#oh look. it's the beginning of the no jedi allowed part of the no jedi allowed au

[techtalksfics]

Rex Headcanon - Make Out

Author Note: So I am just testing out the waters with a 'reg' clone. This is sort of a ficlet, based on a headcanon. Rex seems easier than the others to write. But I have plans for Hardcase, Fives, Cody & Gregor next.

Rex

Private:You occasionally found yourself alone with Rex and in various situations that were often brought about by your friend, Anakin. He’d thrown you together in lodgings on missions and bars when there was downtime. He’d even pushed you into a briefing room once when Rex was handing out assignments, he simply looked at you perplexed. But one-night things became very different.

The first night. That first night where you finally caved, turning slowly away from the ways of the Jedi. You felt the end of the war closing in around the Jedi, despair weighing heavy, although you were not sure why.

You were out on the balcony, avoiding the political wolves and the generally unpleasant ambience of the inner gathering.

“General Skywalker, he – uh,” Rex sighed with frustration, he could never get his words out around you. He also knew why Anakin had pushed him out towards you. “He sent me to find you.” You turned with your champagne flute in hand and tipped it towards him slightly, “consider me found.” After a long moment, Rex moved to stand next to you, both of you watching the speeders race on by. You held the railing with one hand and he with both of his.

The warmth of his hands radiated beside your ever cold ones made you shiver with an odd sort of pleasure. Slowly and with a dash of confidence in the comfortable silence, he moved his hand towards yours until the tips of his fingers danced across the flesh of your hand. When he saw you suck in a breath, he suddenly knew that Anakin had been right. That you had felt it too. And then suddenly, you whispered “oh, sod it,” out into the night.

Taking hold of his hand fully, you manoeuvred his body close to yours and mashed your lips into his, praying he would kiss you back. Rex was elated, it took but a moment to move his arm around your waist and hold you close, and he kissed you firmly. And then he kissed you deeply. The weight and heat of your whole body was against it, and it drove him wild. He licked at your lips, praying for access. When you allowed it, your tongues danced wildly. He groaned loudly.  

Eventually, when you pulled away from one another, he placed a hand on your cheek and smiled at you softly, “I…we…” he sighed softly but the undertone of mirth was a pleasant change, “we should get back before the General comes looking for us.”

“Something tells me that he has no intention of looking for us, Rex,” you giggled as he offered you his arm.  

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

 Public: the fallout of Order 66 had led Rex to believe you had been killed and vice versa. You’d escaped with your life but very little else. In hiding and in retreat, you spent your days meditating. Things were lonely but peaceful. Much like the first time you had met them, the Bad Batch came stumbling into your life with a crash and with time, Rex reappeared in theirs. When he saw you walk in with Omega, his lips parted, and his world spun off its axis. When you saw him, the galaxy imploded in your heart. But removing the chips took precedence over everything else.

As everyone waited for Wrecker to wake from his surgery, Rex had asked if you would walk with him. You stood outside, watching him as he watched the horizon. The sun was beginning to set in the distance.

“If I had known you were alive…” His sigh was heavy, “after Order 66… that order… so many jedi were dead. I… I thought you were gone. If I had known…” When he turned to look at you, expecting disappointment but he found known. Instead, you took his hand in both of yours and placed it over your heart. He felt the thum, thum, thum, of your beating heart and his face heated, pink spreading over his features.

“Very much alive,” you murmured.

“Very much so,” he replied, lifting his hand to play with strands of your hair. Mindlessly focusing on you, he leaned his head down and placed a kiss on your cheek. His hot breath lingered as he pulled away. So, you did the thing he could not, you grabbed at his neck and pulled his lips flush against yours. It was hot and heated. Full of longing and promise. Something you had both desired and missed in equal measure. Your arms, around his neck; his hands dipped to your waist, gently digging into your flesh.

Then you heard a crashing sound from close by. Pulling apart, you both searched for the source of the noise and with a smile, you announced, “it’s okay Echo, I know you’re there.”

“So… this is the Jedi that had you losing your mind?” Echo jested as he appeared from the shadows. Rex simply cleared his throat and mumbled a soft yes to his friend as you giggled and placed your hand on his chest. “He used to talk about you constantly… it was very irritating.” Rex sighed, dropping his head to his now raised hand as blushed from pink to crimson.

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

OC questionnaire

Thanks to @eccaiia here, @mysticstarlightduck here and here, and @elsie-writes here!

Other questionnaires:

Robbie, Gwen, Maddie, Noelle, Jedi, and Kelsey here.

Carmen, George, Akash, Sam, Lexi, and Ash here.

Gabriel, Carla, Parker, Rose, Alex, and Ewan here.

Liam, Hye-Jin, Wendy, Wade, Issa, and CJ here.

Teo, Niri, Jazlyn, and Anathi here.

Below the cut, I will do Tyler, Xitlali, Atsila, and Raissa!

#1- Tyler

Are you an outdoorsy person or a fair weather freak?

“Outdoors suck. Would rather stay inside. Gym is inside. Books are inside. Why bother dealing with outside?’

Do you like animals? Have any pets?

“Have a poodle named Jolene. No, we didn't style her hair. She's perfect as is.”

What's one thing you keep on you at all times?

“... Did you know that the last thing you think about before you fall asleep is the first thing you remember in the morning? So the night before a big test, study right before going to bed! That'll keep you up at night.”

#2- Raissa

Do you have any weird or unusual habits?

“Absolutely not. There is nothing weird about me. Though John complains about me sighing too much. He once said I breathe out more air than I breathe in.”

Are you a night owl or a morning bird?

“These are ridiculous Ceteri phrases that make no sense. But my answer is neither, or both. You decide how to interpret it. I have devised a daily potion that allows me to properly function on a mere five hours of sleep, rather than the eight most people need. I'm up early and late. Now, if only I can get my team to help find a way to eliminate sleep altogether...”

Who is the person you hate the most? Why?

“Atsila McLain would be such an easy answer. And I can tell you want me to say her. But no. She was merely annoying. I try to avoid thinking about her Aequales as long as I can. She thought of us as nemeses, but it was one-sided on her part. But maybe if she stopped trying to take what was rightfully mine, I would stop. She never experienced anything I did. And in the name of peace? She was an awful person. It was a relief when I killed her.”

#3- Atsila

What are your biggest pet peeves?

“Oh, spirits, I hate when people aren't doing what they're supposed to do at the speed they should do it. I mean, how hard is it to adhere to a schedule and complete your tasks in an efficient manner? I don't understand it! I tell people to do something, and they don't do it! Or, they do it in the least efficient way I've ever seen. Even something as simple as walking. Walk diagonally to get somewhere faster. No need to stay on a certain path. But no it seems like every other person here is staying on the path.”

Who is the person you look up to the most?

“I don't look up to anyone. Literally, I suppose, everyone--I am rather short. Figuratively, no one. I suppose Carmen is rather efficient. And organized. She's highly intelligent and... She listens to me. I admire her loyalty and companionship.”

Do you have any major fears?

“Absolutely not. [Pause] I suppose boredom. Mediocrity.” if I may add - it's because she's terrified at the state she'll be in if something isn't going on Right Now

#4- Xitlali

Do you have any allergies?

“I think this is a personal question. I mean, what kinda questionnaire is it? Would rather not answer it. But ekaberries. I break out in hives if I eat it.”

How many people have you kissed?

“Not as many as I'd like, but I'm only twelve, so I'll probably kiss a few girls before long.”

What is your favorite number?

“My favorite number is 63. I find it incredibly satisfying knowing it's divisible by 7. 91 is a close contender for the same reason.”

I feel like this is all of the prominent TSP characters I feel need to answer these questions. Next time I'm tagged will begin the repeats.

Tagging softly @aziz-reads @thegreatobsesso @i-can-even-burn-salad @mk-writes-stuff @starlit-hopes-and-dreams

What is your favorite thing about rain? What is your least favorite thing about it?

@willtheweaver @elsie-writes @dyrewrites

+ ANYONE ELSE

What is something you don't mind waiting a long time for?

Have you ever been punished for something you didn't do?

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

@nebula--nix @literarynecromancy

[inklesspen]

A thing you see a lot in Star Wars material is "The Will of the Force". It's simply taken for granted a lot of the time. Oh, Jedi can argue about what the Will of the Force is in a particular situation, but nobody (except Kreia, I suppose) is ever seriously arguing that maybe the Will of the Force shouldn't automatically be obeyed. My guess is that this has something to do with how the Will of the Force is often synonymous with the Direction of the Plot. It's certainly convenient, but it raises ethical issues with which Star Wars rarely if ever bothers to engage.

“Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”

I was thinking about how you can have a Jedi take direction from the Force in a way that's generally reliable (after accounting for individual error), but which doesn't require setting the Force up as a moral authority, and I came up with this:

To begin, let‘s suppose that part of how the Force interacts with sapient beings is that when you make choices — when you settle on an intent — that creates a sort of “status effect” in your connection to the Force. Even if you have no idea how to wield the Force, you‘re still leaking out that intent. And part of what a Force adept can do is basically query the intent states of sapient beings in her vicinity. This is generally done at a subconscious level. A Jedi wants to be able to intervene in unjust situations? Well, then her connection to the Force is basically running a query across all the nearby Intents, looking for someone Intending to do unwarranted harm (according to the Jedi‘s moral guidelines). This is less a "configure search agent, send it to search the net, read results later" scenario like we‘d see with technology and more like a constant feedback loop between the Jedi‘s moral instincts and the collective Force auras of everyone in town. And this produces what the Jedi senses as "the Will of the Force". (We can also say it‘s slightly acausal, allowing Jedi to react to Intents that haven‘t actually been formed yet.) But the same function that queries Intents can also “broadcast”, which is how Obi-Wan mind-tricks the stormtroopers, and part of how Battle Meditation probably works, and so on.

He called upon the Force, gathering it to himself and wrapping himself within it. He breathed it in and held it whirling inside his heart, clenching down upon it until he could feel the spin of the galaxy around him. Until he became the axis of the Universe. This was the real power of the dark side, the power he had suspected even as a boy, had sought through his long life until Darth Sidious had shown him that it had been his all along. The dark side didn’t bring him to the center of the universe. It made him the center. He drew power into his innermost being until the Force itself existed only to serve his will.

The Sith warrior, of course, has other priorities. He will certainly want to keep abreast of certain Intents in the Force, but he‘s doing a lot more spamming of his own Intent upon others. It won‘t always work, but he only has to overpower someone once, right?

Which brings me to a thing that I‘m pretty sure is just fanon — the idea that beskar‘gam can protect a mando‘ad‘s mind from jetii tricks (or, that someone wearing real Mandalorian armor is effectively a void in the Force). If this is true, then someone wearing beskar‘gam isn‘t radiating their Intent into the Force like everyone else does, though a Jedi can still sense them, if imperfectly, by the way their actions influence other people‘s Intents. Still, if you have to go up against a Force adept it‘s worth it to wear beskar if you can, because it effectively removes their precognitive sense; they can‘t react to your Intents until you‘ve acted on them in a way others can see.

So what about droids? There‘s a lot of stuff in the Clone Wars show about the battle droids being fully sapient, with feelings and fears and individualized reactions. But they‘re still networked, still driven remotely.

And that‘s because, yes, a droid can have an Intent in the Force too. Not every droid; not the little mouse droids, or at least they only have small, simple Intents. But a droid with a complex personality, like Artoo? Sure thing. He presents in the Force like any other living being. And the battle droids are getting up there in complexity.

So what do you think happens when a droid has an Intent aura, but doesn‘t do what that Intent would suggest? When a droid wants to do anything other than run headlong at the lightsaber-wielding maniac and the legion of clone troopers, but is forced to do so anyway by its programming?

I think the result is a lot of Jedi being badly served by their instincts. They know what the droid wants to do, and they want to react to what the droid wants to do, but the droid doesn‘t actually do that thing, so they have to force themselves not to react that way. They have to force themselves not to pay attention to “the Will of the Force”. And doesn‘t that sound just like something Palpatine and Dooku would want for them? The better they get at killing droid armies, the worse they get at being Jedi.

[isaut]

51!

star wars au. jedi!yuki x twi'lek!reader. you thought i'd get future nostalgia and NOT have to do star wars au? think again.

song

The club is heady. Packed with visitors from across the galaxy, drinks pouring freely from the multiple bars, fog machines adding to the mysterious atmosphere. The visitors all have glazed over eyes, and a few are aging prematurely.

A pretty humanoid with purple skin bumps up against Yuki, giggling happily with two drinks in her hand. She passes one of the steaming beverages to Yuki, squeezing her bicep as she passes.

Yuki takes a sniff of the beverage. It turns her stomach with how sugary sweet it smells. Hibiscus and cherry. She keeps it in her hand, however, to prevent another from being given to her.

Had Yuki not been here on business, perhaps she would have enjoyed the scene. Everyone moving in perfect rhythm, perfectly in sync with the music. Too in sync with the music.

A human woman with the same glazed over eyes and wrinkles on his face begins to dance on Yuki. She grabs her arm and leans in, close enough to breathe against her ear. Gentle energy pushes from her fingertips, pulsing through the woman's body to remove some of the fog. "I'm looking for the High Priestess. Know where she is?"

The woman blinks, then points up to a balcony, illuminated by humming purple lights. Yuki follows her finger, and ends up meeting the gaze of a twi'lek with crystal clear eyes and adorned with pearls.

"You should leave," Yuki urges the woman. She points towards the door. "There's the exit."

The fog had already returned to the woman's eyes. She smiles at Yuki, resting her hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should stay with me, instead?"

"Sorry, gorgeous. I have a date." Yuki slips out from her grasp. She watches as another twi'lek slips behind a beaded curtain, arms laden with beverages and finger foods, and follows.

The balcony is well furnished. With low, long seating that allows for guests to sprawl long limbs out. As she enters, the weight of her lightsaber rings against her hip. A few scantily clad, attentive twi'leks perch around the pearl-adorned one, who lounges with her legs spread out over cushions.

You reach towards the platter that had just been set down before you, picking up one of the peeled fruits and popping it in your mouth. You look over at Yuki, eyes raking over her figure, or at least what you could see of it. Her tight clothes were covered by a long, black robe.

"This is a no-weapons allowed facility," You say, plucking up one of the bits of fruit and holding it out to Yuki, "Jiruusi fruit?"

"Your hospitality never fails to amaze me," Yuki says. She hovers above you, eyeing the fruit.

You bite half of it, fruit pooling around your lips. Once you've swallowed, you offer the other half to Yuki. Good faith that it wasn't poisoned.

Yuki plucks the fruit from your fingers and pops it into her mouth. "How'd you get Jiruusi goods in through the blockade?"

"And why would I tell a jedi that?" You hum. "Then I'd never get anything nice ever again."

"I'm hurt, Ophie. I thought we were friends."

"Really? I thought we were more than friends."

Yuki pulls a chair over, sitting down in it. It's almost too large for her, as you preferred to decorate to your needs instead of the standard humanoid.

"Let's start over," You suggest. "It's good to see you again, Yuki. I've missed you, you should come around more often."

Yuki leans forward, elbows resting on her knees and hands hanging. "And you're still as beautiful as the last time I saw you."

"Much better," You hum. You pick up another fruit, taking a bite of half of it and offering the other part to Yuki. She takes it from you. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

"Oh, the usual. The council wants you to return, or they want you dead. Want me to kill you again?" She pops the fruit in her mouth.''

You sigh, a smile on your lips. "I'd rather it be you than anyone else, gorgeous."

[duckiez]

going too far

Jedi!Nobara x f!Merchant!Reader — fic — 3047 words — part one

this is part of @strawberrystepmom's star wars x jjk crossover event 'It Takes A Galaxy'!

cw: the Jedi code being oppressive (as it is), mentions of previous drunkenness, mentions of spice/drugs, nonsexual undressing

Coruscant: the center of the Galaxy and a hub of beauty, excitement, and wonder.

“Yeah, right…” You scoff at the obnoxious phrase plastered on the upper wall of the airbus you find yourself seated on each and every morning. 

Sure, such a phrase might ring true for those wealthy enough to explore the surface levels, but you would never in a millennia describe Level 3349 as any of those things.

Not that you would have it any other way.

The aging bus slows to a halt as it reaches the next stop on its schedule, prompting you to shuffle your way through the crowd over to the exit. With a noisy puff of air, the airbus door lifts up and opens, smoggy air greeting you. An immediate flow of humans, Twi’leks, Rodians, and a few others spill out of the cabin along with you, everyone doing their best to go their own ways as they try to navigate the bustling early morning walkways. Tucking your hands into the pockets of your sweater, you start toward your shop.

Years ago, back when you first opened, you would find yourself riding your trusty speeder to work. It’s fast, not too expensive to keep running, and it takes you straight from your shabby apartment complex to your equally-as-shabby shop. There's a good reason you stopped though… a reason that has warm eyes and the most charming smirk you might have ever seen.

“Good morning!” A familiar voice appears beside you just as the woman does.

You turn your head to meet her gaze as you keep walking, smiling as you notice she’s got that classic smirk on. “Hey, Nobara. How was your patrol?”

She shrugs, “It was alright. Nothing to let the Temple know about. Though I did help a drunk Twi’lek back home!”

“Oh! Should I be jealous?” You half joke, not wanting to come off as too interested in the events of her night.

She forces some air through her nose as she laughs, “No, no, you’ll always be my favourite drunk Coruscanti to escort home!”

You try to ignore the rising flush in your cheeks as you roll your eyes at her. “Good! I better be!”

“Of course you are. Nobody else I’ve helped home makes an effort to keep me company and give me free coffee every morning after work!”

“Not even the other Jedi?”

Nobara shrugs, her smirk faltering, “Not usually. Most of the Jedi in the Temple are in the mess hall by the time I get back, but they tend to prefer to eat their breakfast quietly.”

Your eyes flicker over to her face as you continue on your walk, sensing more hurt than she’s ever willing to let on. You can feel your heart begin to sink in your chest, desperate to make her smile again, to make her pain go away.

“I got a shipment that came in last night… would you want to help me go through it all?”

She perks up a little, turning her head to look at you again, “You really want a Jedi to help you go through your wares?”

“Yeah! Why not?”

She gives you a look, one as if to call you foolish for asking such a question.

You burst out laughing, “What? It’s not like I sell illegal goods.”

Her look just deepens.

“I don’t!”

She lifts her hands up, as if the subject became tangible and she’s elected to drop it. Her voice is noticeably up a pitch, “Okay, whatever you say!”

“I’m hurt, Nobara!” You reach your shop, moving single file into the alleyway next door to reach the side entrance.

“Oh, you’re hurt?”

“Wounded, even.”

“You’re so dramatic.”

“Maybe even maimed.”

Now it’s her turn to roll her eyes at you, letting out a long sigh.

You chuckle at the way you’re able to get under her skin as you begin to type in the passcode that allows you access to your shop.

“You drive me crazy, you know that?”

The large metal door clicks and then whooshes open once you input the final number of the code, the motion activated lights on the inside of the building flashing offensively a few times before turning on completely.

Looking back over at your Jedi companion, you give her a smug smile before walking inside, “I know.”

Nobara follows you inside, the sounds of both your footsteps against the tile flooring echoing through the hall. The door you came in through clicks once again as it closes, leaving the two of you to the privacy of your store.

“So what exactly did you get in last night?”

Nobara looks around at the hallway as if she hasn’t seen it countless times before. You assume it’s a Jedi thing, always scanning areas for danger. The only danger she can see are grimy walls that are in desperate need of a wipe down and a concerningly adorable merchant with a silver tongue and a heart of gold. Not that she would ever utter any of that aloud.

“A little bit of this, a little bit of that. There should be some candies from the Outer Rim in there, which I’m beyond excited to try!” You enter another passcode, allowing you access into your backroom. The walls are lined with shelves and the shelves are lined with organized containers, each one labeled with names of different items you typically carry in your store.

“Oh wow, I haven’t had candy since I was a youngling.” She speaks with a bit of shock, a large part of her forgetting that such foods even existed. 

You head over to the box that was delivered the day before, swiping your delivery card through the card reader to gain access to your new merchandise.

Tucking her short hair behind her ears, Nobara steps closer to you in order to get a better look at what’s in the box. The two of you stand shoulder-pressed-to-shoulder as you look at the contents of the box. 

The dark grey of the sizable metal box contrasts harshly against the brightly coloured boxes of candy, clearly manufactured to entice younglings into screaming at their parents until they relent and purchase multiple dozens of credits worth of the sweets. It’s not a terrible marketing strategy, you think to yourself, but you couldn’t imagine having shouting youths in your shop disturbing your other customers so you make a mental note to store the candies in different containers.

Along with the packages of candy, you notice the real reason you invited Nobara back to help. Next to the candy is a wooden chest with an ornate design carved into the top and sides of it, the markings painted in blue and gold. “What’s in there?” Nobara looks at you, her expression difficult to read.

“Spice.”

She rolls her eyes again, nudging you a little. “I’m serious!”

“Let’s take it out and look.” You wiggle your eyebrows at her as you move around the box, leaning over to grab one side of the chest.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it.”

Nobara reaches her hand out, thumb and first two fingers outstretched as her ring and little finger fold down toward her palm. She blinks and takes a breath, clearing her mind.

You stand watching her in silence, fascinated by what she’s about to do. You’ve never seen anyone, not even Nobara, use the Force before.

The Jedi’s eyes fixate on the chest inside of the delivery box, the object lifting in tandem with her hand. She takes a step back, holding the chest in the air for a moment before moving it away from the container that held it and placing it on the floor in front of her. She immediately looks over at you for approval, and you can feel your heartbeat quicken.

“Wow… maybe I should hire you.”

“You’re telling me I’m not getting compensated for this?”

You both grin at each other, starting to laugh.

You nod your head at her, gesturing for her to open the chest. “Hopefully this will make up for it.”

She squints her eyes at you, trying to figure out what you’re up to. She foregoes that though, understanding the soonest she’ll get her answers is if she simply follows along with your questionable plot. Focusing her attention on the chest, she kneels down and flips the latch up, lifting the lid cautiously. Despite a moderately musky scent, Nobara senses nothing to be concerned about and opens the box all the way. Peeking inside, she notices layers and layers of dusty blue and purple fabric layered on top of itself. 

Her hands reach in and meet the fabric, the material cool and smooth against her fingers. She stands up with the unknown item remaining in her hands, unfolding from itself as she moves. A few short moments later, a floor length dress is revealed to her, consisting of a corseted bodice and a skirt with layers upon layers of luxurious cloth. Nobara’s eyes wander along the garment endlessly, admiring everything from the seams to the beadwork on the bodice to how the skirt seems to flow even with the lack of wind.

You startle her out of her trance when you break the silence.

“Isn’t it beautiful? It once belonged to a Queen from Rishi.”

“How did you manage to come into possession of this?” Her eyes don’t leave the gown.

“Some clones who just so happen to be regulars of mine found it while stationed out there.”

“Lucky find…”

“I’ll say. Though I don’t think I’ll sell it.”

“Why not?”

“Because I want to give it to you.”

Nobara’s face turns serious, her gaze finally moving from the dress and toward you, “I can’t take this dress.”

“Why not?”

“You know why not. Jedi aren’t allowed material possessions like these.”

“What’s one dress?”

“It’s not about the dress.”

“Then what is it about?”

“The principle! It’s forbidden.”

You give her a slightly irritated look, “Well you tried to tell me our friendship was forbidden the first night we met. Now look at us.”

“That’s different.”

“How is it different?”

“Because…” Nobara pauses, redirecting the conversation, “This is a very elegant piece of clothing and I’m meant to wear these robes day in and day out.”

“And you don’t think you’ll have just as genuine a connection to the Force in something you actually want to wear? Something that makes you happy?”

Nobara goes silent. 

You didn’t mean for this to result in an argument.

Your voice softens when you go to speak again, “How about you just try the dress on. Put it on for two minutes and then take it off. No harm done, right?”

She swallows hard, “I don’t know.”

“C’mon, it’ll be fine. Besides, who says you can’t admire exquisite fashion while also being the best Jedi the galaxy has ever seen?”

“I don’t know if I’d say ‘the best’…” She finally laughs a little.

“Please? For me? I need to know how it looks on someone anyway if I’m to even consider selling it. Look for tears and whatnot.”

Nobara takes a deep breath in before sighing. “Alright. I’ll try it on.”

A grin spreads across your face and you clap your hands in excitement.

Handing you the dress, Nobara laughs again as she goes to unbuckle her toolbelt, placing it and her lightsaber on one of the shelves.

“Oh, you’re… you don’t mind that I’m in the room?”

Your mouth goes dry as you try your best to speak.

“Of course, I trust you. Besides, it's just our natural form.” She shrugs, in doing so her robe falls to the floor.

“No, that… that makes sense!” You smile a little awkwardly at her, trying not to stare as she begins to undress further.

Next comes her boots and her waist sash, placing the latter with her belt. Once the entire process is over, she stands in front of you in neutral coloured underclothes and there is a fairly large pile of Jedi garb resting on your merchandise shelves. Her eyes go to meet yours but she notices you’re looking away, up toward the ceiling.

“Hey?” Her voice is as soft as ever.

You finally look over at her, your grip on the dress tightening as you do your best not to look her up and down.

All she does is smile at you, giving you a comfort you don’t think you’ve ever felt before.

Smiling back at her, you give her the dress, watching her as she just holds it. Now she’s the awkward looking one.

“Do you need help?”

She tucks her hair behind one of her ears, nodding as her face heats up, “Yes please.”

You take a step closer to her, doing your best to lift the dress up over her head, “Arms up.”

“Straight up?”

“Mhm!”

Her eyes widen as she smiles, “if you say so!”

Following your directions, her arms go up above her head, finally allowing you to slip the bottom of the dress onto her, helping it down her toned form. She allows you to move her body and the dress how you need, trying not to disturb your process. Once the bodice is properly on her torso, you start to lace up the corset, your fingers working at the delicate ribbon

“Let me know if it’s uncomfortable and I can loosen it, okay?”

“Okay.” She whispers out, still not wanting to affect what you’re doing.

Your fingers tug at the ribbon, tightening the dress onto Nobara so it fits her just right. Once you reach the top hooks of the corset, you take the remaining ribbon and tie it in a beautiful bow.

You fluff up the back of the skirt somewhat before moving to the front of her, wanting to see how it looks. When you see her though, you’re met with the sight of the most enchanting person you have ever seen.

The Jedi-turned-princess in front of you notices you staring, her eyebrows furrowing in concern. “Does it look terrible?”

“No, not at all. You look… perfect.”

She gives you a bashful smile, her eyes going to the floor.

“Not that you don’t look perfect in your Jedi clothes!” You go to correct yourself, “I think you look wonderful all the time.”

She giggles, that smirk you’re used to coming back to her face, though a little softer now.

You go to open your mouth but nothing comes out, pausing to look for the words as your tongue touches your teeth, “Hold on… not that I’m always looking at you!”

She purses her lips together to stop herself from smiling too much, tilting her head at you with raised brows.

“You know what? How about I stop talking and bring you a mirror?”

You don’t let her answer before walking off to another part of your storage room, seeking out a fancy new mirror you had purchased just a few days ago. It is a full length mirror created by an artisan on Naboo, one of the greatest the planet has ever seen—or so he was advertised as. Finding it leaning against the wall, you pick it up and bring it over to Nobara.

“Okay, close your eyes while I set this up!”

She does as you tell her again, closing her eyes lightly as you prop the mirror up against one of the tall shelving units.

You move to stand next to her again, checking the position of the mirror.

“Alright… open.”

Nobara’s eyes flutter open slowly, her eyes meeting her reflection.

She whispers out a barely audible “wow…”

“It’s like it was made for you.”

“I haven’t seen my reflection in years…”

You turn your head to look at her, waiting for her to compile her thoughts.

“Sure, sometimes I see it in the windows on the street or in the water… but never like this.” She starts to look at the whole picture, not just her face, taking note of how the dress falls on her waist to how the corset hugs her chest. For the first time since she can remember, Nobara is actually able to admire herself, to take wonder in something other than the Force.

“How about I keep it here?”

She gives you a puzzled look in the mirror.

“I’ll keep this dress here for you, wrap it up, keep it in a cool place. You can come by and wear it whenever you’d like.”

Her shoulders relax and her face takes on an expression you've seen many times before—one of thankfulness. 

“Are you sure? I know something like this would sell for quite a lot.”

You give her a half shrug, “Yeah, I don’t mind. It looks like it was made for you anyway.”

She smiles, giving herself another lookover in the mirror, but her smile fades again.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s just that… sometimes I wish I wasn’t a Jedi.”

“It’s no big deal. I can carve out a whole section of this storage room just for pretty clothes you like! I know it isn’t the same as actually being able to wear them all the time and go out and stuff but—”

“It’s not that.” Her jaw clenches.

“Then what is it?”

Her eyes meet yours through the reflection again, she looks almost afraid.

You move so you’re standing in between her and the mirror, looking at her again

“What is it? Is it the war? I know it’s terrifying but Chancellor Palpatine is convinced that the war will be over in the next year.”

“It’s not the war!” Nobara speaks firmly, her breaths deep but laboured, “Or the dress… It’s you.”

“Me?”

“How is it that love is forbidden for what it seems like the only group doing anything to stop hatred and evil from conquering the Galaxy? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

You give the smallest of nods, looking toward the wall, “It doesn’t make much sense to me either.”

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” The words come out shaky and unconfident, two words you would never use to describe the woman in front of you.

You spare her the stress, the fear of rejection, the agony of waiting.

“I love you too.”

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: “Call To Action”

The first entry in our finale arc and the moment the gloves came off and Rebels went, “Oh you thought I was a nice safe little kids cartoon huh?  Hold my beer.”

Yet another gorgeous establishing shot.

This sequence is staged/blocked as a parallel to the Emperor arriving on the Death Star in Return of the Jedi, the looming Star Destroyer, the Lambda shuttle, troops lined up in neat formation and the Imperial March at full ominous strength.  Fitting given that we’re bringing in the big guns.

ANDTHENTHERE’STHISASSHOLE.jpeg

Tarkin was offhand mentioned as being the governor of the Outer Rim early in the series, and “Tarkintown” was a direct result of laws and policy he put into place that allowed the Empire to simply seize people’s properties to strip mine them for resources, so he’s kind of been a very background looming shadow for our Rebels from the beginning and wastes no time dressing everyone present down for making him have to come out to this stupid insignificant backwater planet personally.

The roasting is epic.

“Look I know you’re an airheaded ditz who only got this job because Pryce is too busy faffing around the Core Worlds but you could at least not look so incompetent at it.”

“ancient history“ BITCH THAT WAS WITHIN YOUR LIFETIME.  YOU WORKED WITH ANAKIN AND OBI-WAN.  YOU WERE THERE.

Tarkin seems awfully certain there’s no possible way Kanan can be a Jedi.  I wonder if it’s a matter of he truly doesn’t believe that any survived or he’s not very impressed with Kanan as compared to the Jedi he knew.

Note again: No fanfare.

We lighten things up a bit with a brief little action setpiece, calling back to the speeder chase in the pilot.  It’s the kind of safe peril you’d expect from the early part of the show, no mess, no trouble, just fun adventure set to exciting music cues and watching our heroes be cool.

You know... lulling us into a false sense of security.

Sabine once again participating in the banter with Ezra and even throwing in a sweet little shoulder pat as well.

(Ezra looks disappointed that Kanan didn’t say anything to compliment him, maybe Sabine thought to cheer him up?)

Ugh, Trayvis’s slimy, “Well of course I never advocated for violence, those Rebels are twisting my message!”

The Holonet does not have Twitter Community Notes alas.

“Readers added context they thought people might want to know: You’re a lying traitorous dick and you suck.”

And the plan to take control of the Imperial communications tower is hatched.

Watching the microexpressions on Ezra’s face this whole scene is a trip, because you can tell he has misgivings but also agrees that the best way to reach the people is to break through the state-controlled media propaganda machine and offer up the truth.

OH BOY IT’S THE TRAUMATIZING SCENE!

Comedic staples Aresko and Grint, who have been with us on the show from the beginning, are brought in for their own dressing down before being summarily and literally beheaded in the office.

Yeah no, the first time I watched this I was like, “OKAY WELL THAT JUST HAPPENED HOLY SHIT.“

Ngl, Grand just casually walking around the desk to go stand behind them is even worse after you know what’s coming.

“Your Rebel cell is more principled than others.”  Lol is that a dig at Saw and the Partisans?

No but hold me back from getting into my messy Rebellion Era Jedi feelings and wordspewing about how even with all the Empire’s propaganda, even with all the effort and energy they expend smearing them and erasing their legacy, they still represent Hope to the ordinary people and inspire them to stand up and fight.  And how that’s so so dangerous to the careful order and control Palpatine set up and so he can’t allow any of them to survive because their mere existence makes people stare in awe and take up their arms.

*sobbing forever*

Kallus and Tua’s slow dawning horror as they realize what’s about to happen. D:

HELLO NAUGHTY CHILDREN, THIS IMAGE IS NOW BURNED INTO YOUR NIGHTMARES.

YOU’RE WELCOME.

See, even these two are unnerved.  It takes Kallus a full second to blink himself back into composure when Tarkin addresses him.

This cue here in the aggressive low brass is part of the Inquisitor’s theme and gets used later in the big Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother introduction I’m pretty sure.

I always love the way Rebels does background sky, it looks almost like watercolor paintings.

“I said be optimistic.”

“Five minutes is optimistic!”

<3

They bring a bit of the fyrnock cue back here, I think to put us just a little bit on edge.

(Also apropos given what Ezra does moments later.)

Sabine being pouty all, “I could have done that.“

Please appreciate how Ezra beams at Kanan’s praise and Sabine get embarrassed at how heartwarming they are.

Too bad the probe wasn’t 100% dead.

LOLOL Kallus seems a little on edge as he leaves Tarkin’s office here.

“Lure them into a trap?  But... but I literally just tried that last episode!”

The plan is further hatched but Ezra gets solemn when Sabine brings up that things never seem to follow the plan and Kanan, sensing something up, doesn’t take Ezra’s deflection for an answer.

 Oof and watch how Ezra’s arms come up in his self-protective pose right there.

At first, Kanan thinks it’s just insecurity about taking on the role and by implication the legacy of his parents, nervousness about speaking.  And yes, Ezra confesses that that’s part of it.  (Once again with the self-esteem issues, “I’m not brave, I’m not special, I can’t do this without the rest of you.”)

But it runs deeper.  Ezra’s afraid of loss, of having something bad happen to his new family like it happened to his parents.  But for a Jedi, fear of loss, fear of potential loss, can cripple you.  Paralyze you from being able to think and take proper action.

So Kanan reminds Ezra that loss is going to happen to matter what.  You can’t cling to the things you have, you have to let them pass away, if that’s what’s going to happen.  You can’t be attached.  You have to let go.

“We will take more losses before this is over.”  “When the times comes, we’re going to have to be ready to sacrifice for something bigger.”

Don’t think about Season Four don’t think about Season Four don’t think about Season Four--

The Force theme plays out sweetly in the background as Kanan talks about how they’re “learning these things together”, ending on a modified major chord to leave on a brighter note resolution.

And this is such a pretty shot.

And this one too.  And this might be the first time we see Lothal’s twin moons?

This is such a smooth action sequence, the way Sabine hops off her bike and lets it Tokyo drift into the cannon to blow it up before rolling into view and popping off shots, the conservation of camera movement as it cuts to Zeb, quick inserts and then Ezra and Kanan are on site.

Hate to keep repeating myself but seriously, look at that cloud painting work.

The Imperial March, naturally, as the Empire’s vehicles close in.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: The way Ezra’s eyes dart from target to aerial target.

The camerawork this episode is really excellent, love this dolly in shot of Grand.

Nnnfhkhg Ezra flinched a bit when Kanan got in his face and ordered him to get Zeb.

Cripes, I think Kanan is already thinking ahead to what he’s going to have to do.

“But I like this gun!”  “We’ll get you another gun!”  Children, both of you.  Lol.

AND THE FIRST OFFICIAL TIME THOSE ETERNALLY CURSED WORDS, “I’LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU.” ARE UTTERED.

Seriously, it became an awful kind of running joke.

Right, so in spite of Kanan’s reassurances, said to get Ezra to keep going and not stall, Ezra still lingers long enough to watch Kanan shut the door behind them.

NO THAT’S FINE.  A HEART IS OVERRATED ANYWAY.

Grand drops down accompanied by his bass chorals and Kanan turns his saber on the door controls and about right here is when I think we all knew he wasn’t going to be right behind Ezra at all.

Again with the camerawork, this tilting pan up towards the top of the tower and then tracking dolly zoom in as the others spill out onto the balcony.

Nooooooooo bbyyyyyyyyyy. :((((((((

Subtle animation appreciation moment: The way Zeb shields Sabine right here.

Kanan’s matching the Inquisitor strike for strike now, and even repays the kick in the chest from “Gathering Forces”.  He’s calm, almost zen, having accepted what he has to do, and his cavalier attitude throws Grand, stalling for enough time to let Hera get there.

The “Shenanigans“ theme rolls in on somber trombones, stalling out after only the opening notes.

:((((((((

Capping this scene is an exercise in, “Whose expression looks more devastated?”

Hera’s tight-lipped tremble as she makes the call is especially hard.

My gosh look at the smoke effects though.

This episode really has no business being this pretty.

I hate you Tarkin, I hate you I hate you I wanna punch you in your stupid sneering face.

Kanan looks astonished to hear the others are still proceeding with the plan and making the transmission.  I guess he thought they might write the mission off as a loss what with his capture.

Aaaaaah Ezra I’m so proud of him!

This really is an excellent speech.

The woodwinds plink away in the background of some muted brass here, even the Main Titles theme (Luke’s theme, used to denote heroism in the Star Wars score) is quiet, fading out before a slow dooming Imperial March takes over.

“Ho shit, they’re firing on their own tower?”

Well uh... we already knew that Tarkin doesn’t believe in overkill.

<3

The show makes use of some very effective silence, only the faint static of the transmitter playing over the closing stinger.  Just to drive that last devastating blow in.

And cue cliffhanger.

Ha ha, another one I don’t rewatch that often, at least not without completing it out with the next two because seriously, that is a cruel cliffhanger.

Rebels does not really believe in a static Status Quo, which I appreciate.  Even in Season One it throws wrenches, shakes things up, unmoors our characters.  And by extension us the audience. XD

Even for those of us who believed in the show from the beginning I don’t think anyone expected it to axe our two staple recurring side antagonists and end an episode with Kanan captured.

So kudos to Rebels for taking that risk.  It has more freedom to do so, granted, than a show like TCW or Kenobi, given that it’s mostly original characters not protected by Plot Armor, but still.

Next episode takes us two steps forward and one great big Mustafar step back, I can’t wait!

[oh-obrien]

Red Line (Prologue)

Anakin Skywalker

A/N: This is my fuck it we ball moment diving head first into the Star Wars fandom. I fully concede I am new to the fandom and DO NOT know everything. But I do know that I am really good at writing fanfic that a) Diverges from canon b) adds a little bit of a ‘modern’ twist on to some (most) stuff. 

This is gonna be a lil seriesssss and I am very excited. Prologue is a little short but future parts will be longer! Constructive criticism is welcome, but like I said I do know I diverge from canon here quite a bit. There will eventually be canon typical violence but not quite yet. 

Buckle your seatbelts for Angst, Spice and Fluff. 

Word Count: 1,942

“No one said it was bring your street rat to work day,” Lyra’s right eye twitched at the sound of the all too familiar voice behind her as she neared the High Council Chamber, “and who said you could have a pet anyways? Can’t complain about me being the only one to get special treatment now.” She took a moment to take in a deep breath before acknowledging the boy behind her. She hadn’t seen him in nearly two months now as their missions had taken them separate ways, but he still clearly remembered how to get under her skin from the get go. Biggs sat down quietly at Lyra’s feet, watching the individual his master had yet to acknowledge carefully. 

“I forgot I’m not the only non-Council member they let into these meetings as of this session’s beginning.” Lyra finally turned around and saw Anakin Skywalker striding down the hallway, making his way towards the same place she’d be going. She hated to admit that Anakin had finally won the council over with his skills, allegedly. They had agreed that the Padawan was ready to begin understanding what being one of the most powerful Jedi meant. For the past two sessions Lyra had felt special, she was the only Padawan to be taken into council meetings, to truly begin her journey to becoming a Jedi-Knight and diplomat. Now though, now Anakin would be there also, he was naturally seen to be more gifted than her and she felt threatened by the boy standing in front of her. He’d once again be breathing down her neck like he had been since his arrival. 

Anakin knelt down in front of Biggs and offered the Tooka cat his left index finger. Biggs’ large ears flattened as he sniffed the boy’s finger, hissing not long after before slinking away to curl around Lyra’s feet. “Oh how kind he is, I don’t understand why-” but Anakin didn’t get to finish his thought before Biggs unwound himself from his Master’s feet and began to bound down the hallway, clearly having seen someone he was rather fond of. 

“Oh if it isn’t my favorite Padawan!” Obi-Wan’s voice filled the hallway, Biggs scampering around the Jedi Master’s feet as he bent down to pet the creature. “Ahh yes,” Obi-Wan straightened, “and you managed to drag in Anakin and Lyra as well. Wonderful! I was hoping someone would make sure they arrived on time” Obi-Wan picked up Biggs and strode past Anakin and Lyra, not acknowledging the two Padawans who were still awkwardly looking at one another in the hallway. Anakin had his hands clasped in front of him and nodded at his master as he passed, Lyra nodding at the Master Kenobi as well. 

“Well,” Mace Windu followed not far behind Obi-Wan, “I don’t care if Obi-Wan’s Padawan is the last to arrive at the first council meeting of the new session, but I refuse to have you fall to the same fate.” He gave Lyra a stern nod before walking into the High Council Chamber. Lyra rolled her eyes, which she heard Anakin snicker at, before the pair of Padawans followed their Masters into the High Council Chambers. 

While Obi-Wan took his time to become a friend to Anakin, learning to understand his Padawan past his Jedi training, Master Windu simply seemed to regard Lyra as his student. Nothing more and nothing less. Lyra had learned plenty from Master Windu, and it had allowed her to earn quite the reputation, but she sometimes longed for the relationship Anakin and Obi-Wan seemed to have, she didn’t resent the pair, she just wished she could experience the same connection with her Master.

Twelve chairs sat in the High Council room and Lyra heard Anakin let out a snicker in realization when he too had only counted twelve chairs, and while only seven currently had individuals sitting in them, both Lyra and Anakin knew that none of the dozen chairs were meant for them. Lyra had gotten used to standing for the duration of the meetings, but Anakin clearly took some offense to the fact that he’d be expected to stand the entire meeting. He was still a Padawan, not even a Knight yet; why would he expect any special treatment? 

Lyra stepped further into the room and took her place next to Mace’s chair where she knew she was expected to stand for the duration of the meeting. Anakin, who had not been invited to the High Council’s meetings until this term, however, looked rather confused and stood awkwardly at the front of the room. Obi-Wan lifted his left hand from Biggs’ head momentarily to motion towards Lyra, Anakin’s eyes flickering to the girl briefly before he took his place at Obi-Wan’s side the same way Lyra stood next to her own Master. 

“Been a long time since I have seen you it has, Lyra.” Lyra looked next to her where Master Yoda sat, his small frame practically engulfed by his chair. “Doing well I hope you are.” Prior to the break the more advanced Padawan’s were given, Lyra had been sent on a nearly two month long mission to Kessel to investigate a Spice ring operating out of the planet. She had posed as the well-off daughter of a diplomatic family looking to invest her money into something more profitable than typical government affairs and get into something more exciting than being the daughter of a diplomat. It had been a grueling two months and she would be expected to return to Kessel again at some point, but the intel she had managed to gain had proved to be valuable to the Council and Senate thus far.

“Yes Master Yoda, I’m doing quite well. I’m rather glad to be back, although it was nice to get some time off with the other Padawans.” Lyra heard Obi-Wan let out a thoughtful hum from two chairs over. Throughout recent years the High Council had begun letting older Padawans take some well deserved time off. Lyra also theorized it was to give the Masters a break from their Padawans as well, and while certain worldly things were still not encouraged, taking short breaks was something now seen to help some Padawans connect even more with the Force on their own time. Time to rest, rejuvenate and create a stronger bond with the force had been how the short break had been described to the group of Padawans that had earned the time away from the temple. Although the trip wasn’t necessarily used for its intended purpose, and most of the Council likely knew that, it continued to prove to be successful for the Padawans and Masters to take a short time away from each other.

“Ahh yes you went to the beaches of Naboo with some of the other Padawans if I’m correct?” Obi-Wan spoke up. Lyra forgot how normal most conversations felt prior to High Council meetings occurring. Although there were some formalities, like her need to stand next to her Master and the ability to speak only if addressed during the meetings, prior to their start it often felt like catching up with old friends. 

Lyra uncrossed her arms and pulled out a holoprojector from her robes. “Yes it was fantastic!” An image pulled up on Lyra’s projector of her and Astrid, one of the Padawans she has formed a rather close friendship with, at a beach. Lyra had on a blue metallic wrap bikini and held her purple, double bladed lightsaber in her left hand, both blades ignited and locked with Astrid’s green saber. “Don’t look at that! I didn’t even bring my lightsaber with me.” Ki-Adi-Mundi let out a small laugh as Lyra quickly tried to get the image to switch but it just turned to an image of her slicing some type of tropical fruit in half with one of her blades. She felt her face flush as the council members nearby began to laugh. 

“You’re nearly a Jedi Knight, Lyra.” Mace spoke up, “you're trusted to take your lightsaber where you please. Besides we all did questionable things in our younger years, much of it just wasn’t documented in the same way.” 

Lyra’s projector switched to an image of her and Biggs in the water of Naboo, the Tooka Cat sitting on her head while a silver scalloped bikini hugged her body and a pair of rather stylish sunglasses sat on the bridge of her nose. What Lyra didn’t see though, while she was flicking through the images, was the way Anakin’s eyes widened seeing so much of her skin uncovered. Little was left to his imagination and he cleared his throat, turning to see who else had arrived to the meeting thus far.

While Lyra had begun her training at the academy at the age of four, Anakin, who was two years her elder, didn’t arrive until he was nine. And in the nine years the two had trained together, neither had seen the other in anything less than their robes. Until now that was, and Anakin couldn’t quite place the feeling that began to swim low in his stomach at the sight of Lyra in such little clothing. The metallic material made her blue eyes shine more than usual and she was incredibly well muscled while still having curves in just the right places . 

“The break, I hope you enjoyed. Working again, you must begin.” Master Yoda spoke once Lyra tucked away her holoprojector.

“Of course Master Yoda,” Lyra nodded her head once, “I’m glad to be back to training; too much of a break isn’t good for me.” She nodded in toward master Yoda before turning to Anakin. “Did you do anything with the time off you were given, Anakin?” The boy seemed to feel very awkward in the space and Lyra noticed his face growing slightly redder, and while they had their differences at times Lyra still wanted Anakin to feel welcome in the new space.

Hearing his name caused Anakin to dial back into the conversation taking place in front of him and he stammered for a moment before formulating his response. “Obi-Wan and myself traveled to Alderaan for a meeting with the royal family.” Anakin’s posture relaxed more as he spoke. No longer standing stiffly with his feet shoulder width apart next to Obi-Wan. “It was a rather nice visit, although it doesn’t seem as leisurely as yours, Lyra.” 

Lyra felt her lip twitch and she motionlessly raised a small round fruit from the table in the center of the room and flicked it at Anakin’s head. The sphere making contact with the center of his forehead before falling on the floor. Anakin knew that she had been on a mission for two months prior to being given her break, a mission during which she was cut off from everyone and everything she knew. 

Anakin’s hand twitched and Lyra saw another fruit begin to rise from the bowl moments before Obi-Wan lifted his hand and directed it to his palm, handing it promptly to Biggs who still sat curled on his lap. “Must Mace and I have you two spar like when you were younglings to level your differences?” Biggs chewed loudly on the fruit but glanced between Obi-Wan and Anakin, as if he knew what was occurring in front of him.

“No Master.” 

“No Master Obi-Wan.”

“Very well,” Obi-Wan directed his attention away from Anakin and Lyra and to the other Jedi Masters who had just begun the meeting and Lyra knew that again bumping shoulders with Anakin every day would soon drive her to her breaking point.

[madamealys]

Imagine you and Obi-Wan become friends with benefits (+21)

II

***

It takes two weeks before it happens again. As much as you and Obi-Wan have enjoyed that unpretentious tea party—that turned out to be a good massage evening, to put in words—, you know that no romantic attachment should be formed.

As both of you are Jedi Masters with each path to trail, you have to make better use of the energy that you discovered recently… the very cause of your inner troubles and that if you thought it would dissipate, you thought it wrong.

So you try to forget that evening and start to practice again, getting more missions in order to get yourself occupied.

In the meantime, so does Obi-Wan. The redhaired male focuses in his mission with Anakin and Ahsoka, specially concerning now Ventress’s whereabouts.

Nevertheless, when he comes to fall asleep, he thinks of you. The taste of your tongue, so well paired with his; the way you sang his name, whose melody still echoes in his mind… how soaked your womanhood was when his fingers pursuit it.

He also had a peek of your firm breasts and pinky nipples. But he never had really a full view of you. The thought leaves him aroused and would have distracted him… had he allowed to.

But then when he lands back at Coruscant and sees you smiling wide and surrounded by good friends, his heart skips a beat. In the way only one other woman could do.

And to remember her name aches his broken heart.

***

You are dressed elegantly in orange robes with white stripes, hair loose in curls behind your back, when you meet him.

Obi-Wan is dressed in white robes and his hair is shorter than last time you met. He comes discreetly at you, ignoring the awkwardness that has altered the dynamics of your friendship since that day.

“May I have a word with you, Y/N?”

Today is a holiday celebrated in Coruscant, related to an important victory many moons ago by the Jedis against the Sith that the common folk still like to remember. Therefore, the Jedi temple is empty.

You’d go with your friends outdoors, but turn back as Obi-Wan calls you. You greet Anakin and Ahsoka politely, ignoring the mischievous look they exchange.

“Can we speak in privacy?”, he asks you gently, leading you to the gardens inside.

“Why, yes. I haven’t seen you lately.” And here you decide to break the ice. “If this is about last weekend, I should apologize for my improper behavior.”

“No, not at all.” He pauses towards the end of the poorly illuminated corridors. “I should apologize instead. I actually… want more of it. More of… us.”

You blush, not sure how to respond him, but at the same time comprehending the subtle meaning of it.

“We should not best interrupt our encounters”, you put him closer to you.

“No”, Obi-Wan half smiles at you. “We should not…”

Discouraged to break the moment even when reason riots against it, the Jedi presses you against the wall. Eyes locked and smiles exchanged, his hands go up and down your back.

“It looks like you are the one tensed here, darling”, you smirk as you kiss his lips gently, hands going to his pants and there finding his manhood erect. “Let me tend you today.”

He is about to protest, but the moment your tongue snakes in his mouth as your hand eagerly begins to explore his cock.

“Y/N”, he groans under his breath, kissing you fervently.

And his hands are about to move from your neck below when you part the kiss and slide to your knees. There is little need to protest: it never reaches Obi-Wan’s tongue after you engulf his manhood with your mouth.

The older Jedi watches you with lustful eyes, caressing your hair as he once again only has a partial view of your curves, but he has no time to get frustrated as you prove so natural in the arts of pleasure.

“Careful, darling…”

He asks you softly, pumping it into your red lips gently, guiding you through the Force. You raise your eyes as you lick it with your tongue, twirling it as you experiment it with great pleasure.

“Oh. So you enjoy this, uh?” Obi-Wan moans softly, and the sound he makes is enough to let you dripping wet in between your legs. “Mmm! So good, so good dear one.”

Aware of how he effects you, Obi-Wan imagines what he is about to do with you—-but then he comes to reach his climax and, oh, you swallow all of it.

There is, however, little time to enjoy further as you both hear steps and quickly must set yourselves straight. You barely have time to exchange words as Anakin finally shows up:

“Ah there you two are! Where have you guys been?”

Obi-Wan clears his throat, but says:

“I was… teaching some new techniques to Y/N. She had some questions about it.”

“Oh”, Anakin speaks innocently. “What bad timing, eh?”

You try not to laugh about it, but as Anakin starts to walk on, Obi-Wan gently pulls you to his side and says:

“I must admit that although this is not very acceptable, I cannot pretend we have not ruined our friendship, my dear.”

“I don’t know where this will take us…”, you hesitate.

But then he laces his fingers with yours.

“But I intend to follow the path with you.”

You smile the brightest and here it is the spark of something new that comes. Obi-Wan has his own fears about the future, but this is not to be thought yet.

[thechaoticfanartist]

15 OC Questions!

Thanks for the tag @ninjasawakenedmystar !

Tagging @jgvfhl @bluejay-in-write @arrthurpendragon and anyone else who wants to do this!

Rules: answer the questions as either your OC or yourself!

I'm answering these as Grim Kennet during TCWGANV (Around the end of The Clone Wars. So in 19 BBY)

1. Are you named after anyone?

No. I don't know why my name was chosen. Grim is quite a strange name for somebody. But I guess it fits my life since I've been thrown into The Clone Wars.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Um. Probably not that long ago. There's a lot that happens now, and I'm at the final year of the war. I have no idea when Revenge Of The Sith will begin. I just know that'll happen soon.

3. Do you have any kids?

Absolutely not. I'm a kid still! Even if I don't feel like it sometimes with everything I've been through.

4. Do you use sarcasm?

Yes. A lot. It's an important part of my sass arsenal.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

"Oh that's what they look like in real life!" If there was no live action version of them. For example: Ahsoka. Also I noticed she was very pretty. Uh- I said nothing about that.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

I enjoy both. But right now I find happy endings better. It's comforting to see them. Especially when I'm becoming less and less hopeful that this story will have one.

9. Where were you born?

Earth! Which doesn't exist. Help me I'm literally the only human from Earth in this entire universe. And it turns out there are differences. Which causes problems sometimes.

10. What are your hobbies?

Drawing! I love drawing things from my old universe. It lets me keep a part of the life I lost with me.

11. Do you have any pets?

No unfortunately. I would love one, but I'm not sure if they're allowed in the Jedi Temple. Although I have tried to adopt some, but Master Kenobi said no. We have to deal with the war and I have too much training to take care of a pet on top of everything else. Maybe when the war is over and I'm a Knight.

12. What sports do you or have you played?

I never played any sports on Earth and I don't have any time to play sports here. So does my training count?

13. How tall are you?

Five foot. Which isn't that short, I don't care what Skywalker says about me being "Tiny". I'm not that short! Everyone else is just tall! Yoda is short but I don't see anyone making fun of him.

14. Favourite subject in school?

In Earth school it was English and history. But here in Star Wars it's definitely studies with the Force. It's so interesting! There are so many cool things you can do with the Force! And the Force itself is so cool! I love how bright the Force is too, like stars at night...not that's related to my studies or anything that's just how I feel the Force.

15. Dream job?

Jedi Master! Imagine....Master Kennet. It has a great ring to it.

[rosecentaur1916]

An argument that Poe deserved to be left out of Holdo's plans Part 1

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

SPOILER WARNING FOR "STAR WARS: RESISTANCE REBORN" BY REBECCA ROANHORSE

I've been floating around the fandom and seeing people argue that Poe did nothing wrong in "The Last Jedi" and that just isn't true. Its the learning lessons movie of the trilogy just like the beginning of the third act has the crisis of the soul, so too does the trilogy, but just in the second act not the third.

You can't pretend that the loss of the bomber squadron wasn't Poe's fault. Even Poe couldn't pretend that it wasn't his fault. Here's an excerpt from "Star Wars: Resistance Reborn" by Rebecca Roanhorse which is an official Star Wars canon book about the situation from Poe's perspective. This takes place in Grail City after Black Squadron had helped them fight off The First Order: "He motioned the rest of Black Squadron over, and they gathered by their ships under the stretch of the night sky. And he told them. Everything. Of the D'Qar evacuation and his decisions that led to the loss of the Resistance bomber squadron, of the slow chase across space, of Rose Tico and Finn's mission to Canto Bight, of his own insubordination and demotion, and, finally of the Battle of Crait and all they had lost. And what little they had left. ""I don't understand," Jess said, her voice an octave too high. "They're gone? The fleet is gone?" ""They can't be all gone," Karé countered. "Can they, Poe?" ""I'm sorry," he sad, head lowered. ""Oh..." she covered her mouth with her hands and turned away. Snap gathered her to his chest. Poe could see tears in his eyes. ""The people, too?" Jess asked, "Are you sure?" ""Jess," Poe said gently. "I was there. The Resistance..." He spread his hands. "It's pretty much just the Falcon, and us." "Silence, as Poe let it sink in. Just how bad it all was, just how desperate they were. And how much of the situation was his fault." Pages 25 to 26. Even Poe knew it was his fault that the entire bomber squadron was lost, that he was insubordinate, and deserved the demotion. He had not garnered Holdo's trust so she did what she thought was best and didn't tell him the evacuation plan from the Raddus to Crait. I'm not saying that he didn't do all the things listed as well, but being upset with Holdo for not trusting him enough with the plans for the evacuation when she had plenty of evidence to not trust him is just plain silly and ignoring the hurt he had caused. That's not okay either. Poe is no angel, or Star War's equivalents of angels if they have any outside of force ghosts. Then immediately after that he goes on to say: ""I understand if you want to leave. I mean, if you want to leave without me. Black Squadron seemed to be doing fine without my presence. But if you stay and allow me to lead you, I will do everything in my power to make it up to you. I promise." "He closed his mouth and waited. For their confusion, for their judgement, for their disavowals. When all he got was silence, he looked up." -"Resistance Reborn" page 26. He took accountability and this was the action he was going to take to fix it. However, they don't let him pull away from them and admit their own faults: "Snap was the first to speak. "That's some heavy stuff, Poe," he said, voice serious. "and I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me." ""I underst-" ""But," Snap continued before he could finish. "Didn't I just tell you about our massive disaster on Pastoria? People died because we let ourselves get played. We have to live with that, too." ""The droids call me the Great Destroyer," Jess added. "Still. I mean, it's not like I'm trying to get them killed, but they end up scrap all the same." ""Well-" ""And I'm pretty sure my middle name is insubordination," Sauralinda added, "but that's because I'm misunderstood." ""I'm not making excuses for-" ""You're going to have to face your mistakes, Poe," Karé said, "and make amends where you can. But you'll do it with Black Squadron at your side. You're not getting rid of us that easily. Besides, it sounds like all we've got is one another, screwups and all. "The heaviness that Poe had been carrying lifted a bit. They weren't saying what he did was okay, but they weren't going to abandon him, either. "I'll work to make it better," he said, quietly, head down, shame heavy on his shoulders. "I swear it"" I will finish in part 2 because tumblr won't let me make this post any longer....

[dapurinthos]

messing around with mortis because it's one of my least favourite arcs in the clone wars.

the idea of force 'gods' just puts my teeth on edge because it feels way too western for the buddhist-based cosmology, where there are spirits, enlightened beings, tutelary deities, and so on, but the conception between deva and the western notion of a god are so different that they shouldn't be considered the same category. they aren't immortal, they don't create things. the closest you get is when it intersects with other eastern religions.

having severe the bakkhai flashbacks here, to dionysos's:

I am something supernatural  not exactly god, ghost, spirit, angel, principle or element –  There is no term for it in English.  In Greek they say daimon –  can we just use that? 

we're going on a long trip wrt mortis here behind the cut.

getting back to eastern religions. i keep going back to the concept of the three pure ones and the way they're created (the tao produced one (wuji/nothingness/pre-creation; one produced two (taiji/separating yin & yang); two produced three) pings interesting thoughts.

the daughter & son of the mortis trio are called 'the winged goddess' and 'the fanged god' by the nightsisters. no father present. the tsis had an indigenous got named typhojem, the left-handed god, a title that implies that there is a right-handed deity to match. pomojema, the deity worshipped on mimban, is a healing deity. there's a whole thing about how rogue one was very nearly placed on mimban, involving the temple of pomojema before they invented jedha. their names even go together, both containing -jem, though there is the -a suffix on pomojema's name.

i think that the typhojem/pomojema pairing could be the tsis equivalent of the nightsister's binary.

if the three on mortis are something divine (not my favourite interpretation), then they should work similarly to the three pure ones, except i think it would go more like an allegory of the 'birth' of the force:

there was the one, the force all inclusive; this one split into the two: ashla/the winged goddess/pomojema/'the daughter' and bogan/the fanged god/typhojem/'the son', symbolizing the separation of the dark and light sides of the force (not dark as in the way of the sith, but more of a creation/entropy cycle split); these two later created the third, dai/'the father'/balance (yes dai, not bendu, because that name's already taken).

this third part/creation is something that happened later, going by its absence in the nightsister & tsis cosmologies with the dual deities instead of a trinity.

or: the dark current of the force existed before all, in a time of formless chaos, until the coming of the bright flare of the force that allowed the dark current, bogan, to exist in opposition and balance to the bright flare, ashla. to keep the balance between them, so that creation and entropy, order and chaos would never outweigh each other, ashla and bogan came together to create dai.

(the bendu is the reversed tarot card of dai. he is 'the one in the middle' but he is the one in the middle solely by virtue of not doing anything to upset the 'balance'.)

as to the inhabitants of mortis, well. due to it's time fuckery, i think it's just a group of lost je'daii who have no idea what year it is and that 2000-year-old signal is one that the jedi order itself had been using since the beginning of their order and only changed when phanius went off and became darth ruin and his little section of the sith pulled a couple 'oh no we are all alone and scared! help us, fellow jedi!' a few too many times so the order changed it then. after using it for thousands and thousands of years.

as far as these three know, they just left tython after the force wars and the dissolution of the je'daii order to explore 'wild space', found this tho yor-looking fucker (melting pot canon of yes, it's a tho yor, it was built as a final redoubt to protect mortis from the rakata getting hold of it, with another one around the wellspring of the force planet that disappeared over the myriads, the tho yor themselves being built as a gree, kwa, zeffo collaboration), went on in, found their ship was irreparable, and set off the emergency beacon that's been popping up on jedi scanners ever since, confusing the hell out of people as it moves around the galaxy however it wants.

[enkisstories]

The wrecking of the Steadfast

Chapter 7, in which the rebels chase General Pryde across the ocean, to the wreck of the Steadfast. But before they set off, Hux receives force-assisted therapy.

Link to the chapter or read from the beginning

Outtake:

The arrivals showered and had a quick meal. Afterwards Hux’ leg started hurting again, so the doctor forced a bacta patch into his hands and wouldn’t leave before it had gotten applied. Was resorting to this aid for the old injury a sign of weakness or of efficiency? Hux couldn’t tell anymore. Too much had happened in too short a time. Had it even been a full week since he had revealed himself as the spy to the rebels? [...] The storage room’s door opened. Hux turned his head and asked: “Are you o… Oh, it’s you.”

It was just Rey, who had left the room. But then again, there was something Hux wanted to discuss with the Jedi in training before they left to chase Pryde, so why not bring it up right now.

“A word, please, Master Palpatine!”

“It’s hardly Master yet. What do you want?”

“For you to take a look at my future.”

“I’m not a fortune teller!”

Hux nodded solemnly. “On our fortunes hinges the galaxy’s fate, though. You are not a scavenger anymore, Finn not a soldier, Poe no smuggler anymore, Rose no longer a maintenance worker and BB-8 would at least be Captain, were he alive according to the letters of the law. Like it or not, we are the ones to decide where things will go from here.”

“Well, YOU certainly seem to be fond of that idea.”

“Am I? What do you see in the Force regarding this? Because I cannot tell anymore. There were a few hours of clarity and purpose, but now it’s back to doubt again. My question is, if I change nothing, and just go on like this, where will this lead?”

“Alright.” Rey closed her eyes. Without changing her stance, she listened, then said: “I see… ruin, misery and despair.”

Hux chuckled. “Naturally. Look a little further than the next five minutes, maybe?”

Rey shook her head. “I allowed you to distract me from everything I learned so far about how the Force works. But truth is, I cannot describe a future sprung from a moment that I have no clear picture of. I need to look at your PRESENT first.”

Hux nodded with the barest hint of a smile. Rey was less accepting of the defector as the others, naturally, since they had never fought alongside each other or faced hardships together. But Hux found that he could interact just fine with her on a strictly professional level.

“That’s surprisingly analytical for a mystic”, he said. “I think I like your approach.”

“Like it enough to let me take a look into your mind?” Rey asked. “This isn’t about a nebulous future, that may or may not come to pass. This will be real. Real and thoroughly unflattering.”

“It’ll probably be just naked Poe anyway.”

And just in case that was the cause, Hux made sure to close his coat as to not let some perfectly natural reaction to that sight show, should it occur.

“Okay…”

Rey straightened. Part of her wanted to decline, and even the part that agreed with Hux’ request was loath to get this close to the schemer and mass murderer. Still she focused and went through with it, remembering a shadow of a memory that had come to her when she had felt all the Jedi in her mind on Exegol: Revan’s reply to his companions after his battle against Darth Malak - “I couldn’t bring him back from the dark side”. Stating this clearly had been more important to Revan than declaring that he had won, that Malak was dead and wouldn’t pose a danger anymore. No matter how low someone had fallen, there was always the offer to return. In the Force it was crystal clear that “last chances” were something people had invented. The concept was in no way part of how the universe worked. If one was willing, there was always a way back. But leave it to Armitage Hux to need the help of a Jedi (in training) to tell him what it was that he wanted…

Rey reached out, potentially able to lay bare ANYTHING, a scary thought, but it was too late now to tell her to stop. Eyes wide open, Hux waited for a sting or a sudden sensation of cold or any other physical evidence of another’s presence entering his mind. But it never came. Instead, he saw tears in Rey’s eyes.

“What’s the matter? If you saw that, well, that was my greatest triumph. Deal with it.”

“No, this isn’t about anything I saw. It’s your request in itself, that threw me off.”

“How so?”

“I was thinking back to the tales about the Jedi, always fighting evil with wise arguments or lightsabers in hand. It was the image I strived to build myself up towards, but never have I heard of something as simple and useful as a person coming to a Jedi to tell him what his problem was. Was it never done, or maybe all the time, never getting passed down in stories, because it wasn’t heroic enough? We’ve lost so much lore after the fall of the old republic… I’m sorry, but I’m too emotional now to work on your issues. In the meantime just… just try not to be a shitty human being.”

“For your information, I never was anything other than not…” stumbling over his own words to the point of losing sight of the intended end of the sentence, Hux inhaled and started over: “I always was an upstanding officer! And the times I may have been a little less so, they had had it COMING!!!”

[...]

After maybe two hours, Rey woke up already. She looked around, saw that Finn had left the dorm and taken his bedsheet with him to spend the night with Rose downstairs. Rey smiled. In the same vein one of Poe and Armitage had left his bed and slipped under the other’s sheet. From the fact that BB-8 had entered standby mode next to the now doubly occupied cot Rey deduced that Hux had been the (welcome) invader. The men were lying entwined, and perfectly at ease.

[...]

Rey looked back to her cot, just to make sure that she had left her lightsaber there and didn’t carry it right now, because what she was about to do spurned uncomfortable associations as was. She stepped next to the sleeping men and held her hand out above Hux’ head, ready to meet the darkness within, just like Luke Skywalker had done that fateful night when Ben had destroyed the Jedi academy…

The world grew brighter, of course it would, seeing that Rey had just entered a memory that took place in broad daylight. The color yellow dominated everything, the ground, the faraway hills and even the crates, tarpaulins and tents that made up what looked like a small fugitive camp. Just add a couple poles to support streetlights, stomp a few pathes into the ground and let a handful of happabores lose, and Rey could have been back in Niima Outpost. Wait… Niima? Was she back on Jakku? Was this a memory of her own?

But, no, now an orange-haired boy of about three or four years age came running towards her. The desert sun had seeded his face with freckles and a patch covered his forehead where the child must have bumped against a solid object. The boy was holding up a sketchpad and when he spotted Rey, he started waving with it excitedly.

Rey took a step to the side and turned her head to the left, to see who the recipient of the drawing might be.

“Father, father!” The boy now accelerated and almost stumbled over his own feet. “I painted us going fishing! Here’s you and here’s me and here’s General Rax, how he guts a gi-nor-mous fish!”

Sometimes, Rey thought with some resignation, saving the universe entailed looking at a childhood drawing of Hux’. The fish entrails were a sight to behold. Apparently the messy process of preparing a dish from meat had left a great impression on the little boy.

The one called “father” didn’t comment on the scene pictured.

“You drew this, not painted, he said. “At least get the terms straight, if you cannot do it right!”

Ouch. There was the comment, after all, but it wasn’t flattering. Would a four year old understand what had gotten said between the lines? Rey for the life of herself couldn’t tell whether the picture was any good. She took another look… but the scene had changed and now Rey was looking at an empty sheet of drawing paper. Unlike the datapad, this medium didn’t allow for mistakes, everything put onto it stayed, or at the very least the paper would later show where corrections had been made and with that it would forever be a shameful proof that corrections had been needed in the first place.

The – older now - boy straightened the paper, pinned it to his drawing mat and selected a pencil from an array of different point sizes and hardnesses. A thin red line ran over the back of his right hand, where a scratch was in the process of healing. Now this was a kid who always raised his hand when nature announced “injuries for free, who wants one?”!

Not letting the lingering pain from the scratch distract him, the boy scribbled two outlines of a fish that were exactly the same shape and size. Then he started to meticulously fill one of the shapes up with scales. He added fins and a tail and, after staring into space for a while (there probably was a fishtank in Rey’s back that’s inhabitants he was studying) drew the eyes and mouth. Rey couldn’t help but smile when the boy’s tongue slid into the corner of his mouth from focusing so hard on the drawing. Even knowing what monster he’d grow up into, there was something immensely head pat-able about the youngling.

A hand shot forward from Rey’s position, startling the watcher. She couldn’t really have extended her own hand and solidified it on top of that? Not on someone else’s memory?! But, no, the hand was male and covered in thin red body hair. Rey nodded with some satisfaction. No doubt it was head pat time now. The adult hand reached for the boy’s thatch, ever so briefly touched it, but then quickly smacked the head. The boy howled in response!

“Ow! You ma’e me bi’e my ‘ongue!”

“See? Told you that would happen when you do that. Stop doing it.”

“Grrr…”

“Now listen. I have important guests over for dinner. You stay in this room and don’t make your presence known.”

“Huh? I don't do what with my what?”

“You pretend you don’t exist.”

“Ah.”

Rey saw one of the rations she had traded for at Unkar Putt’s station get tossed on the desk. It was a quarter only.

“If you get hungry, add water. You know how to.”

Off the man went, leaving behind a visibly reddened boy. Red in the face from anger and humiliation, he whispered something to himself that Rey couldn’t understand before taking up his drawing exercise again.

The second shape got filled with… oh, shit. Fish innards again. Talk about an obsession! The boy perfectly captured the way the organs lay in relation to each other and their texture, everything was to scale and pristine, way more clean than the real thing. It was more a fish blueprint than a realistic depiction of a dead fish’s insides. Total order, fully understood and controllable.

The whole process including inking and shading felt as if several sessions had gotten rolled into a single one for the watcher’s convenience. The lighting had changed several times and now it switched back to pitch black. Rey was back in the prison dorm, and Hux was stirring. Moving carefully in order not to wake up Poe, he turned towards the barred window and raised his hand towards it, then carefully inspected the back of it. When neither a scratch nor a scar appeared, he breathed out with relief.

“Phew.”

Rey sat down on the cot below the window, opposite of Hux, looking at his face in silence. Dread changed to amazement, when the man added one and one together:

“Oh. So YOU stirred that memory!”

“Yes. I didn’t expect you to dream it at the same time, though.”

“I see.”

There was still a hint of worry in the man’s voice, even when he conjured up his usual arrogance to say:

“Well, your grasp of time is as shitty as my first attempts at drawing. That wasn’t my present, but my past.”

“Wrong. The events may have happened long ago, but this very much is your present state. You still live in this scene, or the boy still lives inside you. Do you know what I saw? Buried shame, covered up by ambition and violence. These qualities are part of you, but fueled by the shameful memories, they get blown up to insane proportions.”

“So. Do they. Or maybe the rest of you just lacks determination!”

Rey shook her head.

“I saw that you are capable of shame. If only you’d be ashamed of the things you should!”

“What then?!”

“You could build that waterpark on Jakku. Statics, logistics, gathering support from potential funders, that’s all right up your alley. I think you could pull that off. People would look back in awe at how we managed such a project so briefly after the war.”

Now the former General sat straight!

“When did you see that in my mind?!” he gasped.

“Earlier today, when you first asked me to analyze your mind.”

Audibly stricken, Hux whispered: “I didn’t realize I was thinking about the water park! Is it really that much on the forefront of my thoughts?”

“Not in the way you think it is. I felt a craving for triumph and followed the trail. Lots of images popped up and vanished again, too fast to capture, given what emotional state I was in. But, like a watermark, the public bath project was in the background of everything.”

“I never knew… It’s an idea I toyed with… now and then. A lark.”

“It’s more than that”, Rey insisted. “You are an architect. Structure and things that last and the world being aware that it was YOU, who created those lasting things, that’s you. The General only ever was a means to that end.”

“What about the Emperor?”

“You have to ask that? Here, in this room, the night after the airstrike? There won’t ever be an Emperor again! Not you, not me, nor anybody!”

<em>Yes, why not. If I can’t be it, then nobody…</em>

“I heard that!”

“No, you didn’t!”

“Okay, okay, you’re correct. But your mimic wasn’t hard to read. And you confirmed immediately.”

Hux said nothing. He sat there, unresponsive, clutching his hand without realizing it, waiting for time to pass, the sun to come up and Rose to announce where they’d go next.

After a while Rey got up and stepped out onto the balcony, struggling with thoughts of her own.

[lovelessdagger]

The Fall of the Jedi  | Chapter Two: The Battle of Coruscant

Pairing: Hunter  x OFC

Rating: Mature

Summary: “…Separatist Droid Leader General Grievous has been seen outside of Coruscant atmosphere,” a female presenter says, strong in her Coruscanti accent. “Fighter droids are landing at this very moment across Galactic City. The Republic is under attack. I repeat. The Republic is under attack.”

Slow Burn, Canon Divergence

WARNINGS: Explicit Language. Character Death. Canon Typical Violence.

Words: 3.4K

Daybreak Masterlist | AO3 | Prev | Next

For the first time in her life, Odella believes the Force has abandoned the Jedi.

It is the only explanation.

“Where are the younglings?”

For keepers of the peace, the Temple has never been in such disarray. 

“Has anybody seen my Padawan?”

Separatist droid battalions march by the thousands over Coruscant streets.

“Sector B-12 needs more forces!”

Temple guards line corridors, double bladed lightsabers posed and ready for the impending attack.

“We must remain clam. Tranquility will bring clarity.”

Through windows, debris of starfighters and the wreckage of buildings they crash into tumble in a fiery blaze.

“The Chancellor—“

Vulture droids soar in the sky, shot down by clone troopers who fall not long after.

“Who is protecting the Chancellor?”

It’s the beginning of the end of the world.

In the hull of a modified Omnicron-class attack shuttle nicknamed the Marauder, the head of clone trooper Tech tilts, blocked eyebrows pinched together.

“Your paint job is a bit crude,” he says, accent more posh than the standard clone. “But it will suffice.”

“Thanks,” Echo scoffs, voice modulated through his helmet. He stands like a paper doll, three sets of eyes on him. He hasn’t been with this new group, The Bad Batch, for very long at all. Though acclimation to them is easier than to his new body. Even now, he can frequently be seen finicking with his cybernetic parts, or forgetting he had them all together, reaching with what was his right hand. “It’s not like there were many options.”

“Black armor is in short supply in Kamino,” Tech says. “And cyborgs are not in the manufacturing protocols, it would not have made a difference.”

“Well I think he looks great!” Shouts the biggest one of the group. His hand claps on Echo’s shoulder, nearly toppling him over.

“And you, Wrecker, have the taste of a Rancor,” Tech says.

“Hey! You take that back!”

“No,” Tech says, turning back to the ship’s steering.

“You’re all children.” The sneer from the corner comes from Crosshair. Soiled boots lay on top of a separate control panel, a toothpick between his teeth. “Tech is right though, your paint job is shit.”

“It’s hard to do much with one hand.”

“Oh,” Crosshair scoffs. “I’m sure there’s plenty hard for you to do, unless… you’ve lost that too?”

Hearty belly laughs erupt in the ship from each clone, aside from Echo of course. Wrecker is the worst of them, an overgrown tank of a child.

The leader of the group, Hunter, walks out from the fresher. He wears his blacks, tying his red bandana onto his partially dried hair. There’s no acknowledgment to the others as he grabs the data pad by Crosshair, sitting behind Tech.

“What do you think Sarge?” Wrecker asks. All he does is flick aimlessly through incoming reports, posture hunched. “Sarge?”

“Hm?”

“What ya think of Echo’s armor?”

He still doesn’t look, nodding. “Sure thing Wrecker.”

“Hey Sarge, Cross wants his picture taken.”

Nothing.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s been out of it since Anaxes,” Crosshair says, flicking his toothpick. “You’re just now noticing?”

“Well excuse me, not all of us have super eyes.”

“It’s called basic observation skills.”

“Still doesn’t explain what’s wrong with ‘em.”

“Simple,” Tech says, looking back. “He saw a girl.”

It earns a reaction at least, distinct gray eyes flickering across the room.

“Told you.”

“How did you figure that?” Echo asks, taking off his helmet.

“Because, Hunter’s arrogant. He’s only allowed himself to look stupid one other time—”

“I can hear you,” he says.

“—and that was on Kamino. Right before the First Battle of Geonosis.”

He sets the tablet down, arms crossed. “Is this really necessary to discuss?”

“It is,” Tech says. “It was some Jedi girl who accompanied General Yoda to collect the Regs,” he explains to Echo. “We were speaking to Commander Ponds and she runs up completely out of breath and says ‘I’ve been looking for you everywhere.’”

“I remember that!” Wrecker interjects, laughing. “His face got all red and everything.”

“Was she talking to him?” Echo asks.

“No, she was talking to Ponds. She didn’t even look at him,” Crosshair says. “He just stood there and stared at her like a maniac.”

“It was his first time seeing a girl,” Tech says.

“It was the first time any of us saw a girl,” Hunter defends.

“Yes, but you were the only stupid one. He was out of it for weeks, we almost voted Crosshair in to be leader.”

“Whatever.”

“Do you know who it was?” Echo asks, always the more compassionate.

“No, and it doesn’t matter. We’re done discussing this.”

The collective groans, muttering over Hunter’s lack of fun. His eyes roll, paying them no mind. The big brother position has always been his, for better or for worse.

Sirens of the Marauder screech within the hull, each of the men flinching in on themselves. Hunter’s the worst of them all, genetic modifications and all.

“Tech, turn that off,” he grits, hands to his ears.

“It’s Kamino,” Tech frowns, reading the data scans. “They’ve never done that before, I’ll override the ship’s calibrations so that they no longer have access… Hello?”

“Clone Force 99, this is Tipoca Base. You’re to reroute to Kaller, abort your assignment to Coruscant immediately.”

“May I ask why?”

“You haven’t heard?”

“I am asking for a reason.”

The line falls flat long enough for Tech to exit the Marauder out of hyperspace, and reprogram coordinates through the NavComp. They’ve all thought the other had disconnected completely until static crackles through the speakers.

“…Separatist Droid Leader General Grievous has been seen outside of Coruscant atmosphere,” a female presenter says, strong in her Coruscanti accent. “Fighter droids are landing at this very moment across Galactic City. The Republic is under attack. I repeat. The Republic is under attack.”

Odella leads a line of other knights throughout the Temple, each with lightsaber in hand. Though she can’t say how she became the leader, or why they chose her to follow. Just that morning she sat alone in the Mess Hall, nursing a cup of tea that burned her throat. Now, her feet guide her to places her mind does not know.

Maybe it’s because she felt the ripple through the Force before everyone else, before it even started. Or she thinks she did. It’s a feeling like she’s never had before. It’s a dagger of thorns through her skin, pricking and dragging.

She will not know it’s the beginning of the end until the end has passed.

They gather in one of the briefing rooms, and she turns on the HoloNet news as if they cannot all see the tragedies unfolding with their own eyes. The news reports in Basic, anchors rattling off what everyone already knows.

“…Republic is under attack. I repeat. The Republic is under attack.” Their tone remains as bland and unbiased as they’ve been trained to in academies, despite the vision of their hologram shaking with explosions. 

They all look to her, expecting something.

It’s like the final gear in her brain is clicked into place. She dismisses the report in favor of a map of the planet, on a separate monitor displaying the growing list from the HoloNet of attacked areas. Master Yoda and Master Windu have already taken to the Senate and Federal District. They’ll be fine.

“I need two volunteers to go into the CoCo District,” she says, looking over her shoulder.

Without thought two Jedi, Nira and Yikan, a Rodian and Ithorian step up. 

“Three for the Central District.”

Jtal, Adi, and Boric.

“One for Bindai.”

Eirm.

“Two in Brewery.”

The doorway to the room is left open, and passing Jedi on their own determined walkthroughs find their way inside.

“Four in the Entertainment district. One by the opera house, one at the theaters, two near public transit.”

Then four.

Odella cross checks growing reports of attacks with various maps, a third hologram displayed with Clone Commander reports. Group by group assignments are made, and two Jedi elect to stay with her. “You all know my comm frequency, right?” She’s answered by thrown about hums of affirmations and steady nods. “Good. If you need backup reach out, we’ll reroute forces the best we can. Remember, if you see civilians you must do anything you can to protect them.”

Another set of nods follow.

She sighs, Temple grounds shaking with another explosion. “May the Force be with you.”

“Everything’s gone to hell.”

A sea of men are hounded into one shuttle after the other, pressed together shoulder by shoulder. Beneath their feet, mechanics rumble and the exhaust spews on take off.

Nomart didn’t even know this many men served in the Coruscant Guard. It’s a big planet, and they’re rarely all together in the same room at once. In fact, Nomart suspects the last time this many of them were this close to another in one space, were their growth pods back on Kamino.

He ended up being one of the last to leave the barracks after the alarm sounded. Everyone else was in a full sprint to stations, and getting trampled would do little for his assistance to the Republic. They haven’t been told much, not that they needed to. Separatists have attacked Coruscant. General Grievous has sent his army of mindless droids to fight for him.

He is a coward, and a monster, and he will be brought to justice.

Nomart’s never seen the man in person, if it was fair to refer to him as a man at all, but he’s heard stories, rumors. Some say he began life as a droid who slowly configured organs to become more like man. Others, the opposite. Either way, it stands true that his life runs off cybernetic parts, and he is the most abominable thing in the galaxy. 

The mental health of clones have never been a pressing issue to the clones themselves or the Kaminoans. They’re soldiers, and battle simulations have rotted their brains since before this whole mess started. Death and destruction and slaughter have become a normal and exception proponent of everyday life.

When Grievous showed up, things… changed. The rare few clones who have survived encounters with him are sent back to Kamino for reprogramming. They’re too shaken by the experience, they become mute, they cry at the sight of B-1 droids, they scream at the hum of a lightsaber. The Republic needs soldiers, not traumatized men.

No one knows how it’s done and no one asks. No one says it either, but they all suspect it’s a sham. Those sent back are never heard from or of again. Their existence is completely wiped away.

And now he’s here. On their planet, or just above it. Who does he think he is? The Republic is the strongest entity in the galaxy, nothing some dirty Sep can take and scare away. Certainly not a deformed clanker like Grievous. 

“It’s always been hell. We’re only just now realizing it.” Jinx says this, off to Nomart’s left. 

“Well,” Nomart sighs. “At least it was fun.”

It wasn’t, but they’ve known nothing else, so at least they’ll never have the chance to wonder what if. 

They say nothing more than this.

“I’m gonna tell her,” A third says, the shuttle rattling all inside. “When this is all over, I’m gonna tell her how I feel.”

“Tell who?” Jinx asks.

“General Prot. Brick’s in love with her,” Nomart says.

The rest of the shuttle turns inward. 

“Are clones allowed to love?” 

“Of course we are,” Brick says.  “We love the Republic. We love our Chancellor. We love the citizens—”

“The citizens don’t love us,” Landor says. “I just walked by another clone protest while on patrol last night.”

“I got a drink thrown at me,” Welt adds.

“Why bother?” Train asks. “It not like she feels the same way.”

“She does,” Brick says. “I know she does.”

“Did she tell you?”

“No but—“

“She’s a Jedi, Brick. It’ll never work out.”

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t die knowing I never tried.”

The shuttle stops in the Senate District, and they all file out. Blasters and riot shields raise in their march. It’s worse than any of them suspected. Entire buildings are destroyed and there’s more destruction on the streets than visible pavement. 

The lot of them manage eleven steps away from the shuttle—Nomart was in the middle of his twelfth—before it explodes. There’s no correct way to describe it. The ricochet of metal shrapnel, the deafening sound of it all, how his body ends up twenty feet from where it started. How he passes out and wakes up to the worst pain of his life.

Limbs are intact, he’s not bleeding (not anywhere he can see at least), he’s cognizant of his surroundings. He’s alive. 

He may be the only one alive.

Groaning comes from the body beside him, sharp and breathy. “Gi...“ He says. “Maker.”

“Brick?” Nomart asks, turning over. “Brick, it’s me. It’s Nomart, I’m here. Stay awake brother.”

“Martie?”

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s Martie. You gotta stand up. We have to go.”

“Where’s,” he pants. “What happened to…”

“It’s just us. I think.”

“Fuck. I can’t… I can’t get up.”

“Okay, that’s fine. I’ll call someone, I’ll—“ The commsystems on his arm are shattered, wires on the fritz. “We’ll wait until someone comes. The Jedi will be here soon. They’ll help us.”

“Tell her,” Brick coughs. “Tell Gia. Please. Tell her for me.”

“Tell her yourself,” Nomart says, taking his hand. “We’re gonna get you out of here, you hear me? We’ll get you back to medical and you’ll get all patched up. You’re gonna tell her, and—and you’ll go on and get out of this war and have fucked up Jedi clone babies.”

Brick laughs, if a pained wheeze can count as a laugh. “You really think so?”

“Yeah, yeah of course.” He’s talking out of his ass, he has the moment he entered cadet training. But it’s gotten him this far.

“They… they’d kinda be like yours too, wouldn’t they? Same DNA and all that.”

Nomart slows, a frown settled behind his helmet. “I guess they would, yeah,” he says. “So you’ve gotta push through, B. Someone’s gotta keep up our legacy, might as well be you.”

“I’ll name the boy Nomart, even if it is stupid. I swear.”

A shadow grows over them, blocking the artificial sun. 

“How…” a mechanical hacking cough billows into the air, “… touching.”

Few clones survive encounters with General Grievous.

Nomart and Brick are not one of them. 

“This just in,” the reporter says, static of her words filtering in the briefing room. It’s hauntingly empty now, save for the three who occupy. Twin Jedi Knights Cora and Gia Prot scatter themselves at computers, headsets turned on and maps surrounding their vision. Odella mimics their situation at the center console. The HoloNet plays at a fourth in the background.

Gia crumples to her knees without prompt, a gasp and horror stricken across her face.

“Sister,” Cora says, bending. “What is it? What have you sensed?”

“I’m unsure,” she admits, hand over her chest. “Something terrible has happened. Absolutely awful… does it not pain you as well? I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“No,” Cora says. “I feel nothing.”

“Odella?”

“I’m sorry, no. It’s best to ignore it until later,” she says, swiping through reports. “Your attention is needed here—”

“Supreme Commander of the Droid Army, General Grievous has set foot on Coruscant,” the reporter says in the air. “By emergency order of the Senate, citizens are to remain inside and away from windows. Power down any and all droids you may have in your home. We do not know what he is capable of.”

Swearing never came naturally to Odella until now.

“Thoren.” Filters through the headset, bass voice of static and authority. “Why am I being alerted to Jedi being sent out under your word?”

“Master Windu,” she panics, straightening posture an automatic response.

“It is not your station to command attacks of this nature. You’re not trained for this.”

Force be with her.

“With all due respect Master, attacks of this nature were not in your training either. I’m doing what I know to be the right thing, just as you taught me.”

“Pull back your forces.” 

“No,” she says, catching the stilled breathes of her company. “I don’t think I will.” Her eyes squeeze shut, waiting for a reprimand that never comes. “If you’d like news of your location,” she continues to say. “General Grievous has been spotted in the Senate District. The Chancellor is in danger.”

Silence comes first. “Shaak Ti has already been sent to protect Palpatine.”

“Are you able to communicate this information to her?”

The line falls flat, frequency empty once more. And then, “She’s not answering.”

It’s as if the axis spin of Coruscant itself has stopped, a cloud of dread heavy as storms. If Palpatine is gone, the Republic is truly lost. What good or hope can there be without their adored leader? Grievous wouldn’t kill him, she’s sure of this. He’s too valuable to both sides. An execution would only come to a public audience, the supreme victory of the Separatists. This is an outcome Grievous’ mind, whatever is left of himself after his enchantments would be satisfied with.

Count Dooku on the other hand… he’s a Jedi. Or he used to be. He left the Order just before she was brought in, but even still she knew of his pride. Harm will only come to the Chancellor under his hand. Even then, her spy work in Separatist worlds provide one insight, he is respected. What would his people think if he so viciously murdered an innocent man without trial?

He’d make certain that Palpatine is humiliated in front of the galaxy, reputation destroyed to be made out as the monster the Republic has made the Separatist to be.

There’s only two people Odella knows who can, who will protect the Republic in this hour. Two who will win the war and turn the tide. And one, who will keep his promise and come home to a finished war.

With such a simple thought, faith is restored.

The Chancellor won’t die. Not yet.

Not if Anakin has anything to say about it.

Windu seems to face the same realization she does, a steady crinkle of their silence until he says, “Tell them to hurry. Time cannot be wasted.”

“I will.”

“Ahsoka? She’s back?”

Obi-Wan watches as Odella’s blue tinted hologram shines into the bridge aboard the Venator-class Star Destroyer. It feels as though no time has passed at all since her departure from Anaxes, but he notes her older appearance. The bright eyes that sat in his quarters for hours on end slightly dulled. She stands with closed fists, nails biting into her palms. The permanent smile she’s worn since she were a Youngling, gone into stoicism.

He blames the quality of hologram, government issued items can’t always be trusted.

“No,” he says, head shaking. “I’m afraid it’s more complicated than that. Shall I relay a message to Anakin for you?”

She takes a pause. “Grievous has invaded Coruscant. You both must return immediately.”

Commander Cody stands by his side. With a nod, he takes off in a sprint gathering forces. “What can you tell me?” Obi-Wan urges.

“Not much. The Temple hasn’t been attacked, and neither has the Senate. I’m sure Dooku is here as well, outside of atmosphere.”

“And the Chancellor?”

Her left hand shakes, and wipes on her thigh. “Please, don’t scare Anakin. You know how he gets.”

“Odella, what’s happened?”

“Master Windu told me Shaak Ti was sent to protect him but— no one’s heard or seen her since the report of Grievous.”

“He’s been taken?”

“That’s the assumption. Yes.” She sighs now, brows furrowed. “Obi-Wan,” she says, as hushed as she can be. “Please look after Anakin. If he does something he regrets—“

“He won’t,” he says. 

“He won’t do it, or he won’t regret it?”

Obi-Wan steps back, glancing to Admiral Yuleran. “Sound the alarms,” he says to the other. “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

This at least, he can promise. 

In the cold of space directly outside of Coruscant’s atmosphere, war rages on.

Two Jedi soar on star fighters and infiltrate the Invisible Hand. 

A Sith Lord is slaughtered.

A Chancellor is saved.

A Republic is all but destroyed.

Next: The Great Disillusionment

[heavilycaffeinatedmuffin]

What if the clone wars begin and Obi-wan just figures that war is Not the Jedi Way or His Way of doing things, so he leaves and spends the rest of his life with Satine? Maybe even in the growing forests of Concordia? Would Satine retire as Duchess to be with Obi-wan?

oh god that means Almec would lead Mandalore and Be Corrupt until the stuff with Maul and the siege of Mandalore holy shit adfkjghksjkfsdjkhfdkjghdf ok.

i need to get my thoughts out before i start getting to the part im nerding out about .

Anakin, without Obi-wan as his master, resumes his training under Plo Koon because who else could do it? (is obi-wan even anakin's master by the time the clone wars starts? probably not. fuck)

Plo provides an interesting perspective on the war, balancing anakin's gung-ho militarism with a reserved, Jedi view on it. Plo is a great pilot and he's a great commander for his clones, similarities that he could bond with Anakin over while still providing a mature presence. This does not bode well for Sidious' plan - how does he manipulate this in his favor?

also, the Moralo Eval arc. after catching wind of the threat, the Jedi would send someone to disguise as Rako Hardeen - my first thought was Quinlan Vos. that would DEFINITELY change how things play out in that arc. i'm not familiar with Vos as a character so i cant elaborate here but wow.

a BIG part of Sidious' plan was Obi-wan's presence. Plo Koon being Anakin's master definitely changes stuff up. i wonder if Anakin would tell Plo about Padme.

okay so this is what i was nerding out about earlier. because obviously Maul comes in somehow.

So the story of Ventress, Savage, and eventually Maul plays out. (i wonder how ventress' character would change in this AU. without obi wan to constantly flirt with during the clone wars. would that change her arc of trying to murder dooku? what if she succeeded?)

Maul is revived, gets cyborg legs, and does his bit with Murder Of Innocent People to get the attention of the Jedi. The problem is, he senses something is... off. That, of course, is Obi-wan not being with the Jedi Order any longer. So the Jedi Council either ignores Maul, sends a task force to deal with it, or contacts Obi-wan.

if Maul survives whatever the Jedi Order sends after him (what if it's Anakin and Plo leading a detachment of 501st and Wolfpack troops???) he looks for obi-wan elsewhere. he isn't focused on creating a crime empire. he's just focused on Obi-wan. or maybe he is focused on creating a crime empire. regardless, he has to eventually find Mandalore for story purposes.

in TCW, Almec seemed a bit softer to the Death Watch, even though he wasn't aligned with them until season 5. so what if he allows a Death Watch takeover like, early in the clone wars? would Pre Vizsla have an administrative position or remain as a

and then my idea just gets messy because there are so many possibilities.

Maul never aligns with the Death Watch. He and Savage head directly to where he senses obi-wan, which is Concordia. there are so many possibilities here too - how rusty is obi-wan after all the time he's spent with Satine? can he still manage to get the upper hand like he did on Florrum in TCW?

Also - how would Obi-wan's ideology on pacifism change after spending so much time with Satine? how would Satine's ideology change?

What if Maul kills Satine and lets Obi-wan leave with his life? Would Obi-wan return to the Jedi, broken and defeated and just. lost? How would Anakin react?

FUCK my mom is telling me to do things but i'm so caught up with this ughhhhhh

Sidious only comes into the Maul mix in TCW season 5, and we're still in late season 4 territory. so throwing Sidious into this mess wouldn't make much sense as Maul isn't enough of a pest to be deemed worthy of stamping out.

my mom needs to stop distracting me cant she see the autism needs room to breathe

If Maul goes with his original season 4 idea of capturing Obi-wan and just beating the shit out of him for a while, Ventress wouldn't rescue him. Would anyone? OH MY GOD WHAT IF SATINE ASKS BO-KATAN AND DEATH WATCH TO HELP RESCUE OBI-WAN AHHSKDJFGJFKDHG

ok yeah thats my idea for now. i need to actually go do stuff

What happens during Order 66 though? what about before Order 66? what if Anakin listened to Fives because of the patience that learning from Plo Koon gave him???

i want to write this but i have like zero confidence in my ability to Keep Working On Things

an AU where obi-wan leaves the jedi order to be with satine just has to exist. there has to be like fics in the triple digits about this. someone help me find it i'm considering writing one (guy who has never finished a fic so far and doesnt put consistent work into writing stuff)

[tatooines-ghosts]

Ah! I am so obsessed with your No Jedi Allowed AU. Would literally squeal if you posted another drabble. *fingers crossed*

Oh Anon, thank you! I'm so glad you like the AU. I am sad to say it has been kinda shoved to the back burner and I haven't been able to give it the attention I would like over the last couple years. The next chapter has been like, half-finished for a very long time, and I work on it very sporadically.

That being said!

Ask for a drabble and you shall receive! Have a little bit more than a drabble (a good 2k words), featuring a Certain Scene from AOTC.

✨✨✨✨✨

Jango gave the Starfighter on the landing an appreciative inspection. It was a brand-new model, beautiful, compact, fast, powerful. He would have loved to give a ship like this a spin. Anakin too would probably turn this ship into a delightfully lethal weapon. He took a scan of the ship and collected its specs for her perusal later, and it would be a good test for Boba. He noted the droid, more suited for navigation and maneuverability than weapons, which was an unusual choice. The way this ship’s guns were mounted, it would be easy for a pilot to take off their own nose if they didn’t properly calibrate the guns before firing. Said calibration would be done best by a droid, or an extremely skilled pilot and marksman – someone like him.

But Jango knew this wasn’t another bounty hunter’s ship. This was something potentially much worse. A Jedi.

He hurried back inside setting off quickly for his home.

Anakin was pacing anxiously around the living room with Lykan in her arms. “Who was it? A bounty hunter? Are they here for me?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Jango said calmly. “Looks like a jetii, must be here to inspect the army.”

“You’re sure?”

No. Jango couldn’t be certain until the jetii left planet without sticking his nose into his allit’s business. It was entirely possible this was an imposter who had caught Anakin’s scent. Or perhaps this was the same jetii who had seen him on Coruscant. He may be here on a manhunt, but not for Anakin.

If he was here for a troop inspection, it was entirely likely that he would ask to meet Jango. Would he be better served having them all bug out before the jetii showed up?

No, there was sense in running and acting guilty if this happened to be a coincidence. No need to run from an opponent he knew nothing about. And if it came down to a fight, he could handle himself against a lone jetii.

“Jango, what do we do?” Anakin asked in a tight voice. Lykan began to cry and fuss in her arms – hungry little complaints.

“Nothing, act natural. I’m going to shower. If he shows up, I trust your judgement about letting him in. The jetii should have no reason to hurt or bother you.

Obi-Wan's mind was spinning as he followed in the wake of the Kaminoan's long strides. It made no sense that Master Sifo-Dyas would have commissioned a clone army without the Council knowing about it, or the Senate. And yet, here were millions of soldiers engineered to fight a war on behalf of the Republic. Who had paid for them? He hoped that the man used as template for the clone army would have some answers.

He perked up as the Force stirred around him, warm, comfortable, safe. A little vortex of happiness in the otherwise pretty inert facility. Curious. His escort, Taun We, stopped outside a door and pressed her finger to the panel. A soft chime sounded before the door slid open. A young boy stood there, looking at Obi-Wan with some skepticism. He doubted they had many visitors out here. That must be the unaltered clone Jango took as part of his payment, his son.

Taun We addressed the boy. "Boba, is your father in?”

“Yep.”

“May we come in?"

The boy looked over his shoulder. "Sure." He stepped aside to let them into the apartment and called out, “Ani, Taun We’s here for Dad.”

The warm contentment concentrated inside the apartment, permeating like the scent of a lit candle. Cozy, peaceful, Obi-Wan felt drawn to relax – this was a safe place.

A short entrance hall led them into a main living room. There was art plastered all across the austere white walls; messy, unpracticed scribbles in a riot of colors. There was a scattering of toys across the floor, not the boy’s, Obi-Wan assumed. He stepped fully into the apartment and found the course of the colorful chaos. At the dining table, a young girl was scribbling across a sheet of paper with a blue crayon. She looked up and beamed at the Kaminoan, "Hello Taun We!"

“Hello, Shila.” The Kaminoan nodded to the little girl before turning to a corner Obi-Wan couldn't quite see. “Hello, Anakin. Is this a bad time?”

“Not at all,” a woman’s voice replied.

Obi-Wan took another step forward and saw a young woman in a rocking chair, cradling a nursing baby to her breast. She was rather young, maybe twenty, Obi-Wan guessed, with blonde hair and sharp blue eyes. And very obviously the Force Sensitive who was creating the comfortable vortex.

"Hello," her eyes slid over Obi-Wan. "Who are you?" The Force curdled slightly with caution, and he caught a current of worry twined in with the warm comfort.

"This is Master Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi," Taun We introduced. Obi-Wan bowed respectfully to her.

"I apologize for intruding. I was hoping to speak with Jango Fett." He was rapidly filing away new information. Two more children, a wife or girlfriend, who happened to be incredibly Force Sensitive. How many other surprises were hiding on Kamino?

"He'll be out in a bit." She held his gaze, her intense blue eyes locking onto his. He could feel her brushing against his shields, probing for ill intent. Her attempts were clumsy, almost brutish in the way a self-taught Force user would be. Obi-Wan let her see enough that he meant no harm. He was simply here for information. She relaxed, but only a little.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker."

"Pleasure to meet you."

Her eyes moved past him to Boba and she instructed in Mando'a, "Go tell your father we have a visitor."

The boy disappeared down another hallway and returned a minute later to report, "He'll be out in a few minutes."

Anakin looked back to Obi-Wan with an apologetic smile, "You showed up just after he stepped into the shower."

Obi-Wan smiled back, neutral, polite. "I always did have poor timing."

The baby finished nursing, and fussed quietly until Anakin placed him gently over her shoulder. Obi-Wan politely averted his eyes while she adjusted her shirt to cover herself. He found his attention drawn by the little girl who was showing Taun We her drawings. The little girl was clearly related to Anakin, though her dark hair suggested she picked that up from her father. He kept his frown off his face as he did a little mental math. Anakin couldn't be much older than twenty, and her daughter had to be at least four years old… she would have been fifteen or sixteen when the girl was born. He stepped aside automatically to let Anakin pass on her way around the apartment. When Taun We asked to hold the baby, Anakin passed him over comfortably. She moved to the open kitchen and flicked the power switch on an electric kettle.

“Do Jedi take tea?” Anakin asked over her shoulder, watching him warily.

“Yes, thank you.” Obi-Wan nodded graciously to her, though he doubted he would be here long enough to have a cup.

She turned her back on him again and busied herself with pulling out cups and a pot.

Obi-Wan could still sense her caution, but it was the kind anyone reserved for strangers with unclear intentions. A door opened down the hallway, and Obi-Wan caught the faint scent of soap and steam as the man he wanted to see stepped out. His short hair was still damp, he was freshly shaven, and his clothes were clean. Taun We made introductions again.

"How do you find your army?" Fett’s words were neutral enough, as if eventually he expected a Jedi to arrive on his doorstep.

"They're very impressive. You must be proud."

Jango shrugged, taking the baby from Taun We when he began to fuss. "I'm just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe. As you can see, I've got plenty of mouths to feed." He easily placed the baby over his shoulder, and almost instantly, the fussing stopped.

Obi-Wan was acutely aware that every eye was on them, even the little girl had gone quiet to watch. "Ever make your way so far as Coruscant."

"Once or twice."

"Recently?"

"Perhaps."

The man was purposefully resisting his attempts at probing his mind, purposeful in a way that had to be trained. There were few cultures who knew how to train mental resistance to Force influence. Add to that, Anakin's casual use of Mando'a, Obi-Wan was fairly confident Jango Fett was the bounty hunter he had tracked from Coruscant.

“Then you must know Master Sifo-Dyas.”

“Can’t say I do.”

“Really? He didn’t recruit you?”

“I was recruited by a man called Tyrannus on a moon of Bogdon.”

“Curious…”

Jango’s replies were too easy to be lies, too natural to be rehearsed, and he sensed no guile from any of the others in the apartment. The children might not know, but his wife would know the truth of Jango’s recruitment, and she projected so clearly into the Force, he would have felt the lies through her. Obi-Wan threw her a glance, she had crossed her arms and was studying Obi-Wan with unconcealed suspicion. She didn’t trust him, but not because he was poking into Jango’s business.

“Do you like your army?” Jango asked, drawing his attention back.

“I look forward to seeing them in action.”

“They’ll do their job well. I guarantee it.”

Obi-Wan knew it was time to duck out gracefully. He would get no more information from the bounty hunter. He bowed to the room. "I apologize again for intruding. Thank you for taking the time to see me."

“Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi.” Jango smiled blandly and saw them to the door, still holding the baby.

When they were heading down the hallway, the jetii under the watchful eye of Taun We, Jango turned to the apartment. The kettle was boiling, but Anakin hadn't moved to turn it off.

"Was he here for me?"

"No, jetii don't work for Hutts."

Her shoulder's slumped in relief and she turned off the kettle. "What did he want?"

"Must've tracked me from this last job. Things went sour and I know he saw me." He passed the baby back. "We need to go. Pack your things."

XXX

Obi-Wan finished his call to the Jedi Council and was happy to get out of the driving rain. He had reported his identification of the bounty hunter, the surprise army meant for Republic use, and then mentioned the Force Sensitive woman. She was interesting, but she was not a concern right now. With a baby that young to care for, she couldn't have been involved in Jango's attempt on Padmé's life.

He walked back through the cloning complex alone this time, hoping to sneak up on Fett. He wasn't entirely unsurprised to find the apartment empty, a few items haphazardly tossed aside in a hurry to pack and leave. The daughter's drawings were left scattered across the table with the crayons, the kettle was still hot. He wasn't far behind them.

He caught up on the landing pad. Boba saw him first. Anakin hurried the children up into the ship while Jango, dressed again in his armor, attacked.

He was a skilled fighter, clearly trained in the Mandalorian tradition of counter-Jedi martial arts. Obi-Wan knew this would be a difficult fight, he was at a disadvantage with the rain driving straight into his face, but he wasn't expecting Jango to have back up.

He barely deflected the blaster bolt sent from the side and turned to see Anakin standing on the cargo ramp of the ship with a blaster trained on Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan couldn't retaliate, he wasn't going to risk hurting the baby in a carrier on Anakin's chest. She knew exactly what she was doing. Jango was able to get the better of him, sending Obi-Wan tumbling off the edge of the rain-slick walkway, in attempts to dodge Anakin's shots and Jango's. Obi-Wan was able to catch himself, and climb back onto the landing pad, but he was too late. The ship was already taking off. He grabbed a magnetic tracker from his belt and managed to land it on the hull.

Obi-Wan turned back to return to his own ship. Wherever Fett went, Obi-Wan would follow. That Anakin was going to be a problem, he had a bad feeling about her.

[starlazergazer]

Flirting with the Dark Side

Pairing: Anakin x Reader

Request: An Anakin (hades) x Reader (persephone) au!

Warnings: None

Word count: 6.5K

A/N: Not gonna lie I struggled with this one lol. It’s more a story loosely based on the myth so I truly apologize if what you were hoping for was something more faithful to it but I really hope you like it!

You can still remember exactly what time it had happened. Exactly where you were, what you were doing, how it felt when Anakin had gone to the dark side.

It hit you as more than just a disturbance in the force, a breaking of prophecy, instead it was as if the weight of the world you had balanced so carefully on your shoulders finally came crashing down.

You felt your knees buckle beneath you, threatening to drop you to the floor, the air forced from your lungs as you were left with nothing but a soul crushing feeling of emptiness and dread. You knew something was wrong, that something was wrong specifically with Anakin, and if you were being completely honest with yourself you knew exactly what had just happened.

But you refused to allow yourself to believe it.

You doubled over, hands on knees as you tried to catch your breath, tried to calm yourself down, tried to reach out with the force for more info. None came.

In the halls of the temple Jedi rushed past you, all running to the doors, none really paying attention to where they were going as they bumped into each other, a massive hoard desperate to escape.

Instead, you walked upstream.

You hadn’t planned your next stop, not that you had much of a plan to begin with, but on pure gut instinct you looked into the training room, finding it full of bewildered younglings.

Before you could even think of what to do next they were whispering your name, hope flooding the room as they saw your familiar face emerge, believing you knew what to do. Oh how you wished you knew what to do.

“Are you all here?” You tried to put as much authority into your voice as possible, tried to ignore the sounds of Jedi fleeing for their lives just outside the door, tried to ignore the feeling that your whole world was crumbling around you, tried to put on a brave face.

The kids all looked around, mentally taking attendance before turning back to you nodding, more than a dozen pairs of hopeful eyes staring up at you expectantly. You could only think of one thing to do: get them out.

“Ok follow me” You instructed them, ushering them to get behind you as you turned around, stopping dead in your tracks at the appearance of a dark figure in the doorway, a rather familiar dark figure.

“Ani?” You asked hesitantly, almost hopefully, but it felt wrong, the room felt strangely dark and cold, and from the way the kids coward behind you you knew you weren’t the only one to feel it.

The figure said nothing, stayed rooted in the doorway, not moving a muscle. And in response you felt your fingers twitch, felt an itch in the back of your head telling you to grab your lightsaber.

Instead you stayed put, every muscle in your body tensing as you tried to prepare for the worse “Ani is that you?”

What responded was nothing more than the sound of a lightsaber igniting, a column of blue erupting from a familiar hilt in the figures hand, blue light illuminating the side of Anakin’s face finally.

“Move” his voice was deep and harsh, it was a voice he had never used with you before, it sent an uncomfortable chill up your spine.

“No” you answered simply, reaching for your own saber in response, gripping it tightly in your hand but refusing to light it yet, a part of you still insisting that Anakin was not your enemy.

And for the first time Anakin raised his head, the folds of his hood revealing his eyes as they came up to meet yours, golden yellow eyes instead of the soft blue ones you were so used to.

And despite yourself you let a small gasp escape, your stance faltering ever so slightly as you were met with your worst nightmare. “Anakin what have you done?”

Anakin didn’t bother to answer your question, the grip on his saber tightening as instead he responded “I said move Y/N”

You lit your own saber, its glow joining Anakin’s to illuminate the room, a protective hand sweeping out to cover the heard of younglings from him “And I said no”

You could see him faulter ever so slightly, his jaw clenching visibly, his breathing getting ever so slightly deeper “New orders” he responded simply “eliminate all jedi”

“They’re younglings Anakin” You shot back “they’re innocent”

Again you were met with silence, Anakin refusing to back down, staying rooted to the spot, unfamiliar yellow eyes staring down into yours.

“Well what about me?” You tried “I’m jedi why aren’t you trying to eliminate me”

You could see the effect your comment had on him. Anakin, if only for a moment, looking taken aback, as if it had never occurred to him that you fell under the elimination order. And after a second of silence he shut down his saber, tilting his head to the side slightly as he looked at you. “I can feel your anger”

You scrunched your eyebrows at him, your grip on your saber tightening as you tried to prepare for whatever trick this was “of course I’m angry”

“That’s not very jedi of you” his response came quick and casually, pieces of the old Anakin, of your Anakin slipping back in as he spoke. “Don’t you think it’s weird we were taught to suppress an emotion as natural to us as breathing?”

“Where are you going with this?” You asked through clenched teeth, his blasé attitude making you feel more uneasy than ever.

“Join me”

It was your turn to be taken aback, your body physically recoiling as his words hit you, the simplicity with which he said them making the invitation feel natural, expected even. “what?”

“Join me” he repeated, taking slow hesitant steps closer towards you, all but ignoring the saber you held defensively in front of you “you are a powerful jedi, exceptional with the force imagine the kind of power you can have with the dark side”

“I-I-“ You stuttered, your brain struggling to keep up with what he was saying “I can’t join the dark side”

He simply shook his head, still approaching you “okay then don’t” he dismissed the idea quickly “just join me”

“I don’t understand-“

“Join me” he repeated, cutting you off, “choose me, be by my side as I bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy like it has never seen before” and you could see in his eyes that he truly believed that, truly believed that was he was doing was right and just, truly believed he was on the path to change things for the better.

And you could see the old Anakin returning again, the softness in his features, in his voice, as he pleaded with you. And a part of you broke.

You looked back behind you, dozens of scared wide eyes looking up at you, and you knew what you had to do. “If I come with you, you have to leave the younglings alone. I need to know that they are going to be safe”

And at this the corners of Anakin’s mouth lifted, “for you love,” he lifted a hand to you in invitation “anything”

You stayed poised to attack for a moment longer, your eyes bouncing back and forth between his looking for any sign of deception, any sign that this was a trick, and you found none.

Hesitantly you retracted your saber, the lack of its glow plunging the room into a soft darkness.

And with a deep breath you took his hand.

-

You did your best to ignore him as he led you through the hallways, and Anakin, to his credit, did the same. So long as you didn’t talk you could pretend everything was back to normal, that you weren’t all but kidnapped by a man you had once considered to be a close friend, that he hadn’t joined the dark side, that the jedi order hadn’t fallen, that thousands hadn’t died.

“Right here” Anakin stopped suddenly, nodding to the door.

You took a second to collect yourself, to consider what you had agreed to because you knew once you stepped through that door there was no going back. Hesitantly you reached forward, opening the door with the touch of a button, revealing a massive, beautiful room on the other side.

And despite yourself you had to admit you were awe of the room, the sheer size of it bigger than any you had seen before. A massive bed piled with more pillows than you knew what to do with, a roaring fireplace as gorgeous as it was warm, a massive balcony with a sweeping view over the city, framing a perfect sunset before your eyes.

“This is your room” You could hear the smile in Anakin’s voice as he said it, clearly happy at your reaction.

“And where will you be staying?” His smile dropped. You knew it was a low blow as you said it, watching the smirk fall from Anakin’s face at the implication that he wouldn’t stay with you. But you felt trapped and vengeful, feeling the need to lash out and hurt him so that he may feel as you did at having lost everything at his hands.

“The room next door” he answered simply, doing his best not to let his anger show and you relished in his restraint because though it may have been a small thing it still felt good.

“I think I’ll get some sleep” you nodded towards the door behind him.

Anakin got the hint immediately; having known you would try and get rid of him quickly “Of course” he nodded formally and turned to leave.

And though it was exactly what you wanted, to be left alone with your thoughts for just a moment, to be given some time to digest your knew life, you knew you had to ask. “Could you have done it?” You called at him over his shoulder, Anakin spinning on the spot his face clearly showing his displeasure at having been asked the question, though clearly not shocked by it either. “If I hadn’t been there could you have done it?”

“But you were there” he answered simply, his shoulders hunching slightly as he made a point to look you in the eye

“But if I weren’t” you pressed further, showing him you weren’t letting this go so easily.

He looked you up and down for a moment, taking a deep breath before speaking “you don’t want me to answer that”

And you felt your heart break a little more in that moment, though you suppose you did it to yourself. Before then a part of you still believed he couldn’t have, still believed it was some sort of trick or a moment of weakness. Anakin’s non answer however squashed any of that hope.

“Right” you sighed, wrapping your arms around yourself, turning your back on him and making your way to the bed, a silent dismissal of him.

Anakin stayed rooted on the spot for a moment, every fiber in his being screaming at him to reach out to you, to go and wrap his arms around you, comfort you as he had so many nights before.

Instead, he did the smart thing. He left.

-

You had hoped that sleep would be some sort of reprieve. A brief escape from where you were, from what your life had become.

Instead you had laid in bed for hours, unable to quiet your mind enough to fall asleep.

The sun had risen too quickly and you weren’t ready to face the day, to figure out where you fell in this new life, what you were to do.

It seemed, however, you didn’t have much of an option. A knock on your door was all the warning given before people rushed into your room with serving trays piled with food, servants wordlessly filling the table in your room with the dishes before leaving with no explanation.

Mere minutes later the door sounded again and in strolled Anakin this time, giving you little more than a nod and a smile before walking over to the table and taking a seat.

“What are you doing?” You asked, your voice groggy from the morning as you refused to get out of bed still.

“Breakfast” he answered simply, piling the plate before him with food.

“In my room?” You continued to press, wrapping the blanket protectively around you as you finally sat up staring across the gigantic room at him.

“We always used to eat together” He prompted, shoving a piece of food into his mouth.

“Sure we used to”

At this he set down his silverware, for the first time since walking in making it a point to make eye contact with you “I don’t see why things have to change Y/N”

And to that you could do nothing but stare, your mouth hanging open ever so slightly, because how could things not have changed after what had happened.

“Look” he sighed, picking back up the silverware and turning back to his food “you don’t have to join me, don’t even have to talk if you don’t want to…but I would like it if you did”

And despite yourself you could feel the smell of the food getting to you, your traitorous stomach rumbling loudly, you could see Anakin’s lips quirk up at its sound.

With a dramatic sigh you pushed yourself from the bed and made your way to the table, purposefully picking a seat that wasn’t close to Anakin’s though it didn’t seem to matter to him. With a small smile he had picked up the plate in front of you and began piling it with anything he thought you would like and though you would never admit it he got the selection spot on.

Not making eye contact you picked up the fork in front of you and shoveled some food into your mouth, only the sounds of the scrape of silverware on plates filling the air as you and Anakin ate in silence.

“I would like to go outside” the words came out of your mouth just slightly too loud, the exclamation surprising Anakin enough for him to straighten on impulse.

“Okay?” It came out as a question, a single brow raised in your direction.

“Is that allowed?” You asked sheepishly, “can I go outside?”

And at this he chuckled, his posture slumping slightly again as he relaxed, turning back to his food “you’re not a prisoner”

“Am I not?” You asked with a raised brow, daring him to contradict you “could I leave if I wanted to?”

Anakin to his credit seemed sheepish in his response, his head hanging lower as he dropped eye contact “it’s not safe for you out there”

“I can handle myself” you scoffed “I’m a jedi knight-“

“Were a jedi knight” he corrected you “and be careful who you say that around. They’re hunting the jedi down now”

“and these are the people you chose to align yourself with?” you asked him, dropping your fork and crossing your arms over your chest.

“the jedi order was corrupt” he answered simply “claiming to be a keeper of peace while doing nothing but the senates bidding in order to perpetuate a war the jedi had no business being in”

“How else do you keep peace during wartime” You asked him “rather than seek to end it as soon as possible?”

“then we should’ve been given the proper tools to do that” he shot back “we were brought up to be peacekeepers then thrust into the roles of generals. Leashed by a code that served no purpose other than to stop us from ensuring victory on the battlefield in the name of peace and false morals”

And to your surprise you had nothing to say back to that, having no real response back.

“I just want you to be safe” he sighed softly, running a hand through his hair “so for now at least please just stay here”

You did nothing but nod in response, resigning yourself to go back to eating in silence, maybe some time here to think would be good.

-

Over the days you started to grow used to your schedule, eating breakfast and dinner with Anakin, spending most nights usually in the same room as him, he not forcing interaction between you and you grateful for the peace.

Other than that you had the day to yourself and you had to admit you were enjoying being able to fully relax for the first time in your life, no training, no battle, no planning. It left you a lot of time to think.

And the more you thought about it the more Anakin’s words were getting to you, the more they started to make sense. You had never agreed completely with the Jedi council, upset they were often more eager to serve their own agenda rather than truly serve the people of the republic.

You could see that Anakin now was seeking to do no more than what he was told he would do from the beginning, bring peace to the galaxy as a whole.

But was this really the right way?

Anakin came back to your rooms that day much later than usual, missing dinner by nearly an hour, but you refused to let anyone take the food before he could get any.

As soon as he entered the door you could feel the temperature drop, not needing the force to feel the anger radiating off of him as he strode towards the table wordlessly. You were no stranger to Anakin’s anger, having witnessed it countless times throughout your childhood with him. He was never one to take orders blindly and you doubted that quality changed even when he was on this side.

Before you could talk yourself out of it you forced your way over to him, taking the seat across from him as he started to fill a plate.

Anakin barely cast you a glance, looking briefly up at you through his lashes before turning back to his task at hand,

And though you knew now was not the time to push it you had to know; it had been the only thing on your mind for days. You needed someone else to talk this through with. “I know the Jedi weren’t what they claimed to be”

Anakin paused, spoon held in mid air as he looked back up at you through his lashes once again, silently asking you to continue.

“They claimed to serve the people of the republic and served only the corrupt senate, resulting in who knows how many deaths” You continued on, finding your gaze drifting around the room as you avoided eye contact at all costs as you said this. “and I understand wanting to leave that behind, even wanting to aid Palpatine in his efforts to bring peace to the galaxy”

You paused here, noting how Anakin had dropped everything before him, his total attention turned to you in this moment only making you squirm on the spot.

“But the dark side?” You exhaled, finally snapping your eyes to his, forcing yourself to maintain eye contact as you said it “we were taught the dark side does nothing but corrupt and destroy. I just don’t understand how you could give in to something like that” with a brief pause you shook your head lightly “the dark side stands in opposition to everything we were brought up to believe”

“And maybe we were brought up incorrectly” he shot back and you could hear the anger still laced in his voice “of course the Jedi order wouldn’t tell us of its benefits should it not want us to use it”

“But-“

And before you could even get the next sentence out Anakin was speaking again. His anger and exasperation boiling over within him, tired of having the same conversation over and over again, tired of beating around the same bush, tired of hiding it from you.

“I did it for you”

You froze, mouth still hanging open as you stared back at him, your body physically recoiling in shock “what?”

“I did it for you” he repeated, his voice growing much softer, much quieter as he said it, anger starting to slip from the words as he grew more serious. “I saw you die in a dream. In several dreams. And if I stepped over to the dark side then I could get enough power to protect you, to stop it from happening”

Your mind was racing, your eyebrows scrunching in thought “but-but you had no way of knowing if your dreams were even right”

“And you think I could risk something like that?” he looked almost sad as he said it, his head hanging ever so slightly as he looked up at you.

And again you were speechless.

Anakin forced himself back to filing his plate, breaking eye contact with you “Look I know you don’t approve of the decision, but it was not one I made lightly”

And at this you looked up at him, giving yourself a deep breath before you responded “I believe you”

He paused at this, looking back up at you for a moment, eyes bouncing back and forth between yours for a brief moment before giving what you could only describe as an appreciative nod before tuning back to the food. Continuing his evening in silence.

-

You did not look up from your book when he entered the room, did not give him any attention, not yet at least. You could feel your resolve starting to crumble against him, too much of the old Anakin peaking through, his arguments starting to make too much sense, the need to do something productive starting to get too strong.

You needed more time to think, more time to decide if this was what you really wanted to do, to decide if you were truly ready to turn your back on everything you believed in mere weeks ago.

Then you heard his footsteps, not the usual steady and even pattern as he crossed the floor, it was much slower now with a distinct note of dragging something.

Your eyes snapped up from your book to see Anakin walking across the room, his back turned to you, a significant limp as he basically dragged his left foot behind him.

You were on your feet immediately, bounding across the room without a thought, picking up Anakin’s arm and ducking your head beneath it, doing your best to take some of his weight off the foot.

Anakin stopped in surprise, his eyebrows drawing together as he looked down at you.

“Come on to the chair” You grunted, helping him across the room towards the table.

“I’m fine” he tried to brush it off, trying to retract his arm though you held onto the wrist, an arm going around his waist to keep him from pushing you off.

“Fine people don’t limp” You countered, finally getting him to one of the chairs at the table, pulling it out and helping him down into it, noting the wince he tried so desperately to hide as he moved.

“Wasn’t limping” he muttered under his breath though you could see the edges of his mouth lift up as he said it, unable to even take himself seriously.

“mhm sure” you muttered, “stay here I think I saw some bandages in the bathroom”

He tried to protest again though he didn’t push it too hard, knowing he wasn’t going to get anywhere.

You came back with a first aid kit, cloth, and bowl of water, pulling up a seat in front of Anakin, holding out your hand to him wordlessly.

Anakin stared back at you for a moment, a look of almost amusement on his face before he gave in, placing his hand in yours.

Giving it a small grateful squeeze, you looked down giving yourself a chance for the first time to properly inspect his bloodied knuckles. The skin had clearly broken and though they were red and raw it didn’t look like they were still actively bleeding, just needed cleaning.

Dipping the cloth in the bowl of water you carefully dabbed at the knuckles, feeling yourself mirror Anakin’s grimaces each time you got too close to the tender flesh.

Once the first one was clean you placed it carefully in his lap, reaching for the other and starting the process again, missing the look in Anakin’s eyes as he stared down at you almost in wonder, completely mystified by the moment of tenderness from you he hadn’t felt since order 66, that he wasn’t sure he would feel again since order 66.

“The good news is they just needed to be cleaned” You spoke softly as you worked, Anakin just humming in response, eyes never breaking from your face.

And before he could think to stop himself he reached out with the hand, your work stopping as he reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind your ear.

You froze when he moved his hand, not moving a muscle as he tucked the hair, your gaze following the hand as he retracted it before going up to his eyes, taking a moment again to fully digest their new color, and for the first time finding yourself admiring it.

Anakin didn’t dare move beneath your gaze, didn’t dare breathe as your eyes bounced back and forth between his, doing nothing that could risk ruining the moment. Until your eyes narrowed slightly at him and he felt himself cringe inwardly at the look, prepping himself for another argument.

Before he could even comprehend what was happening you were out of your seat and leaning towards him, your face closer to his than it had ever been as your hand made its way up to his hair, swiping the curls away from his forehead.

“Maker, Ani your forehead is bleeding” You sighed out and despite everything Anakin felt himself laughing, a genuine smile growing on his face, something he hasn’t done in quite some time.

“It’s been a while since you called me that”

You dipped the cloth again, trying your best to ignore the closeness as you straddled his thigh, his hands naturally gliding to your hips to keep you stable as you pulled the hair back with one hand and dabbed at the wound with the other. “It’s been a while since you’ve deserved it” you teased softly.

“And what did I do to deserve it now?” He asked softly, looking up at you through his lashes with an amused smile.

“Nothing” you hummed, cleaning away the last of the blood on his forehead “I just take pity on the injured”

“I’ll keep that in mind”

You glared down at him “show up like this again and I’ll make sure you live to regret it Skywalker”

At this he chuckled again, and you had to take a moment to enjoy the sound, not realizing how much you had missed it, how much you had missed him.

“Looks like this one will need a bandage” You mused, reaching to the kit on the table to grab one.

“I can’t wear a bandage” he objected mockingly “I’ve got a reputation to uphold”

“Oh yeah nothing says tough like bleeding to death” you teased, placing the bandage over the cut.

And though you tried your best not to you were reluctant to pull away, reluctant to go back to your chair in front of him, reluctant to leave him alone again.

“I can try and get you an icepack for that ankle” you offered though he quickly shook you off.

“It just needs a break” he shook his head “I’m okay”

“Okay” you reluctantly agreed “think you can make it to your room?”

“Yeah” he chuckled softly again before repeating again “I’m okay”

“You can say it all you want but I don’t believe you” you objected, watching in mild amusement as he stood up in his chair, carefully keeping as much weight off his left foot as possible.

“You’re impossible” you said under your breath before standing and tucking your head under his arm to help once again “come on you can stay with me”

He was unable to hide the shock on his face, freezing in place as he looked down at you “are you sure”

“Yeah” you dragged him along, helping him down onto the side of your bed “just stay on your side”

-

You woke to the knocking on your door as usual, a soft groan escaping from your lips as the brightness of the room struck you for the first time.

The muscles in your legs tensed as you stretched them out, calling out a “come in” in the process. It wasn’t until you tried to stretch your arms over your head, however, that the extra weight around your middle registered.

Then you noticed the warmness against your back, the legs tangled in your own, the feeling of a chest rising and falling against your back.

The door squeaked as it slid open and only then did the reality of your situation fully hit you, swearing under your breath you threw the blankets over the two of you, subconsciously pressing yourself further into Anakin’s chest.

“What are we doing?” The sound of his groggy morning voice spoken directly into your ear, combined with the feeling of his breath against it, sent goosebumps up your arms and a shiver down your spine.

“Hiding” you whispered back.

You tried to ignore the heat that rose to your cheeks at the sound of his chuckle, the way you could feel the laugh in his chest against you. “Why?”

“I panicked” you admitted in another whisper, listening closely to the sound of dishes being placed on the table.

And again you could feel the soft laugh rumble up in his chest as you tried to ignore the way his arm squeezed you tighter into him, tried to ignore to feeling of his hot breath against your neck as he laid behind you, tried to ignore that he hadn’t moved a muscle since waking up despite the promise to stay on his side of the bed, tried to ignore how much you enjoyed being in his arms.

Finally, the door sounded again as it slid open, you waited for it to shut again before throwing the blankets off of you, Anakin grunting softly as the light hit his eyes, slowly retracting his arm as you sat up and crawled off the bed.

You needed to think, you needed to make a decision because sitting here in a sort of limbo was becoming all too much. Taking one look out over the balcony you knew exactly what you needed to do.

-

You were glad for your decision to finally get out of that room. Sure the giant balcony did a good job at providing sunlight and a breeze but it still didn’t compare to just sitting down in the grass beneath a shady tree.

You sat with your legs crossed, hands resting softly on your knees as you cleared your mind, or at least tried too. It was the first time you had tried to meditate since order 66 and so far it had done nothing but made you feel more lost.

Usually your meditation brought you closer to the force, brought you clarity, helped you separate yourself from emotions that had often blocked your connect to the force. Now though the emotions were too strong and after talking to Anakin you were starting to question if this was the way. These were unprecedented times, you were at war, people were dying. Could you still claim some moral high ground if you were willingly cutting yourself off from more power that could allow you to stop all of this suffering?

The sun had set before you without you even noticing, confusion hitting you briefly when you opened your eyes to see the beautiful colors of the sunset over the horizon. And though your meditation had felt like a waste of time you were still glad for it, glad to give yourself time to think things through.

You pushed yourself to your feet and started walking back towards your room, hunger only then starting to hit you reminding you that you were late for dinner.

Not fully paying attention to where you were going your boot got caught on a stray tree branch sending you toppling to the ground face first. And you couldn’t help but laugh, after how this day was going this seemed to fit right in with everything.

Pushing yourself up once again you felt a small itch on your cheek. Wiping at it with your finger you pulled back your hand to find a small amount of blood on your fingers. Because of course you were bleeding now.

Trudging back to your room you took extra care to look at your feet, finally arriving at your door only after the sun had set. You opened the door and were met with Anakin already there, standing looking out over the balcony. His head snapped towards you the second the door opened and for a brief moment all you could see on his face was worry.

You drew your eyebrows together in confusion though his expression changed almost instantly, so quickly you weren’t sure if you had really seen it, visibly relaxing on the spot.

“Where have you been?” He asked striding across the room towards you, speaking again before you could answer “I got back and you weren’t here. I thought-“ then he paused, physically stalling on the spot for a brief moment before hurrying across the room to you, a gentil hand coming under your chin and lifting your face to him, turning it very slightly to get a better view of your cheek.

“What happened?”

You were surprised at how much his voice had hardened, any relief that you were back gone in an instant as he examined the nearly miniscule cut on your cheek.

“It’s nothing” you brushed him off, pulling his hand off of your chin so you could make proper eye contact with him again.

“Who did this to you?” He asked, his gaze dark and hard, his voice several octaves lower than you feel you had ever heard it.

“No one Ani” You tried to calm him, both hands coming up to cup his cheeks, “I was outside meditating and I tripped, that is all”

And though he seemed to soften slightly at your words there still seemed to be an edge to him as if he were still unconvinced.

And at that you couldn’t help but chuckle softly, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the table “I promise. I’m okay. Now come on I’m hungry”

Reluctantly he let himself be pulled, taking the seat next to you as you piled your plate with food gone slightly cold by this point.

Anakin was silent for a moment while you ate, doing nothing but watch you before asking “You still meditate?”

“I haven’t” you admitted “until today”

“How’d it go” he asked softly.

“Not well” you chuckled, dropping your fork, and turning to give him your full attention “Usually it is a way to make me feel better connected to the force and the galaxy as a whole. Today it did nothing but make me feel more disconnected”

“That’s what it feels like for me too” he admitted in a soft voice “least how it feels now”

You mentally stole yourself, prepping for the question you were about to ask, not sure how he was going to respond given your track record thus far “why did you chose to go over to the dark side?”

You could see him physically go on the defensive at your question, his expression hardening slightly as he prepared for the same conversation again prompting you to speak up “I don’t mean to fight. I just want to understand”

He paused, still slightly defensive as he looked down at you, judging if you were telling the truth or not. And you must have passed the test because he quickly relaxed again, an elbow going onto the table as he leaned against it “I told you, to protect you”

“But that can’t be it” you shook your head “to turn your back on everything and everyone like that there had to be more”

And an amused smile grew on his face, shaking his head softly at you before answering “Okay sure there were other things, everything I had said before about why I didn’t trust the jedi council, why they didn’t trust me, but you were the tipping point.” He paused briefly, never breaking eye contact with you before he took a breath and continued “Even if it had turned out to be the wrong decision, for you I would make it a million times over”

You looked down at your hands in your lap for a moment, your next words slipping past your lips before you could think to stop them “I miss you Ani”

His eyebrows drew together, a hand going out to grab one of yours, drawing your eyes back to him “I’m right here, I will always be right here”

And you smiled back sadly at him, giving his hand a small squeeze “Yes but it’s different now”

“Bad different?” he asked, an almost hopeful look sparking in his eyes.

And you let the gaze linger, debating on the spot the question you had been asking yourself since this whole ordeal began “honestly, I’m not so sure anymore”

And though it wasn’t quite the definitive answer he had hoped for it was enough, at least for now. A smile grew on his lips as he squeezed your hand again before letting it go.

Your next question seemed to come from nowhere, “Do you trust Palpatine?”

Anakin looked almost taken aback by the question, his brows drawing in confusion. “Do I trust emperor Palpatine?”

“Yeah” you tried to clarify, your eyes starting to drift away from him as you avoided eye contact “I know you’ve said your goal is to bring peace to the galaxy, do you trust that Palpatine’s goals are the same?”

“I do” he answered immediately and earnestly, the sheer force of his answer pulling your gaze back to his.

“Alright” you nodded, turning back to your food as if that settled it “If you trust him then I do too”

Anakin fell quiet once again, not quite sure what that meant, though not ready to trample over the moment with pedantic questions.

“I want to help” You spoke up, trying to distract yourself with food, not quite sure how Anakin would respond to it.

After a brief pause, he placed a soft hand on your back “are you sure?”

You looked over at him, your fork hovering empty in the air “I was brought up being told the goal was to bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy and was made a Jedi in order to do that. I’ve been thinking about what you’ve said and think that maybe you’re right and it was a lie. Perhaps not from the beginning but certainly by the end. If this is the way to accomplish that goal then so be it, it’s still what I want to do”

A proud smile quickly grew on Anakin’s face though he tried to push it down, tried to take the moment to be serious, to show you he was fine with whatever you decided, “And the dark side of the force?”

An almost smug smile grew on your face in response, finally dropping your fork and turning to face him, eyes dancing happily between his “I was hoping you could teach me?”

“Gladly”