#happy first day of feast of the rose or as rei calls it feast of cheating on their husband. its our first one!

[szilverer]

endlessly circling

something something the song & dance of a constant push & pull regarding control etc

quick thing i did over the weekend w this ref. posting it bc the looking away is important but i had to cover it up lol

[eeveedel]

Hi all, I haven’t recced some fics in awhile but...today is fic writers appreciation day! And there are so many fics that I love so very much and have brought so much happiness into my life. 

And it just so happens I have a personal document where i’ve kept track of fics I’ve read for the past 3-4 years, categorized by tropes. So I thought it would be fun to rec you my all-time favorite fic from each of my personal categories! There are so many good fics so I hope you enjoy. And if you want a full fic rec list for any of these categories, please tell me! 

And a big thank you again to all of the lovely authors out there, I hope you have a lovely day and now how valued your work is. 

A/B/O

Sisterwives by jaerie

This was it, the moment Louis had been waiting for his entire life. Giddy excitement bubbled up as he held hands and stared up at his soon-to-be alpha and husband and grinned. The ceremony was small and simple, but Louis didn’t mind. Fresh flowers pinned into his hair and a brand new outfit was all he needed to feel special in front of their few witnesses. It was just some members of his family and a few of the church elders in attendance as was customary for any marriage beyond the first wife within the faith.

First wives were the ones to have elaborate weddings with the whole community involved. An alpha’s first wedding was a celebration of an their coming of age, his first steps into fulfilling God’s prophecy. There were many glories for an omega that came with being a first wife but also many responsibilities. Louis had never aspired to be a first wife or even a second. He wasn’t experienced enough to be the leader of an alpha’s many wives and children and he didn’t think he’d be up to the task.

Louis was just fine in the position he was stepping into as the seventh.

Or Louis thinks he's getting everything he's ever dreamed of. Harry helps him find what makes him truly happy.

Action/Adventure 

The Dead of July by whimsicule

Harry is Captain America, and Louis’ been dead for 70 years.

Age Gap

White Pages, White Lace, Big Hands, Pretty Face by thechesirepussycat

“He touches his sides, his neck, his lips, all the places Harry has just been, all the places that still tingle from Harry’s touch. Such a strange feeling Louis has, so unreal and nerve-racking. He can’t begin to describe what Harry has done to him, what about Harry makes Louis want to call him… Daddy.“

Or, a gratuitous Sugar Daddy!Harry and Student!Louis AU.

Angst

Bot by tomlinsunshine (11k)

Zayn builds robots; Harry is a big fan of his latest model.

Break Up

got the sunshine on my shoulders by hattalove

five years ago, harry styles left his tiny home town to make it big as a recording artist. he didn't have much regard for what he left behind - a life, a family, and a husband, who woke up one morning to find him gone.

now, harry has everything he could possibly want: he's rich, famous, and adored by everyone he meets, including his boyfriend. but when said boyfriend proposes to him, he's forced to face the uncomfortable facts of his past - and louis, who's spent the last five years returning every set of divorce papers harry sent him.

(or, an au based on the movie sweet home alabama.)

Canon

nonstop earthquake dreams of you by lumineres

And there's heat behind it, blazing, plasmatic, like stars crashing together, like an explosion in space, like a supernova, like a black hole--everything else sucked out of existence. There's no bed and there's no pillow and they're not lying down, just floating somewhere, somehow, and there's no room and there's no X Factor house and there's no Niall snuffling or Liam's deep, even breathing and there's no wind or traffic outside and there's no hum of the heating unit and it's all just Louis. All encompassingly Louis.

or, harry falls hard and finds louis already at the bottom

Classics

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by 100percentsassy and gloria_andrews

AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who "has made Mozart cool again" according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too.

College/Uni 

Could be Kissing My Fruit Punch Lips by thechesirepussycat

Harry happens upon a porn site that specializes in live videos and sort of falls in love with the cute boy he only knows as Kitty.

And then he gets the surprise of his life when he finds out Kitty attends his university...

Crime

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by haroldslouis 

1997 AU where Harry is a bank robber and Louis falls in love with him

Dom/Sub

No Control Club series by SadaVeniren

Harry, a popular BDSM blogger, writes a negative review about Louis’ club. Louis wants to have a chance to make it up to him.

Dunkirk/Alex

Poison & Wine by tilthesundies

Alex comes home from the war to find a stranger living in his flat.

Dystopian/Apocalypse

things have gotten closer to the sun by starseas

when a solar flare is announced to end the world in twelve days, harry reunites with the people that he used to know better than the back of his own hand.

Enemies to Lovers

you flower, you feast by stylinsoncity 

He's King of the Underworld, but don't assume Louis has it all. He could stand for some excitement in his monotonous, eternal life and maybe, even.....a soulmate.

(Despite not having a soul.)

And along came "Harry"

Established Relationship

I Only Ever Want You by itsmiz

Louis and Harry's relationship goes through a series of changes while Liam and Zayn discover new things about themselves, as well.

Or: Louis & Harry and Liam & Zayn begin to have sex in front of each other and a lot of kink-discovery results from that.

Fairy Tale

Red by frosteddream 

Shockwaves were sent through the village after the McPherson family was savagely killed. There were people who feared the beast that did it, and then there was Louis, or, as most people liked to call him, Red. (Little Red Riding Hood AU.)

Fake Dating 

And Then a Bit by infinitelymint

Harry and Louis fake a relationship for publicity. Eventually it becomes a lot less fake and a lot more real.

Famous (non-1D AU)

a million roses (bathed in rock n roll) by deLILah 

au. harry sings in smoky dive bars; louis misses his flight home. they go to coney island in the morning.

(aka - harry is lana del rey, and louis makes him a star.)

Fashion

Just my style by thoughtsickles

Harry is sick, and the only thing that might help him is the pheromones from his mate--problem is, he hasn't got a mate.

Louis' just been disowned, and taking part in a medical study where he has to cuddle with some strange alpha seems to be his only option for earning a bit of cash.

The hippies and Omega Rights campaigners are busy changing the world--but all Harry wants is a chance to live.

Fluff

Dreaming of You by velvetoscar

The Begrudging Starbucks AU.

The world is winter and steamed milk and creamy espresso shots. The world is a never ending queue. The world is a Starbucks logo and a pink-cheeked smile from Niall and a bored scowl from Zayn and the world is Louis watching his best mate, Liam, fall in love with their newest customer, Harry. Who may or may not be in love with Louis. The world is cruel.

Frat

Soft Feet, Fast Hands, Can’t Lose by dolce_piccante

American Uni AU. Harry Styles is a frat boy football star from the wealthy Styles Family athletic dynasty. A celebrity among football fans, he knows how to play, he knows how to party, and he knows how to fuck (all of which is well known among his legion of admirers).

Louis Tomlinson is a student and an athlete, but his similarities to Harry end there. Intelligent, focused, independent, and completely uninterested in Harry’s charms, Louis is an anomaly in a world ruled by football.

A bet about the pair, who might be more similar than they originally thought, brings them together. Shakespeare, ballet, Disney, football, library chats, running, accidental spooning, Daredevil and Domino’s Pizza all blend into one big friendship Frappucino, but who will win in the end?

Friends to Lovers

OmegaVision by jaerie 

Tomlin Networks Presents: OmegaVision starring Louis Tomlinson! The world's first 24/7 reality channel available in over 150 countries worldwide following the life of the first male omega born in over a century. Follow Louis through his daily routine, the ups and downs of growing up or just leave him on for comfort. There are many reasons to tune in but, no matter what yours may be, there's always a part of Louis that is just like you!

Or a Truman Show au that nobody asked for where Louis is Truman and Harry just wants to be his mate

Girl Direction

Never Enough by idekboo

Louis couldn't get enough of Harry and that gorgeous body of hers. She wasn't shy about letting her know.

High School

I found a love (darling just dive right in) by wonderlou

Louis, an omega with very little control. Harry, an alpha with a lot of emotion. Neither of them have any idea what do to with this little thing called love, but they'll be damned if they don't put up a good fight.

Historical

Coax the Cold by MediaWhore 

England, 1897.

English Professor Louis Tomlinson’s passion for the occult has been a source of mockery and derision for most of his life. When he hears whispers of a travelling freak show newly established in London claiming the existence of a monstrous sea hybrid, half-man, half-fish, Louis sees it as his ticket to credibility amongst his peers. The summer he spends undercover working on the show, however, gives him much more than that.

Miscellaneous/Unique

the impossible now by stylinsoncity

A wish on Christmas Eve sends Louis to an alternate dimension where Harry is a member of One Direction.

Mpreg

The Things I’d Do to Wake Up Next to You by dirtymattress (36k)

Harry wakes up to a pregnant Louis Tomlinson and a wedding band on his finger.

Mythology

Say Hallelujah, Say Goodnight by alivingfire

Louis is an angel who is just a little too bad to be good, Harry is a demon who is just a little too good to be bad, and they're both a little too in love to be impartial when angels and demons go to war.

PWP

mr. tomlinson by iwillpaintasongforlou

Louis is a billionaire CEO who makes grown men cry and rival companies crumble. He's also an omega. Harry is the quiet cupcake of a man he calls his alpha and the only one who gets to see Louis as anything less than fearsome.

Roommates

streetwise hercules by bottomlinsons

Uni AU, where Louis pretends to be Harry's boyfriend to scare away his one night stands.

Royalty

feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream by togetherwecouldbealright 

Harry is a journalist with a lot of secrets and Louis is the future king of the United Kingdom; they live together for 60 days.

Spies

never gonna dance again by togetherwecouldbealright

Louis is a spy and Harry is a dancer. The only real thing they know is each other.

Soulmates

Nameless Night by green_feelings

For their 18th birthday, every person receives a letter that reads a simple date. That is the date you'll meet your soulmate.

Harry and Louis have different beliefs, live in different worlds and have different dreams, hopes and fears. Yet, they're not so different from each other when it comes to love. When their paths cross, there is no doubt they belong together. Except for that one, essential difference: they didn't receive the same date.

Or, a fic about differences that make no difference at all: Harry and Louis are soulmates. In every way possible. Featuring Niall as a role model, and Liam and Zayn as a different kind of role models.

Summer Romance

Rivers til I Reach You by embodied

AU. Louis studies astronomy; Harry studies Louis. They spend their summers on the water and it shouldn't be complicated (spoiler: it is).

Supernatural

Howls Like a Beast (You Flower, You Feast) by indiaalaphawhiskey (16k)

France, 1754. Château de Versailles.

“You don’t love me,” Louis had said, utterly blasé as he callously fractured the heart of a Harry that was just barely eighteen.

“I do,” Harry had insisted pleadingly, green eyes already watering.

Louis had rolled his eyes, exasperated and flippant in the way only beautiful, young boys could be when faced with the affections of a baby prince. He had run his finger down Harry’s cheek then, had forced him to look into his eyes as he delivered the final blow.

“You’ll change your mind once you’ve seen more of the world,” Louis had teased, pressing a brutally delicate kiss onto Harry’s lovely, pure cheek. “Once you’ve been properly defiled.” He had whispered filthily, delighted by the gasp he heard, the frantic pink blush that had rested high on Harry’s cheeks, the power he had felt at knowing he could make the Crown Prince squirm.

[reylofanfictionanthology]

Authors have now been revealed for For one is love and both are one in love!

Over 170 fics were posted to our Exchange this month and we are so excited to finally share the authors with you!  Thank you so much to all of the writers who wrote for this event!  

For one is love and both are one in love collection on AO3 |  Gift Fic Master Post Part One | Treats Master Post

Gift Fic Master Post Part Two:

In Other Words, Hold My Hand by Cwenphy for MBlair

Stargazing and waltzing on the lake.

Meet Me in the Meadow by Miranda13 for MeadowHayle

Ben was not the typical Alpha. Rey was not the typical Omega. Utterly indifferent to other people, only in their fantasies or dreams would they experience desire. After many years of loneliness, they meet in a support group for struggling demi-humans, and everything changes. Ben and Rey embark together on a healing journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Maybe, they don’t need to be alone, anymore. Maybe, they were never alone, to begin with.

The Rise of Ren by Ayrith for Merixcil

For the last seat in the Knights of Ren, there are two candidates. The first, a powerful scion of a great Force legacy, formally trained by the last Jedi. The second, a force sensitive urchin with no past, nurtured by the cut-throat criminal underworld. Kylo or Kira. There can only be one.

Legion by Tiara_of_Sapphires for midwinterspring

The war was over. Across the galaxy, hundreds called out in one voice: “I need a teacher.” A fic for midwinterspring for the RFFA Valentine’s Day 2020 Exchange Prompt: Rey and Ben train new Force users and fix things

All That Glitters by PalenDrome for MintyCel

The Kingdom of Exegol holds the key to Kylo's future. All he needs to do is to get past the omega guarding it.

Thaw My Frozen Heart by DarkSideOfMe for Miranda13

“A bounty hunter decides that the former Supreme Leader would make an excellent prize and manages to get the jump on Ben while he is on a mission for the Resistance, encasing him in carbonite. Rey is quick to mount a solo rescue mission and helps Ben recover from the hibernation sickness when she eventually gets him back." - Reylo-Prompts

Good Boy by rissanox for MissCoppelia

Ben adopts a dog who needs some training. Thankfully, he gets help (and a little bit more) from Rey, a dog trainer.

the world's not perfect but by aNerdObsessed for misszeldasayre

What would happen in a galaxy where the New Republic never got off the ground and the First Order choked before it started? Maybe a scavenger girl would become a foundling under the care of a Mandalorian bounty hunter.  Maybe a troubled child would shake off a burdensome legacy to follow his father's less-than-lawful profession. Maybe a cocky flyboy would find himself using his charm to win gigs delivering spice for the syndicates. Maybe a mechanically-minded girl would start taking off-the-books jobs for the occasional criminal. Maybe a boy with too many questions would leave his parents to learn about this thing called the Force. Turns out the galaxy is a lawless place with every sentient for themselves.

like roses and clover by notkellymarie for mrstater

" There is no comfortable position. No matter how he laid down on his cot, his bones feel brittle, his skin itching all over with the sensation of a thousand ants crawling all over his body. His stomach swirls like a maelstrom, and he blames it on the caf he had in order to stay awake through one of his lessons. Pathetic. You can’t even sleep right. He promises to skip the caf the next day, and his consciousness floats on the surface even as he wishes to be pulled under." -- Ben Solo has never had a single good night's sleep in his life. Rey of Jakku never wanted one. The Battle of Exegol rang and wants to know if this is still the case.

It never gets easier, you just get better.  by PoliticalPadmé for MyJediLife

Ben is an addict working through his pain. Rey is a counselor assigned to his care. They weren't supposed to fall in love.

Dreamscape by cuddlesome for Nebulous Bounds (RainonyourBack)

Kylo mostly worsens and occasionally betters Rey's visions while she sleeps.

Why we can't be by MedowHayle for newseptembers

When old Maz forsaw a dyad, Rey never thought it would be a soulmate bond between her and the First Order coven member Kylo Ren. Desperately trying to undo her connection to the enemy, she seeks out ancient texts and meets Ben, a bookshop owner and crafter, who seems to catch her attention every time they meet.

Beside the Lake by elegygoldsmith for Ngoc12thefangirl

“Ben…” It’s half groan, half laugh, all ache — and he wants to reach out to her but he doesn’t trust himself to stop at only holding her hand. Rey’s gaze softens, and that grief she’s been feeling comes roiling out of her like a thunderstorm. It’s too much for him to take. “Tell me.” “I want kids.” She says the words so softly that he might not have known what she was saying if he hadn’t seen her lips moving and heard the syllables echoing in his mind. “Oh.” It’s stupid, but he doesn’t know what else to say. “I mean…” She fumbles again, but this time she doesn’t even bother finishing in words. I want kids now. A short, smutty one-shot in which Ben and Rey grapple with the next step in their life together.

You Need A Teacher by andabatae for ninecrimes

After the events of TROS, Rey returns to Ahch-To... and a healed Ben Solo. There, she plans to consummate their relationship. Too bad she has no idea what she's doing.... Luckily, Ben is happy to teach her everything he knows. ----- “Okay.” Rey took a deep breath, preparing herself for the strange, mortifying experience to come. “So what do I do?” “Well,” he said, “first you let me kiss you some more. Then, when you’re ready, you take your clothes off. Then you sit on my face.” “Just like that?” “Just like that.”

Grey Skies Ahead by Lightningpelt for NiriKeehan

She took his hand—not in the name of the Light, or the Dark. They were a dyad, the embodiment of balance—an Alliance of Grey.

Ever as before and ever just as sure as the sun will rise by Cairdiuil_Paiste for OccasionallyCreative

The war is over. On a peaceful estate in Naboo's Lake Country, Rey and Ben prepare for their wedding and think of how they got here. Using lyrics of title song of 'Beauty and the Beast'.

swish of the bumblebee by qotsisajakk for OptimisticBeth

She should get the sand - and gravel, and rocks - and run all the way home and make things right for him. Although, the fish had gotten her into this mess in the first place, however inadvertently, so maybe she should move him to Finn’s room where she wouldn’t have to look at his little fins swishing away ever again, reminding her of- Rey's betta fish needs an upgrade in living conditions. When she posts a question asking for help, she gets a little more than she bargained for.

Dissolver of Sugar by Apricot for optimus_pam

“Rey...what could anyone do, to make up for what Kylo Ren did?” Or: Redemption isn't supposed to be easy. A TROS fix-it fic, of sorts.

Delirium by TearoomSaloon for PalenDrome (nerdherderette)

That was the trouble with these things, wasn't it? Every once in a while the drugs backfired and they both got a dose of what was really, probably, very potent pheromones. Excerpt: He heard the edge of anger in her voice, the snarl she tried so desperately to conceal. The powder was getting to her. "You're jealous, aren't you?" "No!" "You are." Against his better judgement, he stalked to her, backing her to the wall. "You can't stand the fact that you're not my first partner." "I'm not your partner!" He leaned in, lips almost to her ear. "You want to be though, don't you?" She barreled into him with a scream, head connecting with his chest as she tackled him to the floor. Faster than he could react, she had his arms pinned over his head, knees firmly pressing into his breastbone. "I don't want to be anything to you. Not your friend, not your ally, and especially not your lover."

Renewed by DrPearlGatsby for patig_00

The world between worlds is neither hot nor cold. So when Ben feels his arms break into gooseflesh, when his shoulder aches with not a remembrance but an actual twinge of pain, when he tries to rouse himself from meditation and realizes that he’s fighting the need to fall back asleep, he opens his eyes—in a room on the Millennium Falcon. [[Something in the Force allows Ben Solo to be resurrected on the Millenium Falcon during a little Resistance mission. Expected hilarity ensues. Angst WITH A HAPPY ENDING.]]

 a million miles (cross the ocean)  by bittersnake for persimonne

in which the Force tries to pay back some of the debt it owes the Skywalkers.

All that's best of dark and bright by ArdeaJestin for persopilliankore

Rey had big plans for Valentine's Day: laundry, errands, and an evening of fantasizing over her impossibly sexy building manager, Ben Solo. That was before she found an anonymous love poem in her mailbox.

Wherever There is You, I Will be There Too by optimus_pam for politicalmamaduck

According to Greek mythology, Tartarus is the deep abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked. Rey journeys there in search of a lost soul.

Laid To Rest by mrstater for PoliticalPadmé (magnetgirl)

Ben wants to show Rey the galaxy, to see it with her. First, they have business on Naboo.

What Was Lost Is Now Found by Ceallaigh for punkeraa

"Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." The Parable of the Prodigal Son, New International Version

Be With Me by tmwillson3 for qotsisajakk

TROS Fix-it. When Rey asks the Jedi of the past to be with her, the bond she shares with Kylo Ren also opens. He is forced to come to terms with his growing feelings for her, and together, they take down the greatest evil, those words continue to bring them together.

Always in Motion by maq_moon for QueenOfCarrotFlowers

Dr. Rey Jackson, archaeologist, is mistaken for a celebrity and given an upgrade to Business Class on her incredibly long flight. Unfortunately, she's been seated next to the douchebag who's been pestering her for the last two hours. More unfortunately, she finds a letter in her carry-on bag telling her that their plane is about to go down. The worst part? The letter was written by Luke Skywalker, a man who has been dead for years.

we might be the outsiders by UndergroundValentine for radioactivesaltghoul

As though, in a blink, the cavern becomes light, and he sees the pale cream and gold shimmer of the creature, with a dark brown pattern across the head and hood.

Between the Sun and the Moon by radioactivesaltghoul for redbelles

The Force demands that Rey and Ben pay a price for the power they gained in their preparation to take down Palpatine, but they don’t learn what they paid until it disturbs the peaceful life they’re trying to build together after the war is over.

Starless Sky, Black by dustoftheancients for RedPaladin465

“Why did you change your mind?” It takes a long time for her to answer. “I didn’t want to be alone.”

The Girl From The Tower by itsnotillegal for ReyloBrit

Prompt: "Quiet and obedient Rey lives a godly life with her grandfather, until the family hire a new gardener Ben, a mysterious and deeply attractive man. Sparks fly between the two."

The Falcon and the Wolf by ClockworkCrow for reylotrash711

On the fifth anniversary of the destruction of Starkiller Base the Senate is throwing a masked ball and invited members of the old Resistance. Still trying to rehabilitate his image, Senator Ben Solo has no choice but to attend. Written to fulfill this prompt: Ben and Rey dance at a masked ball, unaware of who they are dancing with. Until the masks are taken off at midnight. Romance and Sexual Tension ensue, will they be able to refrain their urges? Hell no. But I also mixed in a healthy dose of this prompt as well: Prompt 2 - What if Ben was unable to bring Rey back and had to call on the help of the Skywalkers that came before him? Is he ready to pay the price of losing his force sensitivity for the women he loves?

and we'll live a long life by LRRH17 for ReyloTrashCompactor (NextToSomething)

When Rey heals him on Kef Bir, Ben has a vision. He and Rey must work together to prevent it from coming true.

Found Belonging by apisa_b for rissanox

Rey joins her friends and former comrades in arms on Chandrila for the festivities around the anniversary of the battle of Exegol. To everyone’s surprise she is accompanied by two mysterious Mandalorians.

Loathe Thy Neighbor by ReyloTrashCompactor for SaintHeretical

Rey's neighbor is the worst. He listens to terrible music, he's impolitely large, and he smells incredible. She hates almost everything about him. Especially the smelling good bit.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight? By ElleRen31 for shiiera

Ben Solo travels to Takodana National Park in South Africa on a research mission where he meets fellow researcher, Rey. While they might get along as well as lions and hyenas at first, perhaps they have more in common with each other than they think.

He's Just Not That Into You(r) Scent by SaintHeretical for shipperofdarkness

Rey is a young and single Omega who hasn't had a lot of luck so far finding a nice Beta guy who isn't a total flake. They say they've had a great time with her, but seem to have a difficult time with calling her back. Ben is an Alpha bartender who is tired of hearing about her dating difficulties, and is ready to drop some truth bombs. An ABO He's Just Not That Into You AU

The Purest Love by MyJediLife for six4au

When a deeply scarred and traumatized Ben Solo is placed in a program to try and pair him with a canine helper, he finds that he gets more than he ever imagined with the therapist assigned to him.

The Monster in Skywalker Manner by datswatutink for solikerez

Rey marches up the walk, takes hold of the door knocker, and bangs it sharply three times. Nothing. She rattles the door handle. Nothing. Absurdly, she checks the address (is this the right creepy-and-probably-abandoned-Skywalker-Manner on Alderaan street?). It is. -Or- Rey takes a shady job to clean the old Skywalker Manner and discovers that there's something much scarier than dust and spiderwebs living there. But maybe that's not the whole story, because what kind of monster loves roses and books?

Stargazing by FangirlintheForest for SpaceWaffleHouseTM

“I wish they would go blind, stop whispering: he’s lying, he’ll leave. I hate that they know what I don’t want to hear. Their poison passes my lips, harmless. Call me Faith, not Medusa, no one need become stone.”

through the darkness to the dawn  by redbelles for starfleetjedi

She couldn’t breathe. Spots danced in her vision, black as the nothingness yawning behind her breastbone. Ben was gone. No. The plea tore out of her, wild and broken, racing through the vastness of the Force, past stars and planets and distant moons to the far edges of the universe. There was only silence. She tried again. Ben. Ben, please. Answer me. Or: Rey, after.

Tabula Rasa by Chthonia for suchlostcreatures (godfmischief)

Ben survives the battle on Exegol. That was the easy part.

Intro to Love by abbytheatre08 for TheStolenQuill

Rey and Ben are music students, put together to work on a final that, surprise isn't in a music class. They hadn't really known each other much before that but will that change as they keep working together?

I met you once — ( In a dream ) by persopilliankore for thewayofthetrashcompactor (BriarLily)

He sucks in a deep breath and exhales, a pout forming on his plump lips and it's so distracting the way they- "Just Ben," He closes his eyes. "see me no more than that, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚." Or Where Ben and Rey are soulmates and Ben is more than meets the eye

Supernova by LueurdeLaube for Tiara_of_Sapphires

“She loved him so much she was going to smother him with it until there wasn’t a molecule of doubt left in his heart.” After the war Rey and Ben settle into an uneasy life of peace, followed by judgment and resentment. Ben Solo may have decided to remain behind to atone for his sins, but the people won’t forget Kylo Ren so soon.

Happy Accident by crossingwinter for tmf

A baby. Her baby having a baby. She’d given up dreams of grandchildren when Ben was fourteen, and not even his having a steady girlfriend had let her change her mind about it. “So yeah, we need to talk,” Rey mumbles at last. Ben doesn’t say a word, and Leia can imagine him clearly, sitting there, staring off into space, dazed—like when she’d told Han that she was pregnant.  One fun night at the Yub Nub Club and a little bit of carelessness with the condom... Not that she’d ever tell Ben that he’d been an accident.  He’d guessed it for years, but she’d go to her grave asserting he hadn’t been. “You want to keep it,” Ben says at last—a statement, not a question. — Or: Leia watches her son and his girlfriend prepare to become parents.

Crafting A Connection by LostInQueue for tmwillson3

Rey and Ben have been friends forever, so much so that Ben never dreamed that it something as small as getting that manager's position he'd been gunning for would get in the way of it. Now that it has, Rey's been distant. So... so distant and he has no idea how to get her back. Rey has only been trying to be a good friend and not use him for his status, which means instead of accepting rides from him like she had, she hasn't. She isn't trying to push him away but things are different, and he's difficult now. What on earth can she do about it? Mother nature has something to say about these two, that's for sure. The snow storm of the year is coming, stranding the two together the Friday before Valentine's Day weekend to give them the time to work things out.

this tangled light by hxllosweetie33 for TolkienGirl

The war is over, but at what cost?

Welcome to the Fire by KitsuShel for trasharama

Rey is competing on the reality television show, First Order Inferno, for a chance to become Head Chef at Benjamin Solo's latest restaurant. What happens when the competition gets a little too hot in the kitchen?

as certain dark things are to be loved by politicalmamaduck for tropixo (ursaminors)

Lady Rey, Master of the Knights of Ren, makes a choice. She chooses Ben Solo.

Bend or Break by Biekewieke for tweis24

It's been six months since the Battle of Crait. Both sides of the war have been continuing down their path, both sides struggling with loss. For some, it's just business. But for others, it's personal. For Rey of Jakku and Kylo Ren... it most certainly is personal. Once again, the Supreme Leader of the First Order and the Jedi, Hope of the Resistance confront each other and clash. How will they react and what will transpire when Bonds are blocked and unexpected events are thrown their way? Will either of them bend? Or will they break?

Heaven, let me through by Crimson_Alchemistress for Twisted_Mirror

No matter how hard they try, they can't get each other out of their heads.

Osmosis by suchlostcreatures for viajeramyra

“I don’t need Ben Solo,” Rey states, rising from the throne. Her steps are slow and deliberate as she stalks towards him. “I need Kylo Ren.” Distantly, she notes the irony. And then she offers him her hand. ------ In which Ben doesn't reach Rey in time. (And the one time he does.)

Tell the World I'm Alive by Crysania for VirtualMadness

Rey returns to Exegol to retrieve all she has left of Ben Solo: his shirt. But what she finds there isn't at all what she expected to find. (Title comes from the song Who Will Save You Now by Les Friction. The lyrics are just so Reylo and it's a beautiful song.)

Sunset by reylotrash711 for Vivien

Rey has news. Ben has a question.

 Good Morning, Mrs. Solo  by Amy326 for walkingsaladshooter

Just a sweet one-shot about a really good morning for Ben and Rey. Modern AU.

After the End by ReyloBrit for witchsoup

Ambassador Organo-Solo is asked to attend a celebration to mark the anniversary of the end of the war, and is reunited with the woman whose life he saved. The woman he once loved.

getting the best of your opponent is easier if you smooch them first by persimonne for wombathos

A few months after the Battle of Crait, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren orders a ceasefire and asks to meet a delegation from the Resistance to negotiate the end of the war and the future of the Galaxy far, far away. But our heroes Finn and Rose notice straight away that their friend Rey is behaving strangely…

Borne Aloft by BensLostTookaCat (CJWritesAgain) for Xochiquetzl

A mysterious voice has called Rey to Tatooine after the death of Ben Solo and the defeat of the First/Final Order. Once she's there, a ghostly guide offers to take Rey through the Underworld to save Ben and return him to the world of the living.

You can view the other two masterposts for this exchange in this tag.

[raevenlywrites]

Happy Worldbuilding Wednesday! ^^ You asked me about stars and legends around my wip and now I am wondering about the legend part in your wips too. Are there any legends your ocs believe in, in any of your wips? Does that legend prevent them from doing things out of fear or make them expect something to happen like a doomsday or sth?

My recent asks have all inspired some Asylum deep dives, and I’m very excited to be able to share this story of Li’Daea, goddess of the sun:

“When the world was young, so young The People still slept around the embers of Li’Daea’s first fire, there was no winter. There were no seasons of any kind, for Li’Daea spent her time among those that lived and those that had passed equally. Each night, she descended to the land of the dead to bring the comfort, and stories of their descendants, and in the morning, she rose triumph, a glorious reminder that death was but a respite, another step in the eternal round.

Through the night, Dareiya kept watch over Li’Daea’s living children, and when Li’Daea rose, her sister descended to Il’Rhea to keep watch over those that rested. When her light shined brightly in the night sky, The People knew Il’Dao was restless, and powerful magics were at work upon the land. When Dareiya turned her face away, The People slept lightly, for who knew what might befall them when the eyes of both sisters were turned away?

After a time, Il’Dao asked to speak to Dareiya and Li’Daea both, swearing a peace between them, a stillness in the land until their business was concluded. The sisters agreed, knowing that while Il’Dao was the sort to choose his words carefully, he would not betray the balance that must exist between he and Li’Daea.

So the sisters journeyed to the banks of Il’Rhea, and The People watched the East, waiting for news.

As promised, a great stillness came over the land, for without Li’Daea’s light, there was nothing to color the green grain gold, and the birds kept close to their nests, and even the great beasts of the forests slept, knowing that none would venture from their dens until the stillness was broken.

The People gathered all together, circling about Li’Daea’s embers, breathing life into the fire so that might feel the ki’n of their Lady. Though the night was dark, they kept their hearts light, singing songs of joy and of peace, of those who rested along the banks of Il’Rhea, who were surely smiling to see Li’Daea so long among them.

Indeed, The People smiled, happy to see their lady so long among them, but they were also troubled. Theirs was a land of peace, and rest, and Il’Dao was more fitting a god of this realm, no matter how joyed they were to see their Shining Lady. They knew well that it was Il’Dao’s wish to bring all to rest along the banks of Il’Rhea, or else drown them in its dark waters if they grew too powerful for him to command. But surely, he could not do such a thing to Li’Daea? Dareiya walked by her side, surely she would not allow it?

But surely enough, there came an end to their speaking, and Li’Daea left Dareiya’s side, and walked straightway into the icy depths of Il’Rhea.

Dareiya came to The People then, and told them what had come to pass.

“Il’Dao seeks his rightful turn to walk among The People that yet live. Just as Li’Daea minsters to you by night, so too does Il’Dao wish to minister to your living kindred while Li’Daea is among you here.

But your kindred keep Li’Daea’s embers burning strong, and Il’Dao wishes for a fair turn to win them over. He wishes for Li’Daea to leave them for a time, so that she might be forgotten, so that Il’Dao may speak to them, and be sure that they hear his words.

“But without Li’Daea,” they cried, “Without her light, how shall they live? What will Ceres bake? What song will guide Ramn’s steps? Rei will never let her memory die, just as they guard the stories of our own lives.”

“If The People choose to listen to la’Reiya, then there is nothing to fear. As long as they have songs to sing and a fire to dance around, Li’Daea will be with them. Ceres yet had grain left in her nest, enough to see them through this longest night. Let their hearts be light, and all will be well.”

“Then go!” they cried. “Go now, and tell our children what must be done!”

“I cannot,” Dareiya replied. “Il’Dao has wished for a fair chance, and it falls to me, as always, to keep the balance. Tis I that sent Li’Daea into the dark waters, and it is up to her people to draw her out again. If they wish to remain beneath Li’Daea’s light, they will call to her, as your children call to you, to rise up from these dark depths and return to them. If they wish for Li’Daea to return, they must call her up from the depths.”

The People were angry, as fear often turns to anger, but they kept their peace. Dareiya was the fair and just ruler of the Heavens, and not even Li’Daea or Il’Dao would speak against her. There was nothing to be done, but wait.

They need not have worried, for their living children were gathered around the embers, singing songs of life and love. Li’Daea heard their prayers and smiled, knowing her children would call her home when the Longest Night was over.

It was not long before Il’Dao came again to the village, as he had when he called his first people away. Again, he found Li’Daea’s children caught up in the ecstasy of ki’n, and again, he offered them sweet rest and peace.

But the call of darkness held now power over them now. After the fear of the longest night, all they wished for was Li’Daea’s return. One after another, Il’Dao whispered to The People, and one after another, he met naught but rejection.

Defeated, Il’Dao returned to the banks of Il’Rhea, and conceded that stillness should be lifted. None had answered his call.

Her promise fulfilled, Li’Daea rose from the depths of Il’Rhea and returned to the land of the living, radiant in her triumph.

My People, she said to them, you have done well. Il’Dao sleeps, and I am free to walk among you once more.

The People gathered around her, and again, she kindled a fire in the center of their dancing, and they raised a mighty song unto the Heavens. They danced and sang all the day through, until all The People had fallen to the ground, exhausted. Li’Daea smiled on them, pleased to have danced with her People, and she left them to rest as she returned to the dark world to tend to those who had passed.

By the banks of Il’Rhea, Li’Daea found Il’Dao waiting for her once again.

“Your people have called you back to them, but see how they have fallen now to the ground. You push them too hard, Li’Daea. When will you grant them time to rest?

Look to the fields, sister mine. Look to the earth you dance upon, and the grain you call from green to gold- what chance do they have to rest as well?

We are one, you and I. You know that without death, there can be no life. Without rest, the dance makes one weary, and bitter.

Free them, Li’Daea. Free them to rest a season, and I swear to you, I will do the same when they have had time to recover from your ministrations.”

The People by the banks of Il’Rhea cried out, that they would never grow weary of their Lady, but doubt had already been sown in Li’Daea’s heart. She retreated, resting beneath the shade of an elder tree, to consider his words.

In the land above, The People grew afraid again, wondering what had become of their Lady. Dareiya came to them, covering the land in a blanket of white, so that all could see the comings and goings upon the earth. Il’Dao did not stir, but neither did Li’Daea. All through the darkened days, The People watched, and waited.

Finally, Li’Daea sent for her sister to carry a message to her people.

“They have had a season without me, a time of fairness, as Il’Dao had wished. Tell them now, sister mine, tell them to pour out the wishes of their hearts, and call to the god they would have lead them.”

Dareiya came, and gave Li’Daea’s message to the people, urging them to cry out to whichever god their preferred. She answered no questions about the state of their Lady of Light, simply urged them to pour their wishes out to the stars. The People gathered, and stirred Li’Daea’s embers once more. Each of them carried a simple spark to the ashes, and soon, a mighty bonfire roared their wishes unto the heavens. Their cries and heat soon reached Li’Daea, and she smiled to feel their love beat against her skin.

Li’Daea rose once more triumphant from the waters of Il’Rhea, joining her people around the mighty fire they had built. Only Dareiya and her servants remained outside the light of the fire- The Lady of the Moon had other plans for her people.

Dareiya and her children walked the fields, listening to the whispers of those who had not voices to raise. Dareiya, Fair and Just Ruler of the Heavens, would hear all wishes this night.

The earth cried out its wish to rest, groaned beneath the weight of so many bodies joined in merriment upon her back. Dareiya saw the wisdom in Il’Dao’s words, saw the wisdom in his wish for fairness. Balance had been lost here, and it was her duty to right it.

Though The People were still caught up in their reverie, Dareiya came among them to declare that each god should be given their season: Li’Daea, a time to rule the earth in growth and light, and Il’Dao, a time to rule the earth in rest and darkness. The People cried out, but Dareiya’s people came forward with the withered crops of the land.

“The Earth must rest,” she decreed. “And so must those who dance upon it. Rejoice in your time with Li’Daea, but do not begrudge Il’Dao the balance he will bring you.”

Ceres stepped forward, taking the withered stalk and examining it. “My People, there is wisdom in this. Let us gather our grain while the Lady shines upon us, and let us remember her golden light through the long night with feasting upon the bounty she has drawn from the earth for us.”

Ceres took the stalks to Li’Daea, who folded them in her arms and returned them to Ceres as full and golden sheaves. Ceres took the grain straight way and made a loaf, which she gave also to Li’Daea. Li’Daea smiled, and passed it among the people, that their hearts and bellies may be full. She took her people and walked the fields, breathing new life into old grain, with a whispered promise to the earth that it would rest soon, if only it would feed them now. The earth burst forth into flower, little by little, rejoicing in Li’Daea’s return, and in the promise of rest. The People gathered the fruit of the earth, knowing the time would come again that Li’Daea must leave them. But also knowing she would return again, breathing life into the land once more.

[myaekingheart]

40. The First Valentine’s Day

read the scarecrow and the bell on ao3

index | from the beginning | < previous | next >

                Rei paced her apartment, turning her ANBU mask over in her hands. It still felt so foreign to her, so strange. She had only been in the black ops for a couple months now. She hated how she still felt scared and unsure. She hated how her head burned every time she thought about the door down the hallway. Kakashi.

               There were two days until Valentine’s Day, the holiday in which women show their appreciation to the men in their lives with giri-choco and honmei-choco. The streets of Konoha were bustling with happy, smiling women invading sweets shops and walking out with boxes for their boyfriends. Rei had never known such a privilege. Now, however, she was terrified of delving deep into this maddening holiday. If she wanted to, in two days she could very clearly confess her feelings for Kakashi Hatake.

               Truthfully, she couldn’t recall when she realized she had fallen in love with him. Maybe it wasn’t so much a defining moment but a feeling she had always had, before she even understood what romantic love was. She would wait for him to arrive home from the academy everyday, swinging her legs on the front porch. When she would finally see him walking up the lane, her heart would explode into her chest and a warmth and excitement would overwhelm her. She could hardly contain herself.

               When he left, she felt as if she would never feel happiness ever again. He had abandoned her, betrayed her. He, one of the few supporters of her dream. She remembered locking herself away in her bedroom, testing the sharpness of her new set of kunai. She desperately wanted pain not because she was numb or felt like she deserved it but because she just ached to hurt herself even further. She couldn’t understand what it was that she had done wrong, why Kakashi had drastically changed his mind on her. She saw a darkness in his eyes that, at the time, was wildly unfamiliar. She was terrified.

               He would step foot in Kaminoki every week during her sixteenth year, searching for new books to read. She hated the way she felt in his presence. For a moment, she swore she hated everything about him, but then he would stroll up to the checkout counter and smile at her as if she was another citizen he was obligated to be polite to, as if there weren’t so many years of history between them. Perhaps he had forgotten, or was trying to forget. Did he have any idea the kind of pain he had put her through? And yet every time she saw him, that same warmth blanketed her body and she felt her heart swell. She wished she could stop it, but she had no control. Kakashi was a puppeteer controlling her emotions, swinging her from one end of a pendulum to the other and she was powerless to stop him.

               She had obviously known he was a part of the black ops. He wore the tattoo on his shoulder with pride, unlike all the others who hid their affiliation and wandered the streets unknown. Her own recruitment was a whirlwind of emotions, but in the back of her mind she feared her reunion with Kakashi. She wasn’t prepared to face those feelings once again.

               And yet here she was, pacing her apartment months later with her affections in full swing. How do you tell someone you’ve known your whole life that you are madly, irrevocably in love with them? Especially for someone who hates sweets on a holiday defined by candy. Her head was spinning. She tossed her mask across the room and sunk down in front of the bed, pressing the heels of her hands into her eye sockets. She knew if she was to have any hope of figuring out what to do about this, she had no other choice but to consult a third party.

               Naru nearly caused a scene at the mere mention of Rei admitting her feelings. She squealed and flailed her arms like a maniac, grabbing onto Rei’s arm and shaking her excitedly. “I’ll start planning the wedding! Your bridesmaids should wear blue, and you should have a bouquet of forget-me-nots and get married under a big arch and—”

               “Naru!” Sekkachi shouted, pulling the blonde from her daydreams. “Calm down, quit jumping the gun.” Rei glanced at her thankfully as Naru composed herself and scooted back into her seat, whispering a soft apology. “So” Sekkachi then said once things had calmed down, “You want to tell him you like him. I don’t see what the big deal is, why can’t you just tell him straight up?”

               “Because” Rei sighed, “I just…that’s not…”

               “Where’s the romance in that, Sekkachi?!” Naru exclaimed. “She needs to impress him, sweep him off his feet, show him that she’s worthy of his love!”

               “That sounds excessive” Sekkachi commented.

               “I-I don’t know” Rei said. “I’ve never done something like this before. I’m not exactly an expert in all that romance shit. I don’t know, what am I supposed to do?”

               “Well there’s chocolate! That’s the usual Valentine’s Day gift” Naru suggested.

               Rei shook her head. “But he hates sweets.”

               “How about flowers?” the blonde replied.

               “I could…” Rei shrugged, “But I don’t even know where to begin with that. Flowers are complicated, what do I pick to express how I’m feeling? I don’t want the message to be misconstrued.”

               Sekkachi took a sip of her tea and added, “Well, there’s also lap dances, edible underpants, promises you don’t intend to keep.”

               “Sekkachi!” Naru exclaimed. A few heads turned. “She is a woman in love, not a prostitute!” Naru then whispered frantically. “It needs to be something sweet and romantic and kind! Something that tells Kakashi she wants to be in a loving, committed relationship with him, not some stupid one night stand!”

               Sekkachi shrugged. “Well, do I look like I celebrate Valentine’s Day? And what do you do for this most wonderful day of the year, Naru?”

               The blonde narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on her tea. “Not everything has to be about sex, you know” she said through gritted teeth. Sekkachi shrugged casually and leaned back in her seat. Rei buried her face in her hands. This was becoming a disaster. Every time the three of them met up, she was reminded yet again of why they shouldn’t.

               “This is becoming such a hassle” she groaned. “You know what? Maybe I’ll just skip out on this and try again next year. It’s not like Kakashi is going anywhere anyway, right? And even if he does, then shame on me, oh well! Better luck next time, kiddo!”

               “Rei…” Naru said, voice gentle. She reached out to rest her hand upon the redhead’s forearm, but Rei rose from her seat before she could make contact.

               “I’ll see you guys later, alright?” she said, and with that she was gone.

               Naru glared at Sekkachi the moment Rei left, anger in her eyes. “This is your fault” she accused.

               “My fault?” Sekkachi asked, borderline offended. “Sorry for promoting healthy sex lives.”

               “If you had just let me ease her into this, she wouldn’t have gotten overwhelmed!” Naru insisted. “This is a big deal for Rei, Sekkachi. Not like you’d understand.”

               “What is that supposed to be mean?” Sekkachi asked. “At least all of my relationships have been healthy. You can’t even hold a guy for more than two weeks.”

               Naru gritted her teeth. “It takes time to find the right one!” she insisted. “At least I have lots of experience. How many people have you been with? Three?”

               Other diners were beginning to take notice of the argument. A waitress chewed her bottom lip, considering whether to approach them and ask them to leave. Rei swore she could hear them fighting all the way down the street. Definitely a bad idea, she thought to herself, defeated.

               Early the following morning, she was called into the hokage’s office. Her heart pounded as she traversed those steps, wary of what was to come. The leftover anxiety had left a sour taste in her mouth. Logically, she knew this was likely just a routine assignment but the hokage’s words, her secret mission, were in the back of her mind always. She was terrified she had somehow already failed.

               Lord Third motioned for her to enter his office, where three other ANBU stood awaiting her. One of them was unmistakably Kakashi. She stood beside the others as the hokage detailed their mission: track down a missing-nin that had been reportedly spotted near an ancient shrine on the outskirts of town. “The shrine of the demon Kataomoi has been foretold to bring about great destruction should someone enter and resurrect the demon. We suspect our enemy will make his attempt on Valentine’s Day, likely to wreak havoc on a holiday dedicated to love” the hokage explained. Rei’s throat constricted. So this would interfere with Valentine’s Day. A part of her was almost relieved to hear this, knowing that this would give her more time to figure out what to do. If she was lucky, Kataomoi would devour her whole and she wouldn’t have to deal with any of this.

               “So what’s the legend behind this Kataomoi, anyway?” one of the other ANBU asked. Rei recognized her as the other girl Tenshi had been hanging out with during training. Her name, as Rei had soon learned, was Mikazuki. She had a plain face and black hair cropped at her chin, with thick bangs covering her forehead.

               “They say Kataomoi is the demon of unrequited love” the other ANBU, Ro, explained. Rei had never met him before, but he was quite a bit older than they were and built like a mountain. “She feasts on the anger people feel from being rejected by their beloved. She was sealed away in this shrine one hundred years ago and is guarded by a prophecy written in a coded language no one has been able to decipher. It is said that in this prophecy is where all of the secrets behind this demon are held. The fact that someone is considering resurrecting it, especially around Valentine’s Day, is quite concerning.”

               The trip to the shrine was long and tense. They all stayed silent and on-guard, keeping watch for anything suspicious that might arise. The closer they came to the shrine, however, the more Rei’s stomach began to twist until she felt fatigued and nauseous. She wasn’t sure what it was, but perhaps this demon was affecting her more than she had expected. Or maybe she was just overthinking things.

               Ro’s summary of Kataomoi’s legend weaseled it’s way into her psyche. The demon of unrequited love. But she wasn’t in unrequited love, was she? She still wasn’t entirely sure. She thought about her first mission with Kakashi, the way he swooped in and saved her, revisited that name he had called her when they were children. Aisuruhito.

               But all of that meant nothing. It was just a formality. A polite gesture. Why would he love her anyway? Now she was starting to sound like Tenshi. But really, what reason did he have for loving her? She wasn’t particularly beautiful, she had no experience, was short-tempered and talentless. Meanwhile Kakashi was strong and skilled, revered and feared by so many. He could have any girl he wanted, and girls certainly would line up in spades for him. He had no reason to pick her.

               They arrived at the shrine near nightfall, the surrounding area completely empty. “I don’t sense any chakra” Mikazuki enforced. Their only option, then, was to camp out for the night and watch for anyone suspicious.

               “I’ll take first shift” Ro offered. The three of them nodded in agreement and set up for their slumber. Rei could hardly sleep the entire night, however. She knew sleep deprivation would ruin her awareness, make her a liability, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to pass out. She rolled over to find Kakashi lying next to her, eyes wide open, staring up at the stars.

               “You can’t sleep either, huh?” he asked, eyes locked overhead. Rei nodded slowly once the shock faded from her face.

               “Why are you still awake?” she whispered.

               Kakashi sighed then and rolled over onto his side, resting his head against his hand. Her heart pounded. “I don’t know, I just can’t seem to fall asleep.”

               “S-same…” Rei replied. There was a long stretch of silence as they looked at each other, tensions building, before Kakashi then stood up and extended a hand to her. “W-what are you doing?” she asked. She glanced to Mikazuki fast asleep. They really shouldn’t be leaving her behind.

               “While we’re awake” Kakashi said, “I want to show you something.” Rei sucked in a deep breath, then glanced to Mikazuki once again before taking Kakashi’s hand and following him through the trees.

               He led her to the entrance to the shrine, which was really just a large cave with an inscribed boulder near the mouth. “Why did you bring me here?” she asked.

               “I’ve been thinking a lot about this prophecy” Kakashi explained. “No one has ever been able to figure out what it says. I wanted to come and take a look for myself, see if I could make anything out.”

               Rei nodded slowly, then stepped closer to the stone. Along the top were the words, in plain text, “Whosoever can decipher this text must be of a particular mind. Only they can truly seal away Kataomoi’s power.”

               “Of a particular mind…” Kakashi repeated out loud. “But what does that mean?”

               “Maybe it has to do with some type of jutsu” Rei pondered. “Like, only people with kekkai genkai or something.” The assumption wasn’t totally offbase. There were other such things in the world restricted to those with special abilities. Unfortunately, she wasn’t exactly one of them.

               They stood there for a while staring at this stone, trying to figure out it’s meaning. The lines etched into the front didn’t seem to make any sense. After a long moment, there was a rustling in the brush from behind. Rei and Kakashi locked eyes then whipped out their kunai, fully prepared for battle.

               “Stay your weapons” a deep voice called. With arms raised, stepping into the clearing was none other than Ro. “What is it that you two are doing here? Shouldn’t you be sleeping? And where’s Mikazuki?”

               “Mikazuki’s fine” Rei replied. “She’s out like a light.”

               “We couldn’t sleep” Kakashi explained. “So we figured while we were awake, we might as well take a look.”

               “You strayed from the plan” Ro replied. “You should go back. Mikazuki is vulnerable, she could easily be captured by the enemy.”

               Kakashi shook his head. “Mikazuki will be fine” he insisted. Ro looked at him doubtful, narrowing his eyes. He was not typically one to defy his team leaders, but this was a serious situation. Kakashi approached slowly and explained, “I know Mikazuki will be fine. I trained her when she entered the ANBU. I know what she is capable of. Her kekkei genkai will keep her safe.”

               Ro was not entirely convinced. “What kekkei genkai?” he asked. Rei was just as curious. She didn’t know Mikazuki very well, but she was sure if she had some sort of special ability, she would know about it. She was in the same training group as she was—how did she not know?

               “Mikazuki possesses a specific dojutsu exclusive to the Zazen clan” Kakashi explained. “She is one of the only people left to wield it: the shikantazagan.”

               “Well then that just makes her even more susceptible to being captured” Ro argued.

               Kakashi shook his head. “The shikantazagan is powerful, but Mikazuki has trained hard to master it’s power. It is essentially a third eye and heightens the awareness of its possessor even if they are asleep. Hence why I’m sure she will be fine.”

               “Is that why Lord Hokage sent her on this mission?” Ro asked. “Can her dojutsu dechiper the prophecy on the stone?”

               “I don’t know” Kakashi replied. “We’ll have to find out when she wakes up.” Ro gave a single, definitive nod, and then that was that. Rei gasped as Kakashi placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her back to camp where Mikazuki was fast asleep. There was still forty five minutes left until they were meant to change shifts. As Rei laid down, she caught sight of a third eye on Mikazuki’s forehead beneath her bangs. She sucked in a deep breath and tried to get some semblance of sleep.

               It was late into the night, almost morning, when they heard it. Mikazuki had been on guard duty only a few minutes, Kakashi just settling in for some sleep. The kunoichi’s scream echoed through the forest. Jumping to his feet, Kakashi grabbed Rei by the wrist and rushed off with her toward the source of the sound. Ro followed close behind.

               In the clearing, standing before the prophetic stone, stood the enemy. He held Mikazuki hostage with a kunai to her throat. “What luck have I got?” he laughed maniacally. “A rare shikantazagan user right when I need her the most!”

               “Let her go!” Kakashi insisted, his own kunai drawn. The harshness of his voice, the determination, struck something unnerving within Rei.

               “Why would I?” the enemy replied. “She is the key to awakening Kataomoi’s power!”

               Kakashi gritted his teeth, rushing forward with Ro close behind. As they pursued the enemy, Rei used her chameleon jutsu in an attempt to sneak up on the man and perhaps catch him from behind. Mikazuki, however, sensed the redhead’s chakra and gave her location away. The enemy elbowed Rei in the chest and sent her tumbling back into the dirt.

               Rei groaned, gasping for breath, as she tried to lift herself up off the ground. It was no use. He must’ve channeled all his chakra into that hit, she thought to herself. She coughed into the ground and then rolled onto her back in an effort to catch her breath. The further back she tilted her head, however, the more of the stone she could see. The markings looked strange and different from this angle, and as she turned her head slowly to the left… “Oh my god…!”

               Kakashi locked eyes with Ro in a silent affirmation. They needed to free Mikazuki so she could translate the prophecy and seal away Kataomoi’s power once and for all. As they fought, Rei dug into the holster on her thigh and pulled out another kunai, launching it so that it just barely whizzed past Kakashi’s ear. He immediately turned to Rei and, upon seeing her on the ground, rushed to her aide.

               “Rei, are you okay?” he asked, kneeling down beside her. He went to help her up but she stopped him.

               “I figured out the prophecy!” she announced.

               “You what?” he asked.

               “You don’t need any sort of special kekkei genkai to figure it out, you’ve just gotta be upside down!” she explained. “It’s a really weird angle, no wonder no one has ever been able to read it before.”

               “Well, what does it say?” Kakashi replied. There was more urgency in his voice this time. A part of him was unsure whether or not he should really believe her—he knew she had no real reason to lie, but still felt a reasonable amount of doubt.

               “You’re not going to believe me when I tell you” Rei said. Kakashi insisted she explain anyways. With a sigh, she replied, “It’s not a note so much as it’s a visual. The lines come together to create a picture that conveys a message.”

               Kakashi began to lay down beside her and tipped his head back to try and get a look of his own. “I don’t see anything” he replied. “I can’t make out any images.”

               Ro, in the midst of a heated battle with the enemy nin, looked over to see the two of them laying down together and groaned. “It is my utmost suggestion that you refrain from resting at a crucial time such as this!” he shouted.

               Rei swatted the air dismissively. “Can you just give us, like, five seconds? I’m working on something!” she shouted. Then, turning her attention back to Kakashi, she began pointing at different parts of the tablet and trying to explain the image. “See the way that line curves there, and how those two lines meet right there? Cock your head a little further to the left, like that. Do you see it now?”

               Kakashi blinked a few times, then his face went beet red. “Oh no…”

               Ro grimaced. “Oh no what?” he called to Kakashi. “What is going on over there?”

               The copy ninja turned to look at his comrade, then back at Rei. “I need to rescue Mikazuki and take this enemy down so you two can strengthen the seal on this demon once and for all” he replied. Rei nodded once, then watched him race off to help the others. Through teamwork, he and Ro were able to release Mikazuki from the enemy’s grasp. She fell to the ground with a gasp, then ran off toward Rei.

               “So what is this prophecy anyway?” she asked. Rei drew her close, tucked her dark hair behind her ear and whispered what she had seen. All three of Mikazuki’s eyes widened and her face flushed. “A-are you sure?” she asked. Rei nodded confidently.

               It was nightfall by the time the battle had ended. Ro tied the newly unconscious enemy up and hoisted him over his shoulder like a ragdoll or naughty child, carrying him off to the village for questioning. As they went, he eyed his comrades curiously. Kakashi’s fingers twitched as he walked alongside Rei, who was busy chatting with Mikazuki in whom she had somehow found a new friend. Clearing his throat, Ro then asked, “So what exactly did this prophecy speak of, anyway?”

               Mikazuki froze, not wanting to be the one who had to answer. She refused to repeat what Rei had whispered in her ear.

               Kakashi chuckled and replied vaguely, “Let’s just say it was very fitting for the demon of unrequited love.”

               “Well, what was it?” Ro asked. There was a long stretch of silence then before finally, it was Rei who piped up.

               “Is no one else brave enough to say it?” she asked.

               “Well, you were the one who figured it out” Mikazuki replied. “It’s only fair you be the one to tell him.”

               Rei’s face went deadpan. “Alright, fine! You make a good point” she said. Then, turing to Ro, she said flat-out: “Penis!” The mountain of a man paused, his eyes widening. What did she just say? He tried to stammer out a question of clarification but it was too late. Rei was already getting started. “Apparently if you lay on your back and tilt your head all the way back and to the left a bit, the markings on the stone depict just that: a big, fat, erect penis.”

               Kakashi could barely keep himself from losing it. Mikazuki buried her face in her hands, desperate to disappear. Ro couldn’t wrap his head around it. “A…a penis…?”

               The redhead nodded. “Mmhmm. Tamakeri, too” she added.

               “B-but the particular mindset…” Ro stammered.

               “Yep, apparently it wasn’t a kekkei genkai at all. Just really fucking perverted” Rei explained.

               Ro couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t sure which was worse: how screwed up this all was, or knowing now that his comrade was so dirty-minded. The look on his face was enough to break Kakashi’s composure.

               “I told you it was a fitting picture for Kataomoi” Kakashi commented with a chuckle.

               Mikazuki sighed and shook her head. “If you don’t mind, when we get back to the village, let’s please never say a word of this ever again?” she asked. To think, putting her shikantazagan to use on something so filthy. If word of this slipped, she feared it would surely tarnish her reputation.

               “Oh, we’ll probably talk about this” Rei replied. “But I guess we’ll just leave you out of it.” She laughed as Mikazuki’s face went deadpan. Her amusement was cut short, however, when Mikazuki failed to warn her about a rather large dip in the ground. Rei’s foot got caught in the deep indent and she went flying forward, but rather than ram face first into the ground, she found herself suspended mere inches away from it. She looked up to find Kakashi had grabbed her hand and her cheeks blushed. He pulled her back to her feet and smiled.

               “You know, you should really watch where you’re going” he said. The way he looked at her, and the way he didn’t let go of her hand immediately, filled Rei with the strangest feeling as if an electric current pulsed through her entire body. Something inside of her switched on, and it was in that moment that she knew maybe her prior fears weren’t so serious after all. Perhaps she had just been overthinking things, and her hopes were not yet dashed.

               The following morning, she set off on yet another mission. As she leapt from branch to branch alongside her comrades, she envisioned how things were going back home. Kakashi had awoken bright and early, scruffing his hair and sliding out of bed. As he rose to get dressed, however, a slip of paper beneath his front door captured his attention. He approached cautiously, tugging it out from under the door and unfolding it. I hope these don’t kill you. I don’t know, I tried.

               Who hopes what don’t kill him? Kakashi was certainly confused. He slowly unlocked his front door and peered out to find a small red box sitting on his doorstep. He picked it up carefully and carried it inside, sitting it on his desk before lifting the lid up to find a small assortment of little truffles, dark chocolate topped with walnuts. Kakashi raised a brow, then took another look at the note. He suddenly knew from the penmanship exactly who this was from and quite frankly, was rather impressed. He wasn’t typically one for sweets, but he picked up one of the candies and popped it into his mouth anyway, a small smile touching his lips. They weren’t overly sweet, thanks to the bitter dark chocolate and nuts, and he assumed Naru had walked her through the process on how to make them. He placed the lid back on top of the box and then walked to the window, staring out across the tops of buildings toward the main gate. It was the day after Valentine’s Day and for once, there was no unrequited love.

[eleanor-writes-stuff]

a language that i never knew existed before - Day 22

For the anon who requested jealous Kylo/Ben in any setting: here’s a canon-verse post-defection Ben getting jealous over... a lot of things, really.

Jealousy has always been foreign to me, especially romantic jealousy, but I tried my best. Thanks for the prompt, and I hope you like it!

Only three ficlets left, you guys! I’m freestyling it from here on out, and I hope you’ll like what I’ve got in store for everyone.

25 Days of Reylo Also available on AO3

A week after Ben defects to the Resistance, Rey leaves him to dine in private with his mother and joins her friends for dinner for the first time since the unexpected turn of events.

It’s a quiet, awkward affair thanks to the widespread rumor that Ben gave up the galaxy for her, made all the more awkward when Rey pushes aside her half-empty plate and clears her throat.

“I know that this is… odd, for everyone,” she acknowledges, eyes flitting from Rose to Finn to Poe to Kaydel. “But the general and I would be really grateful if…”

Rey falters, drops her eyes to the table. “If…”

Under the table, Rose reaches out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze, and when Rey looks up she finds an encouraging smile on her friend’s face. “If?” Rose prompts.

“If you guys would let Ben sit with us tomorrow,” Rey says in a single breath, nearly tripping over her own words. In the silence that follows, the nervous flutter of her heart seems almost deafening to her ringing ears. She resists the urge to close her eyes, to walk away, to hide forever–

“I mean,” Poe begins contemplatively, twisting the fork in his hand. “The man did try to kill us, but he’s also singlehandedly turned the tide of this war.”

“I guess everyone’s capable of change,” Finn adds reluctantly, after a rather obvious jab to his side courtesy of Rose.

All eyes turn to Kaydel, who’s been calmly picking at her meal throughout. “If it makes the general happy,” she shrugs without looking up from her food.

And so the next morning they drag an empty chair over to their table, leave it next to Rey, and wait for the former Supreme Leader to join them for breakfast.

Rey catches sight of him hovering by the entrance while everyone else is busy discussing the day ahead, raises a hand to beckon him over–

His eyes land somewhere to her right, fixed on a seemingly random point between her and Finn, and the next thing she knows he’s scowling and turning and leaving.

The Bond is blocked that day, like a pipe clogged up by something she can’t quite identify.

A month after Ben’s arrival, the Resistance plans a celebration.

It’s nothing grand, barely a feast according to those who remember what that was like, but it’s the first celebration of any kind that Rey will ever experience, and somehow word of that reaches Leia.

Poe finds her two hours before the party and marches her over to the general’s quarters, and the next thing Rey knows she’s sitting on the ground while Leia runs soothing hands through her hair and slowly fashions it into an intricate braid befitting the occasion.

“Are braids… important to you?” Rey asks haltingly, staying as still as she can. “You don’t have to answer, it’s just that, well, you’re always wearing them, and I’ve noticed that they change, sometimes, when things happen, and Kaydel said something about your home planet once–”

“Alderaan,” Leia says quietly, hands stilling for a moment. Rey winces to herself, realizing belatedly that maybe she shouldn’t have brought up the lost planet and all the grief that comes with it on such a happy day. But when Leia speaks again, her voice is wistful instead of sad, with an airy, faraway quality to it rather than the weight of sorrow.

Leia keeps weaving. “Braids are a language all on their own, to my people. We lost a lot when our planet was taken from us, but this… this we kept. If I had a daughter, I would’ve taught her all about it the way my mother taught me, the way her mother taught her.” She laughs then, a rare, beautiful occurrence that’s increased in frequency ever since her son’s return. “I had Ben instead, but he made a perfect student nonetheless, always climbing up on tables and chairs to reach my hair and practice.”

Rey nearly, nearly turns around and ruins all of Leia’s hard work. “Ben can braid?” she asks, smiling at the thought.

“Oh yes, I taught him nearly everything–”

The door connecting Leia’s quarters to Ben’s opens, and the man himself appears with a frown on his face and a datapad in his hands.

“Mom, I’d really rather not–”

He looks up from his datapad, pauses as he takes in the sight of Leia on the edge of her bed and Rey on the floor next to her, a half-formed Alderaanian braid between them, and all Rey can think about is Ben in place of Leia, running those large hands of his through her hair, being so, so gentle with her as he honors his mother’s tradition–

She’s forcibly yanked out of her daydream when a spike of something ripples through the Bond, an indecipherable mess of a dozen emotions tangled together.

“I’ll come back later,” Ben says, and shuts the door behind him.

Leia sighs heavily and goes back to work without a single word.

Six weeks after he first arrived, the leadership grants Ben permission to leave the compound and train with Rey.

She guides him through the forest with their hands intertwined and leads him to her favorite spot, a little secret she’s kept to herself all this while and can’t wait to share with him.

Ben’s smile is as wide as her own when they finally reach her meditation spot, her excitement leaking through the Bond and seeping into his receptive mind.

“I think this is my favorite place in the galaxy,” Rey admits quietly as she tugs at his hand and urges him to sit down on the large, smooth stone she added the day he arrived, a darker twin to the one she’s been sitting on ever since she stumbled upon this place.

They settle into a peaceful silence, surrendering themselves to their surroundings, to the nexus of the forest. From this spot on the riverbank they can hear the distant crashes of the waterfall and feel the sun as it rises above them, drown out their thoughts and concerns with the sounds of the forest surrounding them, birds calling to each other and tiny critters scampering past and beyond that, below that, life itself, an ancient pulse beneath their feet that sustains the entire continent.

Rey gives herself over to it, syncs her own heartbeat to the heartbeat of the planet, of the Force–

“I can’t,” Ben growls, his red-hot irritation snapping her back to reality. When she opens her eyes he’s already up on his feet and pacing along the river, and Rey watches as he runs a hand through his hair and yanks at the ends.

“I was never any good at this anyway, the padawan who couldn’t master even the most basic kriffing task like a failure–”

She jumps to her feet then, crosses the distance between them and places a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Hey. No. You are not a failure–”

Ben doesn’t look at her, shrugs her hand off. “Easy for you to say,” he scoffs, and there it is again, that disturbance in the Bond that makes everything seem awful and wrong and–

And suddenly, Rey understands what it is.

“Jealous,” she realizes out loud, and from the corner of her eye she catches Ben as he abruptly stills. “You’re jealous,” Rey confronts him, nearly laughing in incredulity as he hangs his head, a wordless confession. She pushes a little more, untangles the complex knot to understand– “Of me. Of me? Over me, too, but of me, Ben? Why would you possibly–”

The first time he tried to join them for breakfast, Finn had a hand around her chair – around both hers and Rose’s because he’d been laughing so hard just moments before that he needed the support but Ben didn’t know that, Ben didn’t see anything other than Finn’s hand on her chair and Finn’s hand being the first to ever take hers and Finn’s hand reaching for her, always reaching for her and just like that, he made up his mind to take all of his meals far, far away from them.

When he walked in on Leia braiding her hair it felt like a slap in the face because that should’ve been him, that could’ve been him, he’d been itching to touch her for weeks, months even, but instead he’d kept his distance and now his mother was the one partaking in this intimate ritual with Rey, his mother who’d been the one to teach him, his mother who used to share this with him and only him–

“Oh,” Rey whispers to herself while Ben continues to stare at the ground. “Oh.”

Silence hangs between them, filled with all the things Rey can’t bring herself to say.

Finally, Ben does it for her. “And now… now here you are, effortlessly connecting with the Force while I keep reaching and reaching and reaching for this thing that I’ve had since the second I was born–”

Rey takes his clenched fists in her hands and slowly pries his fingers loose so that she can tangle them with her own. “Ben, that’s not… that’s not how it works.”

“Of course it’s not,” he laughs bitterly, but his hands stay in hers and that’s a start, at least. “I’m supposed to be a Skywalker, Rey. I’m a kriffing Skywalker, and I can’t even meditate right. What is wrong with me?”

Everything, he blurts out into the Bond.

Nothing, Rey counters firmly, fiercely as she guides him back to the rock and kneels down next to him.

“Did I ever tell you about the first lesson Luke taught me?” she asks, treading lightly on thin ice.

Ben tenses at the mention of his uncle, but otherwise shows no signs of reacting to it. So Rey leans in, presses her forehead to his to feed him a memory from a lifetime ago – Luke’s leading question, the blade of grass, her revelation.

She stops there; he’s seen the rest before, witnessed her question herself for succumbing so easily to the call of the Darkness.

“Now do you understand?” Rey whispers, eyes still closed as she wills him to see what Luke showed her all those months ago. “You don’t have the Force, Ben. None of us do. It’s not something for you to control; it’s something for you to connect with.”

Rey falls back on her haunches, waits for Ben to open his eyes and see, for him to understand that there’s nothing to be jealous of. The thing with Finn and his mother and her, they can work through that later. But this, the Force, the one thing he’s always been able to rely on… this she has to show him.

He stays quiet for a while, and Rey gives him the time and space he needs, backs away from the Bond to let him work through his thoughts in private, to let him rip everything he’s ever known into shreds and piece it together again.

That heavy, ugly knot of jealousy is the last thing to go, but when it does Rey feels it in her soul, snaps her eyes up to find Ben already looking at her, waiting for her.

“Will…” He slides down from the rock, kneels on the ground with her and holds out his hand. “Will you teach me?”

She smiles, laces their fingers together and leans in for a quick kiss. “We’ll learn together,” Rey promises him, and so they do.

Damn, this got out of hand. So much so that at some point I actually walked away from this and tried to write a shorter version based only on the braiding scene, but then that one got too long as well so... It’s official: I’m hopeless, you guys. Both at keeping ficlets ficlet-length and writing jealousy. Sorry, anon! I really did try, I promise.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Please don’t hesitate to like/reblog/comment!

[omegaling]

Allez Cuisine! ~Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen: Deviled Eggs and Leftovers

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“For the last time, Finn, she said she doesn’t want to, so let’s go!  If I miss out on Mami Trooper’s deviled eggs I swear to God I won’t give you a moment’s peace all weekend!”

“But…” Finn started to protest, but Rey lay a hand on his arm before another argument could break out.

“Really, Finn, I’ll be fine.  I always appreciate your family including me in their holiday celebrations, but this year I just want to be alone. Besides, you need to spend some quality time with Poe instead of always worrying about me for a change. I’m a grown woman; I can look after myself.”

Finn looked crestfallen, and Rey had half a mind to throw him over her shoulders and carry him fireman-style to Poe’s car herself.  Luckily Poe rescued her by placing his hand gently yet firmly on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“I think we should respect Rey’s decision, Finn.”

“Really Finn, I’ll be fine,” Rey insisted, picking up his duffel bag and handing it off to Poe.  Finn pouted, but finally allowed Poe to steer him to their apartment’s front door.

Every year, Finn’s grandmother, whom was affectionately known to everyone as Mami Trooper, prepared a Thanksgiving feast of unprecedented magnificence.  By the time all her family and guests started to arrive at her brownstone in Brooklyn, her table was already laden with all of her favorite holiday dishes from her childhood in Louisiana: Cajun-spiced turkey, cornbread dressing with andouille sausage and pecans, collard greens slow-cooked with ham hocks, crispy fried okra and oysters, candied yams, ham baked with brown sugar and pineapple, made-from-scratch macaroni and cheese, sweet potato pie and, most importantly, her legendary deviled eggs (the spunky old woman loved to proudly boast how she turned down Emeril Lagasse and Paula Dean both offered to by her recipe from her and she shot them both down after pretending to consider it for a week).  

What was even more impressive than the food itself was the sheer quantity of it, as Mami Trooper strongly believed that no one should eat alone on Thanksgiving.  Not only had Rey been a fixture in the Trooper family since the first Thanksgiving after she moved in with Finn, but his grandmother also opened up her home to the entire block, inviting every overworked single mother, young man trying to get back on his feet after coming out of a rough patch, and lonely senior citizens whose families were scattered around the country and no one could make the trip to New York that year.  Everyone who came always brought something of their own to contribute, and by the time dinner was in full swing Rey was amazed that the dining room floor didn’t simply collapse under the combined weight of the people and the food.

The next day, while the rest of the city was caught up in the throes of Black Friday, the Trooper family (complete with Rey in tow) would drive up to Finn’s uncle’s farm upstate for traditions and activities to ring in the start of the Christmas season.  Just a few weeks ago Rey had been adamantly looking forward to the Thanksgiving holidays: then everything with Kylo happened, and she worried that her sullenness would only drag everyone down. Making excuses to Finn, Poe and Rose was exhausting enough; she did not want to have to do the same with people she barely knew all weekend.

Poe’s Fiat was full to capacity, making it look like he and Finn were going on an extended vacation instead of a holiday weekend.  Even if Rey suddenly did change her mind she doubted there would even be any room for her. Mami Trooper ran a very tight ship during Thanksgiving and only allowed those she trusted the most into the kitchen while dinner was being made, but she had no objection to letting others take over the cooking duties afterward.  From the look of it, Poe was planning on taking full advantage of having farm fresh ingredients to play with all weekend.

As Poe tried to stuff Finn’s duffle bag into the last available slot of space in the car, Finn cursed and made a dash back to the apartment building, shouting that he forgot something over his shoulder.

“You owe me five bucks,” Rey said with a roguish grin when Poe joined her on the sidewalk.

“Yeah, yeah,” Poe grumbled, jerking his wallet out of his back pocket.  “I made him a checklist and everything. How is it possible for him to  still  forget something?”

Rey gave him a half-shrug.  “He’s your boyfriend. You own that mystery now.”

They waited for Finn to emerge in companionable silence for the next few minutes.  People trickled in and out of the other buildings on the street as they went about their own Thanksgiving festivities.  The peacefulness was momentarily broken by a chorus of cheers from an apartment somewhere over their heads, no doubt in response to one of the ongoing football games.  The breeze picked up gently, bringing the scent of someone’s cooking with it. Saliva exploded in Rey’s mouth; she was going to miss Mami Trooper’s food something fierce this year.

Finn reappeared a moment later, empty-handed and grinning sheepishly.  “Turns out I had my phone charger packed after all.”

Poe cocked an eyebrow at Rey.  “Does this mean I get my money back?”

“Nope.  The bet was he went back to the apartment to get something, not that he already packed it and forgot.”

“Hardy-har-har,” Finn said with a dramatic eye roll.  “Come on, let’s get going. The Saints play in an hour.”

“You’re a traitor to all native New Yorkers, Trooper,” Poe said as he moved to the Fiat’s driver’s side.

“Hey, my family’s roots run deep. I have to represent where I can.  Besides, you’re one to talk, Mr. Green Card,” Finn shot back.

“Guys, guys!” Rey interrupted them, laughing.  “If you don’t get on the road now I’ll call Mami myself and tell her to ban you from her deviled eggs all weekend!”

“You’re a stone cold bitch, Jakken.  Maybe that’s why you do so well in the business.”  Poe grinned, his eye sparkling with good humor as he at last ducked into the car.

“You only have yourself to blame for that one!” Rey shouted after him.

Finn climbed into the passenger seat, but before he shut the door he looked imploringly at Rey one last time.  “If you do change your mind, we’re only a phone call away. That’s for anytime this weekend.”

“But it’s a three hour drive to you uncle’s farm.  You’ll be wasting a whole day if you come back for me.”

Finn shrugged.  “Maybe. But you’re kind of worth it.”

Rey felt her heart swell with affection for her friend.  The backs of her eyes prickled hotly as she gave him one more long hug and thought, in spirit of the season, how thankful she was to have such wonderful friends.

I don’t deserve them,  Rey thought as she waved Finn and Poe off until the Fiat turned a corner and disappeared.  She knew she had been mopey and distant over the past few weeks, but instead of pushing the issue they respected her need for space and never attempted to coax the information from her.  Even when she told Finn she wouldn’t be going to Mami Trooper’s for Thanksgiving he didn’t so much as ask for a reason, even though he looked heartbroken when she broke the news to him.

It’s time to let go of this Iron Chef ordeal and everything tied to it, Rey vowed as she returned to their apartment.  Poe and Kylo Ren could claim that she had all the makings of being a great chef in her own right until the cows came home, but after everything that happened following the their now infamous episode Rey firmly decided that the celebrity chefs could go right ahead and keep their fame and glory for themselves.  She was perfectly happy where she was in her life and grateful for it. Very few people ever had the privilege to say the same thing.

A sudden epiphany hit Rey, like a soccer ball getting kicked into the side of her head.  She might not have felt up to a big family gathering this year, but that didn’t mean she had to confine herself staying home and feel sorry for herself all weekend.  A quick Google search provided Rey with the information she needed, and ten minutes later she was headed out of her apartment donned in a fleece coat, scarf and knitted beanie, making her way to the Bowery neighborhood in the crisp November morning.

When Rey arrived at the Bowery Mission homeless shelter her heart sank.  The building’s main dining hall was already packed with both people in need and volunteers; she hadn’t even thought about calling ahead to see if they even had any openings for additional help in her off the cuff decision to volunteer for the afternoon.  To her relief the smiling receptionist assured her that more help was always welcome. There was a waiting list to work in the kitchen and serve the meals, so until a spot opened for her Rey opted to spend some time with the shelter’s youngest patrons.

Rey was directed to another room off the main dining area, which was filled with about twenty toddlers and younger children being looked after by half a dozen or so volunteers while their parents had the opportunity to shower and rest.  Looking out at them, Rey felt her heart clench painfully in her chest, accompanied by a surge of guilt that squeezed the air from her lungs as her mind became awash with memories of spending much of her young childhood in similar places.  While unwelcome memories of Unkar Plutt still resurfaced from time to time, she hadn’t given any thought to her earliest years in the system since before she started working for Poe. The last time she had seen Kylo Ren she had railed on him about forgetting where he came from, but hadn’t done the same as well?

A tug on her hand brought Rey back to the here and now.  She looked down to see a small boy of about six or seven staring up at her with wide, limpid eyes.  Rey smiled at him. “Well, hello there, sweetie. What’s your name?”

The little boy didn’t answer her question, but instead proffered to her an extremely battered copy of  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone .  Rey understood immediately.

“Do you want me to read this to you?”

He nodded eagerly.

Rey walked over to one of the furthest corners of the room, away from the louder cartoons and video games, and settled on one end of a small futon sofa.  The little boy perched at the other end, like a cat that still didn’t fully trust her. Rey opened the book, mindful of the first few pages that wanted to come loose from their binding, and started to read.

“ Mr and Mrs Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were very proud of say that they were very normal, thank you very much…”

By the time the wizards all raised their glasses to toast The Boy Who Lived, the little boy had moved across the couch to snuggle into Rey’s side.  Another four children came over to listen to Harry talk to the boa constrictor, and when Harry’s Hogwarts letters started pelting out of the Dursley’s fireplace her audience swelled to ten.  She had to take a break when someone started pounding on the door of the shack on the rock out at sea, her throat dry and scratchy from reading for almost two hours. The children started to protest as she got up, but she promised to be back to tell who was on the other side of the door after she got herself some water.  When she reached the volunteer’s break room, one of the Bowery Mission staff members informed her that there was an opening in meal service, but Rey politely declined. She didn’t want to disappoint her audience.

“Um… Excuse me?”

A soft, timid voice made Rey stop in her tracks on the way back to the play area, a bottle of cold water in her hand.  Standing behind her was a full-figured teenager of about fifteen or so, wringing her hands together in a nervous gesture.  Rey smiled kindly at her. “Can I help you? Are you okay?”

“Oh… Yes, I’m okay… I was just wondering… I mean, I’m sure I’m completely wrong, but…” The girl clasped her hands so tightly together than her knuckles started to turn white.  Rey waited patiently until the girl visibly gathered her courage and blurted out almost faster than Rey could follow, “Were you just on an episode of  Iron Chef America ?”

The question caught Rey off guard, and she answered that yes, she was, without really thinking.  She kicked herself mentally for doing so - the whole point of this weekend was to try to get over Kylo Ren - but the girl suddenly lit up so brightly that Rey forgot her own grievance.

“Oh… Oh,  wow ,” the girl said breathlessly.  “I thought that maybe it was you because of how you hear your hair, but lots of girls started wearing their hair like that after that episode and…” She trailed off, looking deeply embarrassed.  “I’m sorry, I know I’m rambling and you’re busy. I just always loved Iron Chef America but the episode you were in was just so...so good .  I mean, Kylo Ren is always fun to watch and Chef Dameron is really hot, but you were my favorite part.”

Now it was Rey’s turn to blush.  While her coworkers and the other chefs of the Village complimented her fairly often on her work, she didn’t consider herself particularly exceptional.  True, she could imitate any dish down to the exact amount of salt used, but it wasn’t the same as coming up with the recipes on her own. Getting compliments from someone she didn’t know humbled her to the core.

“Thank you.  So much,” Rey said, her throat tight with emotion.  “Do you like to cook, too?”

“I do!” the girl said enthusiastically, only to deflate a bit immediately after.  “When I can, that is. A lot of the homes I stayed in don’t let the kids in the kitchen, so I don’t get to practice a lot.  I mostly only watch shows like  Top Chef, Chopped and Iron Chef.   I don’t think I’ll ever be as good as someone like you.”

“I’ll let you in on a secret,” Rey said with a mischievous smile.  “The first time I tried cooking for myself I ended up exploding eggs all over my new roommate’s kitchen.  The whole front of the apartment smelled like a fart for a week.”

The girl tried to capture her laughter by clapping a hand over her mouth, but her giggles still managed to slip through her fingers.  Her reaction prompted Rey’s smile to widen even more.

“And I’ll tell you another secret.  I didn’t learn to cook until I was nineteen.  That wasn’t even three years ago.”

Now the girl was openly gaping at her, all signs of mirth wiped clean from her face.  “But… But what you did on Iron Chef was incredible… It was like art…”

“How about this?  How about you come with me and hear how Harry learns he’s a wizard, and afterwards we can talk about cooking.”

For a second Rey was worried that the girl was going to faint on the spot. Thankfully, she only ended up nodding. “My name is Lucy, by the way.”

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Lucy.  Now let’s go see a man about an owl, shall we?”

Two chapters and a trip to Diagon Alley later, Rey and Lucy sat at an unoccupied table near the back of the Bower Mission’s dining area with a mug of tea and a glass of soda, respectively.  Lucy peppered Rey with every imaginable question pertaining to cooking, jumping from what it’s like working in the kitchen of an upscale restaurant to how certain kinds of meals are prepared to what was it like being on TV (and is the Chairman like that all the time or is it just for the show?). Finally she calmed down enough to ask - at least in Rey’s opinion - the most crucial question of all.

“Where do I even begin?  Like, what is the first thing I need to know?”

It took Rey a few minutes to wrack her brains to remember the first lessons she had, way back when Poe gave his cooking seminar at NYU. Everything she did as his prep cook was now so ingrained into her that it was difficult to remember that there was a time when she could hardly tell the difference between one end of a knife and the other.  She ran through all the basics that not only aspiring chefs should know, but everyone as they came into adulthood. Lucy didn’t look particularly impressed when Rey told her the importance of learning how to properly prepare eggs and pasta and vegetables, but Rey quickly set the record straight.

“It’s all about the foundation,” she told Lucy, bobbing a tea bag into a fresh mug of hot water.  “DaVinci didn’t paint the Mona Lisa the first time he picked up a paintbrush any more than Beethoven composed the Fifth the first time he sat down at a piano.  If you don’t have a proper foundation lay down, anything you try to build on top of it will just collapse sooner or later.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Lucy said.  “But how do I even start?”

“Like anything else that requires practice: at the beginning.  Offer to help your foster parents prepare meals, even if it’s as simple as something as cutting up vegetables or making side dishes.   Take a cooking class if you school offers it, or see if there are any programs for high school students you can enroll in. Start looking into culinary schools for after you graduate; there are a ton of them in New York, not just the CIA, and a lot of the city colleges have basic cooking courses you can take while you work on your general education courses.  And when you apply to work at a restaurant, don’t turn your nose up at the grunt work, like dish washing or the messier, more time-consuming prep work. It will prove to the head chef that you want to be there because it’s something you’re passionate about and not because of romanticized assumptions.”

Lucy nodded slowly, and Rey could tell by the set of her mouth that she was worrying the inside of her cheek.  Rey knew exactly what she was feeling, as clearly as if it was projected into her own mind: a fear and self-doubt born from living a life in the system, that no matter how well Lucy behaved or how hard she studied or worked, she would always be inadequate in the eyes of “normal” society; that being a foster child was a sigma that marked her for failure for life. The ghosts of Unkar Plutt’s hurtful words started to crawl into Rey’s own mind, a cruel taunting slur that dogged her throughout high school. Without thinking Rey’s hand shot forward to grasp Lucy’s. Lucy jumped at the unexpected contact, but she didn’t yank her hand away.

“Hey,” Rey said, looking Lucy straight in the eye.  “I was just like you when I was your age. I was in the system since I was five, and it was thirteen years of being bounced between homes of sub-par care, falling behind in school every time I got transferred and living with the certainty that it was never going to get better.  And it did, not only because I worked for it, but also because I got help. So I want you to do this: if you need to put down a reference for a college application or a work resume, you give them my name and the number to BB8. I’ll put in a good word for you.”

“But you don’t even know me!” Lucy blurted out, looking very much like she wanted to cry.

“And Poe Dameron didn’t know me, but he took that leap of faith anyway.  And someday I’ll take that same leap for you. You just have to promise me one thing.”

It took Lucy a moment to calm down, wiping the tears off her face with the sleeve of her sweatshirt to ask Rey what she wanted her to do.  Rey felt her heart go out to her. She wondered how long it was since the poor girl was given even the smallest sliver of encouragement by an adult.

“No matter where you end up, never forget where you came from.”

It wasn’t until later that Rey realized Poe Dameron’s cooking lessons were not the only ones she tapped into while she was talking to Lucy.

Rey might have missed out on Mami Trooper’s Thanksgiving feast, but that didn’t mean that she had to give up a traditional meal altogether.  And while she could just as easily make herself an upscale dinner of cranberry-glazed roast turkey and French aligot potatoes, she chose a much more non-hassle option.  She could not put her finger on an exact reason why, but there was something deeply satisfying about eating a sandwich made of pre-cooked turkey breast, instant mashed potatoes and stuffing, canned gravy and cranberry sauce on plain white bread.  She had picked up all the items on a whim on her way home from work on Tuesday, and now she was glad she did. Preparing Michelin quality food day in and day out made her appreciate the simpler, nostalgic foods and the comfort they brought. No matter how good their food was, that was something that chefs like Poe and Kylo could never replicate in their restaurants.

Rey paused, her sandwich halfway to her mouth.  Her last conversation with Kylo rose from the recesses of her mind she banished it to, but now she made no effort to stop it. She had told him that she would rather keep her sentimental memories than trade them for a lucrative career, but wasn’t she already kind of guilty of that?  When she came to New York she suddenly had the entire culinary world at her fingertips to explore. Before that she had no idea that so many different types of food existed; she could eat at a different restaurant every night and never go to the same place twice. Hell, there were still places in the Village she’d never been to. And yet there was nothing else she’d rather be eating at that time than her Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich.

A new idea materialized, which was quickly followed up by a plan.  She was still of the opinion that Kylo was a pretentious asshole and she doubted now that that would ever change, but she didn’t want to leave things as they were.

Maybe, like her, he just needed a reminder.

Rey finished her lunch, changed into warmer clothing (it was decidedly colder today) and set off for the nearest grocery outlet.

The store was virtually empty when she arrived.  The one cashier on duty gave her a smile just large enough to acknowledge her presence before returning to fiddling with their phone.

Rey moved up and down the aisles, tapping into her memories of when she was a college student living on a very limited income.  She grabbed pasta, ramen packages and rice that only cost a few dollars for several boxes and two jars of generic tomato sauce; Kraft macaroni and cheese and a few cans of soup; peanut butter, jelly and bread; half a gallon of mind and half a dozen of eggs; a couple of frozen dinners on sale for a dollar each; and finally a small package of ground beef that was marked down two dollars because it was going out of code tomorrow.  By the time Rey checked out she had spent just under thirty dollars and had enough food to make meals for the next two weeks, three if she really stretched it.

With her purchases made, Rey called for a Lyft car (she wasn’t even going to attempt the subways, even with the hub of Black Friday shopping on the other side of the city) and went straight to Walker Tower.

Roger was off-duty when Rey arrived, but the doorman who was there knew her well enough to not give her any issues as she walked in.  The Tower’s lobby was already adorned with beautiful Christmas decorations, but Rey did not give them so much as a second glance and she went to the elevators.  On the ride up to Kylo’s floor, she re-adjusted the note she prepared in the Lyft car so it sat in plain view on top of the bag. When she arrived at Kylo’s apartment, she dropped the bag outside his door, then immediately turned around and went back the way she came.

About twenty minutes later Kylo’s neighbor, fresh back from a refreshing jog, took notice of the lumpy plastic bag sitting outside his reclusive neighbor’s door.  Curiosity prompted the man to go over to investigate. He couldn’t see what was inside because a note that read “This is where I came from” lay over the top.

The man’s interest immediately vanished, his mind back on the shower he was looking forward to.  He didn’t know his neighbor other than what he heard from the other Tower’s residents, and that the unanimous decision was he was a grade-A jerk.

Rey was reading on Saturday morning when her phone  pinged with a new text message.  She was sure it was going to be another text from Finn telling her how much he missed her (complete with a crying emoji face) so her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was from a number she was sure she would never see again.  The whole apartment felt to tilt under the weight of the two words on her phone’s screen.

“I’m sorry.”

Rey stared at her screen for a full five minutes as she deliberated on the best way to respond, because she knew no matter what, it would send her down a road of no return.

Finally, she made up her mind.

“ Come over to dinner.  My roommate it out of town.  I’ll cook.”

She held her breath as she waiting for an answer.

Ping.

“I’ll bring the wine this time.”  

[docholligay]

Silverleaf 6: Fancy Feast

Welcome to Ben’s sponsored series via my Patreon, Silverleaf! Thanks so much to bed for letting me continue in this classic Teacher AU strain, I’m really enjoying it. All of Silverleaf is here, and my patreon is here. 

Michiru Kaioh was a woman of resolve, and had been since she was a young girl, trained on the vine as she was. When she saw something she wanted, be it art accolades, a position in the symphony, a couture gown, she found her way to it, one way or the other.

Michiru would never have admitted that she felt much the same way about women, but in her heart, she knew it to be true. She had never had much trouble claiming them, either. In her most private moments, this haunted her, the way everything was a consumable object in her world, and she herself felt like a product her parents had made and trained, more molded than even their champion Samoyeds. 

But she always shrugged it off as simply the way the world was, and anyone who acted differently was mostly speaking out of jealousy that Michiru had the game played so well.

She walked to Haruka’s office, drink in hand, the words Rei had said still playing in her head. It was somewhat strange, Michiru admitted, that Haruka intrigued so much as to be worth all the discord of pursuing her. But maybe she hadn’t been altogether lying, either, when she had said that it was as much to prove a point to Mina as anything else, that Mina was the tiny tyrant of the arts department.

In any case, Michiru thought, sometimes one deserved a treat.

She stood at Haruka’s doorway, simply regarding her as one might a piece of art.

She was bent over her desk, her blonde hair somewhat unkempt—she must have been running her hands through it all morning—dressed handsomely, her tie spilling onto the book in front of her. She mumbled softly to herself, carefully reading the pages in front of her.

Haruka sat up straight, and looked at the wall, her arms crossed.

“Now, I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t do it, but, uh, if you do, you should do it with someone who you like, and uh, respects you, and maybe—oh my god how have I never learned to do this?” She put her head into her palm, and rubbed her hair back and forth, moving like waves under her hand.

Michiru gave her close mouthed giggle, and Haruka turned quickly, her cheeks a deep pink.

Michiru extended the drink. “I see you need this more than I had previously imagined.”

Haruka’s office was a busy place that morning, she thought.

Michiru stood at the door, smelling as she always did, of jasmine and rose and neroli and wealth, gorgeous and intimidating and impeccably trained, like Silverleaf itself, a smile on her face and a drink in her hand.

It was mounded with whipped cream and sprinkles, sweet and chocolatey, just what Haruka liked, and the thought passed her mind momentarily that it was strange that she should know exactly what Haruka drank. And yet somehow it seemed the most natural thing in all the world.

Haruka tried not to blush, and fiddled with the back of her hair. “Michiru, sorry, I was just--”

“A difficult lesson today, I gather.” She set down the drink on Haruka’s desk and sat in the chair next to hers.

It was an odd but telling thing, Michiru noticed, the way her office was set up, the desk facing against the wall, her student seating more beside her than across from her, the way she turned to face them when she spoke to them. She was not used to life at Silverleaf, the strict lines of authority drawn, and privately Michiru hoped she would never become so.

Haruka gave a laugh. “Not my best work.”

Michiru smiled in a way she hoped was reassuring. “I am sure you will do wonderfully,” She shrugged in her delicate way, “In any case, if my memory of my youth is correct, they will be too preoccupied with their own awkwardness to bother with any of yours.”

“Yeah,” Haruka grinned, “you’re probably right.”

Haruka fiddled with the straw of the drink Michiru had given her, unsure of what to say.  Michiru was clearly, in some way, drawn to her. Or was she simply being polite? Michiru was beautiful, and cultured, and years of wondering if she was being too pushy, too bold, too butch had made Haruka cautious around women.

She could be very brave, if the issue was just throwing herself in front of a truck to save a kitten, or something easy like that, she thought.

But it couldn’t all be in her head. Her therapist had told her to trust her instincts more often, to give herself a little grace in situations. There was nothing about her that was any less deserving of Michiru than anyone else.

She took a deep, brave breath.

“Michiru, would you maybe want to,” she shrugged, trying to seem casual, “go out for dinner? Sometime? Or maybe just—“

“Oh why, Haruka, I’d love to, I rather thought you’d never ask.” She smiled, her eyelashes fanning dark and soft at the edges of her eyes. “What did you have in mind?”

Haruka stopped for a moment. She really hadn’t considered it this far. She hadn’t considered asking her at all, really. The right moment never seemed to appear, and Mina kept harping on the fact that Michiru was not to be trusted, Michiru was dangerous, and she didn’t want Haruka to get ensnared in her trap or whatever bizarre idea Mina had in her head this week.

“Um,” She sounded significantly less debonair than she’d hoped, “I could take you out to dinner?”

“As it so happens, I’m free tonight. How serendipitous.”

“Tonight?” Suddenly it all crashed on Haruka, what she had asked, like the swift wave of an emotional tsunami, but she held fast. “uh, yeah, okay,” she grinned. “Tonight”

__

Haruka seemed excited about something as soon as she came home, Mouse noticed from his basket full of afghans. She dumped her bag at the door and rushed into the bathroom, flipping on the shower immediately.  

This was unusual behavior, and it was unusual behavior that might get in the way of Mouse’s dinnertime. His human could be so excitable, sometimes, and she forgot the important things.

He stretched deeply and strolled into the bathroom, where Haruka was removing her clothes and tossing them to the floor, nearly tossing her undershirt onto Mouse.

“Excuse me,” he mewed, “ but I believe you’ve forgotten something, Haruka.”  

Haruka looked down at him. “Hi Mousie! I promise I’ll get your dinner going as soon as I get out of the shower, I need time for my hair to dry right.” She tested the water with her hand and jumped into the stream of water.

Humans, Mouse had noticed, were inefficient in their cleaning.

He jumped up on the edge of the tub and stuck his nose behind the curtain.

“For what? For Mina to come over with takeout? Isn’t tonight when you watch that show with the dates and the roses?”  Haruka usually didn’t forget things like this.

He loved his human very much, had loved her from the day Mina had dumped him unceremoniously onto her bed and declared that either Haruka needed to feed him or he would starve to death. She had seemed so sad. He had only been a kitten, but he remembered that, the way her entire aura seemed to cry.

She didn’t get like that anymore, not often, and it made him happy, but she still needed to work on some things, still, first and foremost being adherence to a reasonable schedule.

She looked down at him. “No, I promise I’ll feed you in a minute, Mouse. I have a date tonight.”

A date! It had been quite a while since Haruka had a date, having had a few odd experiences with dating websites, and a few heartbreaking ones with friends of friends. Mouse had often reaped the benefits of extra cuddles after dates gone bad, but they were never as enjoyable as happy cuddles for him.

“Use the fancy bodywash, the one that came in a package with that cologne,” he twitched his tail, “it smells nice on you.”

“In a second, honey!” Haruka called back to him.

Mouse shook his head and jumped down from the tub’s edge. Humans.

Mouse strolled out to the living room, bell tinkling softly as he surveyed the place. He certainly hoped Haruka wasn’t planning on bringing that girl back to this messy place , whoever she was now--very likely the orchestra teacher Haruka kept telling him about who had hair like the waves of the ocean and eyes like a sparkling sea and laughter that sparkled like light on the water and many such other things.

Mouse was curious to see if she were a human or the Mediterranean.

Haruka could be so dramatic, even if her grand gestures were part of her charm, he thought, glancing at the giant and well-decorated cat tree in the corner she’d given him for his birthday.

As if to prove his point, Haruka rushed through the living room and into the small kitchen, wrapped halfway in a towel and dripping water onto the floor.

Mouse scowled at the small puddle in front of him as Haruka poured his food into a bowl and set it on the ground. He looked up at her with a sense of expectation.

“It’s Tv night.” He mewed.

Haruka stared at him a moment and then shook her head. “Right, right.” She pulled a small bag out of the fridge, and drizzled some gravy on his food. “I didn’t mean to forget.”

She rushed off as Mouse chewed his food thoughtfully. He wondered if this new woman liked cats. It was essential she liked cats, he and Haruka were a team, and had been for the past few years. He’d advised her on how to decorate the place, including the very important basket of warm afghans. Haruka needed him. Who else would groom her when she forgot to get up on Saturday mornings, or sleep on her chest? These were important jobs.

Haruka slipped into the bathroom in her nice dark jeans and sportcoat, holding her tie in her hand.

Mouse swallowed another bite of food and sauntered into the bathroom, twitching his tail. The grey was nice on her, and he liked when she wore the lavender shirt with it--it really made her eyes pop.

Mouse was quite fashionable, he would have this new woman know.

"This is the night, Mouse." Haruka adjusted her tie in the mirror as he jumped up onto the counter to examine her outfit. "What do you think?"

"You look very handsome!" mewed Mouse happily. "I've always liked that tie."

"Yeah, the hair is all wrong, isn't it?" She messed with it in the mirror, frowning.

Mouse flicked his tail. She never understood him, no matter how clearly or simply he spoke. He'd only managed to teach her a few words with any reliability. She could be very dumb, but Mouse loved his human anyway.

Haruka tried to curl her hair artfully above her eyebrow, winding it around her finger. It stayed a moment, and then drooped unhelpfully against her nose, and she sighed heavily, pressing her fingers to her temples.

“Now, stop that,” he placed his front paws on her chest, looking her in the face, “you look wonderful, and she’ll love you.”

Haruka kissed the top of his head and picked up her cologne.

“Just don’t talk about your ex-girlfriend after three glasses of sangria.”

She smiled at him. “Thanks for the pep talk, Mouse. Papa’ll be home before midnight. Keep the bed warm for me.”

She didn’t always get it, Mouse thought, but sometimes, she understood.

[bleusarcellewrites]

Beyan Loobes

So! Keeping it short; a small Lance drabble with a speck of Shance and a special guest for @madam-blue !!! Happy late birthday!!! <33 

Btw, you can have an idea of Bloob by looking at Blue’s icon. ANYWAYS! I hope I did alright! Excuse the typos and bad grammar and blablabla. I tried.

Ps. Don’t ask me about the title, idk. BTW. Headcanon that Lance his mama’s eyes. That’s it. bye. i’m done. 

Disclaimer: Voltron doesn’t belong to me and neither does Bloob. 

It was just a poke.

So, okay, alright, okay, Lance will be the first one to admit that maybe his idea of exploring the Royal Garden of an alien planet was not the best idea ever considering the wild amount of unknown flora around him.

That big spiky plant that looks like a rose hanging from the walls? Yeah, that one spat out red acid at his shoes just an fifteen minutes ago and he noped the heck out of that side of the Garden.

If Lance was being honest, though, he preferred the low-key deadly garden than staying a tick more inside that boring meeting with the planet’s queen.

Was the treaty necessary? Well, yeah, of course.

He still doesn’t regret how he slipped out of the meeting room when Coran was charming the Queen with a twist of his moustache. The planet’s habitants were quite amazed with hair, alright, seeing as they were mostly smooth skin with no hair whatsoever.

Lance had tried, honest to God, he did, but he seems to be Trouble’s favorite toy because even though Lance had kept his distance with most of the flora around him, it was that damn small bush with tiny circles resembling berries that were his downfall.

They could not blame him, okay? It was a goddamn orange bush full of white berries with the size of an apple.

He has always been a curious child. He was the kind of child who will eat play dough, taste sand, and poke the shell of a crab, just for the sake of it.

So yes, technically speaking? Lance is totally justified on why he’s currently leaning down, almost kneeling in front of the orange bush and poking at one of the berries.

Poke. Just a small gentle soft poke.

He did not expect to get eyes: grey, big and owlishly looking eyes afterwards.

He also did not expect it to blink at him, the grey color in them turning a pale green before taking a sharper deep blue color in them. Lance can only stare in shock as the small berry ends up getting covered on a shade lighter than its eyes all over its round body in less than a tick.

Here’s the weirdest part: Lance takes a small familiar comfort as soon as his brain clicks on the color in the berry, but Lance doesn’t have time to think about it because suddenly, the small berry jumps.

It fucking jumps and something is rubbing against his cheek.

Oh, oh no. A berry is going to eat him alive. Great, yeah, that will look amazing in his section of the future history books: ‘Blue Paladin of Voltron, Lance McClain, found dead in Royal Garden after being half eaten by an alien berry.’

Amazing headline right there.

Lance’s is half way through narrating his own life inside the imaginary history book that it takes him around five ticks to realize that he’s still breathing and there’s a soft gentle purr near his ear.

He dares to look, turning his face slowly to the side to meet the berry’s blue eyes. The berry blinks at him one more time, eyes big and so damn familiar, before it offers him a soft smile and a soft gurgle.

Well, he would be damned but Lance is totally okay if he was going to be eaten by a cute berry like this one. He’s alright with his fate.

Except it doesn’t eat him. It just coos and nuzzles closer to Lance’s face, purring in appreciation when Lance let’s out a shaky laugh.

“Hey, hey, now! Slow it down, buddy,” Lance laughs, cupping his hands around the small alien carefully before pulling it slightly away to look at it in the eye, “Holy crow, you’re so wobbly. You are like a bubble, a wobbly bubble.”

“Who is a wobbly bubble?” Lance jumps startled at the sudden voice behind him and turns around, hands still cupping the small alien. His eyes light up at the sight of his boyfriend, followed close behind by Allura and the Queen herself.

“This tiny fella: I’m not sure where they came from, but here they are.”

Shiro blinks in curiosity at the small ball in Lance’s hands, leaning down to get a closer look. The small berry-like alien stares right back at him in silence before it coos and bumps its face against Shiro’s nose.

“They like you.” The Queen muses from behind, a serene and soft expression in her face as she watches the display in front of her, “Young Blue Paladin, the Beyan Loobes are one of the most excotic and precious plants in our flora. They are some of the most valuable companions, since they forge a strong bond with whoever awakens them. A trusty friend and ally for all livings.”

“They are quite extraordinary.” Allura whispers in awe, her hands hovering over the Beyan in hesitating, looking up at Lance in question.

The brunet smiles reassuringly at her and pulls his friend higher. The princess smiles when the small Beyan nuzzles against her palm.

“I have to say, though, it’s extremely unusual for them to wake up out of season, and for them to leave the planet itself but at the sudden events...” The Queen trails off, her pale violet eyes lingering a second too long on the small Beyan before they turn to look at Lance, her features turning a shade more serious, “Young Blue Paladin, I know your talents and your capability as a warrior, but as this Beyan’s Queen and you, as their chosen bond companion, I must ask of you: do you accept the bond they have entrusted on you?”

Lance blinks, shifting his gaze from the Queen’s eyes to look down at the Beyan in his hands, how it sinks deeper into the warm around his hands provide, and suddenly there’s no hesitation.

“Your Highness,” Lance calls, strong and unwavering, “I pledge to you my word as a Paladin, as a man, and as human, that I accept their bond and I will do everything in my power to be a worthy companion of the small treasure you have offered me.”

The Queen eyes him carefully, her eyes never leaving his, before she nods satisfied, a small relieved smile on her face.

“I thank you greatly, Young Blue Paladin.”

Lance shakes his head softly. “It’s me who is grateful, Your Highness.”

“Now, come, the royal feast for your departure is about to start, we cannot be late.” Allura nods besides the Queen before meeting both Shiro and Lance’s eyes. Both Paladins nods at her and then they are left behind in the garden.

“This is an unusual souvenir.” Shiro chuckles nudging the brunet playfully with his shoulder, making him laugh.

“I’m not one to complain.” Lance shrugs, bringing Beyan close to his face, eyes shining with emotion, “Are you ready to be part of our Paladin adventure, Mr. Berry?”

Shiro snorts besides him. “Mr. Berry, Lance?”

Lance pouts and shots him a mocking glare. “They looked like a berry, but fine! Mr. I’m Too Picky With Names, how about….”

“Bloob.”

Lance blinks, arching a confused eyebrow at his boyfriend. “Bloob…” he repeats slowly, and his mouth twitches in amusement when Shiro nods happily.

“Yeah, B for Beyan and Loob for Loobes: Bloob!”

Lance giggles, covering his mouth with his free hand to keep his laughter in check. “Oh my god, you dork, you actually just said ‘bloob’.”

There’s a chirp and both Paladins look down to catch the Beyan’s eyes. They coo at the sight of it gently jumping with excitement and happiness and Shiro shots Lance a victory grin.

“I think Bloob just decided for you.”

Lance purses his lips in mock indignation and sticks his tongue out to his boyfriend. “Get your own Bloob, mi rey.”  

Shiro laughs and raises both of his hands in surrender before holding his flesh one out towards the brunet.

Lance smiles, intertwining his free hand immediately with Shiro’s. The couple heads towards the exit in silence before Lance stops short, breath hitching, and looks down at Bloob.

“My mama’s eyes,” Lance gasps, a small excited smile creeping over his mouth, “That’s why you looked familiar. You have my mama’s eyes.”

Bloob doesn’t answers. They limit themselves to settle down further down in Lance’s hand before closing their eyes for a quick nap.

Lance’s smile stays on for the rest of the day.

[reylofanfictionanthology]

For one is love and both are one in love is now live!  

Authors will be revealed next week!  For now all fics are anonymous. Treats can be posted through author reveals on 2/21.  We will post an updated masterpost at that time.

For one is love and both are one in love collection on AO3 |  Gift Fic Master Post Part One | Treats Masterpost

Gift Fic Master Post Part Two: 

In Other Words, Hold My Hand for MBlair

Stargazing and waltzing on the lake.

Meet Me in the Meadow for MeadowHayle

Ben was not the typical Alpha. Rey was not the typical Omega. Utterly indifferent to other people, only in their fantasies or dreams would they experience desire. After many years of loneliness, they meet in a support group for struggling demi-humans, and everything changes. Ben and Rey embark together on a healing journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Maybe, they don’t need to be alone, anymore. Maybe, they were never alone, to begin with.

The Rise of Ren for Merixcil

For the last seat in the Knights of Ren, there are two candidates. The first, a powerful scion of a great Force legacy, formally trained by the last Jedi. The second, a force sensitive urchin with no past, nurtured by the cut-throat criminal underworld. Kylo or Kira. There can only be one.

Legion for midwinterspring

The war was over. Across the galaxy, hundreds called out in one voice: “I need a teacher.” A fic for midwinterspring for the RFFA Valentine’s Day 2020 Exchange Prompt: Rey and Ben train new Force users and fix things

All That Glitters for MintyCel

The Kingdom of Exegol holds the key to Kylo's future. All he needs to do is to get past the omega guarding it.

Thaw My Frozen Heart for Miranda13

“A bounty hunter decides that the former Supreme Leader would make an excellent prize and manages to get the jump on Ben while he is on a mission for the Resistance, encasing him in carbonite. Rey is quick to mount a solo rescue mission and helps Ben recover from the hibernation sickness when she eventually gets him back." - Reylo-Prompts

Good Boy for MissCoppelia

Ben adopts a dog who needs some training. Thankfully, he gets help (and a little bit more) from Rey, a dog trainer.

the world's not perfect but for misszeldasayre

What would happen in a galaxy where the New Republic never got off the ground and the First Order choked before it started? Maybe a scavenger girl would become a foundling under the care of a Mandalorian bounty hunter.  Maybe a troubled child would shake off a burdensome legacy to follow his father's less-than-lawful profession. Maybe a cocky flyboy would find himself using his charm to win gigs delivering spice for the syndicates. Maybe a mechanically-minded girl would start taking off-the-books jobs for the occasional criminal. Maybe a boy with too many questions would leave his parents to learn about this thing called the Force. Turns out the galaxy is a lawless place with every sentient for themselves.

like roses and clover for mrstater

" There is no comfortable position. No matter how he laid down on his cot, his bones feel brittle, his skin itching all over with the sensation of a thousand ants crawling all over his body. His stomach swirls like a maelstrom, and he blames it on the caf he had in order to stay awake through one of his lessons. Pathetic. You can’t even sleep right. He promises to skip the caf the next day, and his consciousness floats on the surface even as he wishes to be pulled under." -- Ben Solo has never had a single good night's sleep in his life. Rey of Jakku never wanted one. The Battle of Exegol rang and wants to know if this is still the case.

It never gets easier, you just get better.  for MyJediLife

Ben is an addict working through his pain. Rey is a counselor assigned to his care. They weren't supposed to fall in love.

Dreamscape  for Nebulous Bounds (RainonyourBack)

Kylo mostly worsens and occasionally betters Rey's visions while she sleeps.

Why we can't be for newseptembers

When old Maz forsaw a dyad, Rey never thought it would be a soulmate bond between her and the First Order coven member Kylo Ren. Desperately trying to undo her connection to the enemy, she seeks out ancient texts and meets Ben, a bookshop owner and crafter, who seems to catch her attention every time they meet.

Beside the Lake for Ngoc12thefangirl

“Ben…” It’s half groan, half laugh, all ache — and he wants to reach out to her but he doesn’t trust himself to stop at only holding her hand. Rey’s gaze softens, and that grief she’s been feeling comes roiling out of her like a thunderstorm. It’s too much for him to take. “Tell me.” “I want kids.” She says the words so softly that he might not have known what she was saying if he hadn’t seen her lips moving and heard the syllables echoing in his mind. “Oh.” It’s stupid, but he doesn’t know what else to say. “I mean…” She fumbles again, but this time she doesn’t even bother finishing in words. I want kids now. A short, smutty one-shot in which Ben and Rey grapple with the next step in their life together.

You Need A Teacher for ninecrimes

After the events of TROS, Rey returns to Ahch-To... and a healed Ben Solo. There, she plans to consummate their relationship. Too bad she has no idea what she's doing.... Luckily, Ben is happy to teach her everything he knows. ----- “Okay.” Rey took a deep breath, preparing herself for the strange, mortifying experience to come. “So what do I do?” “Well,” he said, “first you let me kiss you some more. Then, when you’re ready, you take your clothes off. Then you sit on my face.” “Just like that?” “Just like that.”

Grey Skies Ahead for NiriKeehan

She took his hand—not in the name of the Light, or the Dark. They were a dyad, the embodiment of balance—an Alliance of Grey.

Ever as before and ever just as sure as the sun will rise for OccasionallyCreative

The war is over. On a peaceful estate in Naboo's Lake Country, Rey and Ben prepare for their wedding and think of how they got here. Using lyrics of title song of 'Beauty and the Beast'.

swish of the bumblebee for OptimisticBeth

She should get the sand - and gravel, and rocks - and run all the way home and make things right for him. Although, the fish had gotten her into this mess in the first place, however inadvertently, so maybe she should move him to Finn’s room where she wouldn’t have to look at his little fins swishing away ever again, reminding her of- Rey's betta fish needs an upgrade in living conditions. When she posts a question asking for help, she gets a little more than she bargained for.

Dissolver of Sugar for optimus_pam

“Rey...what could anyone do, to make up for what Kylo Ren did?” Or: Redemption isn't supposed to be easy. A TROS fix-it fic, of sorts.

Delirium for PalenDrome (nerdherderette)

That was the trouble with these things, wasn't it? Every once in a while the drugs backfired and they both got a dose of what was really, probably, very potent pheromones. Excerpt: He heard the edge of anger in her voice, the snarl she tried so desperately to conceal. The powder was getting to her. "You're jealous, aren't you?" "No!" "You are." Against his better judgement, he stalked to her, backing her to the wall. "You can't stand the fact that you're not my first partner." "I'm not your partner!" He leaned in, lips almost to her ear. "You want to be though, don't you?" She barreled into him with a scream, head connecting with his chest as she tackled him to the floor. Faster than he could react, she had his arms pinned over his head, knees firmly pressing into his breastbone. "I don't want to be anything to you. Not your friend, not your ally, and especially not your lover."

Renewed for patig_00

The world between worlds is neither hot nor cold. So when Ben feels his arms break into gooseflesh, when his shoulder aches with not a remembrance but an actual twinge of pain, when he tries to rouse himself from meditation and realizes that he’s fighting the need to fall back asleep, he opens his eyes—in a room on the Millennium Falcon. [[Something in the Force allows Ben Solo to be resurrected on the Millenium Falcon during a little Resistance mission. Expected hilarity ensues. Angst WITH A HAPPY ENDING.]]

 a million miles (cross the ocean)  for persimonne

in which the Force tries to pay back some of the debt it owes the Skywalkers.

All that's best of dark and bright for persopilliankore

Rey had big plans for Valentine's Day: laundry, errands, and an evening of fantasizing over her impossibly sexy building manager, Ben Solo. That was before she found an anonymous love poem in her mailbox.

Wherever There is You, I Will be There Too for politicalmamaduck

According to Greek mythology, Tartarus is the deep abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked. Rey journeys there in search of a lost soul.

Laid To Rest for PoliticalPadmé (magnetgirl)

Ben wants to show Rey the galaxy, to see it with her. First, they have business on Naboo.

What Was Lost Is Now Found for punkeraa

"Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." The Parable of the Prodigal Son, New International Version

Be With Me for qotsisajakk

TROS Fix-it. When Rey asks the Jedi of the past to be with her, the bond she shares with Kylo Ren also opens. He is forced to come to terms with his growing feelings for her, and together, they take down the greatest evil, those words continue to bring them together.

Always in Motion for QueenOfCarrotFlowers

Dr. Rey Jackson, archaeologist, is mistaken for a celebrity and given an upgrade to Business Class on her incredibly long flight. Unfortunately, she's been seated next to the douchebag who's been pestering her for the last two hours. More unfortunately, she finds a letter in her carry-on bag telling her that their plane is about to go down. The worst part? The letter was written by Luke Skywalker, a man who has been dead for years.

we might be the outsiders for radioactivesaltghoul

As though, in a blink, the cavern becomes light, and he sees the pale cream and gold shimmer of the creature, with a dark brown pattern across the head and hood.

Between the Sun and the Moon for redbelles

The Force demands that Rey and Ben pay a price for the power they gained in their preparation to take down Palpatine, but they don’t learn what they paid until it disturbs the peaceful life they’re trying to build together after the war is over.

Starless Sky, Black for RedPaladin465

“Why did you change your mind?” It takes a long time for her to answer. “I didn’t want to be alone.”

The Girl From The Tower for ReyloBrit

Prompt: "Quiet and obedient Rey lives a godly life with her grandfather, until the family hire a new gardener Ben, a mysterious and deeply attractive man. Sparks fly between the two."

The Falcon and the Wolf for reylotrash711

On the fifth anniversary of the destruction of Starkiller Base the Senate is throwing a masked ball and invited members of the old Resistance. Still trying to rehabilitate his image, Senator Ben Solo has no choice but to attend. Written to fulfill this prompt: Ben and Rey dance at a masked ball, unaware of who they are dancing with. Until the masks are taken off at midnight. Romance and Sexual Tension ensue, will they be able to refrain their urges? Hell no. But I also mixed in a healthy dose of this prompt as well: Prompt 2 - What if Ben was unable to bring Rey back and had to call on the help of the Skywalkers that came before him? Is he ready to pay the price of losing his force sensitivity for the women he loves?

and we'll live a long life for ReyloTrashCompactor (NextToSomething)

When Rey heals him on Kef Bir, Ben has a vision. He and Rey must work together to prevent it from coming true.

Found Belonging for rissanox

Rey joins her friends and former comrades in arms on Chandrila for the festivities around the anniversary of the battle of Exegol. To everyone’s surprise she is accompanied by two mysterious Mandalorians.

Loathe Thy Neighbor for SaintHeretical

Rey's neighbor is the worst. He listens to terrible music, he's impolitely large, and he smells incredible. She hates almost everything about him. Especially the smelling good bit.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight? for shiiera

Ben Solo travels to Takodana National Park in South Africa on a research mission where he meets fellow researcher, Rey. While they might get along as well as lions and hyenas at first, perhaps they have more in common with each other than they think.

He's Just Not That Into You(r) Scent for shipperofdarkness

Rey is a young and single Omega who hasn't had a lot of luck so far finding a nice Beta guy who isn't a total flake. They say they've had a great time with her, but seem to have a difficult time with calling her back. Ben is an Alpha bartender who is tired of hearing about her dating difficulties, and is ready to drop some truth bombs. An ABO He's Just Not That Into You AU

The Purest Love for six4au

When a deeply scarred and traumatized Ben Solo is placed in a program to try and pair him with a canine helper, he finds that he gets more than he ever imagined with the therapist assigned to him.

The Monster in Skywalker Manner for solikerez

Rey marches up the walk, takes hold of the door knocker, and bangs it sharply three times. Nothing. She rattles the door handle. Nothing. Absurdly, she checks the address (is this the right creepy-and-probably-abandoned-Skywalker-Manner on Alderaan street?). It is. -Or- Rey takes a shady job to clean the old Skywalker Manner and discovers that there's something much scarier than dust and spiderwebs living there. But maybe that's not the whole story, because what kind of monster loves roses and books?

Stargazing for SpaceWaffleHouseTM

“I wish they would go blind, stop whispering: he’s lying, he’ll leave. I hate that they know what I don’t want to hear. Their poison passes my lips, harmless. Call me Faith, not Medusa, no one need become stone.”

through the darkness to the dawn  for starfleetjedi

She couldn’t breathe. Spots danced in her vision, black as the nothingness yawning behind her breastbone. Ben was gone. No. The plea tore out of her, wild and broken, racing through the vastness of the Force, past stars and planets and distant moons to the far edges of the universe. There was only silence. She tried again. Ben. Ben, please. Answer me. Or: Rey, after.

Tabula Rasa for suchlostcreatures (godfmischief)

Ben survives the battle on Exegol. That was the easy part.

Intro to Love for TheStolenQuill

Rey and Ben are music students, put together to work on a final that, surprise isn't in a music class. They hadn't really known each other much before that but will that change as they keep working together?

I met you once — ( In a dream ) for thewayofthetrashcompactor (BriarLily)

He sucks in a deep breath and exhales, a pout forming on his plump lips and it's so distracting the way they- "Just Ben," He closes his eyes. "see me no more than that, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚." Or Where Ben and Rey are soulmates and Ben is more than meets the eye

Supernova for Tiara_of_Sapphires

“She loved him so much she was going to smother him with it until there wasn’t a molecule of doubt left in his heart.” After the war Rey and Ben settle into an uneasy life of peace, followed by judgment and resentment. Ben Solo may have decided to remain behind to atone for his sins, but the people won’t forget Kylo Ren so soon.

Happy Accident for tmf

A baby. Her baby having a baby. She’d given up dreams of grandchildren when Ben was fourteen, and not even his having a steady girlfriend had let her change her mind about it. “So yeah, we need to talk,” Rey mumbles at last. Ben doesn’t say a word, and Leia can imagine him clearly, sitting there, staring off into space, dazed—like when she’d told Han that she was pregnant.  One fun night at the Yub Nub Club and a little bit of carelessness with the condom... Not that she’d ever tell Ben that he’d been an accident.  He’d guessed it for years, but she’d go to her grave asserting he hadn’t been. “You want to keep it,” Ben says at last—a statement, not a question. — Or: Leia watches her son and his girlfriend prepare to become parents.

Crafting A Connection for tmwillson3

Rey and Ben have been friends forever, so much so that Ben never dreamed that it something as small as getting that manager's position he'd been gunning for would get in the way of it. Now that it has, Rey's been distant. So... so distant and he has no idea how to get her back. Rey has only been trying to be a good friend and not use him for his status, which means instead of accepting rides from him like she had, she hasn't. She isn't trying to push him away but things are different, and he's difficult now. What on earth can she do about it? Mother nature has something to say about these two, that's for sure. The snow storm of the year is coming, stranding the two together the Friday before Valentine's Day weekend to give them the time to work things out.

this tangled light for TolkienGirl

The war is over, but at what cost?

Welcome to the Fire for trasharama

Rey is competing on the reality television show, First Order Inferno, for a chance to become Head Chef at Benjamin Solo's latest restaurant. What happens when the competition gets a little too hot in the kitchen?

as certain dark things are to be loved for tropixo (ursaminors)

Lady Rey, Master of the Knights of Ren, makes a choice. She chooses Ben Solo.

Bend or Break for tweis24

It's been six months since the Battle of Crait. Both sides of the war have been continuing down their path, both sides struggling with loss. For some, it's just business. But for others, it's personal. For Rey of Jakku and Kylo Ren... it most certainly is personal. Once again, the Supreme Leader of the First Order and the Jedi, Hope of the Resistance confront each other and clash. How will they react and what will transpire when Bonds are blocked and unexpected events are thrown their way? Will either of them bend? Or will they break?

Heaven, let me through for Twisted_Mirror

No matter how hard they try, they can't get each other out of their heads.

Osmosis for viajeramyra

“I don’t need Ben Solo,” Rey states, rising from the throne. Her steps are slow and deliberate as she stalks towards him. “I need Kylo Ren.” Distantly, she notes the irony. And then she offers him her hand. ------ In which Ben doesn't reach Rey in time. (And the one time he does.)

Tell the World I'm Alive for VirtualMadness

Rey returns to Exegol to retrieve all she has left of Ben Solo: his shirt. But what she finds there isn't at all what she expected to find. (Title comes from the song Who Will Save You Now by Les Friction. The lyrics are just so Reylo and it's a beautiful song.)

Sunset for Vivien

Rey has news. Ben has a question.

 Good Morning, Mrs. Solo  for walkingsaladshooter

Just a sweet one-shot about a really good morning for Ben and Rey. Modern AU.

After the End for witchsoup

Ambassador Organo-Solo is asked to attend a celebration to mark the anniversary of the end of the war, and is reunited with the woman whose life he saved. The woman he once loved.

getting the best of your opponent is easier if you smooch them first for wombathos

A few months after the Battle of Crait, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren orders a ceasefire and asks to meet a delegation from the Resistance to negotiate the end of the war and the future of the Galaxy far, far away. But our heroes Finn and Rose notice straight away that their friend Rey is behaving strangely…

Borne Aloft for Xochiquetzl

A mysterious voice has called Rey to Tatooine after the death of Ben Solo and the defeat of the First/Final Order. Once she's there, a ghostly guide offers to take Rey through the Underworld to save Ben and return him to the world of the living.