#[and one for fennec as promised. :3]

[unlockthestars]

@allbains liked this post for a starter from Aster!

Even if only a few people had dropped by to see this new stranger who was going to be staying on the island for a little while (from what he gathered, it wasn't exactly that unusual; faunus came to Menagerie when they needed an escape, when they needed a fresh start, any number of reasons, really), Aster was enjoying his time here so far. Even though it had its own unique problems, it really was a beautiful place.

There were all sorts of faunus everywhere he looked, and the sight made his heart swell. It had been a long time since he'd been to Menagerie, and he had forgotten what it was like, to know that everyone here was a faunus, that there weren't any places people would yell at him or look down on him for simply existing.

Which was why he was sitting at one of the many little outdoor cafes, just enjoying a morning iced coffee, without having to worry.

After a moment, another patron came in, looking around as though trying to find a seat…., but the only free one was the other chair at his table.

"You're welcome to sit down here if you need a seat," he called out to the newcomer, offering a pleasant smile. It wasn't like he needed two chairs, after all.

[omaano]

SW Hades AU September Update

Links and previous updates: May - June - July - August - everything else in this AU

For the month of September I have for you a finished character illustration for not only one but two characters for the Hades AU! One boon giver in the form of Shaak Ti,

and Obi-wan, this grumpy old desert hermit who is still missing shading from his dusty surroundings.

AND below the cut I will show you the designs for all the keepsakes I sketched out for the characters this month :3

But - before I go into some ramblings - let's have another poll:

(I know it's a lot like the last poll, but I'm really trying to work on drawings of the boon giver characters while I still remember all the layer settings I need for their glow and radiant spikes ^^;)

And now on for the ramblings and thoughts behind the process of the art I've created this month:

One last rant about me and replicating the Hades art style

I have touched on my struggles with how I translate the Hades art style into my project in the previous update, and unfortunately the perfectionist in me refuses to let it go... so I'll muse on that a bit more in this one as well. Last time, I promise. I've come to the necessary conclusions that I'll let the topic go once I typed these out.

I found this very interesting video that I wish I'd seen before I started this project.

It is a very interesting breakdown of the Hades art style. Now I have to admit that I am very very bad at observation. Therefore I heavily rely on others pointing out patterns and defining characteristics before I can consciously start building on those on my own. For example: when I started more seriously working on this Hades AU project my main objective was to get better at lineart. The way I saw it Hades artworks had very clean and solid linearts with lots of black (thanks to another video that pointed that out as one of the 3 major definig features of the style) but if I look at it more closely the lines and shading are a lot looser, and more confident than what I ended up using.

I quite enjoy doing it, don't get me wrong, but there is an up- and downside to hunting down single pixels that are out of order (b it for lineart or shading) and 100% zoom in... which is silly and unnecessary, since I have to scale down my art quite a bit before posting anyway, so who would see anyway?

Also at this point I'm very much facing the dilemma of how much I can change in my approach to this style to still keep this entire project coherent. I'm more in favour of coherency at this point, so I'm just trying to soak up these lessons for future references.

One of these lessons was another point that was very fascinating in this video (aside from how this video picks a multiply layer approach to shading... which I had abandoned after Boba and Cobb for whatever reason?) was to point out the one dominant, more saturated colour in a character art, and how all the rest are desaturated to support that dominating character.

Shaak Ti and my babies

And I actually was very consciously trying to apply that with Shaak Ti! (I'm so proud of myself, finally incorporating a lesson into my work, look at me go!) It didn't exactly go as I'd planned, in a great deal because initially I wanted the red of her skin to be the more dominant and defining colour. But as I went about colouring in the baby clones as well I realized that the blue of her montrals and lekku would be a much better choice, and have the other redish and warmer tones of her robe and clothes, and the skin tone of the cadets to play the supporting colour role. Yet again, half my screens keep eating away the hue and saturation of my reds, but I think that this approach worked out just fine in the end. The blue-purple of her stripes, her eyes and lips look nice and pretty, and the blue in the cadet uniforms tie the entire composition of all these characters nicely together.

I'd also switched up the gem sparkle highlight colours for this one (and Obi-wan too, since they worked so well with Shaak Ti) from the very limiting base 6 fully saturated colours on others (that don't really show up in print anyways...).

And lastly why they are little ghosties in the alternate version:

Ahead of that however a brief introduction is in order. From left to right they are Ray (depicted here the last time he was biggest of the bunch), Slider (my anxious little field medic), and Goldie (my silly little goldfish who claimed the name before it could stick to Slider). For the record they all grow up just fine to join the war effort.

In this case they are more of a stand-in for all the clone cadets on Kamino, especially those who didn't get to grow up, the training of whom Shaak Ti ended up overseeing. (I don't remember if canonically there had been any of them on Kamino when the Empire destroyed their facilities.... but I'd bet that there must have been.) They deserve someone to look after them too, after all.

Also I wanted to see if I can make the Hades shade design work for me. The answer is.... eh, jury's still out, but no, not really. Luckily however, before I have to figure out if I stubbornly would want to change that, it seems like I'm done with my semi-transparent or shade clones. Wolffe is gonna be just fine, solid and grumpy as you can imagine.

Obi-wan

I don't have much to say about the grouchy old man, except that he was surprisingly easy to finish once I got over worrying about the pressure I'd put on myself because of this character illustration.

I fear to say this, but I'm pretty sure I should draw another version of him... like how Patroclus stands up from his hunched over pose and stands tall and strong and matching Achilles with his own spear once you reunite them in the game. And call on them for assistance. So I guess it would be cool if he could stand back-to-back with Cody, with his lightsaber back in his hand, and looking like someone who (allegedly) has his life together XD

Oh! There is one thing. It was a last minute change but I'm so pleased with the stained glass pieces of his teacup! It's his keepsake as well :))

Keepsakes

These speak for themselves, I believe. Special thanks to Quatre for brainstorming a few of these with me <3 Funnily enough Cody's snapped of antennae is the one I feel least sure about now that I have the whole lineup. They feel very in character for Cody (and how he gets his entertainment out of trolling Din in this AU) but it feels a little silly, you know? Especially with how little they look like antennae X"D

Cody - antenna from his armor, Rex - one of his DC-17 blasters, Wolffe - a tooth with "Plo's bros" carved into it, Bo-Katan - a medal/locket with the pattern of the throne of Mandalore, Cobb - his scarf, Boba - a black melon surrounded by stained glass and a fistful of sand, Echo and Fives - a domino

Omega - a clone trooper doll, Kit - a shell and pearl, Paz - a nesting doll with a Pantoran on the inside and a Mandalorian on the outside, Shaak Ti - akul teeth, Satine - a calla lily brooch like she wears in her hair, Ahsoka - a glowing feather from Morai, Leia - Lola

Obi-wan - a fancy teacup, Quinlan - whatever is the Star Wars equivalent of a pendrive, Fennec - a handful of bullets, Sabine - airbrush, Ezra - a tooka brooch made of pebbles and snail shell, Maul - Talisman of finding (the one Savege used to find him)

Anakin - multitools, Mythosaur - a mythosaur pendant, Aphra - Spice Dice used for a variant of Sabacc, Luke - toy ship, The Armorer - her hammer

It's a bit wild to see all of them laid out like this i'm not gonna lie :D

So that's it for now. As for the next month I'm hoping to surprise-finish Aphra (like I did with Obi-wan), maybe do something about the surpirse I can maybe do for Fives and Echo and why they haven't gotten their character interaction yet, sketch out a new character and maybe start lining Bo-Katan and her gang. It should be doable, right? XD Also I promise that this was my last rant about my relationship to how I've given up replicating the game's style as close as possible. Cross my heart and all that.

Taglist of anyone who wants to be pinged once a month for these updates <3 If you want to be added to the list send me a message, or just reply to this post (a 👀 would do, nothing fancy required ;))

@elwinged @yeehawgeek @velsayshi @lionsaint

If you want to be taken off the list just message me and I'll take you off, no hard feelings :)

[thatdeadaquarius]

Friend. F r I e N d. Your smol brother Razor hcs made my insides flippyflop. I beg, I plead...

My daughter QiQi? Holding onto my sleeve while we go picking herbs so she knows she can get home? Getting her a little bag with a notebook and pen so she always has memory?

SAYING THE LINE FROM WHERE THE WIND LEADS AND ASKING FOR A HUG?!

Scolding Baizhu for letting her go herb picking when he knows she probably won't remember the way home?!?! Because Archons man like NO.

Hello!! Flippyflop??!! Over my writing ??!! 🥺🥺 <3

AND FOR MY NEXT TRICK... WE SHALL DO... THE OTHER CHILD THAT NEEDS A CARING ADULT!!

Also srry im rlly slow getting to yalls asks i promise it will come and i love u all for giving me asks <33

(*´▽)ノ✨️ NOW LETS GO ! ! ✨️

(Now before yall come at me, I am aware Baizhu does care about her, but BUT, he still is studying her/canonically has ulterior motives, and lets her pick herbs when she may not be able to find her way back, also he doesnt strike me as the type to be super affectionate/parental, as cute as it is to write him that way)

What a b l e s s e d ask, this is so cute i love all the kids in genshin their adorable

So... im kinda a consistent Sagau writer, and i love requests like this! But also, im not sure if u guys want me to still apply Sagau/Isekai setting to these requests on top of what was initially asked??

So i will pretty much always make all requests will be SAGAU/ISEKAI Reader based, UNLESS YOU STATE OTHERWISE IN THE ASK!!

Oh Qiqi, another child product of ✨️traumatic events✨️

(Future me after finishing this: oh god what monster have I unleashed upon the world, upon the sagau tag, upon my innocent followers...)

Damn ur lucky u didnt land in Jueyun Karst or nothin

Or on one of the many mountains/cliffs all over Liyue

Its honestly more a shock u arent on a mountain bc theres so many,,

Ur pretty close to Liyue Harbor luckily, not in town, but sort of at the base of Mt Tianheng by the looks of it, almost behind it

Its about sunset too, WOW

Liyue Harbor is hella bigger than in game, holy fuck its actually a huge port city

Should u go into the city??

Ur not sure, do they speak English??

...Wait u dont got a single mora

U cant even get an inn rn RIP

?? Should u just? Find a cave?? To sleep in??

But what about monsters??!

(Call Xiao? Nah he'd freak tf out on u, Shenhe maybe? She is the only option u can think of that seems like she would possibly take in a random homeless traveler from another world, mostly bc she could beat ur ass no matter what)

So,, Shenhe? Maybe? Ur still not sold on the idea but maybe u could gather something out here to sell on a street corner?? Or to Wanmin maybe for fresh ingredients?

Yeah sure why not,

With that, u just wander around the area, checking out all the plants and animals

The fennec foxes are so adorable

Oh shit some mint and sweet flower, finally

Oh hell yeah a sunsettia, u got food now 💪

U hold onto some of it to sell (including a low violet grass hell yeah)

Crunchin and munchin ur way thru Liyue now, it isnt until u find a particularly wooded area that u hear ur first sign of human life

...

Stand corrected,

Unlife...?

A soft hum, almost a lullaby, comes from Qiqi as she picks up other flowers youve never seen before (ooo new liyue plants)

Should u just leave? She seems busy and u dont wanna distract her bc she might forget to go back to her task..

Wait a minute.

On the other hand,

Now you can finally achieve one of your many goals in Genshin that you couldn't as a player.

Help Qiqi collect herbs and guide her back,

And scold Baizhu. >:)

.

(whats he gonna do?? call the milieth on you??? for some rude person who doesnt like the way he makes a child wander off, who has memory issues and cant find her way back??? thats what you thought)

.

Approaching the tiny zombie girl, you purposely step on a branch to let her know ur there

...she doesn't even flinch, instead she vvveerrryy slooowwwlllyyy lifts her head up from her bent position

Her big doe eyes 🥺

They dont look empty, or dead just kinda dreamy

She tilts her head, the adepti paper covering an eye

Qiqi: "...do I know you? ..you feel... familiar..."

Oh this is crazy, she sounds exactly like in game, but instead of in a screen, her voice is in front of you

You respond "Oh I don't think so?" You introduce yourself,

"Are you alone out here? The sun is setting..."

It didnt strike you until now, but the zombie girl is so... so... tiny

OMGGGG😫💘

I mean, you knew the kids were small, but not 5-6 year old small!!!

Qiqi stands, and you see her holding a basket in the crook of her other arm, full of greenery

(some u recognize like violet grass, horsetails, but others are completely new, wow u gotta wander around Liyue after u find somewhere to sleep tonight to check out how much more fleshed out it is irl...)

The little cryo user is the picture perfect image of sweetness 💝✨️

The paper falls to the side, and both of her gentle pink eyes look up at you (💔)

Qiqi answers slowly, "...I messed up my routine, I forgot to get herbs this morning...so I couldn't make the medicine for today... I'm getting them now instead.."

She turns to the right, then left, and blinks a few times (💔💔💔)

She kinda looks like she forgot the way back,, you figure you might as well ask

"Do you want help getting back to town? The pharmacy right?"

Qiqi looks back at you, and nods, "Okay...thank you..."

And

And!!

She takes YOUR HANNNDDDD 😫😫😫💔💔💔

Her small fingers are cold, and they wrap around only two of your fingers

SOBBING

Trying to hold the squeal inside urself, you turn and begin to walk off together, following the path around Mt. Tianheng into town

♤

HELL YEAH QIQI TIME LETS GOOO

After hearing about your homeless situation, Qiqi and Baizhu offer the guest room for the night, also partially as a thank you for helping Qiqi (thank fuck theyre that nice)

After talking on the way over,

Turns out that Baizhu lives just out of town of Liyue, (not found in the game, was is it with not showing characters houses...) that way he has some greenery around his house, and has a garden out back :D 🌱

Baizhu just gets this strange familiar feeling from you (it almost reminds him of,, seeing a regular customer that has been to see him hundreds of times...) that convinces him to offer you a job at the pharmacy, in exchange for living in the guest room for awhile ! ! WOO

MISSION 1:

FIND SOMEWHERE TO SLEEP + GET A JOB, COMPLETED

♧

Now MISSION 2:

GET MONEY, GET FOOD, SCOLD BAIZHU, LOVE QIQI

Literally on the first day out ur like,, Baizhu.

My boss, my friend, my buddy, my homie, my guyyyyy

U gotta let me go with Qiqi from now on, she will literally get lost hoe. 😐

Tapping ur foot at him and everything,

He's a little intimidated tbh bc ur so upfront about it, and agrees

U lowkey shame his parenting (and he actually feels quilty wow)

WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS SHE ALSO SAID THIS!!

"Since we first met, I have had a warm feeling inside. Not the kind of warmth that makes me feel rotten. The other kind of warm. The one that happens inside my heart. Thank you. I am happy. Sadly I only recognize the current you. If I forget you... No. I will order myself to remember you."

AHHHHHHHH PERFECT CHILD <333

(Once again, if u read my Razor post, another person who can't quite articulate what you are as the Creator, but just has a feeling about you that ur cozy and safe :')

◇

SO QIQI CANONICALLY HAS A NOTEBOOK ALREADY!!

(U help her press flowers in it to both leave inside as a pleasent surprise when she forgets about them, and attach some to the front 💖)

And SHE HAS A SCHEDULE.

In the morning, she goes herb picking, then makes medicine, and then does stretches at the end of the day before bed

(At least im pretty sure thats it, it was like 3 things so she could remember easily)

ON LIKE,, THE FIRST FEW DAYS WITH HER, SHE STARTS TO FOLLOW U AROUND MORE AND MORE LIKE A LITTLE DUCKLING

And she even says "...I started memory training exercises recently. So don't worry, I won't forget who you are." 🥲💘

◇

Qiqi seemed excited to tell u all the plants u dont recognize and what they do in medicine,

U mostly think that bc she walked and talked a little faster,

her emotions arent super obvious bc apparently her facial muscles arent super flexible... :/

(she later on after she trusts you more, will sometimes let u rub her little cheeks and massage her face to let her have more range, she looks like a content kitten those times 😭😭)

But when ur not out and about Liyue's nature with Qiqi,

U do little odd jobs around Liyue, like dog walking, delivering peoples' medicine, and u even registered w/the Adventurer's Guild so u could take on small commissions :D

U used ur money to buy ingredients to cook food for urself and the household (bc Baizhu cant make anything besides soup and tea apparantly srsly how is this man alive)

And thru a series of trial and error (and consulting Xiangling..)

U made coconut milk!!! ✨️🥥🥛

Qiqi loved. It. Every. Time.

She's not tall enough to reach the kitchen counters w/o a stool, but she can peek her little head over it and put her fingers on the edge, which she does everytime u make it 😫😫🥺🥺

She has a 6th sense for everytime u make it, no matter where she is in the house/nearby lol

It was also one of the things she wrote down in her notebook that she didnt wanna forget LMAO

Next to a reminder that she knows you + other facts abt u, is "can make coconut milk"

You can bribe her with it too lol

QIQI BEST KITCHEN HELPER

Shes already Baizhu's assistant, so she is great at cutting, chopping, and prepping ingredients

She insists on helping u everytime, she'll even delay her morning routine for u to make breakfast <3

(U also make sure to remind her to eat and hydrate consistently, bc thatd be hard af to keep track of w/ memory issues, i would know 💀)

◇

U also used ur money to buy clothes for urself and her!! <3

Also apparently u still have access to the character menu? And ur inventory?? And quests???

U CAN UPGRADE QIQI

(YESS YESSS- MAKE HER THE STRONGEST CHILD IN THE WORLD, GODLIKE STRENGTH THE IMMORTAL UNDYING QIQI AGENDA HAHAHAHA)

(Her outfits show up in her outfit screen!! theres just kinda a hologram button hovering over her chest at all times..)

She seems rlly fond of upgrading her, her weapon, and artifacts bc she likes to be a stronk 💪girl to protect ppl she loves aw <3

(SHE SAID SHE WAS HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT U BETTER THE FIRST TIME U ASCENDED HERRRR 😭💘

She also likes to help u out with commissions too, it brings her some variety in her day that shes become fond of!!

(Shes also become fond of you and all the exciting things ur doing)

AND

Ur quests menu is rlly helpful for you but also her!! U just gently reroute her or remind her everytime she needs it :)

(she has slowly gone from asking you what she forgot/what she was supposed to be doing, to just... LOOKING UP AT YOUUUUU FOR THE ANSWERRRR W/O SAYING ANYTHINGGGGG 💔💔💔💔💔💔)

◇

Bc u got jackshit all else to do in ur freetime, other than exploring, u started picking up some hobbies thatll benefit the both of you!

U bought some fabric and whatnot to make Qiqi a backpack!! So she doesnt have to carry around the herb basket anymore

(the ones being sold were too expensive, and werent quite right for her anyway, but u did stab urself enough times that Baizhu gave u bandages..)

You give it to her on her birthday!! (she also remembered yours!! She gave u herbal medicine and a necklace of gemstones she handmade like noctilous jade and cor lapis cries)

It has lots of pockets, bc Qiqi also likes to get interesting rocks or non-medicinal flowers to give you while yall are outside <3

She loves the backpack, u saw her make the

♡tiniest♡

Smile ever, which made it even cuter to see

(She also just, held it to her chest the whole day 😭)

◇

ALSO BC SHE STRIKES ME AS A SLOW BURN TYPE OF PERSON TO LOVE SOMEONE (idk if u get that feeling but thats what it seems like to me esp with her memory needing time to remember a new person, she apparently canonically cant always remember Baizhu's face??)

SO A RANDOM DAY AFTER ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF, YALL WERE ABOUT TO GO HERB PICKING AGAIN AS USUAL,

WHEN SHE TOOK UR SLEEVE AND JUST,, STAYED THERE THE WHOLE TIME,,

EVEN WHEN SHE WAS HERB PICKING-

🫂🫂🫂

Was that your soul leaving your body? Maybe 🤷‍♂️

But when yall r in a crowd of Liyueans and tourists, she straight up latches onto ur hand like a vice grip

She WILL NOT lose you, and ur holding back just as hard, you WILL NOT lose ur amnesiac child!!!

She likes to come into town with u when u go bc while shes not a fan of crowds, she can deal with them a lot better when ur there 🥺

Plus she wants to be able to look out for you!!

SUCH A SWEETHEARTTT

When u asked why she didnt like crowds the first time yall went SHE SAID

"Some people want to take advantage of me. Others are terrified of me. But you... You are not like any of those people."

QIIIIQQQIIIIIII MY BELOVEDDDD CHILDDDD 🥲🥲🥲😭😭😭😭

(ALL OF THESE ARE CANON VOICELINES BTW EXCEPT FOR YALLS FIRST MEETING AT THE TOP!!!)

♡

Ok so she was already pretty strong before you, but now esp since u started upgrading her-

Qiqi is hella strong and has great stamina

U saw this in action in real time when Hu Tao was strolling down the path near where yall were herb picking off to the side

Hu Tao and Qiqi like... locked eyes-

U were looking down at plants but noticed Qiqi not moving, and looked up to see the most intense staring contest ever LMAO

AND LIKE SOME KIND OF LIKE BIRD OR SQURRIEL WHEN THEY LIKE FREEZE AND THEN BOLT WHEN U ARENT EXPECTING IT THEY ARE OFF LMFAO

QIQI IS RUNNING FOR THE HILLS, ITS LITERALLY INSANE TO WATCH HER BE SO FAST AHSHAKKALDFH

HU TAO IS ALSO FAST BUT LIKE THERES STILL A GOOD AMOUNT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM-

AS U FINALLY GET OVER THE SHOCK, U RUN AFTER THEM LOL

THEY QUICKLY OUT PACE UR SLOW ASS AND UR HUNCHED OVER DYING AND JUST BEFORE THEY GET OUT OF RANGE U HEAR-

"YOU HAVE TO LET ME PUT YOU TO REST, DON'T WORRY YOU'LL LIKE IT DOWN THERE THE DIRT IS NICE AND COLD!!"

AND AN INDIGNANT "No!"

LMAO HU TAO GIVES UP 2 HOURS LATER, AND QIQI WAS LITERALLY RUNNING AND CLIMBING THE WHOLE TIME LMFAO

◇

SO IDK IF YALL SEEN IT BUT THERES A TRAILER OUT ABOUT XIAO i think??

AND AT ONE POINT QIQI CANONICALLY SAYS SHE CARRIED HIM WHEN HE WAS PASSED OUT BACK TO THE PHARMACY 💀

U WERE THERE WHEN YALL FOUND XIAO

it was kinda shocking to finally have ran into him (bc u figured there was no way he would come down to see some rando human, even if u had almond tofu)

AND HE'S PASSED OUT??!!?!?!

Top ten most disturbing images: Xiao face first on the ground, out of it

And while ur like panicking "omfg how tf am i gonna carry this mf all the way back to the pharmacy, omg what happened, oh jesus this is insane its literally XIAO and he's PASSED OUT-"

Qiqi in the background like, "hup"

And just arranges him in a piggyback carry, his legs and arms sticking straight out in front of her, his ass almost touching the GROUNNNDDD😭😭😭

You: *shocked pikachu face meme LMAOOO

◇

I LOVE THAT THIS IS CANON OHMYGODTHIS MIGHT BETHE FUNNIEST SHIT OUT OF GENSHIN LORE/STORY YET

♤

Bonus: Zhongli has been going in-fucking-sane trying to locate where u are lol, Hu Tao literally made him take a few days off bc he was pacing around the harbor so much 😭

He always seems to get to where you are, just as you leave the area (apparently Qiqi's deathlike presence throws off ur very full of life one)

Literally as soon as you landed (woke up?) On Liyue soil, he was hyper aware of you

The other adepti are searching the rest of Liyue just in case ur someone where else

Lol wonder how long it took him to realize u were just workin at Bubu Pharmacy LMAO

Tell me what to write! :) ♡

Reminder: A 100+ Followers celebration POLL!!

HOLY FUCK!!

OML

OMFG

SATAN ON A STICK-

THIS IS SO LONG 😭????? WHAT HAPPENED

THIS THING AS LONG AS A FALL INTO THE ABYSS

HELL-

WHAT THE FUCK

WELL NOW I KNOW WHY IT TOOK ME SO DAMN LONG TO POST ANYTHING FOR A FEW DAYS BC THIS IS A FREAK OF NATURE

I ALREADY MADE THE LAST ONE TOO LONG AND NOW HERE WE ARE CRYING

I hope u enjoyed this fucking monster anon sob-

oh my god im actually shocked you guys, i just scrolled up and down this thing-

I can't even like, flick it once and let it scroll really fast and reach the top u know what i mean?? 😟😰🙂🙃🥲

I just,, i had so many ideas, and as i typed and tried to get them all down i-

uh,, aNyWaY,,, enjoy yalls week guys...😟😃 distantsobbing

Cheers,

🌒🌊🌧Aquarius♒️🌌🌘

♡ the beloveds ♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza

[dustofthedailylife]

In Case You Missed It

→ Masterlist || → Taglist

A “newsletter” containing all fics I have posted recently that you might have missed.

🍁 A Fennec Fox's Guide to... // Tighnari x Fennec Fox!Reader // FLUFF → Botany Summary: Tighnari comes back from a day of work and is greeted by yet another new patient who has consumed poisonous mushrooms in the forest. That it would be another fennec fox he'd have to save is a surprise - yet not an unwelcome one. → Love Summary: Tighnari takes you on a promised trip to teach you about the botany of the forest. Little did you know that a lesson wasn't the only thing you'd be receiving today.

🍁 Sick Stubborn Reader // Xiao, Zhongli, Alhaitham, Tighnari // FLUFF Summary: They care for their sick and stubborn s/o.

🍁 "That Day I Befriended A Slime" // Xiao, Zhongli, Tighnari, Alhaitham, Childe, Diluc // FLUFF Summary: How they react to seeing Reader with a slime.

🍁 "I'll catch you when you fall!" // Xiao, Zhongli, Ayato, Tighnari, Kaeya // FLUFF Summary: How they react to a clumsy Reader who accidentally hurts themself often and without noticing.

🍁 I love you more than words can say... // Diluc x Reader // ANGST TO COMFORT Summary: A rumor emerged that Diluc is going to marry Donna soon. A you (his partner), catch wind of that you decide to confront him about it.

NEW CHAPTER UPDATE FOR...

🍁 It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn // Diluc x Fatui! Reader → Chapter 3 - A Momentary Solace Summary: You’re a Fatui Agent, tasked with assassinating the one man who three years ago had almost succeeded to shatter the entire organization out of sheer hatred and thirst for vengeance. The best way to get close to someone? You make them fall in love with you - only that you didn’t plan on catching feelings yourself.

Missed the start? Start right at → Chapter 1 - The Mission

ONGOING WRITING COLLAB!

🍁 Genshin Winter Wonderland Winter is rapidly approaching here and so is Christmas. And with it, it brings the most comfortable and cozy holiday season for me. Therefore I’d like all of us to come together to celebrate it with the most sickenly-sweet and cavity-inducing fluff we can come up with.

RANDOM BLURBS & BRAINROTS

🍁 Alhaitham relationship dynamic (x Reader) 🍁 "Too Late" (Alhaitham x Reader, Angst drabble) 🍁 Alhaitham Glow-Up (x Reader) 🍁 A Wingman but not quite... (Alhaitham x Reader) 🍁 Saying something wrong in a foreign language (Alhaitham x Reader) 🍁 Zhongli's less well-mannered youth

[foundress0fnothing]

I write (slowly) for a lot of ships. Stars next to completed fics. All links are for AO3!

and kisses are a better fate than wisdom (Nessian)

Feyre drags her sisters to Medieval Times to ogle the hot king. Nesta drags Emerie and Gwyn to Medieval Times for support and hater solidarity. And maybe to ogle some hot knights.

leave a kiss but in the cup (Nessian)

Cassian gets roped into helping organize Rhys and Feyre’s wedding when, on a whim, the two decide to throw it at the winery in the small town where the brothers all grew up. The problem? He has to work with Feyre's older sister, Nesta. And she hates him.

Darling, I Would Do It Again (Feysand)***

Looking to rebuild her self-esteem after a messy breakup, Feyre takes Mor up on her suggestion to visit a lingerie store.

what lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why (Elucien)***

Elain and Lucien make a bargain. When it's time to call it in, however, neither of them remembers what it is—or that they made one at all.

whistles far and wee (Feysand)***

When Tamlin refuses to pay him, the Piper decides to collect his payment himself. That payment? Tamlin’s intended. Lured into the depths of the Court of Nightmares, Feyre soon learns what is expected of the Piper’s possessions. A pied piper feysand two-shot.

A Mind of Winter (Gwynriel)***

Stuck together in a cabin on Solstice after a training exercise gone wrong, Azriel decides to help Gwyn celebrate the holiday even when they're away from their friends and family in Velaris. As they cobble together a Solstice celebration, marking what traditions they can and creating their own, what else might the spies discover on the shortest night of the year?

more thicker than forget (Azris)

Azriel Moreno and Eris Vanserra are both young literary scholars working to make a name for themselves in academia. After a disastrous conference, a lost job opportunity, and a messy one night stand, the two part and move on with their lives, only to find themselves forced to work together on a project years later.

Both Forever and Rather Die (Elucien)***

Elain runs a sex cult. She’s looking for something new. Lucien is new.

Firm and Fragrant Still the Brambleberries (Nessian)***

When Nesta became a nurse at the start of the war, she could not have predicted a patient as challenging as Lieutenant Cassian Davies, nor he a nurse as captivating as her. As the same war that brought them together threatens to tear them apart, Nesta and Cassian must navigate the complexities of love and duty to find the way back to each other. A WWI historical AU.

Sweet Secret (Feysand) (on hiatus)

Feyre and Rhys make a bargain. One pledges love and provision, the other love and secrecy. But what happens when the demands of a human court threaten their promises? Is love enough? What does one owe to another after a promise is broken? Based on Marie de France's 12th-century Breton Lai, Lanval

ACOTAR Writing Circle 2 Fics (all completed)

Meet Me in the Woods Tonight (Azris): Part 2 by @fieldofdaisiies and Part 3 by @vulpes-fennec

Forced to partner together during their company's annual team building event in the Illyrian forest, Azriel Moreno and Eris Vanserra find themselves an unlikely duo. When Eris suggests straying off the marked paths through the forest to beat the other competitors, Azriel reluctantly agrees. Eris was an eagle scout after all---what's the worst that could happen?

Double Blind (Gwynriel) Part 1 by @hlizr50 and Part 3 by @shadowisles-writes

Gwyn and Azriel have both been set up on blind dates by their friends. When they confide in each other, each one desperately hopes that the other might object. But neither of them are willing to stand between the person they care about and their potential happiness. Luckily their friends aren't nearly as blind as the Valkyrie and the Spymaster.

When It Rains (Gwynriel) Part 1 by headcanonheadcase and Part 2 by @sunshinebingo

Gwyn and her friends just arrived at their favorite camping spot. Although everyone is eager for a little rest and relaxation, Feyre advises that they 'work first, play later' and get the site set up before they all head down to the lake. Cassian is working on putting Gwyn's tent up when he accidentally pokes a hole in the side with one of the poles. Gwyn insists that it will be fine, but with rain in the forecast, will she be able to keep dry? Or will she need to seek alternate shelter?

[skellymom]

"UNFORTUNATE TURN OF EVENTS"

Hunter, Wrecker, Fennec Shand One Shot Alt Universe Fic

 SPOILERS FOR SEASON 3, EP 8-YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Word Count: 537

Background: Hunter and Wrecker take a job with Fennec Shand in exchange for Intel on the Empire...with an unfortunate turn of events. For whom?

Warning: Swearing, canon-typical violence. SPOILERS S3!

(Credit: Cool moving star dividers by @4ngelic-wh1spers )

From the very beginning Hunter and Wrecker had misgivings about working with Fennec Shand. 

Aside from her trying to maim or kill Hunter she took off with Omega, a terrified child.

He never knew where her loyalties lay. And she didn’t believe in even a smidgen of selflessness. 

Now being rudely ordered around by this cold woman on some swampy ass crack of a planet for intel...that he wasn’t sure they’d ever see. 

But he and Wrecker really had nothing to bargain with. 

Now she was giving them both crap about losing Omega. 

Honey, you don't know shit about where we’ve been or what we’ve experienced to protect our family. 

Plus, she was willing to kidnap A KID for MONEY. 

Fennec claimed to stop going after the bounty when whomever hired Fennec thought Omega would be safer with them. And she refused to tell them who that was.  

Mighty nice of you, sweetheart. 

“Guess they were wrong about that.” She taunted them. 

Wrecker shot back “Guess you’ll work for anybody, as long as you get paid.” 

Hunter was starting to lose his patience...and a bit of his empathy. At least for sketchy characters who dangled important info that would help a cause or an innocent person’s quality of life, just out of reach. 

He knew he was becoming bitter. Compassion Fatigue. 

“Good guys or bad guys, their money is all the same.” She trotted out THAT platitude. 

“Well, money isn’t everything.” Hunter countered. 

“Spoken by someone who doesn't have any.” Fennec sneered. 

Under the helmet Hunter ground his teeth. She had no right to judge him and his brothers this way. Surely, she started from nothing? Didn’t most of the galaxy? 

The bounty was bagged and brought back into Fennec’s ship. 

“Pleasure doing business with you.” 

“Hang on. You promised information.” Hunter angrily demanded. 

“I didn’t say I had it with me. But I’ll get it.” Fennec stared down at them. “After I deliver Sylar to my client."

“That’s NOT what we agreed on.” Hunter and Wrecker were PISSED, it showed on their faces. 

“You can either fight me or trust me. Take your pick.” 

Hunter and Wrecker glanced at one another stone faced. 

She’s fucking with us. 

“Good choice. I’ll be in touch.” 

Then the confident, cold-blooded Fennec Shand made a HUGE mistake. 

She turned her back on Hunter. 

He shot her, his blaster was NOT set to stun. 

She fell onto the gangplank, still somewhat alive. Instantly regretting that she mistook both clones for harmless fools. 

Hunter stepped up and leaned down to face Fennec. 

“You’re right, we’re credit-less. That’ll change when we turn in your bounty and scrap your ship. We also have your contacts and intel now, too.” 

Fennec gasped, clinging onto the last shred of life. 

“Too late for YOU to learn a valuable lesson: Don’t FUCK with people who have loved ones...cause we’ll do ANYTHING to secure their safety.” 

Wrecker yanked up Fennecs dying body from the gangplank so he could pilot her ship. “Heh, didn’t she say something earlier about eventually everyone’s luck runs out?” 

“Guess she thought it didn’t apply to HER.” Hunter walked off to pilot the Marauder. 

Maker help ANYONE standing in the way of Clone Force-99. 

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[something-tofightfor]

Competing For Christmas 9: Here Comes Santa Claus

Pairing: Modern Din Djarin x Female Reader

Word Count: 

Rating: E. It’s happening.

Summary: 12,336

Din still being in Mistletoe is just so he can keep his promise to say goodbye, right? 

Author’s notes:

Thank you for sticking with me. Thank you for being patient. Thank you for all of the yelling in comments and reblogs and in my DMs. 

We’re almost at the end - and I’m starting to get sad about it. 

This chapter is a massive thank you - and a very late Christmas present from me to you. 

** Mando’a translations at the end of the chapter. ** 

Questions, concerns, comments? My inbox is open!

To get alerted when I post new chapters/stories, follow @somethingtofightfor-shares​ and turn on post notifications - you can also ask to be added to my tag list (link in bio or at the top of my taglist reblog)

Masterlist  / Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5.1 / Part 5.2 / Din’s POV Interlude / Part 6.1 / Part 6.2 / Part 7 / Part 8

We need to talk? “Yeah, Din. We do.” You pulled on Grogu’s leash, urging the dog forward and toward his owner. 

As the two of you neared the man, the dog began to whine. 

You glanced up at Din and the man nodded twice, so you let go of the leash and then stopped moving. You watched as Grogu went back to Din, taking a seat by his feet and then settling his paws in the thin layer of snow that covered the ground. “Sheber olar, Grogu.”

It got quiet then, and as the flakes continued to swirl around you, you realized that you didn’t know what to say - or what to expect. “Are … Do you want to talk here, or -”

“I’m sorry.” He tilted his head back, letting out a long sigh. “My truck’s parked down the street, we can go sit there, if you want.” You did. In fact, you wanted nothing more than to sit in the warm cab and let Din say what he needed to say, but at the same time, you didn’t want to have to walk away from him when the conversation was done. 

“Did you come here to tell me goodbye?” It came out before you’d thought it through, and in the silence that followed the words, you began to understand just how much you didn’t want to hear the answer. “Because if you did, I don’t know how you knew I was even here.” 

“You weren’t home yet.” He pressed his lips together, head shaking back and forth. “And while I was driving home from driving by your place, I remembered the text you sent about coming to see the tree with Gogu. I wanted to stop before …” He trailed off. Before you leave. Before it’s too late. “But then I saw you sitting on that bench, and it…” 

He was upset - you could see it on his face and hear it in his voice, the man’s words thick with emotion and more broken than you’d ever heard him sound before. At least I’m not the only one upset with this. “Here I am.” You spread your hands wide and a bitter laugh escaped from your lips, one hand rising so that you could pinch the bridge of your nose. “Right where I always am, in the -” 

“Look.” Din sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “We need to talk, but I’d rather not do it in public, if that’s ok. It’s cold out here, and -” 

“Don’t make this harder, Din. you said you’d say goodbye before you left, and now you can. We can do that here. Boba said -”

“Boba and Fennec are on their way back to Mandalore right now.” What? You froze at his words, mouth open in disbelief. They are? “I didn’t go.” 

“Din?” Your voice trembled and so did your bottom lip, a tiny flicker of hope reigniting in your chest. “What?” 

“We need to talk.” He swallowed hard, shaking his head. “Please?” 

“My house is closer than yours.” Is this a good idea? Probably not. But … “Grogu’s more than welcome to come in, too.” 

“I’ll meet you there.” He reached out with the hand that wasn’t holding Grogu’s leash but stopped short, the yellow-tipped fingers of his glove curling back against his palm. “Alright?” 

It was and you told him as much. You also told Din to be careful driving before you turned away from him and headed back toward your car, the thoughts in your head a jumbled mess. 

The warm air from your heater was a relief, though. As you started the short drive back to your house, you tried not to think about what Din’s presence - and what the few words he’d said - could possibly mean. 

Fennec and Boba were gone, but Din wasn’t. He seemed off, but in a way that you couldn’t place. He’d found you - by luck - thanks to an offhand comment you’d made over text. It has to mean something … but what? 

You pulled into your driveway before Din did, opening the garage to park inside. Once parked, you closed your eyes and rested your forehead against the steering wheel, trying to calm yourself. What the fuck is happening? 

You didn’t dare to hope that Din’s continued presence in Mistletoe meant anything good. He probably just asked if he could catch a flight out tomorrow. That has to be it.

His lights flashing on the interior walls of the garage pushed you into action. As he cut his engine you got out of the car, waiting until he and Grogu were inside before you shut the main door and unlocked the one that led into your place.

“Let me get Grogu a bowl of water, and then … Din?” Confused, you turned back to look at him when you felt his hand on your arm. The man stood in the center of your kitchen, his eyes on you. “What are you -” 

“He doesn’t need water.” Din drew his lower lip between his teeth, shaking his head. “He’s fine.” 

“Ok.” Releasing another shaky breath, you reached for your coat and unzipped it, staring at Din. “You can take yours off, too. Even if you’re only here for a few minutes, it …” 

In the light of your kitchen, your eyes were drawn to the sleeve of his jacket - and a well-hidden design of something that looked like a rhinoceros on the man’s right shoulder that was only briefly visible. It’s like Boba’s. But what is it? When Din removed his jacket, you did the same, also bending over to pull your boots off and set them next to the door. 

He followed suit but when he was done, both of you stood motionless in the kitchen, waiting. Grogu definitely isn’t bothered right now. You smiled as the dog left the kitchen, heading into the room with the tree and flopping down in front of it, his legs stretched out as he laid on his side. “At least he’s comfortable.” Forcing a laugh, you pointed. “Do you want to sit?” 

“I …” He spoke, gloveless fingers flexing by his sides. “I don’t…” Oh, Din. You wanted to step forward, wanted to reach out for him, but instead of doing that, you were rooted to the spot, just waiting. “Fuck it.” He moved first, the man’s arms rising and wrapping around you before you could even react. 

He pulled you against his chest, lowering his head to rest his cheek against your hair. Despite your unease at the overall situation, you let him hold you. And you held him back, eyes squeezed shut as the two of you hugged in the center of your kitchen, clinging to each other wordlessly. But we can’t stay like this. We have to … he has something to say. 

It was you that backed away first, pushing gently against his chest to put space between your bodies and meeting his eyes again. “Why are you still here, Din?” 

He didn’t let you go, the man’s hands settling at your waist - but he didn’t speak, either. You could feel his heart pounding beneath your palm, and so you waited, understanding that he needed a few seconds to collect himself. “I needed to see you.” 

He spoke quietly, squeezing his eyes shut for a few seconds and then reopening them, the look of uncertainty slightly less pronounced. “Well, you see me, Din. Is this what you wanted?” 

“None of this is what I wanted.” He bit his lip, scoffing. “Not a single damn minute of this is…” You moved to pull away but he didn’t let you, the man saying your name and tightening his hold on your hips. “Except for you. The one thing I actually want, and I can’t do a damn thing about it because of what’s expected of me.” 

“I told Boba you’re going to be a good Mand’alor.” You traced over the neckline of his hoodie with one fingertip. “And I meant it. And in a year, these past few weeks won’t … they won’t hurt as much when we think about them, Din. You’ll have your people to worry about. And Mandalore, and I won’t be a -” Does he believe that any of this is true? Because I sure don’t.

“I wanted to come to see you this morning. I wanted to come last night, but Boba, he … he said it wasn’t a good idea. He said he would come and talk to you. He said -”

“I know.” You nodded. “I know, Din. He told you not to reach out until you knew what you wanted to say, and I appreciate that. And I know that I didn’t let you say goodbye last night, but now, I think … It’s time, right?” You could feel the tears welling in your eyes, the sting of them increasingly harder to ignore. “You came here to say goodbye?”

“I came here to explain.” Din pulled you a little closer, the man ducking his head briefly. “I came here to …” He trailed off, looking around the room and then back at you, straightening up and squaring his shoulders. “Can we sit? This might take a minute, and I don’t want to be standing next to your kitchen table while -”

“Yeah.” Tearing yourself out of his hold, you spun away. “We can sit, Din.” I have no idea where he’s going with this. 

Only a few minutes later, the two of you were sitting on your couch, almost a full cushion between you even though you were facing each other. Grogu was snoring quietly, and you couldn’t help smiling at the dog when you glanced in his direction. At least one of us is relaxed. 

“I saw he brought you Spotchka. Did he tell you what it was?”

“He did. Said the three of you used to sneak it in school.” Din smiled at that, agreeing. “I’m thinking about taking it tomorrow, and letting my family try it. At least then I can drink some of it and not have to drink alone. It looks good.” 

“It is good. It’s one of the most popular types of alcohol in Mandalore. It’s one of the things I always had in my refrigerator while I’ve been here. I should have offered you some one of the times you were over.” Well, you didn’t.

“At least I get to taste it now.” You gestured in the direction of the bottle with one hand. “So maybe something good did come out of all this.” 

The room went quiet again, and even though you had plenty you wanted to say, you were unsure where to begin. Because this isn’t about me. This is about him and … and what he has to do. 

“We’re going to release a statement on the first day of the new year about me taking Boba’s place. We’re going to try and get ahead of whatever she’s got planned.” Smart. 

It hit you hard, though - almost like someone had punched you in the stomach. But you still didn’t speak, despite the fact that your head whipped toward Din again. That’s so soon. A week. “And I take it you’ll be back in Mandalore for that.” He nodded. “I’m happy for you, Din.” 

“We’re also going to tell people what I’ve been doing for the last year - that I’ve been here, giving myself a chance to enjoy my life before I devote myself to leading them.” Oh. “Bo Katan will probably release the picture of us then, once she realizes Boba’s not going to give in and name her Mand’alor.” Of course she is.

“Thank you for telling me. At least now I can prepare myself. I can tell my family what to expect, and … it won’t all come as a complete shock to them.” Wetting your lips, you linked your hands together on your lap, pressing your palms flat against each other. “I’ll just need to know what you want me to say if anyone asks. I don’t want to ruin your chances of finding a -” Yes. I do. I don’t want to think about you with anyone else. 

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said to me, about James?” Din shifted on the cushion, moving slightly closer to you, though his hands stayed put on his lap, too. “About how you couldn’t justify moving to a new city with him without some sort of … promise that he saw a future with you.”

“I did say that. And I meant it.” Confused, you moved closer, too. “But what does that -”

“I have to go back to Mandalore. I have to do my duty and take my place in the Palace. I owe it to the people and to Boba.” He wasn’t saying anything that you didn’t already know. Part of you wondered if he was saying the words out loud in an attempt to convince himself that they were the truth, and that there was no getting around them. “Do you know why I wanted to come here last night?”

“No.” Lowering your head, you shook it slowly. “I don’t, Din.” 

Din dragged his fingers through his hair and then scratched at his scalp, gripping the back of his head with both hands before he turned his head toward you, saying your name again. When he had your attention, he continued. “I wanted to come here and ask you to come home with me. To Mandalore.” 

It felt like someone had sucked all of the air out of the room. Your entire body froze, hands still in your lap and your lips parted. The only thing that moved were your eyes, and those widened at his words. What? That isn’t… we’ve never … He chuckled at the sight of you, wrinkling his nose. 

“Yeah, that’s about how I thought you’d react.” 

“Din…” Forcing the word out, you reached for him, slightly ashamed to see that your hand was shaking. “What?”

“You were with him for how long, and you still wouldn’t have moved if he’d asked you. You said you needed someone to be able to offer you some sort of future before you could make that kind of decision, and I… I can’t do that. I can’t offer you anything past what you see right here, right now.” 

His fingers closed around yours, the man’s grip tight. I know, Din. “I’m not asking you to. I never would. I understand that you have to go, Din. It’s not easy, but -”

“I want to.” He looked up again, the creases between his brows prominent, lower lip jutting out as he frowned. “I want to be selfish and tell you that I want you to come back with me. To be with me. I want you to understand that this has never just been …” He swore, covering his face with his free hand. “But how can I ask you to move to a different country with me if I can’t promise you anything because I don’t know what’s going to happen over the next six months and beyond? I don’t even know if you’d want to be with me in the first place, so how can -”

“Din, slow down.” Your thumb moved slowly over the back of his hand, trying to calm him - even a little. But now it’s my heart beating fast. Now it’s me that needs to calm down. “This is -”

“And you have a family here. Friends. I can’t ask you to leave them. I can’t just take you halfway across the world and see what happens. What if you hate it there? What happens when you miss your friends? What happens when I’m busy running the fucking country and can’t spend as much time with you as either of us wants?” 

“Din.” You closed your eyes, letting out another shaky breath. “It’s a good thing that you didn’t come last night or this morning and say any of this.” He recoiled like you’d slapped him, and the movement made you wince. “No. Wait. Not because it’s … shit.” You pulled your hand away from his and then covered your face with both of them, trying to steady yourself. Slow. Say what you mean. “I didn’t realize how much it was going to hurt when you had to leave.”

“Neither did I.” You felt his hand then, the man’s fingers closing around your forearm and urging you to lower your hands. “And then Boba told me last night that we needed to leave, and it … everything happened at once.” Yeah. It did. “I knew you were going to your parents’ earlier. And that was another reason I didn’t want to come, because I didn’t … I couldn’t dump this on you and then expect you to just …” He rubbed at his forehead. “Go.” 

You chewed on your lower lip, your eyes wandering from Din to the dog and then to your tree, focusing on the bright little bulbs. He wanted to ask me to go to Mandalore? He’s thought about it? He thought about it enough to… “Din?” He hummed, tilting his head to the right and letting out a deep sigh. “What do you mean that you can’t offer me anything but right here and now?” 

“How can I ask you to leave everything you know for me? We’ve only really gotten to know each other for the last month and a half, and we’re not … we’re not together. You just ended a relationship, and I was lying to you for -”

“Not lying.” Reaching for his hand, you took it and the squeezed. “You were protecting yourself and your friend and your country. And I understand that. Hell, if you’d just come right out and said “I’m basically a prince, and am going to become my country’s version of a king in a few months, so I have to be discreet”, I probably wouldn’t have believed you anyway.” 

“But I kept it from you. You had to -”

“And you told me the truth as soon as I asked you to. It wasn’t a lie because you were trying to deceive me. There’s a difference.” You both went quiet, Grogu’s soft snoring reaching your ears. “Are you … are you even allowed to bring people to Mandalore with you? Would you even be able to date someone like me, or were you just -”

“We’re… I’m allowed to be with whoever I want to be. But that isn’t … it wouldn’t be fair of me to pull you into the middle of this for …” He stood, tearing his hand out of yours and pacing in front of the couch. Grogu lifted his head, whining once, but as soon as Din spoke - one low word, nayc, his left hand raising slightly in a placating gesture - the dog dropped his nose back onto his paws, staring upward. What a good dog. 

What he was saying made sense. Din was trying to do the right thing - the responsible thing - by listening to what you’d told him in the beginning about needing some sort of certainty before deciding to uproot yourself. But it’s not the same. Din isn’t James. He isn’t just looking for … “

“What’s a Mudhorn, Din?” Staring up at him, the words tumbled from your mouth. “Why’d you choose that for our team name? And what… Boba seemed to think it was important. He asked me about it, but I didn’t know what to tell him.” Din stopped pacing, the man’s focus back on you as his eyes widened. 

“He brought it up?” You nodded. 

“Yeah, and then he showed me his … crest, I guess? For his family?” Din nodded slowly. “Din … is the Mudhorn that thing on your coat sleeve? Is it …” The pieces fell into place all at once, your mouth dropping open after you’d trailed off. The Mudhorn’s Din’s sigil. It’s his family crest, it … but he …. That was weeks ago. He didn’t … “You and I didn’t…” 

“I didn’t plan on that. It just … came out. But I wasn’t upset after it happened. And the longer we went on in the competition, and the more I heard people call us Clan Mudhorn, I liked it. It’s just been me and Grogu since I adopted him, and then for the last few weeks, it’s been a clan of three, and …”  A clan of three? And he says we’re not … 

 “I’m honored.” Pressing your lips together, you stared up at him and then patted the cushion next to you. “Please sit back down.” It took a few seconds but he did, leaving only a few inches between your thighs. “It might have just been a temporary thing, but that kind of … inclusion, Din? It means a lot.” 

“It’s supposed to.” He nodded, scoffing. “In Mandalore, one of the customs is to wear the signet of your people. The Mythosaur is meant for all Mandalorians, but individual designations are …”

“Well don’t worry.” You reached over, laying your hand on his knee. “The shirts just said Clan Mudhorn on them. The actual symbol wasn’t -”

“I wear it on my clothes now, and when I become Mand’alor, I get … it’s probably going to sound really weird to you, but I get ceremonial armor with it inlaid.” He tapped his shoulder. “It’ll be here, like it is on my coat now. Grogu’s… you can barely see it, but his collar’s got it stitched into the material. He’ll have a ceremonial something forged, too, probably some sort of lead or maybe a plaque for his travel crate. And my riduur, or wife, if I ever get married would have something made for her, too.” That makes sense. “It’s Mandalorian tradition. Every family has something different to identify them. Clan Djarin is also Clan Mudhorn, but when I take the throne, the whole of Mandalore is under the protection of Clan Mudhorn.” That’s huge. That … that’s a piece of him that …  

“Thank you for including me, even only for a few weeks.” Your voice was quiet, and you couldn’t meet his eyes as you spoke. “It means more to me than …” Wetting your lips, you let out a small huff. “More to me than you could ever know, Din.” 

You were dancing around it - and as the minutes passed, you understood what it was more and more. He said he was going to ask but hasn’t. He said he knows he can’t, but … but I think he wants to. And I … 

You wanted him to ask, but you didn’t want to admit it, because that would make it even worse when he left your house without voicing the question. 

Admitting it made things real, and part of you was desperate to continue believing that with the passage of time and Din’s absence, it would be easier to move past what you felt. But it won’t. Even if he just walks out, this is … nothing’s ever going to be the same.  

“When do you have to leave?” How long do I have until you’re gone? 

“As soon as the plane lands and gets checked out, they’re replacing the pilot and sending it back for me.” He sighed. “So it’ll probably be back here late tomorrow night, and then I’ll leave sometime on the 26th.” Oh. As he spoke, your eyes moved to the clock on the cable box beneath the TV. It’s after 12. 

“It’s Christmas.” Sniffling, you lowered your head. “So the plane will be back tonight and you’ll be gone tomorrow.” And I’ll spend the last day I could have with you pretending to be alright with my parents. “Do you need to go? Do you need to pack? It’s late, and I’m sure you -”

“I don’t want to go.” You heard his voice waver, and when you met his gaze again, it was Din that was holding back tears, the man’s eyes shining. “I don’t want to leave, or -”

“What do you want, then?” You shifted, pushing your shoulders back, head shaking back and forth slowly. “Because -”

“I…” He paused, mouth open as he watched you. “I want…” Din blinked, taking a deep breath, and then you saw his expression change, the light coming back into his eyes. “I want you to come to Mandalore with me and Grogu. I want to show you what life could be like there, with me.” He took another breath, reaching over to settle his hand on yours, the man’s touch heavy as he let the weight of his palm rest atop the back of your hand. “I want you.”

Hearing him say it floored you, but it didn’t come as a complete surprise. “Ok.” Swallowing hard, you nodded. “I want that, too. I want you, Din. I have for a -”

He cut you off when he leaned forward, the man’s kiss urgent as his free hand rose to the side of your face, the tips of his fingers curled behind your ear. You were too shocked to pull away, and so you didn’t. Instead, you moved closer, pulling your hand away from Din’s and spreading your fingers wide against his side. Is this happening? 

He squeezed your thigh as he deepened the kiss, the man wasting no time urging your lips apart with his tongue. Neither of you tried to end it. Instead, you moved closer to each other, lifting one leg and draping it over his as he pulled you toward him, holding you tightly. 

Both of you were still fully clothed, but it felt more intimate than even waking up in his arms on the couch had. “Wait.” He murmured the word against your mouth, kissing you once more before putting space between you. “Before I kiss you again, did … did you just agree to come to Mandalore with me?” 

“I did.” You had no idea what you’d do when you got there - if you’d find work, or even be able to work, where you’d live. You didn’t know what you were going to tell your friends and family. But I mean it. “As long as you were serious about me coming with you.” 

“I was. I am.” He nodded, taking a deep breath. “I’ve never been more serious about anything.” Turning his head, he cleared his throat, gesturing to Grogu with his chin. “You’ll probably be spending a lot of time with that little guy over there.”

“Good.” You wrinkled your nose and  then grinned. “I like him.” Din laughed softly, his thumb stroking over your cheek. “Not as much as I like you though.” 

“I won’t tell him if you don’t.” Still trying to catch your breath, you let yourself think back over the previous few minutes and everything that had happened during them. I just agreed to go to a different country with him. I just agreed to leave with him without … “Hey. What’s wrong?” 

“I want to go with you Din, but I can’t just … I can’t be ready to go tomorrow. I need time to -” 

Your words were halted with another kiss from the man, but that one was tender, Din nodding as he pressed his lips to yours. “I know. I figured.” Straightening up, he dropped his hands and took both of yours, linking your fingers together. “What if… when do you go back to work?” 

“The fourth.” You paused. “No, the fifth.” He nodded, eyes narrowed slightly. “Why?” 

“I can convince Boba to let me stay until the morning of the 27th. That’ll give you a chance to pack.” Pack? “Come spend some time in Mandalore with me. Let me show you around, and that way … when we make the announcement, and when Bo-Katan does whatever it is she’s going to do, we’ll… be together. And we can make a statement about the picture together, and you won’t be alone to deal with the fallout.” 

“Are … are we together, then?” You were hesitant to ask the question, since he’d already said that you weren’t earlier in the conversation. But that was before. Things have changed, and … “Because -” 

“If you don’t want to be, no. We can say it was just a kiss, that we got caught up in -” 

“Din.” You closed your eyes, mentally preparing yourself. If I don’t say it now, I won’t. “If I didn’t want that, I wouldn’t have agreed to move halfway around the world with you five minutes ago.” He opened his mouth to speak, but you stopped him, holding up one hand. “I know this isn’t going to be a normal relationship. I know it’ll be hard. But as long as you can promise me you won’t get me over there and then just … abandon me right away, that’s … more than enough for right now.” 

“I can promise you that.” He took the hand you were holding up, wrapping his fingers around yours and then pulling it up and toward his mouth, pressing a kiss to your knuckles - though he didn’t break eye contact. “Bat ner ijaat. On my honor.” 

“Ok.” Chewing on the inside of your lower lip, you nodded. “Ok, Din.” His face broke into a grin then, the man leaning forward and then wrapping his arms around you to hug you tightly. I just … I agreed to… wow. You held him for a few long moments, relishing in the way Din pressed his forehead into the side of your neck, his lips hovering just above your throat. But wait. “Hey. There’s one more thing.” 

He backed off, a look of concern in his eyes, but you were quick to reassure him, fingers stroking the back of his neck. “What? What’s -”

“I’m going to need you to meet my parents before I hop on a plane with you and become a part of this. They know who you are already, and have asked about you multiple times. So even if we can’t explain everything, they need to know some things, in case … in case anyone asks them questions.” If he said no or hesitated, you’d know that you made the wrong call in agreeing to go with him. 

“Alright. Will you call me and let me know when you’re done with your family stuff tomorrow? I don’t have anything to do, so I can come over after you’re done celebrating.”

“You could just come with me.” Your heart pounding, you made the suggestion. “They asked where you were tonight, so you could just come with me tomorrow, and…” Trailing off, you realized how presumptuous it was. “Or I can call you. That’s fine too.”

“I can’t wear this.” He glanced down and then back at you, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “They’ll never believe a word either of us says if I show up dressed like I’m spending the day on my couch.”

“Oh, are you planning on staying over?” Arching a brow, you cocked your head to the left. “I don’t remember inviting you to stay with me tonight, Din.” His eyes widened, but before he could deny the intention, you burst out laughing, standing up and extending a hand toward him. “I’m just kidding. Please, stay. I’ll get Grogu that water for tonight, and we can stop on the way over to my parents tomorrow to drop him off and so that you can change. Your house isn’t really a detour.” 

“Do you have a guest bedroom?” He stared up at you, his eyes darkening. “Or am I sleeping on the couch with Grogu?” If you’re sleeping on the couch, so am I. 

“I usually sleep on my couch on Christmas Eve so I can wake up with the tree.” Holding out one hand, you waited for Din to take it. When he did, you pulled, urging him to his feet. “And I do have a guest bedroom, Din.” Here goes nothing. “But I’m willing to break tradition tonight, and I don’t think there’s any reason for me to sleep in my bed alone.” 

The room was quiet again, Din’s eyes locked with yours. For a few seconds, you thought you’d overstepped - and that he was going to deny you the same way he had when he’d explained for the first time why things couldn’t progress past kissing.  “Are you sure?” He spoke quietly, the man’s voice dropping into a tone you’d never heard from him before. “We can -”

“I’m sure.” Taking the opportunity, you nodded as you leaned in, kissing the space just in front of his ear. “Very sure.” 

That was all you needed to say. When you backed away and met his eyes again, Din’s were smoldering, his lips parted as he stared at you. But he didn’t say anything else, instead spinning away from you and saying Grogu’s name, snapping his fingers twice and then leading the dog to the back door. 

You felt a gust of cold air when he opened it, but by the time he’d shut it again you were in the kitchen, bent over in front of a cupboard and getting a large bowl out to fill with water. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe I just said that. And that he agreed, and that … 

There was plenty to think about, and you knew that as soon as you had time to do so, it would probably become overwhelming. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want it to happen. Setting the full bowl down, you walked toward the front door and checked, making sure it was locked. 

The sound of Grogu’s nails on the floor made you turn, and you were treated to the sight of Din crouched next to your counter, the man stroking Grogu’s back slowly and murmuring to him for a few seconds while he drank. I could get used to that. 

Even as you had the thought, you lifted a hand to cover your mouth at the realization that it wasn’t just a fantasy you had to force out of your mind anymore. I … I probably will get used to that, and to being with them every day. 

“Are you ready for bed?” He was right in front of you again, and as he spoke, Din reached out, his hands settling at your waist. “Because I am.” 

You were tired - it had been a long and exhausting day, and you hadn’t slept well the previous night. But I don’t want to sleep. Not yet. Not when he’ll be here with me. “Are you?” Winking at him, you tucked one of his curls behind his right ear, biting your lip. “Alright, then. Come on.” 

Stepping away from Din, you reached back to take his hand before leading him up the stairs, flipping the light off once you’d reached the top. You paused with your hand on your door frame, collecting your thoughts. “What?” 

He pressed a hand against your back, but didn’t say anything else. “I…” Pushing the door all the way open, you turned around to face him. “I never thought this would be happening. I thought you were gone for good, and now you’re…” Reaching out, you fisted the material of his sweatshirt in your hands and then stepped backward, pulling him through the doorway. “Now we’re here.” 

He laughed, agreeing with you, but the laughter stopped once you were both fully inside. The nightlight from the corner illuminated enough so that you could see what you were doing, but you didn’t want to turn on any other lights. There’s no need to. “Want me to sleep in my clothes? I can keep my jeans on, so -”

“Din.” Taking a breath, you reached down and pulled your sweater over your head and then let it drop to the floor. His eyes followed the movement - just like you’d hoped they would, and the way he shifted his weight, fingers curling inward toward his palms encouraged you. “No, I do not want you to sleep in your clothes.” 

The room was silent and after a few seconds, you realized it was because you were both holding your breath, Din’s finally leaving his chest in a whoosh as he stepped forward. Lifting both hands, he gripped your upper arms and then pushed you backward, following until you were pressed against the wall to the right of your bed, the two of you chest to chest. “I don’t want to either.” 

You laughed at that, but it didn’t last, Din’s mouth covering yours in a bruising kiss. 

It made you gasp, though at the same time you leaned in, seeking more from him, your hands rising to push beneath the material of his hooded sweatshirt. He groaned at your touch, his upper lip curling, and then Din pulled back, mumbling your name. “Hmm?” Stroking up and down his back with one hand, you tilted your head back to rest it against the wall. “Everything alright?” 

“I don’t have a condom.” Ah. That. 

“I do.” You chewed on your lower lip, gesturing to the bedside table with your chin. “Box is still in there from… before, so as long as you don’t mind that, we’re… we’re good to go.” You didn’t know if bringing James up - even in passing and in a relevant way - would ruin the mood, but when Din responded by rocking his hips forward and against yours, a single nod of his head visible before he ducked down to kiss you, you knew that it hadn’t. Good. I don’t know what I’d do if … 

He bit down on your lower lip, applying slight pressure before drawing it between his own. You couldn’t help the moan that slipped out at the feeling, the glide of your hand turning into a curl of your fingers, the edges of your nails digging into his skin through the shirt he had on under the hoodie. That earned you another roll of his hips, the man’s thighs holding you against the wall even as his hands left your body. 

The longer the kiss went on, the deeper it became. And as it deepened, it slowed, too, every lick of the man’s tongue against yours purposeful, Din masking the sounds you made with ones of his own that you hadn’t even dreamed you’d be fortunate enough to ever hear. 

“Need to get you into bed.” When he spoke, it was directly into your ear, his voice low. “Need to touch you. Want to -” 

Somehow, you pushed him away, though you were focused on not only what the man was saying but how he was saying it, your breath coming out in short bursts. He wants me as much as I want him. “Let me get this off of you, then.” You murmured his name, hands moving down to the bottom hem of his hoodie. “Lift your arms, Din.”

He did what you asked, only dropping them again when his sweatshirt joined your sweater on the floor. When you reached for his belt, he didn’t stop you there, either. 

It came undone with a few deft movements of your fingers, and instead of pulling it totally free you let it hang and turned your attention to his zipper, the tips of your fingers making contact with the cool metal. 

“Wait.” He said your name and you stopped immediately, eyes moving away from your hand and back up to meet his. What did I do wrong? Opening your mouth to ask, you caught the smirk on the man’s face before he spoke again. “Why are you doing all the work?” What? 

He touched you then, large hands beginning at your waist and then moving up, pushing the cotton t-shirt you wore up along with them. Gasping at the contact - and the warmth of his palms on your skin - it was your turn to raise your hands, though you didn’t hold them over your head. Instead, you wound them around his neck, leaning in to kiss Din just as brazenly as he’d kissed you against the wall. 

That seemed to surprise him, the man inhaling sharply, though he didn’t pull away. It encouraged you to continue, even as his hands settled atop where your bra band covered your ribcage, the shirt bunched up just beneath your shoulders. 

Licking along the seam of his lips, you gave him no warning before you took the lower one between your teeth and bit down. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt, but it was enough to get a reaction from him, Din’s hands squeezing your flesh as he kissed you back. Tilting your head to the side, you encouraged him when you inched closer, the fingers of one hand tangling in the curled hair at the nape of his neck. 

But Din surprised you, the man backing off as he used both hands to drag your shirt over your head and then twist the material around one curled fist, the motion forcing your elbows closer together in front of you. You didn’t let go of him even as your eyes widened in surprise, though, mouth dropping open in a shocked gasp as your gaze flicked down and then back up to meet his. “Din, w -” 

“I wasn’t expecting that.” He was grinning, his eyes heavy-lidded as he stared at you. “But I liked it.” Good. Good, because … “But you and I have been very patient for the last couple weeks, right?” 

“Yeah, but -” He twisted his wrist and your hand slipped, dropping enough so that you had one palm pressed to his skin, the heel of it resting on the back of his shirt collar, the other resting on his shoulder. “Din?” 

“If you keep doing that - biting me, I’m not going to be able to take my time with you.” He wet his lips, the man’s tongue dragging over them slowly. “And I want to take my time with you.” He released his hold on your shirt, raising his hand and dragging his knuckles slowly over your cheek. “Okay?” 

All you could do was nod. When Din leaned back in - his mouth finding yours easily, you played along, kissing him slowly, your hands staying in place as you let him lead. 

You didn’t know how it happened but Din maneuvered you so that you crossed the room in careful steps. 

The man only pulled back when your calves hit the side of your bed, Din’s smile once again little more than a smirk, his hands settled at your waist, just above the top band of your leggings. Slowly, you pulled your arms back and removed the shirt, dropping it next to you and then waiting, wondering what the man’s first reaction to seeing you in only a bra would be. 

It was better than you’d expected. Din took a full step back until only his fingertips were in contact with your skin and you could see his chest rising and falling rapidly through the material that was stretched across it. “Worth the wait, or no?” 

You regretted speaking as soon as the words were out, but before you’d had a chance to apologize for how needy you sounded, Din was pulling his own shirt off and tossing it to the side, never looking away from you. “Yes. You have … no idea.” He groaned and then stepped forward again, giving you almost no time to admire him before he was urging you into a seated position on the edge of the bed. 

It forced you to look up at him, your lips slightly parted as he ran a thumb over them, his head cocked to the right. Fuck, this is … You gripped the blanket with both hands, fighting the urge to reach for his jeans again. But when his hand dropped, the man sliding two fingers beneath one bra strap before urging it down and over your shoulder, you stopped holding back. 

As he moved his fingers over the slope of your shoulder, you undid the button and then moved to the zipper, watching the movement of your hand instead of looking up at him. 

You knew he’d stop you if he wanted to, so when Din only shifted his stance, flexing his hips toward you, you took that as a sign he wanted you to continue. 

The man’s jeans slid down and over his thighs before they pooled around his knees - and then his ankles, but you weren’t looking there. Instead, you were focused on what was in front of you - the thick band of his underwear snug against the man’s hips, dark material covering his thighs and stopping much higher than expected on his legs to expose more of his golden skin. Holy shit, look at the way they … fuck. 

“Damn, Din.” You bit your own lip, then, finally looking back up. “Wow.” You were fully aware that you probably sounded like an idiot, but instead of laughing, the man only winked at you, his other hand repeating the process with your second bra strap without breaking eye contact. 

“You wanna take this off, or should I?” He squeezed your shoulder. “You’re wearing more than I am.” You didn’t want to take your hands off of him but did it anyway, reaching behind you to unhook the material before shrugging your arms free and letting it fall onto the mattress next to you. “Maker, look at you. Gar’re mesh’la.” Changing the angle of his hand, the pad of one thumb stroked over the upper part of your chest, but before Din could move it lower, you dragged the edges of your nails up the sides of his thighs and slid your hands around to the backs of them, pausing there. 

You knew that he was just as torn as you - the desire to take your time and explore warring with the need for the instant gratification of touching him, and you wondered what was going to win. 

The question was answered only moments later when his hand moved from your shoulder over the center of your throat and then up, the man’s grip firm but not painful as he tilted your head back. His touch made you shiver, and at the slight motion you watched his brows rise, the smirk back on his lips in full force. “Oh, my G -”

“Lay down.” He tightened his grip briefly but then let you go, bringing the hand that had been on you to his waist before using it to adjust himself. “Lay down so I can take those pants off.” 

It was inelegant but you scrambled backwards and away from him before he was even done speaking. Leaning back on your elbows you watched what he did, breath caught in your throat. The man lifted one hand and let it trail up and over your still-clothed calf and knee, his eyes focused on the movement. 

Without warning, he leaned over and reached for your waist, undoing the single button there - and then slipped his fingers beneath the material so he could drag it downward. 

You lifted your lower body before he could ask, breath catching in your throat as Din pulled your pants off much more slowly than you were expecting. It’s like he’s unwrapping a present. But it’s not an actual gift, it’s me, and - 

“If this is what getting a Christmas present is like, I think I have a new favorite holiday.” You whimpered at his words, your eyes rolling back as his hands made their way to the skin of your calves, urging your legs apart so that he could step between them. “Fuck, this is -” 

“Din, please.” You didn’t know what you were asking him for. But Din reacted to your words, his hands sliding up your legs as he leaned forward, closing the distance between himself and your body. “Please, just…” 

“I’ve got you.” He squeezed your legs, the man’s breath fanning over the skin at the center of your chest. “I’ve got you.” You nodded, the movement of your head the only thing you could manage as he lowered his mouth to kiss your skin, the man turning his head to the right and licking at the swell of one breast. 

The mattress shifted as he raised a knee to give himself better leverage, and when Din’s mouth trailed up the column of your throat, you finally moved, too - hands rising to grip the hair at the back of his head and urge him up faster. 

You could have kissed him for hours, letting the relief you felt at the man’s presence flow from you and into him, but Din had other plans. 

He pulled away from you and stood again, circling the bed and opening your top drawer to reach inside. You repositioned yourself on the bed once he was out of it, stretching out lengthwise so that your head was on the pillows. 

The foil square looked positively small in his hand, but as Din’s fingers curled around it, his smile grew, the man’s eyes never leaving your body as he climbed back into bed with you. “Gotta take those off before you can -”

“Oh, I know.” Din knelt next to you, glancing down. “But so do you.” 

He was right - you still had underwear on, too, and because he’d taken care when he was removing your pants, he hadn’t even touched the thin material. “I can change that.” Digging your heels into the mattress, you lifted your hips and used both hands to tug the only thing you still had on down and over your legs, kicking them off and into a dark corner of your bedroom. “Better?”

“Much.” Din licked his lips as he eyed you, his gaze traveling the length of your body and then back up, his broad chest rising and falling as he nodded. “Do you know how many times I’ve thought about this?”

“No, but you can tell me.” You reached out for him, your hand making contact with the elastic at his waist. “If you want.” He swallowed hard as your hand dropped, fingers caressing the bulge beneath the fabric. It took everything in you not to whine at the feel of him - warm and firm, thicker than you’d imagined, but when he thrust his hips forward, pressing himself against your palm, you couldn’t hold your reaction back. “Din, you -”

“I’d rather show you.” He was breathing hard, the man widening the spread of his knees as you curled and uncurled your fingers against him. “One second.” 

He removed his underwear without getting off of the bed, and at the sight of his totally nude body, you felt your toes curl. I can’t believe … we’re here. We’re … this is happening. Your hand rested against one of his thighs, the room quiet aside from your breathing as you waited. But I don’t want to wait. “Din?” 

“Hmm?” He pressed his hand against your belly, fingers spread wide. “What?” 

“I know you said you wanted to take your time, but …” Your hand slid higher and then in, the pad of your thumb brushing over the length of him. You fought back a smile as his muscles jerked at the touch. Perfect. He’s perfect. “Can we not do that tonight? Can we just -”

“If that’s what you want.” He reached down and took your hand in his, guiding it and urging you to wrap your fingers around him. “Of course.” He closed his eyes as you began to move in slow strokes, the man’s lips parting as he groaned out with each exhale. “Maker, it’s been -” 

“You can touch me too, Din.” You were almost desperate for it, wanting nothing more than to feel the man’s hands on you. “If you want.” 

And he did, the hand that had been on your belly sliding lower before he repositioned it, turning it so that his fingers were pointed down, the tips of them curling as he reached the apex of your thighs. 

You gasped at the feeling and then whined as he slid them through the slick that had already gathered there, two of them spreading you open while the one between began moving in slow circles. He was teasing you with the light touch, and even though you wanted to enjoy it, you also wanted him. No more waiting. 

Your hand moved faster and his did, too, your eyes squeezed shut as you dug your head backwards and into the pillow, your hips rising a few inches off of the mattress as they sought out more from him. “Might never stop touching you now that you told me to start.” He murmured the words into your ear, Din’s cheek pressed to yours as he leaned forward. 

“Good.” You gasped out the word when he pushed a single finger into you, your fingers tightening around him. “Don’t stop.” 

Dragging your hand up higher, you coated your fingertips in the gathered moisture from his tip and then began to stroke him in earnest, your hand picking up speed as he replaced the single finger inside of you with two, both of them pumping in and out of you at a pace that wasn’t quite slow, but also wouldn’t be enough to actually get you off. 

You relished the sounds that both of you were making in the dimly lit confines of your bedroom - sighs and groans along with the occasional grunt, but you’d meant it when you asked him not to take his time. “Need you.” You squeezed him once more and then let go, your hand falling away and then seeking his out, your fingers around his wrist stilling the movement of his hand. 

He didn’t remove his hand from your body, though. Din paused with both fingers still buried in you. Even though he wasn’t moving, you could feel the pull of your muscles around them, your body attempting to draw him in deeper. “Might hurt if I do that now.” He kissed you gently, shaking his head back and forth. “And I don’t -”

“I’ll be alright.” Opening your eyes, you looked up at him. “What’s the Mandalorian word for promise?” His eyes widened but to Din’s credit he replied almost immediately, the words he spoke quiet but clear. 

“Ni rejorhaa'ir te haat.” He pressed his lips to yours and then repeated himself. “It means ‘I tell the truth’, and -” 

“Ni… rejorhaa'ir te… te haat, Din.” You were sure you’d butchered the pronunciation, but Din didn’t seem to mind at all. The man’s mouth met yours in another hard kiss as he drew his hand back and then used both of them to pull you into an upright position, both of your hands scrambling into place to help. 

He repositioned himself as the two of you kissed - the man moving to straddle your lower body, chests pressed together as his fingers dug into your back and urged you to stay in place.

You felt him then, as he relaxed and settled some of his weight against the tops of your thighs. I want to… It was you that broke the kiss, pulling away from him enough so that you could glance down, your eyes fixated on the way he looked. “What are - oh.” He cut himself off when your fingers wrapped around him again, the man’s breath catching as you began to stroke. 

You clung to him with your other hand, the palm pressed against the center of his shoulders, but when Din’s hips began to roll in rhythm with your motion, you stopped thinking about anything else. 

The only thing that mattered was the way he felt in your hand and sounded as he panted into your ear. You only cared that he was in your bed with you, and that he wasn’t stopping you, even though it was you that had made the request to speed things up. 

“Next time,” he rasped, the man’s tongue dragging along the skin just below the lobe of your ear before he bit down on it. “Next time, I’m going to take my time with you. Use my hands and mouth, and dank farrik, you need to stop or -” 

“Alright.” You nearly moaned the word out, your hand stilling - though you didn’t release him. “I’ll stop.” But you didn’t let him reach for the condom - instead, you turned your head toward his and sought his mouth, the man’s lips soft and warm when they met yours, the kiss short but sincere.

Despite the unfamiliar position you were in - Din on your lap, leaking all over your hand while he knelt above you - you’d never been more content. And I’ve never wanted anyone this much, you realized as he deepened the kiss, the man’s tongue pushing into your mouth to meet yours. It’s terrifying. 

He removed one hand from you, and then a few seconds later he backed off completely, saying your name. Din was breathing hard, the rise and fall of his chest much more even than your own rhythm. “Last chance to tell me to leave before -” 

“I don’t ever want you to leave.” Your smile was tight, your exhale deep through your nose. “Why is it so hard for you to believe that this is what I want?” You paused, thinking. “You know what? This would still be what I wanted even if it meant it was only going to happen once.” 

That seemed to be what he needed to hear, the man nodding and then tearing the condom open, holding the latex between his fingers. Oh, I should tell him, it - “This feels …” He frowned as he began to roll it on, gaze dropping and then rising to meet yours. “Why is -”

“We had to get the ones with the extra lube.” You spoke quietly, clearing your throat as you ducked your head. Oh, this is embarrassing. “I’ve never been someone that got really -” 

“Didn’t feel like that to me.” He used the knuckle of one finger to lift your chin, the kindness in his eyes making you gasp. “You just needed the right person.” Yeah, I… At the end of Din’s sentence, his voice dropped, the man’s large hand moving back to your jaw and angling it so that he could kiss you again. “Lay down.” 

The words were whispered but you listened to him, settling back onto the pillows as Din repositioned himself between your legs, finally letting go of himself and using both hands to push your knees apart. 

He stared at you as he moved, lips parted and his eyes never lingering in one place for too long. I like how he’s looking at me. I like how - You moaned his name out as he slid a hand around to the back of one thigh, urging that leg into a bent position, and then Din shifted on his knees, inching closer as he stretched a leg out behind him. 

You wanted to watch but instead, screwed your eyes shut when you felt him press against your entrance briefly, a single flex of his hips allowing him to slide upward and through you, Din also hissing out another string of words that you couldn’t understand. “Tell me if it’s too much.” 

It was barely a whisper but you heard it, and after you’d nodded in reply, Din moved again, your body stretching to accommodate him as he pushed inside - first the tip and then a little more every few seconds. 

Din’s groan was loud but nowhere near as loud as yours. And when he lowered himself toward you, both hands sliding up the blankets on either side of your body to settle by your head, you reached for him. Your fingertips skated over his sides and then down, fingers curling around the toned muscle beneath his waist. 

“It’s not too much, Din.” Your leg tightened against his hip and then - moments later, when Din rocked forward again, you encouraged more, dragging him closer until he was completely inside of you. 

But Din didn’t move, except to drop his head so that you couldn’t look into his eyes anymore. His breath traveled over your skin with each sharp exhale, the heat of it raising goosebumps in its wake. 

And there was pain - the size of him something you’d need time to get used to. But the man’s body going completely still was enough to give you a few breaths to adjust. “Oh, Wero. I knew… even then, I…” His hips flexed slightly, the drag inside of you noticeable - and welcome. “Ner yatne wero.” 

You wanted to know what he was saying and wondered if you’d remember to ask later, but your thoughts scattered when he finally began to move, the man thrusting into you in slow, smooth strokes. He was taking it easy - you had no doubt about that. But as the seconds passed, the pinch of pain faded and you were able to focus on everything else. 

The way he filled you on each stroke, his hips making contact with yours before he pulled back and did it again. 

The way he was fisting the blankets on either side of your body, the strain of holding himself upright evident in the bulging of his biceps, tendons rippling just beneath the skin’s surface. 

The sound of his low grunts as Din found his rhythm, the man’s mouth barely separated from yours, though it was close enough that the tips of your noses touched.

And through it all, you encouraged him with sounds of your own. Quiet gasps and groans, a low, breathy moan as he altered his angle and found a spot deep inside of you that you hadn’t been counting on, the whisper of his name as he pressed a quick kiss to your mouth and then whipped his head to the side, tucking his face against your neck. 

And despite the way he was wrecking you with every other part of his body, it was that action that impacted you the most. 

Your attention was torn from the way he filled you and used his broad frame to cover as much of you as he could and drawn instead to the way his soft curls felt against the sweat-sticky skin of your neck, and the heat from each exhale as it washed over the side and front of your throat.  You could feel the tip of his nose as it dug gently into your skin, every thrust forcing a slight movement of the rest of him. 

It was too much - but not in a way that you’d ever admit to him, because it was also everything that you’d never dared to hope was possible, and you weren’t in any hurry to give it up. Ever. 

Din groaned again, the sound vibrating through him, and when he pulled his hips back almost far enough to completely remove himself from you, it was your turn to move first, one leg rising to wind around his thighs and urge him back in. “Oh, that’s what you want?” He hummed, opening his mouth so that he could nip at your throat. “Alright.” 

You kept your leg in place. The next time Din repositioned himself to ensure complete access to you, you let your hands trail up and over his bare back, the man’s muscles flexing beneath your touch. Pulling him closer, you urged his chest against yours and when you adjusted your hips, you whined at one particularly deep stroke, your body reacting with an almost violent shudder. 

“Right there, Din. Oh, shit, right there.” The edges of your nails dug into his back and you were certain that when you finally released him, there’d be tiny crescent shapes indented into his skin. But I don’t care and he doesn’t either and … “Feels good. So good, you…” 

You were panting, breath escaping you in harsh bursts, but before he could reply or you could continue, you felt a molten heat gathering in your belly and then spreading lower, your mouth falling open in surprise as your toes curled. Oh, shit, already? 

It was rare that your orgasm came so quickly - and even less typical for your body to tip over the edge without additional assistance. But the friction from Din’s body - the drag of him as he thrust in and out coupled with the short, coarse hair at his base that rubbed against you on every forward stroke - was enough that night, his name leaving your mouth in an elongated gasp that was also half-whine. 

You loosened your grip and moved your hands up to grasp his hair, urging him to look at you. You need to see this. You need to… He locked eyes with you, the heat of his gaze almost explosive, even in the low light that filled your room - but it didn’t last. “That’s it.” He smiled, the expression softer than you’d imagined, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Let me feel you.” 

And you did - trying not to break eye contact while your body shook beneath his, Din’s pace steady and strong, the arch of your back forcing your chests closer together as the contraction of your muscles pulled him deeper into your body. This is perfect. 

But it would only be truly perfect when Din came, too, and so you took as deep a breath as you could manage, tugging on the ends of his hair to bring his face closer. “Let me feel you, now.” You kissed him softly, your lips closing over his and lingering, giving him a small nod of your head before you broke apart.

It didn’t take long - Din’s pace quickening as he shortened each thrust, the man’s eyes closing before his mouth opened, tongue poking out to wet his lips briefly. You whimpered as he changed angles again, releasing his hair and replacing your hands on his shoulders. 

You felt his muscles tense a minute or so later, Din whispering your name as his hips stuttered, stalled completely and then began to move again, filling you as completely as he filled the condom he wore - added heat between your legs, the man’s muscles seizing repeatedly as he finished with a series of quiet grunts that you knew you’d never forget.

When he was done - the man’s arms and legs trembling, his chest rising and falling against yours while be fought to catch his breath - Din finally lowered his head again. He sought your kiss and you gave one to him freely, Din’s tongue delving into your mouth as if he was cementing a promise. And maybe he is. 

He hovered after the kiss ended, the man’s breathing deep and slow. “You ok?” He took another breath and finally lifted one of his hands from the blanket, stroking your temple with his fingertips and then lingering at your cheek. You nodded, biting down on your lip. “You sure?”

“I am.” Settling deeper into your blankets, you sighed. “What about you?” 

“I,” he started, voice low. “I’m better than I have been in a long time.” Din finished speaking and then reached between your bodies before slowly easing himself free, the man turning away from you to sit at the edge of the bed. 

You watched as he stood a few moments later, striding toward your partially open bathroom door and disappearing through it. Did that just happen? You took a few steadying breaths, turning your attention toward the ceiling and placing a hand flat on your abdomen. It did, and I agreed to go with him, and - 

“Here.” He was standing next to your bed, a hand towel between his fingers. “Figured you’d want to clean yourself up.” With a grateful smile you took the cloth from him, exhaling at the fact that he’d dampened a corner of it with warm water. For the next few seconds the room was completely quiet, but when you let the towel fall to the floor and turned toward Din again, he was watching you. 

“What?” Reaching out, you laid a hand on his thigh. “Din?” 

“I really want you to come home with me. I wasn’t just -” He shook his head. “I meant it all.” 

“Hey.” Squeezing his leg you jerked your head toward the pillows. “Lay down, OK? You’re naked and it’s gonna get cold pretty fast.” He looked torn but did as you asked, and when both of you were covered with your comforter, rolled onto your sides and facing each other, you took a deep breath. “I know you did, and I meant it, too.” 

“But I can’t ask -” 

“You asked me to come with you for a few days. Let’s start there.” You ran your fingers through his hair and were unable to keep the smile off of your face at the man’s damp roots. It’s going to be so curly when it dries. “We have a lot to talk about, Din. There’s a lot to consider - like my house and my job and my family, but none of that needs to be decided now, does it?” 

“No.” He swallowed, his hand sliding over your bare hip and resting there. “It doesn’t.” You watched each other for a little while, the man’s eyes searching your face, and when he spoke next, the question he asked didn’t surprise you. “Why?” 

Because I’m pretty sure I love you. It was too soon - too fast, too much, and so you didn’t say it out loud. Not yet. “Because I want to.” You yawned, using the pillow to cover your face, and when you looked back at him, he was frowning. “This is different than it was with James. I don’t … I don’t know if anyone will understand, especially with how fast this is all happening, but it doesn’t matter, Din. I understand and you understand. This isn’t a normal situation, and we just … we have to do what we can to make it work.” 

“What if it doesn’t?” He ran his hand up your back slowly, the tips of his fingers following your spine. At the touch, you moved forward, closing the distance between your bodies. “What if me being Mand’alor makes you decide to -”

“Then we figure it out as it happens.” Leaning in, you kissed him, pressing your lips to his mouth and then to his jaw, taking a breath. “We won’t know until we try, right?” 

It was different for you, despite the relationship between you and Din being so new and untested. You trusted him, and even though taking the leap of uprooting yourself from your life had seemed unthinkable only a few months earlier with James, it didn’t feel that way with Din. And it never has, even in the beginning. 

“This is The Way.” His voice dropped again, Din nodding as he inched closer. Whatever that means … yeah. I guess it is. 

You kissed him again then, the weight of Din’s upper body pressing against yours as he urged you onto your back, his hand trapped between you and the mattress, the fingers of one of yours tangled in his hair. There was hope in his kiss, a lightness that hadn’t been there only moments earlier. When you broke apart, Din kept his eyes on you, the set of his lips going from a slight smile to his signature smirk. “Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“I was right.” Questioning him silently with a frown and a few quick blinks, you waited. “You just needed the right person. Maybe next time we can try something different and a little less… lubricated.” It took you a second, but when you realized that he was changing the subject and talking about the condoms - and your body’s reaction to him, you laughed, eyes squeezing shut and your hand tugging his hair harder than necessary. 

“It’s Christmas, Din. Are you trying to get on the naughty list? I hear there’s no presents that way.” He laughed, too, but didn’t answer until you were both settled again, the laughter subsiding. 

“I already got my present.” So did I. He paused. “And I was just making an observation.” He arched a brow. “Hopefully I can make it a habit.” 

“I’d like that.” A lot. “And if you don’t want to, you don’t have to come with me tomorrow, Din. It’s not like they’re expecting you, so -”

“Wouldn’t miss it. I’m not going to let you explain all of this on your own.” He cleared his throat. “That’s not who I am.” He didn’t need you to agree, and so you didn’t, instead mouthing the words “good night” to the man and then closing your eyes, your arm slung around his upper body and his around the lower portion of yours. 

You wouldn’t get much sleep that night, but you didn’t care. And I don’t think he does, either. You also knew that in the light of day, everything that had happened in the previous 36 hours would catch up to you - and it would be a lot. But I won’t change my mind. Not before either of us knows what being in Mandalore together will be like. 

“Hey.” You were almost asleep when he interrupted your thoughts, his voice tinged with fatigue. “After your parents’... I know you need to pack, but …” He sighed, the end of it turning into a yawn. “Will you come over to my place and give Grogu his present?” 

“He’ll need something to keep him occupied on the plane.” You smiled at the thought, nodding, though you didn’t open your eyes. “Yes. I’ll come over.” He hummed in agreement, and a few seconds later, you did open your eyes, saying his name. I forgot until … “And that way, I can watch you open yours, too.” 

—  

Sheber olar = sit here 

Nayc = no 

Bat ner ijaat = on my honor

Gar’re mesh’la = you’re beautiful 

Ni rejorhaa'ir te haat = I tell the truth

Ner yatne wero = my ‘best’ problem (my favorite problem)

--- 

tag list reblog coming soon ! 

[heyclickadee]

Bad batch speculation under the cut:

I think Omega’s hair is wet in this shot (I promise this is going somewhere).

Okay, to be fair, it’s a little hard to tell. Her hair has grown a little bit probably two or three inches at least, and seems to be long enough that she can tie it back, or at least tie the back part of it back. We haven’t really seen this hairstyle yet so we don’t know what it looks like normally, but Omega’s hair does have a little bit of a wave to it, especially on the ends. (It should be curly, but that’s another issue). Here, though, it’s completely flat and hanging down, which is usually what the rigging/animation team does to signal that her hair’s wet. Here’s Omega normally and after she got dunked in a cave:

Again, hard to tell, buuut I think it’s a possibility in that first shot.

Of course, we don’t know when that shot takes place. Omega’s still in her Tantiss outfit, so it’s probably during or right after the escape. And if her hair is wet, and if this is during the escape, then maybe part of the escape is going to be breaking out of a tube. Or breaking someone else out of a tube.

The main reason I bring this up is because I just rewatched “Bounty Lost” the other night. In it, we have that scene with Omega, Fennec, and the abandoned tube experiments, and then Omega specifically mentioning that ending up as an experiment in a tube as something she’s afraid of. It’s not unreasonable to think that back and have that fear realized. Which means we could see Omega in one of those experiment tubes at one point; and, if Crosshair’s there when it starts happening, that could be the thing that pushes him to want to break out. He won’t try to escape for his own sake, but he’ll probably try for Omega’s.

And, because I’m clearly overthinking this two seconds of footage, non-experiment-in-a-tube-angst options for why Omega’s hair could be wet here include, but are not limited to:

1. Omega and Crosshair smash a bunch of equipment as a distraction on their way out, and some of the equipment had water or bacta in it, so they got wet.

2. They triggered some fire sprinklers on the way out.

3. Omega breaks someone else—maybe Crosshair—out of a tube.

And, the most likely:

4. It was raining on the platform when they escaped.

[spoops-inliyue]

| Need a minute

Character(s): Tighnari

TW: Medicine mention, exhaustion, illness mention

Genre: Comfort/ fluff

Notes: Gender neutral reader || Fennec hybrid reader || As of when I’m writing this I’ve just gotten to the hotel in Egypt and I am so tired because my mum was causing me so many problems with her bags. She took like 3 extra bags with her with clothes that she wasn’t planning to wear and was planning to leave in Egypt for my brother’s wedding like that’s not the point of this trip!! I took a nap on the plane though while I was writing this so it’s alright I guess

Letting your body fall onto the bed, you let out a tired groan, your form immediately relaxing at the feeling of Tighnari’s plush covers.

Your tail laid dead along side you and the only thing that gave away that you were alive at this point was the twitch of your ears. Initially, you’d intended to go to see Tighnari to ask you about what kind of medications and such you should avoid when you went to Sumeru city for the week since very few people were accustomed to the kinds of herbs and plants that you’d kind could and couldn’t consume due to the reclusive nature of your kin.

It was lucky for you that Tighnari was both an exception to that reclusiveness - to an extent at least - and was a specialist in botany and the study of medicine so you weren’t going to be going into the city completely blind and then eat something like a berry that would leave you incapacitated for the duration of your stay. Not to mention that the trip was kind of important since you were going on request of the Akademia and was supposed to help the establishment map out an area of Sumeru up north for a few days.

That had been your intention; at least, it had been before you got roped into helping several people in the area with a withering zone that had popped up a little while before Irminsul was healed, giving antidotes to those that were visionless and had been affected after walking in and rerouting a shipment of herbs from the ville to go around the zone and of course having to reassign the shipment to new people. It was great that people felt that they could trust and depend on you so much during Tighnari’a temporary absence that came with the promise of him being back before nightfall but doing both your and his tasks for the day was too much, especially with everything that had occurred on top of that.

And now you were in the process of getting over your reluctance to move and decidedly getting comfortable in Tighnari’s bed again, shuffling around and hearing the rustle of the sheets as you tried to find a good spot on the bed to stay in while you waited, still on your front.

You continued wiggling around until you heard an amused sigh from behind you, sounding like it was suppressing an equally amused chuckle at your attempt to get comfortable. Your ears twitched in recognition at the familiar sound, your head raising slightly along with them to look a little ways behind you to see Tighnari standing there, leaning slightly against the door to the door with his arms crossed, a smile and raised eyebrow adorning his face.

“One of the regulars eat a strange mushroom again or was it someone new this time?” He walked over to sit beside you on the bed and you gave a tired laugh at his question.

“No mushrooms this time, thankfully. Just another withering zone. I think that’s the last one now but I am beat.”

His brows furrowed briefly in concern. “Another one? You’d think we’d have gotten them all by now. Did anyone get hurt?”

“No one got hurt, just a little ill from the affects of the zone. They realised quickly so they managed to get out before it became anything serious.” You were honestly about to give up looking at him as you spoke and let your head flop back onto the bed, deciding instead to use your hand as a means to explain alongside your muffled voice. “Only problem was that it was blocking one of the new trade routes to Sumeru city that was taking in its first shipment today so we had to reroute it.”

“I see. That’s good then.” His features relaxed for a moment before the crease between his brows returned again, not that you could see, with your face still firmly planted in the covers.

“Enough about that now. Do you want me to get you some tea to help you sleep?” The concern in his voice warmed your heart and your tail flicked around slightly. “You can stay here if you’d like too; you’ve left enough clothes here for you to get changed into something more comfortable and I can cover for you tomorrow.”

You heard the tell tale rustling of the bed that told you that he was getting up and your arm weakly reached out to him.

The, “Nooooo…” that you whined was weak on your lips before your entire body gave up on you and all of your limbs melted back into the bed.

Tighnari made a noise of confusion and sat back down beside you. You forced yourself to latch onto him with one hand and dragged your head onto his lap, wrapping both arms around his waist and nuzzling your face into his stomach. “Just- Can you just stay here please? Just for a little bit?”

Your words came out muffled against the fabric of his clothing but he got the message, a soft sigh leaving his lips, though you could hear that it wasn’t one of annoyance, and placed a hand by your ears, softly brushing against the fur on them.

“Alright. You just stay there and rest then.”

You could ask him about the medication in the morning.

Do not repost or claim. Only reblog. 💛

[starfall-spirit]

Day 3: Sunshine

Summary: Elain enjoys a picnic with Lucien, pondering the future they'll share in Day.

AN: This event is my first time posting Elucien. Naturally, I ask you to be polite in your feedback.

Read on Ao3

Word Count: 658

CW: None

He was far too handsome for his own good. Elain was all too aware he knew that as he lounged on the thin blanket spread out beneath them, a glint of golden sun catching in the red of his hair as the mid-summer breeze ruffle the strands that weren't pinned beneath his shoulders. "I can feel you staring, mate."

He smirked slightly as she settled on her elbow beside him, his eyes still closed against the light peaking through the leaves swaying above them. "Sometimes I wonder when I'm going to wake up."

Lucien peeled his eyes open, rolling onto his side to mirror his mate. "What do you mean, love?"

She fiddled with a fallen leaf. "Things have always been... For years and years, it's been one danger or drama or expectation after the next. And now..."

Now she was happy. Her future was bright, unrestrained by conflict or social expectations. She had the leisure to build a real relationship with her sisters even as she no longer depended on them so entirely. She had the freedom to build a life of her own with the male she loved with her whole heart. To spend the rest of her long, long life in his arms, content to lie beneath the sun day after day with only the sounds of bright laughter and music and unadulterated joy around them.

That's not to say the Day Court was flawless. Every person and place had their faults. But it was a far cry from the first few years she spent in Prythian, one court as cold as the next as they tried to piece together a war-cleaved continent. She hadn't bore the brunt of it and she'd never try to claim she had. But it had still been an exhausting few years.

Middle sister.

Mediator.

Gentle and good and kind and perfect.

Breaking away was the most terrifying and exhilarating thing she had ever done, to be frank. And it had brought her here, out of the box she had been pushed into as a girl and into a whole new way of seeing the world.

"Now I'm free of it all and waiting for reality to set in. For some conflict or conundrum to shatter this dreamscape." Her mate hummed, an arm curling around her waist so she was forced to shift with him when he rolled onto his back again. Contentment shuttered down the thread between them as she buried her face in his chest, letting their legs tangle around one another. Full from their picnic with the warmth of the high sun around them it would be all too easy to drift to sleep there, she knew. Another little element of this utopia of theirs. "It all feels too perfect to last."

His fingers tangled in her unbound hair, stroking from her scalp to the curled ends before repeating the motion. "I've never taken kindly to good fortune either," he murmured. "At least, not until you came along. It was far too fleeting to trust. But with the war behind us, the courts near peace, our bond officiated, here with my true family and you at my side... I'm willing to risk it."

"Can you promise me this is forever?"

He smiled, kissing her hair. "No, my love. But I can promise it's the beginning of a brilliance to bloom. And I'll push Lady Luck as long as I'm able if that means we'll have our happily ever after."

"Promise?"

"By the sun above us," he murmured, kissing the corner of her mouth. "By the moon to rise." Another kiss fell under her jaw before he raised his head again, lips just inches from her own. "Every star that falls or burns for us night after night. By the very bond between us, I swear with all I am, Elain, we'll have a lifetime of joy and light."

And as his lips finally found hers, she believed.

~~~~~

General/Elucien taglist:

@elucienweekofficial // @goddess-aelin // @acotar-fanns // @shallyne // @the-lonelybarricade // @the-lost-changeling // @faeriequeensuriel // @pandavelaris // @s-uppertime // @elentiyawhitethorn // @vulpes-fennec // @headcanonheadcase // @aldbooks // @panicatthenightcourt // @corcracrow // @jennity-blog

[vanmarkham]

oc in 15

tagged by @foxboyclit, ty :3 this looks fun, i'm always trying to work on voice so this is relevant lol

Rules: share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

sooo I kinda wanna do multiple ocs so I'm gonna do a few lines for multiple ocs!

Gideon Trevelyan

“Fine. I go to the Chantry on Tuesday evenings, but I’m free after. You can help me then.” He moves to leave but stops himself. “Don’t bring Jowan.”

“I’m not afraid!” He is, he’s terrified. It would be slightly more convincing if he wasn’t breathing like he’d just run a race. “I just- I want it gone. I want it gone. I’m so confused. I don’t know what to think, so many different… voices in my head saying opposite things.” “If I lived in a grand estate in Amaranthine, I’d at least have silk sheets.” Gideon grins, nudging him with a shoulder. “Oh and a thick Antivan carpet and fennec furs.” He adds dreamily. He looks back at Rodaine. “I bet I can picture your room clearly. Immaculate and barren and austere and full of books.”

Grant Hawke this one was hard, i haven't written enough of him interacting with friends lmao, i promise he is not a hardass all the time

“You shouldn’t have run up to them like that.” Hawke reprimands. “What were you bloody thinking? I could have handled it.” "I'm not losing any more money and I'm not losing the shirt off my back. What does that leave me?" “I have questions about your maps, Warden.”

Valztefein Rilynval

“Got you this warm room and all and you’re whining. Don’t I deserve some attention, Elkantar?” “This is what we’re calling a best man these days? Surely I’ve already bested him and I haven’t even drawn my blade?” “This is true. You are weak. Far weaker than any cleric of Lolth should be.” “It seems our dear fresh-faced fighter has lost his tongue.” He presses his heel further into his gut. “Louder.”

Cyril Lodovka

Cyril smiles, rising again to his full height. “I have prepared the entertainment tonight, my dear. I have something for you… a gift, of sorts. That is, if you wish to see it.” Cyril chuckles, smiling into his own glass. “You may send him into a conniption. Throw in some reference to bacchanal blood-drinking feasts and the fashionability of the Undead and even the chirurgeons will struggle to mend him.” "I will endeavor to compliment you less until you can properly receive my attentions," Cyril teases. “I can make something that may relieve it a little. Help you rest. Unless you’d prefer your method of suffering in silence?” “Apologies. I did not mean to condescend. It is simply… charming, and I am not one to speak, my instructors abhorred reading my assignments.”

i tag @transprincecaspian @sinquisition @ysali @idolsgf

[ladyzirkonia]

I hope I'm not reaching but I feel like Din essentially told Bo that he is spending the rest of his life with her. Din Djarin, the man who usually helps people and is on his way, told Bo that he will serve her until her song is written. He will be right by her side with Grogu who loves her too. Which usually would be after someone dies. If that is not setting up a clan of 3 I don't know what is.

I would love to hear your thoughts about how Bo's interactions differ from the other interactions he has with Pelli, Greef, etc. Because it's not lost on me that Bo acts like his mom. I would say that Grogu is so attached to her that he and Din cannot leave.

Hello my friend! And no you are absolutely not!

To understand this, one only has to look at what kind of person Din Djarin is. In season 1, he was an absolute lone wolf who roamed the galaxy to do assignments as a bouny hunter to support his tribe. Although he has always helped friends and acquaintances he met along the way, he has never committed his life to anyone other than his tribe. Some examples:

Boba Fett

I love Boba, he is my husband and I love the dynamic between him and Din. Din didn't hesitate for a second to help Boba Fett with his problem with the pykes. He didn't want payment, but just the fact that Fennec came to him to hire him suggests they have a different kind of relationship, although Din was absolutely willing to die for the cause when push came to shove. But that has more to do with the fact that honor is paramount for Din Djarin and when he promises something he keeps it.

I'm kind of sad there were no real interactions with Boba and Grogu I really would like to see that, because Boba knew a few jedi himself.

Peli Motto

First off I have to say that I adore Peli, one of my absolute favorite characters. And Grogu adores her too, as we found out this episode as he jumps into her arms with glee. Peli reminds me of my favorite aunt I got to spend time with as a kid and that meant lots of fun and action. She spoils Grogu, he gets his favorite food and has a lot of fun, yet a very different relationship than the one he has with Bo. Bo-Katan has spoken with Grogu on an equal footing since the beginning, not like a toddler or pet. Just think how much she talked to him in episode two and made a real connection. Bo explains, shows interest, and teaches him along with Din, taking on the role of mother rather than cool aunt.

Greef Karga

Grogu and Din share a special past with Greef. I really like the character, especially this season. Greef was Din's boss, then briefly his enemy. Grogu saves his life and it completely changes the relationship of the three. Din and Greef are friendly with each other, he doesn't hesitate to help when Nevarro needs help, but at the same time Din also has Greef's offer of a piece of land in mind. I love how Greef gives him a bottle... whatever that is... he reminds me of a good friend and he treats Grogu the same way. I would even say like a childless friend who appreciates the little one (after all, he saved his life!) but doesn't really know what to do with him. When Din insists on Grogu's name, Grogu doesn't seem to show any real interest.

Greef and most of the other acquaintances and friends call Din Mando. That's one of the first things I noticed, that Bo always calls him by his name. Both Bo's relationship with Din and Grogu was much more personal from the start. She shouldn't have taken care of Din or Grogu, but she did it and not just like that, but with interest and a lot of warmth that she never showed to anyone else.

Conclusion

I don't get the aunt vibes with Bo like some people say. I'm a mom myself and I've felt the connection between Grogu and Bo since the second episode. The way she treats him, how he is always close to her, how she protects and teaches him. Apart from the fact that Katee Sackhoff describes herself as a mummy and recently became a mother herself.

The same goes for Din Djarin. Yes, he is loyal and has so far helped all his friends without hesitation and would probably die honorably for most of them. But he has never committed himself to anyone so openly and without compromise and until his end. I'm pretty sure Bo-Katan understood what Din Djarin's words really mean is evident in her reaction. Astonishment, awe and full of emotion.

I realized too late that you were actually asking about the relationship between Bo and Grogu, now it's a mixture. Have fun with it and this is the way!

[omaano]

more rambly thoughts about weapons (this is turning out to be a long one): -the darksaber is a weapon (sword), the beskar spear is a weapon (spear) -perhaps omega lends you her bow (bow), because hades itself definitely differentiates between a gun and a bow (adamant rail/vs coronacht). alternatively (sorry for bad batch-ifying your hades au it will likely happen again), crosshair's sniper rifle. -anyway, the rail would likely be a blaster of some sort, a dc-17 maybe? as a reference to the clones? (gun) -that leaves the shield and fists, then, which--- what the heck man, why is this so hard to pull from star wars lore. uh. who's big on martial arts? the jedi, i would imagine, so maybe the fists are… hm. nothing is coming to mind re: the jedi. what IS coming to mind is two things: darth vader's gloves of force choking (idk man), and mandalorian gauntlets/vambraces (din's whistling birds?). so one of those two, maybe? (fists). WAIT. i had a thought. it is bad batch associated but you can kill me for it later. WRECKER'S GLOVES!! there we go. -shield is a bit harder--- i'm considering leaning mando for that because they're big on armour, uhhhh….. the only shields that are coming to mind aren't even mando, they're the goddamn plasma shields used in TBOBF against boba and fennec. hold up let me go reference a fic--- okay wookieepedia is giving me silandra's shield, a legendary plasma shield used during the high republic era, or a simple light-shield, used by jedi younglings in training but able to deflect lightsabers and blasterbolts. okay i am thinking light shield with an aspect of silandra! (shield)

I've been promising this answer for well over a month please forgive me for taking so long! I sadly didn't have as much time as I would have liked to spend on the Hades AU in August ^^; Thank you so much @elwinged for sharing these super insightful thoughts as well, they were amazing to read and re-read! <3

Hades AU WEAPONS - and ASPECTS

First things first, I'll admit that I haven't thought about much of these on my own, so I'm just very thrilled and excited to dig into what you'd sent me! *A* (I'm combing the weapons and aspects together, hopefully in a coherent and somewhat structured manner)

SWORD

The darksaber is a weapon

Aspects: "darksaber probably turns into several different lightsabers: obi-wan's, anakin's/vader's, luke's? maybe ahsoka?"

This is the one thing were I won't have many thoughts to add, except that this would need some workshoping (mostly because I cannot think of any sword variants that's not "just" a vibrosword (Din would probably love to change the Darksaber to something less cursed XD) - but also wouldn't it be real funny if the Darksaber was just the Darksaber? No aspects, Din got it, Din is stuck with it in that one single form, there is nothing he can do about it.

I love all your suggestions, but I think I will just stick with this one because it's too hilarious to me. The Darksaber is the Darksaber, no two ways about it, sorry Din, you're stuck with it.

SPEAR

The beskar spear is a weapon

Aspects: "beskar spear becomes maul's double-bladed saber, savage opress' spear and perhaps venestra rwoh's lightwhip?"

I really like the idea of Savage's spear, but (after some minor googling) I like the Mon Calamari blaster spear (it's not very practical on land, but... we need some variety. Plus you get access to aspects through character interaction in Hades, right? Like another character gets reminded of that aspect and such... I guess Kit could be a lead in for this one, as Maul would be with Savage's spear).

(As a tangent I've also found the Lasan bo-rifle, but goddamnit I've kept most of the Rebels influence out of this AU too, so that only gets an honorable mention here.)

There are also electrostaffs that Zygerians used, that's one sided/ended (and Rex must be (unfortunately) very familiar with them since he used one to impale that slaver at the end of the Zygerrian arc)... I'm not a 100% set on this, but the other alternative I can think about is a shock trooper's electro-staff...

Venestra's lightwhip is more of a lightsaber, I guess? (I haven't yet watched the last two episodes of The Acolyte so don't at me here) so that doesn't really track here imo.

BOW

"perhaps omega lends you her bow, because hades itself definitely differentiates between a gun and a bow (adamant rail/vs coronacht). alternatively (sorry for bad batch-ifying your hades au it will likely happen again), crosshair's sniper rifle."

I think in this case it might be better to indeed keep the differentiation between bow and blaster (even if it will probably be a lot more difficult to collect enough aspects for a bow), and so let's not bad batchify the bow just yet XD (I've been fighting very hard NOT to allow the Bad Batch into this AU, only Omega and Echo got a pass from that ban)

Aspects: "bow maybe has an aspect of crosshair (sniper rifle), chewbacca's bow-caster, and… a nightsister bow? maybe swap omega and nightsister around and have the more basic version be the base weapon"

Yes to all of those and...I'm really feeling our limitations here for a 4th option because all i found was the Ewok's bow and arrow. So how about we downgrade a little to the energy slingshot that Ezra has in the beginning of Rebels?

RAIL

"anyway, the rail would likely be a blaster of some sort, a dc-17 maybe? as a reference to the clones? (gun)"

I suppose it is a better question if this is a handblaster or more of a sniper rifle. I don't know the rail all that much because for the life of me I cannot make it work (I don't remember how I managed to make a single successful run with it in the first place... so I don't remember how it works in-game) since Din has a variation of those on his person at all times. So the "rail" either stands in for the Amban Rifle, or the handblaster at his hip.

(I'll veto the DC-17 since that was nominated as Rex's keepsake, so let's not confuse those two, yeah?)

Aspects: "rail has an aspect of padme (she's my GIRL), ezra's bow-lightsaber monstrosity, and perhaps leia's blaster? feel like that's quite similar to padme's though… we'll workshop it"

I was thinking that Crosshair's rifle would fit better here (both Omega and Fennec can hint at access to that?), Ezra's lightsaber-blaster combination is a genius thing, no badmouthing that horrible creation, I love that! :D and sure, I guess Padme's little screwdriver looking blaster pistol can also be an aspect?

FISTS

"[...]what IS coming to mind is two things: darth vader's gloves of force choking (idk man), and mandalorian gauntlets/vambraces (din's whistling birds?). so one of those two, maybe? (fists). WAIT. i had a thought. it is bad batch associated but you can kill me for it later. WRECKER'S GLOVES!! there we go."

Aspects: "fists.. .maybe they start out as din's whistling birds, then aspect of wrecker, vader and…. boba (flamethrower)? i also just read about mandalorian crushgaunts (beskar reinforced gloves) which could also be the base, and swap out whistling birds for boba?"

The basic weapon can be a Mandalorian gauntlet (but the whistling birds I was planning to keep for the Cast attack, since it's with Din at all times, and so are his vambraces. I couldn't think of any other long-range weapon on his person that wouldn't become a changable thing with all these other weapons. Plus there is also a limit to how many times and how fast you can fire those, so I think that tracks alright) But I can get behind the others... I don't remember what's up with Wrecker's gloves, but I do seem to remember Black Krrssantan (sorry for any spelling mistakes) having his electric knuckle dusters that can also pack a punch.

SHIELD

"shield is a bit harder [...] the only shields that are coming to mind aren't even mando, they're the goddamn plasma shields used in TBOBF against boba and fennec. [...] or a simple light-shield, used by jedi younglings in training but able to deflect lightsabers and blasterbolts."

Aspects : "shield-- aspect of silandra (a legendary plasma shield used during the high republic era), uhhhhh OOH obi wan's saber because soresu, and. uh. enfys nest's gauntlets? they're technically gauntlets, as titled, so they could be slotted in as an aspect of fists, but they fan out to be mini shields, so…."

Mandalorians can have a small shield of their own (as seen on Paz and Bo-Katan both), so that's good for base, with and aspect of Silandra, and Enfys Nest (that's made of beskar plates too, isn't it?)... and like what could be the last one. The idea of Soresu is absolutely hilarious (mostly because Din would be so bad at it ,so it would also track as a legendary aspect, considering how those are supposed to be more tricky to use?) but also like. What if it's just Din's beskar armor turned up to 11? XD I really have nothing better here ^^;

[gwynrielweeksofficial]

Here are all the incredible written works that were created for Gwynriel Weeks 2023!!!

Check out the Collection on AO3

Day 1: Series of Firsts

First Time Flying by @shadowsxgwynriel

Storybook Starfall by @headcanonheadcase

The First Valkyrie by @hlizr50

Series of Firsts by @hellonovemberrainworld-blog

A Tale of Victims and Virtue by @readingwritingwatching

Day 2: Training and Missions

An Important Mission by @sunshinebingo

No Longer Secret by @hlizr50

The Challenge by @headcanonheadcase

A Promise of Missions and Mates by @readingwritingwatching (with a part two for Day 11: NSFW and a part three for Day 13: Domestic Life)

Day 3: Solstice Night

Out of the Storm by @shadowriel (with a part two for Day 10: AU Day and Day 11: NSFW)

Christmas Proposal by @sunshinebingo

Solstice Night by @headcanonheadcase

A Night of Gifts and Gratitude by @readingwritingwatching

Day 4: "You're the new ribbon, Az."

Ties that Bind by @hlizr50

A Match Made of Mischief by @headcanonheadcase

A Coil of Ribbons and Bonds by @readingwritingwatching

Bring It On by @panicatthenightcourt

Day 5: Music

A Night to Remember by @hellonovemberrainworld-blog

Full Moon by @sunshinebingo

Day 6: Personalities

All Tied Up by @hlizr50

Day 7: Aesthetic

Metamorphosis by @beaumaismortel

Day 8: Favorite Headcanons/Theories

Secret by @sunshinebingo (with a part two for Day 11: NSFW)

A Dinner of Flames and Fury by @readingwritingwatching

Day 9: Tropes

One Night and I'm All Yours by @shadowsxgwynriel

The Roommate Complication by @headcanonheadcase

The Princess and the Knight by @sunshinebingo (with a part two for Day 14: Free Day)

A Circumstance of Anguish and Amnesia by @readingwritingwatching

Day 10: AU Day

A Corset for a Cutlass by @vikingmagic33

Singer & the Singer by @headcanonheadcase and @hlizr50

The Neighbour's Cat by @sunshinebingo

A Friendship of Hope and Necessity by @readingwritingwatching

Day 11: NSFW Day

Game Night by @shadowsxgwynriel

glitter gel pen by @damedechance

Marked by Love by @headcanonheadcase

Fanservice for Your Fanfiction pt. 2 by @vulpes-fennec

Day 12: Mates

Beyond Fire Night by @headcanonheadcase

The Art of Falling by @beaumaismortel

The Wolf and His Vixen by @shadowsxgwynriel

Day 13: Domestic Life

Boyfriend by @sunshinebingo

Baking and Bonds by @hlizr50

"Now, while I put on my makeup, let's talk strategy, Shadowsinger." by @headcanonheadcase

Day 14: Free Day

The Thing with Feathers by @headcanonheadcase

Heart of the Matter by @mystical-blaise

Other Fics Tagged on AO3:

Decadent by jespervaneck

Things We Do in the Shadows by rachelmays

Research by eudaimonia1983

[sunnyxjarrus]

season 3 episode 9 the harbinger tbb

I’m aware I kind of skipped the last episode so I’m gonna just hit highlights for it too

Episode 8 ’bad territory’

not really one of the ones screaming for wet haired hunter but they really did y’all dirty with the toxic atmosphere

Hunter and omega conspiring against crosshair in attempt to get him to take care of himself

“You don’t like anything”

fennec just contacting whoever at the end

and now for the important part

episode 9 the harbinger

so obviously I have to go in an order that I remember it from as chronological as possible (sad but true)

so we’re going to start with how feral I went almost immediately when I heard that lady chick villager miss call crosshair by his name

I accidentally got on here before I remembered it was Wednesday so I already knew that my beautiful dear beloved wife was going to be in the episode

still nothing can prevent me from going absolutely insane and crying upon seeing her on screen and in such amazing animation

I’m being serious even her little criminal file is better animation

Don’t get me wrong asajj ventress was my gay awakening in the clone wars but comparing the two

I just want to say something since fucking when have we ever cared about people being war criminals in Star Wars Hunter since fucking when?

um anyway did not really expect omega to do that second task on time but girl did good

honestly kinda expected omega to use the force to like push ventress when she returned to find her with one brother being choked and the other one with a lightsaber at his throat

kinda wish echo were there just because of their familiarity

also

M IS FOR MIDICHLORIANS

it is time for us who are actually acknowledging that they exist to celebrate their existence being acknowledged again

Look I promise I meant it when I said they did y’all dirty but we got ventress with wet hair now I promise I feel for you guys really I do

cross and Ventress having friendly interaction

also another tech mention

echo doesn’t get mentioned until they choose to bring him back

Hardcase hasn’t been mentioned since he died

we have three fives mentions

but no we get a tech mention an episode here in the bad batch season 3

my beautiful queen and wife is gone and will be missed

also the kraken was honestly kind of adorable

[reluctant-mandalore]

🍂 Cy’s Fictober 2023🍂

Hi! Welcome to Cy’s Fictober 🎃. I wasn’t feeling any of the prompt lists last year and so I had come up with my own fictober list. I ended up not doing it last year due to personal reasons and it being last minute, so I decided to do it this year instead! I'm very excited to show y'all the fics I've planned out for this!

( I will update the list with links or any changes that happen as I post fics throughout the month of october )

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Day 1: Cold Weather - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

During the chilly fall season on a new planet, you go on an afternoon outing with the Mandalorian and his son. Though of course you forgot your coat.

Day 2: Dancing - Boba Fett x oc!Ann

After a job Boba and Ann go to a cantina to relax. Ann enjoys dancing, Boba enjoys watching.

Day 3: First Kiss - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 4: Hand Holding - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 5: Leaves - Wolffe x gn!Reader

Day 6: Cuddling - Fennec Shand x gn!Reader

Day 7: Picnic - General Fic (No Pairings)

Day 8: Love Confession - Rex x gn!Reader 

Day 9: Singing - Boba Fett x oc!Ann

Day 10: Candy - Fennec Shand x gn!Reader

Day 11: Nicknames - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 12: Moonlit Walks - Echo x gn!Reader

Day 13: Comfort - Din Djarin x gn!Reader 

Day 14:  Smile - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 15: Baking - General Fic (No Pairings) 

Day 16: Stargazing - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 17: Flirting - Obi Wan Kenobi x gn!Reader 

Day 18: Only One Bed - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 19: Promise - Rex x gn!Reader

Day 20: Rainy Days - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 21: Candlelight - Boba Fett x oc!Ann

Day 22: Touch Starved - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 23: Proposal - Wolffe x gn!Reader 

Day 24: Date Night - Fennec Shand x gn!Reader

Day 25: Bonfire - Obi Wan Kenobi x gn!Reader

Day 26: Mornings Together - Boba Fett x oc!Ann

Day 27: Crush - Boba Fett x gn!Reader 

Day 28: Flowers - Boba Fett x oc!Ann

Day 29: Secret - Wolffe x gn!Reader 

Day 30: Cozy Embrace - Din Djarin x gn!Reader

Day 31: Pumpkin - ??

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