What I Love About This Scene Is Not Only Does It Show How Smart Kaz Brekker Is, But I Love That When

PORTRAIT OF LOVE I REMEMBER IT! ITS WHERE SHES BLIND AND SHE GETS SURGERY BUT OETERS REALLY INSECURE AND SAYS HES NOT BUILT LIKE THOR OR HANDSOME BUT AFTER SEEING HIM SHES LIKE no peter your better than him, your beautiful IF THATS WRONG IM SO SORRY BUT I REMEMBER THIS FROM 7TH GRADE👁👄😫

YES! YOU’RE RIGHT! I REMEMBER THAT TOO

Im terrified HAVE MERCY

TBB Screenshot Edits

Armor

Their armor tells us a thousand stories about how much they have seen since the end of Season 2.

(The last edit is a merge of two pictures since we never saw top and bottom at the same time, plus I removed the guy from the Pyke syndicate.)

Screenshot Edits Masterlist

General Masterlist

Taglist: @padawancat97 @starrylothcat @pb-jellybeans @littlefeatherr @sunshinesdaydream @the-bad-batch-baroness @antoinettesb @the-rain-on-kamino @goblininawig @neyswxrld @elephantwoman4 @proteatook

dianaaaa, it’s the cutest name

Right! And I’m thinking like the reader could really be into Princess Diana and it would be perfect! Thank you for voting!!!

Another Dream | Kaz Brekker

Summary: In which Kaz reveals what his true dream is.

Warning: slight angst...its short...and major fluff near the end

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader

Type: Oneshot

Word Count: 1.9k

The chapel hadn’t sustained much damage from the battle. A few wooden pews ended up getting pushed and overturned. A few shards of glass scattered across the floor from broken windows. Yet, the stainless window remained absolutely untouched. The image of the Saint Sun Summoner cast colorful rays of light onto the stone floor.

At the given moment, Y/n was sitting on the edge of one of the pews. Her eyes remained on the saint in front of her. She had never been the religious type; she often left Inej be the expert in that area. But she found comfort in sitting in the small chapel.

It couldn’t have been more than an hour ago when they almost lost their lives to the shadow monster they encountered in that very room. The crows had done risky jobs in the past, but none of them involved looking death right in the eye like they just did. She was still shaken up from the whole ordeal.

The familiar sound of a cane clicking against the stone floor could be heard behind her. The leader of the crows was making his way down the center aisle of the church, coming to a halt slightly behind the pew she sat in. She did not turn her head to address him.

“Lantsov paid up,” Kaz had come to tell her. “Everyone will get their cut.”

“Good,” Y/n nodded once. She looked over her shoulder, resting a hand on the back of the pew. “And Nina?” 

“She’ll receive a pardon for deserting and another for her Fjerdan. As long as he stays out of trouble, the charges will be dropped.” Kaz explained.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Y/n let out a sigh. She went to turn back around in her place. Her eyes naturally gravitating to the stain glass window once again.

Unbeknownst to her, Kaz began staring at her through the corner of his eyes. He felt his heart tighten in the confines of his chest upon just looking at her. He spent so many years admiring her from a distance, never being able to find the courage to act on the feelings in his heart.

He had known for a very long time that she did not want to stay in Ketterdam. There were too many painful memories to give her reason to stick around. She always loved to travel anyway. She wanted to move west as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Now that the fold had been destroyed and the job was complete, there was nothing preventing her from moving far away.

Just by looking at her, Kaz could tell that her mind was in a different place at the given moment. She was probably already planning about the adventure she’d be on, the journey across the sea, and the exploration of a new land. She’d be thinking about how great it would be to leave Ketterdam behind, along with him. 

Under the notion that the two of them would have very little time left together, Kaz tried being slightly sentimental for once in his life. He racked his brain for something that meant worthwhile and heartfelt.

“I also...” Kaz’s voice trailed off. “Wanted to say goodbye.”

“Oh,” Y/n said sadly. 

“Since I assume you’ll be leaving as soon as you find a ship,” Kaz predicted. She nodded her head at this. “As you should. It’s what you’ve always dreamed about,” Kaz said in an almost harsh tone. It sounded mocking.

“Well, what do you want me to say?” Y/n responded in retort. She spun around in the small wooden pew, staring at him with a strong him of confusion in her eyes. “What would you have me do? Stay in Ketterdam?” Y/n persisted.

In response, Kaz went to turn his head away from her to avoid eye contact at all costs. He wanted nothing more than to slip behind the facade he held, void of all emotions if he could help it. His face was blank as if she hadn’t just expressed the one thing he desired the most. Having her stay in Ketterdam.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never had a dream,” Y/n scoffed at his stone cold expression. She faced forward once more. What followed was a moment of pure silence.

With a haunting past, Kaz Brekker was cursed with torturous nightmares most nights. However, on the rare nights that he had dreams, he always dreamed of her and absolutely nothing else. His imagination would run wild of the endless possibilities they could share together.

In his dreams, Kaz would find himself stroking up and down her bare back with his own hand. There’d be no gloves. No urge to pull away at contact. No memory of his past. It was just the two of them together. 

They would spend hours together in bed. He’d brush her hair away from her neck to grant him access. He’d burrow his face into the crook of her neck, placing the most delicate kisses along her kiss. He loved hearing the sound of her sighs in his dreams. 

He could see it all now. Her body lay underneath his. Her delicate hand trailing up the length of his chest, stopping to linger at his heart. He take her hand in his own and give it a gentle squeeze before leaning down to capture her lips.

His dreams wanted them to be together. He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her until she forgot her own name. Being brought back to reality became his nightmare. He came to realize that he’d never be able to have that and his dreams would never come true. His armor was still in place and she’d be leaving soon anyways.

After the moment of silence, Y/n had tilted her head to the side as if she was trying to look at him through her peripheral vision. She grew curious. Her mouth parted to ask a question.

“What is your dream, Kaz Brekker?” Y/n wondered.

Slowly, Y/n turned around in her place. She looked at him expectedly, patiently awaiting for his answer. She quirked her eyebrows to show her curiosity. He studied her face for a moment. He thought about his choice of words, struggling to express his true emotions. 

The old answers came easily to mind. Money. Vengeance. Jordie’s voice in my head silenced forever. But a different reply roared to life inside him, loud, insistent, and unwelcome. You, Y/n. You.

For a second, Kaz opened his mouth, but no words came out of his mouth. He was so close to confessing his true feelings to her. However, the fear quickly overtook him. He resorted to fortifying himself behind his walls again. He quickly tore his gaze away from her.

“To die, buried under the weight of my own gold.” Kaz claimed. 

She faced forward. She felt herself rolling her eyes at his answer, even scoffing under her breath. She couldn’t believe him. 

“More money. More scores to settle,” Y/n deduced. She quickly rose to her feet, which only took him by surprise. She went to approach him. “Was there never another dream?” Y/n tried one final time.

The silence to follow was enough reason to leave. She went to brush past him with the intent of walking away and never looking back. But as she began to walk away from him, Kaz reached out to grab onto her wrist. He stopped her.

“Stay,” Kaz pleaded. His voice was rough stone. “Stay in Ketterdam. Stay with me.”

Slowly, Y/n shifted her body to face him She briefly glanced down at the gloved hand which held her wrist captive. Her gaze shifted back to the look of desperation in his eyes, silently pleading for her to stay for his own sake. She could feel the tears begin to gather in the corners of her eyes.

“What would be the point?” Y/n whispered. She shook her head at the notion.

He only drew closer to her. He refused to look away from her now, knowing that if he did, he might lose her forever. He took a breath. 

“I want you to,” Kaz confessed truthfully. He saw the look in her eyes change slightly. She was taken back by this. He needed to make himself clearer. “I want...I want...you,” Kaz confirmed.

The two of them didn’t seem to realize how close they had gotten to one another. Their chests were pressed together and they were able to feel another’s breath fanning their faces. Either of them had been so close to anyone before. 

With great hesitation, Y/n had lifted her head to stare directly into those brilliant green eyes. She felt the tears streaming down the slides of her cheeks. She shook her head at his words.

“And how will you have me?” Y/n wondered in a soft whisper. “Gloves on? Fully clothed? With your head turned so our lips never--” but she was never able to finish that sentence.

Because the rest of her words were lost against his mouth. He had grabbed her face with his two gloved hands and pulled her into a captivating kiss. He kept his eyes squeezed shut so tightly as if he was trying to silence the voices in his head. He felt sparks of lightning tingling against his lips, knowing his mind was screaming for him to pull away. But he didn’t want to.

Yet, he kissed her so gently and carefully in fear of losing her forever. He felt her body begin to relax in his grasp. She gripped the lapels of his black trench coat, pulling him harder against her if that was even possible. His arms had shifted to circle around her waist, gathering her body against him.

A hint of pressure only caused a most delicate hum to escape past her lips, muffled against his mouth. If he could bottle the sound and get drunk on it every night, he would have without question. Their lips moved together in a synchronized harmony as if they were two puzzle pieces made to fit together.

The kiss had brought a newfound sense of warmth and comfort to his old stone heart. The memories of his brother, which were often brought from contact, hadn’t plagued his mind. He focused on the feeling the softness of her lips, how she tasted, and how she felt agains him. 

She couldn't believe what was happening. Even she had dreamed about what it would be like to touch him, but never so far as kiss him. He tasted like the expensive liquor from his flask, which he always kept in his coat pocket. His lips moved compellingly against hers as if they were fighting to persuade her to stay. And it was working.

With great reluctance, their lips parted ever so slightly from one another. Their breath held without thinking. The suspense in the air was caught at the top of their throats. 

The two of them had leaned forward to rest their heads against one another’s. They panted softly to regain their breath. They remained so close to one another that their noses brushed against each others. They stare down at each other’s lips, tempted to continue.

“You...” Kaz panted. He brought a hand up to cup her cheek lovingly, staring into the depths of her eyes. “You are my dream. You always have been.”

Upon hearing those words, Y/n felt any tension leave her body and she finally relaxed. She felt a small smile growing at the corners of her lips. She closed her eyes to savor those precious little words.

“Stay with me,” Kaz pleaded one last time. He nudged his nose against hers as if trying to persuade her and it was working. “Stay for me, my dear.” Kaz whispered.

She had never heard him speak so desperately. Though he was a master at crafting a lie, she knew him well enough to know that he’d never lie about his feelings. He wanted her and he was asking her to stay with him. 

Her eyes glanced between his own and his mouth. “I’ll stay...for you,” Y/n agreed.

Upon hearing this, Kaz felt like his dreams had finally come true. He inclined his face towards hers so that he could lay his lips against her own once again. He pulled her body as close to his as humanly possible, now knowing that he’d never have to let go. She was finally his.

I really enjoyed writing this one! I thought about writing the aftermath but I liked how it ended with things kinda just up in the air. Maybe I’ll write how each of them processes their grief 🤔

The Countdown | Hunter from The Bad Batch

Summary: When Hunter faces Hemlock for the first time, he gets put into a situation that he can't get out of.

Warning: mentions of death and injuries, medical assistance given in the form of painkillers, needles mentioned, gunshot wound and blood, traumatic read (be warned)

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3k words

Type: Oneshot

Nothing had gone to plan. In an attempted rescue mission on Eriadu, Tech bravely sacrificed himself for the safety of the rest of the group with Plan 99. Now, back on Ord Mantell, the remaining members were left to deal with the aftermath.

Each of them sporting their own injuries after the railway car crash. All of them left to bear the weight of grief that consumed their every waking thought. None of them strong enough to push on any longer, especially being down a member.

In one of the booths, AZ was given the task of tending to some of Y/n's wounds. He injected a shot of a fast acting painkiller into the meat of her thigh, ignoring the way she winced at the feeling of a needle piercing her skin. He proceeded to wrap some gauze around an open wound which had already been disinfected.

In the background, Wrecker was perched on one of the stools at the bar. He kept his movements to a minimal given the extent of his injuries. He wore a brace around his neck which he managed to sprain in the crash.

"Here. This one's on the house," Cid spoke quietly. She slid him a drink.

"It won't help," Wrecker sighed, sparing a brief glance down into the cup.

"I'm sorry about Goggles," Cid confessed. "I always liked him."

"Yeah," Wrecker agreed. "Me too."

What drew Y/n back to her own reality was the feeling of AZ swiftly tugging and tying the gauze around her bicep. He swiveled back to glance over his work, coming to the conclusion that she was now fully attended to.

"You will need to rest if you are to recover quickly. That being said: all of your injuries are now accounted for and tended to," AZ said rather factually.

"Thanks," Y/n mumbled almost too quiet to hear.

The droid left her alone in the booth, heading into the backroom to check up on his other patients. Now, the three of them were all that remained in the front of the house.

In the midst of the grief stricken silence, Cid seemed to appear on edge. Her arms were crossed over her chest, but her claw like finger was tapping rapidly on her arm. It was like she was anxious about something. And Wrecker noticed it.

"What's with you?" Wrecker questioned.

"You know, I tried to look out for you boys. But you got too much heat on you. And you brought it here to my place of business," Cid tried to explain herself. "I had to make the best of a bad situation," Cid claimed.

Wrecker sat up a little straighter. "What did you do?" He growled.

"Sorry Muscles," Cid apologized in advance.

At this point, it was too late to do anything in retaliation. The front door opened to reveal a group of clone commandos with their blasters drawn. They tried to stun him, but he was able to put up a fight before being taken down.

By the time Wrecker's knees hit the ground, Y/n jumped out of her seat and yanked her own blaster out. She raised it to fire two shots at the troopers, striking one of them directly in the chest. Only problem was that it wasn't enough to take them down. They quickly stunned her too, but not before she was able to call out:

"Hunter!"

In the back office, Hunter had heard the fight his brother was putting up. He moved quickly in an attempt to get Omega to safety. He instructed her to leave the establishment through the tunnel system and to find Echo as soon as she could.

It was only when he heard his name being called that he felt his blood run cold and a chilled shiver dropped down his spine. He drew his own blaster, ready to put up the fight of his life despite his injuries.

With great caution, Hunter exited the back office with his blaster raised. He rounded the corner half expecting there to be more clone troopers headed his way. His steps were silent.

Upon rounding the last corner, Hunter caught sight of the scene laid out before him. There were ten clone commandoes standing behind Wrecker and Y/n with their blasters pointed directly at their heads. They were both kneeling on the floor in handcuffs. And Dr Hemlock took center stage.

"That's not very strategic, Hunter. You don't need to use your enhanced senses to know you're outnumbered," Dr Hemlock commented calmly.

The enhanced clone took a couple steps further in the room with his blaster still targeted. The surroundings clones kept their own blasters raised in defense, waiting for one wrong move for permission to fire.

"The Empire thanks you for your assistance," Dr Hemlock spoke to the trandoshan beside him whilst handing her a case of credits.

She took the case from him, but she avoided the glares coming from the two clones. She kept her head low and felt the strong sense of guilt weighing heavy on her shoulders.

"Our business is done. Leave," Dr Hemlock ordered. She obeyed immediately.

Hunter could only glare at her retreating figure before directing his gaze back towards the man in front of him. He refused to lower his blaster.

"Please. Consider your next move very carefully," Dr Hemlock directed. He threw a brief glance over his shoulder. "I would hate for this to end poorly for both of you."

"Hunter," Y/n spoke up in a tone of desperation. His ears perked up and his gaze shifted down to her. "Whatever he says, don't listen to--"

She was quickly silenced as a mechanical device was placed over her mouth by one of the clone commandos. She tried to protest in the process, but it muffled her words. It locked around the backside of her head, silencing her completely.

Now Hunter could practically hear the blood beginning to boil in his veins. His jaw tightened at the sight of those other clones putting their hands on her and he readjusted the grip he held on his blaster.

"Here is how this is going to go: You will lower your blaster and hand over Omega. And I will allow you to keep breathing," Dr Hemlock explained rather calmly.

"Omega's not going anywhere with you," Hunter claimed.

"Oh," Dr Hemlock sighed. He tipped his head to the side as if observing something odd. "Well, who knew clones were so paternal?"

Hunter's demeanor seemed to soften slightly.

"Fascinating," Dr Hemlock commented to himself.

Despite Hunter's orders to leave, Omega crawled through the vent system above the establishment with the droid trailing directly behind her. She came to the open vent, peering through the metal slats to watch everything unfold in front of her.

"I was saddened to learn of your friend's demise," Omega overheard Dr Hemlock. "What was his name? Oh yes...Tech," Dr Hemlock smirked.

Hearing that name only caused Wrecker to growl in pure anger. He struggled against the bonds around his wrists, but the clone commandos pressed the tips of their blasters into his sides. He ultimately forced himself to remain composed.

Dr Hemlock lifted his hand. One of the commandos proceeded to hand him a pair of broken goggles that unmistakably belonged to their beloved deceased brother.

"I'm afraid this was all I could salvage," Dr Hemlock ran his thumb over the broken lens. "Consider it a gift," he added.

Rather recklessly, Dr Hemlock tossed the pair of damaged goggles and the goggles clattered across the floor. They landed right in front of their leader's feet to which he only briefly glanced down at them.

"To lose one of your own, it must weigh heavily on you as their leader," Dr Hemlock was able to read him like a book. He knew exactly what his weakness was and he was going to keep pressing it until it broke him.

The clone commandoes roughly shoved their pointed blasters into the sides of the two kneeling on the floor. While Wrecker grumbled and growled at them, Y/n let out a soft whimper of pain since they pressed against the wound on her arm. The little sound she made was enough for Hunter's heart to clench.

"And if you don't lower the blaster now, you will lose yet another," Dr Hemlock gave him no other choice.

When Hunter directed their gaze towards them, Wrecker tried to shake his head as if to say 'no.' She glanced up at him with tears gathering in her eyes.

With some hesitation, Hunter began to lower his blaster in a slow manner. He raised his other hand in defense, lowering himself to the kneel on the ground. He placed the blaster down and reached for his brother's goggles, overridden with grief over his loss.

"Wise decision," Dr Hemlock complimented.

Now, two clone commandoes came around the two sides of him. They quickly brought his two hands in front of him, placing a secure pair of handcuffs around his wrists. The commandoes pulled him to his feet and kept him stationed there.

Another clone commando had gone into the back office in search of the young clone. He would return momentarily to report his findings to the doctor in charge. He stood at attention.

"Sir, the girl's not in the office."

"She's long gone," Hunter finally spoke up. "Like I said, Omega's not going anywhere with you."

"We'll see," Dr Hemlock said calmly and with a slight crooked smile on his face.

When Hemlock lifted his hand, a clone commando swiftly placed a small hand blaster into his grasp. He lowered his gaze to observe the weapon with care, tilting it from one side to the other. He clicked the safety on the side, removing the stun which caused Hunter to tense under the commandoes hold.

"You are going to tell me where Omega has gone or..." Hemlock's voice trailed off.

As if on cue, two more clone commandos quickly dragged the muffled hostage into the center of the room. They stepped back into line. The doctor pressed the tip of the blaster into the side of her head, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut in fear.

In that exact moment, Hunter felt his whole world come to a screeching halt. The cold hand of fear began to grip at his chest, squeezing at his heart until it felt like he couldn't breath anymore. It made him seize up because there was nothing he could do to stop him right now.

"She dies," Hemlock explained plainly. "You have ten seconds."

He heard his own blood pumping through his veins, muffling any sound coming through his ears and leaving a sharp ringing sound in place. His gaze drifted down to stare into those helpless eyes, which were begging him to save her and also begging him to not say anything.

"One," Hemlock began. He refused to lower his blaster.

In response, Hunter forced himself to swallow the heavy lump lingering at the back of his throat. He didn't know what to do and he didn't know what to say. He ran through the possible outcomes if he played his cards right.

All the while, Hemlock only seemed to study his posture under a watchful eye. He could tell by his stance alone that he was trying to come up with a solution. From the way his throat bobbed, to how a single bead of sweat slid down his face, to how his hands shook slightly. All of that told him he was panicking on the inside.

"Two," Hemlock pressed. He enjoyed watching him squirm.

When Hunter glanced down at his blaster on the ground, one of the clone commandos took initiative to kick it far away from him. He was running out of options and he was running out of time.

"Hey," Hunter spoke to get her attention. He looked directly into her worried gaze. "It's gonna be okay. I'm going to get you out of this, do you understand?"

Despite her soft whimpers and tears running down her cheeks, she nodded her head understandingly. It pained him even more to hear how rapidly her heart was beating and how shallow her breathing had become. He sent her a weak smile.

"Three," Dr Hemlock was growing impatient.

"Listen," Hunter addressed him by shifting his gaze. "Talk to me. We can talk. Just put the blaster down. I won't negotiate like this," Hunter explained with a shake of the head.

"That's your choice," Dr Hemlock shrugged. He wouldn't relent. "Four."

A brief flash of fear overtook his senses. His mouth parted ever so slightly. He came to another solution. "Listen. S--She's already gone. I told her to go to Coruscant. It's a big enough city for her to hide in. You'll never find her ther--"

"She's not headed to Coruscant. Five," Hemlock easily called his bluff.

In response, Hunter jolted forward in his place in an attempt to lash out. The commandoes beside him were quick to retain him, holding onto his arms tightly. He glared at the man standing in front of him, feeling that strong sense of anger rising.

Now Y/n had to close her eyes because she couldn't stand to see him acting to reckless. She wasn't sure how this was all going to play out and she cursed to herself for feeling even the smallest amount of fear. The blaster pressed against the side of her head remained there.

"If you do this--" Hunter's voice trailed off. He was seething at this point. He clenched his hands into tight fists. "If kill her, you get nothing from me--"

"Six," Hemlock interrupted him.

"Listen to me," Hunter ordered roughly. He started to threaten him, which was another mistake. "The only way you're going to get what you want is if you listen to--"

But Hunter was unable to finish his sentence. The doctor quickly lowered his blaster to point it at her leg. He fired a single shot that went directly through the meat of her thigh. She let out a muffled scream and keened over slightly in her place, feeling the pain streaming through her leg almost instantly.

"No!" Hunter screamed and flinched upon hearing the loud blaster shot ring out. He jolted forward again, but was held back by the commandoes.

In the vents, Omega had to slap her hands over her mouth to stop herself from gasping too loudly. She didn't realize how she'd been shaking too, fearful of how this was going to play out.

"Seven," Hemlock counted calmly. He repeated it. "Seven."

The doctor knew exactly what he wanted and he wasn't going to change his mind about how he was going to attain that information anytime soon.

The room fell silent once again. The only thing that could be heard was the soft muffled sobs coming from her. She squeezed her eyes shut in hopes of blocking out the pulsing pain in her leg. A few loose tears slipped down the sides of her face. She tired to keep her breathing steadily, but it was becoming harder and harder with each second.

"Honey?" Hunter called out to her softly. "Honey, look at me."

She weakly lifted her head up to look at him. The loose strands of hair fell to frame her pained face. Her eyes were puffy and red from the crying. Her weakened state shown in her expression. She was loosing blood and would likely pass out soon if she didn't get help.

He blatantly ignored the doctor, which only seemed to irritate him more. Right now, Hunter tried to make it clear to her that it was just the two of them.

"That's my girl," Hunter sighed with a weak smile. He stared deeply into her eyes as if trying to communicate something silently. "You're going to be okay. I know it hurts. But I'm going to get you out of this."

"That's a bold promise to make, Hunter. I hope you can keep it for her sake. Eight," Hemlock reminded him of what little time he had left. He kept his blaster trained to the side of her head.

Realizing he was nearly out of options, Hunter squeezed his eyes shut as if he was trying to wake up from this horrible nightmare. He swallowed thickly, opening his eyes once again. He looked towards the doctor, silently pleading with him.

"Please," Hunter began to beg. "Don't do this. Let her go."

"Nine," Hemlock stood his ground.

Hearing this only made her start panicking. She could no longer control her breathing, beginning the initial stages of hyperventilating. Her heart was beating so loud that it blocked the noises coming from the room. The fear that she felt overtook her senses and blessed directly into her thoughts.

And Hunter could tell she was panicking. So he had no other choice but to cave in.

"She's gone," Hunter confessed. "She's long gone. I told her to get out of here. I--I don't know where she went, but I am telling you the truth."

There was a beat of silence between them. The doctor studied him carefully as if trying to determine if he was telling the truth or not.

"Please," Hunter's voice cracked which showed his desperation and brokenness. His hands lifted in defense. "Don't hurt her. She's everything to me."

She smiled weakly upon hearing his words.

For a brief moment, Dr Hemlock contemplated his words carefully. He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes to study him further. He slowly began to lower his blaster, which sent a wave of relief through the sergeant.

Hemlock lifted the blaster once again. "Ten."

The fatal shot rang through the entire establishment.

"NO!" Hunter's scream was louder than the sound of the body hitting the floor. He collapsed to his knees, keeping his eyes trained on the lifeless form in front of him.

In the vents, Omega had jumped back from the opening she had been peering through. Her hands shot up to cover her mouth once again. She squeezed her eyes shut to block out the sight she had just witnessed. The tears flowed freely from her as the reality began to settle in. She'd lost another member of her squad.

What if the baby's name was Emmie? I just think it sounds so cute. Like Emmie Munson

That does sound super cute!

The Royal Family | Chapter Five

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

Warning: flirting, courting, kissing, dancing, mentions of a pervert, mentions of illness and death

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

Type: The Royal Family Series

MASTERLIST

The lingering light was obliterated by the rapidly falling night. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night. 

The lake glistened, mirroring the dazzling assemblage of glittering stars and the luminescence from the small houses in the villages across the land. The faint wind brushed against the water's surface, the ripples ruffled the stillness of the surface, and shattered the reflection of the harbor. 

The entire royal family was fast asleep, laying in their comfortable beds with their heads resting against the soft feather pillows. One tiresome soul was tossing and turning in his sleep, feelings sudden pain of discomfort in his chest.

The King of the East slowly leaned forward, sitting up in his bed. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and placed his hands on the mattress, staying completely still for one moment. He closed his eyes and groaned to himself, wincing in an uncomfortable pain. He reached up and placed his fingers against his chest, pressing against his throbbing heart. 

The king slowly stood to his feet, placing his hand on the side table for support. A tingling sensation coursed through his veins, briefing numbing his arms. He grunted in pain, pressing deeper into his chest in hopes to relieve himself of some pain. 

The king turned his head and grabbed the small glass of water on his side table. His old and wrinkled hands wrapped around the dainty little cup, bringing it towards his chapped lips. He could feel the fresh and cool water dripping down his throat, relieving himself of the dryness.

When the king set down his empty cup, he couldn't help but look at his wrinkly hands. He turned them over and examined his palms. He breathed a small sigh. The king was getting older and older every day. It was only a matter of time before... 

The king closed his eyes, pushing the negative thoughts into the back of his head. He laid back down in bed, pulling the covers over his body again. He stared at the ceiling and shook his head slightly. He didn't want to think about the possibilities of one's life ending shortly. He had to force himself to think more positive. He needed to make the best of these last few days he had on earth. He had to make the most of his time. 

His mind drifted to his daughter, thinking about the events that would happen if he were to die soon. She would most likely have to move to the southern kingdom. She would be forced to live with her future-in-laws. She would have to live in a foreign place without any help or assistance. He closed his eyes because he couldn’t bare to think about all the changes she would endure within the next couple weeks. He could only pray that the good lord didn’t take him instantly.

The king secretly wished that his parting would be painless; that the king of the heavens would take his soul as he slept peacefully in his bed. He was afraid of death. He didn’t want to leave this cruel world for the sake of the only family he had left which was his own daughter. He didn’t want to leave her, but he knew that he would have to soon enough. Little did the king know, death would be knocking on his door much sooner than he would have ever expected...

The young princess was currently seated in her father's chambers, gazing at her father as he looked at himself in the mirror. He reached up and straightened his royal attire, fitting it to his liking. Three servants crowded around him, stitching and sewing the new fabric together to the exact specifications. 

"It will be any day now," the king of the east said, smiling widely. 

The young princess looked up at him, furrowing her eyebrows in contusion. The king gazed into the mirror, looking at his daughter with teasing eyes. Her shoulders slumped slightly, lazily glaring at the king. 

"Pretty soon," the king said, nodding his head. "The prince of the north will be getting down on one knee for you," the king said, stepping down from his high place. He turned around and walked towards his desk, grabbing a few documents.

The princess looked down at her hands, hiding the evident blush creeping onto her face. The king turned his head and looked at her, smiling softly at her sheepish demeanor. 

"Afterwards, the prince will most likely have to change his title to the king of the north. I suppose you'll have to move to the southern kingdom with your new spouse," the king added. The princess slowly lifted her head, looking her father with saddened eyes. "There...you can raise a family together." 

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, papa." The princess said, standing to her feet. "He hasn't even proposed yet," she said with a gentle smile on her face. She took a few steps forward and reached out, grabbing her father's old hands in her own.

The king tilted his head to the side, gazing* his daughter with loving and caring eyes. He shook his head in disbelief. He chuckled softly to himself, wishing he was dreaming. He no longer saw his little girl. She was a young woman know who would most likely be engaged in a few short days. He couldn't believe his eyes. 

"My..." the king's voice trailed off. He raised one of his wrinkled hands towards her face, cupping it gently. The tears were forming in his eyes, threatening to fall at any moment. You are looking more and more like your mother with each passing day. My little girl is all grown up now. She's not a little girl anymore; she is a woman. She won't need me anymore." 

“You know that's not true, papa. You've helped me in more ways than one. I don't know what I would do without you,” the princess said, shaking her head slightly. “A-And I am sure I can visit you. We might be able to come here in the summers or winters. That way, we would be able to see each other at least twice a year. That wouldn’t be so bad.”

The king looked down as the tears streamed down his face, dripping onto the floor. He slowly nodded his head understandingly. The princess's eyes softened as she looked at her broken father. She reached forward and wrapped her arms around his large and round figure, hugging him tightly. 

The king closed his eyes as the tears streamed down his face. He buried his face in her, soft hair, breathing in the sweet scent of wild daisies. He couldn't help suppress the growing smile on his face. 

“The prince is a good man. He will take care of you, and he will love you. He will keep you safe," the king whispered in her ear. The princess smiled to herself. 

“I know,” the princess said, nodding her head in agreement. 

The princess's little hands rubbed up and down his back reassuringly, soothing him into a form of contentment. They simply held onto each other for a few moments, savoring the sweet time they had together as father and daughter. It very well could have been their last.

The young prince was seated at his writing desk, scribbling on a piece of paper. He raised to paper upwards and looked at the words. After reading, he shook his head in disapproval. He crumpled the paper in his hands, tossing it aside. He pulled out a fresh piece of paper, starting over. 

"My dearest Y/N," the prince said aloud, writing the words neatly on the paper. "From the moment I first met you, I...knew there was something special about you. You make my heart flutter with joy. Your smile brightens my day. My love for you is unconditional and everlasting. Would you...do me the honor...of becoming...my wife?" 

The poor boy had been practicing his long speech from the moment they started their courtship. He probably went through at least a million sheets of parchment, perfecting and correcting the speech to his own liking.

He didn't want to come off as a cheesy romantic with his silly little words. He wanted this moment to be perfect. However, from the way his speech was turning out, he was beginning to doubt himself.  

"You make my heart flutter with joy," Thomas repeated, pondering the words for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that sounds too cliche." He crumbled the paper into a small ball, tossing it. 

The prince fiddled with his pen, dipping it into the small or of black ink. He leaned forward and placed his elbow on his writing desk, settling his chin into the palm of his hand. He pursed his lips together in thought. 

"What to say?" He whispered to himself.

The prince thought long and hard, running over a million different instances on how to express his true feelings to the love of his life. He started smiling to himself, imagining how happy they would be it she accepted his proposal. 

Suddenly, a thought entered his mind. He furrowed his eyebrows and straightened his back in posture. He shook his head, hoping to deny himself from the negative thoughts. 

What if she said no? 

However, the prince's father and brothers walked into the room before he could pursue the question further. He shook his mind free of the negative thoughts, throwing a fake smile on his face as he looked at his small family.

Prince Sam walked towards the lounge chair, flopping down on it. He lifted his book towards himself, burying his time into the book. Prince Harry strutted over towards his older brother, grabbing a nearby chair. He swung the chair around and sat down, pushing his chest into the back of the chair. He folded his arms over the back of the chair, leaning forward.

The king of the north walked towards the window, putting his hands behind his back as he stared out the window. His oldest son looked up, gazing at his father from across the room. He picked up some papers, pretending to be focused on something work related instead of having to listen to his brother’s taunting voice. He ruffled the papers around in his hands, trying to distract himself.

"You’ll have to propose," the king of the north said, keeping his gaze on the outside gardens. The young prince did not look up, but he nodded his head in agreement. 

"I know," Thomas said. 

The king turned his head and looked at his son with concerned eyes. The young prince quickly turned his head, diverting his gaze back to the blank paper in front of him. He cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking up. 

"I am working on it," Thomas explained. 

"Do know have any idea what you are planning on saying to her? Do you have a little speech prepared? Are you going to take her someplace special?Are you going to get down on one knee or are you going to ask her standing up?" Harry's questions were flying out of his mouth at a rapid pace.

“I-I don’t know. Maybe,” Thomas said, shaking his head slightly.

The king of the north walked around the room, kneeling down to grab the crumpled pieces of paper. He unraveled one and tilted his head to the side, reading the small speech. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. His son's writing wasn't so bad. 

"Why are you not using these drafts?" The king asked, lifting the crumpled piece of paper. The young prince sunk back into his seat, feeling the heat burning his cheeks a vibrant red. He didn't say anything fore moment. 

"I-I don't want to use those," Thomas said, stumbling over his words. 

"And why not?" 

"They are not that good. When I propose to her, I want to be able to speak from my heart. I want to speak freely to her. I want to express my thoughts and feelings without any difficulty. It’s best that I just don’t write it down,” Thomas said, fiddling with his hands.

The haunting thought came back to him, making him feel sick to his stomach. The one syllable word with only two letters was his one big fear. He wouldn't be able to bear hearing that word escape through her lips after he would ask herthe most important question in his life. The word... 

No 

The young prince grabbed his small pen, twisting it between his fingers. He could barely look into his father's worried and concerned eyes. The probability of rejection was just as equal as the probability of acceptance. The thought of rejection scared the young prince. 

"I-I am afraid that proposing is not going to be so easy," Thomas said, stuttering. The king stepped forward and furrowed his eyes together in confusion, tilting his head to the side.

“Why is that?”

"B-Be...Because I am not sure she will say yes," the prince said. He could feel the hot tears filling his eyes, threatening to fall at any given moment. He clutched onto his little pen tightly, holding it close to him. 

"But at least you will know that if she says yes, it will be with her heart. You will never know until you ask her, Thomas." The king of the north said, tilting his head to the side. His eyes were filled with love for his eldest son. 

The king raised his hand into the air, summoning his other two children. They scurried to their feet, following their father. The king looked over his shoulder, gazing at his eldest son one last time before they exited the room. They left the room and closed the door behind them, leaving the young prince to his own troubling thoughts.

The prince walked through the hallways of the palace, looking for one of his brothers. He rounded the corner and nearly collided with the king of the east. The old man grunted slightly, startled in the young prince’s sudden appearance. The prince’s eyes widened in realization.

“Oh! Your Majesty, I am so sorry,” Thomas said, stumbling over his words. He reached out and touched the king’s arm, making sure the elderly man wasn’t too startled. He hoped he hadn’t given him a heart attack. The older man placed his hand on his heart, feeling the sudden pain return. “I am so sorry. Are you hurt?”

"No, i-it's nothing,” the king said, shaking his head in denial. "I was actually coming to find you. I would like for you to give these invitations to your family members. We will be hosting a ball this next upcoming week, and you are all invited," the king said with a proud smile on his face.

The prince took the four small invitations into his hands, reading the titles of names on each one. "Thank you, sir. Might I ask for what occasion?" The prince tilted his head to the side in confusion. 

The corners of the kings' lips tugged into a smile. "I think you know the occasion," the king said, smiling uncontrollably. Thomas could feel the blood rushing to his head, the heat warming his cheeks.

"I-It wouldn't happen to be an engagement party, would it?" The prince asked, almost afraid of the answer. The king nodded his head in confirmation. The prince closed his eyes, mentally cursing to himself. 

"I wanted to give you this," the king said, reaching into his pocket and grabbing something. He pulled out a small velvet box, opening it up to showcase a priceless diamond ring. 

The prince gingerly reached forward and grabbed the box in his hands, examining the breath-taking ring. "I-I don't know what to say. It's beautiful," Thomas said, shaking his head. 

"It was her mother's ring," the king stated. "Her mother wanted me to give it to her the day she got engaged. My little girl used to gaze and admire that ring, fiddling with it on her mother's dainty little finger. I think...she secretly hoped it would be her's one day. I want that to come true.”

Carefully, Thomas closed the little ring box and held it in his hands. He pursed his lips together in thought He turned his head and looked at the king with worried eyes. He breathed a nervous sigh. 

"I hope to be a good husband to her," Thomas said, nodding his head. The king reached forward and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, smiling at him reassuringly. 

"You will be," the king said, reassuring the boy not to be so nervous. The corners of the prince's lips lifted into a small smile. His brow was wrinkled because he was still afraid of the possibility of rejection. "She thinks very highly of you," the king stated. 

"Really?" Thomas asked, looking at the king with a surprised expression. The king nodded his head slowly, confirming his little question. The prince looked down at the ring box in his hands, moving it around slightly.

"She talks about you as if you put the stars in the sky," the king said, smiling profoundly. The prince looked down at his feet, feeling the heat rising to his cheeks for about the hundredth time that day. "You are a good man, Thomas." 

The prince lifted his head, gazing at his future father-in-law. The corner of his lips tugged into a brief smile for the next moment; it disappeared entirely. He moved the little box around in his hands again. 

"I know you will take very good care of my daughter. I want you both to know that I am very proud of you. You have made my little girl very happy, and for that, I am forever grateful. Thank you," the king said. 

The prince couldn't seem to form any words. He pushed his lips into his mouth and gazed down at his feet, nodding his head in acceptance. The king reached out and patted the young prince’s shoulder. The king stepped forward, walking down the hallways of the palace.

The prince turned his head to look over the small stretch of his shoulder, watching the king’s retreating figure. The king had lifted his hand to touch his chest, pushing slightly to relieve the pain. He grunted to himself, hoping and praying that the pain in his chest would go away. He pushed a little harder, successfully relieving himself of the pain.

The night of the grand ball, the princess was standing in front of the mirror in nothing but her corset. The servant was kneeling behind her, tugging at the strings tighter and tighter. The woman breathed a small gasp as the forest tightened around her waist. As the corset was tied off, the princess looked at herself in the mirror.

The servant stood to her feet and approached a chair, grabbing the princess' light pink ballgown. She turned around and carried the dress back towards the princess, slipping it over her head. The servant walked around the princess, fitting the dress around her small body nicely. 

"Tell me something," the princess said, furrowing her eyebrows together. "Do you...do you think the prince handsome?" 

In response, the servant looked up and shrugged hershoulder in defeat. She went back to fitting the dress around the princess's frame. "I-It's not in my place to say, your highness." 

"I am asking you," the princess defended. The servant pursed her lips together in thought, wondering if she should freely speak her mind in front of the royals. She lifted her head, meeting the princess's stare in the mirror. She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat.

“Then...” the servant’s voice trailed off. “Yes. He is very handsome.”

The princess's lips lifted into a smile. She turned her head and looked at herself in the mirror, smoothing her hands over her pink dress. She tilted her head to the side as her smile left her face. 

"Do...do you think he might propose tonight?" She asked. 

"One could only hope, your highness." The servant said. The princess stepped off her stand and walked towards her vanity, sitting down properly. The servant walked towards her and grabbed her brush, working it through the princess's long hair. 

"I will never forget the moment I fell in love with him," the princess said, sighing with a smile on her face. The servant briefly looked up before grabbing a few silver pins, placing them in her hair to hold it up. "A few months ago, I sprained my ankle." 

"I remember."

"The prince carried me over the threshold. He carried me effortlessly throughout the palace, insisting that he escorted me to my room. I had grown to like him a lot, but it was in that moment thati truly knew...that I loved him," the princess added. 

"You must be very happy," the servant said. 

"I am," the princess replied, nodding her head in agreement. She stood to her feet as soon as her hair was fixed. She walked towards hertable, grabbing a few white daisies and placing them in her hair. 

The princess turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hands smoothed over her dress, wringing out any wrinkles or creases. Her soft pink lips lifted into a gentle smile. She turned her body towards the door and opened it, leaving her chambers behind. 

The servant smiled to herself as she watched the princess leave the room. She reached down and grabbed one of the little daisies on the table. She brought it to her nose and inhaled its sweet scent. She gently placed the flower in her hair, feeling like a little princess herself. 

The grand music streamed throughout the entire ballroom. The room was nearly full of guests from across the land, arranging from friends and family. The beautiful arrange of different colored dresses swung around the room in tune with the music, dancing with their partners. 

Some people stood off the to side, watching the younger people dance with a kick in their step. The rich champagne was passed around the room on silver platters from the servants, offering each guest a glass. 

As the music dialed down and the song ended, the princess looked down at the small tag attached to her wrist. She narrowed her eyes, reading off the next person she was supposed to dance with. She looked around the room before spotting a tall man walking towards her; her partner for the next dance. She politely curtsied, and he bowed his head in response.

The music started up, the violins and flutes singing their own little tunes happily. The people danced in time with the music, swaying around with their partner. As they held each other for the dance, the man couldn't help but drink in the princess's breath-taking appearance. 

On more than one occasion, the perverted man looked down at the princess's cleavage, sneaking a little peek. His one wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her closer to his chest. The princess was more than uncomfortable in this situation. His breath reeked of the alcohol that lingered on his lips. ››

The prince could not keep his eyes off the young princess. Though he wanted to spend time with her, he had not reserved a dance with his lover. Not even one.

The various people crowding the room, talked amongst themselves. They were mostly talking about the young couple, spreading gossip and talking nonsense with each other. 

The two kings turned their heads and looked at the prince who was staring at his lover from across the room. The king of the east smiled to himself, looking at his future son-in-law. He nodded his head in approval. 

"He is such a fine looking boy," the king said, shaking his head in disbelief. 

"Yes, he is," the prince's father said, nodding his head in agreement. The man couldn't help but smile, gazing at his eldest child with the utmost pride swelling in his heart. 

Some eldedy ladies were standing across the room, whispering amongst themselves about the young prince. The three ladies leaned closer together, talking of nothing but pure gossip.

"Do you see how he is gazing at her?" One of the duchesses said with a giddy smile on her old face. The two other ladies nodded their heads in agreement. 

"What is he gazing at though? Is he gazing at a princess or a future spouse?" The other elderly woman said. The ladies chatted amongst themselves, talking about the prince and the princess. 

The prince watched from afar, observing each dance carefully. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, looking at the perverted man trying to get under the princess's skirt. But he wouldn't have that happen. 

"The princess looks uncomfortable," a woman said, whispering to her friend. The prince turned his head slightly, listening in on their private conversation. The other woman nodded her head, stuffing a little cake into her mouth in the process.

“She has a courter. Why is she dancing with all these men then?" The other woman asked, shaking her head and eating another little cake happily. The woman shrugged her shoulders in defeat. 

"It's not required that she dance with her courter for every dance. She can dance with anyone she likes. I have heard that the prince of the south was supposed to propose tonight," the woman gossiped. 

"Really? That can't be!" 

"It's true. I heard it from the king myself," the lady said, lying to her friend's face. "Personally, I think that the prince backed out of the proposal. He got cold feet, and he decided that he wasn't going to ask her after all. That's why he isn't dancing with her. He probably doesn't even love her anymore," the lady said, scoffing slightly. 

The prince clenched his fists in anger, spinning around to glare at the two women. The ladies froze in their place, seeing the young prince standing before them. Thier mouth's dropped open, and their eyes widened in disbelief.

“Y-Your Highness,” they said, simultaneously curtsying. They kept their heads low for they were ashamed to even look the royal in the eye. The man gritted his teeth together before speaking to them.

“You...have no idea how much I love that woman,” the prince said angrily.

“O-Of course, your highness. W-We were foolish to think otherwise. We do apologize,” one of the ladies said, fumbling over her words. She nudged the other woman in the stomach.

“Y-Yes. We do apologize,” the other one said.

"I do not want to see you two ever again. Begone with you," the prince said, throwing his hand into the air. The two ladies were quietly escorted out of the palace by the guards, never to set foot in it again. 

The prince turned around and looked at his lover, making sure she was still there. In response, Thomas's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight before him. He clenched his fists together upon seeing the strange man with his grubby hands all over the princess. 

Suddenly, the man's hand sneaked a little lower than need be. He was nearly groping at the princess's arse. The prince could hear a number of women gasping in disbelief around him, saying that the strange man's actions were quite scandalist.

The princess's eyes widened in lean She squirmed around in the mans embrace, desperate to get away from him. He squeezed her tighter, pulling a small yelp out of her. 

That was his breaking point. The prince charged up towards the man and placed his hand on his shoulder, pulling him away from the princess. He stumbled back slightly, clearly drunk out of his mind. 

The music slowly dialed down. An awkward silence stretched throughout the room with all eyes on the little accident. The prince looked around before nodding his head at some guards. They walked towards them, bowing their heads politely. 

"I want you to escort this man out of the palace," Thomas said quietly so nobody could hear him. The two guards nodded their heads and stepped forward, grabbing the strange man. They dragged him away from the party, forcing him to leave the palace for good.

The man argued with the guards, saying that he was a duke of the west and that they had no right to throw him out. The guards ignored his ranting nonsense and forcefully shoved him out of the grand palace. 

A soft, familiar tune streamed through the air as the musicians started playing a waltz. The prince quickly stepped forward, looking at his lover with concerned eyes. She placed her hand on his arm, smiling at him reassuringly. 

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" The prince asked. 

"No, I am fine. Thanks to you," the princess said. Their lips tugged into a smile. The prince looked down at his feet, contemplating whether or not he should ask her to dance with him. 

"May I have the pleasure?" Thomas asked, reaching out a hand. The princess looked down at her small tag before looking around the room. She nodded her head hesitantly, making sure nobody was suppose to dance with her.

“I believe this one is free,” she said.

The princess reached out and took hold of the prince's hand. He led hertowards the center of the room, wrapping his arm around her waist and slowly pulling her closer into his embrace. Their hands entwined together. His other hand rested on her hip while her other hand rested on his shoulder. They swayed to the music. 

"You dance beautifully," Y/N said, furrowing her eyebrows in slight confusion. She didn't know that he could dance, let alone very good. They swayed in tune with the music, dancing with each other happily. 

"I think...before...l was afraid," Thomas admitted. His voice was low and deep, coming out in a whisper. The princess furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion, looking at the prince questionably. 

"Afraid?" 

"I was afraid of humiliating myself in front of you. I didn't want to step on your little toes,” he whispered, leaning closer. “Sometimes...it can be hard to find the right rhythm, but not with you.”

“Thomas,” the princess whispered.

“Come with me,” the prince said, pulling away from her. He reached out and offered his hand which she gladly took hold of. The prince led the princess away from the party, leaving the palace to go and walk through the gardens.

"Where are we going?" The princess asked, feeling the darkness surround her. He pulled her through the gardens until they came across the fountain. They turned their heads and looked at the palace from afar. Nobody seemed to notice their sudden disappearance. "What are we doing out here?" 

"There is something I need to ask you Thomas said. The princess placed her hands on her ones, hoping to bring herself some form of warmth. Her lips parted slightly. 

"I...I-I...I-I..." the prince couldn't seem to form any words. His breath had caught in his throat, preventing him from speaking another word. He thought fore moment, collecting his words. 

Instinctively, Thomas reached forward and cupped Y/N's face in his hands. He quickly leaned down and smashed his lips against hers. She stumbled back, taken back slightly by his sudden actions.

Slowly, she melted into the kiss. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms laced around her waist, holding her against his body. He tilted his head to the side, deepening their connection. 

When they pulled apart, the princess panted heavily in hopes to regain her breath. The prince leaned forward, pressing his head against hers. He stared at her lips, thinking of how badly he wanted to kiss her lips again. 

"I love you." 

Those three little words effortlessly rolled off his tongue. The princess pulled away from him, staring up at him with disbelief. Her lips were slightly parted. She blinked a few times, pondering his words. 

"W-What?" Her voice quivered.

"I love you," he said. His voice did not waver once. It was steady, solid. He looked her straight in the eyes. He wasn't lying at all. He meant it. He really did love her with all of his heart 

The salty tears streamed in the princess's eyes. A small smile stretched across her face. "I love you too," she said. The prince lifted his head and looked at her surprised. 

"You do?" 

"Yes," the princess said, nodding her head. The prince reached forward and cupped her face in his hands, feeling the tears begin to fill his eyes. His tears blurred and clouded his vision, but he needed to speak his mind.

"When I say I love you more, I do not mean I love you more than you love me. I mean I love you more than the bad days ahead of us. I love you more than any fight we will ever have. I love you more than the distance between us. I love you more than any obstacle that could try and come between us. I love you with my whole heart," the prince said, looking her in the eyes. 

"Thomas," she said with a broad smile on her face. The tears in her eyes streamed down her face, dripping onto the flooring beneath them. The prince shook his head, silencing her with a simple gesture. He wasn't done yet. 

"Ever since I met you, nobody else is worth thinking about. I always think of you before I fall asleep. The words you have said, the way you looked. The things we laughed about, the silent moments we shared together. And when I dream, I dream of you. Because its about you. It has always been about you,” Thomas added. 

The smile on her face only grew with each words corning out of his mouth. He used his thumb to wipe away her happy tears. She reached up and grasped onto his wrist, holding it in place as he continued speaking. 

"I may not get to see you as often as I like. I may not get to hold you in my arms all through the night. But deep in my heart, I truly know you're the one that I love. You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. And I can't let you go because I love you with all my heart," he said. 

The princess closed her eyes, pushing the tears down her face. The prince dipped his head down and looked her in the eyes as soon as she opened them again. He smiled down at her. 

"Something tells me that I am going to love you forever. I don't think I will ever stop loving you. You are my future. You are my life now. A-And I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said.

Slowly, the prince lowered himself to the floor, getting down on one knee. The princess smiled uncontrollably, holding his hands in her own. The prince reached into his pocket and pulled out the black velvet box, holding it in front of her. He opened the box, drawing a small gasp from her lips. 

"Thomas!" 

She had recognized the ring. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was slightly open, staring at the ring with disbelief. The prince smiled at her little reaction, finding it the cutest thing on earth.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" 

The princess nodded her head in response. The tears were effortlessly streaming down her face for she almost couldn't control herself. "Yes," she said happily. The prince straightened his back in posture upon hewing her positive response.

“Come here, darling.”

The princess moved slightly, sitting down on his perched knee. He carefully pulled the ring out the box before sliding it onto her dainty little finger. She covered her mouth, admiring the ring's stunning beauty. It was a perfect fit. 

The young woman turned her head and wrapped her arms around the were neck, pressing her lips against his. She was still crying out of pure joy and happiness. They pulled away from each other. She rested her newly dassled hand on his chest, staring into his chocolate brown eyes. 

"I love you,' she whispered. 

"I love you," the prince said. They wrapped their arms around each other's figure, holding one another dose to their bodies. They buried their faces into the crook of each other's neck, breathing in their intoxicating scent. They stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, embracing each other like a lifeline. What a way to end the night...

The celebration had ended hours ago. The young couple finally showed up near the end. They walked towards the front of the room and gathered everyone's attention, publicly announcing their engagement. The people were beyond thrilled, expressing their congratulations throughout the rest of the night. 

A few hours later, the guests had left the palace. The servants were currently cleaning up the mess downstairs while the royals were all fast asleep in their own cozy beds. The night was quiet, peaceful, tranquil. 

The king of the north felts sudden tight pain in his chest, stronger than ever before. He gasped for air, clutching his chest in attempts to relieve himself of the unbearable pain. The pain was overwhelming, draining the king's life.

The elderly man wheezed for air as he slowly lost feeling in his body. A final breath escaped his lips before the pain came to a halting stop. The king's eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling of his chambers. The life drained from his eyes. His soul had left his body in the most painful way possible. He didn't think that death would be knocking on his door to soon. The king of the north was dead. He only wished he had said goodbye...

Running Bets | Hunter from The Bad Batch

Summary: The Bad Batch likes to make bets during missions, especially when things get really chaotic.

Warning: mentions of death, weapons, and droids being dismembered

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Jedi

Word Count: 3.5k

Type: Oneshot

The Bad Batch were currently away on another one of their missions. They found themselves aboard a modified Providence-Class Separatist Dreadnought which served as General Grievous's main command ship. Their mission was quite simple: infiltrate the naval warship, retrieve a piece of valuable intel, and return it back to the jedi council.

A few years prior, the Kaminoans had specifically requested for the Jedi Council to select and send a Jedi to come work with the rebellious group of clones. They had hoped being under the command of a jedi master would beat them into shape and teach them how to properly follow orders.

However, the Kaminoans didn't know what they had gotten themselves into when General L/n was sent to work with The Bad Batch. She was the only jedi who jumped at the opportunity to lead the group of misfits since nobody else wanted to be assigned to them. She came with her own sense of recklessness that only added to the squads over-the-top plans and inability to follow order the 'right way.'

Now, just a few years later, the five members of the Bad Batch stood in front of a closed corridor on the dreadnought. There was a comfortable silence that settled over them which was only interrupted a few times by Crosshair clicking the scope of his sniper rifle, Wrecker cracking his knuckles in preparation for the fight ahead of them, and Tech tapping away at his data pad. They stared at the closed door right in front of them, growing slightly impatient.

"Ugh," Wrecker groaned while rolling his eyes in annoyance. "What's taking so long?"

"I am trying to crack into the ship's security system. It's a complex system, but once I'm in, I'll be able to access all the doors of the dreadnought and open this one for us," Tech explained to them. He was kneeling beside the data panel beside the door, pressing some buttons in the process.

The only problem was that the rest of them had tuned him out after the word 'security.'

"Why can't I just smash through the doors? It'll be a lot quicker than this," Wrecker argued.

"Because that would give away the element of surprise," Hunter interjected. "Nobody knows we're here."

"And I, for one, would like to keep it that way," General L/n added.

"Just hurry up, will you?" Wrecker groaned. "I'm dying to crush some droids."

"I've...almost...got...it," Tech said rather slowly while pressing buttons on the panel quickly.

The screen became illuminated with a shade of green, which shown in the reflection of his goggles adorned on his face. He was now granted access to the entire ship's security system via his data pad. He stood back up to join his brothers. He pressed a few buttons on his data pad to open the large sealed blast door in front of them.

"Eyes up. We don't know what we're up against on the other side of this," Hunter told the rest of the group. They waited for the door to open for them. He drew his own two blasters out of the holsters, keeping them ready for a fight.

The other members of the group seemed to follow his actions by readying their own weapons. The general, who stood in the front and center of the group, decided to pull her own two lightsabers from her belt. Her thumbs lingering over the button in preparation for activation. Her eyes trained on the sealed door in front of her, holding her breath in anticipation.

"Care to wager a bet, boys?" She hoped it would put the rest of them at ease.

"Don't we always?" Crosshair inquired with a slight hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Loser has to clean the ship including the refresher," Y/n smirked to herself. She glanced over her shoulder to meet Wrecker's gaze.

"That's not that bad of a punishment," Wrecker scoffed while his shoulders slumped in slight disappointment.

"Have you seen the ship recently? Can't even see the floor," Hunter interjected.

"It has gotten pretty bad," Tech agreed. Oddly enough, Tech was easily one of the messiest ones because of all the little projects he left lying around. One could trip over all the cords and wires on the ground.

"Fine," Wrecker groaned more to himself. "Loser cleans the ship."

"Including the refresher," Y/n quickly added, not wanting him to miss out that little detail because she had every intention of making sure he lost today.

"Including the refresher," Wrecker grumbled under his breath.

"Whenever you're ready, Tech." The General was prepared for the fight ahead of them, keeping a firm grip on the two lightsabers in her grasp. She readjusted her stance and lifted her lightsabers up in a defensive manner.

Finally, as if on cue, Tech pressed a single button on his data pad which activated the blast doors in front of them. The doors began opening slowly from the center, retracting back into the walls and revealing the vast hallway corridor in front of them.

What the Bad Batch hadn't expected was to find the corridor completely packed with the traditional B-1 battle droids. There had to have been fifty or sixty of them standing around with blasters in hand. Their long yellow heads seemed to turn towards the source of the noise all simultaneously.

"A jedi?" One of the closer droids exclaimed in slight surprise. He pointed towards the group to signal the others. "Blast them!"

Before the droids even had a chance to start firing, General L/n had activated her two yellow lightsabers and charged straight towards the company of clankers. She dodged each of their shots, moving swiftly from left to right. Once she got close enough to them, she swiftly swung her lightsaber to slice through the base of their blasters, rendering them useless.

Behind her, the rest of them started firing their own shots and taking out droids while making their way down the corridor. Each of them showcasing their own unique style of fighting. While Crosshair usually lingered behind the group to take his precise shots, Wrecker always charged head on and fired wildly at anything in sight. There was Hunter who liked switching between blasters and blades, but often kept to his knifes as a preference. In contrast, Tech always carried two blasters and fired calculated shots.

Despite all their differences, the Bad Batch successfully worked together as a team. The General also had a different strategy. She always rushed head on; though it wasn't because she was eager for the fight, but more so because she wanted to protect the others if she could. Her two lightsabers acted as their only defense in many situations. And they trusted her enough to cover them.

Taking more droids down, Tech quickly maneuvered his way through a clear and open path until he stood in front of the next closed door. His twin joined his side and covered his back so he could have the time to open the next door without getting shot. However, when Tech pressed the button on his data pad, the doors in front of him didn't open and his data pad flashed red.

"Uh oh," Tech said to himself.

"Uh oh?" Hunter repeated. He grabbed the blade of his knife before throwing it across the room, sticking directly into a battle droid's head. "What does 'uh oh' mean, Tech?" Hunter demanded an answer.

"This door isn't opening," Tech explained shortly. He kept pressing buttons on his data pad in hopes that it would open if he tried a different combination.

"I thought --" Y/n grunted as she sliced through another droid. "You said you overroad the ship's security system and that you'd have full access to all doors."

"I did," Tech replied with a strong sense of frustration in his voice.

Pressing one final button, the door opened ever so slightly but then closed again. There had to be someone on the other side, operating the system to keep it closed from them.

"Someone is intentionally trying to keep this door closed and keep us out," Tech announced to the rest of them. His eyes scanned the vast space of the door, thinking about how he could get through.

"Well, get it open." Y/n replied.

Kneeling down beside the door, Tech got to work by prying the metal panel away from the wall. His skillful fingers threaded through the various colorful wires, searching for a cord to connect to his data pad. He called out to the others, saying he was gonna need a minute to break through.

As Tech worked steadily, Crosshair stood right beside him and fired strategically from his sniper's rifle. He took out droids who even turned in their general direction, not wanting them to get remotely close to them.

Just as the group of battle droids was beginning to thin, the doors on the left and right side of them opened to reveal more. The droids marched right into the fight, acting as the reinforcements to protect whatever was locked behind the main door. They fired relentlessly which was starting to put a strain on the group.

At some point, Wrecker had abandoned his rapid firing blaster and decided to just rip droids apart. It wasn't that hard of a task since they were made of a relatively cheap metal. He'd simply grab a droid, tear the limps off, and toss the remaining parts to the side. He threw one of the droid's bodies into the crowd coming into the corridor, which ended up knocking some of them down.

"I've got ten already!" Wrecker announced over the loud blaster fire echoing in the room. He smiled proudly to himself as he tore the arms off another droid.

"I'm on seventeen," Y/n called back. She could have sworn she heard the sergeant chuckled behind his helmet.

"Wha--" Wrecker was at a loss for words. He retrieved his blaster once again, firing rapidly in hopes of taking down more droids than his companion.

As she sliced through two more droids, Y/n turned her head and looked over her shoulder. She wore an amused smile on her face when she announced: "Nineteen!"

"You're falling behind, Wrecker." Crosshair taunted from the sidelines. He went to adjust his scope before pulling the trigger a few more times, watching the droids fall from behind it.

"Yeah? How many are you on?" Wrecker asked snakily.

"Don't worry about it."

In the center of the room, Hunter had pulled his vibroblade out of the sheath on his forearm. He jabbed the knife into the backs of droids, sendings jolts of electricity through them and taking their main computing systems out. He worked through the growing crowd of clankers, moving between them smoothly in a way that managed to dodge their firepower.

Upon turning, Hunter spotted a couple of them pointing their blasters directly at him. He dropped down to the floor just as they began firing, getting out of the way just in the knick of time. He summersaulted towards them, swiping his leg out to take out their legs from underneath them. The three droids fell to the floor. He plunged his knife into their heads before they had a chance to regain composure.

"How's that door coming, Tech?" Hunter inquired.

Now Tech was working steadily at cracking the system's code. He just needed a little bit more time, which he was certain his brothers could grant him. At first, Tech didn't respond to Hunter's question. All of the sudden, a battle droid had come to approach him and stood directly beside him.

"Halt," the droid ordered him.

Without looking up, Tech pulled one of his blasters out of his holster. He raised it quickly and fired a single shot, which managed to lodge itself directly into the droid's head. He pocketed his blaster again as the droid collapsed right beside him and went right back to work on the door.

"Just a few more adjustments," Tech replied to the others. He clicked a few more buttons on his data pad, but nothing that effected their current situation. They were still stuck in the corridor and more droids were filtering in by the second.

"You're taking a long time. Thought you were supposed to be the smart one," Wrecker called out. He grabbed another droid, raising it above his head and sending it hurdling down the corridor to take out another company of them.

"I am the smart one," Tech reassured them with a hint of bluntness in his voice. He did not look the slightest bit amused by Wrecker's comment.

"Heads up," Hunter announced.

He took out an electro magnet pulse grenade, pressed the button on the side to activate it and threw it into a crowd of droids coming into the corridor. The grenade landed at the feet of the droids before random bursts of electricity and energy surged from it. The droids' bodies shook from the electricity, shutting them down.

Despite their efforts, more droids just kept coming after them. It seemed like it was a never ending steady flow of them. When one droid went down, another two would come into the corridor to replace them. The amount of dead droids littering the ground with becoming overwhelming.

At some point, Hunter was firing shots towards droids coming from the left and Y/n was deflecting blasts coming from droids on the right side. They met in the center of the room; their backs pressing together. The two of them moved in a synchronized harmony, trusting that the other was able to cover their backs and silently communicating with their timed movements.

Tapping into the force. Y/n raised her two lightsabers over her head and forced them to form an 'x' shape directly in front of Hunter's helmet. This movement deflected a single blaster shot that was intended to strike the sergeant in the head. If it hadn't been for her senses and his stillness in that movement, Hunter would've taken the shot to the head. But that wasn't gonna happen on her watch.

"Thanks," Hunter peered over his shoulder.

"Don't mention it," Y/n waved it off.

With their backs pressed together, Hunter and Y/n continued to work together to take down the droids coming at them. The two of them moved with ultimate precision that they dominated the field. They'd never danced like this before.

At this point, Wrecker and Crosshair had stopped firing their own shots just to watch the others in action. The immediate threat was gone now as the number of droids firing at them had dwindled drastically.

Spotting the last four droids coming towards them in a line, Y/n took a single step away from her partner. She twisted her body to launch her lightsaber down the hallway, watching the yellow blade circle rapidly towards them. The lightsaber effortlessly sliced through the droids heads and they clattered to the ground. Before the lightsaber made contact with the wall, Y/n summoned it back into her hand and switched it off. She pocketed them both onto her belt.

The four members of the squad met in the center of the room while the other continued working on the connecting wires to his data pad. They briefly glanced at the mass amounts of unmoving droids by their feet, kicking a few limbs out of the way. At last, Wrecker flopped down on a small pile of droids. He looked at each of them with a strong sense of anticipation.

"Final count," Crosshair began. He adjusted the scope on his rifle for long range. He smirked to himself at the mere thought of winning the contest. "Thirty-three."

"Thirty-three," Wrecker repeated calmly. He nodded his head understandingly. "That's not bad for the squad's resident sniper."

Upon hearing this, Crosshair glanced up at him with eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion. He halted his movements, studying the way his brother looked so pleased with himself.

"I, myself am sitting on thirty-four," Wrecker smirked to himself.

Before Wrecker could revel the fact that he outscored his younger brother in a battle, a single blaster bolt struck the droid he was sitting beneath right in between his legs. He glanced down at the sizzling strike.

"Thirty-four," Crosshair smirked to himself. He lowered his rifle once again.

"He was already dead," Wrecker argued.

"I saw him twitching," Crosshair suggested. He shrugged his shoulders at the notion. But Wrecker only became more enraged by this.

"He was twitching because I removed all of his limbs!" Wrecker shouted. Sure enough, the droid was still twitching slightly beneath him since the main operating system located in the head went undamaged in the fight.

"Are you two done yet?" Y/n wondered. She glanced between the two of them. "My final count was forty-eight."

"That's not fair," Wrecker groaned. "You had a head start."

"I always have a head start," Y/n recalled all of their missions together where she went charging head on to defend the others. "This wasn't any different than all the other times."

"Sergeant?" Crosshair questioned with a crocked eyebrow. The sergeant stood with his arms crossed against his chest; an amused look settling over his face.

"Fifty," Hunter announced.

The rest of them only groaned in utter annoyance. This was certainly not the first time the sergeant managed to outperform them and it wasn't going to be the last time. He claimed his victory silently, relishing the looks of disappointment on their faces.

"Looks like Wrecker and Crosshair will be cleaning the ship since they tied," Hunter told them.

"No," Wrecker went to argue. He rose to his feet. "Tech has to do it. He only got like four kills."

"Tech was a little occupied with other things. Like working on the door," Hunter told him. He glanced over his shoulder to find him still tinkering away at the data pad near the door.

"Then it should be Crosshair," Wrecker pointed to him. "That last one shouldn't count."

"Wrecker," Y/n called in a warning tone. "You both lost. Admit it."

"Fine," Wrecker huffed to himself. His shoulders slumping down at his sides. "I'll clean the ship," Wrecker added.

"And the refresher," Hunter recalled. She glanced at him through the corner of her eyes with nothing but admiration behind them.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'll do that too," Wrecker agreed to the terms.

Just then, Tech clicked the last button on his data pad to activate the door in front of him. His data pad glowed green, which meant the system had been overrun thanks to his expertise. The rest of them turned to direct their attention to the opening door, seeing the vast array of data forms in the control center.

Slowly, the Bad Batch came to approach the opening to the control center. Their eyes scanned over the various glowing white tubes attached to one central column in the room. Whatever they had come for, they were sure to find somewhere in there. Now they just needed their resident 'smart one' to locate the intel they'd come for.

"Nice work, Tech." Hunter spoke. "Let's locate the intel and get out of here as quick as we can."

All of the sudden, Y/n was able to feel a slight disturbance in the force. A dark wicked figure had graced their presence directly behind them. The sound of metallic claws for feet ground against the floor in approach. The presence was an all-too familiar one to go unnoticed or unrecognized.

The Jedi General had encountered this imposing figure one other time in her life, which was when he brutally murdered her master in combat. Ever since then, Y/n had grown to fear him and never wanted to face him. But now here he was standing behind them and blocking their only exit.

His cybernetic enhancements gave him exceptional strength, speed and reflexes to outmaneuver force-users. He wielded four lightsabers (one for each mechanical arm) and often overwhelmed the jedi with them. His most intimidating feature was his height alone, standing at nearly seven feet tall and towering over most of his encounters.

"General Y/n," the mysterious voice announced from behind them.

The other members of the squad quickly spun around on the heels of their feet, raising their blasters directly towards the menacing figure on the other end of the hallway. They moved to stand in front of their own general in hopes of protecting her.

"It's been a long time since our last encounter."

Now, coming to the realization that she could no longer run from her past, Y/n found herself turning around to face her demons. Her eyes landed on the familiar figure who had slaughtered her master, feeling her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.

It was almost like he could sense her fear of him despite not being a force sensitive being. He cackled to himself, which was something else that still haunted her too. She could still hear the way he laughed over her master's dead body. She went to retrieve her lightsabers from her belt, feeling the strong sense of anger overtaking her senses.

Because today would be the day she took down General Grievous.

I love that the names Diana and Beth are both name choices because those were the first and middle name (Diana Beth) I had picked out for my what would have been child that I miscarried in March (I wasn’t too far along to know), I started tearing up a bit when I saw both names, but I would say Diana for baby Munson’s name! As much as I love Beth, someone has a series (I can’t find it currently) called Beth and it’s a dad!Eddie fanfiction, so my vote is Diana (I know my vote doesn’t really matter, but I just thought I would put that out there)

First of all, I am so sorry about your miscarriage. I can’t imagine what that must be like and it genuinely makes my heart ache hearing that.

Second of all, you do matter! I read every single comment and inbox submission (I might not be able to reply to them all but I still read them). I love hearing from you guys and your opinion matters.

Finally, I am hesitant to use the name Beth because of the pre-existing series with this name. I don’t want to make it seem like I’m stealing their idea if that makes sense. Thank you so much though! I will consider using Diana for sure. Sending love your way ❤️