#and nya just wrings him by the neck when she sees it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fabrowrites · 3 years

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Oh, can I be your Bibilly Hills?

For Lloyd’s very late birthday! also on ao3 and ffn.net.

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Kai stands at the entrance to the cafeteria. The bustle in the room is loud with kids meeting up with their friends, the snapping open of lunchboxes, and chairs and tables being squeaked across the floor.

Kai exhales. He hikes his backpack higher onto his back. Then he squares his shoulders and walks over to the table in the far corner of the room where only one person sits, despite the overcrowding at all the rest of the tables.

Lloyd Garmadon’s eyes lift as Kai drops into the seat across from him, only to return to his plate again just as quickly. One by one, the rest of their secret ninja crew arrive. They send glances at each other, and at Lloyd, who has started to eat his food with laser-like focus.

It’s only been a week since Master Wu gathered them all together for a “very important meeting”. It’s only been a week since he told them they were ready to take the next step in their team-building. It’s only been a week since their eternally-masked leader took off his hood, only to reveal the son of Ninjago City’s very own warlord hiding beneath it.

Needless to say, conversation is stilted.

A hand comes down on the table with a resounding smack. Chen, captain of the cheer team, leans over their table. “Hey, look, everyone,” he says mockingly. “Garmadork has a dork squad now.” He gives their table an obvious once-over, grin widening. “Aw, why are you sitting with him? Are your daddies super-villains too?”

“Hi, Chen,” Lloyd says. “Nice insult. Much more original than your last one- what was it? The Bad Dad Lad?”

Chen’s face twists up in a sneer. His hand snakes out and smacks Lloyd’s water bottle over, instantly flooding his lunch. “Oops,” he says, sounding not at all sorry. “I didn’t see that there! Hope that wasn’t all you had.”

He saunters off, looking inordinately pleased with himself. Lloyd, on the other hand, stares for several long seconds at his ruined lunch. Kai expects him to look furious, or at the very least, upset, but there’s only this sad sort of look on his face. Like he’d been expecting it to happen. It’s so awful to look at that something in Kai snaps.

“Here, have some of mine,” he says, shoving his bento forward. “I always take too much rice anyways.”

Nya gives him a near-imperceptible nod from across the table; she’s thinking the same thing. God, Kai loves his sister so much. “This is true,” she says. “The day Kai doesn’t bring home leftovers is the day he’s been replaced by his evil clone.”

Kai opens his mouth, intending to say just what he thought of that, when a quiet noise brings him back to the situation at hand. Lloyd looks at them both, mouth parting slightly. “Are you sure?” he asks, but he can’t disguise the way he’s already eying the bento up.

“Take it,” Kai insists. “It’s not doing me any good sitting here.”

Kai can see Lloyd’s hesitation wavering. A moment later, the other boy accepts it with a quiet, “thank you”.

The other ninja are watching. Kai catches their eyes and mouths ‘later’ above Lloyd’s head. After lunch wraps up, and Lloyd excuses himself to use the restroom, they all gather near the window.

“What happened at lunch-” Kai says without preamble- “it can’t happen again.” It’s not like he was expecting them to protest, but something warms in his chest at how intensely they immediately nod. They must look like a pack of bobbleheads to anyone passing by.

“He was just so sad,” Nya says. “It makes me want to punch something. Preferably Chen’s face.”

Jay backs a step away from her, laughing that nervous laugh of his. Cole hums. His ever-present headphones are hanging around his neck, which is how Kai knows just how seriously he’s taking it. Headphone removal: truly the highest form of respect in the modern age. “We should do something for him,” he says.

“Normal human teenager things?” asks Zane.

“Exactly!” says Kai. “He’s an only child! I bet he’s never had a blanket fort before!”

“We can make it at his house so he can keep it up longer,” Cole says. “I’ve dropped off homework for him before. I still have his address in my phone.”

“I’ll take him out after school to the comic book shop so you guys have more time,” Jay offers. He twists his hands in his ever-present orange scarf.

“And we’ll get the snacks,” Nya finishes. She sticks her hand out. The rest of them do too, and then there’s a period of silence where they look at each other awkwardly. Wow, they really are lost without Lloyd.

Cole sighs. “Ninja go,” he says.

“Ninja go!” Kai says. The game is afoot.

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The walk to the comic books shop is literally the definition of awkward silence.

Jay and Lloyd walk three feet apart on the sidewalk. Their eyes meet fleetingly across the way before skittering away. People who pass them stare, and Jay ducks his head and meeps at each hateful glare sent his way.

“You don’t have to do this,” Lloyd mumbles.

Jay jumps. “Huh?”

Lloyd shoves his hands into his hoodie pocket. “I said,” he says a bit louder, “you don’t have to do this.”

“Do what?” Jay says nervously. He wrings his hands in his scarf. “I’m not doing anything?”

Lloyd looks pointedly at his hands. He huffs, dipping his head so his bangs cover his eyes, “Make yourself be nice to me, or whatever it is that you and the rest of them are trying to do. I have eyes, Jay,” he says, when Jay opens his mouth to protest. He glances up at him through his curtain of hair, and something in his face softens. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.”

Jay doesn’t know what to say to that. But something comes over him, and before he can talk himself out of it he’s bridging the gap to walk right beside Lloyd. Lloyd looks up sharply.

“We want to be nice to you,” he says softly. “You’re part of our team, aren’t you?”

Lloyd snorts. “Some might go as far to call me the leader,” he says, but there’s this quiet, sort of pleased look on his face. It’s enough for Jay to stick by his side, even as they move towards the busier part of the city and the glares and angry whispers increase.

It takes them about fifteen minutes to get to the comic book shop. Jay swings the door open, inhaling that paper-ink-and-smelly-teenager scent he’s become intimately familiar with. Lloyd follows more hesitantly, blinking at the racks upon racks of books, merch, and everything in between. His eyes widen when they land on the display case right in front of them.

“No way!” he says, springing forward. “I didn’t know this came out!”

“What?” asks Jay, jumping sideways to see. “Is that the new edition of Starfarer? Wait, you like Starfarer too?”

Lloyd is already flipping through the chapter, eyes scanning the pages. “It was my favorite as a kid!” he says excitedly. ‘I didn’t know they were still making it. The library only has through chapter sixteen.”

“I think there’s forty-two now,” Jay offers. Lloyd gives him a look that’s halfway between horrified and delighted. Jay can’t help but grin back. He goes to say something else, but a sharp exhale nearby interrupts their moment.

Two men are standing across the room, muttering and glaring alternatively at them. No, at Lloyd. One scowls at them and leaves, heading towards the front desk.

“We should go,” Lloyd says. With great reluctance, he sets the comic back down and pats it into place. “I don’t want you getting in trouble for me.”

It’s like that one tumblr post- and Jay will deny to the end that he has a tumblr- that’s like: ‘if somebody is more uncomfortable than me I am suddenly able to Do The Thing’. “No, we just got here,” he says. “We can’t leave yet.”

Lloyd looks obviously torn. Jay sees the manager heading their way and makes the decision for him. Seizing his hand, he pulls Lloyd deeper into the store. They speed-walk through the isles, ending up near the back.

“They shouldn’t do that to you,” he says.

Lloyd shrugs, eyes cast off to one side. “It’s not like it’s anything new.”

“Still,” Jay says, feeling his ears heat up. The adrenaline of the moment has worn off, and now he’s feeling the embarrassment from his spontaneity. “It’s not cool.”

Lloyd stares at him for several long seconds. Jay squirms. Lloyd looks like he wants to say something, but then his eyes slide past Jay and land on something behind him.

Lloyd’s entire face lights up. “I thought they discontinued this years ago!” He starts pawing through the container, making little mumbling comments and noises underneath his breath.

Jay takes out his phone and surreptitiously sends a text to the group.

bluejay: okay we are keeping him!!!

kaiguy: was that ever even an option?

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The woman who opens the door for Cole and Zane looks… tired, for lack of a better way to put it. Her hair is done up in a messy bun and there are dark circles under her eyes as she regards the pair of them warily.

“Mrs. Garmadon?” asks Zane.

“Ms. Ito,” says the woman. Her expression flattens the longer they stay silent. “Look, if you’re looking to hassle me or Lloyd, it’s been a long day and-”

We’re some of Lloyd’s friends from school,” Cole blurts out. He freezes the moment the words leave his mouth- interrupting someone? Idiot, Mom taught you better than this - but the words themselves don’t feel false in his mouth. They feel right, an unshakable truth like the laws of gravitation and motion, steady as the earth beneath his feet. He spares a look at Zane and finds the other nodding his agreement.

Lloyd’s mom, however, looks like she’s been slapped in the face. ‘Friends?” she echoes, almost like she doesn’t believe them. Which, as Cole reflects, shouldn’t be that surprising. He’s seen the bullying at school firsthand. A wave of regret knocks into him for all the times he’s stayed silent and watched- not participating, just not stepping in. Never again, he swears to himself.

While Cole’s been having this epiphany, Zane’s been barreling on ahead without him. “Lloyd was harassed this morning in school,” he says primly. “We want to build a structure of blankets for him in your apartment.”

Zane, Cole thinks, internally slapping his palm against his forehead.

But Lloyd’s mom looks so grateful that Cole feels suddenly sick. This woman has two complete strangers standing on her doorstep, practically demanding to be let in so they can destroy her house with pillows and blankets and loud teenagers. She shouldn’t look like they’ve just saved her dog from a house fire.

“It’s really nothing,” he grits out. “We just wanted to do something for him.”

He’s staring at the load of blankets in his arms, so he doesn’t see Lloyd’s mom move. Suddenly, there are hands taking the pile from him. Her face appears in front of his. “It’s not nothing,” she says softly. She doesn’t elaborate, but neither of them need her to. “Come on in. I’ll show you where everything is.”

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“Vegetable or Sriracha?’

“Does he like spicy things?”

Kai looks down at the two bags of chips in his hands. “Both,” he decides. “Both is good.”

Both their phones go off at the same time: Kai’s the default BorgPhone ringtone he’s never figured out how to change, Nya’s the Wilhelm Scream. Nya digs hers out first. “It’s Jay.”

Kai juggles the chips with the rest of the snacks in his arms.

jaybird: were almost done here

jaybird: well be at his house in like 20

jaybird: r u guys done yet?

do it for the vinyl: 👌

frozane: 😁 🥰 😚 😋 🤗 😇 🙃 😆 🤣 😘 🤪 🤩

Kai pockets his phone. “Guess that’s our cue to go.”

They pay quickly and rush over to Lloyd’s house, using the address Cole had texted them all earlier.

Kai hands off his bags to Zane, switching his shoes. “Let’s see what you’ve done!” He catches sight of the fort from the corner of his eye and his jaw drops. “Woah.”

“Right?” Cole smirks.

Kai’s too focused on the mass of colors and fabric swallowing up the living room, otherwise he would pick a fight. He crawls through the entrance, a sheet hanging loose between two cushions.

The fort is nearly tall enough to stand up in. Cole and Zane have slung sheets from the lamp to the couch to a coat rack, using tape, clips and pillows to secure the blankets down. A music stand supports the entire thing in the center. Kai didn’t know that Lloyd took music, though maybe he should have expected it because, hello, Asian? It seems like not knowing is a depressingly common thread running through all that they’ve been learning.

Kai squares his shoulders. Nope. Now’s not the time for beating himself up. He’s just gonna do better, be better, from here on out.

“Bring the snacks in already!” he hollers, sticking his head out the hole. “Lloyd’s gonna be here any minute!”

Cole raises his eyebrow judgmentally, even as he passes him the bags of chips. Nya has no such restraint and throws dried squid at his face.

“Lloyd just texted to say he’s on his way,” Lloyd’s mom tells them from the kitchen entrance. Kai thinks her expression is a mix of fear and awe, which is always a good reaction to one of Kai’s ideas.

Kai can hear them now, feet thudding softly on the wood of the hallway through the thin walls. They’re laughing at something- presumably a meme on Jay’s phone. The dork has thousands of them. Someone bangs against the door and then it swings open.

“Hey, Mom,” Lloyd says, and Kai doesn’t think he’s ever heard him this happy. The blond is switching his shoes, completely unaware of the spectacle behind him. “Sorry that I’m late, we lost track of-”

He turns around and freezes.

“Surprise!” Kai shouts. Behind Lloyd, Jay starts cheering. Nya salutes him from her position sprawled on the couch and Cole and Zane wave at him from beside the fort.

Lloyd’s mouth drops open. “What?” he splutters. “Wait, what’s going on? What is all this?”

“Can’t we do something nice for our bro just ‘cause we feel like it?” Kai crawls out and goes to him, slinging his arm across his shoulders.

“Guys,” Lloyd says.

To Kai’s horror, his eyes are wet around the corners. Shoot, did they mess up? “Don’t cry!” he yelps, voice cracking embarrassingly at the end. “We’ll pick it all up, don’t worry!”

“No, no,” Lloyd says hurriedly. “You did this for me?” he asks, awe in his voice. He glances around the room. “All of you?”

“Of course,” Zane says. “You are our friend.”

“We realized we’ve been a little lacking in that department,” Nya chimes in. “So here’s us, making up for it! We’re nowhere near done yet either,” she warns. “Constant vigilance!”

Lloyd discreetly wipes his eyes. “Thanks,” he says. “I love a good threatening in my own living room.”

And for a moment, they all stay put in their places, grinning widely from Lloyd to each other. Lloyd’s mom smiles softly, unseen, from where she stands in the kitchen.

Kai grins. The moment breaks. “Well, don’t just stand there. C’mon! You’ve got to see what Cole and Zane did inside.”

#ninjago #ninjago fic #happy birthday lloyd garmadon

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sibillascribbles08 · 4 years

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From Me to You - Changeling AU

Can read the first entry here.

Cryptor could only laugh as he threw Pixal against the wall. He saw her eyes flash, something in her neck spark. He knew she’d be out of the way soon enough.

Then something slammed into his side. He skidded before he reached out to grip the railing in order to stay upright.

Zane, of course, coming out to save his… well Cryptor wasn’t actually sure what the relationship of the two was.

“You again?” He snorted. “The tin can with feelings.”

Once again, however, the obsolete droid didn’t seem phased by his commentary. In fact, he smiled. “I hit you once. I can do it again.” He charged forward, techno blade in hand.

Cryptor could make short work of him, or at the very least keep him occupied while his army took out the rest of the ninja. He blocked the weapon, then the punch Zane tried to follow it with. Cryptor kneed the other droid in the stomach, feeling some of the metal give way before tossing him back.

“Don’t try and act cool.” Cryptor spat. “You know as well as I do what you really are, obsolete.” He pulled up his cloaking, turning invisible as he approached.

Zane got up, eyes darting around.

Cryptor didn’t hesitate to punch him in the jaw, then grab his collar and slam him against the wall of the power plant. It was more than enough, but Cryptor punched him a few more times in the chest before kicking him onto the ground.

“You’re weak, outdated.” Cryptor dropped his cloaking. “You think you can take me on? The rest of my army? We have more weapons, better materials, more tech, and what are you? An old toaster made out of spare parts.”

“You’re right.”

Cryptor stopped short. That wasn’t the response he’d been expecting. “What?”

“You’re right.” Zane repeated as he got to his feet. He dusted off his gi before his gaze moved over to Cryptor. “As I am now… I am outdated.”

Cryptor wasn’t sure if he should attack again or not. Was this just some form of distraction? “If you agree then does that mean you’re surrendering?”

Zane had the audacity to laugh, like it was a simple joke. “No, that’s not where I was going with that.”

“Then where are you going with it?” Cryptor clenched his fists, ready to punch him in the jaw. “What are you prattling on about?”

“Well, as you say, I’m outdated. So I think the best course of action would be to get myself an upgrade, don’t you?” He smiled and tilted his head. Those blue eyes were fixed on Cryptor. Something about them was sharper than ever before.

“And where do you plan to get one of those? We won’t be handing them out.”

“That’s fine.” Zane narrowed his eyes, still smiling. “I’m more than capable of getting it myself.”

The nindroid rushed forward. Cryptor flinched, for whatever reason, before trying to block his movement with a punch. Zane jumped to the side. His feet planted against the wall. Cryptor couldn’t turn fast enough. Zane tackled him to the ground, pinning him down.

“The fuck–?” Cryptor hissed. He was about to shove himself up when something sharp jammed into his neck. It wasn’t enough to cut off his circuits but enough to make them stall.

“That was easy.” Zane was the one taunting him now, running cold fingers up Cryptor’s neck. “Now let’s see who the obsolete one really is.”

---------------------------------

“Look I don’t know what’s wrong. As far as I can tell his systems are fine.”

“Did us destroying the power actually damage him too?”

“But that doesn’t make sense. Zane isn’t powered that way. Speaking of which, Jay, how’s Pixal.”

“Back-up is working but it takes time to charge. Hoping she’ll come too in an hour.”

Those were the ninjas voices. Why were they here? Where was here? Cryptor tried to get his systems online but something was wrong. Where were his internal commands? The prompts? Where was the Overlord’s ear grating voice shouting in his ear to get back to work?

Finally his vision came online, although it must have gotten busted. None of it was nearly as crisp. It was like some kind of film got stuck over his lenses. He blinked once or twice. Where was his night vision? His infrared?

“Zane!” The blue ninja popped up.

Cryptor screamed. He scrambled, back, though he didn’t get far. His back hit a wall and when he sat up his head hit a cupboard. Where was he? He looked around again. It looked like the inside of a trailer.

“Thank the gods you’re okay.” Jay kept on speaking. The other two ninja surrounded him, as well as Nya. “What happened out there?”

“Why did you bring me here?” Cryptor spat. “Why are you asking me such stupid questions?”

All the ninja frowned.

“Uh, you okay there, Zane?” Kai said.

“I am not Zane!” Cryptor spat and pointed at him. “What on earth would give you the stupid–” He froze when he actually saw his hand. Not his black or silver metal, but instead a dark skin covering leading to a white gi.

What?

No, no no no. His vision must still be broken. He scrambled to his feet and rushed past the ninja to the nearest window. His hands pressed against the glass as he tried to get a look at his reflection.

Cryptor screamed again.

“Zane!” Cole spoke this time, gripping his shoulders. “What is going on?”

“I’m not Zane.” Cryptor tore out of his grip. “I’m Cryptor!”

“What?” Nya shouted.

“Yeah right.” Kai spat.

“Yeah right?” Cryptor stomped toward him. “You want me to wring your neck and prove it to you? You little–”

Cole’s arms wrapped around him this time. Cryptor tried to break free, but he could tell how much weaker he was now.

“Okay.” Cole said. “I think we have to admit if we want to believe it’s Zane or not, something is definitely wrong.”

“Could it be Cryptor?” Jay asked. “How is that possible.”

“He switched us.” Cryptor shouted as he kept flailing. “That crafty tin can. That’s what he was talking about, getting an upgrade. He stole my body and ran off!”

“Uh, no.” Kai said. “We cut the power. All the other nindroids dropped.”

Cryptor stopped moving. “What?”

“And why would he do that?” Nya added. “I mean, he knew the plan.”

Kai shrugged. “Maybe it’s for some weird undercover mission?”

Nya shook her head. “Maybe we should wait for Pixal. She could definitely help us figure this out.”

“I’m not waiting for shit.” Cryptor tried once more to pull free. “Let me go! I’m going to find my damn body and get it back.”

“What do we do with him in the meantime?” Jay pointed at Cryptor.

Cryptor managed to kick Cole in the shin.

The black ninja flinched, but didn’t let go. “You know what? I have an idea.” He lifted Cryptor off the ground and headed out of the trailer.

Cryptor kept struggling, but it was no use. Eventually he was tossed into the air and landed on something hard. He felt around, looking at all the scrap metal parts. Was this some kind of bin?

To answer the question, the lid of it came down and the lights went out.

“Hey!” Cryptor tried to push it open, but something heavy must have been set on top of it. “Let me out of here this instant you pea brained worms! I have orders. I have a mission.”

“You can come out when you stop throwing a tantrum.” Cole said.

“You think this is a tantrum? That I’m some kind of child?” Cryptor kicked at the walls, but they didn’t give. “Let me out. Let me out!” He screamed.

No response even. Cryptor let his limbs fall as he stared at the roof of the container. He debated heavily if this was what it felt like to end up in the cursed realm. Endless torture, in the worst case scenario.

But as he kept staring, the silence drawing on longer and longer, he realized just how quiet it was. No orders. No other voices. No mission log.

How strange.

#scribbly fics #ninjago #changeling au #this one isn't nearly as dramatic #Cryptor's just too....#*screams like a toddler*

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fer8girl · 7 years

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So this post prompted me to look up videos of Timothy Omundson singing, which led to a conversation with @shimmer-like-agirl about Aric Jorgan and Corso Riggs doing drunken karaoke, and well, the whole thing just snowballed from there, leading to this. By the way, I don’t know why Garth Brook’s ‘Friends in Low Places’ fit this so well, I just ran with it. ENJOY! >~,^

Oh kriff…

Even that simple two-word thought sent a spike of pain through Aric’s skull. He came to face down in his bed and tried to raise his arm, then groaned loudly at the ache in his joints. Turning over was an ordeal that didn’t improve the situation, in fact it sent his stomach spinning like some fiendish top.

Having flipped onto his back, he wiggled his limbs checking for injuries. Thankfully everything seemed intact, just sore from… wait, sore from what? Squinting at the ceiling he tried to gather his thoughts. He didn’t remember much, just heading to the cantina with Nya, meeting up with Shawnni and Riggs and, oh kriff.

Groaning again, he managed to lift his hand to his face with a grimace and started rubbing his temple. Shawnni had gotten ‘something special’ during their last run and she’d smuggled some into the cantina in flasks for them to try. He hadn’t thought much of it until the room started whirling pleasantly and then, white out.

He kept picking his brain, trying to grasp onto bits and pieces of the evening, but all he could remember was the correct method of dismantling his rifle. Suddenly the door whooshed open and Nya’s silhouette filled the doorway.

“No light,” he croaked and she giggled.

“Good morning to you too Sunshine. Still haven’t recovered?”

“Recovered from what exactly?”

She sounded close to laughter as she carefully sat on the bed next to him. Gentle fingers stroked his forehead and she leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Aw, poor baby. Brought some hydration tablets and water. Also got some anodyne capsules, figured an injection stim might be a bit much.”

Water sounded heavenly and he sat up the best he could to take a drink. Nya assisted him, though he could see her smirking while her eyes gleamed with humor.

“All right,” he said after he’d washed down two pellets. “Fill me in.”

“Maybe I’d better show you,” she chuckled and pulled out a data-pad.

The image on the screen revealed the interior of a cantina, the one they’d visited last night to be exact. It scanned the patrons, all seeming in high spirits, before spinning around and focusing on Shawnni’s face. She was grinning from ear-to-ear, giggling wildly as she put her finger to her lips.

“Shh, shh, shh,” she slurred. “Y'all ain’t gonna wanna miss this.”

He chuckled himself for a moment. Shawnni’s accent got thicker the more drunk she was, right now she sounded like she’d whizzed past bombed and dove headfirst into annihilated. The camera spun again as the crowd started hooting and it focused on the edge of the stage. Aric saw himself with Riggs latched onto his hands, trying to drag him onto the platform. Meanwhile Nya was behind him, pushing with all she had.

“Oh no,” he moaned, covering his eyes with his hand.

“Oh yes,” chortled Nya. “No use in that.” She tugged his fingers from his face, her smirk widening. “Trust me, you’ll want to watch.”

Peering back at the data-pad he saw himself on the stage, a broad smile filling his face as it looked like he protested to a very wobbly Nya.

“How did you guys get me up there?” he asked

“Threatened to pull the waistband of your drawers up over your head. Now shush, the show’s about to start.”

Morbid curiosity finally got the better of him and he settled back to watch the scene unfold. On stage Riggs was lifting his arms, getting the audience hyped up. Aric winced as Shawnni’s hooting drowned out the rest of the patrons.

“Take it off!!” she shrieked.

“Later, but jus’ for you,” Riggs hollered back, laughing as he pointed at the wielder of the holo-cam.

Behind Riggs Aric could still see himself and Nya, but now she’d reached up and was tracing his ear as she spoke to him. That patented move almost always guaranteed she’d get her way and it looked like it’d worked again as he shrugged and nodded. She patted his chest and pulled him into a hard kiss before sauntering off.

Riggs grabbed a nearby microphone, tapping it a couple of times before asking, “We set?” He then grabbed another and handed it to Aric as the music started.

The camera shook for a moment as if jostled and Shawnni’s voice whispered, “Careful Red.”

“Sorry, sorry. You’re getting all this, right?”

“Every bit. I’d kiss a bantha ‘fore I missed this.”

When the ladies quieted he could hear the music, a slow heartfelt melody. Soon Riggs joined in.

“Blame it all on my roots. I showed up in boots, and ruined your black-tie affair.”

Aric started chuckling again, that sounded like Riggs and then some.

“The last one to know, the last one to show. I was the last one you thought you’d see there.

And I saw the surprise and fear in his eyes, when I took his glass of champagne.”

Riggs turned and motioned for Aric to move forward, pointing at the close-by monitor with a grin.

“And I toasted you. Said Honey, we may be through. But you’ll never hear me complain.”

Aric shook his head, his traitorous brain cursing him with a brief memory of what happened next and he would’ve covered his eyes if Nya didn’t keep a tight grip on his hand, looking exceptionally smug. Holo Aric stepped up as Riggs threw an arm around his shoulder and the pair belted out.

“‘Cause I got friends in low places. Where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away.

And I’ll be okay.

I’m not big on social graces. Think I’ll slip on down to the oasis.

Oh I’ve got friends, in low places.”

“I think that’s enough,” he said and tried stopping the video, but Nya snatched the data-pad from him.

“Oh no you don’t,” she grinned evilly. “Not done yet.”

That didn’t bode well. Nya held the data-pad so that he could see it - while keeping it just out of his reach - and turned it up while they launched into the next verse. It looked like he’d really gotten into the spirit of things, swaying with Riggs as they sang. A few patrons held up lights, waving them back and forth. What began as a low murmur grew louder and he realized people were starting to sing along. By the time they reached the chorus it sounded like the whole cantina had joined in.

“Pssst, hold this Red.”

The whisper was followed by some light shaking of the holo-cam as it changed hands and both ladies started giggling. A pale scrap of fabric sailed through the air, landing at Riggs’s feet, and when he reached down to scoop it up he turned bright scarlet. Aric squinted closer and thought he caught a glimpse of lace between Riggs’s tanned fingers.

“Bloody hell, were those…?”

“Shawnni’s underwear. Dunno if I’ve ever seen Riggs that red.”

Curiosity struck him again and he tilted his head at Nya. “Did you throw yours?”

“I might have,” she cooed, grazing her fingers under his chin. “If I’d been wearing any.”

Ohhh. He wasn’t sure if it was the hydration tablets or the idea of his commando going commando but his headache seemed to vanish. Tugging her closer he watched as he and Riggs finished up, getting a massive round of applause from the crowd.

“You guys were definitely a hit,” said Nya and he nodded.

“Looks like. Glad you and Devane enjoyed yourselves.” Rolling his shoulder he groaned quietly at the residual twinging. “Remind me to wring her neck though. Whatever that stuff was it’s got me feeling like I went and wrestled a gundark.”

“No gundark Big Guy, that was me.”

“You?” Nya’s smug smile turned sultry and his memory blessed him with some much more pleasant images from the evening, more specifically what happened when they’d gotten back to the Spitfire.

“Well I figured one good performance deserved another,” she teased.

“No holos of that I imagine?” he chuckled and she shook her head.

“No, but if you’re having trouble remembering maybe I can jog your memory.” Setting the holo-pad on the stand by their bed she started sliding her hands over his chest, still smiling. “And if you do as good as you did last night, I’ll play back the applause.”

#swtor #nya lanz #aric jorgan #shawnni devane #corso riggs #bad influ-friendses #otp:rekindled #drunken karaoke

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