech’s,” she announced, holding up the pants to show the freshly sewn design on the left leg.

“Perfect, Megs. Now only Echo’s and Hunter’s left.” You took the garment from her and folded them up to add them to the pile of finished gifts.

She nodded and began to thread her needle when Wrecker called her name from the cockpit.

“I got something else to hang up!” He called.

Placing her supplies down, she rushed down the ladder to help Wrecker hang up another decoration.

You laughed and climbed down from her room as she took off. You smiled at the small girl before looking to your left, finding Hunter leaning against the wall, arms crossed across his chest.

“Hey there, Sarge,” you smiled.

He smiled and glanced over at Omega. “You two are certainly spending a lot of time up there.”

“Just having a little girl time.”

His eyebrow raised at your response. Although it wasn’t a complete lie, it wasn’t the complete truth either.

“Anything I should be concerned about?” He questioned.

You adamantly shook your head. “Nope!”

He smirked and leaned in to whisper in your ear so Omega wouldn’t overhear him. “No Life Day gifts hidden up there?”

You gasped and gently hit his arm. “How dare you accuse us of hiding something!”

He rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t move away from you. “Don’t worry, I won’t ruin the surprise, cyar’ika.”

“You better not,” you retorted as Omega came rushing back up to the two of you.

She immediately grabbed your hand and tugged you back towards her project. You didn’t resist the girl’s pull and sent Hunter a wink before heading back to Omega’s little room.

———————

The seven of you sat in the middle of the hull of the Marauder. Omega had practically been bouncing off the walls as the time to exchange gifts came around. She happily handed each of them their gifts. Even though you didn’t have enough credits to wrap them in something nice, it was clear by the look on their faces that they appreciated the gesture.

As they unfolded the garments, Hunter smiled at you. “Did you get us matching pajamas?”

You nodded and gestured to the girl beside you. “Megs is the mastermind behind this one. She wanted to do something special for you boys.”

“Do you like it?” The young girl asked, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

“They’re perfect, Omega,” Echo replied.

“They’ve even got our symbol on ‘em!” Wrecker shouted, glee evident in his voice as he held up the pants. “Looks great!”

Omega smiled and happily retold the story of sewing the symbol on as the boys listened, indulging her in the exaggerated tale. Even Crosshair had a small smile on his face as Omega spoke.

You happily listened along from your spot on the floor when you felt a hand on your shoulder. Looking up, you found Hunter standing above you. Subtly, he tilted his head towards the doorway of the cockpit.

Getting the message, you nodded and stood up, careful not to interrupt Omega’s story as you two made your way to the cockpit.

“What’s up, Hunter?” You asked, voice barely above a whisper as you stood in the doorway.

There was a pause as he considered his next words, fingers twitching as if he was twirling his vibroblade between them.

“I wanted to thank you. For the pants,” he finally said.

“Megs and I just want our boys to be comfortable,” you responded, heat blooming in your chest. “Thanks for not spoiling the surprise.”

A smirk made its way onto his face and he leaned back against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. “So you two were hiding Life Day gifts.”

“We weren’t hiding anything. We just evaded your senses,” you lied, smiling innocently at the sergeant.

Hunter clicked his tongue. “Nothing evades my senses, cyar’ika.”

You tensed slightly, wondering if that was true. Could he hear the way your heart was fluttering in your chest? Could he see the way you smiled just a little bit bigger when you saw him? Could he feel how your skin was always warm when he was around?

Hunter opened his mouth, no doubt to tease you again, when Crosshair’s voice rang out through the ship.

“The mistletoe seemed to evade your senses though.”

You glanced at the team’s sniper, brow furrowing before looking above your head.

There it was. A small plant hung from the cockpit’s doorway: the new decoration Omega and Wrecker had hung up a few days prior.

Glancing back at Crosshair, you found that the rest of the team was staring at you.

“What‘s so important about mistletoe?” Omega asked innocently.

“It means they gotta kiss,” Echo explained, a teasing lilt in his voice as he glanced at the two of you.

“Technically—“

Tech was quickly cut off when Wrecker shoved him.

“Shush!”

You turned back to Hunter, slightly confused when you saw the small smirk on his face.

“Hunter…”

One of his hands came up to cradle your jaw, tilting your face towards his.

He leaned in, nose brushing yours. “I told you. Nothing evades my senses.”

Before you could respond, you felt his lips press against yours. It was completely intoxicating, and you grabbed his shoulders to keep yourself steady. The kiss was filled with such precision, every movement careful but filled with such feeling, you felt like you were drowning in him.

As Hunter pulled back from you, the rest of the world came crashing back on you. The cheers of his brothers, the feel of his blacks beneath your fingers, and yet you could only focus on his eyes and how they remained fixed on you.

You, stumbling over yourself as your mind tried to catch up.

Your head spun as you connected the dots, the fact he brought you over here purposely, knowing the mistletoe hung above you.

Just to kiss you?

It seemed surreal, the ghost of Hunter’s lips still on yours. But it was real.

A smirk spread across your lips. “I’m glad you liked the present.”

“That’s all you have to say?” He asked.

“Happy Life Day,” you whispered, before reconnecting your lips, earning another round of hoots and hollers from his brothers and Omega.

Cold seeped into the small cabin from the non-insulated transparisteel of the window, and you watched as snow swirled around in the night air. The storm was growing more powerful by the second, and the fact that this place wasn’t exactly the height of luxury meant that the power had barely been enough to keep the lights on, let alone be able to provide a consistent source of heat. You groaned as you pulled every blanket you could find from the closet, and the fact that you only found two was certainly concerning.

Rex stepped into the cabin, a flurry of snow blowing in behind him as he swung the door closed. Even though he had been barely gone for ten minutes, and the helmet on his head meant that you couldn’t tell what his face looked like at the moment, you could tell that he was cold. Usually clones had higher body temperatures than humans did, so the fact that he was feeling the temperatures meant that it would be much worse for you. Part of you wondered if you were even going to make it through the night, but you preferred not to think about that.

The most insulting part of everything here was the fact that a Republic Gunship was currently stationed right outside this planet’s atmosphere, but the intense storms above where you were made it so that the rest of the 501st was unable to get through without severely risking life and limb, so you and the captain were stuck here until the storm stopped. At least the assignment you had been sent here to fulfill had gone to plan, you thought, because if it hadn’t, you have to have the worst luck out of everyone in the GAR. But with no droids or Sith on your tails, all you had to worry about was the cold.

You had thankfully packed a few hand-warmers before you left, but they were doing little to stave off the chill that threatened to freeze you solid. You handed one of the threadbare blankets off to Rex, who shook his head as he removed his helmet. “No, you need it more than I do.”

“I can tell you’re freezing too,” was your no-nonsense response. “I would never forgive myself if I was the one who got my commanding officer killed.”

Technically he wasn’t your commanding officer, but you trusted him with your life, and he knew a hell of a lot more about all this stuff than you did. Rex’s face changed, and you watched him wrestle with his emotions before finally sighing and taking the blanket from your hands.

The sooner that morning came, the sooner this experience would all be over, and the two of you shuffled off to opposite sides of the large couch before attempting to settle in for the night. Even with all the layers you were wearing and the blanket draped over yourself, you couldn’t help but shiver as you tried to relax.

The first hour was brutal.

Simply put, attempting to sleep like this was incredibly uncomfortable. Ignoring the fact that this old shelter had a bed frame but no mattress, the weather conditions were the the biggest reason for the fact that you had been unable to fall asleep. Wondering if Rex had managed to succeed where you couldn’t, you turned your head and looked over at him, right as he happened to look over at you.

“Too cold to sleep?” he asked, his voice soft.

Your response was accompanied by a shiver running through your body. “Yeah.”

“Me too,” he said, and you could feel the misery you both shared reverberate through the space as silence settled once more over you. In a shocking turn of events, Rex spoke again. “Why don’t you come over here and lay with me?” he said. “It’s no use for both of us to freeze on opposite sides of the couch.”

There was no arguing with him, it was the very thing you’d wanted to do since you handed over one of the blankets, but you would have never asked for yourself. Besides the fact that you considered him a direct superior, you would be lying to yourself if you didn’t say that Rex was incredibly attractive, and you did not want to feed into that silly crush by convincing yourself he felt the same way. Cuddling up together for the night was a survival tactic, nothing more.

You could feel one of his arms wrap around you as you layered your blanket on top of his, and you laid against him as best you could on the couch. You were certainly warmer (and more comfortable) than you had been before (Rex had thankfully taken his armor off), but you could still feel some of the biting chill of the air on your face.

“This should all be over in the morning,” you heard him say, and you weren’t sure if it was to convince himself or you, but either way, it did begin to work. Taking deep breaths and attempting to somehow pull your body heat together via telekinesis, you could feel your eyelids start to droop, and your last thought before drifting away was that you hoped Rex had found sleep too.

***

A beeping noise from your datapad was the thing that woke you up the next morning, and you shivered as you opened your eyes and realized that this damn cabin was still just as cold (if not colder) than it had been when you went to sleep.

Being close to Rex helped, clearly. As much as it was chilly and you could see your breath, you didn’t feel as though the cold had significantly affected your health, and you knew that it was because you had been able to conserve some of your body heat when you laid next to him. As you moved your arm towards where you had left your datapad (to stop its incessant beeping), you found it more difficult than expected.

Because as you soon found out, Rex had his arm around you.

It wasn’t difficult to escape his grip, since it was more like he was resting his arm on your back than truly holding you against, but you really didn’t want to pull away, even though you did. The feeling of the cabin’s cold air on your back was punishment enough for your treachery movement, but of course the captain had to yawn and shift at that very moment, with a look in his eyes that was adorably bleary as he woke up, even if it was just for a second.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, and you were certainly not prepared for the slightly gravelly edge that sleep had granted his voice.

Maker, did you want to kiss him right now, was what ran through your head in response. Not particularly helpful, but you couldn’t deny it.

“Still cold, but not terribly,” you said. “As long as we get out of here I think we’ll be okay.”

He nodded. “Do we know when the transport ship is coming?”

You paused for a moment as you checked your datapad for answers, but shook your head. “I sent Jesse the coordinates for our location last night, but there hasn’t been any word since.”

“We’re all packed though, so it shouldn’t be an issue,” he said. “And that means we don’t have to get up until we know we’re leaving.” You knew that his words were meant in that way because it was very cold in this room and your shared body heat was helping to keep both of you warm, but for a moment you allowed yourself to believe that maybe he said that because he wanted to keep cuddling with you.

A comfortable silence settled over the space as you waited for any kind of word from the rest of the 501st about when they were coming to get you. But of course, you did want to say one thing before the moment passed.

“Rex?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you,” you said, and a look of confusion began to dawn on his face, so you continued. “For sharing your body heat with me.”

“Of course,” was his response, along with a smile you’d never seen before (but you’d pay an endless amount of credits to see forever).

Once more the conversation fizzled, and then after a period of time it was his turn to break the silence. “And if you’re still cold, I think I know of another way to help keep warm.”

“Really?” you asked, moving your body so that the two of you were facing each other. “What is it?”

“This,” Rex said gently before leaning in. However, he stopped right before your lips would have connected with his. “Is this okay?”

“Of course,” you breathed. The tiny gap between you was closed, and you suddenly forgot about the fact that you were in a chilly cabin with barely any power.

The feeling of Rex’s kiss was electric, and a soothing warmth spread through your entire body. You kissed back, and soon his hands had found their way to your waist as the two of you sat on the couch. Yes, both of you were wearing gloves, but you could still feel the spark that would have electrified your entire body had it been against your bare skin.

But of course, all good things have to come to an end, and this one ended with the sound of your datapad beeping, accompanied with the sound of Jesse’s slightly mechanized voice from the comm function. “We’re outside you two,” he said, and you reluctantly pulled yourself away from Rex’s lips.

“We’ll be out in a minute!” you said, and once you were sure no one could hear you through the device, you spoke again. “I don’t know exactly what this means, but I’d really like it to continue.” Those words could be dangerous, since clones (along with anyone who worked for the GAR) were technically allowed to form romantic relationships on the job.

Rex nodded. “I’d really like it to continue too,” he said, leaning in to place a soft kiss on your cheek.

So much was left unspoken, but you were pretty sure you’d get a chance to figure things out, even if it meant enduring inevitable teasing from Rex’s men once they figured out what was different about your relationship with their captain.

And of course, just being with Rex made all of that worth it. 

- the end -

He kept flexing his fingers as subtly as he could, but you caught it. It was in that action that your thoughts were confirmed. You had to move faster to get to shelter, before frostbite set in.

Commander Wolffe wasn’t one to bring to light his physical discomfort – even to you. According to General Plo, the commander listened to you more than any other medic. You figured it was probably because you were a civvie and not one of his brothers.

To your surprise, Wolffe turned back to you and let you catch up with him.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken that tone with you,” he said just loud enough to be heard over the wind.

“No apology necessary, Commander. You’re right, we have to keep moving.” You nodded, then gently patted his arm, keeping pace with your previous speed. The cabin started to show not far from you and you both sped up as much as possible through the flakes as they pelted you both.

Inside the small cabin, it was cold and dark, but there was no draft inside which improved things. You flipped on the breaker box, then the water heater, and turned on a lamp beside one of the chairs in the main room. As you went to check how frozen the fireplace flue is, you noticed Wolffe was examining the modestly-furnished place, but shivering a little more than you were.

“Commander.”

“Almost done,” he grumbled, still inspecting the cabin.

“It’s fine. Come here.”

He spun around to you. “Excuse me?”

“I’m a medic, and right now, I have concerns about your health. The general sent me along to ensure your health and safety during this time, and I won’t let you freeze to death, especially on the first night.”

He sighed heavily through his modulator, then pulled off the helmet and scowled.

“Gloves next, please.”

“Why?” he barked, then seemed a bit cowed.

“Gloves, Commander,” you said in a tone with patience that was thinning.

He grumbled again, then started to pull off his damp gloves. It was difficult, so you stepped in to help. The tips of his fingers were starting to turn pink and you pulled off your gloves to touch his hands and examine them.

“Numbness giving way to pins and needles?” you asked quietly.

“Yes,” he said, his tone a bit quieter.

“Toes, too?”

“Just cold.”

“Bear with me here.” You gently took one hand between yours, enveloping his fingers as best you could. They were very cold, even to you. You hissed, then said in a concerned tone, “Wolffe, why didn’t you say h-how bad it is?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Well, now I’m extra worried. The water heater will take a while to warm up and I have to prep the cold flue for a fire. There are very few options to fighting back this frostnip of yours right away, and I don’t imagine the rest of the openings of your armor are much better off compared to what happened to your gloves.”

He shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

You added quietly, “Like hells you will. Go find some blankets and, I say this in the most professional way possible, strip off your damp clothing to wrap yourself in the blankets.”

He looked at you with an eyebrow raised and eyes wider than usual, then turned away just as his cheeks showed a bit more color. Considering his cheeks were probably flushed from some of the chill already, you shut down the idea that coloring could have been a blush.

You dug through supplies in the cabinets, then found a hairdryer amongst other items, and started to try to warm up the flue enough it wouldn’t spit back smoke when you lit the fire. After a few minutes, Wolffe’s scoff sounded behind you, and you turned to him. He was bundled in a couple blankets, carrying a couple more with him.

“A hairdryer?” he asked, a bit of disbelief in his tone.

“Yes, Commander, you ever lit a fire in a fireplace that’s cold?”

He shook his head.

“I’ve seen it. It’s thermodynamics as the cold air sinks -”

He held up his hand and you stopped. “I get it.”

You nodded and turned back to trying to warm the flue. “How are you feeling? Your hands starting to warm up?”

“Not a ton, but things haven’t gotten worse.” He walked over to the water heater and huffed a sigh. He read out the temperature to you, one that was good enough, and you told him to grab a bowl and run the faucet before filling it. The heated water wouldn’t be at optimal temperature, but it would be better.

He turned to you and said as he filled the bowl, “Why couldn’t we use the electric stove to warm the water?”

You paused. “Kriff.”

He chuckled. “Suppose I could’ve thought of that, too. Honestly, the fact you thought about the flue temperature is impressive.”

“As a medic, they teach about survival as well as everything else. Guess something stuck.” You smiled a little, teasing yourself for the most part.

The kitchen faucet stopped, and he fumbled a bit with the bowl in the sink. You set down the hairdryer and came over to help him get it to the table. He grumbled a bit about it, but didn’t say anything definitive.

After, you put on a kettle to boil water for the cocoa you found earlier. You were aware as he watched you… well, like a wolf as you moved about he small cabin, getting hot cocoa set before him and going back to the fireplace.

You started a small fire shortly after, relieved when the smoke starts up the chimney and doesn’t come back down. Putting a couple logs in, you let the fire grow a bit before heading back to the dining table to check him.

“How are the fingers doing?”

“Better,” he said quietly. Something else was bugging him, as the clipped, gruff tone was back.

“So what’s bothering you?”

He grumbled nonsense.

“Commander,” you said sternly.

He huffed. “I should be the one getting the fire going.”

“Why?”

“I’m the commander. I shouldn’t just be sitting and doing nothing.”

“Wrong. You’re under strict orders from the medic to get better. You’re healing. Commander, frostnip isn’t child’s play – it can cause actual damage, if I may remind you.”

“Well, don’t remind me,” he bit out, then looked ashamed.

“I know I’m not one of your brothers, but that doesn’t mean I want to see you suffer.”

He grumbled, “You’re a medic. Course you don’t want to see suffering.”

“It’s not just that, Commander. The 104th matters to me almost like family, okay?”

He looked up at you, a bit surprised.

“I know, I get it, I’m civvie-born. Or, what was it Comet called it…?”

“Nat-born,” Wolffe said quietly.

“Right, that. Not fond of that term because of how it reflects on you boys.” You grumble a bit, causing him to smile. “Anyway, I’m not like you boys, but I still care.”

Wolffe’s mouth dropped open, cheeks flushing a bit again.

“You okay, Commander?”

“Y-yeah.”

You look at him with concern.

“I’m fine,” he growled, then stood up from the table, leaving the bowl behind, then sitting on the couch.

You walked over to him and sat beside him. “Commander, if something is wrong, I need to know.”

“Alright, alright….” He sighed. “But don’t laugh at me.”

You nod and wait.

“I think… I think I love you,” he said softly.

Your mouth dropped open. “Y-you do?”

He nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Look, I know I’m your commander technically, but I couldn’t help it. You’re so kriffing persistent, in my brain all the time. Thinking about your smile, your laugh, how it would feel to kiss you in the snow….”

You smiled softly. “Commander….”

He looked at you, the pleading in his eyes catching you off-guard, as did the slight wince as he prepared for the worst.

You whispered, “Wolffe….”

The worry in his eyes vanished, replaced with hope.

“I… I have feelings for you, too.”

He sat up, then gently took your cheek in his hand. “Mesh’la… I want to kiss you.”

You nodded, then leaned forward and your lips brushed his. He cupped the back of your head in his free hand and he pulled you into the kiss. You both got lost in the kiss, letting the time you’ve gone apart melt away as you make up for it all. All the pain and longing disappear, leaving warmth and love behind in their wake. Eventually, you both pulled apart to breathe. He welcomed you into the blanket cocoon he had, holding you against his half-naked body. You blushed, but wrapped your arms around him anyway as you shared the blankets.

Wolffe softly said, “I know it’s a little early, but I think I got what I wanted for Life Day.”

“Oh, did you?” you laughed softly.

He nodded, a smile on his face. “I get to be with you. I’ve been trying to figure out how to talk to you about the possibility of us for a while, now.”

You smiled shyly. “Yeah? You wanted me for Life Day?”

He smiled softly. “In a way. It’s not a holiday song type of wish since you’re a person and not an object….”

You laughed. “That’s okay. I want to be yours, anyway.”

“You’re sure?” he asked hopefully.

You nodded.

“I want to kiss you again.”

“Yes, please,” you whispered.

His lips were warm compared to what you were expecting and you responded almost immediately. His hands rested on your waist and you moved closer to him.

He pulled back a little, then grinned. “I can think of a way that we can warm up more.”

“Why, Commander, what are you proposing?” you asked teasingly, then your breath hitched as his hand moved to the middle of your hip.

“Would it be too fast, or have we been pining long enough?” he asked in a dizzyingly gruff tone. This time, it was mixed with a bit of lust.

You grinned. “Pining long enough.”

He leaned in again, smiling, then kissed you, this time more passionately. The two of you leaned back on the couch, with you looking up at him, and he gripped your hip a bit tighter. His other hand, still a tad chilly, started to slide under your shirt, causing you to gasp softly into his mouth. He took the opportunity to kiss you open-mouthed, then move his hand higher.

“This okay?” he whispered into the kiss.

“Yes,” you whispered back. His lips were so intoxicating and you arched your back as his fingers traced closer to your breast. They finally landed over your bra and he started to caress the first curve. The touch was muted by the fabric still between you and you pulled back from the kiss to slip off your shirt and your bra. His eyes widened as he looked down at you, fingers gently touching the swell of your breast again.

“Wow,” he said appreciatively. “All for me?”

“Always has been,” you said softly back, causing a guttural groan from him, one that made your thighs clench. “Are we really doing this, Wolffe? Are you sure I’m the one you want?”

He nodded. “Yes. And something tells me General Plo planned on this happening, otherwise he wouldn’t have sent us alone.”

“Remind me to get him a gift basket when we’re back at the Venator,” you chuckled.

“Will do. Now, I want to show you how much I’ve wanted you for so long.”

You grinned, then pulled him back down into a kiss, ready for a long night of love and passion in front of the warm fire.

Bonus!:

The next morning, the blizzard finally calmed down, making it safe to step outside into the light flurries. You grinned at Wolffe and pulled him outside, both of you fully dressed in the clothes that dried by the fire. It was still chilly and the flakes immediately stuck to his hair, but you didn’t care. You pulled him to your lips and kissed him, surprising him. It wasn’t a big gift, but it was a start.

Pulling back after the long kiss, he grinned. “What is this all about?”

“You’d said you wanted to kiss me in the snow, so I thought I might make that a reality.” You smiled back.

The chuckle that escaped him was just as warm as the love you made last night. “Oh, mesh’la. That’s not what I quite meant. I meant playing in the snow and kissing you.”

“Why not both?” You bent down and scooped up some snow, throwing it at his chestplate. His eyes widened in mischief.

“You sure you want to do this?” he asked slyly.

“Will it get me kissed?” you tease.

He growled playfully and you knew you were in for it.

“Happy Life Day, Wolffe.” You grinned.