Okay So You Know That Post You Made About Needing A Fic Where Someone In The Veteran's Bar Recognized

My Top 10 Merthur Fan fics

This is a list of my favorite fan fics of the merlin x arthur pairing (my OTP) that I’ve read over the past couple of years. I strongly think these stories deserve to be shared as they, and their authors, are amazing. I want to give these authors lots of love as they clearly worked very hard on their stories. I also think the illustrator that is in a few of these stories deserves some love. Kudos to you all, and thank you all for being such talented, hard workers.

And like the cycle of the year we begin again

By: katherynefromphilly, @katherynefromphilly

Rating: Mature

Word count: 200k+

Summary:

For many long years Merlin waited. For the other part of his soul, for the other half of his life. He was born to serve Arthur. So that meant he was also born to wait. Even if it took a thousand years. Even if the wait seemed never to end. Until one day, suddenly, it did. Set after the Merlin Series 5 Finale “Diamond of the Day”. Canon Compliant. In Character. Arthur Pendragon Returns When Arthur stumbles from the Lake of Avalon 1,500 years after his death, he finds a world unlike the one he knew. Faced with the loss of everyone he loved, and the threat of impending prophecy, Arthur must quickly learn what it means to be not just a king, but the Once and Future King. Merlin does all he can to guide him in this journey, even as he struggles to hide his love for his king, and to conquer his fear of losing him again. Story includes sass, banter, horseplay, and True Love.

Student Prince

By: FayJay

Rating: Mature

Word count: 140k+

Summary:

A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kick-boxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling Gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love… This story was inspired by the thought of Prince William of Wales (and indeed the current Max Von Hapsburg) studying at the University of St Andrews; it is also, as the title suggests, at least a little inspired by the operetta ‘The Student Prince’.

Give the Dragon a Chilli

By: supercalvin, @supercalvin

Rating: Mature

Word count: 40k+

Summary:  

Aithusa might have been no bigger than a house cat but she was still a dragon. That meant wings, claws, and her own personal hoard, which in Aithusa’s case included soft pillows, fluffy socks, and much to Merlin’s chagrin, stolen pants. When Merlin found out that his winged ward had stolen a rather considerable pile of clothing for her hoard, he thought that it would be the end of any kind of friendship with his neighbor. But when Merlin met the victim of Aithusa’s burglary, he was pleasantly surprised to find Arthur, a man who had never in his life seen a dragon let alone a burglarizing one, and Cavall, a curious German Shepherd puppy who was quick to befriend the little white dragon. From there, it was only the beginning.

Shadowlord and Pirate King

By: Footloose

Illustrated by: mushroomtale, @mushroomtale-fanart

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 160k+

Summary:

A fast ship, a good crew, a treasure, a Clan to lead – that’s all Arthur Pendragon has ever wanted. He sits on the Council, he supports his father’s kingship, and he keeps an eye on the Imperial Conglomerate when they come too close to Pirate space. One day the Conglomerate infiltrates the Clans and poisons the King. Arthur must search for a cure to keep his father alive and the Clans from civil war.

An escape route, a sharp knife, a target, the shadows at his command – that’s all Merlin has ever needed. He fulfills his assignments, he uses the Sterling to sustain his once-royal House in their exile, and wages a private war against the Imperial Conglomerate. When he learns of an elaborate plot to assassinate him, Merlin does the opposite of what’s expected. He flees onto a Pirate ship. There’s a saying among the Pirates: that one’s fate is written in the stars. Destiny will always set to rights what has been made wrong. Arthur and Merlin know that they were meant for the other from the moment they meet. They can feel it from across the galaxies separating them. Nothing can stop them from being together or from fulfilling an ancient prophecy.

A Song From Far Away

By: polomonkey, @thepolomonkey

Illustrated by: mushroomtale, @mushroomtale-fanart

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 70k+

Summary:

When Arthur is captured by an enemy king intent on conquering Camelot, his future looks bleak. For Cenred commands not only a clutch of sorcerers but a fearsome dragon trained to do battle and wreak destruction. Then Arthur meets Merlin, a fellow captive whose magic has been bound to Cenred’s will. But can Merlin resist Cenred’s control long enough to help Arthur save Camelot?

Tributes

By: TheAvalonian

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 80k+

Summary:

It is the 57th annual Hunger Games, and Merlin Emrys stands at the Reaping ceremony with Guinevere Smith at his side, unable to hear the roar of the crowd over the ringing in his own ears. Because Merlin is about to face his best friend and twenty-two strangers in a fight to the death, where there can only be one victor. In a twisted game where death seems the only certainty, Merlin will find himself tested in ways no one could have ever predicted - and may even find himself fighting for more than just his own life as he enters into an unlikely alliance with Arthur Pendragon, the Career tribute poised to win it all. Merlin/Arthur AU, set in the Hunger Games universe.

Emrys Ascending

By: tricksterity

Illustrated by: mushroomtale, @mushroomtale-fanart

Rating: Teen And Up

Word Count: 110k+

Summary:

In the depths of the Crystal of Neahtid, Merlin sees the resurrection of Lord Voldemort, an event that will tip the balance of the world so far out that only he has the power to intervene and set it right, or stop it from ever happening. For that, he’ll have to pose as a student and attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The only problem is, he’s been chosen instead of Cedric Diggory as a Triwizard Champion, and there’s a recently reborn Arthur Pendragon in Gryffindor House.

No One Mourns Like the Wicked

By: asilentherald

Rating: Teen And Up

Word Count: 150k+

Summary:

After witnessing an anti-sorcerer hate crime, Merlin leaves his family in Ealdor for King Uther Pendragon’s capital city of Camelot, looking for safety and answers about his own magic. Instead he gets roped into a musical production of Wicked, a banned play by the King’s decree back during the Great Purge, being put on by none other than Morgana Pendragon. It’s the last thing he should do if he wants to keep a low profile in a city he knows is a powder keg, ready for the Great Purge renewed, but he finds more than enough reasons–Arthur Pendragon, co-star and all-around awkward arse, at least at first, among them–to try, dare I say it, defying gravity.

Pianos are made for Falling

By: Fishwrites

Rating: Teen And Up

Word Count: 100k+

Summary:

Arthur is a world class violinist, trapped in Sydney, Australia, by his fear of flying. In the wake of a mediocre concert, vicious critics and with barely a month to go before his next (hopefully reputation-saving) recital, Arthur is almost at breaking point. When his accompanist, Morgana, breaks her wrist in a car accident, Arthur is more or less doomed. And the story begins, when the Maestro at the conservatoire, Gaius Stresemann, recommends his protege Merlin Emrys to step in. Merlin, who plays by ear, as he pleases and really just wants to be a kindergarten teacher. Well. The story really starts six months previously when Arthur passes out drunk outside Merlin’s shoe-box apartment.

The Heart You Call Home

By: alby_mangroves

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 16k+

Summary:

Yet another autumn wanes and Merlin is tired. He wishes he could sleep through it, cover himself in leaves and hibernate until the world crumbles to dust, and he with it, the point of anything long since gone. And then, he finds a book whose author writes stories he doesn’t remember are his own.

My comments are under the cut 😊

And like the cycle of the year we begin again

Comments: This is my favorite Merthur fan fiction of all time!!! It relieved my grieving of the Merlin finale by giving me the series 6 I’ve been longing for. Merlin and Arthur are written incredibly well and in character. The banter between them flows beautifully. I love the original characters, especially Eleanor. It has both angst and fluff. It made me sob, and laugh, and smile. When the slow burn between our two main characters ends it’s such an immense relief and rush of emotion. I followed this story as each chapter was being updated and I just remember the anticipation of each chapter coming out, especially when chapters ended on cliffhangers. I can go on for ages about this, but I think I will end it here. This story is just pure beauty, honestly.

Student Prince

Comments: I love this! Not long after joining the fandom did I discover that many people had read and enjoyed this fic immensely. It is hilarious and adorable and great. Merlin and Arthur’s relationship develops in a very similar way to the canon, from disliking each other, to becoming best friends, and then falling in love. I love the modern twist on the canon. It is engaging and comedic and should be read by many.

Give the Dragon a Chilli

Comments: This story is freaking adorable and made me want a pet dragon. As both a dog person and dragon lover this fic made me weak. I love the world that was created so that it intertwines dragons, magic and the modern world. The angst written in the story is suspenseful. I fell in love with Merlin and Arthur’s pets, Aithusa and Cavall, right away. As well, on a personal note, when Freya’s character was introduced and has an incurable illness and goes to physical therapy, I felt very connected to her due to my own chronic condition and happy that I was being represented in a way. All in all, loved it. The whole thing is a pure cinnamon roll and a great read.

Shadowlord and Pirate King

Comments: Adventurous, engaging, and edgy. This story is a great blend of adventure, science fiction, and fantasy. I love the entire world that the author builds: Pirate space, the House of Shadows, and the White Legion. The artwork is stunningly beautiful and brings this story to life. This story is very engaging, full of adventure and romance, and there is never a dull moment. Love it!

A Song From Far Away

Comments: This made me cry many times over. I’ve read a variety of this author’s fics, and like this one they are often very sorrowful and intense but end on a lighthearted note. The mistreatment of Merlin is ghastly but makes it so much sweeter when Arthur comes along to help and love him. I wanted to kill Cenred throughout the entire thing for what he does to Merlin. The story is magical and very captivating, and the artwork is enchanting and wonderful (which isn’t much of a surprise since @mushroomtale-fanart did it and is incredibly talented).

Tributes

Comments: Merlin meets the Hunger Games! This was the first ever Merthur fanfic I read that hooked me into reading fan fiction. After reading and thoroughly enjoying the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, imagine my delight when I stumble across this. This story is great and does justice to both the Hunger Games universe and BBC Merlin. I love how the author writes the characters and keeps the readers starving for more. Each twist is stirring, and every character is interesting. It holds a special place in my heart.

Emrys Ascending

Comments: It’s a Harry Potter crossover, so obviously it’s amazing. But out of all the Harry Potter crossovers I’ve read, this one is my favorite. I love the fact that the author is able to intertwine Merlin with the Harry Potter universe so well. Merlin being a Hufflepuff, while not being canonical to what J.K Rowling said, is something I love (which may or may not be because I am a Hufflepuff as well). I also agree that Merlin has the characteristics of every Hogwarts house as said in this story. The fact that Merlin becomes a sort of mentor for Harry is really cool. This is an adventurous ride and sticks as closely to the plot of The Goblet of Fire as possible, while changing things up for Merlin. My favorite part of this fic is that Merlin and Arthur are able to reunite in such a heartwarming way, and of course the artwork.

No One Mourns Like the Wicked

Comments:  “No one mourns the wicked! Wicked! Wicked!” This story is very fun and got me loving the Wicked soundtrack, since I sadly could never get tickets. It’s comedic, magical, and has a great way tying the play in with the reality surrounding the characters. I love how it has many funny moments and yet deals with big issues. Whimsical, witty, and wicked.

Pianos are made for Falling

Comments: Poetry and love in music. I love pianist Merlin and his little budgies. I had a heart attack whenever his illness acted up though! Every time Merlin and Arthur fight I just want to tell Arthur about Merlin’s illness. The music of their duets flies off the page as you read it. It’s spectacular.

The Heart You Call Home

Comments: A heart-warming reincarnation fic with Arthur as a writer. You can feel Merlin’s longing and pain in the beginning as he’s waiting for Arthur to return. It’s quite emotional when they finally find each other. Also, the addition of Arthur’s dog Drake is adorable. This is emotional and stupendous.

We should start calling white people, people of color. Not only because there are more people with dark skin and thus are different, but also because white is all colors mixed while black absorbs color.

I struggle thinking about non consensual human experimentation as a whole, but what happened to Bucky really it does just make me sick.

To start, think of how his stomach dropped when he fell from the train, the fucking fear knowing you're dead. You have 2 seconds and then your dead, this is it.

Then you wake up to 1) being alive, horrifically unaware of the 70 years of hell ahead of you and 2) your arm being not only surgically removed but replaced with a metal arm, a foreign body, a parasite. You fight because what else are you ment to do? But you fall unconscious again.

You wake up to days and days of torment and torture and slowly loose hope that it will ever end, that you'll ever be saved. He didn't know that Steve was dead, how long did he yearn for Steve to find him? How mad did he get? Did he punch the wall, did he scream? Did they have to sedate him because of just how psychotic that made him? How fucking manic he would go?

How long till he lost all feeling, all emotion and hope?

When they started putting him in the chair, did he scream and cry? Did he beg for anything else? Any thing, anything, fucking anything. Did he beg for death? Did he feel himself slowly lose all of his memory, did he sob when he first couldn't picture Steve's face, or when he could remember the most important person in the world, but not a name or a background or a face, not a crumb.

The first time he's put in cryo freeze, does he remember his reflection? Seconds before he fell unconscious, never knowing how long it would be before he woke up again. Did he wake up, begging to just be put back in, the closest fate to death he could ever achieve? The closest thing to mercy? Does he catch himself falling asleep at night and wake up in tears, not even sure if it's been 20 minutes of 20 years.

Did his crys for help fall on the shiney leather shoes of scientists who showed no emotion, did he question if he was even human to begin with? Surely a human would be treated with even a fraction of care. No one treated like this was born from a mother, no one treated like this was ever looked at with maternal love.

He stopped feeling like a person, he didn't even remember he was a person. When things seeped though it just hurt, they hurt him, it made it worse. So he stopped it, he wouldn't let himself. It was impossible to live. He had no coping mechanisms, no outlet, he would show any signs of struggle and be hurt for showing humanity. He had to be what they wanted.

Even after he was broken in, no crying anymore. No begging for mercy. Did he spend his nights awake, just TRYING to remember what he forgot, FEELING the missing spots in his mind? Did he hold that metal arm close because he can't even remember how he got it anymore, all he knows is it makes his shoulders ache.

He was completely and utterly trapped, the more he suppressed, even the minor shards he remembered, the more mania he would experience.

Even once he's free, how do you come back from that, even if it was just a mental thing, the physical, real DAMAGE to his brain was enough to make him never heal again. Bucky is a walking fucking miracle and maybe THE survivor.

He is going to have memory problems, severly. He is going to have intense PTSD flashbacks, total hallucination level, breakdowns. Seriously, this level of trauma is NEVER leaving him, not fully. Phantom pains, endless nightmares, coping mechanisms that don't make sense but comfort him none the less.

He's going to have periods of times where he can't even stand being touched, not Steve, not anyone. Weeks where he can't shower or move out of a space his brain has deemed safe for fear of being hurt. Scratches at the seam between his flesh and the metal of arm, wanting it off, wanting it away from him. Again does it necessarily make sense logically? NO!! but does he feel it 100%? Yes!!

He gets better, his bad periods get less intense, more far in between but they never fully go away. As fuckimg depressing as it is, hydra made a permanent mark on his psyche. It's FUCKED.

Gods strongest soldier is Bucky Barnes.

How to spot signs and symptoms of Breast Cancer 

... You Are Not Alone (Angel of Music, Harry Hook x Fem!OCReader) - Chapter Four

Hi guys sorry for the delay of this chapter it took me a bit to type it up! Hope you guys enjoy and let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! Feedback is always appreciated!

Summary: The announcement of VK Day on the Isle, leads to tense relations between the Pirate and Siren.

Warning(s): Nightmares, Mentions of death, angst, Language(I think I can’t remember)

Word Count: 4064

Lees verder

This is pretty much about every show/book/movie I’ve ever come across.

I’ve seen people create virtual pub quiz type events, and I wanted to gauge if the Starkid fandom would be interested if I hosted one. It would happen on a website called myQuiz (it’s kinda similar to Kahoot), and it allows up to a hundred people to take part live (I’ll try and arrange a time that will work for as many people as possible).

I just thought it would be a fun way to bring the fandom together during these tough times, and might end up being quite fun, so if you’re interested please like/reblog so that I can make this happen!

Source: 1 2 3 4 5 6 If you want more facts, follow Ultrafacts

I wanna see Hunter just going absolutely feral.

Bad batch spoilers, rated M

Imagine he gets to the planet Omega and Crosshair are on. He manages to get into the base somehow, and he doesn’t even wait for Echo and Wrecker. He doesn’t use the stun feature. The entire landing pad is gone by the time the other two join him.

He’s pushing on, through hallways. He shoots down storm troopers as he goes, paying attention to which ones are just troopers and which ones look like higher ups.

“Um, Hunter?” Echo asks, his blaster raised but still cold from disuse.

Hunter finally finds an officer. Grabs him by the throat, slams him into the wall. “Where’s Hemlock?” He growls, teeth bared.

Echo and Wrecker pause behind him, blasters raised at the ready for any back up this officer may call.

“I don’t know,” the officer chokes, hands uselessly clawing at Hunter’s arms. “But if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“I believe you,” Hunter spits, and the blast in the officer’s stomach forces the man limp.

“Hunter?” Wrecker asks, eyes looking on worriedly.

Hunter doesn’t answer. He goes through a door. Another. Dead bodies pile up, never even had a chance to shoot back. Hunter doesn’t pause, doesn’t stop moving. He shoots as he goes.

Through another door. Down a flight of stairs. Another officer. He shoots everyone else, aims his blaster at the officer’s face. “Hemlock,” is all he says.

“I know where he is!” The officer says, hands raised in surrender. “I can take you to him!”

“Where is he?” Hunter growls.

“Floor -70. He’ll have heard the alarms by now. He’ll be in his bunker.”

Hunter shoves the man into Wrecker’s chest, who grabs him by the scruff of the neck and starts walking him to follow Hunter.

Elevators. Hunter fucking hates elevators. They’re slow, they force him to stand still. The officer won’t stop whimpering, face forced to look at the floor.

“Hunter,” Echo tries again.

Hunter works his jaw. Tilts his head just slightly to show he’s listening.

“What’s the plan?”

Hunter rolls his jaw again, looking back at the elevator doors. “Find Hemlock. Make him take us to Omega. Get out.”

“Are there any…in between steps?”

Hunter doesn’t answer. The door opens. He shoots down everyone running at him. Echo stuns the ones running away. Wrecker punches a few people in white coats standing in doorways.

“Take a left up here,” their captive whimpers out, refusing to look at the fallen teammates. “It’s a long hallway. His bunker will be at the very end.”

Hunter does. It’s only lab coats now. Hunter shoots them down, uncaring.

They reach the door, and Hunter kicks it in easily. It’s not a bunker. It’s an office. Hemlock isn’t there. He turns to their captive, fury turning his vision red.

“He’s supposed to be here!” The man cries, wincing as Wrecker’s hold tightens on his neck. “He said he would be here if there was ever an invasion.”

Hunter walks over to him, grabbing his chin. Wrecker lets go. The man whimpers, the words to beg for his life dying on his tongue. “I believe you,” Hunter says. For a second, a flicker of hope lights up the man’s eyes. But then those eyes go dull as Hunter quickly snaps his neck.

“Hunter!” Echo hisses, disapproval painting his voice.

Hunter ignores him. He pushes past them both, forcing his way back down the long corridor. He takes a right where he before took a left.

“Clones!” Wrecker yells, looking at the cells upon cells of locked up clones.

“I’ll let them out,” Echo says, something raw in his voice. “This must be where they’re taking the decommissioned clones. Rex was telling me about a mission to save-“

Hunter holds up a hand, indicating silence. Echo’s voice falters, stops.

Hunter listens. The prisoners are yelling, begging for release. Distractions. “Silence!” Hunter yells, after shooting three rounds into the ceiling.

Quiet. Good. He closes his eyes, focusing. “Wrecker, with me. Echo-go ahead.”

He feels more than sees Echo nod his affirmative, and he sets to work on unlocking the doors.

Hunter leads Wrecker down the hall. Left. Right. Another right. Through a door. Another left. Pauses, has to shoot a guard. Through a door.

Hunter raises the gun, aiming it at the woman in a white coat. “She looks important,” Wrecker says softly.

“My name is Emerie Karr,” she stutters out. “I’m the lead scientist.”

“And I care because?” Hunter growls, stepping forward and getting the blaster closer to her chest.

“I’m the one working on Omega and Crosshair.”

Hunter’s blood goes cold. He stops breathing. His hand shakes. “Where. Is. She?” He spits through gritted teeth.

“This way,” she says, but doesn’t indicate or move. She only stares at the blaster.

“Move!” Hunter yells, frightening her. She starts to back up, but realizes that’s not fast enough quickly. More rooms. Moor hallways. More doors. It takes no time at all and an eternity.

“She’s in this room,” Emerie says softly. “Hemlock is in there.”

“Open. The. Door.”

Wrecker moves closer, blaster trained on her. “I’ve got her, Hunter. You check it out.”

Hunter can barely hear over the blood pounding in his ears. The door opens. His blaster aims inward, no target yet. He looks around, his own breathing deafening him.

“Hunter!”

He almost breaks.

The high pitched voice is scared. Hunter momentarily worries he’s covered in blood. If he’s scaring her. But no; it’s not him. It’s Hemlock.

“Take one more step and I shoot her,” Hemlock’s low, soft voice lilts. As if he’s the one in control.

Hunter aims his blaster, teeth bared in aggression. “I won’t ask you twice,” Hunter spits.

Hemlock presses the gun more firmly into Omega’s temple, and the girl cries out in pain or fear. “You aren’t the one making demands here, Hunter.” His voice annoys Hunter, and the growl which rips through his throat is involuntary.

Hunter’s entire body is shaking with the desire to rip Hemlock apart. “Omega is too close,” Emerie whispers unhelpfully.

“Put the gun down, Hunter. It’s over. Put the gun down and let my scientist in the room. My guards will be here shortly.”

Hunter grins, too much teeth to be anything other than threatening. Any guards will be meeting the fury of countless decommissioned clones right about now.

Hemlock seems undeterred. “I’m only keeping her alive to control Nala Se. I don’t care if she lives or dies. Now that Nala Se has seen her, I can convince her Omega is safe and held in a cell. You’re the one who wants her alive.”

Hunter laughs, and it sounds so unlike anything he’s ever made before. “If you kill her, I will tear you apart, piece by piece, until you beg for mercy that won’t come.”

Hemlock has the sense to at least hesitate now. He looks between Hunter and Wrecker, whose gun is still aimed at Emerie.

Omega cries softly, not looking at Hunter anymore. “I’m scared,” she whispers.

Hunter fights back the urge to growl again. He works his jaw instead, eyes flicking from her to Hemlock. He sees movement behind the pair as he does; it takes everything inside of him to not focus on the body slowly inching towards them.

“You hear that?” Hemlock asks, voice somehow still calm and soft. Taunting. Hunter bares his teeth in rage, allowing Hemlock to think he took the bait. “She’s scared. Do you think she’s scared of me, or of you?”

Wrecker shifts behind him, and Hunter can practically see the excitement he’s trying to conceal. Hunter ignores them both. “Omega,” Hunter pleads, lowering his gun. “I’d never hurt you,” he promises.

Omega looks up, eyes full of tears. “Hunter,” she whines.

Hemlock pretends to coo, mockingly. “Hunter,” he copies, but a wicked smile distorts his face into something inhuman. Emerie’s breath catches as she notices, but Wrecker presses the blaster more firmly into the back of her neck. “Go ahead and put the gun down, Hunter. I win.”

Hunter holds his gun tighter, still lowered to point at the floor. He grits his teeth, pretending to fight himself on what to do. “It’s okay, Omega,” Hunter says softly. “Just look at me.”

Omega stares into Hunter’s eyes, her own full of tears. “I want to go home,” she says.

Hunter takes one hand off the gun, pretending to raise it in surrender. “I’m here, Omega. I’m here.”

Hemlock laughs in victory, aiming the gun instead at Hunter. Stupid, arrogant mistake. “That’s right. Put that gun down. Nice and slow.”

The blow is sudden, and hard. Hemlock loses consciousness immediately, and Omega sprints for Hunter’s arms. Hunter catches her easily, arms wrapping around her and holding her as tightly as he can.

“You lose,” Crosshair spits, swaying on his feet. He leans heavily on the bench Hemlock is now slouched over.

Wrecker hits Emerie over the back of the head with the handle of his blaster, and is pushing past Hunter and Omega before her body hits the floor. He throws Crosshair’s arm over his shoulder, using one arm to help support his weight. “I knew you were still in there somewhere,” Wrecker says lowly.

Hunter pets Omega’s hair, holding her to his chest. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you. I’m here now.”

“Hunter,” Omega cries, tiny fists clenching at his hair to keep him close.

“Hunter,” Echo calls from behind them. “Rex is on his way to get the decommissioned clones. Or…” his voice turns sad for a moment. “The ones who are left. There were a lot of guards here.”

Hunter raises himself from his kneeling position, bringing Omega with him. Her legs wrap around his waist, and he half rests her on his hip. “Good. Help Crosshair. Wrecker, grab Hemlock.” All three of his brothers hesitate, questions on the tip of their tongues. “Now,” Hunter growls.

Wrecker gently passes Crosshair to Echo, and then throws Hemlock over his shoulder. Omega buries her face in Hunter’s neck, quiet sobs breaking his heart.

They make their way to the elevator, and Hunter glares at the escapees so they won’t join them. There isn’t much room left anyway.

“I’m sorry,” Crosshair says after several minutes of silence.

Hunter looks to him, and for the first time since Ord Mantell, his face softens. He raises the hand not holding Omega to cup his shoulder, squeezing. He doesn’t say anything; he doesn’t need to. The sigh of relief Crosshair tries to hide is indicative of message received.

There’s a lot of questions which will be asked later. Later. Once they’re free from this hell planet. Once Omega is safe on their ship. Once he has time.