#i can’t play brig

[gazpacho-deluxe]

i love playing zen sm. like i literally can just orchestrate 1v1s to win fights by orbing whoever’s doing shit and discording their opponent and it’s sick and awesome it feels so fun to play

[peachsukii]

unbreakable bonds ꒰ no quirks au | childhood friends | friends to lovers ꒱ ⇢ a collective of family bonding and little moments between you and katsuki.

『♡』  k.bakugo x fem!reader ꒰ tags & content ꒱ emotional hurt/comfort, fluff, tooth-rotting fluff, happiness all around ⋆ ˚ʚɞ — just wanted to write something sickly sweet and it’s been sitting in my drafts forever. reader has a little sister that helps bond the two of you together over the years. cross posted to ao3 | word count; 3.3k -`✧ katsuki bakugo masterlist

You were too young - a little over three - to understand the day your mom brought home your little sister. You'd been secretly asking the universe for a sibling, someone to share everything with. Ask and you shall receive! But, you never knew just how much she would shape your life into what it is today.

The Kingdom - Elementary School

Fourth grade is when you and Katsuki started to play after school together on a daily basis. Him and Izuku would come by and grab snacks from your mom while you went back to the park around the corner, playing pirates and super heroes with the other neighborhood kids. Every so often, your mom would ask for you to bring your sister along. You never minded, even though she was your baby sister in first grade. The boys would pick on her - lovingly, of course - to make her feel included with the rest of the pack. She loved being around you, cooing and giggling away as she'd hold your hand and squeal with delight.

One day at the park, she'd declared herself to be queen of the castle as she stood on the slide, proudly puffing out her chest with her hands on her hips.

"I am the queen, and what I say goes!" she pointed to you and Katsuki. "Sissy will be the princess and you will be our royal guard, Katsu!"

You chuckle. "Isn't the older sister supposed to be queen?"

She does her best impression of a royal laugh, projecting her voice theatrically. "Not in my land! It's my kingdom and if you don't like it, I'll send you to the brig!"

"You're confusin' pirates 'n princesses again,” Katsuki taunts playfully.

She stomps her foot on the slide. “Silence in my kingdom! Izu will be my knight!”

Katsuki pouts. “Hey! Why don’t I get to be the knight?!’

“Cause I say so! You’re the royal guard cause you’re tough. Izu is the knight because he’s brave!”

You can’t help but let out a loud ‘hah!’ at her comment. Your sister never failed to push Katsuki in the cutest ways - he probably was thankful to be an only child whenever you guys would go home for the day.

Katsuki huffs at her declaration, taking the challenge with stride. “Fine! I’ll show you who’s tough and be the best dang guard in the whole world.”

“Do I get a cool set of armor, queen?” Izuku asks, bouncing up and down at the bottom of the slide.

“Of course! Only the best armor and ponies for my royal kingdom.”

She sits and pushes herself down the metal slide, rocketing off the edge past Izuku and barreling toward Katsuki. She trucks into him at full force - but, being small, that force isn’t much for him to withstand.

“What the heck was that for?!” he yells while catching her before she hits the wood chips.

“A test of your toughness, Katsu! And you passed! You’re deserving of a spot in my kingdom,” she giggles, mashing his cheeks together with her tiny palms. He protests her closeness and tries to fight her off, setting her feet back on the ground while she’s wiggling in his hold. Watching the two of them act like siblings themselves always made you feel so warm and fuzzy inside, knowing your two closest friends also adored your sister as much as you did.

You meander over to grab her from him. “Alright, I think you made your point, queen. Your guard and knight have other duties to get to.”

She waves goodbye to the boys over her shoulder as the two of you stroll home for dinner. She gleefully remarks how cool they are and that she can’t wait to marry them someday.

You can’t help but giggle at the thought. “Both of them? Wow, all to yourself, huh?”

She pouts and whips her head upward. “No, sissy! We both get one!”

”Oh yeah? Because you’re the queen of the kingdom, you get to pick?”

“That’s right! They’ll have to fight to see who gets to pick you!”

You roll your eyes, shaking your head at the thought. You’re only ten years old, the thought of boys fighting over you was hilarious.

”Promise not to tell Izu, but I think Katsu would win that fight,” she whispers, tugging on your hand to get you to lean over closer to her face. “He’s taller and faster!”

The thought of marrying Katsuki flashes in your mind - you have zero clue what that even looks like, but you imagine him bringing you flowers on the playground or giving you a bite of his ice cream. A blush creeps over your cheeks and nose at the thought. Your sister catches your reaction and gasps dramatically.

“You like Katsu?!” she exclaims.

You shush her. “No! Don’t go yelling that!”

That’s a big fat lie. You liked him a lot, he was your favorite person, but you’re kids.

It’s just a harmless crush.

───

An Enchanted Afternoon - Elementary School

A week later, the four of you returned to the playground after school. Snacks from your pantry in hand, the bunch of you sit on the swing set to eat. Your sister seemed extremely eager today, more so than usual. Once you all finished eating, she demanded your attention.

"Gather 'round! Your queen summons you," she declares, arms raised above her head. You and the boys huddle around her.

"Katsu, go fetch flowers!" she orders as she points to a nearby patch of grass. "Zuzu, clear out the sandbox of any villagers."

There wasn't anyone else here today, so that job was easily done. Izuku doesn't say anything and smiles as he heads over to the sandbox as ordered. Katsuki is confused, nose scrunched and arms crossed.

"Why do I need to get flowers?" he asks, tapping his foot in the wood chips.

"Do you dare defy your queen?!" she shouts, grinning wickedly. He obliges, sauntering over to the grass to find a few spare daisies.

"What's all this for?" you ask, genuinely curious to her plans. She doesn’t answer you as she grabs you by the wrist, dragging you over to the sandbox.

A few minutes later, Katsuki comes back with a handful of daisies, picked and pruned clean of any dirt and weeds. Izuku stands on the edge of the sandbox patiently.

”Perfect! Katsu, Sissy, please approach your queen.”

You play along and stand in front of her with Katsuki. It’s amusing how small she is in comparison to the two of you, easily shadowing over her figure.

“With my knight as witness, I give the blessing to the princess and royal guard to be married forever!” she exclaims, waving her hands around to mimic casting a magic spell.

You're pretty sure she got that line from a princess movie, but that doesn't make the sentiment any less adorable. You begin to chuckle to yourself, smiling ear to ear before turning toward Katsuki. You're expecting him to be disgusted, repulsed by something so sickly sweet, but are shocked to see him standing with the flowers outstretched in your direction. He's biting his bottom lip and avoiding eye contact by staring directly at your feet.

"H-here," he whispers meekly, pushing the flowers into your hands. You've never seen him so shy before - that's usually Izuku's demeanor. His unexpected affection makes your little heart flutter in your chest.

"Thank you 'Suki," is all you can muster up the courage to say, your mind running blank on the right thing to say. It's just an imaginary scenario...It's not real, not like you're actually marrying him. Katsuki exhales, turning his back to you to hide his strawberry colored cheeks.

"Now you're together forever!" you sister raves, dancing on her tip toes with satisfaction.

Maybe that was the moment she bound you two together with some unknown magical force, or it was a mere coincidence. The sappy part of your young brain believed in fairytales and chose to believe she was weaving your golden string to him, binding you two for life.

───

Leftovers - Middle School

”Yo, brats! Come eat already so I can get the hell outta here,” Katsuki called from your doorway. He’d come by with leftovers from his mom for you and your sister, since your own mom was working later that day. The two of you were still…friends? You weren’t sure. Being in seventh grade and all, he started acting like you weren’t cool enough for him. He did the same to Izuku, starting to ditch the two of you for other kids in class to hang out with at lunch or walk home with. Did it hurt your feelings? Absolutely. But you didn’t own him, he was allowed to have other friends, even if it did suck to see him less outside of class.

“Coming!” you called back, skipping down the hallway with your sister in tow. She happily ran into the entryway, hugging Katsuki by the waist. She was taller now, but still much smaller than him as a fourth grader.

“Hiya Katsu!” she gleamed up at him, rubbing her face against his uniform jacket.

He grunted, uncomfortable with her sudden affection and poking her in the forehead to release her grip. “Let go, squirt!”

He turned his attention to you as your sister finally let go of him. “Here, take these. I gotta get to practice.”

”Thank you! Tell your mom we said hi.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

You hand the containers to your sister as she wanders off to the table. Before Katsuki opens the door, you tap him on the shoulder.

“Hey, are you alright?”

He scoffs at your question. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You just seem distant lately. Wanna come by sometime for a movie marathon?” you ask, tilting your head and giving him a warm smile.

“We’re not kids anymore. Got better stuff to do.”

Ouch, that stung. Your smile fades away as you reply. “Well…I know. I just miss hanging out with you.”

“You have Deku an’ that other group of bitches you hang out with, ya don’t need me.” His harsh comment has notes of jealousy intertwined in his words. He goes to put his hand on the door again before you take a step forward to stop him.

“Kat, they’re not a replacement for you. You’ve got your own friends now, too since you’re on the soccer team. You’re saying we can’t hang out 'cause we have different friends?”

He glares at you before pushing past you and pulling on the front door.

“Hey!” your sister shouts from the dining area. “Katsu, that’s not nice. My royal guard doesn't act like that!” She’s always thought of Katsuki as a guard since your elementary school playground days.

“Cut the shit! We’re not kids anymore!” Katsuki rebuttals with a growl of frustration.

He makes eye contact with you. “We’ve grown apart, end of fuckin’ story. Get over it.”

He slams your front door closed and leaves you standing in the entryway, your eyes stinging from the urge to cry. You feel a small gust of wind rush by as your sister is sprinting to the door, throwing it open and running outside without shoes on.

“Hey!” She calls after Katsuki. “Get your butt back here, Katsu!”

He turns on his heel. “Hah?!”

She stomps on the ground, fists balled at her sides. “Apologize to her!”

Katsuki cackles, a little too manically. “For what, brat?”

“You’re being a mean jerk to her! She doesn’t deserve to be yelled at like that. Friends are friends forever, idiot!” she yells, her cheeks puffed and eyebrows scrunched together.

You can’t help but stifle a laugh at her calling Katsuki an idiot and turn your head to hide your amusement.

”That’s not who you are, Katsu. That’s not how you treat your princess!”

He pinches the bridge of his nose and screws his eyes shut in annoyance, exhaling dramatically. He locks his gaze on you, storming back up to the doorway. He roughly ruffles your sister’s hair as he passes by her as a pseudo apology. Katsuki sucks the air through his teeth and shoves his fists in his pockets as he stops in front of you.

“Look, ‘m sorry for yellin’, okay?” he sighs, kicking a foot against the pavement. “I'll come over Saturday, we’ll have that movie day ya wanted.”

"You don't need to if you feel forced to hang out with me." Your eyes shift to your feet to avoid looking at his reaction.

" 's fine. I'll be here at noon, don't pick anything lame."

With that, he turns to leave for a second time in silence. You watch him disappear around the corner and can't help but feel like a burden for asking him to make time for you. As if reading your mind, your sister shakes you out of the negative train of thought while walking back to the house.

“Don’t worry about him, he’s just being a dumb boy. That’s what my teacher says when boys are mean for no reason.” She grins a toothy smile up at you and grabs your hand. “Come on! Foods getting cold!”

Katsuki rounded the corner and waited to be out of sight before palming his face in anger. He had no idea why he said those things to you. None of it was true, especially that you’d grown apart. If anything, he was jealous of your friends and missed seeing you all the time. But he couldn’t bring himself to say so, like always. Ever since middle school started, he’d harbored some unknown rage inside of him that lashed out every chance it could. He hated it and didn’t know what to do to stop it - hence trying out for the soccer team, looking for an outlet for the pent up emotions in his body.

Katsuki secretly hoped you wouldn’t end up despising him for it. Even after all this time, he still thinks of you whenever he sees a patch of daisies.

Maybe one day he’d be brave enough to tell you about it.

───

Running Late - High School

The front door to your home opens as Katsuki slips inside, kicking his loafers off by the door. Your younger sister peaks over the kitchen counter while spreading jam over her toast and nods in his direction.

"Hey Katsu, pretty sure she's still asleep upstairs," she calls, rolling her eyes. "I tried to get her up three times, maybe you'll have better luck."

It was hard to believe that she was already in her freshmen year of high school - shit, it’s crazy that you and Katsuki were seniors. The age of playground days and summer adventures went by in the blink of an eye.

He makes his way to the kitchen island, leaning over to ruffle your sister’s hair - some things never change.

"Thanks, bean. I'll get her ass movin’."

“Stooop! You’ll mess up my hair!” She whines as she pulls away, fixing a few stray pieces of her fluffy mane.

“Ya look fine, don’t sweat it,” he compliments while heading for the staircase. He makes his way to your bedroom on the second floor. The door is surprisingly cracked open - he taps on the doorframe to grab your attention.

“Come in,” you call, lying on your bed facing the wall above the covers while scrolling on your phone. You presume it’s your sister until a soft kiss is planted on your cheek.

“Mornin’ sweets,” Katsuki whispers, rubbing your shoulder to turn you to face him. He sits on the edge of your bed beside you. “You wanna be late for our last first day of high school?”

You shift to sit up and drop your phone to your bed, reaching to cradle his face in your hands.

“No, I just wanted to steal a few kisses first,” you mumble as your lips quietly meet his. Katsuki places one hand on your cheek while the other lightly grazes your back. After a few moments, the two of you part with a soft smack. You stand and straighten up your uniform skirt, flattening a few of the panels to work out any stray creases.

“Do I look okay?” You ask, spinning around for Katsuki and showing off your uniform. Your hair was pulled into a pretty ponytail with a few pieces framing your face. The only make up you had on was some lip gloss - you valued sleeping in over doing a minimalist makeup look today.

“Y’always look good,” he sighs, standing to his feet. “Let’s get movin’ before bean suspects somethin’.”

You hadn’t told your sister about your relationship with Katsuki. Sure, you guys had been friends since you were children and he’s always around…how would she know the difference?

The two of you patter down the hallway and skip down the stairs to the kitchen. Your sister is waiting for the two of you, arms crossed and tapping one foot impatiently.

“Finally! Get your damn shoes on,” she orders while pushing you toward the door. She does a double take at Katsuki while you’re putting on your shoes, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Katsu…are you wearing lipgloss?”

Oops.

Katsuki’s searching for something to say as his face glows scarlet. He puts a hand on the back of his neck and turns away, grumbling while attempting to hide his embarrassment.

“Oh come on, you two. I knew you guys started dating months ago. You think I didn’t notice?”

You spin around to face her, cheeks puffed and eyebrows scrunched. “You never said anything?!”

She laughs, walking up to Katsuki and placing a hand on his shoulder.

“If you ever hurt her, Katsuki, I’ll knock your lights out. I know where you sleep,” she threatens, grinning mischievously. Katsuki pulls her into a headlock, ruffling her hair a second time.

“Deal, but I plan on stayin’ alive.” He lets her go, chuckling as he smooths out the pieces of hair he messed with.

Seeing the two of them get along never fails to make your heart swell with joy. Katsuki has always treated her like his own sister - one that he could easily give back at the end of every day, anyways.

She turns with a huff with her hands in the air.

“You both have my blessing, you should know that. I didn’t marry you two in a sandbox for nothing!”

───

Today Was A Fairytale - Current Day

“It’s an honor to be doing this for a second time. You’re in luck, my vocabulary has grown exponentially since our sandbox days.”

There’s a wave of laughter through the crowd at your sister’s lighthearted joke. You can’t help but smile as Katsuki’s fingers dance across the back of your hand to regather your attention.

God, he looks so damn handsome in that tux. His usual wild hair is slicked back and tamed - an extremely rare sight. Carmine eyes stare back at you, full of devotion and excitement for this next chapter in your fairytale.

“By the power vested in me, and these people as my witness, I pronounce you two as king and queen of the kingdom!”

Friends and family alike cheer and whistle as you and Katsuki intertwine, kissing each other for the first time as husband and wife. He spins you around and dips you low, kissing the tip of your nose playfully.

“I love you,” he mouths, a silent profession of adoration - reserved just for you.

The two of you strut down the aisle to the dance floor in the reception hall, the DJ already queuing the first dance song. Katsuki gently tugs you by the waist, pulling you closer to him as he begins to sway side to side when the music begins to fill the room. You rest your head against his chest and get lost in the moment.

Right now, the world belongs to the two of you. Every worry, struggle, and hardship is stripped away from your lives to give you the peace you deserve.

There’s one thought that lingers in your mind as you catch a glimpse of your teary-eyed sister watching you from the corner of the dance floor, latched onto Izuku’s arm for support.

She tied that golden string with an unbreakable knot.

tags 💥 @slayfics @maddietries @queenpiranhadon

[jintaka-hane]

It's my birthday!!!! 🎉🥳

Yesssss! Another turn of the globe! 🌎 And I want to celebrate it with you all. 🪩 I want to gift everyone here (and myself 🙆🏻) a fic with my three favorite things in the world:

bratty reader ✅

enemies to lovers ✅

and Eustass fucking Captain Kid ✅

Life hasn’t let me finish it in time for today, but at least I can share the beginning because, honestly, I can’t keep it to myself!! 🦾❤️

Summary: You are a prisoner aboard the Victoria Punk. You have found and hidden a treasure that Kid's pirates were searching for, and with the intention of interrogating you, they keep you chained in the ship's brig until you confess its location. Poor Kid. He has no idea who he’s playing with. And he’s going to end up getting burned, obsessed with a very different treasure. Notes: very much NSFW (not now, but will), bratty reader, Kid does not what to do with you, Kid is obsessed, you have experience manipulating men, cocky Kid, even cockier reader, provocation, seduction, poor self control, short tempered Kid, the tables turn, he is wrapped around your finger.

Your eyes snap open and you blink a few times, trying to make sense of your surroundings.

In one corner, a lantern casts a soft glow on the wooden floor and walls. The smell of brandy is strong, probably coming from a nearby wine cellar, and mixes with the salty, humid atmosphere. And there's a soft wood creaking with each gentle, rhythmic sway of the room.

You’re on a ship. 

A metallic clink cuts through the quiet as you try to move your hands, and your gaze drops down to your dirty forearms, following the length of a heavy chain secured around your sore wrists. The chain crisscrosses, ending in iron rings anchored firmly to the wall.

Yes. You are in the ship’s brig.

You chuckle wryly, shaking your head in amusement. This again, huh? What debt had you racked up this time? Or who’d you try to swipe from that actually managed to catch you? You’ve been in plenty of cells before, but not this one. 

The bitter, metallic taste of blood lingers in your mouth, and you flick your tongue to wipe away a small trickle the corner of your lip. Smirking, you recall flashes of what went down a few hours ago. That blonde brute in the mask, pinning you to the ground with that burnt-up tree trunk of an arm. The tall idiot dressed like a cockroach in fishnets, kicking you square in the face.

Amateurs. You grin to yourself, thinking about how they held back. Clearly, they had no idea what you’d been through before. These rookies didn’t even come close to the worst of it.

The iron lock of the cell door creaks open and the silhouette of an imposing man is outlined against the light. You squint, trying to make out your captor’s identity beneath the dim lantern glow. The hulking figure looms at the entrance, arms and chest bulging with intimidating muscles straining against an unbuttoned black shirt. His wild red hair spikes upward like a flame, and beneath a pair of studded leather goggles, sharp orange eyes glint over a crooked, broken nose.

Eustass Captain Kid, you think immediately.

Alright, so maybe your captor isn’t the idiot you were expecting... but still, you don’t flinch an inch. Your survival instinct kicks in, and your brain starts working to assess the level of threat you’re facing. With a single glance, you study his attitude, stance and outfit, and it doesn’t take long for you to reach your verdict. Arrogant and cocky. With those ridiculous yellow pants with purple frills screaming overconfidence.

Nothing you can’t handle.

Taglist: @fanaticsnail @armiliadawn @pandora-writes-one-piece @i-am-vita @eustasscapitankid <3

[anonymousewrites]

Pearl of the Sea Chapter Twenty-Five

Found Family! PoTC Cast x Teen! Reader

Platonic! Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Jack Sparrow, Tia Dalma x Reader

Chapter Twenty-Five: Freeing Calypso

Summary: It is time for the pirates to do as they promised and free Calypso.

            “We’ll need to use the Black Pearl as a flagship to lead the attack,” said Elizabeth, helped onto the ship by Will. (Y/N) and Barbossa climbed up after.

            (Y/N) was still frustrated at Jack being locked up, but they were privately determined to help him escape (and then let someone chew him out for his ridiculous plans. Maybe they should do that).

            “Oh, will we now?” said Barbossa, grinning and waving a hand to the pirates. In his other hand, he twirled the piece of silver and beads that he had cut from Jack’s hair.

            In front of them, several pulled ropes, and Tia Dalma was guided on deck. She was wrapped in ropes, unable to move freely, and the pirates were keeping their distance as much as possible.

            “Alright, Mrs. Fish, come on,” said Pintel.

            Tia Dalma’s gaze was dark, but she had her chin raised proudly.

            (Y/N) moved towards her. “Why is she tied up? You shouldn’t treat her like that—”

            Will grabbed (Y/N) and pulled them back, worried about what the goddess of the sea may do to the kid. Instead, though, Tia Dalma looked at (Y/N) with a fond glint in her gaze. Out of all the people present, (Y/N) had the most honest respect of her. She appreciated it.

            “Barbossa, you can’t release her,” said Will, keeping his hand on (Y/N)’s shoulder.

            Barbossa rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. Pirates raised their pistols and pointed at Will, who was still a traitor. Elizabeth saw the danger and pulled (Y/N) to her while Will stood stiff and still.

            “We need to give Jack a chance,” said Elizabeth.

            “He may be trying to play three sides at once, but he deserves a chance to escape the brig of the Dutchman,” said (Y/N). “And then we can let Calypso go free, but we need to give Jack a few minutes.”

            They saw Tia Dalma as a person to respect and honor where the pirates saw a weapon. Tia Dalma knew that if (Y/N) asked to be given a few minutes, she’d acquiesce. They said “go free” not “release.” (Y/N) But no one was going to let them ask her—foolish pirates that they were—so she’d be releasing her strength as soon as she could.

            “Apologies, laddie. Too long my fate has not been in me own hands,” said Barbossa. He grabbed the necklace around Elizabeth’s neck—Sao Feng’s “piece of eight.” “No longer.” He pulled it off.

            Barbossa walked towards Ragetti, who held the bowl of seven pieces of eight. He dropped in Jack’s and Elizabeth’s. Tia Dalma stared at the bowl, feeling the magic radiating from it, the keys to her freedom.

            “Be there some manner of rite or incantation?” said Gibbs.

            “Aye,” said Barbossa. “The items brought together, done. Items to be burned—” Ragetti handed him a smoking stick and poured alcohol in the bowl. “—and someone must speak the words: ‘Calypso, I release you from your human bonds.’ ”

            “That’s it?” said Pintel.

            “’Tis said it must be spoken as if to one you love,” said Barbossa. He cleared his throat and raised the smoking staff. “Calypso! I release you from your human bonds!” He touched the smoking stick into the bowl, and the pieces of eight began to smolder.

            Tia Dalma closed her eyes expectantly. A beat passed. Nothing happened. Everyone looked at one another in confusion, and Tia Dalma opened her eyes to give Barbossa a threatening glare.

            “Is that it?” said Pintel.

            “He didn’t say it correctly,” said (Y/N). All eyes went to them, but (Y/N) kept their gaze on Tia Dalma.

            Her eyes had gone stormy as the pieces of eight smoldered before her, and (Y/N) could see the sea itself, feel its power in the air, and understand it was locked just beneath the surface of Tia Dalma’s human form.

            (Y/N) pushed Elizabeth’s arm off them and stepped forward. “He didn’t say it right,” said (Y/N) again.

            Tia Dalma smiled, and the magic in the air shifted. (Y/N) felt the itch under their skin grow, and as they moved closer, Tia Dalma’s eyes seemed to brighten. She stood straighter, and the stormy sea of her eyes tracked (Y/N)’s movements.

            “Calypso,” said (Y/N), feeling the sea air around them and the rise and fall of the waves. The single word held more care and respect than any other utterance of the name before now. This was (Y/N) speaking it, the nereid, the child who loved the sea more than anything else. This was a Child of the Sea looking at the woman who encapsulated it. “I release you from your human bonds.”

            Calypso’s eyes closed as the magic washed over her. The pieces of eight flamed to life, and everyone jumped back. The bowl floated in the air, and the fire burned within it, bright with magic. The pieces of eight turned to charred bits of dust, and the smoke spiraled up with a pale purple glow. Calypso breathed it in until there was none left.

            When she breathed out, and the ropes fell from her body, unable to resist the power of the being standing within them. Calypso opened her eyes and looked at everyone. Her gaze ended on (Y/N).

            “Child of the Sea,” said Calypso, raising a hand to touch (Y/N)’s cheek. “Thank you, my child.” She spoke quietly, the words carrying to (Y/N) like the tide.

            (Y/N) felt the itch under their skin surge to the surface under Calypso’s touch, and they gasped at the feeling.

            “Calypso,” said Will, nervous at how close the goddess was to (Y/N). “When the Brethren Court imprisoned you, who was it that told them how? Who was it that betrayed you?”

            Calypso’s gaze sharpened as it went to Will. “Name him.”

            “Davy Jones,” said Will.

            Pain crossed Calypso’s gaze, and the hand on (Y/N)’s cheek trembled. The betrayal of the one who held her heart cut deeply. She had not known the extent of her loss.

            “I’m sorry,” said (Y/N) quietly.

            Calypso looked at (Y/N), and a smile appeared on her face through the heartbreak. “I shall make him sorry for his betrayal.”

            (Y/N) swallowed at the dark tone. They knew Calypso was a goddess and would do as she pleased, but… “Jack, my…friend, he’s on the Dutchman. Will you-Will you spare him?”

            Calypso gaze softened once more. “I am the sea. I face all with equal power.” She smiled. “But you, too, deserve your freedom. Take it and protect those who have earned your ferocity.” She kissed (Y/N)’s forehead. “Dear nereid, I release you from these human bonds.”

            The itch beneath (Y/N)’s skin turned to a burn. It spread through them, and they gasped before letting out a cry. Calypso smoothed a hand over their cheek, (Y/N)’s eyes rolled into their head, and they collapsed into unconsciousness.

l

Many years ago…

            “What’s this?”

            A young (Y/N) was floating in the waves—or were they the waves? Both felt true—and heard voices around them.

            “It’s the Caribbean.”

            (Y/N) tried to move, but their consciousness felt too dispersed. It was easier to just feel the minds around them—separate from their own but very similar.

            “I thought the Caribbean already had—”

            “They died when the islands were conquered and the seas were no longer respected.”

            “Ah.”

            “Con…quered?” (Y/N) spoke, somehow. The word bubbled up from them and coasted with the current to the minds around them. The word felt dirty, and they were glad it was gone.

            “They’re awakening.”

            “I wonder why.”

            (Y/N) was confused. Out of the seven fragments they’d heard, all the voices felt mixed together. It could be any number of beings around them. But they didn’t feel afraid. They felt at home.

            “Awaken…?” Again, (Y/N) felt the word float into the water.

            “A new nereid of the Caribbean,” mused one of the voices.

            “But why? Calypso isn’t here, how are the waves coming alive?”

            Calypso. The name felt important, powerful. (Y/N) knew Calypso meant something to who they were—what they were.

            “The Caribbean must want to be free.”

            “There must be quite the fighting spirit to create its own nereid.”

            Nereid. That’s what I am. They knew it the moment the word came out.

            “We should protect the Caribbean.”

            “I agree. If enough magic has collected to bring it to life again, they need to be sheltered.”

            “But how do we protect the Caribbean?”

            “I’m…(Y/N).”

            There was a pause in the conversation, but (Y/N) felt bubbles float up around them like laughs.

            “If that is the name you choose, then so be it.”

            “Then, (Y/N) must be sheltered.”

            “How?”

            “Bind them.”

            “To humanity?”

            “What a terrible fate.”

            “You cannot be serious.”

            “If they are separated from the Caribbean as much as possible, then its subjugation will not lead to another nereid’s death.”

            “It feels cruel to remove them from it.”

            “There are ways to return. As they grow stronger, so will the pull to the sea. They will find who they are.”

            “And until then they are left empty of the magic they were born from?”

            “Until then, they will be able to fight against being conquered in a way we cannot. And, then, one day, they will be able to fight for all the seas alongside it. They will be able to fight for freedom.”

l

            (Y/N)’s eyes opened, and they sat up with a gasp. Their skin was on fire. Around them, the sea was still calm, and the wind was only a light breeze. As soon as they looked around, though, the wind picked up.

            “(Y/N),” said Elizabeth in relief, helping them stand.

            “You’re alright,” said Will in relief, watching from where he was restrained.

            (Y/N) stood properly and raised their head. The sun filtering through the growing cloud-cover hit them, and the adults stared. The pirates gasped, whispered, and stumbled back. The more trusted adults of (Y/N)’s life stared with wide eyes at them.

            Their skin had parted and now reflected a pearlescent shine. Across their cheeks, collarbone, and arms, scales peaked out from the skin. (Y/N) stared at the scales and ran a hand over them. The itch that had been present all their life—all their human life—was gone. The pearly, silvered scales had finally burst free, and with them (Y/N) had.

            “(Y/N)…are you…alright?” said Will, now debating whether they were.

            A smile spread across (Y/N)’s face. “I feel amazing.”

            “A mermaid!”

            “A siren!”

            “Monster!”

            “Witch!”

            Several pirates grabbed for their weapons, afraid of the being who stood before them. After watching Calypso turn into crabs and pinch at them all before abandoning them in the sea, they didn’t want to take any more chances with magical beings.

            (Y/N) rolled their eyes and ignored them. If they tried anything, (Y/N) could and would handle them. They instead faced their family.

            “Where is Calypso?” said (Y/N).

            “She became crabs and abandoned us,” said Will bitterly.

            “Our only hope failed us,” said Barbossa.

            “There is no such thing as a single hope,” said (Y/N). They looked at Elizabeth. “King. How would you have us act?”

            Elizabeth raised her chin. “I would have us fight, Calypso or not.”

            “At least someone here has spirit,” said (Y/N). “It’s what the Caribbean and all seas need.” They looked at all the pirates. “So, the question is, what are all of you going to have? Are you going to have cowardice in your hearts and let your deaths be steeped in shame?” The pirates’ gazes lowered. (Y/N) stepped onto the rail of the Black Pearl and held onto a rope. “Or are you going to make sure that when they write of our battle they know it was one of brave, free people fighting against tyranny?”

            Elizabeth grinned and stepped up next to (Y/N). “The Brethren will be looking to us, the Black Pearl, to lead. They will see free men and freedom! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons. They will hear the ring of our swords, and they will know what we can do. By the sweat of our brows and the strength of our backs and the courage of our hearts.” She looked at (Y/N).

            They gazed out at the gathered group. The wind whipped around them, and storm clouds rolled in. The waves rolled around them and splashed up behind them. “Gentlemen,” said (Y/N). “Hoist the colors.”

            Elizabeth nodded firmly. “Hoist the colors.”

            “Hoist the colors!” said Will.

            “Hoist the colors!” said Pintel.

            “Aye,” said Gibbs. “The wind’s on our side, boys! That’s all we need.”

            Everyone cheered and raised their weapons.

            “Hoist the colors!” shouted Elizabeth to the other pirate ships, and the shout went up through the Brethren Court fleet.

            The flags went up, and the sails came down. Roars and whoops and cheers were going through the pirate army, ready to face the British at any cost.

            Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth, and (Y/N) stood at the helm of the Black Pearl. Together, they looked out over the sea towards the East India Trading Company.

            Above them, a storm began to collect, the one that had started since (Y/N) awoke. Around them, the ships began to list as the waves grew. Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed. The wind picked up. (Y/N) tasted the salt on the air and grinned, the wildness caged within them finally in the world around them. The rain began to fall, and (Y/N) closed their eyes to let it fall across their scales, joyful at the water.

            “Calypso’s not gone,” said (Y/N).

            Elizabeth, Barbossa, and Will looked at them. (Y/N) turned away and stood on the rail of the Pearl. They faced the group and grinned.

            “And we have everything we need,” they said.

            “(Y/N)?” said Elizabeth.

            (Y/N) tipped backwards and fell into the water below in a streak of silver scales.

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[fisshbones]

Who would the obey me characters main in overwatch?

Summary: what rank would they be and who would they main? (Head canons)

Characters: (Lucifer, Mammon, Leviathan, Satan, simeon, thirteen.) Gn!reader (Only referred to as you) cw: just cursing i think.

a/n: Firt time writing for obey me. Also I have only started playing both of these games again after like a 1-3 year break so inaccuracies may have occurred 😬

Lucifer - Reinhardt + Sigma

- rank ~ Master

- He does not find video games appealing at all. But for you he’s willing to give it a try. He learns pretty fast, and after a while in his very little free time he ranks up to Master.

- For some reason he can’t manage to get to grandmaster or higher, and it HURTS his pride so much 😭

- He’s a Reinhardt main, a true classic. But he frequently also plays Sigma! The tank role is his favorite. It’s the most important role in his eyes, so it makes sense that he takes control and shields the team.

- Is pretty good callouts wise, slightly toxic if you go against the plan though. 💀

Mammon - Baptiste

- rank ~ Gold

- I KNOW Baptiste is a support but Mammon DOES NOT use him as one. Maybe that’s why he’s hard stuck gold (and the fact that he rarely gets a kill) 💀 The only person he’s supporting is himself (and maybe you too if you praise him a lil)

-Gives terrible callouts too, that is if he even joins voice chat 😒

- He’s spent days trying to get to at least diamond but he just can’t. Levi makes fun of him hardcore for it too. Please reassure him that it’s okay for him to be in gold ☹️

Leviathan - Dva + Genji

- rank ~ GM/top 500

- I could see him rank 1 but I can’t decide for what role. 🧐

- Levi is a flex role. He prefers tank or dps, but he has no issues with playing support either. If you give him puppy dog eyes he’ll be your pocket Mercy.

- He is the only Genji main in 2024 history to get a team wipe with dragon blade 💀 He also really likes Dva because she’s fun and a gamer like him 🥹

- SO GOOD WITH CALLOUTS A LITERAL PRO

- does Overwatch League take applications from hell?

- He isn’t too toxic but if anyone is toxic towards you he’ll be as mean as possible. Also challenges assholes in 1v1s and makes you a spectator. Just so you can watch him kick their ass 😎

Satan - Kiriko + Brigitte

- rank ~ platinum

- Satan could easily be higher if he really wanted to but he doesn’t really care.

- Cat girls enough said. Okayyyyy I know Kiriko ultimate is a kitsune but close enough.

- You’re probably sitting here like “vee brig isn’t a cat girl though?” Yes you’re technically right but she has a cat and that’s all that matters.

- Satan is a toxic brigitte/kiriko main, how iconic of him 🤩

- He’s good with callouts, but his account has been suspended multiple times for roasting the hell outta his “incompetent” teammates.

Simeon - Mercy

- rank ~ bronze

- This man is TERRIBLE with technology. Did you really expect him to be anything higher than the lowest rank?

- Yes he mains Mercy cause she’s a “guardian angel.” Also because as an angel he believes it is his duty to protect you. He is 100% your pocket mercy, even if you’re also a support.

- Callouts? What are callouts? Someone help this man. Even if you’re giving out the best callouts it doesn’t matter because he will still die. He does NOT understand a single thing you’ve said. Poor guy 😭

Thirteen - Ashe + Widowmaker

- rank ~ diamond

- Why those characters you may be asking? Because they serve cunt and so does Thirteen. It only makes sense for her to play the baddest bitches in the whole game 🥰

- She did not intend to get so high rank wise, she barely even plays the game 😭

- If you’re a Mercy main she expects you to pocket her. What about your other teammates? Nah don’t worry she’s got head shots for days. Your Ana can handle the rest of the team.

- She really doesn’t gaf about rank, she prefers quick play honestly. Her being a reaper takes up a lot of time so quick play is better for her time wise.

- She does pretty good callouts, sometimes she’ll make a passive aggressive remark to one of her teammates. But nothing too toxic.

Likes and reblogs appreciated! <3

[the-mandawhor1an]

The future

Chapter 10 – Guided by the stars, connected by the force

Masterlist

⇐ Previous chapter | Next chapter ⇒

Chapter summary: Din and his allies infiltrate Gideon’s cruiser to rescue Grogu. When all seems lost and their lives in danger, two ships approach. Is this the reunion Din is hoping for, or just the Jedi Grogu had called out for?  

Warnings: Canon-typical violence; Gideon is a dick as usual; angst angst angst; the helmet comes off; Jedi ex machina;  FUCKING KISS ALREADY!!!!; Bo-Katan hits us with the lore; jealousy; fluff; the return of the bathtub; only one bed; 

Words: 12.2k (I’m sorry I can’t stop yapping)

A/N: Alternating POVs in this chapter, peeps! I’ve ultimately decided against doing one block of just Din and then jumping back in time to show where Maia has been, having POVs change like cameras would in the series makes more sense (also could be my roleplaying background playing a huge part in this). The bathtub scene never happened in the roleplay, if anyone is interested I can yap about this more on Maia mondays. I hate dialogues, y’all. 

With the help of Dr. Pershing’s shuttle, making it onto the cruiser wasn’t too hard. While his allies made it up to the bridge to cause a distraction, Din took a different route towards the brig to save his foundling. There was little intervention by Stormtroopers. The Darktroopers, however, made Djarin worry. As Pershing had just let them know, the newest iteration were no longer humans. It was droids. As if it wasn’t stressful enough to infiltrate an Imperial cruiser with only 5 people, Din would have to face droids. 

On his way towards the holding cell, Din just happened to stumble upon the bay where the Darktroopers were stored. To his luck, it seemed he had just made it around the corner when they had finished charging and made their way towards the hallway. »Osik,« he cursed and practically threw himself against the door controls, shutting the doors before all of them could make it into the hallway. The closest droid to the front had just enough time to react to hold the door ajar and slipped out, leaving all of the other machines locked behind the heavy doors. In an instant, the Mandalorian was on edge. They would break the doors and if he didn’t manage do decommission the one currently opposite of him, he’d be broken too. 

Upon first contact, Din was thrown across the hallway, sliding along the reflective floor like he had weighed nothing. Thank the stars for the padding under his armor which softened the blow at least a little. Pulling the blaster out, he took a few shots at the droid, desperate to find a weak spot, but being unsuccessful. Every shot just ricocheted until his enemy was just opposite of him. It grabbed Din’s arm and twisted it, forcing him to let go of his blaster. The droid’s other hand grabbed the human by the throat and lifted him up, pressed him into the wall behind him. It rammed its fist into the Beskar helmet again and again, right in the center of the visor, slowly denting the metal wall further and further with the force of the impact. The bang of metal on metal was unbearably loud in Din’s ears, the vibrations causing a headache. Perhaps he would come out of this with yet another concussion. 

Despite the noise and lack of oxygen he had to escape the Trooper’s death grip, one way or another. Behind his opponent he saw the other droids working to break the doors in, the small transpari windows already cracking. He had to be quick. He aimed his flame thrower into the droid’s midsection, hoping to melt some key component to destroy it, but to no avail. What came to his rescue, however, was said droid flinging him through the air once more, which allowed Djarin to catch his breath and attempt to open the air lock. Before he could pull the lever, however, he was pulled away again. The Trooper decided it would now use its blaster against Din, who had no choice but to activate the whistling birds. It felt like a waste of this weapon, and it probably was, but he needed the time to whip the spear out from behind him. 

He rammed the Beskar weapon into the droid, just beneath the head, and let out a relieved breath when he saw the glowing read eyes flicker and turn off. Just before the doors’ integrity was too compromised, Din opened the air lock and saw all of the other droids get sucked into space. He took a few steadying breaths before he continued onward. After this confrontation, there was no more playing nice for him. 

This came rather unfortunate for the two Stormtroopers that stood between him and his child. Their deaths were considerably quick, but brutal nonetheless. All Din wanted was to grab Grogu and get out of here. The rescue looked to be over when he reached the controls to open Grogu’s cell door, but when they opened, he found none other than Gideon with Grogu. He was holding a strange blade in his hands, black but at the same time glowing. The closest weapon he could have compared to it was a lightsaber, but then again, it didn’t look like the one he had seen Maia use. Maia… if only she had been here with him now. But then again, would she not be in danger, so close to Imperials? 

»Drop your blaster, slowly,« Gideon ordered, and Din didn’t hesitate to do as he was told. »Kick it over to me.« The blaster hit the wall somewhere behind Gideon. Djarin wanted to make his reasons clear, so he said »give me the kid.« The Moff didn’t budge, waving the blade above the child’s head. »He is fine where he is.« He waved the blade a little more, the low hum the blade made sounded somewhat like a lightsaber. »Mesmerizing, isn’t it? It used to belong to Bo-Katan.« Go figure. So this was the blade she had mentioned back on Trask. The darksaber. 

»I know you’ve been traveling with her. A friendly piece of advice, assume that I know everything. Like the fact that your little wrist launcher fired its only salvo. Or that – to my disappointment – Maia is no longer traveling with you.« Din’s heart sank. It wasn’t so much that Gideon mentioned Maia, it was more that he was disappointed. That only confirmed for Djarin that the Imperial had some kind of plan for her. Maybe the experiments they had witnessed on Nevarro. »Where is this going?« he rather asked the Imperial. 

»I’m guessing that Bo-Katan and her party have arrived at the bridge and are looking for me, or more specifically, this saber. And, in their frustration to not find me, have killed everyone on the bridge, like the murderous savages you are,« he responded. He was probably right. Din didn’t react to it much, he focused on the child. Grogu was surprisingly calm, given the situation, but the child was most likely exhausted. Who could blame him. »And now they’re beginning to panic. All Bo-Katan is here for… is this.« Gideon held up the saber. »Do you know why?« He didn’t even wait for an answer. »Because it brings power. Whoever wields this sword has the right to lay claim to the Mandalorian throne.« Din didn’t care much for power or a throne, but it made sense why Kryze was so adamant about getting it back. »Keep the blade, I just want the kid.« 

And for the first time, Gideon was surprised. Perhaps he had thought he could get Djarin with the outlook of power and a title. He had miscalculated. The pause was long and a little awkward, but ultimately, he deactivated the blade. »Very well. I already have what I want from him. His blood. And because the other donor I had in mind has decided to … not stay with you after her little interjection on Nevarro, there’s no more blood we can study.« Din really tried his hardest to not let any kind of emotion slip. Gideon didn’t need to know that he would absolutely kill him if he ever laid hand on Maia. »This child is extremely gifted and has been blessed with rare properties that have the potential to bring back order into the galaxy.« Sure, like they had tried with the mothers and ultimately failed. Gideon looked over to Grogu, then back to Djarin. »I see your bond with him. Take him, but you will leave my ship immediately and we go our separate ways.« 

Din went to grab Grogu, but of course Gideon had to ambush him. A fight broke out, ending with Gideon on the ground and Djarin deciding he would spare the Imperial’s life. The Moff would get a trial, probably an execution at the hands of the New Republic. 

Gideon’s plan suddenly revealed itself when they had made it up to the bridge. Din had the saber in one hand, Grogu on the other arm, when he guided his captive towards the others. Suddenly it made sense why Gideon was so surprised by him declining the to take the blade. He wanted Kryze to turn against Djarin, who was now the rightful owner of the darksaber anyway. Of course, Din tried to surrender the blade to Kryze straight away, but she snapped at him. She would have to win it in a fight, otherwise her claim to the throne was illegitimate. 

They could and probably would have bickered further, hadn’t it been for the radar to alert them about approaching vehicles. Said vehicles turned out to be the Darktroopers Din had already forgotten about at this point. Of course they would return in the most unfortunate moment: When it looked like they had won. 

Din had struggled immensely fighting one, now they would have to deal with multiple. Neither blasters nor his other weapons had done much harm, only the spear had really helped. And they only had one, maybe two weapons to damage the droids; if the saber could actually cut through anything as Kryze had said. He had to think about something quickly. About 10 were marching towards the bridge, while others spread across the way to the hangar just in case the group made it out the bridge alive. He looked over to Grogu. All of this could’ve been prevented had Maia stayed. But then again, they had mutually agreed to split, as to not risk his creed, which he had broken either way at this point, and for her to gain control over her emotions. As much as he hated himself for the thought, he wished she was here with them, a last line of protection for Grogu. Could she maybe hold out for a little longer than the others would? She hadn’t been scared of the dragon either. Would a lightsaber help with the droids? Probably. 

And with every bang of the droids’ fists against the heavy metal blast doors, with every creak the steel made under the impact, slowly bending until it would ultimately burst, Din’s heart sank a little deeper, until the realization had settled in properly. 

Maia had abandoned him despite her promise to be there for him and Grogu. They would die at the hands of droids. And his foundling might survive, but would have to witness his protector be killed, just like Din had witnessed his parents die. 

If only Din had the same intuition a Jedi had. He would have known that Maia would keep her promise.

»I can sense the tension in your body. You’re nervous,« Luke said over the radio, causing Maia to roll her eyes. »Thanks for mentioning it. Putting attention to it isn’t helping. I can feel Grogu and it’s agitating me. He’s scared.« Ever since Grogu had channeled himself in an old Jedi monument, Luke had been able to sense him and now they were so close, she could too feel what was going on in the child. 

»I can feel it too. It won’t be long until we’re there,« Skywalker tried to soothe her. It wasn’t helping too much. Grogu was one of her concerns, the other she didn’t want to talk about. Din would be there and she wasn’t sure what to expect when they met again. It had been some time since they had separated. While it felt like it had been forever, it was a couple of weeks at most. If even that. The moon she had been on with Luke had shorter days, she imagined, and she had never bothered to count how many sunsets she had witnessed there. How long had it been for Din? Did it feel like less when he was in space most of the time and he had no natural day-night cycle? 

Back on the bridge, the radar alarmed them of approaching vehicles once again. Two spots came closer and Bo-Katan looked at the screen. »Two life forms, an X-Wing and an ARC-170.« Cara Dune sighed »oh great, we’re saved.« »Incoming crafts, identify yourselves,« Bo ordered via the radio, only to be ignored. Din looked to Bo-Katan, then towards the ships they could see fly past the bridge. Could this be their salvation? The helmet turned to Grogu, who was a little more alert now, looking over to his protector and his ears twitching. 

As the ships landed in the hangar, the banging on the doors stopped. It was as if the whole bridge was holding a collective breath before Fennec finally broke the silence. »Why did they stop?« Did it matter? Din looked over to one of the security monitors. All of the Darktroopers had in fact stopped in their movements, not only the ones right behind the blast doors. They all turned at the same time, now all of them facing the hangar. The group closest to the strangers started walking, a different camera showing the cloaked figures exiting their ships and walking towards the main exit. 

The sight of lightsaber blades was familiar to Bo, so it was no wonder she immediately said in disbelief »those are Jedi?« Din’s helmet snapped around towards Kryze, not sure he had actually heard right. Jedi? Was it Maia after all, coming to save him and Grogu in the last second? 

Maia walked next to Luke, one saber in each hand. »We’ll find out if the training was worth it now, huh?« Luke chuckled. »These are droids, I’m a little insulted if you struggle with them after training with me.« She shook her head in amusement despite him being right. A droid shouldn’t be too much trouble, unless one decided to blow up in her face again. »I will look for a terminal,« she announced when they entered the first hallway. »I need to check my file.« 

»Are you sure you need to find out about your past? There will be no gain from it, all it will do is cause pain.« Luke wanted to shoot her a look, but the blaster fire called for their attention. The droids weren’t too much of a problem for them, equipped with sabers that easily cut through these machines and the ability to throw them if they came too close. »Nothing,« Maia responded, throwing the scrap she had turned one of the troopers into through the hallway. »Nothing in my file could be more painful than what the Empire had made me go through.« »I can’t tell you what to do and I won’t try,« Luke reminded her, swinging his saber with an ease that was astounding. »You should focus on the future, your past can’t be changed.« But if she couldn’t change the past either way, why would it change anything about the present to know? »I’ll think about it.«

Din walked over to Bo-Katan, who still had the two Jedi on the monitor. They made fighting these machines so easy, cutting through them like it was nothing. He could neither make out the blade colors, nor any features on the strangers. They were almost the same height, not necessarily tall compared to the Troopers they were fighting. Deep down he wished for one of their hoods to just fall back so he could see if one of them was in fact Maia. He so desperately wanted her to be here. None of the fighting styles looked like what he had seen Maia use. The stranger with one blade used stronger swings. 

One of the two steered away from the path towards the bridge. Why would they separate? Then again, it looked like the Troopers had no chance against them, maybe one was here for a different reason than Grogu. Gideon must’ve realized the droids’ inferiority to the Jedi at the same time. Taking out the blaster he had hidden away underneath his cloak, he took a few shots at Bo-Katan. Of course, her armor deflected the shots and she remained unharmed. As if Din could sense what he would do next, he leapt towards Grogu simultaneously as Gideon aimed at the child. The child was fine. 

Seeing both of his plans fail, Gideon turned the blaster upright underneath his chin, only for Cara to hit not only the blaster out of his hands, she landed another blow to his face to make sure he behaved. He wouldn’t get the easy way out. She sat him down on the steps again. Din’s ribs were pulsating with pain from just throwing himself on the ground, but it was fine as Grogu was okay. The small child had climbed up one of the tables and had his hand on the monitor, showing one of the Jedi coming towards the bridge. Just as the stranger had entered the elevator, they saw the droids in front of the blast doors grab their blasters. 

Maia wanted nothing more than to just run up to the bridge and jump into Din’s strong arms. She wanted to cover the helmet in kisses, but then again, she was nervous. Scared to face him again after he had – quite cruelly – sent her away last time. Perhaps looking for her file was a distraction, a detour she took to have some time to think about this. Luke was likely right about her past, but then again, the three days with Din had impacted her in a way. If there was a family still out there looking for her, she needed to know. She would have to find them. Looking for a terminal wasn’t too hard, and she went to work. 

Up at the bridge, it didn’t take long for all of the Troopers to be turned into expensive scrap. It was a little impressive and intimidating at the same time, seeing someone deal with almost a dozen of these at the same time while Din had struggled with just one. Especially when Din saw them squeeze the last droid into a brick with the force, he was certain that person was a Jedi, a strong one at that. 

Grogu extended his hands towards the door and looked over to Din. The helmet dipped to face the child, and he picked the little one up. There were no words needed, the child’s reaction to the stranger told the Mandalorian enough. »Open the doors,« he ordered, but no one moved. »I said open the doors.« Fennec was the first to regain her voice. »Are you crazy?« With a sigh he sat the child down again, opening the doors himself. 

The mist of escaping hydraulic fluids and dust engulfed the stranger, their light saber coloring the clouds around them bright green. They were not particularly tall, but their presence was imposing, just like Tano’s had been. The blade of the light saber retracted into the hilt and they clipped the metal to their belt. They pulled down their hood to reveal a fairly young looking man with dirty blonde hair and friendly blue eyes. Contrary to what they had just seen him do, he looked harmless. »Are you a Jedi?« Din asked, to which the stranger nodded. »I am.« 

The stranger extended his arm, offering a hand to Grogu, who just shyly looked in between the Jedi and his protector. The child cooed and looked to Din, let his ears drop a bit. »He doesn’t want to go with you,« Din translated. Maybe he didn’t want Grogu to go, either. Letting the child go would mean he’d be all alone again. He’s gotten so used to being around someone, would it be worse now, with both of his Jedi companions gone? 

»He wants your permission,« the man opposite of him explained. »He is strong with the force, but talent without training is nothing. It is dangerous.« »I understand,« he replied. It was the same with Maia, all over again. 

Maia lifted her head from the terminal as if she had heard her name despite being alone in the room. She listened for any sound, her eyes darting around the room. Nothing. It was no use to stay here anyway, the whole database had been wiped and she was not equipped to restore deleted files. Closing her eyes, she felt for Grogu and Din up there. The pain that radiated off of the Mandalorian was intense. 

The green eyes shot back at the screen. Why did it matter? Her past was nothing more than a few 1s and 0s at this point, the family she had 25 years ago most likely dead anyway. Her future might be up there on the bridge, broken-hearted and alone. »Let go,« she reminded herself and she left the room, walking towards the elevator that would lead her to Luke, to Grogu, and hopefully, back to Din. 

»I will give my life to protect the child, but he will not be safe until he masters his abilities,« their savior continued up there, and the Mandalorian had to remind himself once again, that this was necessary. Grogu needed to learn how to handle his abilities, how to deal with his emotions, even if that meant that his protector would feel abandoned. Din picked up the child to speak to him, say farewell. Grogu fussed and kept reaching for the air towards the hallway behind the other man. Not understanding what the child wanted to tell him, Din turned him around so the big, brown eyes looked at him. »I’ll see you again, I promise,« he told the little one, gathering all of his strength to not break down. He had to be strong now. 

Grogu just stared at him, reached his tiny hand forward and touched the helmet. Din would lose him too. First Maia, then his ship and his home, now his son. They would all leave him. He understood what the child was hinting at. He removed the helmet, slowly and carefully as he just had one hand to maneuver the metal off of his head, but it felt right. It didn’t matter now after all, he had already broken his creed back on Morak. 

What harm would it do for the child to see him before they said farewell?

Grogu stared at his protector and extended his hand once more, touching Din’s cheek and then resting his tiny hand on his jaw. Din closed his eyes, trying to memorize the feeling. Whether the child had intended it or not, it was the same spot that Maia had touched when she and Din kissed, and for a moment, it was like she was here with them. 

»Alright pal,« Din finally said, having to tear himself out of this moment before he told the Jedi to get lost and rather take Ahsoka’s advice. »Don’t be afraid,« he said softer, his voice cracking because he heard a little sniffle from Grogu. He sat the helmet and his foundling down, watching as he waddled over to the Jedi and the astromech next to him. The droid seemed awfully delighted to see the small, green child, chirping and wobbling on the spot. It just so happened that at the same time the elevator in the background dinged, but Din was too distracted, exchanging a look with the human, who then leaned over to pick Grogu up. 

And just when he thought he would be alone, he saw a familiar face in the hallway. 

Maia was so focused on Luke picking up Grogu that she didn’t even register the other people on the bridge at first. There was a man opposite of her master with short, dark brown hair and a pained expression on his face. She didn’t recognize him, maybe he was just a companion. The silver armor he was wearing didn’t even register in her mind, all she was focused on was his face and the tell-tale sting she suddenly felt when the brown eyes darted over to her. It was as if electricity shot through her when the dots connected. She froze, her eyes immediately glossing over with tears. »Din?« she asked, fully aware it had to be him, the armor and the sensation in the back of her neck giving her the confirmation she needed. »You took your helmet off,« was all she could say. 

»I did. For him, and for you.« As soon as she saw him take a step towards her, she ran over to him and practically crashed into his chest, wrapping her arms around him. Finding it a little hard with the jetpack and the spear on his back, she rested one hand just below the jetpack, the other on the back of his head. If she had more time she woul have removed her gloves to feel his hair, but this happened so suddenly. 

Din buried his face in the crook of her neck, looking for evidence she was really here and this wasn’t some cruel illusion. Her much shorter hair brushed over his face and he could make out the familiar scent on her, providing enough confirmation that she was back to soothe his broken heart. »You’re here,« he whispered against her skin and pulled her closer, almost lifting her off of the ground. This was a lot to handle at once. 

Sadness, grief, but also the faint shimmer of hope that had kept him going, and love. Din wouldn’t be alone after having grown so used to being around others. It also gave him hope that he would see Grogu again some day, that he would come back to him, just as Maia did. She had her face halfway in his hair as well, her eyes pressed shut otherwise she would start crying. »I told you I’d be there if you needed me,« she reminded him, a single chuckle escaping. 

Their heads separated from each other and moved back just enough so they could look into each others eyes properly. His were red and irritated, glassy and so were hers, welling with tears but none yet rolling down her face. Safe to say they both were happy to see the other, and they didn’t care if anyone saw. Din knew his allies would know to let them have their moment, and Luke was too fascinated by the two interacting, knowing that Maia and the Mandalorian shared a bond only few could relate to. 

It was Skywalker who called for Din’s attention, feeling his job done here. »I’ll keep my promise,« he assured Din, watching as Maia unraveled her arms from the other man to stand to his left. »Grogu will be safe with me.« He nodded towards Din, then turned his attention to the brunette. »Remember what you’ve learned,« he reminded her one last time. Her head tilted to the side, leaning against Din’s pauldron and her eyes sparkled when she replied »I won’t forget it. May the force be with you, and with you, Grogu.« She extended her hand, offering Grogu a finger to hold onto for a moment to say goodbye. She knew the child would be safe with her master. He had cared for her so well, she had no doubts Grogu would do well with him, given the child was willing to learn. 

Grogu practically hung over Luke's shoulder when they walked over to the elevator, waving at his protector and friend. Perhaps he wasn’t waving and rather reaching for them, but both adults knew this was the best way for the child to get adequate care. 

This moment could have been so bittersweet, so wholesome and tragic at the same time; if it hadn’t been for Gideon to ruin it by opening his mouth. »Oh, isn’t it lovely,« he swooned, but his voice dripping with disgust. »One foundling leaves… and another returns.« Maia rolled her eyes and turned to find the Moff on the ground, where he belonged. His bloodied nose told her that this wasn’t his first uncalled for comment. Din took hold of her hand, causing her to wonder if he wanted to stop her of if he just wanted to be close. Their hug could’ve been longer, she agreed. 

»You deleted my file,« she accused the Imperial, confused why he would refer to her as a foundling. Din and her were obviously closer, and she was a little too old to be adopted, right? »I did, with great pleasure, actually,« Gideon replied, returning her intense gaze. »I was a little disappointed you didn’t arrive with your Mandalorian friend here, but as it would turn out, you are as predictable as I had thought and would show up either way. I just wanted to have the opportunity to tell you that you won’t ever find your parents.« 

Suddenly, Din holding her hand was very welcome, because she could squeeze his hand and he could return the gesture, reminding her what was actually important right now. »Then speak,« she ordered, causing the Man opposite of her to grin. »You’ll never find them.« She raised an eyebrow, did he even have information? »Tell me something new.« »Your parents must be dead, either of natural causes or killed, by the Mandalorian we neutralized to get to you.« His words didn’t even register properly before she felt her heart stop. What? 

»Oh, I’m sure it’s tragic to hear,« he continued, reading the confusion in her face with ease. »He died fighting if that is any soothing to you. Who knows how long you had been with him before we found you.« There was only one conclusion for her, Gideon was trying to agitate her, antagonize her until she lost control again. He was lying. Mentioning a tragic death of her parents at the hands of a Mandalorian while three of them were in the room with her made sense. As much as she hated to give it to him, Gideon was a smart man, but she had changed. 

»Maia,« Din softly spoke to her and squeezed her hand, he felt her fingers tremble. She turned to him, her eyes were a little less friendly this time. It was obvious it was affecting her and even if Djarin wasn’t too concerned about her losing control this time, he wanted to ground her. Did Din know? She thought about it for just a second. »He’s not lying, is he?« she asked and he felt his own chest tense. 

Did he want to just tell her? Did she even want to know? »I saw your file. I found it on a terminal in an Imperial base. It got destroyed with my ship, I wish I still had it.« It sounded like a confirmation, even if Din was reluctant to actually say it. It made sense, in a way. Despite having a rather traumatic experience with Fett she felt safe in Din’s presence, but it could’ve been because of their bond. The sound of Mando’a was familiar to her, even if she had little inclination what the words meant. It would explain why she felt all warm and fuzzy when he called her mesh’la. 

“Oh how noble, a Mandalorian willing to risk his life, wasting time in an Imperial base just to find a little intel on his friend. Removing his helmet for a child he will never see again. Does it feel good? Do you feel special?« Gideon practically spit and Maia wondered why he was still allowed to breathe. »Tell me, 414, do you actually believe you’ll have a future with him?« That stung. She thought she did, she knew it. It was easy to guess the soft spot she had for the Mandalorian, given everyone present had seen how they ran into each other’s arms. Worst of all was referring to her by her ID, something Gideon did on purpose. 

»Jedi, Sith, what does it matter. You could have been so powerful thanks to us. What would that Mandalorian have done with your talent? There were no Jedi left after Order 66 that could have taught you. See what we had made you do, turn a whole research complex to nothing more than dust with one wrathful outburst.« Would he ever shut up? »Has he seen what you can do? Does he know how many died because of you when you were still a teenager? How their pleas fell on deaf ears in your blinding rage and no one survived?« Gideon’s lips formed a devilish grin. He wanted the others to be wary of her, scared and avoid her. Part of Maia struggled to keep her composure, the sound of bending and creaking metal roared through the ship, widening Gideon’s grin even more. »I take that as a no, but why would you care, huh? What are a few humans to you?«  

»Don’t listen to him, he wants to provoke you,« Din suspected, still holding onto her hand. Was he scared of her? Gideon scoffed »of course I want to provoke her.« Finally, one of the women offered to silence Gideon, her threat did not deter him from speaking, though. »Do you realize how pathetic you all are? A failed science experiment, a Mandalorian that breaks his codex for a child and a girl,« he looked over to the other women. »Heiress to the throne of a destroyed world, and the only item to strengthen her claim is in the hands of a friend; and her sidekick. An assassin working for the traitor Fett, and don’t even get me started on you, Dune.« It was a lot to take in at once, but the name Fett rang a bell. Boba Fett? 

With a sigh Maia finally let go of Din’s hand, walking over to kneel beside Gideon. »Maybe we are a pathetic bunch and you might think you’re superior to us,« she addressed him, placing a hand on his chest armor and pushing down, leaning in to push him into the steps beneath him. Part of her wanted to just off him, but he didn’t deserve to be let go so easily. »At the end of the day, you are the one in cuffs right now. I won’t be your instrument, nor am I the monster you want the others to see in me.« Finally, Dune took Gideon and left with him. The Imperial would be on trial with the New Republic and would get what he deserved. A nice long prison sentence, hopefully. 

The tension left Maia as soon as the elevator doors had closed and she could finally face Din again, who still had his helmet off. As much as she didn’t want to be stuck staring at him, she couldn’t help it, there was so much to take in. »What did my file say?« she asked him. »Do you want to know now?« They could talk about it when they were on their own, but Maia couldn’t wait. And as she would soon find out, she did good to want to hear it now. »They stumbled upon you during a patrol. You were about 4 years old and clearly showed signs of force sensitivity. You were with a Mandalorian at the time, they neutralized him.« »Neutralized. What a nice way to phrase killing yet another father of mine.« »I’m sorry,« Din touched her arm, trying to soothe her, but more gestures from him and she would start crying. »It’s okay. I have closure. We should leave.« She didn’t have to ask him twice, it had been quite a lot for one day for the both of them. Din grabbed his helmet, but before they could walk through the blast doors, the red-haired Mandalorian addressed her. »Maia, is it?« »Yes?« »I might know something about your family,« she explained. »You mean the Mandalorian that found me?« She shook her head. »Does the name Rayssa ring a bell?« Rayssa? The brunette furrowed her brows, it felt familiar, but it was a name. She could’ve heard it anywhere. »It might.« »I figured, you look just like her.« »I don’t understand,« Maia mumbled, and yet she somehow did, judging by how her throat became tight. »I’ve met a Mandalorian once who had lost both husband and daughter. Right around the time the Empire must’ve taken you in.« Now Din also turned around to speak to the other woman. »Are you sure?« he asked. They exchanged a look and she nodded. »I am, the similarity struck me as soon as Maia appeared here. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if it hadn’t been for Gideon.« 

»Wait, I’m Mandalorian?« Maia found it hard to believe, as much sense as it made. »You are and both of your parents were. Your name is Arana Vizsla, you were born on Mandalore to one of the oldest houses our kind has. One of your ancestors, Tarre Vizsla, was both a Jedi and a Mandalorian too. He forged the darksaber.« Eyes shot over to Din with the last sentence and he looked down to the saber hilt. »Then she should have it,« he responded after a moment, motioning to grab the hilt, but Kryze stopped him. »Di’kut! She would have to win it in combat, I’ve told you. Until someone defeats you, the saber is yours.« Maia didn’t understand anything, neither who Tarre Vizsla was, nor why Din suddenly had a weapon that looked and sounded like it was a lightsaber. And was that a Beskar spear on his back? And she was certain that there was another Mando’a word in there, and she would have to ask him what it meant. 

It was a little too much at once and she looked over to him, brows downturned and eyes big. »Can we please leave?« How was he still holding up so well, had they not been through a lot too? All she wanted was some time to process all of what just transpired as well as finally having him all to herself. There was a lot for them to talk about after the realization had finally settled in that they were reunited. »Let’s go,« he nodded towards the elevator. With a nod towards Kryze and Shand, he had said goodbye and walked alongside Maia towards the elevator. This must’ve been a lot for her to deal with, but he was happy she was back with him. It looked like she would stay this time. 

As soon as the elevator doors had closed and the lift set in motion, Maia pressed the e-brake and turned around to fall against Din’s chest again. He pulled one arm around her and pulled her in, buried his face in her hair once more. »I missed you,« he quietly confessed. He wasn’t sure how uncomfortable it was to hug him with the armor on, but she didn’t complain about any pain. She buried her face in his cape and sniffled, making him pull her even closer. »I’m sorry,« she mumbled into the fabric, barely audible if he hadn’t been so close to her. »It’s okay,« he reassured her. »You’re here now, that’s what matters. It’s a lot for you to take in right now, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about your dad at a better time, when we were on our own.« He felt her head move in a soft shake no. She leaned back to uncover her face to look at him. Her eyes were a little red now, making the green of her irises seem even brighter. Yes, this definitely was his favorite color. 

Maia freed one of her hands from its glove and cupped his cheek, stroking him with her thumb. The stubble of his beard felt rougher than on Tatooine, had he shaved just recently? »I’m exhausted but I’m fine. Aren’t you tired?« There he was and she took him in. He was handsome, more so than she had thought. Not that it mattered much as her feelings had been there before she knew his face. »It’s a little weird to suddenly see a face with the voice. I’m sorry if my staring is a little uncomfortable,« she explained. »Does it feel weird now that there’s no metal between us?«

His eyes were dark, much darker than she could have imagined even if he had told her. They were beautiful, mesmerizing. Like an endless ocean, dark and mysterious. »It is,« he confirmed with a soft nod. »No one has seen my face since I took my creed and suddenly there’s so many. Today, and also back on Morak where I had to remove my helmet in front of a whole room of Imperials. But it was worth it. Grogu is safe.« She felt for him and rose to her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. He closed his eyes, his head twitching sideways ever so slightly. »If it felt right to take the helmet off, it probably was. Grogu might not understand what you’re sacrificing, and I might not understand fully myself, but it means a lot to me. One could even say you’re quite pretty underneath that bucket,« Maia told him with a soft smile on her lips. He smiled too, but there was still a bit of pain in his eyes. 

»You think I’m ‘pretty’?« »In a masculine way. Your smile is infectious.« They just stayed like this for a few seconds, looking at each other, faces so dangerously close. Maia really wanted to kiss him again, but she felt this wasn’t the right moment. Din was just as overwhelmed as she was, processing Grogu was now gone and possibly grieving. She would stay. They would find another time to kiss if he wanted to. She grazed the skin on his cheek one last time before she took her hand back, letting go of him entirely. »I assume the ARC is yours and you have a spot for me? We could also take one of the lambdas,« Din inquired. It was justified, she thought, Luke’s X-Wing couldn’t accommodate another adult. »It’s not the Razor Crest but I can take a copilot in. Do you have an idea where to go?« She loosened the brake on the elevator and they descended. 

»I lost everything when my ship was destroyed.« Din didn’t have to tell her again, she remembered when he reached out for her. His voice had sounded so broken. »We should get some money, I don’t carry that much with me. Maybe I have to take on some bounties for the time being.« »We might find you another ship, but you’re right, we’ll need money.« Bounty hunting? Would he be able to take her with him, or would she have to stay behind because it was safer? »You can be the pilot for now,« she let him know, stepping out when the elevator reached the level that would take them back to the hangar. »I don’t want to just take over your ship,« he said, but it really was no big deal. »Don’t worry. You know where to go, it just makes sense that you fly there. You’re probably the better pilot anyway. I’m … just okay.«  She walked beside him, taking the opportunity to take his profile in. Din seemed to be in thought, but he felt her eyes on him. »There is a space port I want to travel to next. Some of the Mandalorians, the covert that once was on Nevarro, might be there. The port is called Glavis, it’s a gigantic ring structure.« Maia nodded. Sounded like a good lead, and now that he had mentioned his covert, she had an idea. »Might they know my family?« 

It was possible, she wasn’t the first Vizsla Djarin had met. There was one in the covert, Paz. Perhaps he was related to her. »If anyone knows, it would be the armorer. House Vizsla is big, though.« He didn’t want to put her hopes up. If Kryze knew her mother, he had the suspicion that Rayssa had not been a child of the Watch. »You take the news relatively well,« he added. Maia shrugged »It is weird to suddenly just … be one of them. It explains why it feels so familiar to me, though, and maybe why I was so opposed to the Jedi codex from the beginning. Maybe I remembered my family deep down. It’s hard to accept, don’t get me wrong, I think I just have to let the news settle.« »It will take some time.« »Will you take me on your hunting trips? If it’s safe?« Din hesitated. »It’s hard to say when it’s safe. It can change within a second, sometimes I have to be spontaneous.«

They walked past the Darktroopers, which were nothing more than piles of scrap now. Din had struggled so much with one, he was so lucky Maia and her master had arrived just in the right moment to save them all.  »You mean like you had to be with the dragon?« A sly grin crept up to her lips and he jokingly rolled his eyes. »I doubt there will be dragons.« They finally reached the hangar and it was time for him to put the helmet back on. There he was again, just how she had known him. Still, it was a little sad she could no longer look at his pretty face. »Last chance: Is it okay I’m flying?« His modulated voice was so much rougher than his unfiltered voice was. The tone didn’t change much, but it lost a lot of its warmth. »Unless you steal the ship and abandon me it should be fine.« He chuckled and shook his head. »I won’t, don’t worry.« 

They boarded the ship, Maia struggling to climb up the ship until she ultimately just jumped up there. As soon as the cockpits were closed, she opened up the radio channel so she could talk to the pilot. »How long will it take us to get to Glavis?« Din flipped a bunch of switches, starting up the engine. »A few hours. You can rest if you want to.« »I don’t think I can,« she sighed. »I could really use a shower and something to eat, maybe I can find some rest afterwards.« She really wanted a warm shower. Hot water on her skin and a perfect little occasion to just let all of the tears out she was holding back right now. While Din agreed they needed to rest, they would have to see how far his credits could take them. »One after the other. We’ll get some food and then find somewhere to stay. Deal?« »Deal.« 

It had gotten quiet back there, and Din asked after a few minutes of silence »Maia?« »Mh?« she sounded exhausted. If only he could’ve hugged her again. »Do you want me to let you sleep?« »I don’t think I can. My thoughts keep racing.« »Do you want to talk?« »About my thoughts?« 

He smiled underneath the helmet and leaned back. »About anything you want. I’ve missed your voice.« 

»I can tell you what I’ve been up to ever since we split.« »For example. I take it that the voice you had been talking about ended up being that Jedi?« He almost referred to him as ‘that guy’. He hadn’t put any thought into it earlier, but he was a little anxious knowing Maia had stayed with him for all this time. He must’ve been around her age too, and a Jedi, just like her. 

»Luke felt a disturbance in the force because of me and offered to help. I guess you could say I found the Jedi before you did.« Din chuckled. »You could put it that way.« So, Luke was his name. Not Master, not his last name. Luke. »He took me in and trained me. It was all we did while you and Grogu were out in the galaxy, probably experiencing one adventure after the other.« Oh how right she was, but most of these adventures had been anything but exciting. »Grogu and I have been through a lot,« he confirmed, his voice a little heavy with grief. The little troublemaker was gone. With Luke, who had spent a lot of time with Maia before taking his foundling in. 

Maia bit her lip, sensing she had struck a nerve when mentioning the child. It was a fresh wound, she didn’t want to keep reminding Din. But there were some things she wondered. »How did you even find the seeing stone? We could feel Grogu so clearly and from what I’ve been told, these old monuments aren’t on any map« »I found a Jedi. Ahsoka Tano.« Did the name ring a bell with Maia? »I helped her free a village and in return she told me about the stone.« 

So he had met a Jedi. Of course Maia had no idea who this woman was, but it didn’t matter now. But if she was a Jedi, »why wouldn’t she take him in herself?« Din sighed. Maybe Maia should change the topic. On the other hand, maybe it helped him to talk to her about this. She knew what Grogu would deal with now. If there was anyone that could help Din soothe his guilt, it was her. 

»She refused,« he explained. »It sounded personal. She said his attachment to me was too dangerous. Her recommendation was to just let his abilities fade and train him like I would a foundling. But I felt like that wasn’t right.« There was a bit of silence from the other end. »I didn’t even know we could lose our abilities,« Maia mumbled. »I doubt you could. You are a Jedi now, right?« 

Maia thought about it. Technically she was. »I haven’t thought about it to be honest. I passed the trials, so … that should make me a Jedi? I – If you think Grogu could have stayed with us, he couldn’t. Just as I had to leave, he will need some distance.« She thought Din had ulterior motives. He did, but his thoughts weren’t even with what she had told him just now. He had wondered what this would mean with her attachment. If she was even allowed to have feelings for him. The way she hugged him, even the way she looked at him, made him think there was something. Something he reciprocated.   

He hadn’t expected this kind of reply, but after an awkward pause he said. »I understand.« Maybe he would have to ask more directly next time. But how could he without stumbling over his words? He pressed his lips together, hoping she would just tell him in due time. »So,« he started. »What are the trials?« 

»Six tests to prove you’re ready to become a Jedi. That you have all the qualities needed to become a warden of peace. It’s trials of skill as well as testing the mind and resilience of an apprentice. For example one trial is enduring great physical pain.« She couldn’t even finish her thought before Din interrupted. »He hurt you?« Her heart sank, that’s not what she had wanted Din to think. »No, he didn’t. My injury on Nevarro was my trial. I – sorry. Bad example. It’s just one of the easier trials to explain.« 

Din took a breath, now realizing himself that his demeanour was a little too much. His jealousy got the better of him in this moment and he just wanted a good reason to justify not liking Luke. »So you trained with him all day?« That was a lot of time to spend with a man. She had only taken three days with him to get him to kiss her. »I did. It was a little strange, I have to admit, but we’ve gotten used to being around one another all the time. It’s better than being abandoned.« That stung. Whether she intended or not, it felt a little like she blamed Din for sending her away. And now she had stayed with a guy for the entire time they had been separated. »You must’ve grown close,« he suggested, dreading his words as soon as they had left his lips. He was a little too exhausted to not let the jealousy overtake him. 

Maia picked up on it. »I would say so. I consider Luke a friend.« Was that enough? Maybe she should change the topic. »Who were the two Mandalorians with you?« »Bo-Katan Kryze and Koska. Her sister was the last ruler of Mandalore before the planet got destroyed.« »How did you meet her?« 

So he told her. From picking up the frog lady on Tatooine, to their little stop on Maldo Kreis with all of the cave spiders and the adventure on Trask. At first Maia was quite responsive, asking questions ever so often, but her interruptions turned to more and more silence. By the time he told her about meeting Ahsoka, Maia was unresponsive and had likely fallen asleep. Maybe listening to him offered the distraction her mind needed. Something to focus on while she fell asleep. 

They made it to Glavis some time later, Maia waking up from her nap when she felt the ship touch ground. While it felt good to get some rest, it was nowhere near enough and she was a little disoriented. She almost fell when she jumped out of the ship. »Let’s get you some food, mesh’la.« Din had his helmet on, who would’ve guessed, and called her mesh’la again. She was pretty to him, even if she looked a little sleepy right now. They walked away from the landing platform, finding a little shop where Din could buy something to eat for the both of them. Maia had regained her energy a little while walking, looking at the credits in his hand. »How much do you have left? Is it enough for a bed?... two beds«

»I don’t think so but maybe we can arrange something. Pay part of the cost now and the rest after I have found a bounty contract. Some cheap motels might be willing to make a deal.« Din didn’t need much to be comfortable. He had lived in his ship for the past couple of years, mostly. »Can I make a counter offer?« Maia asked. The thought of a dirty, run down motel room was a little disturbing, even if she didn’t have to worry about her safety too much. »Sure,« Din shrugged, taking the two containers of stew and continuing the way down the street. »I could abuse my power and get us a nice hotel room. And a bathtub.« »Alright.« That easy? Ultimately it was safer to get a nicer room, and Djarin was curious if she actually could just get them a room for free. It might come in handy in the future. 

Fueled by Din’s permission, Maia guided him towards the less shady part of the station. More and more neon lights showed up on the buildings, tinting everything in pink and blue. Every hotel they passed looked ridiculously luxurious and definitely out of their price range and he wondered by which criteria Maia looked for the perfect accommodation. His heart sank a little when she entered one of the giant hotel towers. He couldn’t even stop her before she halfway jumped on top of the reception to wave her hand in front of the front desk personnel, a humanoid woman. 

It was a little scary how her eyes unfocused as soon as Maia had raised her hand. »You’ll give us a key for the best room you have. With a whirlpool. No one will bother us, we don’t have to pay, and you’ve never seen us. As soon as we are in that elevator, you will delete the security footage.« Din’s helmet turned towards Maia, who did this with an alarming ease. Had she done this before? How must it feel to be influenced like this? He looked over to the receptionist, who slid a keycard over. »Suite 1217 is on the 12th floor. Please enjoy your stay.« 

The brunette turned to him, keycard in hand and a wide grin on her face. She and Din walked over to the elevator, his facade breaking as soon as the elevator doors had closed. »That was a little creepy.« »How else would we get a suite?« »A normal room would’ve been fine for me.« He didn’t need it. He was fine with just a mattress if he had to be honest. »I’m sure you’ll think differently when we’re inside.« The elevator dinged and they were on the 12th floor. She opened the door to the suite and it was … big. They had a table, a bed, and a ridiculously large window that showed the neon-tinted city beneath them. 

Din set the two containers down, removed the spear and jetpack and took off his helmet, sitting beside the table to eat before he would walk all over to inspect the suite. Maia sat with him and they ate. The stew was warm, and while it wasn’t the tastiest meal he ever had, it was satiating. They had a small kitchenette in here, so they had plenty of drinking water as well. »How’s the food?« he asked her in between. »It’s okay. Better than the stuff I had in the recent days,« she explained. Nutri-bars were really anything but tasty. They both smiled. 

Din finished his serving first and he leaned back into the chair. »You can have the shower first.« Maia nodded. »Thank you. I hope it has a tub at least, I want to be cooked a little before I go to bed.«  

After the small but satisfying dinner, Din started taking off his armor while Maia entered the bathroom and was greeted with the blinding white light. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust until she could make out everything. A toilet, a shower, even a washer was installed here. The latter’s presence surprised her, but this was a suite after all. Next to the door hung bathrobes of a very soft and fuzzy bright white fabric. 

Behind a semi-transparent wall, there it was, the whirlpool she had specifically asked for. She dimmed the light to be less offensive to the eyes and debated for a second if she should take the opportunity and use the washer. She quickly undressed and chucked her clothes in the machine, delighted it even had the option to tumble dry. She took one of the robes and went behind the privacy screen. There it was, the pool, flush with the ground level, hidden behind transpari steel that probably was mirrored from the outside. The neon lights were also visible from here, but less stark. Maybe the window in here was tinted for more privacy.

It didn’t take long to fill the pool up with water and she entered the warm bath, leaning on the edge to watch the neon lit city outside. Ever so often she’d see a ship fly by in the distance. The port was busy and yet it was so quiet up here. 

After a while there was a knock on the door. »Maia?« »You can come in,« she answered. Din entered and looked around for a second, somewhat relieved that she was behind that matte screen. »Do you mind if I take a shower? Doesn't look like you need it right now… I can’t see you from there either.« »Go ahead. You can put your suit in the wash, I haven’t started the cycle yet. Don’t worry about me, there’s nothing new to see here for you. Still tattooed, and the back is still covered in scars.« She heard the zipper of his vest, thought for a second about him undressing just a few meters away from her. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the arms she had crossed on top of the pool edge. 

Din wasn’t too amused to hear her talk like this. His voice was softer when he replied »scars tell a story. It’s horrible what you went through. The scars are a testament to the horrors you’ve endured. You survived them. Every Mandalorian would tell you that you’re so strong for persevering.«

Maia scoffed. »Strong. All the Empire did was make me weak and unstable.« For a second the rustle of his flight suit halted. »You’re not weak. Don’t say that.« 

»Of course I am. I’m emotional. Spiteful. I can barely contain myself if I feel like crying. Worst of all, I was isolated for so long, I barely knew how the world worked. I still struggle with it sometimes.« 

»You’re loving despite all of the trauma. They couldn’t take that away from you. It’s commendable.« 

»What is it worth to be loving in such a cruel galaxy? I’m a broken person. My body is mangled. Who could love that?« 

»Maia…« he came closer to the privacy screen. She turned around, seeing his silhouette through the semi-transparent material. He didn’t dare to move a muscle when he heard the water swirl around her moving body. He knew she could see him. »Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your body is still worthy of worship.« 

He just stood there, letting his words marinate. She blushed, undoubtedly so, too taken aback by his words to even speak. While she couldn’t see his face through the screen, she saw his shoulders rise and fall with an audible sigh. His head dropped just the slightest bit as he continued. »I think you’re beautiful… if that matters.« He knew it did. She knew too, but she didn’t say it. 

Din showered in silence, his clothes as well as hers in the wash while both of them enjoyed the hot water separately. There was an uncertainty in the air Maia couldn’t deny. Was it because of all that happened on the cruiser? Gideon’s words still lingered, taunting her and effectively ruining what should have been an important moment in her life. She and Din were reunited and yet she wondered if there was a future with him. She had feelings for him, she had known for a while, and it seemed he did too. But it was a lot. He had broken his creed, with the nice side effect that she was now allowed to see his face, but the consequences would find them soon enough. She had suddenly found a part of herself she had lost so long ago. 

What if Gideon was right?

When the washer let them know their clothes were clean and dry, Din exited the shower, dried off and opened the machine to take out their clothes. Maia, halfway asleep in the warm water, listened to the rustle of him putting his clothes back on. It was Din’s voice, now soft and silky, that pulled her out of her half-dazed state. »Are you okay in there?« She slowly blinked and raised her head to watch him through the privacy screen. »I’m just relaxing, don't worry about me. I haven't drowned yet, it's just so cozy in here.« Maia bit her lip before the invitation to join her in the bath could escape. As enticing as the thought was, Din wouldn't do that with her.

Or would he?

»Din?« »I’m still here.« She saw his silhouette behind the screen, watched as his unruly hair moved when he turned his head towards her. »What are we?« she asked. His shoulders tensed visibly, before he took a breath and replied »whatever you want us to be, cyar'ika.« So she wasn’t opposed to attachments despite being a Jedi? Seemingly taken aback by his own response, Din left the bathroom relatively quickly, leaving Maia to marinate in this feeling of breathlessness. At least she avoided inviting him into the water this way. 

Cyar’ika… she was certain she had heard this word before, but where? And why was Din so adamant about using Mando’a when he knew she didn't understand it. It only ever came out of him in kind of emotional moments. 

She closed her eyes and focused on the word. She heard it before, she knew she had. A different voice, still male, echoed deep in her mind. 

‘Cyar’ika where are you?’ the male voice called out, only to have a female voice reply, ‘We’re in the kitchen, cyare.’ She watched as a woman with long red hair appeared in her peripheral, and then a man joined in. There wasn't much to be seen, dark hair and the rest of his features were obscured. It was like looking through water. Were tears in her eyes? ‘How is the little one doing?’ the man asked, promptly lifting Maia from her seat. And there it was, an unfamiliar face that slowly became clearer as it came closer. ‘She’s been crying ever since you left,’ the woman explained, wiping the small child’s cheeks with her fingers. She was beautiful, and she in fact looked a lot like what greeted Maia in her own reflection. A large hand rested on the child’s back when the man pulled her up to his face, practically burying it in the child's belly. ‘I’ve missed you too, my little star.’ ‘Think you can handle two girls being obsessed with you now?’ the woman teased, causing the man to erupt in laughter. ‘Of course I can. I love you, cyar'ika.’ ‘I love you too, cyare.’ 

Maia opened her eyes, confused what she had just experienced. That was, she was certain, a memory of her parents, pulled back to her conscious because of Din. Tears began to well in her eyes, partially from the sighting of her parents, partially because that meant that Din had just used a term of endearment.

It was finally time to leave the tub, her hands had pruned significantly and the sensation in her finger tips was uncomfortable. She put on her panties and her undershirt and tried to regain her composure, to no avail as Din must've felt the heartache radiating through the bathroom door. Another knock came from the door, but instead of answering, Maia opened the door, her eyes glassy and facing the floor. 

With his thumb and index at her chin, he gently pushed her head upright. »What’s wrong?« His voice was a mere whisper, barely loud enough to hear over the single sob that escaped her lungs. »I’m sorry,« she replied, barely able to contain her voice. »It’s just too much.« She knew she worded this wrong when he let go of her. His hand wandered to her upper arm, resting on her skin as a means to comfort her. His hand was warm and surprisingly soft on her skin. »Do you want to talk about it?« was all he asked. Din was certainly as overwhelmed with the situation as she was, not much of a talker himself usually. Before he had met her, actually. 

»I’m trying. Trying so hard to be good, to not let my emotions rule over me again and ever since I've been back, all I feel like is crying. I was fine with forgetting about my past to focus on the future. Now I know a bit about my past and all it does it haunt me. My parents are most likely dead anyway, like Raymond.« Another sob shook her, tears running down her cheeks. »You just gave Grogu away and have your own grief to deal with, and now you're stuck with me, alternating between crying and a lovesick teenager.« 

There it was. A little confession of feelings, wrapped in between self-pity and justified sadness. 

Finally she found the courage to look at him, his beautiful features tinted in blue, pink and purple. Din looked down at her, his breathtakingly dark eyes staring into her soul. There was a softness and empathy in his down turned eyebrows. »Can I –« he began but sighed and pulled her into his arms, caging her in an embrace. His forehead rested gently against hers. She wrapped her arms around his back and leaned in. Din's chest was so warm and welcoming, only his shirt and hers separating them in this moment. It felt good to be caught in a hug, feeling his heart pound against his chest and hers as well. »Mesh’la,« he began after a moment of silence, pulling her even closer when he felt her lean in. »There’s nothing that could feel better than having you with me right now.« 

She hugged him a little tighter as one of his hand caressed over her back. »I'm sorry about your parents. I'm sure you had a lot of questions and it's unfortunate that they're not here any more. I will help you where I can, I promise.« His head moved away from hers, allowing him to look into her eyes again. »I know that Grogu is in safe hands and that he might return one day, just like you did.« 

She watched as his eyes wandered downwards to her lips for a second. There was a traitorous sparkle in his eyes before he leaned forward and stole a kiss from her. Before she could reposition her hands, however, Din pulled back. His cheeks had turned colors, now a nice shade of red, presumably. It was hard to tell when the whole room was tinted purple. »I’m sorry, was that okay for me to do?« 

She took both hands from his back, cupping his face in them. »Never apologize for kissing me,« she hushed and leaned in for another kiss, more passionately this time. His hand landed on the back of her neck and pulled her in closer. It felt like time was running in slow-motion when their lips connected, sparks flying and her heart rate quickening. She leaned back to allow herself to take a breath. When her eyes opened she saw Din lick his lips before smiling at her. »I’ll remember. I could get used to this.« Did he know what he did to her with just these few words? It seemed he wasn’t done whispering sweet nothings, either. »You’ve turned my world upside down, cyar’ika. Are you aware of that?« 

Maia stroked his cheekbones, trying to find the right words to respond. Because frankly, all she wanted was to kiss him over and over again. »We’ve both sacrificed a lot for this, cyare.« Her hands wandered down his chest, feeling his heart pound underneath his ribs. His heart was racing, as was hers. »You’ve said we are what I want us to be,« she began, trying to find any change in his expression. All she could find was affection. 

His stance was clear. »If you want me, you can have me. If you don’t, we should stop this; I’m sure you can guess which I would prefer.« His hand was still on her neck, his thumb tracing over her skin. »I want to be upfront, I don’t know what my future will look like, but I’d be happy if you were part of it.«

As much as her impulse told her to reply with an ‘I want you’ or say no for a joke, she chose her words more carefully. »Guess that means ‘you and I against the rest of the galaxy’, huh?« He chuckled and nodded. »This is the way.« Her head tilted to the side when she repeated »the way?« Instead of explaining it, Din leaned forward and kissed her forehead. »We should go to bed, it was a long day and we can’t stay here for long in the morning.« He was right, but Maia dreaded having this moment end. 

»No fighting about the bed this time around?« she asked and let go, slowly walking out of his embrace. »Unless you’re not willing to share,« he replied. The bed was definitely big enough for two adults to comfortably sleep in. Something told her a smaller bed would’ve done fine as well, as she would probably take the opportunity to be as close to him as she could. He allowed her to crawl into bed first, and the first reaction she had was to practically melt into the mattress. »Oh kriff I should go back downstairs and get us this room for an entire week,« she whined into one of the numerous pillows, not properly registering when Din also snuck under the cover. Judging by the groan he let out, his back must’ve not had the pleasure of such a soft bed in a while. If ever. »Would you? Stars, I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a bed as soft as this.« Din looked over to her, didn’t have to say much. He was on the side, all it took was for him to raise his arm and she scooted in, snuggled right into his chest. It was a pity that neither him nor her smelled much like anything besides the hotel soap. Still, Maia had her face buried in his shirt and his face was in her hair. »Good night, cyar’ika,« he whispered into her hair, to which she replied »good night, cyare.« 

Notes underneath the chapter whaaaaat 

I don’t really want to add any more of my blubbering, the chapter is long enough as is (and actually I had to split it, there was SO MUCH MORE supposed to happen but I realized this would be a 20k+ chapter. no one needs that) 

I want to take this little break down here to show something that is awfully fitting with the setting in this chapter. My dear friend Rocket (whos also obsessed with Pedro and the color purple) posted a Din piece some time ago and I just… I gasped. 

Do you see the vision? Neon lights (aka Bi lighting) and Din without the armor???

HELLO??? THAT IS DIN IN THE SUITE OKAY 

Props to Maia for not undressing on the spot because gurl I would 

Give Rocket some love:

[cod-dump]

Sometime after a really scary mission and the boys are separated into two teams: Price & Soap on the ground and Gaz & Ghost on overwatch.

Price: Roger break. Everyone be advised: if you see or have a pair of large trousers or combat pants, please bring them with you to evac…

Soap: Yeah. Real talk: I shit my pants.

Ghost: Can you wear a medium?

Soap: That is a negatory, Ghost.

Gaz: Well… Guess you can’t shit in my pants either.

Soap: I’m hoping I shit in no more pants other than the ones I just shit in.

Based off a tiktok I found in a comp.

They all vowed to not talk about what happened (mostly because Soap threatened to go on a rampage and blow the base up in response) so the more intimate details of that mission were left up to the imagination... until a game of truth or dare with drastic consequences for refusal to play along brought things to light. Farah and Alex were floored with laughter which was contagious and made everyone else laugh. Except for Soap, who was then previously locked away in the brig for the night due to his violent reaction. Yes, a truck was blown up but Price doesn't regret revealing what happened.

[rust-bearer]

First Aid Month- Prompt 1 - Rust/Spark

Nightmares become indistinguishable from reality, at times. And when he wakes, he wonders if this too is just some horrible dream.

Maybe he’s asleep or maybe he’s awake right now; he can’t tell, as he looks out at the bodies before him. They’re all infected with that same Red Rust, that same horrible spark of unlife. First Aid knows that Pharma made it. He knows, and Ambulon knew too. But they still hadn’t been able to stop it.

Ambulon died first. First Aid had wailed and begged. He’d screamed for help as loud as he could; he’d apologized, for everything. He’d begged Primus, for anyone to help him. It didn’t matter. Ambulon still died.

First Aid knows he’s alone in this medical bay. He knows, because he’d timed it all to the second. The very instant the sparks of everyone in the first set of rows would fade out, inevitably destroyed by a plague that First Aid cannot stop. Not with Pharma dead, not with Ambulon dead. First Aid smiles bitterly, and he wonders if it was all worth it. Ratchet- Ratchet, who had played the briefest role as First Aid’s CMO- had gotten his hands, in the end. The ship got their victory.

And then the Rust came back. First Aid leans in, as though the body in front of him can hear his secret.

“I begged them to save him,” First Aid whispers. “After Topturn shot him. After Gygex helped ‘remove the Decepticon’. They wouldn’t even let me get close. They said they were doing this for me, after all.” First Aid’s optics crinkle as he smiles, warmly and comforting. “A few months in the brig. They’d been drinking; they hadn’t meant to do it. It was an accident.”

Of course there’s no cure. That’s the whole point. Pharma’s Red Rust might have died on Delphi, but it was easy to resurrect, to bring back to life with a terrible purpose. To set it on everyone he’d known. Ambulon had died first, and so everyone else followed.

The rest of the medbay is going to die soon too. The rest of the ship has already followed. First Aid had promised to watch over them, and as the last spark sputters out in the darkness, he knows that there’s only one thing left for him to do.

He reaches down into his chassis, and with bloody hands, he pulls, and pulls, and pulls-

[heyclickadee]

One part of “Aftermath” I don’t think I’ll ever get over is that Hunter, Wrecker, Echo, Tech, and Omega were on their way to get Crosshair when Crosshair walked into that hangar. The way we talk about it in the fandom is as though they left Crosshair behind in that first episode so they could rescue Omega, as though they traded him for her, but that’s. Not. What. Happened.

They go back to Kamino to grab Omega despite the risk, because they think she belongs with them, yes, but also because they’re still confident. They haven’t failed a mission yet. And —and this is important—because she said she wanted to go with them, and they take that into account.

And, of course, they immediately get captured, taken to the brig, they find Omega, Crosshair fires off about following orders—his new favorite hobby that he only picked up in the last week(1)—the guards come to take Crosshair away, and Hunter puts himself between Crosshair and the guards and says No. Absolutely not. We stay together, we’re a set, do not separate, and then—

—Crosshair gets up and leaves. And the rest of the batch probably doesn’t fully understand why.

Now, I personally think that Crosshair’s decision to leave was multifaceted. I do think the chip programming had something to do with it. It’s telling him that Hunter’s made bad call after bad call since Kaller, and that the smart thing to do would be to just comply with whatever the empire wants. He’s also deeply frustrated with the rest of his squad, though he probably doesn’t know why he suddenly disagrees with them so much. And I also think that Crosshair didn’t want anyone else in his family to get hurt. He’s got his hackles raised and he’s ready to pounce when that one guard hits Hunter in the gut; he knows that they’re going to take him one way or another, so best to do it in a way that doesn’t end with the rest of his squad getting shot. All of that is in play in Crosshair’s decision to get up and go with the guards willingly, but all the rest of the batch knows is that he does it.

It’s even possible that their initial read on Crosshair’s decision is mostly in line with the last thing I listed—that Crosshair does it to keep the rest of them from getting hurt. It’s also possible that their read on it was that Crosshair was upset. But it probably doesn’t matter. The first thing—the first thing out of Hunter’s mouth when they break out of the brig is, “We need to find out where they took Crosshair.” The only reason they go to the hangar at all is to grab their gear so they have a better chance of getting him without dying on the way. They suit up, Hunter tells Tech to get the ship ready for a speedy getaway, and no sooner does he add that the rest of them are going to get Crosshair that Crosshair walks in. When Crosshair walks in—what he sees of them, and what they see of him informs every single interaction they have through the rest of the series.

First, what they see of him. Crosshair’s chip is activated. He’s just been electroshocked into submission and had that chip’s programming ramped up to twenty. He’s not in control of his thoughts or actions, but the only two people who have any inkling that that’s the case are Tech, who’s powering up the ship and not in the room, and Omega, who is a Child and about to be shot at for the first time in her life. The rest of them have no idea. All they know is that Crosshair is standing there wearing a new set of armor, leading a new squad, with a new rank, telling them to stand down and looking oh so pleased with himself as he clarifies that that is, in fact, an order. At the time, while Crosshair is monologuing about how they need to come quietly and how Hunter can’t see the bigger picture, it must look to them like the reason Crosshair left in that earlier scene was because he wanted to leave the squad. We, the audience, know that’s not true, but the rest of the batch doesn’t, especially given what they’re seeing at the time.

And then Crosshair starts shooting. It looks to them like he’s trying to kill them, and its not just empty. As much as Crosshair surely doesn’t want to, as much as Crosshair probably hates himself for this later on when he’s more in control, he shoots Wrecker. And unlike earlier in the episode, when Wrecker got shot during the battle simulation, Wrecker isn’t able to eventually get back up and keep fighting. Wrecker’s down. It’s all Hunter and Echo can do to just drag him onto the ship, and the only reason they even manage that is because Omega manages to shoot Crosshair’s rifle out of his hand; they don’t have the manpower to subdue Crosshair and drag him on board as well, not without potentially getting themselves or Crosshair (or Wrecker) killed. They don’t leave Crosshair behind for Omega’s sake or because they got in one argument and wrote him off here. They leave him because, in that moment, it looks for all the world like Crosshair does not want to go with them, like he suddenly wants them dead or captured, and they’re just trying to get out of there alive.

And what he sees of them…gah. There’s a split second, blink-and-you-miss-it moment when Crosshair first walks in, sees them, and he looks terrified. He knows what he’s about to do, and he hates it, and he probably doesn’t know WHY he hates it, because his programming has to be screaming at him that what he’s about to do is right. Good soldiers follow orders. But the part of Crosshair that’s still himself, the part that’s still aware, still able to differentiate his own mind from the chip’s programming here in the early days after order 66, that part is yelling back that he doesn’t want to hurt them, but he can’t stop it. He doesn’t have that capacity. And that has to rip him apart here. The things he must have had to tell himself later just to cope.

But also—what he sees when he walks in? He sees the Marauder powering up. He sees everyone suiting up and grabbing their gear. He has to think—the thought has to cross his mind—that they’re leaving without him. And they’re not, they were literally on their way to rescue him, that was the next move, that was the plan, the only reason they don’t go through with it is because he walks in, starts shooting, and Wrecker almost dies, but Crosshair doesn’t know that. He wasn’t there to hear Hunter say that was the plan, no more than the rest of the batch was there so see what Nala Se and Tarkin did to him.

The worst part? None of them know about the parts they missed yet(2). Hunter, Wrecker, Echo, Tech, and Omega still don’t know what happened to Crosshair after the guards took him away. Crosshair still doesn’t know the others were coming for him. And I’m really curious about what’s going to happen if, and maybe when, they all get that context.

1. “Aftermath” takes place over at least several days, meaning Crosshair’s chip has been partially active and working its way into his thought processes the entire time.

2. I also think that part of the reason why things between Hunter and Crosshair are so broken is not because either (or neither) of them is willing to see things from the other’s point of view, but because both of them understands the other’s point of view a little too well, but in a way that lacks necessary context. Hunter probably understands that Crosshair has every reason to hate him, every reason to feel bitter and betrayed, and, honestly, Hunter probably agrees with Crosshair in that regard, and hates himself because of it. But Hunter also doesn’t know that Crosshair was never trying to kill them of his own free will and that he was therefore never bitter enough to actually want to hurt them. And Crosshair probably completely understands that Hunter has every reason to distrust him and to have completely given up hope that he might come home, and he probably hates himself for everything the chip made him do. But Crosshair doesn’t know that his family was, in fact, coming back for him and that Hunter is furious with himself for having left Crosshair behind. If they both ever had those gaps filled in they’d maybe both realize that, for all their hurt and misunderstanding, neither of them has ever hated the other. I desperately need them to sit down and talk. And then hug. And to break down weeping. Give me that catharsis I am BEGGING THIS DAMN SHOW.

[obsidianpen]

op your so lucky you find your passion in art and writing. like random tangent but i wish i could find what gives me the absolute amount of joy instead of slaving away working in tech.

oh goodness. This gave me lots of conflicted feelings and I had to sit with it for a minute. At first I had this gut instinct to say something snarky like ‘psh it wasn’t luck’ but whenever my immediate reaction is to be all wounded and defensive I know I have some unpacking to do, so I sat and dwelled on this. New response, here we go.

I am lucky. I’m lucky that I had a mom and dad who gave me as much blank paper and drawing materials as I wanted; for as many faults as my dad had, I’m lucky that he encouraged me to draw and that he had ‘drawing contests’ with me all the time when I was little. Those are some of my happiest memories with him as a child, and a big part of why I kept making art as an adult.

I’m lucky that I grew up and went to a school where the middle school teacher was AMAZING at teaching grammar, and I found a I had a knack for English that paralleled nicely with my love of story telling.

I’m lucky that I had many close friends growing up who allowed me to be the bossy, in-charge one whenever we played pretend, letting me control the story at every turn and practice world building at such a young age.

I’m lucky I had these building blocks when I was young and that I managed to hold on to them as an adult. Story telling, making art - both similar to me - do really brig me joy. I can’t imagine who I would be without them in my life.

I think it is very human to want to create something from ‘nothing’. There are so many ways to do this, and I wish everyone had the opportunity to find which method makes their heart sing. I guess all I can tell you is that it’s never too late. Try everything (within reason). Take a figure drawing class. Singing lessons. Write some fanfiction. Some original fiction. Whatever. Keep trying because life is too short to waste it wondering what would have made you happy.

[ashyybees-art]

More Bad Batch Actor AU Shenanigans/Bloopers-Part 2?

Wrecker and Omega ran a prank of changing people’s ringtones and then calling the person: their favorite was Rampart in the middle of a senate scene with a girly pop song. He said “jokes on you I do like this song, I’m keeping this.” 😂

Fives called Echo in the middle of a scene at least a few times:

Fives: “Echo, for the cookout this weekend, I need you to pick up some things.”

Echo: “Fives *laughing* we’re in the middle of filming!”

Fives: “Oh sh*t! I forgot *laughing*, I don’t get to be a main character anymore so I don’t remember the schedule ya know-!”

Echo: “We have to start over now.”

Tech: “No, Echo it’s fine we can keep going, we’ll just change the story, we’re going to the market to get cookout supplies now. Someone call Cid!” *cue everyone else laughing*

(This one taken from Merlin filming) Rampart playing on a pink Nintendo DS while waiting for scene setup and “action”

There’s multiple of Tech’s goggles, and the entire Batch are wearing them one day, acting completely normal, trying to run a scene, until they can’t take it anymore to laugh, especially Tech.

They continued the extra Tech goggles joke by putting the goggles on random people: on the body in the casket, Rex, Rampart, Palpatine, Mokko, Cut, etc

Hunter accidentally inhaled dirt on more than one occasion doing his tracking thing

Hunter fell over a few times doing the landing from jumping off the destroyed probe droid in season 1 Ryloth episodes

Someone tipped over their pod in the water on accident and on purpose at least once during season 1 finale

Pilot episode Wrecker/Hunter started walking into the medbay too early and smacked into the door-ruining the take with Echo and Omega

The Batch were jumpscaring each other on the “Metamorphosis” set a lot: Tech got Wrecker bad by hiding and then touching him with the fake arm the Zillo beast eats, Omega scared Tech in the bridge by jumping out the closet instead of the med-droid, Crosshair snuck on set and hung from the ceiling grabbing Hunter’s helmet, Wrecker got Hunter by jumping out and hitting the windshield of the Marauder

Someone switched someone’s drink in a scene at Cid’s with pickle juice (or something else weird) instead of the fruit punch/soda/water they’d use. Needless to say they had to redo the take cause the person did react

Omega had her earbuds/headphones on and didn’t hear the directors so she was still dancing and singing when they were supposed to start a scene, making the others laugh and have to get her attention

Dancing in the brig while waiting for action

Cad Bane started dancing over Hunter after “shooting” him

Rampart and Tarkin dancing with the Kaminoans

Omega tripped while running to talk to Hunter in the hangar in the pilot just as he turned around, he made sure to check on her and had a small laugh between the two

[scoops404]

🖊️ I’m always a slut for snippets

Well, ask and you shall receive. More Pirates!

It’s quick work to climb down the creaky steps to the lower deck. He passes through the crew’s sleeping quarters of hanging hammocks, and even lower, the mess and scullery. On the lowest level below decks, Dream finds the brig.

His eyes haven’t adjusted to the darkness and there are no portholes down here, lest the entire ocean come inside. Even with his eyes impacted, he spots one lonely soul locked behind bars.

“Hello there,” Dream calls out. The man in the brig doesn’t move. Dream really hopes he isn’t dead. He hates when he has to deal with dead bodies. He makes other people deal with that on his own ship.

“Are you dead?” Dream asks, getting straight to the point. “Please don’t be dead.”

“I’m not dead,” a voice answers, monotone. The body rises to its feet as if to prove its vitality.

“Well, then what a blessed day,” Dream says back, playing up his own obnoxiousness. It usually works as a tactic to throw people off balance.

“I don’t recognize you,” the man says, for he is a man. “Does that mean it was your ship that so nicely blasted a hole in this one?” As he speaks, he steps closer and circles his fingers around the bars.

“It was indeed,” Dream says, looking around to see if he can spot the keys to the cell. Second by second, his eyesight is returning. “What did you do to end up in the brig?”

“Not sure,” the man says. “Ask someone else.”

“I’m asking you,” Dream returns. On the wall beside the entrance lies a key ring. He pulls the keys down, clinking them together. It doesn’t really matter what this man did, he’s not Dream’s problem in the end. He’ll pump him for information, and then leave him to the current crew to deal with.

“Then I’ll tell you I’ve done nothing except be in the wrong place at the wrong time,” the voice says after a brief pause. Dream can feel his eyes tracking him across the room.

“Oh, so you’re innocent?” Dream asks, disbelieving. All men think they are innocent, even with blood on their hands.

“I can’t be guilty or innocent if there is no crime committed,” the man says back with a bite. He’s sharp, Dream will give him that.

[crystallizedkingdoms]

Platonic Ship: Johann & Voidfish

Johann is about to collapse under the stress. The Voidfish finally takes notice.

wc: 1,212

day 3 of @do-you-ship-this-taz-ship’s TAZ Rarepair Event! who cares that I’m several days late im having fun!! anyway they’re rare to me cuz no one does them like i do Sorgy that’s the truth

you can also read this on ao3 <3

Johann’s gone mad.

Of course he has. There’s no other explanation. There is nothing else in this world, in this planar system, that could possibly explain the fact that Johann is clinging to the lip of the Voidfish’s tank and looking down into its waters. Johann’s gone mad.

And because of what? A fucking alien jellyfish of all things?

He shouldn’t be up here. He knows that. If anyone, anyone is to walk inside these Chambers while he is still teetering on the edge of the tank, that’s it. Johann’s done for. He’ll be thrown into the brig, questioned to all the hells to figure out what the fuck he thought he was doing. What he planned to do with the Voidfish. 

They don’t know, nor will they ever believe, that Johann has nothing planned. He’s sitting on the thick edge of the Voidfish’s tank, bare feet just an inch above its swirling waters, with absolutely nothing in mind. Johann doesn’t even remember what possessed him to come up here. All he remembers are the hours of lyre-playing that haunted him before. The same seven notes, over and over and over, E-G-G-B-A-B-E, E-G-G-B-A-B-E, E-G-G-B-A—

All Johann remembers is another failed duet.

“I can’t take it anymore, man.”

Johann grips the lip of the tank even tighter until his knuckles begin to ache. He stares down at the Voidfish with intense, narrowed eyes. The angle is alien to him: for the almost two years he’s known the Voidfish, he has always been the one below it. It towers over the entirety of its Chambers, the giant pillar of the Bureau. Always above the mundane life of the gamekeeper. It’s always been Johann who’s had to crane his neck to look up at its glory.

But now he finally gets to witness the Voidfish below him. It’s massive, it always will be, but if Johann lets himself indulge in his newfound madness, he can almost imagine the Voidfish looking smaller from upon this ledge. He can almost imagine the Voidfish reaching up to him. 

The Voidfish stares ahead. Ignoring Johann’s existence, like it has done for a year and many months, surely.

“You haven’t been eating lately. I know everyone’s been feeling like shit lately, and maybe that’s affected my compositions, but nothing? Not even a bite? Not even just… just…”

Johann slams his palms down on the ledge, loud enough to make himself jump. The Voidfish, of course, has no reaction. “This was the one thing we consistently had together!” he yells. “You abandon our playing together, you won’t even sing those same fucking notes anymore, when that’s all I have with you! If you won’t let me try to make a duet with you anymore, fine, but I— I can’t lose everything we have together all because everyone’s acting like the world is dying!”

All that yelling makes Johann gasp for breath. All that yelling doesn’t affect the Voidfish at all.

“Look at me,” Johann hisses. His voice is loud and shaky and so, so desperate. “Just look at me!!”

And, to his surprise, the Voidfish does.

Johann almost slips off the tank in shock. The Voidfish’s large bell swivels and tilts upwards, facing Johann up on the edge of its cage. It has no eyes, but Johann’s body shivers with the distinct sensation of being watched. “Holy shit, you actually listened to me,” he says. His voice is light, as if the Voidfish has sucked the air out of his lungs with just this small acknowledgment.

Johann, against his better judgment, stretches his legs. The tips of his toes brush against the surface of the Voidfish’s waters, sending ripples across the tank that distort the image of the creature below. Johann watches every minuscule wave intently, before his eyes trail back to the Voidfish, scanning for some sort of reaction. Maybe something that could knock his senses back into his head, and make him realize what exactly he’s doing right now.

Instead, the Voidfish decides to push Johann to his limit by reaching up. Its long and flowy oral arms float upwards towards Johann, and the longer he stares at it, the more he thinks he’s about to pass out. What is it doing? he wonders, suddenly gripped by fear. Just…

“Why?”

The Voidfish’s frilly tendrils remain suspended in its tank. They’re long enough they almost break into the surface. Long enough for Johann to stretch out a little farther and touch it. Which he does, with no hesitation, because everything in his heart is telling him he must. He bends over and reaches his hand towards the Voidfish. His fingers brush over the surface of the water and send the tiniest of ripples through it.

And the Voidfish closes the distance. The Voidfish is the one who stretches its frills to touch Johann’s outstretched fingers and graze his dry skin. It snakes around his index finger, dripping water as it wraps him in its tiny embrace. It touches him— no, it holds him. Gently. Lightly. It doesn’t push or pull on Johann, it almost seems to cradle him. Johann shivers at the touch.

It’s everything Johann’s ever wanted from it. Even more, if he’s being honest with himself. A simple acknowledgement has evolved past that, into an act of affection. A sensation. Given up so easily, right when Johann is at his limit. Right when Johann’s gone mad.

But Johann wants more. Of course he can’t be happy with what he’s given.

Johann pushes off the rim and plunges into the tank.

Yeah, definitely mad. Wearing only two layers of sleepwear, Johann kicks his feet to keep himself afloat, with eyes wide as he stares at the Voidfish in front of him. Its swirling galaxies glow even brighter without the thick glass in the way. And those stars and lights and frills— they are all looking at him. All while one of those tentacles cradles his finger in its grasp.

You want me here, Johann thinks. You’re looking at me.

The Voidfish sings. A booming call, like a whale song, but infinitely more beautiful. Practiced and perfected. Johann smiles and doesn’t even care for the water seeping into his lips. He listens to the Voidfish’s call and clutches the tendril with his entire hand, rather than just his finger. Relief washes over him when the Voidfish doesn’t seem to mind. It just continues with its song.

Johann loses his need to understand the why. He doesn’t care to understand why now, after all his months of pleading for its grace, of yelling and screaming in ignored agony, that it finally gives it to him just a few days before Midsummer. Johann closes his eyes and hums to the Voidfish’s song. It forces the precious air right out of his lungs, irritating his nose, but it doesn’t matter. How can he care about such insignificant things when the Voidfish’s song fills him so completely? 

Maybe that’s part of the end-of-the-world stress that’s made Johann mad. But he doesn’t pretend to entertain the thought. He doesn’t care to hide or take unnecessary breaths. Johann floats there, clinging to the Voidfish as it clings to him in return, humming with it. Letting his breath slip out of his mouth. 

Singing their second Duet.

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓅨 Your Fate is Sealed With Mine: Chapter Thirty-Eight

Your Fate is Sealed With Mine: Y/N Burgess is the granddaughter of Alex and Paul, and after having spent so many summers at their manor and always wondering why she was forbidden from entering the basement, she descends the steps into the world of the Order. She broke out the being that had been trapped in that glass cage, but what does he want with her now that he is free?

Warnings: Language, Arguments, Tension.

To Note: Morpheus/Dream x Female!GranddaughterReader, based on Netflix’s ‘The Sandman’, Reader now has long-ish hair for plot reasons (Just so Morpheus can tug on it later).

Word Count: ~2.3k

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You were back in the waking world, on your way to visit Lyta and her newborn son. Everything had been eerily calm within the Dreaming both in presence and through the humming of energy you now constantly felt. Of course you had been playing dodge ball with Morpheus, with the Endless as the ball. He was quite determined to corner you. For what? You had not a clue but you’d rather enjoy the peace you currently felt then get into another argument with him. Perhaps childish of you but you really didn’t think your heart could take another argument with him. Turning a corner, you reached Lyta’s room and knocked on the door before poking your head inside.

“Y/N!” Lyta greeted with a brig smile. “Come in! You’re just in time, Rose and Jed are here.”

Your eyes flickered to the siblings and you smiled at the sight of the baby in Rose’s arms holding onto Jed’s finger in a tight grip. Entering the room with a soft chuckle, you looked at Jed.

“Someone’s got quite a hold on your finger, Jed,” Jed beamed at you with a wide grin.

“Hi Miss Y/N! Isn’t he adorable?” Jed said in excitement.

“Quite so, Jed,” You responded. “And you needn’t call me ‘Miss’, we are after all, technically family.” Lyta’s eyebrow went up at your words.

“You are?” She asked, puzzlement on her face. You nodded, glancing at Rose.

“I’m not sure that Morpheus would be happy to know that I am sharing this information with you but I believe you have a right to know…” You spoke while venturing further into the hospital room. “You and Jed share the blood of the Endless. The reason for your creation is that the Endless will lose all that they are if they kill one another, let alone draw blood. You were merely a tool to try and end Morpheus.”

“So if I had died…” Rose softly mused, understanding in her eyes. You nodded.

“Morpheus would have been cast out and the Dreaming would have once again crumbled.” You finished the explanation.

“Wait, so the Endless that we’re related to, tried to hurt Morpheus?” Jed asked. “Why? I thought they were family?”

“I can’t give you an exact reason, I’m afraid, Jed. I myself don’t fully understand the familial dynamics of them.” You shrugged. “They were trying to pick a fight, I can tell you that.”

“Y/N, you know which one it was, don’t you.” You looked at Rose and gave her a slight nod.

“I do,” You responded honestly.

“Will you tell us?” Your eyebrow rose.

“Are you sure you wish to know?” Rose let out a sigh and looked back down at the baby in her arms.

“Yes, I don’t want to be in the dark about anything anymore.”

“Desire.” You said shortly. “And they are a very unpredictable and dangerous Endless. They’ve been picking fights with Morpheus for eons.”

“The Endless have been around for Eons?” Jed gasped out.

“Brings a whole new meaning to family drama.” Rose murmured in agreement. Then her forehead scrunched. “If you are married to Morpheus, and Desire is his sibling… does that make you related to us?”

“I am not going to be called your great-grandaunt.” You huffed out. Rose and Lyta started laughing at you. “I’ll be fine with the title of ‘the cool wine aunt’, nothing else.”

“I’ve never had a cool wine aunt before!” Jed blurted out, there was another round of laughter with you joining.

Bathwater that smelled of lavender and mandarin, bubbled around you, simultaneously making bubbles and breaking them. Hemponia and Lantana had wanted to try a new bath oil mix and had gone a tad overboard. Were the orange slices and lavender sprigs really necessary? You weren’t so sure but the dryads seemed to enjoy playing around with botanicals and oils made from the plants grown in the terraria they lived in. Their growing collection of ideas was rather impressive. Your hair had already been washed by Lantana’s gentle hands and now all you were doing was sitting in the bath water contemplating your avoidance tactics with Morpheus.

You could tell he was frustrated with the mental wall you had put up. You could also tell that he grew weary of you doing everything you could to avoid being in his presence. Even Lucienne and Matthew were probably noticing your increased efforts. But every time you thought to maybe put the Endless out of his misery, crippling self doubt hit you and you were consumed with the thought all you were was a subject and not his queen. Morpheus had adored all his past lovers, his love for them strong and apparent. But you didn’t feel like that was how it was with you. He said you were his. Only his. But it didn’t feel like it. You had danced around each other, teased plenty, taunted viciously, well you had taunted viciously, but you still felt like you were trying to break through a concrete wall with your bare hands.

Were the feelings you felt only a result of the bond? Did you crave his presence only because of it? Was anything about your relationship natural? Bloody hell, you loved the Endless and it felt like it was unrequited. What had Death said all those weeks ago? That you were the only thing that could sate his appetite and he was starving? Well Morpheus didn’t bloody well act like he was even hungry. Were you even worthy of being his after what had happened with Desire?

“Stop it.” You all but shouted at your mind. Your voice echoed in the bathroom and Hemponia fluttered her way into the room in a rush.

“My lady is everything well?” She asked, her purple eyes filled with worry. You let out a heavy breath and closed your eyes. You were being driven mad with all these doubtful thoughts that filled your mind. Thoughts that didn’t feel like yours. You did know Morpheus wanted you. You did know that he was simply trying his best to keep you safe. But in the back of your mind there was a seductive little voice trying to drive you into madness. It was succeeding.

“I’m fine, Hemponia, just— tired, I suppose. It’s been a long week.” You finally answered, opening your eyes and taking a deep breath. “I think I should like to head to bed.” As you spoke the bubbling bath ceased it’s simmers and began draining. Rising from the tub, you walked over to where the dryad held up your robe. She helped you into it and pulled your damp hair from the fabric trapping it.

“Would you like me to have a pot of tea brought up from the kitchen?” You shook your head, knowing that tea would not give you the relief you needed and wanted.

“No, no, that’s quite alright, you and Lantana are free for the rest of the night. I should like to be alone.” Hemponia bowed and left the bathroom, leaving you to stare into the vanity mirror. Exiting the bathroom, you strode towards the wall of windows and doors and stared out at the view. It never ceased to stun you, but the stormy clouds had gathered overhead. A vast change from the usual calm sky. Did the Dreaming reflect the mood of it’s rulers? You heard footsteps behind you, one of the dryad twins must have forgotten something. Turning to look over your shoulder, you stiffened when it became apparent that it wasn’t.

“Y/N,” You looked for the nearest exit which happened to be the balcony. You weren’t above jumping… “Must you push every button I possess?” You glanced back at him, that raging fury was simmering behind his eyes. Ah, yes, you had kissed the Corinthian in front of him. It seemed that everyone but Morpheus was willing to kiss you these days… and yet Morpheus got ever so angry with you when you received a fraction of affection from someone else. 

“Your buttons are so pushable…” You fired back, your blood slowly coming to a boil within your veins. “Well, maybe I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t act so bloody bipolar with me!!”

“What I do is tantamount to how I feel for you, it is my only wish that no further harm comes to you. Surely you are not obstinate enough to refuse to see that.” You felt like blanching. Obstinate? How dare he have the gall to call you obstinate when all he did every time you got close was push you away like you were a mistake!

“I am not a glass doll!” You retorted sharply, your hackles rising. “You do not get to put me in a box for safe keeping Morpheus! I need my freedom!”

“Freedom?” Morpheus repeated, airing out an incredulous snort. “You, Y/N, are a little troublemaker. Why should I ever expect anything else from you?” His eyes burned and sparkled with stars. “I should expect nothing but the worst from you given your proclivity to be so carefree with your affections.”

“Oh, my actions piss you off, do they?” Your words had come out as a hiss. You were getting ever so angry by his accusations. You were carefree with your affections? Says the walking statue! No, you were sure even a statue could provide more affection and comfort that this being! Your eyes blazed bright silver as your tongue prepared to lash out with savage words. “If you don’t like the way I’ve turned out my lord,” You spat out, your words dripping with venom and malice. Morpheus’s eyes shifted to novas, his rage palpable. “Then maybe you should have chosen someone else to be your bonded because at this point in time? I do not feel like you are mine and I am most certainly NOT yours!!”

It went deafeningly silent in your room, the only sounds being the howling winds outside the palace, a reflection of how you both felt at the moment. Thunder boomed. Lightning crackled. You saw something crack in Morpheus’s demeanor for the first since meeting him. You then decided to thrust the dagger of your words into him one last time. Hopefully, a fatal blow.

“I am nothing more than a distraction to you, you’ve made that quite clear, Dream of the Endless. So why not just let me go so you can concentrate on what you really care about.” Your caustically whispered words made your stomach roll and heart ache. Even your lips were wobbling, but you stayed strong, you had to. It hurt to say those words, even made your eyes burn with tears you were working your hardest not to let fall. But they had to be said. You didn’t want to see the result of your words, or let him see the tears building in your eyes or the breakdown of your emotions, so you turned and went to slip away.

You only made it one step.

Morpheus yanked you backwards, quickly pressing your back against the window you had only moments before been gazing out of. You sucked in a breath, only seeing stormy eyes boring into yours for a split second before lips came crashing down on yours. You could have sworn your heart stopped in your chest. Then explode. The lips pressing against yours were starving, ravenous, searching for every little bit of intimacy that your lips held. But it wasn’t enough. Hand pushing your hip back into the glass, Morpheus dug his other hand into your damp hair and wound the strands around his fingers. Your lips parted in a strained breath from the slight touch of pain running across your scalp. Then Morpheus pressed even closer, devouring every inch of your mouth until you were drowning in his kisses.

His tongue slipped across your parted lips and tangled with yours. Morpheus pushed and pulled at your tongue, claiming every corner of your mouth with the type of passion that lingered with an electric burn. He had you gasping for oxygen in between deep fiery kisses, kisses that ravaged your mouth, kisses that drowned you in his taste.

You sank your nails into his shoulders, dragging your fingers down his fabric covered skin in a clawing motion meant to pull Morpheus closer. Oh how it had hurt these past few weeks, lingering in the shadows while he toiled away to solve the problems of the Dreaming. Were you not good enough to help? Were you only just a pretty face? His thumb brushed against your cheek while your mouths tangled together. You shuddered at the gentle touch and the tears that had long since gathered at your eyelashes finally started falling. This is all you wanted, to feel a return of affection for the one being you could not live without. Was that too much to ask for? Morpheus dragged his lips once more across yours before pulling back. Your lips were only a whisper apart, a whisper too far. But he didn’t dive back down for more like you expected.

No. Morpheus rather started pressing his lips against the salty wet trails your tears made down your cheeks. You couldn’t bare to open your eyes and simply stood limp against the window. His nose brushing against your rapidly cooling skin, your breaths came out in shudders as hypnotizing lips gently placed kiss after kiss along your tear tracks. The hand in your hair stroked through the strands, gently caressing your scalp until lips lifted from skin. Fingers brushed away any lingering tears. You willed yourself to open your eyes once more until you looked into eyes that held the night sky.

“You are the very dream that held my mind together in those last years of solitude, Y/N,” Morpheus whispered softly, leaning his forehead against yours. “The dream that I have held onto for so long that I am terrified to lose, I wouldn’t be able to exist without you. You are my dream, you always have been.”

“Then stop pushing me away every time you think I’ll become a distraction or get hurt.” You returned equally as soft, your nails releasing their sharp points in his shirt. “I’m your partner, Morpheus. I’m here to support you in your time of need, not be a hinderance.”

You both stood quiet for a few moments, foreheads pressed together in a moment of peace. The silence was deafening once more and ate away at your conscious. You considered bringing down your walls to feel him, feel what he was feeling. Your didn’t have to in the end because Morpheus was pulling your lips back to his once more. Lips meeting lips, you parted your mouth and sunk back into a soul healing kiss that only had you chasing after more.

Date Published: 12/23/22

Last Edit: 8/20/23

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[whatsaninterestingplacethisis]

Winter Cafe

Imagine

Elias Pettersson x Latina!Reader

Synop: y/n and a friend are discussing their love lives in a calm cafe on a late Vancouver winter evening. Nervous, blushy Elias + stubborn?reader

cw: cussing, joke about “I’m going to kill you”

+++

“I told you J names are never to be trusted.” You stated at your best friend across from you.

“But he can really be sweet, like a few days ago he bought me flowers.” She gushed in the cute action as you sipped your hot cocoa.

“Are you really going to ignore the fact that he has left you on delivered since then? Not to mention he has a habit of doing this, leaving you to hang dry.” You didn’t want to sound rude but this guy sounds like he’s stringing your friend along.

“I know you’re right but he’s still incredibly hot.”

You stare at your friend in disbelief but understand her situation. Love, if that is what she even is in, makes people see not clearly.

“You wouldn’t get it.” She says.

“What do I not get?” You sit up straight to really listen to what she has to say.

“Liking a guy this much.” She stated flatly.

“You’re right I don’t get it. I’ve had crushes before and you know that.” You retaliate, starting to strip off your puffer jacket.

“No this isn’t a crush. This is more than that. You don’t let yourself actually fall for a guy. You see any possible red flag and make excuses to not fall in love.”

You were baffled to hear all of this tonight. You didn’t know that’s what your friend thought but you knew deep down it was true. So, you kept silent in shock.

“Your silence speaks for itself.” She had to rub in.

“Okay so what is so wrong with that? I’m fine having a few crushes now and then and leading to nowhere. Plus you know I’m not ready for anything serious.” You pulled at your long sleeves, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Oh please, you’ve been saying that for the last couple of years! It’s either now or never to be in a relationship.”

“Then I suppose it’s never.” A stubborn lady you were.

“No actually, I suppose it’s now. Don’t look but there is a Ken-looking man eyeing at you.” Your friend smirks at you as she drinks her warm tea.

“Haha funny. That’s a mean thing to joke about.” You stare hurt at your friend.

“No I’m being dead serious. There is a blondie in a beanie looking at you.” You didn’t want to turn around in case there was no one there and she would make fun of you. So you played along.

“And how do you know he’s looking at me and not you?” You raised your eyebrows at your friend.

“Because he just waved at me and pointed to you.” She is still looking over your shoulder but keeping the conversation going.

You gulped as if you were starting to believe her.

“That’s makes zero sense. Why would he be interested in me if he can’t even see my face?” You questioned the scenario.

“I don’t know but he’s coming over right now.” She quickly whispered across the small round table.

“What the hell are you talking about?” You harshly whispered back as a blonde man suddenly appeared at your guy’s table.

Both of you look up to the tall, model-looking man.

“Hi” he says simply with a small smile.

“Hi” both of you say in unison and look at each other. Your friend winks at you and you fight to not scoff, you look up to the man.

“I’m Elias.” He grabs the nape of his neck as he says, “I saw you when you walked in and I thought you were really beautiful. I tried to get your friend’s attention to see if it’s okay to talk to you.”

“It’s perfectly fine to talk to my friend.” Your friend says with too much enthusiasm.

“In fact, sit down Elias. I’m going to order another drink.” She demands as she stands up and softly but forcefully guides Elias’ shoulders to her seat.

Your mouth is agape as your friend prepares to leave you to fend for yourself. She even whispers, “don’t mess this up.” before she finally leaves.

“Pendeja” you harshly whisper at her back as she walks away. You turn to look at Elias with a nervous smile.

“Hi” you say

“Hi” he says with a bright smile before faltering,

“I can leave if you don’t want to talk with me.” He rushes to say.

“No it’s fine, my friend wouldn’t shut up if I ignored you.”

“I’m y/n” you tried to show interest

“I’m Elias—I already said that, sorry” he laughs as he feels his cheeks start to warm up.

You laugh at his nerves, fidgeting with your mug.

“Are you from Vancouver?” He asks staring intently.

“No, but I’ve been living here for a few years now.”

He nodded in agreement. It didn’t take long to understand he wasn’t from Vancouver either with his lingering accent.

“Are you going to ask if I’m from here?” He indulges in the shared ambiance.

“I think I already know the answer.” You say confidently.

“Okay go ahead.” He leans back into his chair, holding the eye contact.

“Sweden.” You calmly state.

His eyes widen very slightly and his jaw drops too. “How did you know?” He asks astonished as he leans foward into the table.

“I’m good at guessing where people are from. The accent was a hint, plus you literally look like the stereotypical Swedish man, tall and handsome.” You whispered the latter before sipping your drink.

That bright smile of his returns and he tries to cover his blush.

“I’m sorry if I was too bold.” He says

“I think it was fine, you were respectful if anything. Some guys are too confident when picking up girls.” You looked over at your friend who’s sitting across the cafe shamelessly staring at you two.

“Maybe that’s why I’m still single.” You whisper to yourself but also trying to hint your availability to blondie. Your friend was right, any wrong first impression, you threw the guy to the side, but Elias has been sweet so far.

“I guess that should have been my second question, you are single right?” He asks for confirmation.

You stare at him, thinking of what his intentions are, “I am.”

“Are you?” You ask boldly. Normally you wouldn’t ask at all seeing as though a conversation would never get this far.

“Yes.”

“Well then.” You stare back at him waiting for him to ask anything at this point. He was the one who walked over, he has to be the one to ask for your number as well.

+++

Your friend fidgets in her seat as she’s been trying to hold in her pee to not miss any action between you and Mr. Elias. She watches as Elias stands up and leaves the cafe. As soon as the hanging door bell chimes to a close she makes her way towards you.

“So what happened!?” Your dear friend was so excited for you, the possibility of finally being in a relationship.

“We have a date next week.” You say as if it were a question. You couldn’t believe it yourself.

“Oh my god, y/n!” She drags out your name as she holds your hands making a happy dance.

“I’m going to kill you for leaving me here though.” You say still annoyed at her actions.

“Not before we find you a cute outfit to wear on your date!”

[esta-elavaris]

Flufftober Day 18: "Did you plan for this to happen?" ~ James Norrington/OC [1,068 words]

My Flufftober '23 masterpost can be found here, and my behemoth of a main fic about these two is here 💜✨

This one contains spoilers for the end of Part Two of Catch the Wind.

They’d been in the brig of one of Beckett’s ships for hardly any time at all, and Theo was already deeply worried about Jack’s hand. He no longer sang, nor even joked, his mood bleak as he lay at the other end of the cell with the arm his good hand was attached to thrown across his eyes. Their all being put in one cell together was little accident, she suspected, for the men aboard would no doubt report back to Beckett what sort of dynamic they witnessed between them on the voyage back to Port Royal.

It'd be disappointing, she suspected, for Jack wasn’t much up to conversation. If any comment was made on how she used her rum ration to clean the hand, she’d blame it on feminine sentiment – or a desire not to be locked up with a dead body. It was no great loss, anyway, for the heat and the exhaustion made rum unstomachable, and even the lukewarm water they were given was a far better option.

What did surprise her, though, was when Jack finished his own ration record time…and James pressed his own bottle into the pirate’s hand. Even Jack himself was unable to hide his surprise, eyeing her new husband with narrowed eyes like he was trying to puzzle out whether he’d been able to get his hands on poison to lace it with.

“You need it more than I,” James replied flatly, before returning to the little corner he and Theo had unofficially claimed for themselves.

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, particularly not when it involved drink, that bottle was swiftly gone, too.

Time drifted on from there, Theo leaning tiredly against James, taking comfort in the proximity as her mind wandered – mostly, uneasily, to what lay ahead. She needed to meet Beckett about as much as she needed a bone marrow extraction, but she supposed there was little choice in the matter now so it wouldn’t do to sit and stew about it. Although when she looked up at James, she found his lips pressed thinly together, his brow furrowed, and his eyes dark. She wasn’t the only one brooding, then, although she thought he did it a touch more attractively than she likely did. But she was biased.

“What has my husband frowning like that on our wedding day?” she asked quietly.

The change that overcame his face then surprised even her, for the furrow was gone and his whole manner seemed to soften as he turned to look at her with an expression that robbed the breath from her lungs. How long could she garner that response from the word, she wondered? A long time, hopefully.

The hand that had been slung lazily around her shoulders drifted a little lower, coming to rest at the dip of her waist, his grip warm through her thin shirt.

“The fact that you deserved a better wedding, for one.”

She should have known it would be a sore spot. The time played a role, no doubt, as it did in everything here. Maybe he worried it reflected on him in some way – as a husband, or how she would be kept as a wife going forward. So long as it wasn’t in a hutch, she’d be happy enough. But she sensed this wasn’t a time for jokes like that.

“I meant what I said – the only change I’d make is one that can’t be made,” she tilted her head to the side, lying against him now. “The groom was all that mattered to me.”

Realistically, what could she expect from a high society Port Royal wedding, especially with Port Royal as it would be now? Without even the friendly faces of Elizabeth and Will in attendance. If, indeed, they were still friendly faces after the events of this day. Amelia Simmonds in the corner, sneering at how common she looked in her dress? Gillette tittering about how she was a step down from Elizabeth? Groves would’ve been a welcome addition…and she was sad that Governor Swann hadn’t been there for how much she knew James would have wished it so.

Her words earned her a smile, and he replied quietly. “I confess a certain amount of elation, in regard to the bride.”

Theo nestled closer still.

“Could’ve done with a wedding feast,” she added lightly. “They give us water and rum, but not food.”

The bastards had confiscated all of their coconuts after finding them, likely fearing they could be utilised as weapons. With Jack around, that was probably a fair concern.

“They don’t want us at our best, when it comes time to meet the boss,” he murmured.

That made sense, she supposed. Water would keep them alive, for they likely knew not when they last had access to it, and rum would either leave them fuzzy or hungover when it came time to face the little bastard. Especially on an empty stomach.

“I wouldn’t have complained about a chance to be alone with my husband, either.”

There was an adorable sort of fluster to his face when she said that, counteracted by how his hand slid just a little lower still, down to her hip where his thumb rested at the bare patch of skin where the shirt had ridden up a little. It felt almost scandalous. She hoped he kept it there – and he did.

“That,” he said, “I have remedied to the best of my ability.”

As if on cue, the now-empty rum bottle slipped from Jack’s grasp onto the floor, and he let out a low snore. Theo sat up, staring at him in disbelief before slowly turning her gaze to James. He smirked in a manner that was downright roguish.

“Did you plan for this to happen?” she asked, a disbelieving grin threatening to tug at her lips.

The smugness of the smirk said it all, and she couldn’t help but lean in and kiss him – which he returned gladly, pulling her against him. They parted reluctantly when a noise suggested one of their jailors might be coming into the brig, but Theo stayed close, the hand at her hip suggesting he intended to keep her there, and she spoke softly into his ear.

“Just for that, when he wakes up I’m having him marry us all over again.”

Captain technicality be damned. James didn’t seem inclined to protest.

Links: AO3 -- FF.net -- flufftober masterpost -- dividers by cafekitsune