how long has it been since i last posted?? :,) no matter!! i am back >:)

this was inspired by @/mr.oddmod's beautiful artwork of each of the batchers dancing w omega :) i was going to save hunter's chapter for last but i got a sudden inspo burst so here it is!! more thoughts at the end hehe

enjoy!!

***

Hunter

He hears Omega laugh in the distance — that same sparkling, bubbly laugh from her childhood years — that sounded like the tinkling of a bell to his ears.

It still did. Except now, the bell was just... deeper, lower, but never any less joyful.

His head swivels, eyes searching for a flash of white blonde hair in the crowd, and though there must be thousands of folks mingling, he spots her immediately.

Wrecker was with her, tossing her into the air as if she were weightless.

Hunter remembers how Wrecker has been doing this for years, and the sight of them laughing together, continuing one of their countless traditions brings a fond smile to his face.

But the next time his brother throws her into the air, her hair is suddenly much shorter, she's lost quite a few inches in height and her laugh is again higher in pitch. He's not seeing present-day Omega anymore; for that split second, it's the memory of the little girl that made her way back to him after six agonizing months apart that he sees.

On her fall back down into Wrecker's open arms, Hunter blinks, realizing the trick his mind has played, but it doesn't make him long any less for the years that had flown by. One memory flows easily into the next, and it's not long before his mind has drifted away from the present, pulled under by the tempting current of the past.

***

He isn't sure how long he's been reminiscing, but it's only when his subconscious realizes Omega's laughter has faded away that he comes to in alarm.

Instantly, he assumes the worst, but after singling her familiar heartbeat out from within the thousands of citizens living on Pabu, Hunter's heart rate stops spiking, comforted by the steady rhythm. She isn't far away, and he gives himself over to his senses. Eventually, he finds her on their balcony, leaning against the railing with her back to the doorway. The fairy lights she and Tech had hung up together cast soft streaks of golden light upon her and Hunter hung back in the doorframe, admiring how perfect, how ethereal she was with the light hitting her at all the right angles, looking every bit the angel she was.

"It's beautiful," she murmurs, "isn't it?" Hunter joins her at the railing, peering out at Lower Pabu and the vast open ocean below. With the sun gone, the sky had been painted a beautiful navy the way it always was when the moon and stars began to appear. They winked cheekily from above at the residents below, mirrored by the thousands of tiny lights dotting the landscape on the ground.

"Yeah," Hunter concedes softly, "it is."

They stand in silence for a while, content to just be, breathing in the fresh ocean air and standing side by side, enjoying the peace this new life has carved for them. When the silence breaks, it's because the nightly 8:30 PM radio station has come on, playing a mix of serene classical music and mainstream pop. A few songs pass by, with them simply cherishing each other's company, until Hunter recognizes the opening melody of one of his favourite waltzes. "So, Miss Omega," he smiles, offering a hand, "may I have this dance?"

"Thought you'd never ask."

And with the music, as if they were one, the two of them stepped and twirled gracefully across their balcony with laughter filling the air. When the music slowed, they slowed, and when the pace picked up, so did theirs. As they danced through one piece after another, they had eyes only for each other while the rest of Pabu faded away into the background.

***

It was only when the cadence of the last classical piece of the night rang crisply through the night air that Omega sighs, truly happy, as she leans her cheek against Hunter's chest, their waltzes and jigs having slowed to just a sway. Side to side he rocks them, his hand moving from her waist to her upper back to hold her closer, and yet again, he's struck by how easy it is to rest his chin on the top of her head. Only last year, she barely reached his shoulder and soon, he'd have to lean his head back to do the same.

The song playing faintly in the distance only adds to the heaviness in his chest.

We're only getting older, baby,
And I've been thinking about it lately,
Does it ever drive you crazy?
Just how fast the night changes?

It did. It really did, knowing that time kept going and didn't slow down for anyone. Omega was getting older with every passing moment, and each memory-filled day was just one more they'd never get back once it was over. And Hunter dreaded, more than anything, the day his joints would creak and his muscles would ache so much so that it left him unable to take as good care of his lovely little girl.

Well, not-so-little anymore.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a sudden lack of warmth as Omega untangled herself from his arms.

"... Dad? Is everything okay?"

Hunter peered down at her, smiling warmly despite the ruckus in his head. "Yeah, kiddo. I'm alright."

She caught her lip between her teeth, unconvinced. "But you looked worried, and I don't want you to worry."

He tucked a stray curl behind her ear, scrambling slightly for the right words. "You're growing, Omega," he sighs, a sound that reflected the ache coiled so deeply within. "Sometimes... I just wish time would slow down."

She nodded in understanding as her gaze broke away from his and fell to the ground. "Me too," she admitted quietly. "But I think right now is what matters, so let's enjoy life as it happens. Besides, we'll have many more moments like this to come. It'll take a lot more than an Empire to separate us again. I'm stuck with you for the long run, remember?"

"When did you get so wise?"

"I learned from the best."

***

could yall tell i didn't know how to end it lol

but! as promised, more thoughts; feel free to skip!

1. this is part 1 bc i plan on making it a mini series, one chapter for each of the other batchers, but bc i don't have as strong a grasp on their characters yet, it may take me awhile. but rest assured that it'll happen! hope you enjoyed this chapter tho <3

2. somewhat related, i have a lot of jumbled ideas in my head and doesn't smooth out until i write it, and im usually working on multiple drafts at once, which also helps explain slow update times sometimes

3. i have unfortunately been officially diagnosed with stage ii fluff-phobia :,) bc no matter wHAT i write, angst STILL manages to creep in so until i manage to find a cure to this devastating illness, you will all be tortured by this as well

4. im gonna try my very best to update regularly — once per week (day still undecided), maybe more if ur lucky ;) — but my summer is PACKED so there's no guarantee it'll be consistent but like i said, ill do my best. this will remain true come september bc of school. ill keep yall updated tho!

5. im convinced wp formatting hates me which is why i couldn't post a link that takes u directly to mod's og insta post. i feel weird posting a ss of his work without permission so go check it out!

anyways. wow. if ur still here, respect LOL.

as always, hope you enjoyed!! i'd love to hear ur thoughts and options so be sure to vote n comment! until next time, peace out!

jazzy :D