Excellent Use Of Free Will If I Say So Myself

excellent use of free will if I say so myself

Lighting The Way To Your Heart (LDE24)

For @rinwritesfics as part of the @cloneficgiftexchange 🎄🎁

This is the first fic gift exchange I'm participating in, so I'm a tad nervous (for real, I am very nervous). I couldn't help adding some mistletoe to this Life Day story; hopefully it didn't become too much of a cliche, but I hope the loads of fluff make up for it. I'll stop rambling please go read now and enjoy! <3

Summary: After Omega provides a little nudge into the right direction, you and Echo find yourselves in an illuminating situation Rating: Teen and up (SFW) Tags: fluff, love confessions, friends to lovers, romance, kissing, Christmas/Life Day Words: 5.058 Pairing: TBB Echo x fem!reader Prompts: “I thought you were just being nice” / Friends to lovers, one’s oblivious (reader) and the other’s a denier (Echo) Read this one-shot here on AO3

“Alright, easy now,” Echo said patiently as Omega steered the Marauder to the surface. Concentration was written all over her face as she stared through the transparisteel viewport in front of them, her hands firmly on the ship’s controls. With a slight thud - less smooth than Tech would have liked, but Echo definitely noticed her progress -, she landed the ship on the ground. She sat completely still, holding her breath, as if the next challenge was awaiting.

Instead, Echo turned towards her with an affectionate smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes, giving away how proud he was. “You’re getting better with each try,” he said with a warm voice, resulting in a deep exhale from Omega as she leaned back into the pilot’s chair and finally started relaxing. Echo couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

“You’re doing great, Omega,” he tried reassuring her, before pressing some buttons to shut off the engines and the controls. “I just hope Tech thinks the same. He said he’d teach me some of his moves if I mastered landing before Life Day,” Omega sighed, a worrisome expression on her face. Gently, Echo put his hand on her shoulder, turning her attention towards him. “You shouldn’t worry about it. In the pace you’re making progress, you’ll best Tech at his own moves in no time,” he comforted her, and he noticed how the enthusiasm returned to her bright eyes.

Omega jumped from her seat, jolting towards the boarding ramp to exit the ship, but Echo didn’t make any preparations to leave just yet. His mind wandered back to Omega’s words, lingering on a certain holiday she mentioned. “Speaking of Life Day..,” he started slowly, resulting in Omega skidding to a halt, “Do you think, er- She will like it if.. If we decorate the place?”

The girl’s shoe soles made a squeaking sound when she turned on her heels on the durasteel floor, skipping back to him. She appeared at his side with such energy that it startled him. “Are you kidding? She’ll love it!” she shot at Echo, a newfound enthusiasm radiating from her face. Echo huffed in a mixture of surprise and amusement, looking at the beaming face beside him. “Are you sure about that?”

Forgetting all about her eagerness to tell the others about her flight lesson, Omega climbed back into the pilot’s seat and turned it around to face Echo. She had never been more ready for this conversation. “She told me how much she likes Life Day. No wait, she doesn’t like it; she loves it. I think she would be disappointed if we didn’t decorate,” she shared with Echo with such speed, he wondered if she even took a breath in between sentences.

The flustered look on his face made Omega giggle as she rolled back in her seat. She had never seen Echo react like this before, and it made her suspicious. She needed to get to the bottom of this. “Why did you ask?” she informed casually, watching Echo closely so she wouldn’t miss the slightest change in his expression or demeanour.

He shifted in his seat, frowning his eyebrows; it took him just a moment too long to come up with a straight answer. “I thought, er- I wanted to know if we should decorate or not,” came his slightly uncertain answer. Omega leaned towards him, a smug smile briefly adorning her face before she continued. “Then why did you specifically ask if she would like it?”

The furrowing of his brows deepened, his eyes briefly twitching. “I-I just, er.. It’s because I.. Because I appreciate her,” he stammered, and to Omega, he couldn’t have been more obvious about the matter. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Echo, her lips slowly sliding into an amused smirk. “Do you like her?” came her more direct question.

For a very brief moment, and she almost missed it, his eyes filled with panic, before he shot her a confused look; why would she ask such a thing? “Of course I like her. I like all of you. It takes something to stick around with the lot of you,” he grumbled softly, but he granted her a genuine smile anyway. But it wasn’t enough to satisfy Omega.

“Do you like-like her?” she continued, heeding little serious attention to his previous explanation. It made him scoff, accompanied by a wild gesture with his scomp. “What is that supposed to mean?” Omega rolled her eyes; could she be more obvious with her questioning? “Well, do you have feelings for her?” She leaned a bit further towards him, her body tense from anticipation.

The brief moment of silence that followed was almost deafening. Echo stammered before he finally found the questionable words: “Feelings like..?” It made Omega grunt in frustration, throwing her head back before gesturing towards him. “Really, Echo? You’re never lost for words around her? She doesn’t make your head spin? Like your legs feel weak?” He looked at her with a straight face, not a glimpse of mockery on it, as he replied. “My legs are very strong, actually.”

Omega pressed her lips in a thin line to share how unamused she was. “I thought you might have had some more experience, but you’re as bad as the rest of them,” she spoke accusingly, and now it was Echo’s time to shoot her an unamused look in return. She ignored it in order to continue her interrogation. “So answer this: does she give you a warm feeling when she’s near, or when you think about her? What does she make you feel?”

Without uttering a word, Echo leaned his head back against the headrest, closed his eyes and pictured you. You had so much love and care to give, always ready to jump forward when anyone was in need of help. Ready to aid any physical needs, like wounds or damaged armour, but you were also there whenever someone needed some words of encouragement or affirmation. Your lively eyes, the little lights that danced in them whenever you looked at him. And your smile.. The mere thought of your affectionate smile made his stomach churn, but in a surprisingly comfortable way.

Slowly, Echo opened his eyelids, blinking them a few times to return to reality. “She gives me a strange sensation in my stomach,” he confessed softly, and he immediately felt how a warm feeling reached his cheeks. Omega shot forward in her chair instantly. “Butterflies!” she cried out, almost falling from the seat in her enthusiasm, “Those are butterflies!”

Echo could only huff in disagreement. “I’m pretty sure they’re not, Omega,” he said under his breath, but she heard him alright. “It’s a figure of speech, Echo. It means you’re in love!” she shot at him, grinning from ear to ear, whilst folding her arms to conclude the matter. But Echo was not ready to draw conclusions yet. “I am not,” he grunted softly, turning his head away from her in a failed attempt to hide the blush on his cheeks from her.

“You most definitely are,” she continued the bantering with a raised eyebrow, resulting in a deep sigh coming from Echo before he turned towards her again. “Omega, don’t be silly,” he said to her, but she wouldn’t have the derogatory words he was using. She pointed an accusing finger at him as she spoke her mind. “No, you’re being silly here. Don’t deny what’s right in front of you!” Her directness and seriousness startled him. “And what do you think I should do about it?” he sighed at last, finally giving in to her suspicions.

The smug expression returned to her face. “You’ve come to the right person. I have the perfect plan, and as a matter of fact, it involves Life Day decorating. So listen up..”

---

It had taken most part of the day to complete the on-planet supply run. Which was strange, because the members of Clone Force 99 were usually way more efficient. Wrecker would get distracted from time to time, but never before would he dawdle like he did today. He had stopped at nearly every stall or booth, pointing out to you what he liked, asking you what your favourite items were, even involving Hunter in the conversations. Tech would occasionally pause to interact with his datapad, which wasn’t a rare occurrence at all, but usually he was able to focus on it whilst walking. Even Hunter acted dubiously; where he’d normally make you all hurry and keep the group together, he seemed to have all the time in the galaxy today.

It was rather suspicious, but you didn’t let your mind linger on it. The lot of you had acquired everything you needed, which was most important, and were now heading back towards the Marauder, where Echo and Omega were waiting for you. You caught yourself feeling excited at the thought of returning to the ship. Maybe it had to do with earlier today, when you had been surprisingly disappointed when Echo had volunteered to stay behind with the ship; you always enjoyed your talks together in between missions, and supply runs seemed like the perfect opportunity for those. You tried staying behind with him, but Wrecker had been so stoked to explore the nearby town with you; you didn’t have the heart to let him down.

But now that you were nearing the ship, a strange feeling of anticipation filled your body, and you couldn’t hide the smile on your face when you finally laid eyes on the Marauder again. Hunter reported the group’s arrival over the internal comm channel, and it didn’t take long before Omega came jolting from the boarding ramp - wearing the biggest smile on her face. You laughed when she reached you, her enthusiasm being contagious in the best possible way.

“Omega, what is it?” you laughed affectionately at her, as she twirled around you. When she finally halted, she reached for your hand and took it in hers, slightly tugging it to make you follow her. “We have something to show you!” she shot out in excitement, whilst pulling you along in all her haste. You complied willingly, following her behind as you were overtaken by curiosity and wonder. “We?” you chuckled, trying to slow her down to a speed that was more common for a casual walk, but she wouldn’t let you. In her eyes, this was nothing like a casual walk.

“Yes, me and Echo!” she elaborated in all her enthusiasm, just when the both of you reached the Marauder’s boarding ramp. With anticipation radiating from her face and her big eyes filled with expectancy, she looked up at you when she finally let go of your hand. Curious and a little bit nervous, not knowing what to expect after all the excitement, you walked the ramp. You had assumed Omega was right behind you, but you hadn’t noticed how she had stopped following you. Grinning, she watched you reach the ship's entrance. And when you glanced inside the Marauder, you instantly forgot about everything else in the whole wide galaxy.

The interior of the ship was filled to the brim with lights. A wide variety of different kinds; big and small, from spare indicator lights to a dimmed multispectrum searchlight. Glowrods were giving off soothing gleams and from activated glitter-lits came iridescent glowing. There was white and slightly yellow lighting, but as your gaze slid over the premises, you started noticing an ocean of different colours. You didn't even know all those spare parts had been stuffed away onboard the Marauder.

Without realising, you had walked up to the centre of the ship, where you were surrounded by all the captivating lights. You extended your arm to touch one of the little lights, but when you did, you noticed how the lights formed a mosaic of colours on your skin and sleeve. In awe, you slowly waved your arm around, turning your hand and letting your fingers dance to see how the mosaic kept changing with every movement. You felt a surge of warmth wash through your body; the lights and colours made you feel cosy and secure. It made you feel at home. With a content hum, you spun around as your eyes wandered the illuminated scene again and again, until they landed on Echo.

Echo.

You had been so immersed in the magical spectacle, you had forgotten about anything else. Only now you noticed Omega hadn’t accompanied you aboard the Marauder, and only in this moment did you realise Echo had been inside all along. He must have seen your amazement, the wonder on your face as you beheld the scene unfold around you, your gentle movements when you danced with the lights.

And he had, and he was mesmerised by you. If his earlier conversation with Omega hadn’t convinced him, this moment had. Here you stood in front of him, more breathtaking than ever, showing your true self in a moment of pure beauty and innocence. He was grateful you hadn’t noticed him immediately, for otherwise you might not have blessed him with this sight. He quickly closed his mouth after his jaw had dropped, swallowing as he awaited your next move.

With eyes wide open, you blinked a few times as you watched him standing inside the cockpit, briefly averting his gaze from yours whilst awkwardly shifting on his feet. When you regained yourself, you wrapped your hand around the other and pressed them both against your chest to show your profound gratitude. “Echo, did you two.. Did you do this for me?” you asked him softly in disbelief, and despite it being a question, your voice was already full with excitement and appreciation.

Very slowly, you started to shuffle towards him, closing the gap between the two of you with every step you took. Echo mustered the courage to look you in the eyes again, and when he did, he noticed how all the little lights reflected in them, making your eyes dance - just the way you had done yourself, only moments ago. The sight made him feel like the air was being knocked from his lungs, resulting in a surge of incoherent words flowing from his lips. “Yes, we, er- We know h-how much you like Life Day, so I- we thought, you know..,” he managed to stammer all flustered, his eyes darting around nervously.

You nearly melted on the spot; you couldn't believe they had gone through all this trouble just for you. And now you understood the inefficiency of today's supply run; the others had been stalling, granting Echo and Omega all the time they needed to decorate the ship’s interior. “Echo, I.. I'm lost for words, actually,” you murmured with an amused huff from disbelief, allowing your eyes to slowly wander the ship’s interior again. You were still slowly walking towards Echo, unaware how his heartbeat rose with every step that made you get closer to him.

And when you finally reached him, you nearly bumped into him as you were still looking around in awe. You apologised, smiling up at him, and suddenly noticed how oddly he was behaving; he almost seemed nervous to be around you. You had never seen him like this before; he was usually so confident and fearless. This sensitive side of him was completely new to you.

As your gaze continued sliding upwards, you noticed a very specific plant dangling from the ship’s durasteel ceiling just above him. You couldn’t believe your eyes; were they playing a trick on you? “Wait, is that.. Is that a mistletoe?” you asked with a gasp of anticipation, the lights in your eyes starting to dance again as you locked eyes with Echo. He coughed softly, before starting to explain: “I-I think so. Omega said it wa-”

You didn’t give him the chance to finish his sentence. You lunged towards him, closing the last gap between the two of you, and placed your lips on his. You felt his breath shudder against your lips as you closed your eyes, indulging yourself in the moment. And Echo let you; those were the rules of the mistletoe, after all. It was supposed to be a quick, fun moment.

But a strange feeling erupted deep down in your belly, growing stronger as long as your lips were connected. It warmed your body, creating a smouldering sensation that was a mixture of nervousness and longing. A haze in your head made it hard to think clearly; was this taking longer than the usual mistletoe kiss? Were you supposed to withdraw by now?

Echo wasn’t retreating either. So instead, you took it up a notch. Slowly, and almost without thinking, your hands slipped over his shoulders behind his neck, pulling him closer towards you. His reaction made your heart rate rise; gently and with the utmost care, he wrapped his arms around your waist, softly pressing your body against his. The smouldering sensation evolved into something more fiery, like the way a spark ignited a fire. And so did the soft, sweet mistletoe kiss.

Burning with desire, you parted your lips, inviting him to do the same, to explore each other as you kept kissing eagerly, your soft lips brushing against his rougher ones. Tender, slow kisses growing into something more needy, something you didn’t know you had been longing for. His grasp around you tightened, but in the most delicate way; like he was holding the most precious thing in the galaxy. Careful, to hold it dear, to not let it fall apart.

Your breath caught in the back of your throat as soon as you realised what you were doing; mistletoes were supposed to be a fun, quick thing without any serious meaning, right? Nothing more. Then why did it make you feel this way? Why did it evoke so many pleasant emotions? And why didn’t you want this to stop? Wait, what was happening?

In a moment of panic, you abruptly pulled away from his grasp, taking a few hesitant, wavering steps back. You noticed the expression of shock on Echo's face, and it almost felt like disappointment; but you didn't take the time to think about it due to your own confused feelings. “I-I’m so sorry, I, er- I slightly overdid that,” you stammered, excusing yourself for your intrusive behaviour, looking around disorientated. Why was it suddenly so hot inside the ship? And why were your legs shaking?

With a newfound courage, Echo grabbed your shoulders in order to get you back into reality. His face was suddenly close again, but his soft features were calming you. You felt safe with him. “Breathe,” he said with his warm, reassuring voice, grounding you on the spot. You felt how your shoulders relaxed in an instant, how your legs regained themselves and how your breathing returned to a normal pace.

“Echo, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-” you started explaining, but he cut you off whilst squeezing your shoulders and looking deep into your eyes. “Well, I did,” he interrupted you, and the sudden determination in his voice startled you. Your chest started heaving from rising anticipation. “What.. what do you mean?” you managed softly, whilst unknowingly getting closer to him again. As if he attracted you like a magnet. “Listen, I.. It’s when.. You make me..,” Echo stammered, searching for the right words. The right words to make you understand what you meant to him.

But he was a soldier; an ARC trooper, for karking out loud. He had been a skilled trooper of the GAR, completing missions with an unfound cunning and sketching battleplans to aid in the Republic’s success. He was never trained to express his feelings. But Omega’s earlier words echoed through his muddled mind, clearing a path for him. She had encouraged him to speak his mind, to describe what you made him feel. How he felt for you. Honesty was the pillar of any relationship, after all - being platonic or romantic. You’d both figure out where to go from here, as long as he was being honest with you.

“Echo, what’s wrong?” you whispered to him, your voice full with concern because he didn’t finish his sentence. It wasn’t like him to get flustered. He even looked like he was absent; a sense of deep thoughts clouding his eyes. His gaze shot back to you as soon as you addressed him, and for a moment, you thought you noticed a glimmer in his eyes. “I’m- Just- Please.. Please hear me out,” he stammered softly. He took a deep, shaky breath, closing his eyes for a moment before he looked straight at you again. The corners of your mouth curled in the slightest of smiles when you noticed the brightness in his eyes had returned.

He wet his lips before starting to explain himself, his eyes getting brighter with every confession he made. “You.. You give me a warm feeling. A feeling of.. Of belonging. A place where I feel at home. Like I matter in this galaxy; like I make a difference. You make me feel unique, like I’m one of a kind. You’re making me feel sharp during missions, when it matters, and when it doesn’t.. You make me feel appreciated anyway.”

His gaze slid away from yours for a very brief moment, still searching for words as he clearly wasn’t finished yet. And at last, he chuckled softly and found your eyes again. “I don't even mind the rain when you're around,” he whispered, and his lips slid into the most affectionate smile.

For a moment, all you could do was stare back into his bright, golden eyes, as they were shining with his love and affection for you. They were like gateways to his soul; opening up to you, pouring down his feelings upon you like water flowing from a waterfall. And in that very moment, you felt like you were floating, as he shared his most vulnerable and sensitive feelings with you.

Only when he gently touched your hand as it hung slightly shaking beside your body, you returned to reality. You let out the deep breath you were holding in, looking at him with watery eyes. “Echo, I.. I thought you were just being nice!” you managed at last, a shaky chuckle coming from your lips as you tried relaxing after all the build-up of emotions. He looked at you in all seriousness, but with eyes ever so kind. “I’d like to think I was being nice there,” he smiled at you, and with a genuine laugh, you landed a hand on top of his chest. “That’s way more than being nice, Echo,” you replied, your lips sliding into an amused smirk.

He took it as an invitation to gently place his hand on top of yours, as you still held it on his chest. He closed it off with his scomp, gently pressing your hand against his chest, as if he was trying to get you closer to his heart. You felt his heartbeat quickening before you realised yours was doing the same. His touch sent a sensational shudder through your own body, and searching for the right words to respond to his confession, you started to open your mouth. But his deep sigh made you swallow those words. “Kriff, I think my legs are feeling weak,” Echo said under his breath, his earlier conversation with Omega unknown to you.

“Do you.. Do you need to sit down?” you asked him softly, a sudden wave of concern washing over you. But he instantly eased you with a smile and a little tilt of his head. “Only if you’ll sit with me,” he said to you, his voice warm and welcoming, and you responded by tenderly placing your free hand on his cheek. “Of course. Anything for you,” you whispered at the same time, and you felt him exhale against the palm of your hand as he leaned into your touch.

He gently waved his arm around, gesturing towards the chairs in the cockpit to offer you a seat. You walked forwards, your hand sliding from his cheek to his shoulder, squeezing it for a moment as you passed him. He followed you right behind and only sat himself down after you had taken your seat. “This wasn't supposed to be about me,” he murmured to himself whilst briefly shaking his head. You managed to put a smile back on his face with your next words: “What if.. What if we make this about us?”

Very gently, you put your hand on his knee and leaned forward, looking at him with a serious look on your face. “Echo, did you mean all those words?” He sat upright instantly, straightening his spine in a way to show both his sincerity and integrity. “Of course I did. I would never lie to you,” he said with the determination you were used from him. Your lips slid into an affectionate smile and it softened his features instantly. “I, er- I’ve been a di’kut. I think I’ve had feelings for you for a while now, but I just.. I didn’t know what they meant. I didn’t know how to handle them. I’m just a simple soldier, you know,” he continued his confession, unable to resist your affection any longer.

Due to all the emotions, you hadn’t been able to speak your mind just yet. But now that you both had been able to catch your breaths, it was time to start sharing how you felt. “You’re not just a simple soldier, Echo. You're so much more. You're skilled and talented, you're caring and galant. You keep this squad sharp, and you're such an inspiration to them, to Omega. And to me. You are one of a kind, Echo.”

Now it was his time to look at you with blinking eyes, mouthing some silent words. Your face started to feel warm from his stare, and you shyly averted your gaze. But he caught you in the middle of your movement; your chin cupped in his hand, he gently guided your gaze back to his. “Does that.. Does that mean you, er- You feel the same about me?” he asked carefully, his eyes narrowing and an expectant frown covering his forehead.

His question was far from a surprise, but it still startled you. You were grateful to the Batch for picking you up and allowing you to stay, happy you could contribute on their missions. You felt comfortable with them; your newfound family, friends you could rely on. But you never considered your relationship with any of them to evolve into something more than that. “Obviously I care deeply about you, but I.. I never really thought.. Never considered..,” you stammered softly as you searched your feelings for the truth.

Echo’s touch around your chin weakened, and he let his hand slide away from your face. But before he could retract it completely, you caught his hand in yours mid air. You weren’t going to let him slip away from you. Not before you had been completely honest with him. He swallowed audibly, the muscles in his hand tensing due to his nerves. You squeezed it reassuringly, allowing his muddled mind to clear a bit, making him remember Omega’s earlier words, when she tried figuring out his own feelings. “So what.. What do you feel when I'm near or when you think about me?”

A warm smile adorned your face before you closed your eyes, ready to search for the answer to his question as you still held his hand. “I feel safe, mostly. Like I don't have to worry as long as you're around. There's this feeling of.. Comfort. Like I've known you for years. As if we fit together like.. Like puzzle pieces.” Your smile widened for a moment, your lips pushing your cheeks upwards. With your eyes still closed, you didn't notice the look of affection on Echo's face as he beheld your soft features. Carefully, you stretched your free hand towards his cheek, tenderly caressing his skin once you reached him. “You make me feel whole.”

And with those words, you opened your eyes again. When you looked at him, you noticed a slightly twitching frown on his face; like he was holding back tears. You had never seen him this vulnerable before, but simultaneously, he looked like he could conquer the whole Empire. He was strong. Fierce. Invincible. With your thumb, you wiped away what looked like a tear, and with a relieved sigh, he leaned into your touch as your hand still laid on his cheek.

Softly, he placed a kiss on the inside of your hand, before he looked right into your eyes, his golden eyes reflecting all the lights inside the ship. Like a golden nebula holding an array of stars. “Then would you please be mine?” he asked you with a longing and desire that made you shudder in your seat. “There’s nothing in the galaxy I’d rather want,” you replied softly, before sliding from your chair and moving towards him, where he lifted you upon his lap so the both of you could continue your passionate kissing.

The truth was finally out and the galaxy laid wide open in front of you.

…

Epilogue

Outside the Marauder, Omega was pacing back and forth, a troubled look clouding her eyes. With a grunt, she wasn’t shy about showing her impatience. “Ugh, it’s taking so long! Maybe.. Maybe I should go check, see if everything’s alright?”

Sitting near her, his back arched against a cargo crate, Hunter sheathed his vibro-knife before sitting upright. With a focussed frown covering his face, he turned his attention towards the ship. After a very brief moment, his features softened again. “Best if you wait a little longer. I’m sure they’re figuring things out just fine,” he eased Omega’s troubled mind, before returning to his thoughts.

An affectionate smile appeared on his face when he watched Omega find something else that required her attention, granting you and Echo some more precious time together. With the war fresh on his mind and the rise of the Empire raising only more questions and concerns, Hunter was glad at least some good had come from it all.

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defnaddadoctor

5 months ago

A Familiar Melody

This ficlet was for a collaboration. This was loosely inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean world. My first kick at the can for doing an AU.

Also my OC's debut. I hope you love Arya as much as I love her.

A Familiar Melody

Rating- PG 13

Word Count- 5,374

TW- Mentions of death, implied grief, implied disappearance

Summary

A quiet night on the Maurader leads to a heartfelt reunion between Echo and a long-lost love.

____________________________________________________________

Despite all the chaos on the Marauder, Echo found solace at night on the deck listening to the rhythmic crashing of waves against the ship. The salty smell of the sea mingled with the humid air, the gentle breeze creating another calming layer to the night. His brothers were at the tavern this evening, their sister Omega sound asleep in the bunks below. The stars twinkled above him. Echo felt his eyes becoming heavy as he began to be pulled into the sound of the waves below.

He heard a voice that immediately pulled him out of the sleepiness, the voice was beautiful, alluring. Echo could recognise the melody from anywhere, it was a song from home when he was younger. He remembers the festivals Coruscant had at night and many of the children in the town trying to sneak out of their homes just to get a listen to the music in the square. He missed the music that the town had, it stopped the day that Arya went missing. Arya?… it couldn't be, he thought.

Her parents were very influential figureheads in the town. The one thing her family was known for was their music and their beautiful daughter. Arya captured the eye and hearts of many people in town, she always turned heads by her ethereal beauty and angelic voice. This included himself. She was only a year his senior. There were rumours in the town of Arya being found as an infant on the beach wrapped in a blanket of seaweed. She was believed to be a siren graced to walk the earth instead of the sea. Her long auburn hair shimmered in the sun, her eyes as blue as the sea she was rumoured to have been born from.

She was not just beautiful, she was someone with an unbelievably kind heart and bright mind. Arya would make visits to the Tapoica home for Orphans to spend time with the children and sing for them. Unfortunately, the older boys in the orphanage did the chores and oftentimes they were still out working while she visited. He remembers as a child catching glances at her, and admiring her from afar.

Echo remembers the first time their eyes met. Arya accidentally bumped into him that day, her basket full of ingredients. He felt his heart skip several beats as their hands brushed as they both knelt down to grab the contents that fell from her basket. She was apologetic, and her eyes soft, as she thanked him for his kindness. Echo found himself becoming lost in her gentle and kind gaze. After that day blossomed a beautiful unlikely friendship between the pair. They would walk side by side and would talk happily amongst themselves sharing a lot of laughs. It was not uncommon in the town for the rules of society to be looser than what they were on the mainland. So their friendship was not of concern to the others in the town, a young man and woman just enjoying the other’s company. They were teenagers at that point.

Echo remembers the last conversation they had together. Her words encouraged him to become a sailor. Her disappearance and the hole she left in his heart made that decision a lot more swift than it should have been. It was easy to admit to himself that he began to have feelings for her, but how could he not?

He remembers that day as if it happened not long ago. She was picking apples for her ailing neighbor. Her soft pink skirt paired with her embroidered corset and bodice she wore made his heart skip several beats. Her long hair flowing in the wind. She was struggling to grab one of the ripe fruits from the tree above her. Echo stood several heads taller than she was. He swiftly picked the fruit and handed it to her. Her gaze met his as she softly smiled placing the fruit in her basket. A soft ‘thank you’ fell from her lips as he feel deeper into her gaze. He was trying to igraine her face into his mind, he could not get over how lucky he was to be so close to her. Arya’s freckles were like if the stars had gently kissed her nose and cheeks, her lips were full and always wore a soft smile. He could not get over her beauty. He didn’t realize how long he had been staring.

“Echo, are you alright?” she asked softly cupping his cheek gently, her eyes beginning to fill with concern.

“Sorry, my mind was elsewhere,” he admitted rubbing the back of his neck embarrassed.

“That is more than okay, we are close to our spot anyways,” she paused, smiling at him. Arya gently grabbed his hand, “you can tell me what is on your mind and we can have a bite to eat,” she offered.

“You know I won’t say no to that,” he said, chuckling to himself. She began to chuckle softly slowly matching his pace as they continued to walk down the path.

She set down a blanket in the grasses at the high point of the island. The salty breeze filling your nose as the sound of the grass swayed in the wind with the gentle rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the rock below. The scene was truly beautiful. He looked over to Arya, who was completely relaxed with her hand gently on top of his as they ate together. Once the pair finished they often would talk until the sun began to set. As they sat on the blanket, Echo noticed how close to him she was getting

“It is truly beautiful isn’t it?” She murmured, moving to gently rest her head on his shoulder.

“It is very beautiful, but I am afraid to admit my eyes have seen something more beautiful than this Arya,” he whispered, leaning his head on top of hers.

“Really?! What could be more beautiful than this?” She asked a little confused, looking at him smiling gently waiting for his answer.

“I can think of one thing,” he murmured, just right above a whisper. As he tucked a blossom behind her ear. His touch lingered longer than what was acceptable between friends. His fingers settled on her chin. Echo was afraid he was overstepping, but she would say something, right? He had seen her turn down advancements from other men in town. Echo felt himself become very nervous as he felt his heart skip several beats. He began to try to gather the right words to say. His eyes fell to her lips, which were slightly parted. His eyes quickly moved to her gaze. He was locked in her trance.

“What would that be?” She whispered, their noses gently brushing, he did not realize how close they became. His hand cupped her jaw, he felt her breath fan against his lips. His eyes met hers, there was something different about this look in her eyes

“That would be you Arya,” he whispered, her eyes widened at this confession. Echo did not know what came over him as he closed the remaining distance pressing his lips against hers.

He shocked himself with his forwardness, he knew there would only be two ways this could end. The one ending scared him, he didn’t want to lose her. He didn’t want to ruin the best thing to happen in his life.

He started to pull away as an apology began to form on his lips. Something happened that he didn't expect. He felt her lips chase his as she chased his lips. He dreamed about what kissing her would feel like but it was far better than anything he could have imagined. Her lips were soft as they moved carefully against his. She sighed contently as his arm slid around her waist pulling her closer. The kiss was one full of nervousness yet full of love due to the feelings the pair shared for the other. They were smitten with each other.

“Echo?” she murmured against his lips.

“Yes?” he responded, chasing her lips, pressing his lips to hers again.

“There was something on your mind, I can tell,” she murmured, their lips touching still. Neither of them wanted to move away from the other.

“The only thing on my mind is you,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. His gaze was intense on her. There was a look in her eyes that he had never seen before in the three years they had been friends. The look was soft and raw, when he looked into her eyes he felt that same feeling he got when he kissed her moments ago.

He felt her lips again on his, all hesitancy was gone between the pair. Their lips moving in sync with one another. His arms tightly around her waist as her arms found their way around her shoulders. Both drawing breathy sighs from each other. Echo knew he was addicted to her, but her kiss added another layer to this addiction.

They both knew the amount of possible trouble they could get in but neither of them seemed to care. If there was scandal, it would just push what the two of them really wanted deep down sooner. That was to spend the rest of their lives together, married.

He remembers the last moments with her before they went back home the night she disappeared.

The sun began to get lower and lower as the two still talked, Echo’s head found the comfort of her lap as she gently massaged his scalp. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her.

“I am going to sail the world one day, and there is no one else that I want to take with me,” Echo whispered.

“I'd love to travel the world with you too,” she said giggling. She looked up to the horizon to see the sun begin to fall just below the rock formation in their vision. Echo noticed her panic.

“The sun is setting, we should get going back,” she murmured. A pang of disappointment coursed through him. He didn’t want this moment to end.

They both stood up, and before Arya began to walk down the hill, his hand found her waist and pulled her into another kiss. He just could not get enough of her. Little did he know that it would be the last time he kissed her. She broke the kiss as she began to laugh. It was something he did not want to forget. Her laugh was beautiful and perfect.

“We make quite the pair don’t we?” She chuckled, as she placed her head on his chest, as she hugged him tightly.

“That we do,” he whispered gently, kissing her forehead. He looked into her eyes not knowing that it would be the final time. He wanted to hell her how he felt right then and there. He should have told her how he felt.

“I will see you tomorrow,” she whispered.

The last thing he remembers was her skirt and her hair blowing in the wind as she smiled at him one more time. Her figure disappeared into the night. He felt what he wanted to say all this time.

“Arya?” He called. His heart doing somersaults in his chest.

“Yeah?” She yelled back. Her voice was distant.

“I love you,” he yelled into the trees, waiting fiercely in anticipation for her to say it back but she never did. He just thought she was too far for his voice to carry. He would just tell her the next day. He never got that chance.

The next several days were a blur as the news of her disappearance rattled the town to its core. Echo felt his heart shatter into tiny pieces as each day passed with no sign of her. Echo and her family searched for many exhausting days and nights, fishermen went out on their boats to try and find her, but as many of the residents of the island knew that sometimes the ocean called someone home, they weren’t coming back.

Echo could not get over how quickly the island went back to normal after she vanished. He started to spend a lot of the time just walking along the shore hoping to find some sign of her. In that time Echo became very close to the old fisherman on the island. They would sit and enjoy his company, but often the fisherman would share the legends of mermaids.

Echo learned that in these legends often mermaids would leave their young on the shore to be found by humans and walk among humans only for the ocean to call them home under the full moon. The fisherman mentioned the characteristics of a mermaid to Echo and it partly made sense to him. It was a possibility that his dear friend and love of his life could have been a mermaid. There were times he would just sit at the docks just looking out into the ocean.

He remembers the stormy day he went to sit out on the docks but noticed the unmistakable colour of auburn out of the corner of his eye in the water. Echo felt that hope within him burned a little brighter. He didn't think that the old fisherman would mind if he went out like he had done several times before.

Outside the bay of the island, the wake was very dangerous especially in stormy weather. The waves were powerful, enough to capsize a large ship. The trek many sailors had to make to take refuge in the bay was close to the wall of rock, closed in my shallow reefs.

Echo had the sail’s rope in one hand while controlling the rudder with the other as another wave came over the bow of the boat. It was a stupid idea for him to be out in the bay with this kind of weather. Echo knew that it would be a losing battle trying to navigate the waters now. If he capsized it would be disastrous but he didn’t care. He did not have much to live for. Arya was gone, her family turned their backs on him. Maybe death was the easy way for him to be with her again. He just needed to know that she wasn’t out there. He felt the boat begin to tip as it was swallowed by a large wave, taking him under water.

Panic overcame him as he tried to break the surface of the water just be pulled down by the current. The bruning in his lungs became to much to bear as his throat burned as the salty taste of the water overcame his taste buds. He felt his body sink to the bottom. The ocean around him was dark but he saw flecks of gold with an intense shimmer.

He recognized the auburn hair from anywhere. She found him. He reached out to her. The one thing he wasn’t expecting to feel a hand grabbing back. Echo began to panic as instead of seeing legs he saw a long and beautiful tail. Intense bursts of red on the tips of her fins moving into a soft blue and gold. It was beautiful. He felt the mermaid cup his cheek.

“Oh Echo” Arya whispered, cupping his cheek gently.

“You can breathe my love, take a breath,” she whispered, encouraging him to take a breath. He felt a sense of panic wash through him as he began to breathe underwater.

“How is this even possible?” He asked panicked, completely overrun by the fact she is here, alive, but a mermaid.

“We kissed the day I disappeared, remember?” She said blushing remembering back to that day.

“I don’t exactly remember that day, could you maybe jog my memory?” he asked, smirking. She chuckled at the antics she missed so much.

“Of course my love,” Arya whispered against his lips. This feeling was completely foreign to the pair. Arya’s long hair moving so beautifully around the pair. Her long yet powerful tail shimmered in the sun.

Echo felt her lips touch his in a soft and gentle kiss. He couldn’t believe this was happening again, she was alive. Their lips moving in a soft and gentle rhythm. He felt her hand move his arms around her waist as her hands made their way around his shoulders pulling him closer. The feeling of her kiss felt like coming home. He missed her so much, to have the opportunity to hold her in his arms again, in this moment he was the happiest man alive.

She broke the kiss and pressed her forehead to his. Her eyes were gentle, he missed her eyes. She smiled softly, “I love you Echo.”

“I guess the rumours were true then,” he said chuckling. She let out a laugh, he missed the sound of her voice.

“Arya, I have so many questions, What happened?” he asked, feeling himself become very emotional.

“I wish I could answer all of your questions my love. They will all be answered in time. I promise,” she whispered. “I love you so much Echo.”

Echo felt the sun on his face as his eyes snapped open. He doesn’t know how he got onto the beach. He began to cough and sputter trying to regain his breath. He felt something cold between his fingers and when he layed eyes on it, he knew exactly what it was. It was Arya’s silver locket she always had on. The locket weighed heavy in his hands as he opened it to find a drawing of his tucked into it. He felt his eyes water as he started at the locket more and more. All of the hope that once filled his heart became empty with sadness. He knew it was foolish to think that Arya was alive somewhere.

Echo began his walk back to the fisherman’s hut to apologize for ruining his one boat. As he heard a commotion coming from the dock. His feet began to pick up speed as he got closer to the dock. The moment he layed eyes on the fisherman, he knew he was gone. Echo’s eyes welled up with tears as he called for someone to get a doctor, he carried the man back to his home. The fisherman’s weight feeling heavier, he was still warm but there was truly no sign of life left.

It has been four years since that day on the docks. He joined a group of sailors that call themselves the bad batch a few weeks after that incident. He followed his dream of sailing the world but he spent many nights unable to sleep. The boys encouraged him to try and move on but Echo just couldn’t do it.

He feels himself getting closer and closer to the voice. Echo’s eyes fell to a figure sitting at the end of the docks, the voice became more clear than it was before. His heart skipped several beats, it was her voice. He felt the weight of her necklace weigh heavier on his neck. In that moment, Echo couldn’t control the words that fell from his lips.

“Arya? Is that you?” He asked, kicking himself for asking such a thing to a stranger. She has been missing for 4 years.

He watched the figure slowly turn their head as they slowly got up from their spot on the dock. It was a woman based off of the long hair blowing in the wind. The speckles of moonlight being sparse as two ships remained docked there in that moment.

“Echo?” The figure whispered. Echo recognized her voice almost immediately.

She slowly came closer. The light of the moon shone perfectly as it confirmed to him that it was her. The flash of her auburn hair and piercing blue eyes gave it away. Tears began to prick his vision, as his knees buckled, completely overcome with emotion. She is alive. After all this time she is alive.

He watched as she began running towards him. The distance between them diminishing at each step she took. Her skirt moving with each move. Echo finally found the strength to move again. He waited for her with his arms outstretched. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as she jumped into his arms wrapping her arms around his neck. This was really happening. His arms found their spot around her waist, hugging her tightly. Echo let out a relived sob, as she held on to him tighter. He felt her tears touch his skin. They held eachother for what seemed like an eternity but neither of them wanted to let go.

His hands gently cupped her face as he brushed away her tears with his thumbs. He just wanted to take in her beauty in this moment. Echo couldn’t truly believe it. There was one thing he wanted to do more than anything. He didn’t hesitate as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

The feeling of kissing her again was something truly magical. Her lips were as soft as he always remembered them to be. It was a desperate kiss, the kind that says how much they have missed each other, how scared they were of never seeing the other again. It was the first kiss they shared in years, and to him it was the best one yet.

His lips were pressed hard to hers as she returns the pressure and intensity of the kiss. She held him close as his arms slipped around her waist.

Echo pulled away just for a moment as he kissed her again, softer this time. Gentler. It was slow and deliberate as he felt her fingers move to the nape of his neck pulling him closer.

He did not know how long he had been kissing her, or how long she had been kissing him, but it didn’t matter. It was not enough, it could never be enough. He needed more of her. After four years of not having her by his side, he finally had her and he did not want to let go. He wanted to feel every part of her close to him, so close that he could feel her heartbeat.

She sighed contently as the kiss deepend. His hands drifted sliding down the curve of her spine until his hands were pressed to the small of her back pulling her even closer.

He knew if someone caught them it would cause quite the scandal, they were no longer at home. Neither of them seemed to care. Arya finally broke the kiss as she pressed her forehead to his. Echo felt his eyes flutter open after several moments of being a part. He missed her. He openned his eyes to see her, smiling softly at him. Her lips a little kiss swollen but he knew his would be as well.

“Y-You’re as beautiful as the day I lost you,” he whispered looking intensely into her eyes. Echo knew that he never would really belong anywhere but there was a feeling he had whenever he was with her, she felt like home. He watched as tears continued do fall from her cheeks. They stayed there for a while just finding comfort in thne other’s embrace. After four years, they were finally together again.

“Echo,” she whispered. He felt his heart flip as he forgot how good it felt to hear his name fall from her lips. “You are just as handsome as I remember,” she murmured as she pressed her lips to his cheek.

“Why don’t we sit because we have a lot of catching up to do,” she murmured against his shoulder, holding him tightly.

“That we do,” Echo said chuckling as he offered a hand to her. She accepted it as they walked back to the ship together.

The pair sat out on the deck of the ship where they spent hours catching up on everything that happened. Echo came to understand that Arya became enchanted by the moon that night she disappeared, and discovered that she was a mermaid, but she couldn’t return to land. That was until she found her pod, which he learned were a big group of mermaid families together. She met her mother, and father. Along the way she met a friend Neytine, who was enjoying her time at the tavern with one of Echo’s shipmates Crosshair. Arya admitted that she watched him from the sea days after they were looking for her. She wanted to return so badly, but she couldn’t. She also told him of the things she learned while at sea, how she followed the marauder everywhere to make sure he was safe.

“Echo is this her? The girl that you always talk about,” Omega asks. The couple snapped out of their conversation.

“Omega, you are supposed to be asleep,” Echo softly scolded her as he scooped her up in his arms.

“I was but I had a nightmare,” the little girl said sheepishly, looking down at her feet.

“Oh Echo, she is beautiful, when were you going to tell me about her?” Arya said completely taken aback by the little girl. Echo watched as a big smile came over Arya’s lips and her eyes became even brighter.

“What is your name sweetheart,” Arya asked softly, crouching to meet her height as she tucked a strand of hair behind Omega’s ear.

Omega looked up at Echo, searching for any sign of danger. Instead she found a look of pure happiness. Omega has never seen Echo this happy.

“My name is Omega, what is yours? You are very beautiful, you must be the girl he always talks about,” Omega asks as she stepped closer to Arya reaching to touch her hair.

“Is that so?” Arya asks, shooting a glance over to Echo who now stood very rigid. Arya’s smile making his heart race.

“My name is Arya, it is lovely to meet you Omega. Echo and I go way back,” she said smiling at the little girl in her arms.

“You are very pretty,” Omega said smiling.

Arya chuckled as she blushed.

“I am not as pretty as you are Omega,” Arya whispered, beaming at the child in her arms.

“That is not true, you are very beautiful. When I grow up I hope to be as pretty as you are,” she admitted.

Echo watched as the two interected with eachother. Echo couldn’t help but smile watching the love of his life interact with someone he became very protective over. Omega became like a daughter to all of the boys on the Maurauder.

Echo watched as Omega’s curiosity wore her out asking Arya all the questions she could think of. Omega slowly fell asleep on Arya’s shoulder, completely comfortable with her.

Arya was always that way. Echo remembers the day they went to the market and running into a mother who’s baby was fussing. He remembers Arya offering to help, and when Arya began gently rocking the child, she immediately soothed the infant for the mother.

“Where does she normally sleep Echo?” Arya asked snapping him out of his thoughts.

Echo showed her the bunk room as she put Omega back in her bunk, tucking her in. He watched as she kissed her forehead. The pair began to slowly leave Omega’s room.

“Arya?” Omega called quietly.

“Yes?” Arya responded quickly sitting on Omega’s bunk gently brushing some hair out of Omega’s face.

“Can you tell me a story?” she asks, her eyes tired but did not want the night to end with her new friend.

“I can think of one,” Arya responds, smiling softly at Echo.

Arya began to tell the story that Echo immediately recognized as their own. She told the story of a girl and a boy becoming close friends, how they fell in love. Before they could enjoy their life together, the girl was called back home to the sea. How the couple spent an eternity to be reunited again. He listens as she began telling of a romantic reunion between the pair. Arya’s eyes trailed over to Echo who was listening intently to her.

“Arya, is that the end?” Omega asks sleepily.

“Omega, it is only just the beginning of this story. Now, I will hopefully be able to finish this story tomorrow night.” She said winking.

“Goodnight Echo, Goodnight Arya,” Omega murmured.

“Goodnight sweetheart,” Arya whispered as she again pressed a gentle kiss to the childs forehead.

Echo did not understand why all of a sudden he was getting emotional watching as the love of his life interacted with Omega. His thoughts immediately went to the ring he still had in his trunk that he was going to propose with. Was it because he planned to meet with Arya’s father to ask for his blessing for her hand in marriage? Was it because this kind of life with her was something that he would never thought he would get to experience with her? He just knew how happy he was that she was back in his life even if it was not permanent.

The pair walked back out onto the deck as they sat back down side by side.

“What happened that day?” Echo asked nervously. He saw the discomfort rise in her body language as she began to fiddle with the sleeve of her bodice. The large amount of silence filled the deck with the water moving hitting the sides of the ship. Arya looked down to her feet, her eyes began to fill with tears. Echo reached out to hold her hand as they sat down side by side again on the deck.

“I wish I could tell you everything Echo, but I honestly do not fully understand what happened the night I disappeared,” she paused. Looking up at him through her lashes, ashamed.

“The pod calls what happened to me, the call home, basically when a mermaid is on land and has reached her maturity she gets called home to the ocean by the moon,” she said, her hair perfectly blowing in the wind. Echo continued to listen intently, as he reassuringly brushed his thumb over the top of her hand.

“As mermaids, similar to how the moon affects the tides, the moon can affect us as well. During a full moon, young mermaids can be caught in something called the moon spell,” she continued.” I remember returning home and sitting down to talk to my mom about what happened between us, I got a glimpse of the moon through the curtains,” she paused, trying to keep her composure, “and the next thing I know I’m in the water and all of a sudden a tail appears, I sat on the docks until I heard the men going fishing the next morning. The tail didn’t go away,” Arya admits, her voice cracking as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Echo’s heart broke hearing the hurt and pain she held in her voice. Hearing how scared she was, she knew how many people were hurting with her disappearance.

“It’s a full moon tonight, how is not it affecting you?” Echo asked curiously.

“It took a long time and a lot of training under the guidance of the older mermaids in our pod, I can harness the moons power through me, and the best part is. I can go between land and the water whenever I please,” she said smiling, her eyes locked with his.

“I am sorry that I have been gone for so long, I wish I could have returned sooner,” she whispered pressing her forehead to his.

“It’s okay, you’re back now and that is all that matters Arya,” he murmured looking into her eyes lovingly.

“I love you,” Arya whispered smiling against his lips.

“I love you too,” Echo murmured, softly pressing his lips to hers.

After a long-awaited four years, the pair finally reunited. When the batch returned, they finally got to meet the woman that Echo talked about so much. She and her sister Neytine became well-respected members of the crew. All to think that Echo was finally reunited with Arya all because of a familiar melody.

Clone Wars Incorrect Quotes

Echo into his comm: Rex? Hi... Um, so Fives and the General and I were playing hide and seek with the Commander...

Rex: what did you do?

Echo: Fives found a cleaning supply closet and good news, it makes a great hiding place. Bad news, he locked himself inside by accident.

Rex: That's not exactly bad news, depending on who you are -- Could you PLEASE tell Ahsoka to stop screaming?

Echo: *sighs* That's Fives.

154 notes View Post

defnaddadoctor

6 months ago

What I wouldn't give for an animated "blooper reel" for Bad Batch:

- Hunter leaning up against a wall between takes, dozing off and almost falling over

- Tech looking down at his data pad while on the move through a forest set and walking straight into a tree

- Wrecker sitting down on the wrong chair and accidentally breaking it

- Echo flubbing his lines on purpose to make the others laugh while he keeps his own expression dead serious

- Crosshair not laughing when Echo flubs his lines, instead silently matching Echo's serious expression with the take ultimately turning into an intense staring contest

- Cut to Crosshair in his trailer loudly singing karaoke and playing air guitar with the prop rifle

- Omega is filming ALL of it

- Also Omega is the first to break character when anyone messes up a line

- Also Omega starting the cast conga line/dance party

- Rex, during his reveal in "The Clone Conspiracy," jokingly complaining that removing his cloak hood messes up his hair

- Several Howzer scenes needing to be reworked because donning/doffing his helmet actually messes up his hair cue Crosshair shouting from the sidelines "Just shave your head already"

- Gregor is... Gregor

- Phee being the pinnacle of professionalism while on camera while also being responsible for 99% of the pranks and shenanigans on set

706 notes View Post

defnaddadoctor

8 months ago

Welcome

Hello there and Welcome!

My name is Nad. I am so excited to finally start sharing my writing with all of you lovely people. I am still fairly new to creative writing and have taken quite the love to it.

I currently have more of a focus on Star Wars. More specifically the Prequel Era... cough cough... The Clone Wars, and The Bad Batch.

You can follow these links to better navigate my page.

Masterlist

OC Information (IN PROGRESS)

Links to Other Platforms (IN PROGRESS)

As of right now, I am getting things set up so it might be a bit buggy, so please bear with me.

With love,

Nad 💖