"I was on MEEETH!"

“How is he?” I walked closer. Tech let out a sigh, he looked concerned. His brothers did too, but him… Somehow, Tech being concerned made my stomach churn. I did not know him for a long time, but he seemed so sure of himself, always keeping everything under control, but know, none of it.

“I’m afraid the hit caused more damage than I first estimated” he readjusted his goggles. Wrecker let out a noise that sounded like as if someone wounded him physically, which made me put my hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him. “We might have to go to Kamino, instead of Coruscant.”

“That bad, huh?” Hunter tried to look nonchalant, but he was worried too. “Hel…”

“Reset the coordinates. Coruscant, my job they can wait, his injuries can’t” I said looking down at the sniper. He was far from welcoming or nice to me, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to get hurt or worse. “I can hide on the ship; it will be fine Sarge.” I said with a reassuring smile.

“Thank you”

“Can I help with anything?” I kneeled next to Tech. “I know the basics, it’s not much, but more than nothing.”

“Could you just stay with him, while I change the coordinates? It won’t take long, just make sure these parameters don’t…”

“Tech, I got it” I squeezed his hand. “Go” I kept an eye on the silver haired clone, even though his other brothers didn’t go far, but they tried to look busy. Hunter looked over his gear, making sure nothing happened with it, when the enemy took it, but he looked over every other second, his eyes fixated on Crosshair’s face. Wrecker was cleaning his weapon, but he didn’t pay attention at all, he kept missing the spot where it got dirty. “He is going to be okay.” I told them. “I don’t know him as well as you do, but if I figured something it’s that he is force forsakenly stubborn, he will pull through.”

“He will” Wrecker nodded putting away his weapon. “How uh… How are you? I mean your injuries? Fighting your way through the clankers sure did not help them heal.” he was rambling while scratching the back of his neck which made me smile.

“I’m fine. My head it is pounding, but I had worse hangovers, believe me. My side… It will be better in no time.”

Wrecker fell asleep in his bunk, snoring loudly, he tried to stay awake for a long time, but tiredness took over eventually. Tech came back, checked on Crosshair a few more times before falling asleep sitting next to him.

“And then he will complain about his neck hurting” scoffed Hunter as he handed me a cup of caf.

“Thanks” I gave him a quick smile. “Happened before I presume.”

“More times than I could count.” he shook his head.

“They are somewhat closer” I blurred out. “I just…” I looked up at him with wide eyes afraid I said something wrong.

“You are right” he sat down next to me. “We are different, our batch, but you know that already.” I only nodded. “Well, that two over there is even more different. Clones are made from Jango’s DNA, Kaminoan science and bum baby clones. Well in their case the embryo split.”

“It can happen? I mean what I gathered Kaminoan scientists quite precise with their… well cloning, one would think…”

“Well, they were messing around with us, so” he shrugged which made my mouth taste sour. “So, instead of one... baby or whatever you want to call a tube-born…”

“Baby” I said sternly. “Grown in a womb, egg or in a tube, same to me. Baby, human” he looked at me for a long moment, his face a painting of many emotions at the same time. “So, two embryos instead of one… Wait! That’s why Crosshair has like wow eyesight and Tech must wear goggles? Like it has to do something with that right?”

“Yeah, Tech could tell you about it, I’m not really a science kind of guy” he chuckled.

“So they are basically twins, like more twins than clones are… I think I will have a not concussion related headache” I said sipping into my caf. “Not the science kinda gal either”

“Could have fooled me”

“Now you are just teasing” I rolled my eyes. “Not that I was snooping around, but yeah, I was totally snooping around, and that’s all on you because you left me behind on this ship with aaaaall this information on it. Your number is CT-9901, Wrecker’s is CT-9903 and Tech and Crosshair’s 02 and 04, right? If they are twins, weren’t they supposed to come after each other? I mean the numbers.”

“Yeah, well its more of a when did you leave the tube kind of matter, and Wrecker stayed longer because, well he is Wrecker, it took him a little longer to grow and believe it or not apparently Crosshair was even scrawnier as a baby and cadet than he is now. So, while they took Tech out, the long necks let Crosshair in a little longer. 99 said it was only a couple of days, but Tech would barely stop crying the whole time, not like any of us remembers it or any of the longnecks cared”

“Childhood on Kamino sounds cold.” I said after a couple of minutes of silence.

“It is”

“I’m sorry” I whispered. I didn't know what else to say.

A couple of minutes later we got out of hyperspace and I saw Kamino for  the first but not the last time.

Author's note: it's a shorty shorty but longer chapters will follow

Tags: @techs-stitches, @lokigirlszendaya, @savebytheodoresnonjosestuff, @horseshoecrabmom

“I can’t give him the medical care he needs here” Tech kept repeating again and again, and Hunter couldn’t decide if he said the words to them or to himself.

“It’s going to be okay Tech. He is going to be okay” Hunter told his little brother, but Tech didn’t look at him, he just continued checking Cross’ vital signs as well as he could without his equipment.

“The ship is gone. You sent her the signal, and she left” Tech kept mumbling under his breath, his hand clenching into a fist and letting go rhythmically. “If we get out, we need to find a medbay… It won’t be safe, but we need it, the Marauder is not here anymore, so we need something else. An Omicron class ship or a cargo one…”

“Tech” Hunter stood up and walked up to his brothers while trying to calm Wrecker with a reassuring look. But Wrecker knew better, he knew when missions would go wrong, Tech would get into this state, not shock, not really, but something similar. Making plans from aurek to zerek, making sure he thinks about every possibility, because he feels responsible. He thinks it all went bad because the plan – his plan – wasn’t good enough and their vod’ika got hurt because of it. “Tech” the sarge kneeled in front of them, his throat getting tight as he looked at Crosshair laying in Tech’s lap unconsciously. “Tech look at me” but his brother just kept mumbling about shuttles and hyper jumps. “Tech’ika” he tried softly reaching for his hand. “Come on Tech, look at me.”

“Sarge…”

“We will get out of here, but I need you here. Focused, one plan at the time, alright vod’ika?”

“They won’t leave us alone too long” Tech said with a sigh, more collected than before. “Without our weapons and gear they won’t expect us to charge at them; we’d have the element of surprise.”

“There is the Tech we know” Wrecker let out a loud laugh. “Love the charging at them part.”

“Wrecker, we can loose the element of surprise quiet easily if we let them hear what we are planning to do” Hunter scolded him, then looked back at Tech who only nodded, giving him the I’m alright look.

“We, well Hunter, should hear when they get close and then…” but before he could finish or even really could start explaining his plane the alarms went of loudly with red lights beaming over their heads. Hunter stood up, trying to listen to the shouting outside the cell but the alarm made his head feel like it was about to explode.

“Why do I have the feeling that our little bounty hunter disobeyed orders?” he asked with a sigh, but a small smile played at the corner of his lips.

“There was a ninety-seven percent chance that she would do so.” Tech shrugged like it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy then looked down at Crosshair who let out a painful groan but didn’t wake up yet.

Hel’s POV

Getting in was disappointingly easy. I waited for the guards to put up a fight, but there was only a dozen of droid and two natives, which was more than easy even in my weakened state. I can’t say I didn’t feel my side with every move, or I didn’t get dizzy sometimes, but I worked with worse before. Much worse. I took out four of the droids before they even realised I was there, the rest started shooting but at first, they didn’t even know which way they should have turned their weapons, which gave me the opportunity to take down three more before the others started firing my way. The two Nalroni was harder to kill but not impossible, not even close. They were dead on the ground before they could call for reinforcements.

“Alright droid, where to?” I talked into my comms.

“Gonk, gonk.” The droid’s voice was almost

“Alright, Gonky” I rolled my eyes. “Where are they?” my datapad blipped and a map appeared with four red dots next to each other. “Thanks, little guy.”

“Gonk”

I couldn’t shake of the feeling that I was closing in on them way too easy. Yes, there was a couple of droids here and there, the alarm was so loud it made my ear hurt at some point, but apart from that… In my line of work, you learn pretty fast that too easy can turn deadly in a second. If you think it’s too easy than someone want it for you to be easy and that someone will hold you at gunpoint in no time.

I kept looking over my shoulders while moving closer to the place where the boys were apparently held. I reached a hug metal door, I raised my gun and slammed the panel. The door opened with a metallic sound.

“Kriff” I cursed under my breath. There was no one in there, only their armours and weapons. “Kriffing gods” I kicked the doorframe. “Where the hell are you boys?” I let out a sigh and took deep breaths too calm myself. What in the galaxy are you doing? You shouldn’t even be here; you should have left as they told you to… But I couldn’t. They didn’t leave me on Coruscant, when I was injured, even though they had no reason to help me. I took another deep breath and closed my eyes. Dangerous move in my situation but I did not know what else to do, I needed to find them fast. I concentrated on my breathing and tried to block out everything else. I felt anger, desperation, hope… I tilted my head like when you hear something but it’s too quiet. I saw a small room, saw them Tech sitting in the ground, holding Crosshair, who was out cold, Hunter and Wrecker looked like they were ready to jump at anyone when the door opened. Left.  My eyes were wide open now, my breathing quickened. I thought I’d never get used to that feeling. But at least I knew where they were.

I locked the door and started to run towards the way they were, and as I suspected the closer I got the more droids and Nalroni I met, but on the bright side, I knew I headed the right direction.

“And here I though we would get some lightsaber action.” I heard a deep voice and a dozen of droids pointed their guns at me. I saw a tall Nalroni among them, with a disgusting smile on his face. “Put the weapon down little girl, you are outnumbered.”

“Been the whole time since I got in here and yet I got that far. Your droids are in pieces, your men are dead, I think me and my weapons are good.” I said with a smirk, and he let out an angry growl. “Look, I hate you lot, as much as anyone in the Republic, but I’m willing to let you live, if you let the clones go and let us leave. But don’t think about it too long, my patience is wearing thin already.”

“Who do you think you are, making demands here as if you are the Count himself?” he roared angrily.

“Hel Zovis, bounty hunter, alias the Protégé” I said pretending to be bored, but the nickname still left a sour taste in my mouth. The realization immediately showed on his face, which—I won't lie—was a boost to my ego. “Pleasure, I’m sure. Clock is ticking. The clones or I start shooting. And you will go down first.”

“The infamous Protégé” he chuckled. “Since when do you care about clones?”

“Since I owe them my life” I raised my weapon higher, dropping the act. Smile disappearing as I counted how many shots I’ll need to get through them, and after how many I’ll have to take cover. The B1 droids have slow reaction times, so I would be able to take out a quarter of them without any trouble before I had to worry about the rest firing at me. “I’m waiting for an answer here Sleemo”

“Now, now there is no need to rush like this” he stepped closer. “How about business?”

“I don’t make deal with separatist scum” I hissed. “Ten seconds. Nine. Eight…”

My calculation wasn’t exactly precise; I couldn’t take down as many as I though before they started shooting back – one of them tagging my upper arm – and I had to take cover. But I hit the leader, who was laying on the ground, not dead, given the painful groans, but he wouldn’t get up for a while.

“Last chance” I shouted. “Tell them to fall back. Now!” I heard his voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying. The droids stopped shooting and I heard mechanical legs taking a couple of steps back. “Well isn’t that nice?” I got up from behind my cover still holding up the DC-15S blaster carbine I took liberty of taking from the Marauder. “Here I was, being so sure that I’d have to kill you, but look, you are a clever boy after all.” I shot down the rest of the droids that were just standing like target dummies. “Open the cell.”

“I can’t…”

“Your legs are still working. Stand the kriff up and open the cell, before I loose my patience and shoot them so you’ll have to crawl there.” I spat angrily. “I’ve already spent way more time on this karking planet than I wanted to.” I was really at the end of my tether. My side hurt, my head spined, my arm burned where I got hit by the droids blaster fire, I just wanted to leave.

“Vat-licker” he spat as he stood up, making me want to kick him back down.

“Really now?” I pushed the carbine against his temple. “Anything else to say? Go on, I’m more than happy to listen. Please, just give me a reason.”

“Just take your meat-droids and go”

“You really have a death wish, don’t you? Open the kriffin’ door” I pushed the weapon against his head harder. “No, wait. Is it sound proof?” the leader shook his head and I stepped closer to the door. “Boys?” I shouted.

“Hel!” I heard Hunter call out and I let out a relieved sigh.

“I will get the door open. Do me a favour and don’t jump at me, alright?” I stepped back. “We will need the drink you owe me before that happens” I added with a smirk and the sepie groaned. “Open it.” when the door slid open I didn’t hesitate for a minute I shot him in the head, letting him drop to the ground before I stepped into the cell.

“Little Lady!” I heard and before I could say anything Wrecker had me in his arms and spun me around. “You were faster than I thought you’d be.” he put me down with a wide smile.

“Was I?” I tilted my head smiling, then my eyes dropped to the corner where Tech sat with Crosshair. “How is he?” I looked up at Hunter, putting my hand on his arm, giving a reassuring squeeze.

“He’s been out since we got captured, we will no more when we are back on the ship” he said as we watched Wrecker carefully lifting the snippers limp body. I had to look away.

“Oh, and it is so good that I didn’t took it, no matter how hard you tried to convince or order me.” I looked up at him with an I told you so look.

“I knew you wouldn’t” Tech stepped next to me. I looked at him and before I could realise what I was doing I reached up to his chin tilting his head so I could get a better look at the purple bruise on his face. “Nothing serious, it will be gone approximately in two to three rotations.”

“Now I don’t feel bad killing them.” I said looking at Crosshair in Wrecker’s arms. “How did you know I wouldn’t leave? You don’t know me.” but he didn’t answer. I let the silence stretch on a little longer then turned to Hunter. “I know where they put your gear, we can pick them up on the way out. You guys are ready to leave?”

“You have no idea.”

A/N: I know I promised two chapters and I intend to keep that promise, I just couldn't finish the next one... but almost. Update this weekend.

Tags: @techs-stitches, @lokigirlszendaya, @savebytheodoresnonjosestuff

“But most importantly” Marna raised her voice as if she knew that Jeyne wasn’t paying attention. “be careful not to cross the Prince.”

“Prince Maekar?” Jeyne asked almost whispering.

“Our Prince is a good man, but he has a most hasty temper” she lowered her voice. “Especially since Lady Dayne’s death.”

“I mean it is said he truly loved his lady-wife” Her mother always told Jeyne that it was said that Prince Maekar and Lady Dayne were a love-match, it was also rumoured that Prince Daeron was conceived out of wedlock this is why King Daeron hastened the wedding. “And he was left alone with six children…”

“Indeed.” Marna nodded stopping at the maids’ rooms. “The children are… lovely” she said after a little thinking. “Daeron is a lively child; Aerion, you should be careful with that one, he delights in mischief, sometimes with the dead fish he catches. Aemon loves to read, he usually does not leave his chambers, when he does, he usually reads in the garden. The little ones don’t cause any trouble. Daella just turned three, I swear to the gods that girl hasn’t stopped running since she stood up, Aegon just started talking and the youngest Rhae is a little more than a year of age.”

“That many children” Jeyne walked into the room, up to a seemingly empty bed. “It cannot be easy, especially after loosing a wife.” she whispered.

“You are quite sympathetic” the older woman raised her brows.

“Is it a sin to be?” Jeyne turned back to Marna with a defiant, almost challenging look on her young face.

“As I said, Our Prince is a good man, but he is a Targaryen and you know what most people in the realm say. What they said or rather whispered after Lady Dayne’s death” Jeyne tilted her head, to Marna she looked like a young, curious cat. “Most said at least that way; there will not be anymore silver-hair little demons from them.”

“That’s cruel”

“Truth usually is” Marna said coldly and left the room.

Jeyne spent almost a turn of the Moon at Summerhall and even she was beyond surprised when she realised, she loved it. She helped around in the kitchen most of the time, made the beds and sometimes – what she loved the most – helped around with the children. Mostly the little ones, Daella, Aegon and Rhae. At first it was a shock to her, seeing those small, silver-haired children, but very soon she grew fond of them, more than she dared to admit. Daeron had his lessons with the Maesters, Aemon were hiding with his books, but Aerion found her on her first week. As she was walking back to the maids’ chambers, he heard and saw guards and servants running around, as if they were looking for something or someone. She walked through the empty, dimly lit corridor when she heard step from behind. Jeyne turned but saw no one. She shook her head, thinking her imagination was playing tricks on her after the long day of work, and started walking again, she almost reached the door when she felt a small hand slip into hers. When she looked down her eyes met with wide violet ones, belonging to a silver haired little boy around the age of eight or nine.

“Don’t tell them I’m here” he put his small pointer finger in front of his lips. Jeyne did the same showing the little boy she understood and crouched down in front of him.

“Who are you hiding from?” she asked whispering.

“The Maester and the maids, they want to put me to bed.” he whispered back looking around. “I want to wait for Father, he is not back yet.”

“And don’t you think your father would be happier if he found you in bed once he is back?” she asked with a hint of smile still holding the little boy’s hand.

“He would but… But I must tell him, before they do” he leaned closer as if telling a secret.

“Tell him what?”  

“The Maester will tell him that I put a dead fish on his chair, to sit on” he tried to look serious, but his little face showed a small smile and not so little amount of pride as he said it.

“And did you?” Jeyne raised her brows and couldn’t hide her smile anymore.

“He has no proof” the little boy said with a defiant look.

“I have a plan; you wish to hear it My Prince?” the little boy nodded. “I will take you to your chambers and there we will write a letter to your Father, so when he comes back and you are asleep, he will read the letter, and he will know you did not do it. I’m sure the Maester will be in bed too by the time Prince Maekar returns, so he can’t tell him only in the morning.” the little prince was thinking for a moment then he nodded with a serious look.

“You are clever, I like you.” he tilted his head, violet eyes boring into hers. “And not boring, grown ups are boring and serious”

“They are, aren’t they?” Jeyne asked with a chuckle and stood up to walked the Prince to his room. “You are Aerion” it wasn’t a question, she was sure.

“How do you know?” Aerion looked up at her, wrinkling his nose.

“I just know things” she shrugged with a mischievous look.

“Like a witch?” Aerion’s eyes widened as he led the maid to his room.

“Maybe, maybe not. It’s something one shouldn’t tell if she does not want to end up on a stake and burn” she winked.

Jeyne tucked the young Prince into bed and as she promised they wrote a letter to the boy’s father about the dead fish incident. After that the young woman stayed by Aerion’s side until he fall asleep, humming to him, brushing his silver hair with her fingers. She grew up hearing tales about the Targaryens, once dragon lords and ladies, about their immense beauty and on some occasions their cruelty. But looking at the Prince she only saw a little boy, who found amusement and some happies in little jets, after his mother’s death. Once he was sound asleep, she left the room and found a guard to tell him the Prince was safely tucked in bed in his room.

“Cat” little Aegon shouted on the top of his lungs as he pointed at the toy in Jeyne’s hand.

“Yes, it’s a cat” Jeyne clapped with a wide smile and the little boy mimicked her. “Such a clever little prince you are” she picked up the boy and walked with him to the balcony. “And what’s that?” she pointed at a raven.

“Bid” Aegon clapped scaring the bird and it flew away.

“Yes, bird. It’s a special bird called raven” she sat the child on her hips. “They use them to send messages, all around the realm.”

“Aven” the letter r did not roll off his tongue as it was supposed to, but for a child who only started talking, he did quite well. “Aven!” he said again with a wider smile.

“Raven Aegon, raven” Jeyne heard a voice coming from behind her, making her turn quickly while keeping the child protectively against her side. At the door stood a tall man, his posture straight, demanding respect, his silver-white hair neatly brushed, his beard covering his face but Jeyne still could see parts of old scars.

“M’lord” she bowed as much as she could with the young prince sitting on her hips. “My apologies, I did not hear you coming in”

“Rise” he almost growled dropping his long coat into one of the chairs. “You were tending Aegon, that’s what you are here for.” he sat down looking at the young boy in Jeyne’s arms, a small smile appearing in the corner of his lips. “Hunting trip ended early” he mumbled putting his feet up on another chair. “Aerion fell of his horse.” seeing Jeyne’s wide eyes he added. “The boy is fine; he has a thick skull”

“With that, I cannot argue”

“Fathe” Aegon reached for Maekar, his little, chubby hands grabbing into the air. Maekar stood from his chair and walked up to the maid holding his youngest son and took him from her.

“Do you wish me to see to Aerion, M’lord?” she asked after taking a step back from the lord of the castle.

“You are the maid who helped him write the letter fortnight ago” he said didn’t ask looking up at Jeyne. She only nodded casting her eyes down. “He said you are a witch” he scoffed making her look up with wide eyes.

“M’lord I…”

“What’s your name?” he asked as he started walking up and down with Aegon leaning his head on his shoulder, blinking sleepily.

“Jeyne, M’lord” she answered and couldn’t help it, he found the scene in front of her endearing.

“Flea Bottom?” Jeyne nodded looking towards the door. “You may go. See to Aerion, and Daeron, he has a weak stomach he almost fainted at the sight of blood.”

“I would too at the sight of my brother’s” Jeyne said before she could bite her tongue. “Forgive me…”

“Do you have a brother?”

“Six of them” she answered with a small smile. “I had seven, but one died of fever when he was little.” Maekar only nodded, raising his chin towards the door, Aegon sound asleep in his arms.

Jeyne walked towards the young princes’ chambers and she felt a lightheaded. The rumours were true, Maekar was a stern, maybe a little harsh man, but not cold, especially not with his son in his arms. And he wasn’t looking down on her for being a low-born or at least not the way other lords were. Others would have come into the room, took the child and send her away, Maekar started a conversation, he did not scold her after she spoke when she wasn’t asked. He was… complicated, that one was sure.

One her way Marna stopped her and said that the next couple of days will be busy as Prince Baelor, his wife and their two sons were visiting from King’s Landing. Jeyne knew it meant more time in the kitchen, making sure everything was perfect and making the beds in the guest chambers, cleaning them thoroughly. Jeyne had a tiring couple of days ahead of herself, but she could worry about that after tending to the two princes.

One morning, on the twins’ birthday, when the Empress went to see her sons in their chambers, the boys were already gone. One of the servants informed Julia that the Emperor came by early that morning and took them away. When the Empress asked her where Severus took her sons the young girl casted her eyes down.

“I asked you a question” she said, her voice sounding like a general’s command.

“He… The Emperor took them to… to the concubines” she finally spoke looking up at the older woman just in time to catch the colour drain from her face. “Augusta…”

“Go to Marcella’s chambers, make sure she does not leave” Julia said in a quiet voice, but firmly.

But it was too late. The Emperor sent for the young girl, who was already escorted to the part of Palatine Hill where she’s never been before. The place smelled like a thousand of flowers, she saw a couple of women with colourful clothing, and she could hear faint laughter. Laughter and something else. The servant escorting her stopped near an enormous door and when the young girl looked up at him, he avoided her eyes, just nodded towards the door. That’s where the laughing was coming from, and somehow it put her in ease. The thought of being in one room with Severus after everything that had happened made her stomach drop, and her whole body shiver. When the servant came for her saying the Emperor wanted to see her, she wanted to run, to hide. Go to the twin’s chambers and never leave. But she knew she couldn’t do that, being in the boys’ chambers was the thing that got her into trouble in the first place. So with the elation of a condemned man she followed the servant.

She reached for the door something in the back of her mind screamed at her to not do it, and to the gods… She should have listened. What she saw inside made her feel like someone pulled the floor from beneath her feet.

***

When their father came for them, they should have known it was not because of their birthday, or at least not entirely. While they were walking through the palace, he kept telling them how they were now almost men and that they needed to learn things other then what their teachers thought them. Things that would make them men. The two boys gave each other questioning looks, keeping their guards up, still not trusting their father to not give them a beating after they pulled swords on him. The fear and confusion made it take them longer to realise they are in a part of the palace neither of them was before. Bassianus recalled coming close to it one day when Geta was too busy reading about war statistics, so he had to play alone. He remembered his mother scolding as she made her promise not to come here, or anywhere near this place.

“You all right?” Geta reached for his arm when he suddenly stopped.

“Mother doesn’t want us here” he whispered to his brother looking around as if they did something bad.

“Your mother is not here” their father snapped at them, making them flinch. “Move.”

***

Marcella stood there with both feet rooted on the ground, not moving, not blinking, for a while she was sure she wasn’t breathing. The room was full of women and men and various state of undress, but it wasn’t the sight that made her turn into a living statue. It was seeing Geta and Bassianus in the middle of the room. Geta sat on one of the sofas eyes tightly closed, as one of the younger women kissed his neck and whispered into his ear. His face contorted as if he was in pain – but it could not be further from the truth - as the woman’s lips danced on his neck and her slim fingers caressed his still clothed chest. Bassianus sat not too far, his whole body stiff, apart from his trembling hands, a woman sat on his left and a man sat on his right, the latest was whispering something into his ear while the woman caressed his legs.

Marcella watched. She couldn’t look away, her were open wide, her chest raising and falling rapidly, then her gaze met with the emperor’s. He watched her, not even trying to hide the cunning, malicious smile playing on his lips. For some reason, reason she couldn’t comprehend yet, tears burned her eyes, as she looked back at the twins and the concubines around them. She only moved when the young woman moved her hand under Bassuanus’ tunic. In her haste, she knocked over a vase filled with fragrant flowers, which crashed to the floor with a loud clatter, making the boys look at her way. Their eyes went wide as soon as they saw her, which in any other scenario would made her laugh but not in this one. Geta was the first who moved shaking the woman’s hands off him.

“Marcella…” but the girl just slightly shook her head, turning in her heels and started running back towards her own chambers. On her way she almost run into the Empress, but when she wanted to stop and comfort her, ask her what had happened, the young girl shook off her hands and kept running.

Once in her room, Marcella climbed to her bed and started sobbing. The sound of it was loud and heart breaking, she was sobbing so hard it made hear chest hurt and couldn’t breathe properly. The twins wanted to enter her chambers and the guards let them, but they did not get far, as Marcella throw her goblet their way, screaming at them to leave and not to come back. They tried to talk to her through the door, pleading, trying to explain, but she did not listen. Marcella sat on her bed, knees pulled up to her chest, her hands covering her ears not wanting to listen to anything they had to say.

***

Days passed and Marcella avoided the twins as if they were the great fever. She ate at her chambers, she only left in the middle of the night to go the baths when she knew everybody else was asleep. One night Geta knocked on her door telling her that Bassianus had another “episode” and it would help is she would be there. Marcella almost opened  the door but as she stood her mind kept repeating the images of the concubines and the way they were touching both Geta and his brother. So she sat back on her bed hugging herself as she cried quietly.

“She hates us” Bassianus whispered to Geta as his head rested on his brother shoulder. “She will not talk to us, ever again, she will not love us. She hates us…”

“Shhhh. She does not hate us” Geta took his brother’s hand. “She doesn’t… She can’t…” his voice cracked, as he tried to calm his brother and himself.

On a similar evening, when he could barely comfort his brother, he took Bassianus to the baths. To his surprise two praetorians were already standing by the entrance, same ones who where usually guarding Marcella’s door. At first Geta wanted to leave, but he couldn’t bring himself to it. He wanted to see her, he needed to see her. When they entered Marcella had her back turned to them, her long, dark her now wet stuck to her shoulders and back.

“What are you doing here?” she asked without turning around. Her voice was so cold it made both of them shiver. She never talked to them that way.

“We…” Geta started and his mouth felt dry like a dessert all of a sudden. “We couldn’t sleep, so we thought…”

“No matter what you thought” Marcella interrupted him. “I was here first, and I do not want you here. Neither of you.” Her words cut like a sword, making Bassianus let out a noise that sounded like a wounded animal. “Go get one of those wretched women to tend to you. I believe they would be more than happy to help you sleep.”

“Marcella you don’t understand” Geta pleaded, making the girl’s chest ache but she still stayed in the water with her back turned to them. “Father, he made us… We didn’t… We…”

“He said it’s the only way we will be men” Bassianus added quietly. It was odd, he was always the louder one, but now his voice was barely above whisper.

“You have to believe us” Geta stepped closer. “Marcella…”

“You came for bathing or talking?” she asked slightly turning her head towards them.

“But you are still…”

“You saw enough naked women, haven’t you? I doubt I can show you anything new. Especially with the water up to my neck.”

Geta looked at his brother but he couldn’t tear his gaze away from Marcella. They discarded their robes and stepped into the warm water, slowly making their way towards the girl. She finally turned to them, her eyes red from all the crying in the last couple of days, but they still looked at her as if she was the most beautiful creature the gods could grace them with. And for them she was. Their father could bring them a thousands of concubines it would not change.

“Marcella…” Geta reached out caressing the girl’s face, forcing himself to not to look lower.

“They touched you and…” she started and her voice cracked. She knew emperors had concubines, of course she knew se was not stupid, but it still hurt like nothing before in her short life. The only thing that broke her heart more was losing her dear sister. “You let them.” she said accusingly. Bassianus stepped closer not caring about their naked state, he wrapped his arms around the girl, hugging her, hiding his face into her neck.

“We did not want to.” he whispered holding onto her for dear life. “We did not… Don’t hate us. We can’t bare you hating us. I can’t bare you hating me.

Marcella wrapped her arms around him, her face pressing against his as she let out a shaky breath looking up at Geta with glassy eyes. Geta kissed the top of her head, then her forehead, her nose, her cheeks. Marcella gently stroked Bassianus’ back until he was ready to pull away.

“Show me” she whispered and Geta tilted her but before she could ask what she meant the girl’s lips were on his. She was clumsy, nowhere near as skilled as the concubines, of course she wasn’t but still it was perfect. She was perfect. After a moment of hesitation, his hands find her face, pulling her closer as his brother’s hands found her side, and her waist under the water making her gasp into his mouth.

“Me too” Bassianus pulled her to himself almost possessively. Marcella’s face was red, her lips parted as she turned to the other brother, her hand caressing his face and playing with his hair.

“I don’t hate you” she whispered, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. “I could never hate either of you” and with that Bassianus crashed his lips onto hers. He wasn’t as careful as Geta, but he was not rough either. While she kissed his brother, Geta caressed her shoulders, played with her hair, planted feather light kissed on the part where her neck met her shoulder.

Severus had to try so much harder if he wanted to separate them. They belonged together. They knew it. They wanted everyone to know it.