#2 parter

[ravetillyoucry]

PUPARIA

Chapter 25 - Knuckle Velvet [PART 1]

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It really was a good thing Hosah had only just checked that day how many vacation days he had left for the year.

The pair sat, quietly, in the near empty diner on a particularly cold late November evening. The shifter still wasn't quite sure what the phone call was about, but whatever it was, had troubled Teddy beyond comprehension. He just ate in silence, not even looking in Hosah's direction, where he sat on his knees with his hands rested atop of Teddy's fist.

Hosah could watch all he liked, but that same thousand yard stare Teddy gave to the wall in front of him still wouldn't answer his burning questions.

The giant blinked, clearing his throat as he finally glanced down, as brief as it was, "Oh. Sorry. I didn't.. How rude of me, you want some? Here."

Teddy tore a small piece of whatever it was he ordered off between his fingertips, and handed it to the shifter before he was able to really get a straight answer. It would've been 'I'm good, thanks', but, Hosah didn't really feel as though he was in the right place to be declining any offers.

"I guess we've both had a pretty bad day." Teddy sighed. The fist Hosah leant against opened up, his own hands sliding off the back of it, only for the palm to curl around his frame as gently as it could.

There was no protest when Teddy rested his head against the table, as badly as the shifter wanted to tell him how unsanitary it was, and there was even less of one when the hand behind him pushed Hosah closer, his knees practically under Teddy's nose by now.

In the moment, Hosah couldn't tear his eyes away from the giant's face, even as his hot breath tickled at his skin through the tiny gaps between the buttons of his shirt. His fingertips were about the size of the freckles painted across Teddy's face. If he weren't so close, and if he weren't so small, he probably would've never noticed them at all. In a comforting motion, Hosah brought his hand to the bridge of the nose, and traced along every single one of them.

"It'll be okay." The shifter whispered, "It has to be."

He didn't even know what exactly it was that was wrong in the first place, but, by god would he do everything in his power to fix it.

It seemed like today was one of those days. Teddy was weird, very weird. Sometimes, it felt like he was avoiding the shifter, unable to get far enough away, avoiding touching him, doing everything in his power to make it so Hosah could do things independently. It wasn't like it was an entirely bad thing, it was just.. Strange. Other times, however, he was the complete opposite. His hand would come out of nowhere, cradling around him in a similar fashion to how it was now, Teddy physically couldn't get any closer than he was already in those moments. It was so, so confusing. Hosah could never tell which it'd be.

"Once the money comes in, I'll have more than enough to fly us both out to Italy and back, then we won't miss it." Teddy muttered, most likely speaking to himself more than to the shifter.

Hosah didn't quite know what 'it' was, but he could make a few educated guesses with how the sentence was phrased, and how Teddy had reacted entirely.

It was weird to hear the giant laugh, especially given the weight of what he was implying, and the weight of his laugh itself as the sound vibrated through Hosah's entire, tiny body, shaking him to his core in a way that could only be described as perfectly overwhelming.

"I've wanted to take you since the day I met you," He sighed, the hot breath ruffling Hosah's coat, "To where I grew up. I don't know, it feels like.. That would be far easier than telling you anything. I'm not a very good story teller."

"You're a good story teller." Hosah kneaded at the bridge of the giants nose, a far gentler way to playfully jab at him, especially when in such a fragile state.

"If I'm good or if I'm terrible, this is still sort of a good thing. I feel like I should be sadder, but I'm not really upset, per se. It's given me the perfect excuse to drag you out of the country." Teddy had more to say, the shifter could tell with how he ended his sentence in a sigh, but he refrained from saying it for a good while.   ".. I don't have to be so afraid anymore too. To go back. It's- Now that my grandmother's, well.. Gone. I'm finally safe forever, it feels."

Huh. Hosah didn't think he could do much other than be there. So, be there he did. The shifter didn't stop stroking the bridge of Teddy's nose, even when leaning his body against it. This was the closest he could get to hugging him at this size, as frustrating as that was.

"And.." Teddy filled the silence, "It gives us a good excuse to cut work for the rest of the week."

That was true. Very, very true indeed. A funeral was a mighty good excuse for time off, that was for certain. It was only Wednesday, but something about the joint events of today really made Hosah not want to get up at stupid o'clock in the morning the following day.

As the shifter stroked up and down the perfectly straight slope that nuzzled into him, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly Teddy had meant. His grandmother was dead, seemingly, but the giant had never had a bad word to say about his upbringing, especially his grandparents. Maybe he was better at hiding things than Hosah had initially assumed. It wasn't his business to press, and by god would it be an awful time to do so, but that didn't stop him from wondering.

-~-

After a streak of bad luck, it seemed that things could only go up from there, and up they went.

Hosah managed to grow back to his usual height, all their trains arrived on time, and they arrived in New Jersey with a travel time of just under two hours.

The plan was to stay the night at Teddy's parent's place, and then they'd all collectively fly the following morning in order to make both funeral and care arrangements for his grandfather. Neither of them were sure why it was decidedly easier this way, but, Teddy was strangely adamant on the plan either way.

It had been a breeze, surprisingly, with their bags already packed the night before, and everything having fallen perfectly into place was certainly a refreshing sight. Maybe this was it. A sign. The total lack of the usual chaos doing its best to tell the pair that what they were doing was right. Now that Hosah was off the case, he could seriously start taking his plans into consideration. The cabin on the lake, that was the end goal, but, some compromises could be made. After all, the northern Italian countryside didn't sound so bad, not bad at all.

Things really seemed to be working in their favour, before Teddy made a point to stop right at the front door of his parents house, just to say-

"Before we go in, just know, I'm sorry in advance, and we're.. probably gonna have to be discreet about, well, what we are. I should've told you that earlier, but,"

"No," Hosah interrupted, "Its okay. Whatever they're like, I can handle, and I wasn't really interested in having your dead grandma be the catalyst to the whole 'meet my partner' deal, so.."

Teddy didn't look too convinced, but, all he could really do was sigh and nod as he knocked on the door, just twice, letting go of the shifter's hands in the process. He was starting to miss the touch already.

The house was stunning, Hosah could say that much. White panel, suburban neighbourhood, well-maintained front yard, all the works. Truly the american dream, he thought to himself.

He knew Teddy's parents had money, but, this was just absurd. It was nothing close to the likes of Arthur Emily and his... 'humble' abode, but it was definitely nice. It was the kind of neighbourhood he and his mother would drive down back home, making up stories about who they thought lived in each extortionately expensive house, what they'd do with the yard or the interior. The memory only added to Hosah's nerves, being so used to just windows shopping out of the car from a distance, he felt almost unworthy of stepping inside, but it was far too late to turn back now.

It really didn't take too long at all before the door cracked open, a woman at the other side of it. She and Teddy whispered to eachother in a language the shifter couldn't understand before the door opened entirely. Just by looking at her, anyone could tell it was Teddy's mother. Their faces were near identical, and if it weren't for the fact she was clearly older, along with her warmer complexion and darker features, they could've been mistaken for twins. Another thing they had in common was being tall, as when Hosah stood up to shake her hand, he realised she definitely had a good couple of inches on him.

Hosah smiled as warmly as he could, "Oh wow, Mrs-"

"It's Miss Altieri now. Thank you. You are the roommate I hear so much about." Miss Altieri smiled back, although her perfectly straight posture and firm, unbroken handshake only served to make Hosah cower back slightly as he nodded.

".. Ah, right, apologies. You have a beautiful home."

She shook her head, her hand still holding onto the shifter's, practically pulling him inside whilst Teddy followed, "No need. All is well. Edward, what happened to Penny? You bring your girlfriend to these sorts of things, not your roommate." She still had a smile on her face, not quite matching her overly serious tone of voice, "... No offence."

Teddy nearly choked on his breath as he shut the door behind him, "Oh, wow, that's a.. name I haven't heard in a while. I haven't seen her since highschool. Long.. long over now."

As badly as the shifter wanted to tease him, he understood the feeling all too well. His dad still asked about Jules and whether he'd thought about proposing any time soon, no matter how many times he clarified that they were never together in the first place. Instead, he gave Teddy a smile that said 'I'll be bringing this up later'.

"Penny was such a nice girl. I still speak to her father, she's in medical school you know. Uh.. you, you talk some sense into him, okay?" Teddy's mother slipped up slightly when she went to address Hosah, clearly not having been told as much about him as she initially claimed.

She turned to her son, whispering something that the shifter still couldn't understand.

"Hosah." was all Teddy said in response, although it clearly wasn't supposed to be addressed to the man himself who the name belonged to. Yeah, he could probably guess what exactly she'd asked.

The most the shifter could do in this scenario was stand there, awkwardly, lingering around like a bad smell.

"Yes, right." Miss Altieri placed her hands at either side of his shoulders, "Hosah, you tell him. I need.. I need to make a call. I'll be back."

And in quite the rush, she walked off down the hall, until completely out of sight. Sure, things were awkward, but.. Hosah could handle it. Easily. Surely.

Teddy sighed, rather loudly, his hands cradling his head, "I'm really sorry. This was a bad idea. This was a really bad idea."

".. So who's Penny?" The shifter decided he wouldn't be waiting all too long to get at Teddy for the girl his mother seemed to be stuck on.

He sighed even louder, "The girl I went to prom with. Her name was Penny Lane, like that The Beatles song."

"The one that got away." Hosah smiled, desperately running out of ways to distract both himself and Teddy from just how terrible the situation was.

Hosah couldn't imagine not being close with his parents, and Teddy seemed to be anything but. There was clearly some kind of tension or incident that occurred between him and his family that he hadn't told the shifter about, but he wouldn't push to find those out. It was kind of obvious with the way he acted, now that he thought about it.

"Sure. Fine, let's call her that." Teddy shook his head, his smile, although gentle, still forming at its own pace. A good sign, surely. "What about you, who did you go to prom with?"

Hosah blinked for a moment as he snapped out of this thoughts, "Didn't go." he shrugged.

Teddy's jaw practically dropped to the floor, "How come? You know, you never talk about high school. I don't think I could recall a single thing you've ever told me about the best time of your life."

His voice was sarcastic in the last part, but it was still a phrase that brought a grimace to Hosah's face.

Teddy wasn't so sure why he was so stuck on the topic. The shifter's nonchalance, his vague depictions, were intriguing, sure, but.. That wasn't quite it. Maybe it was the fact his family's home reminded him so deeply of his school days. How he felt as if the whole world were staring down at him, waiting to do something, anything, that would draw attention. Waiting for whatever it was that festered inside of him that made him so distinctly subhuman to crawl out, so they could crush and destroy it as soon as possible. Who 'they' were, Teddy wasn't sure of. His family, his classmates, maybe Hosah.

No. Probably not Hosah. Definitely not.

"We didn't really.. do prom. I don't talk about it because only losers talk about highschool ten years later." It was an unnecessarily cold way to put it, but it was a topic Hosah avoided at all costs, even if it meant snapping at someone whilst they were freshly in the first stage of grief.

Teddy hummed a quiet noise before promptly moving on to the next topic of conversation. One thing Hosah particularly enjoyed about the man was his ability to take a hint, even if his primal urge to do the exact opposite was obvious given the look on his face.

"Did you pack all of your.. er- Medications?" The shifter had no idea why Teddy danced around the word, hell, even the topic as a whole, but now probably wasn't a great time to question it.

Hosah sighed and nodded, "Yep, all of it."

It would be a nightmare if he were to shrink and get stuck whilst they were away. There'd be so many complications. How would they approach Teddy's family about it, how would they get through the airport? It was a situation that kept the shifter up the night before, drenched in a cold sweat, all the different terrible scenarios playing out in his head, each with a worse ending than the last. When lying awake at night, the only voice he could hear rattling around in his brain was his father's. How he should've just come home, never having left in the first place. It was frightening, but he had to be brave, for Teddy's sake.

"All right. Good, cause my mum had a sort of 'post-divorce crisis', and now there's a bunch of cats in the house, so.." Teddy paced circles around the shifter, a smile on his face despite his behaviour clearly showing just how stressed he also was.

No matter how hard Teddy would try to hide how he felt, there was always something glaringly obvious that gave him away. A look in his eye, a nervous twitch, a small curl of his lips into that god forsaken smile. He was an open book, really, you just needed to pay extra attention.

Hosah kept his voice to a whisper, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just getting antsy waiting for my sister to get here. I've told you before, she's basically my twin, you'd like her. You will like her." Teddy shook his head, his eyes darting everywhere, landing on everything but the shifter in front of him. At least his readability gave Hosah the reassurance that he'd never be able to lie or keep anything from him.

Aurelia was the only person Teddy had fond memories of before the age of about fifteen or so, although he'd always hold a grudge regarding the fact she got such a beautiful name, whilst he was left thoughtlessly with someone else's. She was successful in all the ways he wasn't. A useful degree, a stable job and a family, a husband she could introduce to their parents without shame or the threat of disownment. Teddy wasn't angry, he just seethed with sadness. Especially when he looked at Hosah and thought of all the things he desperately needed to do with him, that he'd only be able to do in secret.

Hosah nodded, adopting that same look of subtle disbelief, but dropping the topic either way, their conversation jumping from one thing to another by now as each road they went down ultimately stopped at the dead end of discomfort. Maybe Teddy didn't have the kind of success that would make his parents happy, but he definitely had the kind that made himself happy. He didn't reach out and wrap his arms around Hosah, even though he wanted to, desperately.

"Okay.." The echoing sound of high-heeled shoes against tiled floors filled the room, "Your father is arriving with Aurelia, they're both in her car."

Teddy's mother looked frazzled. More so than before, which seemed impossible until it was in fact proven to be quite the opposite. Even Teddy himself wasn't too sure on what or why exactly they were so tense with each other, and he didn't really care to find out either.

There wasn't much to say. Nobody dared to speak, letting the air conditioner- which most definitely didn't need to be on during the winter months, whir and fill the heavy silence of the room.

"Well." She sighed, "How do you feel about cats? Edward, go find the cats, they love to meet new people."

"He's allergic." Teddy interjected, already feeling his energy being drained with every passing second of being 'home'.

The truth was, Teddy had only been to this particular house a few times since moving out. His parents bought it shortly after both of their children had left the nest, annoyingly. It was beautiful, but, it wasn't home.

"It's okay, I've taken my allergy medication." Hosah was a dog person. "I love cats. Great, great creatures."

-~-

The pair had been sitting, awkwardly listening to Teddy's mother's stories of what she'd been up to and all the gossip she'd heard, for upwards of three quarters of an hour, until the rattling of the front door handle could be heard, along with a good two or three voices and sets of footsteps that followed shortly after.

Hosah usually wasn't so bad with people. He wasn't a particularly shy individual, despite the odds that stacked against him. That being said, he had no clue why his palms were so sweaty, why his stomach twisted into knots as he stood, and why he so desperately wished to stay sat with the ball of transferable white fur Teddy's mother called a cat.

There was probably a reason to why the shifter felt so awkward and uncomfortable when in the presence of a cat, at least in comparison to that of another person or a dog. They seemed to be far more intelligent than Hosah could ever dream of being. Silently judging, in a way that he'd never be able to understand, even if they could verbalise their thoughts about him. Just now was the first time he'd ever had the species willingly approach and sit on him, although he had no idea how to approach it, or, her, himself.

The fact Teddy's family seemed to be made up entirely of cat people didn't put his mind at ease in the slightest, especially not when he'd have to be confronted with just how damp his hands really were in the common courtesy of a handshake.

Aurelia wasn't much like anything the shifter had previously pictured her as in his head whenever she came up in an anecdote or conversation. He'd always pictured her as Teddy, but, a girl, in a way. They looked the exact same in his head, but his brain just knew the difference between them, man and woman, brother and sister. She was not in fact a carbon copy of her brother, and their appearance most definitely differed, quite dramatically. Aurelia was far warmer. Where Teddy's cheeks and nose would be nipped pink with cold, hers remained untouched, her entire face and what Hosah could see of her body being perfectly bronzed, a similar shade to himself, give or take a good few tones lighter, of course. The warmth didn't just stop at her natural colour palette, but extended in the way she dressed. Earthly, bright, and pretty shades of yellow and beige, in the form of a thick cardigan-coat combination type piece, with a long plaid skirt in a darker brownish colour that went past her knees but not quite to her ankles. If it were on anyone else, Hosah would've thought it to look rather frumpy, like something you'd picture in your head if someone were to say 'librarian', but Aurelia much more closely resembled that of a young, motherly elementary school teacher.

He found himself staring quite a bit at her face before really making a point to speak up, given how visible it was. He'd usually have to crane his neck up to get a good look at Teddy's. Now that he stared, intently, he could see the similarities between herself and her brother. She had a soft, pretty, princess look to her, if that made any sense. Like Natalie Portman, if he squinted his eyes just the right amount. Hosah found himself so immersed in her face, that he didn't even notice her husband, or the baby on his hip, as they entered alongside.

Teddy was right, they'd probably like each other.

"You." Aurelia turned straight towards the shifter, having given her greetings to everyone else, just about, "I've heard so much about you."

Hosah was quite used to the touchy type, being raised in a family where saying 'no' to a hug simply wasn't a thing that could ever even be considered, but the way Aurelia pulled him in and held him closely wasn't anything like that. It was as if they'd known each other before, a reuniting hug, sort of. He supposed that made sense, given how he practically already knew her given how much it seemed Teddy spoke about the both of them to each other. They'd met before, through word of mouth.

It wasn't until Aurelia had let him go that Hosah was able to speak, "I've heard a lot about you too. It's about time we met." He turned to Teddy, tilting his head with a smile.

"What an occasion to bring us together." Teddy sighed with a shake of his head, his hands uncharacteristically planted in either one of his pant pockets. Huh.

Hosah would've said something had he been given the chance. The air of silence to prompt any kind of response from him was taken right before his eyes, however, in the form of an accent that grated at his brain as if it were a block of fancy cheese.

"Edward!" Unlike his son's voice, which had marinated in American over time, becoming an indistinguishable blend of his native European tongue and that of any other born and raised New Yorker, Teddy's father was distinctly different. British. "How are ya?"

The 'ah' sound in every word he spoke came out unnecessarily long, although it wasn't quite the posh voice he'd envisioned in his head given how he already knew the fact Teddy's dad was from England originally.

Teddy didn't respond, he didn't need to, because his father's mouth operated in a similar fashion to that of a motorboat, as it just never stopped, seemingly.

"You look good, you know. That's what they say though. Grief suits some people, you should've seen me when your other grandma died, whewwwww. Probably the only reason I was able to get that spot past ten on The Travel Channel."

That's right. Hosah knew he recognised him from somewhere, although there weren't many people on TV over here with such a distinguishable sound and look to them. Tony's Tables, that's what it was. The poor man's Gordon Ramsey. God, how ecstatic his own father would be to know he's in Tony Randolph's family home.

"This is Hosah. My roommate." Teddy sounded to be nothing but defeated, as if just the mere presence of his father had knocked him down several pegs of volume entirely, his voice being nothing but a mumble.

Hosah was promptly pushed, albeit gently, forward and toward the overly loud and talkative man that was Teddy's dad. Teddy and Tony was quite the duo name, now that he thought about it.

"Right." Tony didn't sound all too enthusiastic about the introduction. "What, are you lovers too? 'Ts not really a 'bring a mate' sort of deal, is it?"

The room fell quiet at the implication. Maybe things weren't going as well as Hosah had originally thought they were.

[starnerd1]

First Foray into the Bo-Katan/Din Djarin shipping lane

So, I haven't written anything for a very long time. Like, more than 10 years long time. But this season of the Mandalorian just hit me right in the feels because I love the dynamic between Bo Katan and Din, and the force of character Katee brings to the live action version is just phenomenal. No matter how this season (or series) plays out, I'm going to ship them for life.

So, I've had this idea for a fic coming to me in sections. First, based on more recent episodes, but being the person that I am, when I sat down to finally get this down in writing and out of my head, I ended up starting at the beginning. And by that, I mean the very end of Season 2 when we are left with Din and co standing in the bridge of the light cruiser. What happened? What's the transition from that scene to where we find Bo at the beginning of Season 3?

Without further ado, here is part one of two for this 'Season 2.5: Book of Bo-Katan' (Title and chapter titles are up for debate. It's just what I thought of in the moment.) It's still rough, not fully edited/polished. I just needed to get it out of my head so I can sleep better.

The Book of Bo-Katan Kryze

In two parts.

Part 1: The Prize

            The Jedi Master vanished with the foundling with the closing hiss of the lift door. How many years had it been since Bo-Katan had seen a lightsaber? A Jedi in action? A long time. Before the Purge.

            Not long at all.

            In the darkened view from behind her helmet, she moved her eyes to the Mandalorian, still standing like a stone. She shifted her weight and bites back a hiss of pain as the one pot shot from Moff Gideon that hit her flesh suddenly explodes in fire. Another scar to add to the tapestry. Gingerly, Bo stepped forward, over the unconscious form of the Imp slime, limping slightly with each fiery pulse of pain that shoots up her right leg. Her gaze shifts from the crumpled remains of the door to the back of the Mandalorian’s bared head. He still hadn’t moved. His helmet still sitting on the floor by his feet, his body stiff and hands clenched. Now close enough to him, she can hear the slight shake in each of his breaths.

            Despite her pain, Bo bends down, picks up his helmet from the floor, and holds it out in front of him. The sharp intake of breath is audible to everyone. His eyes, those dark, grief-stricken eyes snapped in focus to the front visor of the helmet he swore he would never remove.

            He turned he face towards Bo and she sees his face fully for the first time. His eyes, deep brown and deeply pained, locked on to hers behind the visor. With the slightest nod of her head towards his helmet, she said softly, “This is the Way.”

            There is the slightest flush to his face. His posture straightens, he takes the offered helmet and places it back on. “This is the Way.” The helmet cannot mask the grief, the pain, in his voice. A father who gave up his foundling.

            The man who has her prize.

            He held her gaze for just a moment longer before walking away. Out of the Command Center.

            “You are letting him walk away?” Koska asks harshly as he walks through the ruins of the blast door. Bo turned on her, glaring behind her helmet. “I will not discuss this now,” she hissed back. Koska’s face scrunched into a sneer, on the brink of a retort, but stopped as Bo closed the distance between them with a threatening step. “Not. Now,” she repeated.

            Reeves backed down with a disgusted scoff, turning her attention to the unconscious Moff. Relieved, Bo turned her own attention to Cara. She was in no mood for further conflict and the pain in her leg was really starting to annoy her.

            “So, is there any chance we can get your Republic to not blow us up turning in this sleemo in with this Imp ship?”

            “Every chance,” Cara replied. “Just need to talk to the right people.” She paused for a moment then added, “I can’t promise they’ll let you keep the ship.”

            “Consider it my part of the bounty payment,” said Bo.

            Cara shrugged in response, as if to say, I still can’t make promises. “I only ever heard of one person in the Rebellion who had a light saber,” she continued, her gaze briefly looking towards where her friend had gone. “But if it is who I think it is, and he just saved our asses, it might be possible to pull off this ship as your payment.”

            “Who did you hear of?” asked Fennec.

            “Luke Skywalker.”

            The breath went out of Bo-Katan at the name. Skywalker.

            That wasn’t….possible

            How?!

            Anakin Skywalker died in the final battle of the Clones Wars. Ashoka told her as much. Some younger relation? Extended family?

            But….that didn’t match up with Ashoka’s stories of her old master either. An only child. A former slave from Tatooine.

            “We need all the ships we can get,” said Bo, pushing the line of questions from her mind. “Fennec, get Boba back here.”

            “He’s already on his way.”

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

            Din Djarin had no destination as he left the Command Center. The room was suffocating. There were too many people.

            May the Force be with you.

            What did that even mean? Was that supposed to make him feel better? Some force to fill the raw gaping void left in the wake of Grogu leaving with the Jedi?

            The crushed remains of the Dark Troopers littered the hallway to the lift. The Jedi had cut through them all with such ease. Din nearly lost his life to one. That Jedi – younger than him – made idle, easy work of dozens.

            That was the point. The whole purpose to his mission. To delivery Grogu to one of his own kind, who could train him. He could teach the kid how to do this, he mused. Grogu had stopped a mudhorn in full charge. Held back the fire of an imperial stormtrooper. Crushing a division of droids was surely well within the kid’s power. Din had no idea what this power was that the Jedi had, but Grogu could do it.

            His quest was fulfilled.

            Stepping into the lift, Din looked straight back down the hallway, with all the littered remains, through the crumpled door to the command center. His gaze met Bo-Katan’s, her helmet removed.

            The door slid shut.

            This is the Way.

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

            Imperial ships had surveillance everywhere. There was no surprise in being discovered. Only slightly at who chose to do so. In the empty corridors of the ship, Bo-Katan’s uneven steps rang too loudly in his ears. But then, every sound seemed too loud to him now.

            He had found his way to an observation deck. Empty space filled every corner of his vision. Which way had the Jedi gone? He’d told the kid he would see him again. He would hold himself to that promise. But he hadn’t even thought to ask where they were going.

            Kryze reached him, saying nothing as she took a position at a respectful distance just into his view. She made no move to say anything at first. What was there left to say? Only to challenge him for a weapon he would freely give her.

            “Cara is securing the Moff in the detention cells,” she said at last.

            “Pershing still in the shuttle?”

            He saw her nod. “I made sure they weren’t going to be together. Koska has the good doctor locked down. Gideon has escaped too many times to trust him in the room with another Imp. He’d either kill Pershing or get his help in escaping.”

            “Two bounties are better than one,” Din replied, “especially alive.”

            Bo-Katan bit back a retort. She was not a bounty hunter. It wasn’t his point. And she knew that. Instead she stepped more directly into his view, her back to the star scape, and sat at the edge of a table. “I offered you a place with us before,” she began. “To retake Mandalore. Unite our People.” He was an immovable object. Unreadable. Expressionless beskar staring out into space. “That offer remains.”

            A moment passed before he actually looked at her, a deep exhale dropping his shoulders a few centimeters. “Will you take the sword?” he asked her, holding the hilt out between them. “If it is so important, take it. No one is here. I can say you challenged me and won.”

            She couldn’t help but glance at the hilt. Gleaming, sleek, black artistry of craftsmanship. The lore, the myth, the weight of it. The prize she so desperately wanted. Needed. She shot her eyes back up to his face, scowling. “Is that the honor your Creed taught you?” she snapped at him? “To fake battle, in victory or defeat?”

            His shoulders sagged deeper at the rebuke, the hand holding the hilt dropped to his side. “I don’t care about this,” he said.

            “You don’t have to. The others do and that is all that matters.”

            He sighed again, clipping the hilt back to his belt. “I have to return to my Covert,” he said. “Find my Covert,” he corrected. How long had it been? Where could they have gone? He had nearly as much chance as finding out where the Jedi had taken Grogu as he did his Covert.

            “We could help you.” The offer slipped out before Bo even really thought about it. Help him? Actively search for any covert of the Children of the Watch? An organization she had spent half her life trying so hard to stay away from?

            He shook his head. “No. It would not serve to provoke them.” Anymore than I may have already, he added to himself. Din had broken one of the primary tenants of the Creed. He showed his face to a living being. First Mayfeld and the Imperials. Then Grogu. Even Bo-Katan. He would have to find a way to atone for this sin.

            “I hadn’t intended to meet them myself,” she said, a tinge of disdain coloring her tone. “Merely provide the resources to locate them. I know many Mandalorians in exile."

            Din actually seemed to consider it. That blank visage staring at her, then back out to space again. “I don’t think that would be wise. Koska didn’t seem to approve of you letting me keep the blade.”

            She scowled. “Koska is in no position to approve or disapprove of my decisions,” Bo countered. The annoyance and frustration was not directed at him. If Koska reacted so badly, and so openly – even after knowing this man, the circumstances of the saber’s new possessor – she was sure to face some additional push back from her own allies once they were back together. “I will handle her.” At the very least, him joining their group could be a form of compromise. Bo-Katan may not wield the saber, but one of their number would. And it could still rally the Clans.

            Still, he shook his head. “No, I must find them and return on my own.”

            “Very well.”

            Ahead of them, in the space outside, Boba Fett’s ship suddenly appeared out of hyperspace. Bo’s wrist comm chirped. “Boba’s here,” came Fennec’s voice.

            ��Yes, we can see that,” Bo replied.

            “Cara’s contacted the New Republic. I don’t think I need to explain how eager they are to get their hands on the Moff. We can expect them very soon.”

            “Understandable,” Din acknowledged.

            “I’d rather not be here when they arrive,” Fennec continued. In other words, I’m getting out of here with Boba. Din’s nod told Bo he understood the same.

            “Can’t imagine why,” Bo replied, amused. “We’ll make our way to the hanger to meet you and Fett.” The clone. The face of 250 million men.

            “Understood.” Fennec closed the channel.

            Din’s slightly tilted head in an obvious question. “I assumed you would want to leave with Fett,” she said. “Unless you want the imperial shuttle – you are welcome to it if you do.”

            “No,” he said quickly. “Too conspicuous for a Bounty Hunter. I’ll leave with Fett.”

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

They journeyed to the hanger in silence. In part because there was nothing else to say. But also because their attention was pulled to the full glory of the Jedi’s destruction of the Dark Troopers. The carnage was on full display the entire way there. Din observed in awe and none too little respect for the power required to accomplish such complete destruction.

The scenes brought Bo-Katan back to the Clone Wars. The handiwork of other Jedi she had witnessed against both clones and Mandalorians.

Her sister.

“Bo-Katan.”

The sound of her name ripped her back to the present. When had she stopped moving? Before her lay a Dark Trooper droid, practically unscathed save for a single lightsaber stab through the chest.

“Something wrong?” Din asked her.

She shook her head. “No. Nothing. I’m coming.”

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

            Fett stood outside his parked ship, Fennec’s back disappearing up the gangway into the ship. He looked at them both. The aged face of a Clone. One among millions Bo had seen. But his eyes had no loyalty. The clone troopers, at least, had that.

            Until the Jedi Purge.

            He looked to the both, to Din’s empty arms. “Fennec told me a Jedi showed up, took the kid.” His tone was matter-of-fact, but the statement hit Din in the chest like a blaster bolt.

            “Yeah,” he managed to say. “Mission accomplished. Mind if I get a ride?”

            Fett’s eyes flitted to Bo-Katan. “Not going to stay with the Princess?”

            That broken down old clone was going to pay. She started sharply forwards but was stopped at the Mandalorian’s gesture. Annoyed, she glared at the blank plate that stared back, as if to say ‘Drop it. It’s not worth it.’ “I’ve got other business to finish,” Din said quickly.

            “Suit yourself, Mando. Don’t take too long with your goodbyes.”

            Bo raised an eyebrow in surprise. So, Fett didn’t know the man’s name either? “Mando can’t possibly be your actual name,” she remarked as Fett disappeared into his ship.

            “It’s Din,” he said quietly. “Din Djarin.” He moved towards the gang plank of the ship, but stopped short. “Thank you, Bo-Katan Kryze,” he said, turning back around to look at her. “I know this didn’t end the way you wanted, or expected –” her eyes dropped on their own accord to his hip, where his fingers reflexively twitched next to the Dark Sabre – “But Grogu would not have survived were it not for your help. For that, I will forever be in your debt.”

            “Help me retake Mandalore,” she rejoined, a small upturn playing at the corner of her mouth.

            “Accept the saber,” he countered.

            She couldn’t help but smile, sadly. “You know I can’t.”

            His reply froze her in place: “This is the Way.”

Damn that man.

Part 2

[expelliarmus]

[snugglecat453]

Oh childhood… How fast you go by. Needed some Turtle Tot Disaster twins in my life….

[meamiki]

(You gently drop the flower in their open palm, and act like nothing out of the ordinary happened.)

(Loop does, too.)

[florida3exclamationpoints]

[thedoodlebuggo]

it's that time again!

First - Previous

not super happy with the like. pacing? of this update? and the super text heavy page, but it's kinda hard to space out all of that dialogue without it taking up like 3 pages. anyways

[kirby-madness]

Whoopsies!

[a2zillustration]

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[[ All Croissant Adventures (chronological, desktop) ]]

[[ All Croissant Adventures (app) ]]

[mammoth-clangen]

TRICK OR TREAT.

Treat! 🎃

You get a wip of next moon >:3c

[daily-ethoslab]

[749] any day now.. that tablet pen will come….

[chaoticrosesimp]

Drawing collab with the amazing artist TDS_whovirak of TenRose (impossible planet and Satan pit) They do amazing Doctor who fanarts , and they draw Ten amazing check them out on Twitter HERE

@TDS_whovirak (on twitter)

https://twitter.com/TDS_whovirak

(Rose was drawn by me and Ten was by @TDS_whovirak and then we did our own version of the coloring! )

[the-gif-factory]

N and Uzi gifs?

Murder Drones: NUzi || part 1

[opqrstuv04]

Eleventh Doctor/River dynamic is so funny to me because it’s like. This milf he barely knows rolls up and starts calling him “darling” and “my love” and his response is to immediately turn his twink charm up as high as it will go 

[lilybug-02]

I am making Kris at maximum scrunkly in the next comic update. They look like a stray dog lmaooo.

[varpusvaras]

Breha confided in Visaiya first.

Visaiya had already heard about Bail's sudden call, as it had very much interrupted the proceedings before, and she was anxious to hear what Bail had to say.

"Was everything alright?" She asked, once they were in the privacy of Breha's office.

"Bail has found his other soulmate", Breha told her.

Visaiya had just sat down, and she jumped right back up.

"Are you serious?" She asked, her eyes wide. "Who is it?"

"We are not entirely sure yet", Breha answered. "But it seems that it was one of the clones in the Coruscant Guard."

Visaiya drew back a little.

"Well, that is a development for sure", she said. "How can you not be sure yet? There needs to be a point of connection, after all."

"Bail talked with several of them", Breha said. "He is going to talk to the Commander of the Guard, as he was with the troopers as well. If it really is one of his men, he needs to know, too."

Visaiya nodded, clearly thinking.

"What about the Commander himself?" She asked. "Did Bail talk with him?"

"I am not sure", Breha said. "Possibly. He was a bit surprised by the whole thing. It was sudden, after all, and it has been so long since we got our marks."

She looked down on her hand, at the two flowers on her skin. One on the left, one on the right, with just enough space between them for a third.

Sometimes it just takes time, her grandmother had said, and Breha was starting to understand now how truly correct she had been about everything.

There had been no way for anyone to predict something like this happening.

"What about you?" Visaiya asked. "When are you going to Coruscant?"

Right. If Bail had found his soulmate, one that shared the mark with them...it stood to reason that perhaps, he would be Breha's soulmate as well.

It made her nervous, in a way that waiting to find her soulmate for the first time around had not. She had met Bail without knowing that he shared the mark with her at first. Now she knew there was someone there, someone who she didn't yet know, but who she knew shared a connection with her, a connection much deeper than either of them could understand.

Breha had wanted a soulmate. She had craved that connection, that familiarity and belonging.

If someone was meant to have that connection with her, she would never deprave them of that.

"Clear my schedule for the rest of the week", she told Visaiya. "I'll be going as soon as Bail has some news for me."

--- ---

Bail called her the next evening.

"I didn't have to ask around for long", he told her. "The Commander seemed to expect me to arrive."

"He had already heard about it, then?" Breha asked, carefully. Either the Commander had heard about it, or-

"Certainly", Bail said. "It is him."

Breha left for Coruscant the next morning.

--- ---

Commander Fox was a notable man.

Breha wasn't sure how else she should've described him when she saw him for the first time in person. She had seen him, before, of course, having received glimpses of him through Bail before this.

He was notable in a way that Breha couldn't help but notice him. He stood tall, with his shoulders resting in perfect attention, and the deep red of his armor making him immediately stand out from his surroundings, like a painting on a white gallery wall.

The most notable thing about him, though, was his face.

Breha had not seen his face before. She had seen the armor and everything else, but not his face. He had his helmet on when Breha stepped inside Bail's office, and his eyes, soft and deep dark brown, immediately moved to her, giving her their whole attention. There was something in his eyes that Breha couldn't quite make out, something well guarded.

"Good afternoon", Breha greeted him. "Commander Fox."

Commander Fox bowed down his head.

"Good afternoon", he greeted her back. "Your Majesty."

When he straightened his back and lifted his eyes back to Breha's, she felt it. The familiar feeling of blooming underneath her skin.

There was no doubt of it then.

Breha smiled.

"It is a pleasure to meet you", she said. "I feel like we have a lot to talk about."

She gave her hand to him, and she saw his eyes glance towards the mark on her wrist.

The mark, that now bore three flowers, the one in the middle interlocking all three of them together.

His fingers on his left hand clenched briefly, before he gave her his hand as well.

"It seems so", he said.

--- ---

Commander Fox was a notable man.

He was very intelligent, that Breha noticed right away. He chose his words well, and was always watching attentively for every movement either Breha or Bail made, continuously reading the room around him.

He reminded Breha of Bail, a little, when he was in the middle of a Senate session or even a debate of any sort.

"We were not ever really explained the meaning of the marks", he told them, sitting on the edge of the office couch with his back straight and his hands resting on his lap. "The Kaminoans left any further cultural education for our trainers. They taught us that the marks are a private matter, and shouldn't be shown to outsiders. No further education on to what outsiders exactly meant. I am guessing now, that it means anyone who doesn't have the matching marks."

He knew what the marks were, now, as it had been impossible to not notice them while on Coruscant, surrounded by millions of beings.

"I am not sure about how to proceed", he said, at the end of it, and then sat there quietly, waiting for either of them to move the discussion forward.

He definitely reminded Breha of Bail.

"We will proceed however you like", Bail said diplomatically. "Soulmarks are a mark of a connection. It is entirely up to you what type of connection you wish to have."

Commander Fox gave them a wary look at that point.

"You two are married", he said, his tone free of accusations, but the words themselves made his message clear.

"We got to know each other first", Breha said. "We didn't get married the moment we learned we shared a mark. He is one of my best friends, and I wanted to have him sharing my life and duty. Marriage was the best suited option for us."

Commander Fox nodded, slowly, comtemplating his next move.

"I am not comfortable with acting upon any meaning yet", he said. He didn't sound harsh when he said it, even though he was speaking firmly. It was an opening, even if it was a small one.

"That is more than understandable", Bail said. "We do not wish to force you into anything. A soulmate is not supposed to be chain, nor the mark a brand."

Commander Fox was quiet for a moment.

"Can I ask one question, then?" He asked.

"Of course", Breha said. "Anything you want."

"Why was it important for you to come here, Your Majesty?" He asked, looking at Breha. "I already received one mark. If you do not wish to force me into anything, was it necessary for me to receive the second one as well?"

It was a fair question.

"I came here partly because I wished to see if you'd be my soulmate as well, yes", Breha said. "I did not wish to potentially deprave you of a connection, either. I came here partly because you are my husband's soulmate, and even if you didn't share a connection with me, you would still be a part of my life as well, regardless. I wanted to extend that knowledge to you as well."

Commander Fox nodded once again. His eyes glanced towards Bail, to see his reaction, and when there was none too large, his eyes returned to Breha.

"I do accept this connection", he said. "I wish you accept my will for it to remain a private matter."

"Of course", Breha said. "Currently only us three, and my closest advisor know about this. It will not spread any further against your wishes."

"Thank you", Commander Fox said. There was a brief spout of contemplative silence once again, before he spoke. "I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to know who shared a mark with me, but if it had to be anyone, I am grateful for it to be you. You have always been respectful of me and my brothers."

They were kind words. Another small opening, though Breha could sense that they were aimed more towards Bail.

"We appreciate your admission", Bail said, clearly sensing the same as Breha. "It is the respect you and your brothers are entitled to, though I understand why it seems like an act you ought to feel grateful for."

"We are not entitled to anything", Commander Fox said. "We are here to serve the Republic. That is our duty."

"It is a great duty", Bail said. "One that you are doing admirably. You are still all people, and you are entitled to be treated as such."

Breha saw how Commander Fox's jaw clenched, ever so slightly. Otherwise, his expression didn't change.

She wondered if he had ever heard anyone say those words to him while looking him in the eyes, without the helmet in between.

"The Republic disagrees", he said. It was a firm statement, said with conviction.

"The Republic is wrong in many cases", Bail said. "No system is ever flawless. That doesn't mean the good parts are not worth being heralded. I serve the Republic, too, and I am serving it by trying to make it a better place for us all, and that includes you and your brothers."

"There is a war to be won", Commander Fox said. "And it is not won by being nice."

"It is not", Bail agreed. "But it is also not won by sacrificing everything for one goal."

That answer seemed to satisfy Commander Fox, or at least it gave him something more to think about. Breha had never really enjoyed politics as themselves too much, but she had to admit that she had found the conversation in front of her fascinating.

Commander Fox was a notable man even with his helmet on, and even more so without it.

"We all serve the Republic", Breha said, making Commander Fox's attention snap back to her. "We all serve the people in it. We are all making sacrifices, some of us bigger than others. I do believe that you and your brothers are making the greatest sacrifice of them all. Even if you do not think of yourself being entitled to the respect that belongs to every person, I wish that you would at the very least believe in the respect that belongs to you for that. I wish to pay my respects for you and your brothers and on your sacrifice, no matter for how noble of a cause it is. We all serve the Republic, but let us also serve you in return."

Commander Fox leaned back ever so slightly on his seat. He looked a bit surprised, if Breha had to determine his emotions from his expression.

"Do you believe that necessary?" He asked her. He did sound accusing this time, though Breha couldn't blame him for it. She was contesting his entire reason for his existence, after all.

"I do", she said. "What does it say about us all, if we would be comfortable with accepting your sacrifice without graditute? What else would we be comfortable accepting then?"

Commander Fox looked at her for a moment. Breha didn't turn to look away. If he was resolute, so was she. There were things she could not or would not compromise upon, and he could accept them or not, and Breha would accept his decision, not change hers. Not on this.

Finally, Commander Fox seemed to come into decision.

"We all serve the Republic", he said. "I will serve it by fighting for it, and you will serve it by upholding it."

"Yes", Bail said. "This war will not make the Republic into a place where it is acceptable to shed blood to bind the foundations of it together."

"On that we can all agree, then", Commander Fox said. "My brothers will not die in vain."

"They will not", Breha promised. "I promise that with my integrity as a Queen. And I will promise you, as your soulmate, that I shall do the best by you."

"I promise you the same", Bail said. "I swear on it, as I swore to be a Senator and seek for the betterment of us all, and I swear to you, as your soulmate, to be what you need me to be for you."

Commander Fox looked at them, his mouth opening once but his voice remaining quiet. He looked conflicted, Breha thought, but that only lasted for a brief moment.

It was replaced then with another resolution, but there was a shadow of resignation on his face, too.

"My place is with my brothers", he said. "I cannot promise you the same."

"That is alright", Breha said. "Like I said, we will serve you all, as you serve the Republic. Take this as part of our service, for you."

Commander Fox relaxed, ever so slightly, like he was relieved. Breha didn't blame him, as she could imagine, had it been her there instead of him, she would've definitely been relieved.

"Thank you", Commander Fox said. Breha smiled at him.

"We should be thanking you", she said. "It has been wonderful to meet you."

She meant it. Commander Fox was a notable man. Intelligent, loyal, dutiful. It the Force had made it's decision to give Breha and Bail a connection to him, she would serve that will to its fullest.

For Commander Fox himself, and for all of his brothers. There was no singling him out, not when he shared his place and fate with them all.

Breha would serve him, and she would serve them all.

"The pleasure has been all mine", Commander Fox said, polite and mellow, and Breha was suddenly struck with a wish to keep the conversation going, still, to see what else there would be to talk about between them all, to see more of how they would all be able to fit in with each other.

It was then, though, when the comlink attached to Commander Fox's armor started to blink, and he stood up from the couch.

"I'm afraid I have to take my leave now", he said, reaching to grab his helmet from the couch, where it had been sitting next to him. "I am needed elsewhere."

"That is quite alright", Bail said. "It was truly a pleasure to speak with you, Commander. I hope that we could speak more, some other time. I wish you good luck on your duties."

Breha rose from her seat, and Bail followed suit.

"I wish the same", Breha said. "I won't be staying on Coruscant for much longer, but would you agree on having my contact with you, so you could speak with me while I'm on Alderaan, if you ever feel the need to do so?"

Commander Fox tilted his head ever so slightly, looking a bit curious by her request momentarily, before he caught himself and straightened his posture again.

"If you wish so", he said. He took the contact chip from Breha when she offered it to him, and then he rolled his shoulders back. "Thank you, Your Majesty, Senator, for your time."

He bowed his head, so polite and so proper, like he had been practicing it beforehand. Maybe he had been.

"Thank you, Commander Fox", Breha said. "I hope to speak with you again soon."

Commander Fox straightened his back.

"Likewise", he said. "Goodbye."

Then he turned around and pulled his helmet over his head in one, swift motion, and with a few long strides, he was out of the office.

Breha watched as he disappeared from her view as the door slid close after him, leaving only her and Bail standing there.

It was quiet for a moment, before Bail drew in a deep breath.

"I feel like", he said, looking at the door, "whatever happens next, will change us all."

Breha couldn't agree more.

She looked down, at her hand, and at the three flowers on her wrist, with their petals interlocked with each other.

There was a reason, a reason the Force has spent a long time deciding upon, for the connection between them, evident by the marks they all carried on them.

Whatever that reason was, Breha would fullfill it.