Be Mean To Your Characters.

Be mean to your characters.

What do they take for granted? Take it away from them.

The one thing they know for certain? Make them doubt it.

Their worst fear? Throw it at their faces.

Make their plans fail. Make them cry. Make them question things and then learn about them and the way they react in the process.

Be mean to your character. Then be kind to them for a while, because after all that they may deserve it.

This may be in his dream…

…to be honest, I just wanted to dress him in Ferrixian formal attire😍

PLEASE!!!! His abilities are BARELY shown and it’s so upsetting 😭

𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓻𝔂..

Pt2. Captain Rex x F!Reader x Fives What happens when two of the men you admire suddenly begin to show just how interested they are in you, days after your secret diary goes missing? Word Count: 3514 Warnings: Edited but most likely has some grammar mistakes, reader is scared of water. A/N: Ugh this took my poor little brain too long to write but it's here now and I'm very proud <33

The rhythmic buzzing of cicadas paired with the summer heat and sunbathing on the beach was the perfect situation to find yourself in. The negotiations had gone smoothly, and your squad was permitted a spontaneous shore leave.  

Navy blue waves licked lazily at the sand; the water contrastingly cold to the desert-like temperatures of the beach. A cool breeze accompanied the waves, providing a semblance of comfort as it danced with tall, sparse strands of wild grass.

You were seated on a sunbed, just beneath the dark shadow of an umbrella, enjoying the distant echoes of laughter from your squad. It was extremely uncommon for them to enjoy anything but the popular bar, 79s, on their days off. 

You had to bargain with the Jedi council for a solid half an hour before Master Windu had finally given you the nod of approval.

Now, Rex reaped the benefits of shore leave in the form of a nap in the sun. You had made sure to apply a kriff ton of sun cream onto his back and shoulders and neck before he had fallen asleep, a mumbled 'thank you' rolling off the tip of his tongue as his eyes became droopy.

He was severely sleep deprived; always being assigned to Skywalker's side rather than yours. It wasn't that he didn't like Master Skywalker, it's just his missions and plans were always reckless and exhausting, and they ended with a few too many casualties.

Of course, that was always inevitable, and Rex did his best not to linger on the fallen, but it didn't always come to him easily.

But with you, he could rest assured.

With you, he could relax under the warm sun, feel the burning sand, and enjoy the comfort of seaside waves.

His caring nature also ensured that everyone would be provided for whilst he was asleep. Bringing extra sun-cream, a cooler filled to the brim with water bottles and ice lollies, and extra towels as well as beach balls.

Where did he get the credits from?

Well, that was a code that nobody could decipher.

Nevertheless, there you were, relaxing with your beloved Captain. Fives had dragged most of the squad into the waves, insisting that they play volleyball. He had tried to take you too, but your reluctance and uncertainty deterred him. 

He had waved you off with a 'Watch me, General' and a wink before he engaged in a series of games of clumsy water volleyball.

Since they'd undergone ARC Trooper training, it became more uncommon for Echo and Fives to join the 501st on longer campaigns. 

Each time they were reunited, Fives would glance to Echo with a small smile. And now, he was busy wrestling with Hardcase in the shallow parts of the water, laughter escaping the two as Echo hit the ball into the air.

A series of hoorays and pats on the back erupted as the ball hit the water with a splash. 

One score for Echo's team.

You were content with watching from the side lines, if you remained far from the water.

If you still had your diary on you, you'd probably busy yourself writing down the details of this day, so the memory could continue to live on long after the war was over.

But just a few days prior it went missing. You thought you misplaced it and ransacked your entire quarters for it. By the time Rex had knocked on your door, nothing was in its' correct spot. Crumpled bedsheets, swinging closet doors and a chair in the middle of the room as you had searched under your desk.

He wanted to question your panicked state, but as soon as the words 'Mission' and 'Jedi Council' were said, you had put a halt to your search mission.

Rex hadn't tried to ask since.

But now, forced to sit by idly, you were mesmerised by the beauty of none other than Fives himself. He was an ARC Trooper for a reason. His shoulders were broad, his waist slim and his thighs - thick and strong and defined from hours of battle and constant training. His tan skin was wet with salty sweat and even saltier water, and if one were to squint hard enough, they could see droplets running down the side of his neck. 

You often found yourself feeling grateful to Jango Fett for having such fine genes.

As if reading your mind, Fives decided to stretch, and in the process flexed his biceps. How big were they?

Was it just you or did it get twenty degrees hotter?

His head slowly turned, and for a moment, you made eye contact. It was quick, but it was still enough to have your heart racing. A smirk stretched across his lips as he caught sight of your blooming blush.

The moment was cut short as Jesse splashed salty water right in his face. You didn't even get a chance to process the expression on his face, the water having wiped it away, as a surprised yelp escaped Fives.

His hand flew to his face, a guttural groan leaving his lips as he swore. His form was hunched over, his hand wiping at his eye.

Before you knew it, you were up and running towards the water, your sunbed abandoned and dusty in your wake.

"Fives?!"

His attention snapped to you at the sound of your voice.

A gasp left your lips.

His eye. The usually tawny skin surrounding his eye had now gained in darker colour, the area a faint red under the sunlight. Tiny, crimson vessels coated his sclera, reaching with thin, curly tendons towards his iris.

Just what was in that water? Surely it shouldn't be this bad.

Jesse was quick to utter apologies, his mouth cast into a downturned smile.

"Jesse it's fine," Fives insisted, "It's nothing." He continued, rubbing at his eye, the corners of his lips fighting an oncoming scowl. His attention quickly diverted from Jesse, focusing on you just as your feet reached the water.

Your body stuttered, your movements faltering as you glanced down at the waves.

Fives eyed you wearily, noticing the hesitation plastered all over your features.

But then in a flash, the water was already hitting your knees, lazily crashing against your waist as you progressed further. Goosebumps rose all over your body, visible under the blaring sun.

Your stomach twisted into a ball of thread, bile rising in your throat. You squeezed the water bottle and towel in your hands, then proceeded to raise your arms into the air like a cheering fan.

The water was now waist-deep, splashing against your torso and swaying your body back and forth.

Pieces of broken pebbles dug into the balls of your feet, and you had to supress the urge to scream when a floating piece of seaweed tickled at your ankles.

A small wheeze left your lips though, and as you reached Fives and looked up, you noticed the concerned expression on Jesse’s face. Was it for Fives or for you? You couldn’t quite tell.

"Let me see." You requested, placing your busy hands on top of Fives’ shoulders.

"General, I'm fine. It's just a bit of water." Fives winced as he attempted an eyeroll, his hands having wrapped around your wrists.

He failed to notice the brief flash of panic in your eyes or the tension in your jaw as the water splashed onto your chest.

"Just a bit of... Water?" You repeated, swallowing harshly. Tugging your hands from his hold, you looked back up at him. "You look like you’re on some hard spice, Trooper. We’ll get your eye rinsed; we don’t know just how safe the water is."

The men behind him had gone awfully quiet, Fives noted as he silently pleaded with you. His eyes searched yours, his head tilting just the slightest. He wasn't a fan of silence, at least not when it came from his squad mates. And he knew all to well that they were watching like hawks, supressing their laughter.

However, as you stood there looking up at him, he couldn’t help but allow his resolve to crumble just a tiny bit. Who could say no to those sweet puppy eyes? Maybe Echo. Most definitely not Fives.

"Alright, lead the way." He finally let up, heaving a sigh. His eye was stinging a bit too much and it’s not like he minded the extra attention from you.

A snicker left one of the men behind you, and Fives was quick to whip his head around, motioning for them to ‘zip it’.

"General?"

"Fives?" You pursed your lips as you looked up at him, though you didn't last long as your gaze faltered, focusing on your primary target, the sunbed. You wouldn’t be rinsing his eye on the sand; it was too hot, and it felt like walking on lava rocks.

“Is it that bad? Or did you just want me all for yourself?” He asked, nudging your side with his elbow.

Wordlessly, you pushed him onto your sunbed.

“Aggressive, I can work with that.”

“Shut it.” You laughed out, shaking your head.

By that point, Rex had slowly begun waking up, rubbing tiredly at his eyes.

A confused hum left his lips as he noticed the state of your clothes. They were wet. Soaking wet, in fact.

"General?" His voice was deeper than normal, more guttural as he was recovering from his nap. "Why are you...Wet?"

“No reason, Captain.” You shrugged your shoulders with a wink.

Rex looked to Fives, giving him a confused look. He sat up in his sunbed, crossing his legs and rubbing his face. “There’s a first time for everything, I guess.”

“First time? First time for what?”

“Oh? Didn’t you know? Our General- “

“Rex.” The way his name rolled off the tip of your tongue had shivers running down his spine. It carried authority and a warning, but the captain was feeling quite daring. His chest puffed up, his whole demeanour changing. This wasn’t your sweet Captain Rex, this was cheeky Cadet Rex, ready to tell the most embarrassing of stories to his brother.

He looked over to Fives, leaning back on his hands.

“Our General over here is terrified of water.” He mused, recalling a specific memory, “On one of our first missions together, we were sent to a swampy planet. The General had us all fooled at first,” He paused, snickering at the displeased expression on your face, “The second a frog swam by, she was screaming and jumping into my arms. Jesse almost blasted the poor thing to bits!”

“Rex!” You exclaimed, throwing the damp rug at him, “You promised not to tell anyone!”

Rex sputtered as the cloth hit him square in the face, launching it into the air in retaliation. “Fives isn’t just anyone! Am I right or am I right?”

Fives looked between the two of you, his brows raised in shock and his eye looking much better.

“General? I’m not just anyone, I’m your favourite ARC Trooper!” He shook his head, pressing a hand to his chest. “I can’t believe you!”

Before you could deny his words or assure him, Rex was already stood by you.

“See General? You hurt his feelings.”

“N- No I didn’t! Fives you are my favourite, just don’t tell anyone, alright?” You pleaded, attempting your best puppy eyes yet. Your attempts faltered as he shook his head, feigning a hurt look.

“I’m not sure, General. You’ll have to make it up to me somehow,” He paused, exchanging mysterious looks with Rex.

“How can I make it up to you?”

“Oh I don’t know.. I’ll have to get back to you on that.” He retorted, pouting at you. Sometimes you forgot just how childish the man could be. You clutched the empty water bottle in your hand, readying it as your next weapon for Rex.

Turning towards him, a fake scowl twisted your expression.

“Don’t look at me like that, General, it’s a waste of a pretty face.” He quickly said, shielding his face as you raised the water bottle. Before it could leave your hands voluntarily though, a pair of arms wrapped around your waist.

“H- Huh?” A gasp left your lips as your body was swiftly rotated and slung over Fives’ shoulder like a sack of rations. That man really harboured more strength in those biceps than you knew. “Fives? What are you doing?”

“I’m having you repay me! Starting now!” He exclaimed and began moving. Rex moved to his side, keeping in step with Fives. Your eyes widened as the sunbed slowly moved further and further, becoming a distant promise of safety and comfort as salty waves made contact with Fives’ feet.

“Fives! L- Let me go! Please!” Your voice was reaching new peaks, rising higher and higher as you began kicking your legs. “I- I can’t swim!” You continued, lightly hitting his back.

His steps began to slow. You held your breath, leaning your head as far from the water as possible.

“You can’t swim? Are you serious or are you bullshitting me, General?” He asked, looking towards Rex, who only gave him a shrug of his shoulders.

“I promise! Please, please, please don’t go any further.” You pleaded once more, looking over to Rex too. Your hands were clasped together, as if you were praying to the two men. He exchanged glances with Fives, wordlessly communicating.

Rex looked over to you, pursing his lips.

“What’s holding y’guys up?” Hardcase shouted, coming closer and closer. “And since when did the General go into water that isn’t a part of her refresher?” He asked, coming to a stop with the three of you.

“Hardcase! You know I can’t swim! Help me, please!” You began kicking your feet again, leaning your head to the side. Your hands pushed against Fives’ back, attempting to heave yourself off.

His grip on you only tightened, and a squeak was forced from your chest as his palm squeezed your thigh.

“The General is a worse swimmer than me! At her level she isn’t even a swimmer, she’s a sinker!” He exclaimed, pointing to himself, Fives’ shoulders shook as a small laugh escaped him. You could feel the blood rushing to your cheeks, setting your skin aflame.

“Fine, I’ll let you go, but only ‘cause I trust Hardcase.” His voice was gruff as he lifted your body, slowly placing you in the water. Goosebumps attacked your skin once more, but this time from the chilling cold that encased you. Looking up, Fives wore a grin that challenged that of the cheshire cat. “You should see yourself, General. You look like an angry loth cat.” He said, pinching your cheek with one hand as the other rested on your waist, his hold firm but gentle, his thumb caressing your waist in small, centred circles.

Swatting his hand away, you looked back down to the water. It rested just below your hips but would venture higher up as the waves moved back and forth.

“D’you wanna go further?” Fives asked, his voice much closer now. Looking around, you noticed that Rex and the others had moved further into the water, where it now reached their chests.

Shaking your head, you turned back to Fives. “I can’t swim, plus I don’t have the same height advantage as you,” You paused, pointing to the others, “I’d be under water where they are now.”

A soft chuckle escaped his lips, crows’ feet tugging at the outer corners of his eyes. Your hands rose to his chest, steadying yourself as a rogue wave lifted your feet off the ground.

“C’mon, you can sit on my shoulders? I’m sure the others would be more than happy to have you around.” He asked, giving your waist a faint squeeze.

You took a moment to think over his proposition. Sure, being on his shoulders would mean you get to, mostly, stay out of the water. But what if you fell off? You cringed at the thought of water invading your nose, burning your windpipe and choking you from the inside out.

“I- I don’t know…” You paused.

Slowly, you looked up, your breath hitching in your throat. He was already watching you, admiring the tiny expressions you made as you watched his brothers. There was this smitten look resting across his face, as if you were the prettiest little thing he’s ever seen.

His face was so close, his body slightly brushing against your own. His scent invaded your senses, so much so you could almost taste it on the tip of your tongue.

The sunlight reflected in his eyes, outlining the different shapes and shades as if you were looking into a kaleidoscope. His irises had this gorgeous colour of warm honey, and they sparkled like a pair of amber crystals under the soft sunrays.

His skin glowed under the warmth, the rich olive colour becoming tanner the longer he sat outside of his armour, making Fives look healthier and happier. All of the men, in fact. Though their armour kept them safe and sound, you couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of them. They were in their zone.

Fives’ hand moved up to your face, his eyes concentrated on a stray piece of hair. The soft smile kept playing at his lips, never fully going but never fully staying.

There was a tension in his jaw, however, as his fingers toyed with your hair. It was like he was holding something back.

He moved the strand away, gently tucking it behind your ear, as best as it would go anyway.

“You’re gorgeous, cyar’ika.” His words came out as a whispered prayer, his gaze so tender and loving as he caressed your cheek with his knuckles.

It was as if your brain short-circuited again; his words dropped on you like a heavy boulder, so sudden, and yet your heartbeat was now racing a thousand miles per hour. Your breath was caught in your throat, and your mouth suddenly felt dry. Was this normal? Were you panicking or were you blushing? Were you going crazy? What was happening?

“F- Fives…” You whispered, your grip on his chest tightening. You never expected those words to come from him, or anyone at all. They weren’t meant for you. But if so, why did they make you so happy? So ecstatic and why did he make you swoon so hard?

He leaned his face a tad closer, just enough for you to feel his breath fanning over your lips.

You could feel his warmth, it was comparable to the sun itself. It rode in your veins, it had your blood bubbling up in excitement the longer he looked at you. You were just a small planet orbiting his sun, being pulled in closer and closer until all you could feel was the heat and the burn of him.

His tongue darted out to lick at his bottom lip, ridding it of dryness and discomfort.

But that small action had you going wild, feral even.

In that split moment, your gaze flickered to his lips. For a man who spent the majority of his life on a battlefield, his lips sure looked plump and made just for kissing.

It was like you were gravitating towards him, like a comet curve-balling around his planet, entangling around his soul and burning brightly at each twist and pull. His hold on you had your legs melting, as if you were nothing but a shard of ice, being thawed away at by his warm touch and sweetly whispered nothings.

His hand tilted your jaw, just enough for your lips to rest an inch from his. Any closer, and you’d be kissing, melting into one another.

Before either of you could do more, say more, the distant voice of Hardcase called out to you.

“Are you two comin’ or what?!” He shouted, cupping his mouth with both hands.

You jolted in your spot, effectively snapping out of whatever spell the man before you had cast on you. Clearly, he had been put under a spell too as his hands retracted and his posture stiffened.

“We’re on our way!” He shouted back, waving Hardcase off. His attention quickly returned to you, but the spell was now gone.

A lump formed in your throat, and you swallowed it down with struggle.

Uncertainty and fear tugged at your heartstrings, and Fives knew exactly what that meant.

“G- General-“

“I need to go.” Your voice was meek and shallow as you retracted from his touch, as if he left your skin with painful burns and sears wherever his fingertips touched. “Alone.” You continued, placing a hesitant palm on his chest as Fives attempted to follow you.

This couldn’t be happening.

With your back turned to him and your figure disappearing into the distance, Fives couldn’t help but curse under his breath. His lips slightly agape, he stood in the same spot you left him in just moments ago.

How could he have ruined everything in such a short amount of time?

I accidentally Disney-fied crosshair 😭

This isn’t even my style 😭 like what?!

He looks so cute 😭

I actually wanted to draw crosshair and Batcher like this 🥹 imagining crosshair as a musician is giving me butterflies. His long fingers are screaming to touch a piano 🎹

𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬

Commander Fox x F!Reader Fox is a meticulous man. He doesn’t do things for ‘the sake of it’. So why couldn’t you tell the meaning of his words now? Word Count: 2,133 Warnings: Mild swearing, angst, mean to sad Fox. A/N: This came to me an hour ago and I needed to write it or else I'd be biting my pillow :( I hope whoever reads this will enjoy it <33

Fox is mean. Fox is rude. He’s rude, but in such a way that one can’t counter. Fox is a meticulous man. He doesn’t do things for ‘the sake of it’. No. Each word and action has meaning to it. Usually you prided yourself on being able to read his mind, understand his tactics. So why couldn’t you tell the meaning of his words now?

“It’s over. Don’t try to contact me again.” Were his words as he sipped on some whiskey neat. He looked so relaxed, so nonchalant as he destroyed a year-long relationship. But even as his words tore through you, he couldn’t look you in the eye. He didn’t respect you enough to even look at you as he ripped your love for him apart.

“But what about-“

“I’ll come by tomorrow to pick my things up,” He quickly interrupted, intent on silencing you, “It’s about time I did this. I don’t see this relationship working out… In the long-term. You’re fun, but you can’t give me what I need.” He continued, eyeing the golden liquid with a stern gaze and furrowed brows.

His words cut through like broken shards of glass. They dug into your skin, cutting and tearing with practised precision. He was aiming for where it hurt, straight for your heart.

“You’ve got nothing to say?” He asked, finally looking up from his glass. That meant something, but what? You couldn’t tell. Not anymore. “Good. I’ll see you there, two PM sharp.”

“Okay.” You uttered out, looking down at your lap as you reached for your handbag.

“Okay? That’s it?” He prodded with a raised brow. Your reaction set off sparks in his brain, his neurons working hard to convey the confusion from a mental level to a physical one. He expected you to cry, to beg him to stay, to question why he was doing this. He almost felt betrayed by your lack of response.

His body was rigid, shoulders stiff as he remained glued to his seat. The movement of his glass had stopped, his hand resting flat against the table in between the two of you.

It took you a moment to collect your thoughts, to swallow down the flickering, burning pain of your heart shattering.

“I’m… I’m sure you have a reason,” You spoke slowly, carefully, rising from your seat with wobbly legs, “I just don’t wanna hear it. See you later, Commander.” Your words were quiet, meek, as you walked away without sparing another glance at him.

Fox was the one who broke up with you. He was the one who tossed you aside like a used tissue. So why, as you walked further and further away, did his chest hurt and his fingers itch to reach out for you?

Three precise knocks on your door interrupted your holofilm. You were currently laying on your sofa, mindlessly watching your favourite romcom. The events of last night replayed like a broken tape, Fox’s voice replaying like a broken record, and your heart twisting and breaking like a broken toy.

You cried on your way home, you cried as you showered, you cried as you fell asleep. You were hoping it was all a dream, that your darling commander would reassure you, tell you it was ‘just a shitty nightmare’, but deep down you knew it wasn’t.

With a heavy sigh and a heavy heart, reluctantly, you abandoned the comfort of your sofa and made your way over to the front door.

The sooner you let him in, the sooner he would leave.

The soft ‘click’ of your door and the gentle breeze that pushed its way into your apartment had your heart racing and your gut twisting. Bile rose up into your throat as he came into view.

Your gaze remained trained just below his face, centred on his chest. He was wearing the hoodie you had gifted him with. What was the point? Was he doing this just to antagonise you? The sweet and caring Fox you knew was gone, replaced by this complete son of a bitch.

“Hi.” His voice came out sweetly, softly as you opened the door far enough to let him in. You were very eager to slam the wooden structure in his perfectly awful face.

But instead, you turned away, making your way back to your sofa and fuzzy blanket.

“Come in.” You threw over your shoulder, settling into your makeshift comfort.

You retrieved your TV remote, and turned to him one last time.

“Feel free to roam around and get anything of yours. If you need help, or can’t find something, just ask.” And with a soft click, the sound of your favourite holofilm filled the otherwise silent space of your apartment.

All Fox said in response was ‘Okay’ before he got to work, carrying two empty cardboard boxes inside.

He headed into your bedroom first, much to your relief. You really did not want to see him.

Tears crept at the edges of your waterline, tickling and teasing as you attempted to focus solely on the film. But you couldn’t help yourself, and soon after you tuned into the muffled shuffles of Fox moving around your room.

Just a mere day prior, you would have called it your shared bedroom. When not on duty, the Commander spent most of his days at your place. The only time he wouldn’t sleep over was when he was working overnight, which wasn’t often.

Tugging your blanket closer, you dabbed at your eyes, ridding them of any evidence of crying.

But you knew Fox, and Fox knew you. When you woke up, your eyes were red, puffy and swollen. You felt the way you looked; like shit. No amount of makeup or face cleanser could wipe away the evidence of your care for him.

Fox was an observant man. He knew when something was off, no matter how well you managed to mask it. And to know he was the cause of your pain, Fox couldn’t help but cruelly indulge himself in the pain in his heart.

It was a simple fact; you were in love with the Commander of the Coruscant Guard, Commander Fox.

Commander Fox, of the Coruscant Guard, was in love with you. Enough so for his brothers to know of you. He had told them many stories, and even showed them pictures of you.

He had crept into your heart like a preying fox, stealing from your farm until all you were left with was your heart. And that, he stole too.

The sudden noise of your bedroom door opening and closing snapped you from your thoughts. Fox was awfully good at that.

He stood there, holding one of the boxes. It was filled with a few pieces of clothing you had gifted him. Clearly he wanted to hang onto those, and you wouldn’t stop him from doing so. The Chancellor did not pay the clones, you had learned soon after the beginning of your relationship with Fox. The first time you had gifted him a hoodie and some matching socks, he went mute for a whole twenty minutes. He changed out of his blacks very quickly and soon after that before showering you with gentle kisses and words of appreciation.

And now he stood there, clinging onto those few belongings like a small child. He could keep them. You wanted him to have something that belonged to him and him only.

“I-“

“I think you left some things in the bathroom too, if you wanna grab those.” You spoke softly, not even bothering to pause your movie or even glance at him.

“T- Thank you.” He stuttered out, his arrogant, nonchalant façade having faded away the night prior.

With that, he shuffled into your bathroom next, the sound of him knocking a few things over reaching your ears. Followed by a loud ‘Kriff’ before the door clicked open and closed again. That was quick.

“I’ll get going now.” He said, lifting both boxes up. With his back turned to you, you allowed yourself one glance at him.

He was wearing his favourite hoodie and a pair of black joggers. You remembered how he said they were his favourite, they allowed him to breathe easier.

The two boxes looked too large, and even though you knew he was perfectly capable of opening the door himself, you still stood up and went to aid him.

Your hand reached the doorknob just as his did, and you quickly retracted it. Your body took a screenshot, completely flinching away from him. The last thing you needed was for him to touch you, to give you a glimpse of what you loved and cherished, to take it all away and leave you wanting more.

“Sorry.” He muttered, moving away from the door to let you open it.

A soft click and a shuffle later, he was making his way out. With his back turned once more, you allowed yourself one final glance. His curly, overgrown hair was your favourite. White streaks decorated the locks throughout, starting at his root and some ending at the tips.

You loved his hair.

Your fingers itched to reach out, to ruffle and tug at it one last time.

Slowly, he placed the boxes down and turned back around.

Unlike his appearance, his gaze pierced right through you. Fox was a meticulous man. He didn’t do anything without a plan.

“Still have nothing to say to me?” He asked, half expectant, half wary.

Your eyebrows furrowed, and your grip on the doorknob tightened. He sure had a lot of attitude for being the one that broke up with you.

“Excuse me?”

“I know you’ve got something to say,” He paused, his gaze flickering down to the floor, “You always do.” He whispered that last part, almost affectionately, as he looked back up at you.

He looked tired. His eyes were droopy, and his hand twitched at his side, fighting not to drag over his face tiredly. Did he get any sleep? Why did you care? He made sure that that couldn’t be a concern of yours any longer.

“Not really, no.” You said, looking to the door.

“Oh, okay.” He replied, pursing his lips.

The air between you had become cold, and yet somehow stuffy as the two of you stared at each other. “I guess I’ll be going then.. See you around.” He said, turning his back and bending over. You watched him, glued to your spot. There was one question nagging at the back of your head, threatening to spill over the tip of your tongue.

As he took a step away, you followed, until you could stand outside of your doorway.

“Wait.”

He turned around, one eyebrow raised.

“I have a question. Only one.”

“And it’s?” He prodded. His heartbeat was loud in his ears, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he waited. Only you could have him feeling so desperate, so eager, to hear your voice, to listen to your line of thought and questions.

“Was… Was it ever real? Us, I mean.” You asked, hugging yourself. You finally did what you couldn’t do since last night; look into his eyes.

His irises reminded you of warm honey. Soft and sweet, sticky and dense with secrets and cultivated thoughts.

He took a long pause, his eyes searching yours.

You couldn’t rip your eyes from his, and bile rose in your throat once more as he took longer to reply. Maybe he wasn’t even sure what to say. Maybe he wasn’t prepared to answer this question. Maybe he never thought he’d have to-

“Yes. I loved you from the very beginning, and I love you now. I’ll always love you,” He paused, his Adams apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed harshly, “But I can’t be with you.” Not if I want to keep you safe, he thought.

“I see.” You replied, and with a heavy heart, you half turned, propping your door open.

“Goodbye then, Commander.” You uttered, leaning your head against the doorframe.

“Goodbye, cyar’ika.”

With that, you turned on your heel and shut the door behind you.

Fox stood there for a moment, watching the wooden structure as he listened to the sound of you locking the door. Followed by a thump, as you leaned on it and slid down.

Tears pricked at his waterline, salty and unforgiving as he listened to your mellow sobs and hiccups.

Fox was a meticulous man. He never did anything simply for ‘the sake of it’. That’s why he had to do this, to keep you safe.

But he’d be back.

He would be back for you, he would keep you safe and earn your forgiveness, love and trust back.

He would be back for you, once this was all over.