#pairing: cal/merrin

[randomfandomblabdom]

I really need to vent about how much I like Cal and Merrin's dynamic in Jedi: Survivor cause they've quickly become probably my favorite canon pairing in the franchise.

I absolutely love that this relationship is built on the basis of friendship, respect, and a genuine mutual understanding of each other. From gameplay comments and conversations, Cal is very clearly so enamored with Merrin and literally everything about her. I know it's become a bit of a joke how clearly into her he is but he just thinks she's the most incredible being in the entire galaxy and it's honestly the sweetest thing. The writers could have very easily made his connection to Merrin a weakness or had it where it made his struggle with the darkness harder but I adore that they allowed him to be completely smitten with her and presented it as a strength. It's refreshing not only in Star Wars but in media in general, at least in my opinion. Love being presented as a positive asset is something so deeply missing in media nowadays - especially romantic love. Far too often in this day and age, love is presented as a weakness or something that will only bring you down, so I respect the fuck out of this writing.

Oops, this got really, really long so I'm putting the rest under a cut. It's kind of spitfire, so I apologize if it feels random.

I love how their first kiss is Merrin basically making a split-second decision where she realizes she doesn't want to die without kissing him at least once even if it runs the risk of making things awkward should they survive. Is it cliche as fuck? Absolutely, but it works so well in this instance. Cal being so dumbfounded, gawking at her like a fish, trying to process what the hell just happened that BD has to remind him they're literally about to die is the best thing too.

I appreciate that Cal is so obviously hesitant about giving into any sort of romantic feelings for Merrin because, of course, he would be due to his upbringing. He's pushing so hard against it to the point that he's even completely reluctant to so much as discuss it with Bode when they're on the Lucrehulk. Personally, I don't think Cal is oblivious to their potential feelings for each other. I've never been a huge fan of treating Cal as completely naive. He still might be a bit emotionally stunted, sure but he's lived 10 years outside of the Jedi Order at this point. I think he's hesitant to talk about it because first of all, it's really none of Bode's business but also, if he talks about it, he has to admit it, and if he admits it, that makes it real, and if it's real... well fuck, now he has to do something about it either way which is exactly what he's trying to avoid. I think he's trying to stay as neutral about it as he can until he gets to a point in the story/his arc where he decides he actually wants or feels ready to make a decision. Bode almost gets it out of him too before they're interrupted. The progression of Bode's questioning during that mission is something I actually find really interesting but that's a different topic.

Many people have pointed this out but Cal smiling so brightly while Merrin is clearly freaking the fuck out of Bode is just the cutest thing. Not only because he finds such humor in her scaring the shit out of people for fun when he of all people knows it's a running joke but he also goes along with the joke any chance he gets. He does this even when she's not around. People will be freaked out by her and he still plays along and it's not even like, "Yeah, I know, she's fucking scary bro," it's more like, "Yeah, I know, she can wake the dead, isn't it amazing how scary she is!" Someone else already pointed this out in another post but that feels almost more intimate than any kiss they share. His attraction to her encompasses all sides of her including those that many people find incredibly terrifying and I find that so endearing, he wouldn't ask her to change for anything. He's the only person who genuinely isn't freaked out by her in the slightest but not only that, he finds that side of her to be so incredible. Also, Cal being so blase with Bode about his obvious attraction to Merrin a mission prior and then having the most blatant sexual tension with her in front of Bode in the next scene is peak comedy, I don't care what anybody says. Like, Cal, honey, you just spent the entire previous mission trying to convince Bode (and yourself) there's nothing there and/or you're not pursuing it, so you're not doing yourself any favors by looking at her like that, standing that close to her, and speaking to her with the cadence of a lover bro.

I love that the second Cal walks onto the Mantis after killing Rayvis, she instantaneously picks up on the fact that something's wrong. Literally instantaneously. You can see her face drop the moment she sees him. She just knows something happened. Her ability to read him insanely well is something that is introduced very early on in the game, most noticeably in the campfire scene, and it stays consistent over the course of the story. The following conversation they have is honestly one of the best moments between them in the entire game. It's this type of conversation I've been wanting to see with a Jedi and their potential lover since Revenge of the Sith. He is so open with her even in a somewhat roundabout way about his genuine fear of losing himself and while the conversation is not explicitly about their relationship, the implication is still there and she 100% picks up on it, especially since he wonders aloud why Santari didn't see the change in Dagan before it was too late. Instead of shaming him for his reservations or calling it ridiculous or anything else she could have said at this moment, she instead decides to possibly help curb those fears and give him some comfort regarding it. She goes on to basically tell him in so few words she knows what she's signing up for and is willing to cross those bridges with him if they come. It's a great difference between Cal and Dagan. Though it's never outright stated that Dagan and Santari were in love, I feel like it's... pretty heavily implied, or at least he was definitely in love with her (was I the only one who read it that way??) but whereas Dagan demands that Santari talk him away from the darkness and seems to almost expect her to, Merrin herself plainly offers to do it with no prodding on Cal's part. It doesn't seem to be a burden Cal wanted to put on her, not something he was inherently expecting of her but she willingly offers, it is her choice, she wants to carry that burden with him. While she does seem maybe slightly annoyed by his hesitancy regarding their relationship to each other, she is also so incredibly patient with him while he's stewing over what he wants to do. It's beautiful. As a side note, "A shared dream is not so easy to wake from," is such an amazing line. Seriously, I want merch with that quote on it.

I liked that going through with the relationship was Cal's choice in the end. Merrin didn't push it, she didn't pressure it. She let him bring it up and come to her when he was ready and if that meant potentially being rejected by a man she very clearly adores, so be it, and I have no doubt she would've respected that choice if that's what he'd wanted. I know a lot of people seem to think he only makes this decision due to Bode's questions earlier but it really seems to be a combination of multiple things that lead to this. Bode picking his brain definitely got him thinking about it, maybe more than he wanted to, but I do think the other big part of Cal being willing to go forward with it at this moment is his confrontation with Dagan that, while an illusion, did cause him to come to grips with his own mortality in a way. "How does it feel knowing you're about to die. That your life meant nothing." As Cal says, Dagan uses an extremely powerful force hallucination based on fear here, so while losing himself to the darkness might scare him, his life being completely meaningless is what he seems to fear the most. Cal's journey throughout Survivor encompasses many things but one of them revolves around feeling aimless and finding a purpose, preferably outside of being a hired weapon that will surely and slowly consume him. It's what everyone consistently tells him: find a home, settle down, embrace happiness because it's fleeting, the path you're on is not healthy and will consume you otherwise...etc. His decision here to give in to his romantic attraction to Merrin is a culmination of all of these interactions and conversations he's had throughout the story, how they've influenced his line of thinking, and him coming to his own conclusions regarding what he personally wants and at this moment, when things are finally, calm and everyone is in a good place with a plan going forward, he personally decides there's no point in living up to the expectations of the Jedi when the Order doesn't exist anymore and wants to see where this could go.

I love the fact that when Merrin witnesses Cal's darkness in the ISB, it's made abundantly clear that she's just as afraid of losing him as he most likely is of losing her. I do think a major reason why she was able to talk him down at the moment is that he fundamentally understands what it feels like to lose everything and everyone, your entire livelihood. That is what they first bonded over and it's something that keeps them bonded in the saddest, yet most profound way and he would never want to add himself to the list of people she's lost. She's also doing exactly what she said she would. In an instance where again, she reads him like a fucking book, she can tell just from his responses on the intercom that he's losing himself and is guiding him back. She immediately went to rescue him as she says. No question, no argument, nothing, she simply does it. She made him a promise and she kept it and in that moment, he promises that she won't lose him, he won't allow it. This is a fundamental difference between Anakin and Padme's dynamic and Cal and Merrin's. While Anakin's love for Padme quite famously ends up extremely selfish in an "I would lose myself to ensure you're not ripped away from me" type of way, Cal and Merrin's dynamic is leaning towards a more selfless, "I won't allow myself to be lost because I can't let that happen for your sake," type of way and god damn it, I love it.

There are several interactions they have in gameplay that I'm lowkey peeved weren't included in cutscenes and one of them is when Cal returns to the Mantis after all but demolishing the ISB, they have this really short but great interaction where Merrin says that if he ever feels that way again, he needs to tell her. She doesn't even ask him to do it, she all but demands it, "If you feel that way again, you will tell me." She's demanding communication from him regarding the darkness and he doesn't fight this demand at all. He agrees to respect this request and I fucking love that from both of them. I will genuinely be kinda upset if we don't get a moment like that in the next game.

I like how their kiss after they've successfully navigated the abyss is kind of their first kiss inverted but instead of "omg we might die, I need to kiss you" it's more "holy shit, we survived, I need to kiss you," but instead of Merrin initiating, now it's Cal. I'm probably reading too much into that but whatever, it's cute.

This isn't about any one part in particular but I do love that it looks like the headcanon so many people had regarding Merrin most likely being quite physically affectionate is turning out to be true.

...I think that's enough for now lol I might add on some things later

Apologies for any typos and thanks for indulging my rambling if you got this far.

[thedaughersofferrix]

Birthdays

(work is not nsfw, but this blog is generally intended to be 18+)

synopsis: cal forgets about his birthday. you don't.

pairing: cal kestis x gn! reader

content warnings: pining, fluff, reader is a jedi

word count: 1.5k

a/n: something short and sweet to say happy jedi survivor release everybody. game looks amazing & i'm so happy to see cal again. might be a part 2, but i'm not sure atm

if cal kestis has a million fans, then i'm one of them. if cal kestis has one fan, then i'm them. if cal kestis has no fans, that means i'm dead.

-

Cal decided that fighting the Empire would be a priority in his life five years ago.

After he destroyed the holocron so the force-sensitive children in the galaxy could live in peace, that was his vow.

The Mantis crew got to work; blowing up Haxion Brood bases and wiping out legions of stormtroopers at a time. The fight thrilled him and every battle only left him in anticipation of the next.

It got to the point where he struggled to think of anything but the fight. Every thought was the next move, their wrongs and the perpetrators. The scars, the injuries and the losses continued and Cal never wavered.

He knew it was an obsession, but he just couldn’t help it. It was a need, etched into his soul and a part of his identity. His was Cal Kestis. The rebel Jedi, the most wanted man in the Empire. And the most dangerous.

Then he met you. 

Well, he met you again, because he’d met you years ago, back when the temple on Coruscant was a Jedi temple. When Master Tapal was alive and little Cal’s mind couldn’t even fathom an Empire taking everything from him.

You’d been his crèche-mate and friend, long before either of you had been padawans.

In between lessons, you would spar or lounge in the dining hall, where most of the other younglings liked to loiter. He formed a puppy-love crush on you that made his Master chuckle. It’s only natural, Cal. The feelings will fade with time. He has half-right, Cal supposes.

He remembers vividly the last time he saw you when he and Master Tapal were minutes away from loading onto a cruiser with their clone troops. Thinking back, he’s embarrassed by how hesitant he was to leave you.

Don’t get all sentimental about this, you told him wisely. We’ll see each other when we get back.

It was so hard to tell himself you were dead. 

Cal Kestis was the last living Jedi, fighting against the Empire that deemed his kind a traitor and punished them for crimes they never committed.

You had died, so had your master and so had everyone else he once knew. That had been difficult for him to accept.

Merrin and Cere understood the pain and that helped, at times. Though sometimes he didn’t want to understand. He wanted to see you, feel your arms embracing him and hear your voice in his ear. He didn’t talk about you to them though. He wanted something for himself, a little what-if to hold on to during the nights he felt particularly melancholic. 

Then came his trip to Segra Milo, to speak with Saw Gerrera about his next move.

By that point, the Partisans recognised him on sight and offered him only a nod of acknowledgement when he passed by. 

There you were, in all your glory. Older, a bit more rough around the edges (like himself) and even more attractive than you’d been about nine years ago.

When the two of you locked eyes and time bowed at your feet, to allow you both this moment of silent disbelief.

“Cal?” you had whispered. He whispered your name back and you smiled widely. 

You embraced him like he had been so desperate for you to do. And he heard your voice, the one that had previously only reached him in dreams.

“I thought you died,” you told him.

“I thought you died,” he said, in a single breath. Emotion threatened to explode from his chest until Saw Gerrera cleared his throat.

“I hate to break up this lover’s reunion,” he said. “But we do have a war to fight.”

“Tonight,” you whispered into his ear and he felt like a padawan with a crush again.

Sure enough, the two of you made a rendezvous under the moonlight. The cavernous, dangerous terrain of Segra Milo felt so inviting that night.

You explained to him that you and your master had been ambushed by your own troopers. You and your master were separated when they received the orders and by luck, you weren’t the one in a room full of clones. Quietly you found an escape pod and left for the nearest planet. You cut your padawan braid and disassembled your lightsaber on the same day. The kyber crystal that powered it hung from your neck, hidden behind layers of clothing.

“One day I watched them string up a man for dropping his drink on a trooper's foot,” you recalled to him. “They claimed he had done it as an act of civil disobedience and that it was anti-Imperial activity. I rebuilt my lightsaber and started looking for the Rebellion the same day.”

You were the same person he remembered, only better. Now you were stronger and smarter, without losing your humanity. 

The next day, you were separated again. You were travelling to Devaron to provide the Partisans there with support. He tried to go with you, but you sagely reminded him of the danger of two Jedi being found together.

You exchanged comm links the night prior and hugged tightly before you boarded your ship and he the Mantis. It reminded him of the one you gave him before what he thought had been your demise. He prayed he wouldn’t have to remember this hug the same way. 

“Until next time, Cal,” you said, hopeful and bright.

“Until then,” he replied, leaving you with a smile.

The next time he saw you, he thinks he might have hugged you tighter than he’d ever hugged anyone.

There had been a next time, he thought. There could be another one.

And there was. In fact, there had been many next times. He couldn’t count on his hands how many times he had gotten to see you. On the good days, you spoke and drank together. On the days, you fought and mourned together. But you were together and it was so much easier than it had been before.

Recently he’d probably gone the longest without seeing you, which made him realise the effect you had on him.

The Empire was still are the forefront of his mind, almost always. It consumed his actions and words. Slowly but surely, however, you had been weaselling your way into an important position in his life.

He didn’t care about the Empire when he was looking at you and he may as well have not met an Inquisitor when he’s hearing your laugh. You were there and he didn’t need to think about any of that.

Then, when the gap you filled was empty again with your departure, he was consumed by the need to fight once more.

He forewent sleep and food, only collapsing when his body refused to preserve and eating when the hunger pangs came. Fight, fight, fight, was all he could think about. It never really occurred to him to celebrate his victories or even do simple things, like check the date. 

But you returned to him again and reminded him of what he was missing.

“A win like this is worth sitting down for,” you insisted, sitting beside him at the fire. “Besides, today is special.” His brow furrowed. 

“What’s today?” he asked you, which made you laugh, loud and beautiful.

“You can’t be serious, Cal.”

“I am! What’s today?”

“Cal,” you sighed. “It’s your birthday.”

His mind went blank as the gears started to turn. “Oh,” was what he came up with. You laughed at him again.

“Did you really forget?” you asked him. 

“I haven’t celebrated it in years,” he admitted and you frowned, making him wish he lied. He hated it when you frowned, though you did make a cute face when you were angry.

“Well we’ll have to make up for that, won’t we?” you announced, standing from your seat and downing your drink. “Stay here for a second.” He nodded and you slipped away.

You returned not long after, with something behind your back.

“Close your eyes,” you instructed. He looked at you curiously. “Just do it.” His eyes fell shut. He heard you shuffling and muttering something to BD-1. “Put out your hands.” He open one palm and pushed it toward you. “Both of them.” He opened the other. He felt a weight in his left hand, then in his right.

“Open.” 

Cal was greeted by a cupcake in his left hand and a multitool in his left.

“I tried to find a cake, but apparently Devaronians aren’t very fond of them,” you explained. “And this,” you pointed to the multitool. “I bought this for you back on Corellia, but you were gone before I could give it to you. It’s got everything you need to keep Beedee in working order.” BD-1 chirped happily at that.

Cal was starstruck. He hadn’t experienced softness like this since before the Clone Wars. Suddenly his chest felt fuzzy and his face was hot. 

“Thank you,” he managed. “No problem,” you answered breezily.

He shared some of the cupcake with you, but you insisted he had to eat at least seventy per cent of it. The multitool found a place on his belt, though with the amount of combat he saw, he’d be using it soon.

You sat beside him at the fire on his birthday and Cal Kestis felt hope again in a way like he’d never felt before. Hope for not just the present, but the future.

[where-dreamers-go]

"Like Sugar" Cal Kestis x Reader

(A/N: I was wanting to write something for Star Wars Day last year, but also something fluffy. So Cal and Reader are friends, but Reader is kind of pining for this Jedi. I mean, you’ve seen him smile, right? I had been listening to “Sugar” by Sofia Carson, but currently it’s “Hey You” by Aaron Carter. So happy early Valentine's Day! Warnings: fluff Word Count: 924 words)

A coolness of the datapad contrasted against your fingertips. Something small to keep your mind on as you walked up to a closed door on the Stinger Mantis.

Cal’s room. Well, where he slept in the engine room.

You knew how he and Merrin had been out dealing with Imperials. Earlier was no different. Once dealt with, all of you took the ship out of the planetary system. Greez was talented in hiding the crew in space, a fantastic pilot. Quiet and vast.

Even so, spending hours running circles around stormtroopers could be tiring.

You, quite honestly, wanted to make Cal smile and forget about your fight against the Empire. Even for a little while. It could make a difference in his day. You hoped.

He deserved a break, mentally.

The thought to spend time with Merrin did flicker to life, but she had her own routine and knew exactly where you were headed with your datapad. Were you that predictable?

Raising a hand, you knocked.

Not long afterwards, Cal stood before the opened doorway. No poncho in sight.

“Hey.”

“Not asleep yet?” You teased inquisitively.

“No.” He smiled and reached up to push back his hair.

You revealed the datapad from behind your back. “Up for a few funny holovids?”

His eyebrows rose for a fleeting moment. A grin followed soon after. “Definitely.”

Gesturing you inside, Cal lead the way to his small cot and the both of you hopped up on it.

You had been in here time and again, as friends obviously, but that tickle of something always made you hyperaware of his proximity.

All ready having videos in mind, it took no time for you to load them up on the device.

“This one,” you informed him, “is unassuming.”

“Oh?”

You held the datapad aloft between the pair of you as you started the video.

The screen showed a homemade view, spying no doubt, of two stormtroopers on a patrol. A concept dangerous to even attempt as a civilian. Yet there it was on the holonet.

“Here we go,” you whispered.

Every thing was boring and strict as per usual. Two stormtroopers stomping their way towards the edge of some market. That was until the one of the right tripped on nothing at all, tried catching themselves on, also, nothing, and made a quick fall onto the dirt. A mess of white armor.

Snickering, you peered over to Cal.

The young man’s eyebrows were raised in surprise even as a wide grin became visible on his fair, freckled face.

“The Force works in mysterious ways, yes?” You smirked.

Cal bumped your shoulder playfully and replied, “Something like that.”

A happy jolt lightened your chest.

In honesty, you really, really liked Cal. Differently than how you felt about the rest of the crew. It was not fully romantic love, not completely, but it was wonderful.

“Okay,” you said, trying to refocus.

A couple of taps on the datapad and another holovid starring siblings filming each other secretly dancing behind stormtroopers and never being caught. Their faces blurred.

Beside you, Cal practically rolled with laughter.

Your heart soared through the cosmos hearing Cal. So joyful and free. You were a part of it rising to the surface to be shared and heard. To know he felt something other than whatever it was when he was fighting could send you into endless smiling.

“How have they never been caught?”

“Quick reflexes?” You suggested and tapped the screen again.

Shifting closer, he draped an arm over you. Successfully tucking you into his side. His hand just there in your field of vision taking up space and touching nothing. Warmth radiated from him, almost as strong as his dedication to the crew. Cal had a love for everyone on the ship. Green eyes showcasing such warmth, love, and gratefulness.

“Is there another one?” He asked, gesturing to the screen with his other hand.

“Yeah.” The words were out before your brain suggested any form of communication. You hoped he couldn’t register your quickening heartbeat.

“No embarrassing moments in this one though.”

“That’s fine.”

Mixtures of languages and movement sounded from the holovid. A busy cantina with plenty of customers. This one had a view from the far side of the establishment.

“Are you trying to show me food reviews now?” Cal joked.

Keeping quiet, you watched as a loth cat leapt across multiple tables. People shouted and plates scattered as the creature ran amok indoors. A guest offscreen mentioned how it was a droid’s fault for disturbing the cat from it’s spot by the bar. Not one person could catch the speeding loth cat.

“Greez would throw a fit if we adopted one,” Cal chuckled.

“A creature with claws, teeth, and basically did whatever they wanted? Yeah. I could imagine the lecture we’d get.”

“Short and very honest.”

“A very honest: Get that thing outta here.”

At your words, Cal grinned. Pleased to think about his crew, his family, in the most domestic setting.

Too bad it couldn’t be like that more often.

“Another one?” You asked.

“Sure.”

Cal propped his foot on the cot, his knee then just behind your datapad.

“Thank you.” Cal leaned his head back onto the wall.

“For the funnies?”

“Yeah. Thank you. I needed this.” He sighed happily.

“Glad I can help.”

Turning his head to you, even his eyes appeared to smile. Little lines forming at the corners of his eyelids. Creases that showed his contentment.

“You always do.”

Returning Cal’s smile, you added, “And I always will.”

~~~

(If you love my writings and want to support me, I have a Ko-Fi where you can buy me a coffee. I would be eternally grateful. coffee

Best wishes and happy reading.)

~~~

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[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

Here’s a thought. So, it’s been talked to death about how the Anakin/Padme romance doesn’t really work in the movies due to how it was written. One of the main arguments is mainly that it doesn’t make sense that Padme would fall for Anakin due to his red flag tendencies, especially after he admitted to slaughtering a whole village. Usually, the rewrites I’ve seen focus on how Anakin needed to be more of a good person/less toxic/less flawed in order to win over Padme.

But how about this: What if Padme was more flawed and insecure than how she was in the Prequels? Basically, matching Anakin in terms of how messed up their characters are. The attraction then focuses on how they’re kindred spirits (similar to how Cal Kestis and Merrin were drawn to each other since they’re both survivors).

The more I think about it, the more I’m leaning towards Padme needing to be more flawed than Anakin losing some of his flaws. Because the Prequel Trilogy is a tragedy! You might as well lean into how tragic the pairing is and how doomed they are!

For example, you don’t have to remove the scene where Anakin confesses to slaughtering the Tusken raiders and Padme taking his side. Instead, justify why Padme takes Anakin’s side. Maybe she can truly relate to how Anakin is feeling at that moment. Maybe she says she would’ve done the exact thing if she was in his position. Maybe she says that no matter what Anakin does, he’ll have her support. Maybe they both feel the pull of the Dark Side and that if they’re both going down this questionable path, might as well go down it together.

I know I just wrote an argument that is basically saying “make it MORE toxic”, but it fits with the story that is being told.

(And of course, the tragedy of episode III would be that Anakin actually following through with becoming a Sith Lord and killing everyone was the one thing Padme couldn’t follow him down. Like, it was the ONE red line that she wouldn’t accept and Anakin crossed it)

Side note: Based on Natalie Portman’s career, you just know that she would’ve crushed the role of “insecure, extremely flawed woman who falls for someone who is a kindred spirit to her, despite how toxic they are together”. That’s some Black Swan vibes.

[breakfastteatime]

Today's request is 'Sleepwalking' for @iamcalmiamthestorm :D

It is rare indeed for Merrin to be the first one awake. Cere is still fast asleep in her bunk, and when Merrin ventures out into the living space, Greez, Cal and BD-1 are all absent. Sunlight shows through their lodging’s windows. They have been on Forest Moon 1138, an old Republic scientific research base, for a week now, recuperating from Nur. They will not need to stay for much longer. Merrin will be sad to leave it, the snowy forest such a new experience for her. However, there is an entire galaxy out there, and she intends to see more of it as soon as possible.

Merrin is halfway through a cup of tea when Greez comes in, yawning and stretching. BD-1 is close behind him, hopping up onto the table and looking around. He beeps, but Merrin cannot understand him, and she apologises for this. BD-1 turns to Greez for help with a demanding trill.

“Oh, right, sorry, BD. Still half asleep I guess,” Greez says. “You seen Cal around?” he asks Merrin. “Pretty weird for him to be up before me.”

She stares at the pair. Has she seen Cal? They are the ones sharing a dorm room with him. “He was not here when I got up earlier.” And she has been up for almost an half an hour now.

There is an immediate sense of alarm in the room. Greez hurries off to check the refresher, only to come back and announce he found it empty. Merrin immediately knows this is not good, and she goes to get Cere. Thankfully, Cere is up and dressed. “Wherever he is, I can sense that he’s alright,” she says. “Although his presence is cloudy.” She finishes pulling on a boot. “We must find him.”

Cere, Merrin and BD-1 set up a search party while Greez agrees to stay behind and call if Cal returns by himself. He also starts preparing warm drinks and thick blankets. Given that Cal’s boots and poncho are all still in the base, he is likely to be very, very cold.

“Kid’s sleepwalking,” Greez surmises. “We never thought to set up an alert system here for that. Who knows how long he’s been gone. Ugh, I knew I shoulda put a bell on him.”

“He’s alive,” Cere says, holding out an arm so BD can hop onto her shoulders. “Don’t worry, Greez. We’ll find him.”

“Good. And I’ll find a bell we can tie to him while I wait.”

Clad in cold weather gear, Merrin shoulders a pack with extras for Cal. It is very cold outside, colder than it has been in days, meaning the snow has frozen so completely there are no footprints for them to follow. Merrin watches Cere close her eyes and reach for the Force. She had explained her old role as a Seeker, a Jedi who sought out Force-sensitive children. She is obviously a little rusty, and someone with training like Cal would be able to shield their presence, however if they are both right and Cal is sleepwalking, perhaps he will be unable to shield at all.

“My sisters would sometimes sleepwalk however I think it has a different meaning for Jedi. For a Nightsister to sleepwalk is to move through dreams or visions while the body remains in place,” Merrin tells Cere as they move into the woodland surrounding the base.

“That is true for many Jedi too, although I was not one of them,” Cere says. “However, Cal is the kind to take it rather literally. He may eventually outgrow the habit. I think it’s less of a Jedi trait and more of an adolescent one.”

“We can hope,” Merrin says. “And then he will have to learn to sleepwalk properly.”

“Perhaps,” Cere says with a faint smile.

Merrin can hear the distraction and worry in the older woman’s voice. “We will find him,” she says. “He will not have gone far.”

It’s a surprisingly prescient comment as just a few minutes later BD squeals joyfully and launches himself off Cere’s shoulders. He rockets through the trees to where Cal stands with his back to them.

Merrin wastes no time teleporting herself to his side, reaching him first. They are on the edge of a frozen lake, the far edge lost to a snowy fog. Cal stares into the fog, glassy eyed. BD catches up, launching himself onto Cal’s back where he immediately starts beeping loudly.

Cal takes a deep, thoughtful breath. “No, it’s fine. I’ll have it paid by Primeday. I always do.”

He starts to walk forward. Merrin intercepts him, bracing his shoulders with her hands. “Cal!” she shouts, the voices of her sisters joining her. “Wake up!”

He blinks slowly, feet staggering. “Wha –” Confused and surprised, he tips backward, but Cere’s there too, and together she and Merrin manage to drag him to a nearby log and sit him down. His bare feet are a terrible sight to behold, and now he’s awake, he’s shivering violently. “Where am I?” he asks through chattering teeth.

“Where you should not be,” Merrin tells him. She crouches down, pulls the pack off her back, and digs out the supplies. “This is not how you are supposed to sleepwalk, Cal Kestis.” She remains unimpressed by Jedi teachings.

Confused and helpless, he turns to Cere for support. Cere shrugs. “She’s not wrong.”

BD-1 beeps and buzzes, throwing himself at Cal. Merrin wishes she understood him better, as whatever he says makes Cal chuckle and hug his friend close. “Thanks, BD. You are warm.”

“How are you feeling?” Cere asks as Merrin wrestles a pair of thick socks onto Cal’s torn up feet. They can fix it all back at the base.

Cal yawns. “Sleepy,” he says. His half-lidded eyes make him look like he’s been on the swamp nectar. Resting his head on BD’s is not helping him to look more awake. He yawns again and BD jabs him. “Stop. I’m awake.”

Merrin looks to Cere who shakes her head. They need to keep him awake if they are going to make it back to the base quickly. “What dream did you walk in?” she asks him.

“I didn’t walk in a dream,” he mumbles. He’s tilting to one side, well on his way to drifting off again.

“You said you will have ‘it’ paid off by Primeday. What is ‘it’?” Merrin asks.

Cal doesn’t answer.

Cere gives BD a nod, and BD whistles gleefully as he jabs his scomp link into Cal’s thigh and shocks him. Gently. Cal still leaps so high off the log he nearly tips backward. “Ow!” he gasps. “What was that for?”

“Good work, BD,” Merrin says, throwing a woollen poncho over Cal’s head. “He is awake.”

Cal grumbles the whole way back to the base, most of it slurred nonsense because he is hypothermic and half asleep. Merrin leads the way while Cere asks him every question she can think of to keep him awake. Cal is grumpy about it, so BD rides on his back, electricity crackling every time he even looks like he might fall asleep.

When they reach the base, Greez is there with tea for all, warm blankets and a medkit. Stepping back, Merrin watches as Cal lets the others fuss over him. Or is fussed over whether he likes it or not. Sometimes it is hard to tell, especially when Cal’s head is already tipped back and he’s dozing again. She smiles at the sight of him, and of BD-1 nestling down under the blankets thrown over Cal. Scourge of the Empire indeed. Merrin has not been with these people long, but already she knows they will always be a part of her life.

…although maybe she really should teach Cal how to properly sleepwalk before they have a repeat of this morning’s adventure.

[lamaenthel]

Winner Takes All

[read on a03]

"It's a dangerous thing, poking your nose in other people's business." Boba sauntered forward slowly—dick first, like always—until he was only a foot away. He tilted Cal's chin up with the tip of his silver blaster. "You can get hurt asking the wrong person that kind of question, cuntling." And just like that, Cal was as hard as a karking rock. He flicked his eyes down with a smirk; so was Boba, he'd bet his saberstaff on it. He licked his dry lips. "Are you gonna hurt me?" Boba chuckled, dark and wicked. "Would you like me to?"

When Cal offers to help out an old friend of Greez get her ship back in a high stakes sabacc game, the last person he expected to show up joins the game and raises the stakes.

Pairing: Boba Fett/Cal Kestis

Wordcount: 10,093

Rating: Explicit, Minors DNI

Warnings: Public Sex, Harassment, Discussion of sex as payment, humiliation/degradation (consensual) (it's their thing)

The glittering facade of the capital city of Cantonica was like a membrane barely holding back a tidal wave of shit; Cal couldn't even take his gloves off, every surface of the gambler's haven stained with a psychometric echo of someone losing their life savings, the deed to their home, their last chance at buying their child from the bonds of slavery. And to think, all he could ever think about as a kid was how cool it would be to see the racing fathiers of Canto Bight up close.

"You are sure I don't look ridiculous?" The florescent lights of the elevator made the light green tint of Merrin's cheeks look striking as she smoothed the front of her new black dress down with a nervous hand. It was short and silky and clung to every curve, one silver shoulder left bare. Her golden talisman was striking and looked like an expensive statement piece rather than a handcrafted artifact of a Dathomiri Nightsister. She had her silver hair hanging loose around her face; it made her look younger.

"You look beautiful," Cal assured her, and he meant it. Besides the clothing, she was practically glowing. He could tell she was genuinely having fun; the last thing he'd expected was for a Nightsister to get excited about playing dress-up at a high-end hotel casino, but she never failed to surprise him. "If anyone looks ridiculous, it's me in this thing." He tugged at the lapels of his Chandrilan kimono. It was the cheapest thing that met the dress code for the casino floor that the hotel had available for purchase. He'd slicked his hair back—it was in the most annoying stage of growing out and poofed out stupidly from the sides of his head in the seaside air, giving him no other option—and combined with the scar across his nose and his stubble, he looked more like a chauffeur who drove a luxury speeder for an employer that didn't ask too many questions than a high roller. He already missed the weight of BD on his shoulder, but there was an ironclad rule about droids on the casino floor.

Merrin smiled and tugged at her short hem again. "At least your clothing fits you," she said teasingly.

"You were the one who picked it out," Cal reminded her. 

Merrin sniffed. "It did look bigger on the hanger."

Cal gave her an appreciative once-over out of the corner of his eye. The dress did some sort of complicated fold-pleat thing in the middle that made her waist look tiny. "Well, in my opinion, I think it's exactly the right size." 

Her cheeks went almost jade. "I think you look nice, too," she mumbled. 

The elevator door opened and they both were hit by a gravity wave of overstimulation; the casino floor was louder than a skonk concert with its ocean of slot machines bellowing, spinning and sporadically ringing with paltry winnings. T'bac smoke hovered thick over the top of the machines, hanging like an eerie cloud over the neon lights. Beautiful, jewel-toned servers in skimpy, sequined dresses that barely covered their bottoms and dangerously high heels darted around the giant room holding trays of colorful drinks on their shoulders, following paths between the slots like fish being dragged along an ocean current. Cal led Merrin down a short flight of stairs and onto the obnoxiously patterned carpet, holding onto her arm tightly so she didn't fall in her high heels. "Greez said to meet his contact at the bar," he said loudly in her ear.

Merrin shrank into Cal's side, avoiding a procession of Chagrians waddling past and taking up almost all of the walking space. He could tell by the way her mouth pinched at their rudeness that she was debating whether or not to just rematerialize on the other side of the room. He squeezed her bicep and shook his head. "I was only thinking it," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, well, the only thing that Canto Bight has more of than money and idiots with too much of it are guns for hire, so don't get too fancy in plain sight." Cal spotted their contact—a dark-skinned woman in a turquoise dress, with a set of thick locs twisted into a bun above her head and golden hoop earrings dangling all the way to her shoulders—sitting on a stool at the end of the onyx bar, nursing a pink cocktail. He made a beeline for her through the machines, never letting go of Merrin's hand. He tapped the woman on the shoulder. "Phee Genoa?" he asked loudly over the racket.

The woman nodded with a grin and put her cocktail down. She held out a hand for him to shake. "You must be Greez's friend," she said pleasantly, giving him a friendly once-over. "Nice outfit."

"Thanks." Cal got the sudden feeling as though he was being watched; he turned and scanned the room. It's not him. Stop expecting it to be him.

"What's the matter?" Merrin squinted, trying to see what was bothering him.

"Nothing." Cal turned back to Phee. "So, how did a pirate get ahold of—"

"Let me stop you right there, Red." Phee held up a dark finger adorned with a sapphire atop a shining gold band. "I'm no pirate. I work in salvage."

"Fine. Salvage." Cal rolled his eyes. "Where are you docked?"

"Straight to the point, hmm?" Phee threw back the last of her cocktail, patted the stool beside her. "Sit. Have a drink with me. We have a few things to discuss first."

Cal and Merrin exchanged wary looks, then took a seat on either side of her wordlessly. Phee cackled and motioned for the droid barkeep to wheel over. She flashed her bright white teeth at them. "I'm in a generous mood. I'll buy."

Merrin eyed the empty cocktail. "I will have that," she said, nodding at it.

"A Corellian Sunrise. Excellent choice." Phee turned to Cal. "How about you, Red?"

It probably wasn't a good idea for him to drink when he needed to keep his wits about him, but he rarely was in a place with access to good alcohol; not to mention his sudden craving for something in particular for a reason that made his chest go tight if he thought about it too hard. The feeling of being watched intensified. "Tihaar," he said finally.

"Interesting." Phee slid the credits over to the bartender then swirled her new pink drink. "So. About the… cargo." 

Greez had said that she had a cargo bay full of holocrons that she had pulled off a derelict liner floating near Ossus. "Go on," Cal said, arching a brow.

"I'd like to begin by pointing out that the events that have transpired here are not technically my fault," Phee said.

"You gambled your ship away, didn't you?" Merrin asked bluntly.

"No!" Phee looked offended. "There was a misunderstanding when it came to my docking fee."

"You didn't pay your docking fee?" Cal asked.

"I was sixty seconds late in paying my docking fee. That didn't stop them from impounding the damn thing and demanding ten grand to let it out." Phee scowled at her drink. "And it's building interest. Every day it's in impound, it's another five grand."

"So how much to get it released?"

"We're up to forty thousand." Phee ignored their gasps and took a drink. "That's not actually the worst part."

Cal's heart sank. "Please tell me you didn't try to win the money to get it back," he said a little desperately.

Phee bared her teeth in more of a grimace than a grin. "Well, since you already know everything, I guess I don't have to say it."

"Kriff." Cal threw back his tihaar. Warmth bloomed in his belly and spread out through his body. "How deep in the hole are you?"

"Well, if I don't pay the gentleman back his five hundred thousand by the end of the night—"

Merrin choked on her drink. "Five hundred thousand?" she squeaked.

"Listen, kids, if you want that cargo you've got to give me a hand here. Five hundred thousand gets my ship out of impound, back in my name, and Eyo Kekura's boys off my back."

"Eyo Kekura?"

"Pantoran fellow, a high roller who lives in the penthouse of the Hexavent Hotel. Owns half of a fathier stable. Fancies himself quite the professional sabacc player." Phee rolled her eyes. "He's not in the business of forgiving debts, so if I want to make it to tomorrow, I need you to help win me that five hundred 'kay."

Cal narrowed his eyes. "What exactly did Greez tell you about me?" he asked sharply. "You seem a little too sure that I can win."

Phee's hand shot out unexpectedly and clamped onto his outer thigh with a vice grip, right over where he had his saberstaff strapped. "He didn't tell me much," she said with a smirk. "But I'm a very observant person. It's saved my skin more than once." Phee let go of his thigh, laughing.

Cal felt the air go staticky, like lightning was about to strike, then the feeling disappeared almost as soon as it began. He shook it away.

"Don't worry, kid, your secret's safe with me. I happen to be… sympathetic to your cause." She grinned again, but Cal saw the sadness underneath. "You can trust me. I've got a whole ship full of goodies for you, remember?"

And they would be all his for the cool price of half a million credits. 

Cal signaled the droid for another shot of tihaar. "So what did you have in mind?" He eyed the ocean of slot machines over his shoulder. With a little luck—and the Force guiding him to the machines closest to a big payout—he could swing it. They'd be the least suspicious method of gambling, given that their fully autonomous nature made it difficult for any pit boss to argue he'd cheated. There was a treasure chest like out of an old crèchetale overflowing with golden credit bars on the far side of the room, perched on an alcove above the cashier's cage.

"Top prize for slots is a million, but don't get your hopes up." Phee snorted. "Slots are for idiots on vacation, not big spenders. These machines are programmed to never pay out more than ten grand without managerial approval."

"That seems unfair," Merrin said, wrinkling her nose.

"This is Canto Bight, sweetcheeks. No such thing as fair play." Phee's smile was starting to look forced. "I should have known better."

"You said Kekura fancies himself a professional sabacc player," Cal said, trying to remember the rules. Commander Ferrik had favored Corellian Spike and taught him the game in their off hours on the condition that he not use the Force to sense where the good cards were. "I haven't played sabacc in years. Not since Bracca, at least."

Cal caught Merrin for the fifth time. The carpet on the stairs leading up to the VIP section seemed bound and determined to murder her by catching her high heels. "Thank you," Merrin said again, her cheeks warm and dark green with a blush.

"Well, if you want that cargo, start remembering." Phee's smile thinned to a pinched line. "No pressure, but my life kind of depends on it."

"Walk on your tiptoes," Phee advised her. She led them down a narrow walkway to a small vestibule with a frosted glass door guarded by two Pantoran men that stood a whole head-and-shoulders above him. "I'm here to finish my game with Mr. Kekura," she informed them.

"And who are they?" The guard on the right asked in a deep, accented voice.

"My proxy. This is my friend Cal and his girlfriend Merrin. He's agreed to play for me." Phee flashed her brightest smile. The guards rolled their eyes but let them pass. Inside the VIP room it was dark and loud, lit primarily by a laser show that flashed above the dance floor, dozens of shadowy figures writhing to a bass-heavy beat. In the center of the crowd was a raised dais where a naked blue Twi-lek swung around a pole. The bar lined the length of the opposite wall, vibrant-skinned servers in black sparkly dresses hurrying back and forth behind it. Phee led them around the dance floor and to a small room in the back that was kept private by a beaded curtain. 

She pushed it aside to reveal a large, circular table with a cutout in the center to accommodate the dealer-droid. A Pantoran man with light-blue skin, a long, silky pink braid, and a white suit that exposed his chest sat at the furthest side, flanked by an obese Togruta man and an elderly green Twi'lek woman whose bust was so large that she was using the table to support it. "Phee," the Pantoran man said, his face going sharp with a predator's grin. "You've returned with my money?"

"I've returned with a friend." Phee elbowed Cal. "This is my old buddy, Cal. He's agreed to play in my stead. Cal, this is Eyo Kekura, the owner of this fine establishment."

"Interesting." Kekura leaned forward, steepling long blue fingers. Cal didn't like the eerie way the Force rippled around him.

"He's continuing my pot," Phee said quickly. "So he doesn't need a buy-in."

"You're half a million down, Phee," Kekura said, clearly trying not to laugh.

"Yep." Phee took a seat on the small, plush sofa on the left side of the round room, dragging Merrin with her. 

"Your name is Cal?" Kekura's yellow eyes dragged up and down Cal's body like a pair of banana slugs. 

Cal felt dirty just being in the man's presence; just what had possessed Phee to get involved with a man like this in the first place? "That's me," he said, taking a random seat. A green Mirialan server in sparkling black fishnets and nothing else put a crystal glass in front of him. "Just water, please," Cal said quickly, covering the glass before she could fill it with amber liquor. The Mirialan nodded and darted away like a colorful fish.

"You understand just what kind of mess you're stepping into, don't you?" Kekura looked like he wanted to eat him. Lust pulsed around him in the Force, causing it to slide around him like slick, hot slime.

Cal fought the urge to put a hand on his saberstaff and nodded tightly. "I do."

"Very well. You have" —Kekura checked his gem-encrusted chronometer— "approximately two hours to win Miss Genoa's debt back for her. You believe you can do that?"

The Mirialan server darted back and filled Cal's glass with ice-cold sparkling water. "I can," Cal said with a confidence he didn't feel.

The elderly Twi'lek scoffed. "It isn't fair. Why is she—"

"This is my house. I make the rules." Kekura's eyes hardened. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, Mr. Kekura," she whispered, chastened. 

"Good. Then, Cal, welcome to the party. Go ahead and deal us—" The sounds of a panicking crowd—screaming and shouting and stampeding feet—echoed in the room beyond the curtain, followed by two very recognizable blaster bolts. Cal's heart skipped a beat. "Guards," Kekura said sharply, his hand dipping below the table and coming up with a dual-triggered blaster pistol. 

"Were you expecting company?" Cal asked. He shoved back from the table and held a hand out to Merrin, yanking her protectively to his side.

Kekura's blue lip curled up in a snarl. "No." 

The curtain was dragged open, revealing the downed body of one of Kekura's guards just beyond it. Boba Fett stepped over the corpse, casually entering the room with his WESTAR still smoking in his right hand. "Kekura," he said calmly. "Been a while." He didn't look at Cal.

"Boba Fett," Kekura replied, keeping his voice even. Cal ignored Merrin's sharp inhale. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Neither man holstered their blaster.

"Are you afraid it's your face on this puck?" Boba withdrew a bounty puck from his thigh plate and activated the hologram. Kekura sagged with relief. "Phee Genoa, you're coming with me."

The blood drained out of Phee's dark face, leaving her ashen. "What?" she asked, her voice jumping three octaves.

"What for?" Cal blurted out. 

Boba's head tilted. Cal felt like he was being hunted by a tarentarek. "And what's it to you, stranger?" Boba asked, stepping forward.

Stranger? Cal just knew Boba was smirking under his helmet. He wanted nothing more than to rip it off his stupid head and kiss him, demand to know what he was doing here, ask why the kriff he hadn't heard from him in half a year. "I'm a friend of Phee's, and I'm curious. So what's it for?" 

"It's a dangerous thing, poking your nose in other people's business." Boba sauntered forward slowly—dick first, like always—until he was only a foot away. He tilted Cal's chin up with the tip of his silver blaster. "You can get hurt asking the wrong person that kind of question, cuntling."

And just like that, Cal was as hard as a karking rock. He flicked his eyes down with a smirk; so was Boba, he'd bet his saberstaff on it. He licked his dry lips. "Are you gonna hurt me?"

Boba chuckled, dark and wicked. "Would you like me to?" Oh, but the things that chuckle promised. Cal could almost see the vulgar thoughts flying through Boba's imagination; Cal on his knees with his lips wrapped around Boba's cock, tears streaming from his big green eyes as he forces it deeper down his throat, fumbling to get his hand under his kimono to touch himself—

Kekura cleared his throat irritably behind the two, reminding them that they weren't alone. "Unfortunately…" he put a long-fingered blue hand on Cal's shoulder and moved him aside. "Sorry, Boba, but Miss Genoa owes me quite a few credits. Almost definitely more than whatever her bounty is worth."

"Not my problem." Boba turned his blaster onto the Pantoran, triggering the guards to draw on him. He moved his head a fraction to the side; Cal knew he had everyone in the room counted and clocked, his HUD granting him a full three-sixty view of his surroundings. "Tell you what." To Cal's shock, he holstered his weapon, pulled off his helmet, and flashed Kekura a grin. His hair was getting long again. Cal wanted to run his fingers through it. "I'll play you for her."

Kekura laughed. "I like it. Name your terms." 

"One round of Corellian Spike. Winner takes all." Boba eyed the table, flush with at least a million in chips. "All." 

Kekura raised a manicured brow. "That was the plan. What exactly do I benefit from this arrangement?" 

Boba grinned. "I tell you which one of your rivals has been poisoning all your studs to kill their sperm count. Didn't you wonder why only two of your girls are in foal when you bred nine?"

A muscle in Kekura's perfectly straight jaw twitched. "You have a deal," he said without any further argument, shaking Boba's hand. The guards slowly put their blasters away and stood against the wall in stony silence.

"Now see here," the portly Togruta began, pushing back from the table with a scowl. "I haven't played for the last hour just to—"

Boba had his WESTAR drawn and aimed before Cal could even blink. "No one asked you, puss," he said mildly. "Take your winnings and leave." He waved his blaster at the Twi'lek. "You too, doll." 

Kekura bristled. "They're down."

"Watch your tone, shabuir, or I might forget how to be civilized." Boba bared his teeth in a grin and shit he was hot like this, sweaty and smelling like salt and blaster oil and t'bac and pink-cheeked from being under his helmet— damn it, Cal's dick was starting to hurt. He took a deep breath in and out, easing the blood away from his swollen member in a light meditative trance. He hoped that Master Jaro wouldn't judge him too harshly for reapplying his lesson for soothing injured muscles to this situation. "Put the chips back and don't leave town," Boba amended to the two players. "Better?"

"Much, thank you," Kekura said primly. He fixed the two with a glare. "Don't think your debts are forgiven. The two of you have earned a rare reprieve tonight. Return tomorrow. Leave, and I'll hire this man here to hunt you down. Trust me when I say that once Boba Fett has your scent, there is nowhere you'll be able to hide."

Unless he's got your frequency and just doesn't care about using it. Cal was trying not to be bitter. He was losing that fight to the alcohol.

The two players faces' crumbled as they started putting chips back, then they pushed their way past Cal and disappeared beyond the curtain.

"Now, where were we?" Boba plopped into Cal's vacated chair like it was the end of a long day of work. He snapped his fingers at the Mirialan server. "Tihaar, love. Neat." 

Cal pulled the chair out next to him. "Deal me in."

"I don't recall inviting you," Boba said mildly. He planted a kiss on the cheek of the server as she put his glass of tihaar down. Cal clamped his mouth shut before he said something stupid, like are you kriffing kidding me? or why haven't you tried to call me for the better half of a year? or maybe even shoot this bastard already and kiss me, you stupid ass. Cal wanted to smack him, grab a fistful of his soft curls and wrench his neck back while he bit down on his pulse and watch the bounty hunter come apart in his arms.

The Force moved thick around Boba, slow and pulsing with reciprocated desire. "Kekura, what do you think?" he drawled.

"I think we should hear what his terms are." Kekura folded his long, spidery fingers below his chin and regarded Cal curiously. 

"If I win, Phee gets her bounty cleared, her debt forgiven, and her ship out of impound." Cal didn't jump when Boba's warm hand found his thigh under the table. He was actually a little surprised it had taken him that long to start feeling him up. He spread his legs in a shameless invitation. 

"And if you lose?" Kekura asked, tilting his head. He reminded Cal of a nexu with his wide mouth and narrow, predator's eyes.

"Yes—Cal, was it? What's in it for us?" Boba rubbed a warm circle on his thigh, trailing upward. 

Cal eyed Boba's crystal glass of tihaar—in for a credit—he stole the glass and tossed it back in a single swallow. "Well, Mr. Kekura, I saw the way you looked at me when I walked in. I'm sure we can work something out." He slammed the empty glass down and winked at his suddenly stone-faced lover. Cal would cut his dick off before letting it anywhere near Kekura, of course, but if Boba couldn't be bothered to even message him...

"Interesting." Kekura leaned forward, grinning lecherously. "You're easy on the eyes, Cal, there's no doubt about that, but I'm not sure that a night with you is worth five hundred grand." 

Cal sensed that Boba didn't like where the conversation was going. His theory was confirmed a second later when a wide hand grabbed his balls through his robe and squeezed. "Whore," Boba said with a dark, humorless laugh that didn't reach his eyes. 

"Cal, a word?" Merrin dragged his chair back and wrenched him out of it, dragging him towards the curtain. "Have you lost your mind completely?" she hissed.

"I knew he was going to say no," Cal whispered, rubbing his arm with a wince. 

"You can't just—just offer yourself like that!" Merrin whispered back furiously. "What has gotten into you? You—"

Cal wrenched her close and put his lips directly against her ear, hyper aware of the eyes on them. "Trust me," he murmured, mouthing the words almost more than speaking them. "I've got a plan." And he did, kind of, even though it was still more of a wispy idea that was still coalescing. He reached through the slit in his pocket, popped open the upper emitter chamber on his saberstaff, and withdrew the kyber crystal. 

"I do trust you. I do not trust him." Merrin eyed the table with a sour look.

Cal had a feeling she wasn't just talking about Kekura. "I've got it under control. Just stay ready."

Merrin nodded, unhappy but temporarily placated. She allowed Cal to lead her back to the sofa and Phee, but she didn't take her eyes away from Boba after Cal rejoined the table.

"Your lady doesn't agree with your method of payment, I assume?" Kekura asked, swirling his vibrant blue drink with a smug expression. 

"No. But it's not her call." Cal ignored the daggers he felt Merrin staring into his back. "I do have an alternative you may be interested in." He put his kyber on the table.

Boba went deadly still; Kekura leaned forward, eyes wide. "Now where did you get that?" he asked, staring hungrily at the green crystal.

"Found a derelict full of dead Padawans floating around an iceball a few years back." Cal forced his voice to stay even. Even alluding to the Purge still felt like scratching an infected wound with salted, jagged fingernails sometimes, and he'd had too much liquor to stay completely unemotional. "Pure kyber this size is worth around a million."

Kekura laughed. "Half that at best, my friend."

"Maybe that was true when the Jedi were still around, but now the Empire has a monopoly on kyber." Cal forced a grin. "And I've got more. I've already got a buyer, but I'm willing to take a better offer."

"Really?" Kekura's mind was racing, Cal could sense it. "You have them with you?"

"No. They're in a safe place."

"Hmm." Kekura pursed his wide mouth. "I don't suppose that has anything to do with why you're so eager to help Miss Genoa get her ship back?"

Cal threw his head back and laughed. "You think I'd trust her to hold onto my kyber when she can't even hold onto her own ship?" he asked, wheezing. He sensed Phee scowling at his back. "Hell no. I happen to owe her a favor, that's all."

"Must be a big favor if you're willing to risk a kyber crystal," Boba said flatly. 

"It is."  

"Very well. I agree." Kekura toasted him. "Boba?" 

"I'm more interested in your initial offer," Boba said roughly. Under the table, he shamelessly slipped his hand between Cal's thighs and thumbed the tip of his quickly-hardening length. "I win, and I fuck you through this table. Those are my terms."

Cal was starting to sweat. "The table?" he teased, and if he sounded a little breathless than normal then who could blame him? "Can't even be bothered to rent us a room?" 

"I prefer to collect my payment immediately." Boba stroked him through the fabric then started feeling for the opening of his robes.

Cal wrenched Boba's talented hand away from his crotch. The ass was half a second away from actually jerking him off, and if he didn't stop him now then he wouldn't have the willpower to.

"I'd like to amend my terms to watching him fuck you through the table if either of us win," Kekura said flippantly, swirling his drink.

"I've no objections," Boba said, leering at Cal. "I imagine that a whore like you would enjoy that." Boba's imagination was going wild and he made no attempt to shield his thoughts, Cal face down on the sabacc table with his robes pulled up above his bare ass, Boba's cock pounding him into the table until he's screaming with ecstasy, Kekura sitting and watching and unable to touch, he'll never touch, fucking cunt thought he could take what's mine, he's mine he's shabla mine kaysh'ner, gar ne'ente chaku ner jetii—

Cal didn't recognize the words but the meaning was clear enough. Boba was a hothead. He wasn't showing it in front of Kekura, but Cal's cheeky offer had him pissed. He had only wanted to mess with him a little bit by offering to sleep with Kekura, but he had forgotten just how bad of a temper Boba had. 

Stang, but he'd missed him. Cal cleared his throat and raised his water in a toast. "Deal."

"What the hell kind of kinky shit is going on here?" Phee whispered behind them.

"What are you waiting for?" Kekura waved his hand at the droid. "Deal us in."

Cal refused to look at Boba, and in return he was being ignored; under the table, Boba found his cockhead and pinched it like the mean little shithead that he was. Boba had the unfair disadvantage of a codpiece, so instead of feeling up the bounty hunter Cal projected the mental image of him riding Boba like a rancor in the middle of the table while everyone watched silently. He could have sworn he heard a little ting! come from inside Boba's beskar ball-bubble.

The droid finished his elaborate shuffling routine and flipped them each two cards. Cal wrenched himself away from the fantasy and tipped them up; one green three-of-spheres, one red three-of-pyramids. Green was positive and red was negative, and the goal of Corellian Spike was to end the round with a score as close to zero as possible. It was a great start, one of those hands that Ferrik would have called beginner's luck no matter how many times Cal had played.

"Since this is a winner-takes-all round, I think we can skip the betting phase," Kekura said airily. "Deal the spike." 

Cal didn't jump at the return of Boba's hand between his legs. Instead, he clamped his knees shut and pinned his questing fingers in place. His spike card landed face-down in front of him. He peeked at it; perfect. It was a sylop, a zero-point card, only two of which existed in the deck. In case of a tie, whoever had the lowest, positive-value spike card would win. The dealer-droid rolled the pair of six-sided spikedice; rolling double spikes would mean that the players would have to discard all their cards and start anew. Cal made sure that didn't happen. 

"Draw," he said once the dice had come to a stop on a two and five, squeezing Boba's hand between his knees until his felt the knuckles pop. He accepted the green one-of-cubes and added it to his cards, already plotting out his next two rounds. Switch out his green three-of-spheres in favor of the sylop on the next round—Boba's hand squeezing his throat in just the right spot to cut off circulation to his brain—swap it with the one-of-cubes on the final round to reunite his pair of threes—gagging on the rock-hard length shoved all the way down his throat—combine the pair with the sylop, which gave him a sabacc—Boba chanting his name as he fucks him so hard from behind that the table starts to crack—and boom, victory.

"Draw," Boba said—Spit trails streaming from the corners of his lips—as he picked up his card with his left hand—Boba watching the bulge his cock makes as it thrusts down Cal's whore throat—if he had even registered what his card was then it was far from his mind, too focused on the incredibly detailed fantasy playing in his mind—his stupid girlfriend watching him use Cal's mouth like his own personal fucktoy—

Cal almost choked on his water. Boba was jealous of Merrin? He and Merrin were… Well they were close, obviously, and while Cal couldn't lie and say that their relationship was strictly platonic, they certainly weren't doing anything to warrant that level of burning jealousy. They hadn't even kissed.

"Draw." Kekura accepted his card with a simpering smile and snapped his fingers at the Mirialan girl. "Not like you to walk away from a million for a piece of ass, Fett." He accepted the lit cigarra and blew smoke across the table, right into Boba's face.

Boba smirked through the smoke. If it bothered him, Cal couldn't tell. "I prefer to not deal in jetii osik if I don't have to. Bastards are more trouble than they're worth." Boba squeezed Cal's nuts until he unclamped his knees. 

The dealer-droid rolled again. "Swap," Cal said—Boba moaning his name in his ear—and switched his sylop spike with the three-of-spheres.

"Not even for a million?" Kekura's mood had shifted. Cal sensed suspicion growing in him and cursed inwardly. Was he really about to blow his shot at getting Phee's ship back—Boba blowing his back out as he pulls him up on his knees—because his stupid, horny not-boyfriend showed up unexpectedly and Cal couldn't help but taunt him? 

"I'm a bounty hunter. I prefer to deal in bodies, not antiquities. Draw." Boba accepted the new card and shook his near-empty glass. 

"Mmhm. Swap." Kekura's lip curled.

The dealer-droid rolled his dice. Cal nudged the second die just enough to ensure it didn't land on a spike. "Swap," he said quickly, reclaiming his three-of-spheres. He relaxed his tense shoulders and schooled his face into a calm, bored expression. He had the winning hand, and he didn't even need to cheat and sense Kekura's cards to do it.

"Draw." Boba was horny, not stupid. He'd recognized his misstep and now he was recalculating. Cal felt the desire that pulsed around Boba in the Force go still and turn thin as he shifted back into business mode. 

"Draw." Kekura accepted his last card and smirked. "Why don't we make this a little more interesting?"

"It's plenty interesting already," Cal said quickly. His anxiety was growing by the second. He missed the comforting weight of BD on his shoulder. 

"Just you and I, Fett." Kekura licked his lips. "Fold, and I will let you take Miss Genoa without further argument. My only stipulation is that you perform a job for me first."

Boba raised an eyebrow. "I've a solid hand," he said lightly.

"So you say." Kekura tapped on his unrevealed cards, his grin getting toothier by the minute. "I simply wish to propose a way for both of us to win."

"Is your hand that bad?" Boba asked, his smile not reaching his eyes.

"Aren't you going to ask me what the job is?" Kekura tilted his head.

Boba's eyes flicked to Cal then faced forward again. "Hypothetically."

"Hypothetically, if you were to retrieve the kyber crystal collection of sweet Cal here for me and kill him, I will broker them and split the profits with you fifty-fifty. No worrying about jetii osik, as you said, as I do all of the paperwork."

"How dare you!" Merrin snarled, lunging for Kekura. Cal stood and caught her before she made it across the table and caught a bolt to the face. His guards stepped forward with their blasters drawn and pressed them against their heads.

"Wait just a minute," Cal protested, keeping Merrin contained in a wampa hug. "What kind of game is this? Do you normally take a hit out on players you think you might lose to?"

"Only when I have a monumentally shit hand." Kekura's guards pushed Cal and Merrin apart. One shoved him into his chair, and the other held his blaster to Merrin's head until she sat down beside Phee. She bared her teeth at him and hissed; Cal suddenly remembered that Zabraks were carnivores.

"So why should I accept your offer when I've already won?" Boba asked calmly over the chaos.

Kekura shrugged. "Cards haven't been revealed yet. Maybe he wins. Still up to you."

Boba sipped his tihaar—Cal couldn't help but wonder if he was actually considering it—but then made a face and shook his head. "Seems a bit unsportsmanlike, doesn't it?" Boba finally replied. 

Kekura's eyes sharpened. "Mmhmm."

"I don't like your tone, Kekura." Boba's voice took on a deathly chill. "Say what you want to say."

"I find it curious that you have turned down two separate opportunities to earn millions of credits, bounty hunter."

Boba's presence in the Force tightened like a coil about to snap, and Cal's stomach clenched with a cold knot of fear. He eyed his kyber crystal sitting vulnerable on the table and wondered if he'd be able to put it back in before the blaster bolts began to fly.

Boba broke the tension with a barking laugh. "And I find it curious that you never thought to ask if I had more than one bounty puck with me tonight." Boba squeezed his left fist twice. A small compartment on his wrist slid open, and from it sprang a half-dozen tiny, whistling projectiles that buried themselves into the heads of Kekura and his guards before they could so much as cry out. Six men fell to the obnoxiously-patterned carpet, instantly dead.

"What the fu—" Phee went silent with Boba's WESTAR pressed to her forehead. "H-Hey now, I—"

"Calm down. You're wanted alive, there's no payment if you're dead." Boba holstered his weapon and finished off his tihaar with a chuckle.

Cal shook his head and reached for a napkin to wipe the blood spatter out of his eyes. "What the hell did you just do?" he asked, shocked.

"I shot them. Wasn't that obvious?" Boba looked at him patronizingly. "I swear to the fucking Manda, you're a moron. I tell you to stop whipping out your lightsaber—"

"I have!" Cal interrupted.

" —and to stop telling people your real name—"

"I didn't!" 

"So you whip your fucking kyber out in public and use your first name only, what a brilliant compromise. It's like you're trying to get killed!"

"Hey, why are you making this about me when you could have just done that—whatever that just was—the whole time! Why did I have to sweat through a sabacc match when—"

"For fun? You know that's the point of sabacc, right?"

"Not when people's lives are on the line!"

"Can you argue about this later?" Merrin snapped. She lowered the bloody napkin she had been wiping her face off with and scowled at the two of them. "How long do you think we have before the guards outside this room realizes you just killed their boss?"

"Don't worry, little witch, I shot the guards and the civvies all fucked off already. We've got all the time we need." Boba rifled through the dead Kekura's pockets and pulled out a small datapad. He tapped a few times, swiped, then tossed it to Merrin. "Genoa's ship is officially out of impound. You take it and whatever's on it that's so important that you'd let your boyfriend whore himself out for it." Merrin's face twisted in outrage as Boba turned away. "Cal, you come with me and the quarry." He jerked his head at Phee.

"You don't get to just kill everyone and then order me around!" Cal said stubbornly. He snatched his kyber off the table and retrieved his saberstaff to reassemble it. "Besides, I have to go back to our room to get BD."

"Yes I do." Boba put his helmet back on. "And I already took BD out of your room. He's on my ship."

Cal snapped his saberstaff casing closed harder than he intended to. "You what? You can't just—Boba!" 

"Sure I can. If you want him back…" Boba trailed off, laughing under his breath. "You know the drill."

"Do I get a say in this?" Phee asked, raising her hand.

"No." Boba pulled a pair of binders from his belt and twirled them on one finger. "Are you going to be a good girl, or a bad girl?"

Phee looked at Cal desperately. "Come on, Red, do something!" she begged him.

Cal threw his hands up in disgust. He couldn't decide if he wanted to punch Boba or kiss him. "What do you expect me to do? I can't even stop him from stealing my karking droid!"

Phee eyed the binders with a disgruntled expression. "I'll be a good girl," she said with a deep sigh, pouting.

"Smart choice." Boba motioned at the curtain. "Witches first."

Merrin kicked her heels off and stomped furiously through the curtain, glaring daggers at Boba—and Cal—over her shoulder.

"And just for the record, cuntling—" Boba flipped Cal's cards over, then his own. Cal's eyes widened at the hand that Ferrik used to call a dual power coupling. "I would have won."

"Would you have followed through?" Cal couldn't help but ask.

"I'm not getting in there," Phee said flatly. She crossed her arms and glared. "You're gonna have to stun me."

Boba snickered through his vocabulator. "I'm a man of my word, you know that," he said softly, and chuffed Cal under the chin. "Now move your ass."

"Alright." Boba shrugged and fiddled with the settings on his blaster.

"Okay, just wait a damn second." Cal put himself in between Phee and the carbonite chamber. "Boba, you're not freezing her."

"Yes I am." 

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am." Boba tossed his helmet across the hangar and grinned fiercely. "Come on, Cal. You know better than to try and order me around." He stalked closer, getting right in Cal's face. "I've got a job to do. Let me do it, then we can relax." He took Cal by the chin and kissed him hard and deep, like they were alone. His hands roamed over Cal's chest, his back, down to his ass where he took a double handful and squeezed. Boba put his leg between Cal's legs and pressed up, extracting a low whine.

He finally found the strength to pull away from the clone, breathless. "Who took out the bounty on her?" Cal redirected Boba, herding him in the opposite direction of the carbonite chamber while he distracted him with soft kisses. "Come on, baby, you can tell me."

Boba snorted. "I'm not one to snitch on my employers, baby." He spun Cal around, shoved him up against the wall face-first and ground his beskar bulge directly against his ass. "So you stay here—" 

Cal heard a soft click. He stared at his binder-encased hands—which Boba had somehow locked to the hangar ladder without him noticing—completely dumbfounded. "Boba…" he said warningly.

Boba laughed as he pulled away. "Problem?" he asked teasingly. His thoughts were as loud as his voice: We both know you could get out of those binders in a heartbeat if you really wanted to. 

"Boba, wait!" Cal turned in place so he could see what was happening.

"She'll be fine, baby." Boba winked at him one last time before pushing the shaking Phee towards the freezing chamber. "I already said that I don't get paid if she dies."

"Now you wait just a minute—" Phee started, her voice shaking.

"I'm done waiting." Boba hit the controls, and with a hiss and an avalanche of fumes, Phee was frozen solid, her mouth hanging open in outrage. "And now…" Boba turned and slowly pulled off his gloves.

Cal suddenly knew what it felt like to be a clawmouse spotted by a hawk-bat. He opened his mouth to protest, a thousand petty complaints rising to the surface of his brain to fight over who would be thrown out first—why didn't you call me, did you even miss me, am I anything more than just a hole to you—and found that they all slipped away the second that Boba's mouth found his again. He moaned helplessly, too damn relieved to be kissing him again to hold onto his anger.

"The fuck are you wearing?" Boba murmured, smiling against Cal's mouth. He untied Cal's belt with a flourish, exposing him to the chilly cargo bay. He chased the goosebumps that sprang up with his wide, warm hands. 

"It was the cheapest thing the hotel had that fit the dress code," Cal mumbled, his cheeks going hot. 

"Chandrilan looks good on you." Boba sucked his tongue into his mouth and bit down. "Looks better on my floor, though."

Cal laughed. "How did I know you were going to say something cheesy like that?" 

"Jetii osik, obviously." Boba bit and licked his way down his spine. "You smell good."

"Yeah?" Cal twitched under the hands that trailed down his spine, his asscheeks, back up his thighs and then finally, finally his throbbing member, where the pressure was the most intense. 

"My poor little whore," Boba cooed in his ear. He thumbed the tip of his aching length and spread Cal's precome up and down. "You've been hurting for this, haven't you? My sweet little slut."

Damn it. Cal let his head rest heavy against the wall. He wanted to give in and just let Boba do whatever he wanted to him—to be his whore, to be whatever he wanted him to be just as long as he kept touching him—but that ember of outrage still burned hot. "Been hurting for months." Cal jerked in his bonds and pinned Boba's hand between his thighs. If he spun with enough force, he'd snap Boba's wrist clean in half. "Why haven't you contacted me?" Cal demanded. "I've sent you hundreds of messages, but you haven't even tried."

Boba went quiet. He stroked Cal's back with his free hand, a soothing touch instead of sensual. "Would you believe me if I told you I've been busy?"

"Too busy to let me know that you were alive?" Cal squeezed his thighs together even tighter until he was hurting them both.

"Didn't have a commlink in Imperial prison, cuntling." Boba wrapped his fingers around Cal's throat and gave him a warning squeeze.

"Prison?" Cal ignored the hand around his throat, released Boba's trapped wrist and turned in place, horrified. "Where? Why? How?"

Boba smiled, and there was something inscrutable behind his eyes. "Don't worry about that." He kissed Cal's jaw. 

"I'm worrying about it." Cal jerked away angrily. "Tell me!"

Boba hummed against his neck. "No."

"Boba…" Cal said warningly.

"Shut up." Boba dropped to his knees, grinning. "Why do you want me to talk about banthashit when my mouth could be put to much better use?"

"Because…" Cal threw his head back and groaned as Boba licked the tip of his cock. "Because I care about more than just what your mouth can do for me, you big jerk."

"Jerk?" Boba gasped in mock offense. "I'm on my knees sucking your cock and I'm a jerk?" He sucked Cal's cockhead into his mouth and flicked his tongue against the tip. 

Cal fought down a moan. "Yes!" he insisted breathlessly.

"Ungrateful." Boba hummed and took him deeper into his throat, stroking whatever his mouth left exposed. It felt amazing, better than what he had dreamed of in his bunk for all those months alone.

Alone. And now Boba wouldn't even tell him what had happened to him. "Cocksucking little bitch," Cal said in a low voice.

Boba's hand came to a dead stop. He let Cal's dick fall out of his mouth and slowly got to his feet. "The fuck did you just call me?" Boba's voice was a silky whisper. His hand clamped around Cal's throat again. "The fuck did you just say to me, whore?"

"I called you a cocksucking little bitch." Cal watched Boba's eyes narrow with a sick sense of satisfaction.

Boba squeezed his hand and held the pressure until Cal's vision started to sparkle and go black around his edges. "I could fucking kill you," Boba murmured, close as a kiss. "I could snap your stupid little whore neck in an instant." He let off the pressure just long enough for Cal to suck in one shaky breath before pressing down again. His knee came up and ground against his dick. "Maybe I'll send you to the Imperials. How much do you think I'd get for your Jedi hide?"

"Twenty five 'kay," Cal gasped once he had the breath for it. Or at least that's what his bounty was the last time he had checked it.

"Think they'd take off a cleaning fee if I turned you in freshly fucked?" Boba turned Cal around roughly, pressed him against the wall like he was trying to squeeze the air out of him. "Send you in bound, hogtied, ass gaping open with my jizz leaking out." Boba fingered Cal's cleft, pushed threateningly against his hole. "Maybe the stormtroopers would take turns fucking you before they sent you on to the Inquisitors."

Cal cried out, thrusting helplessly against the cold wall. He didn't know what the hell was wrong with him to be so turned on. The fantasy was disgusting, humiliating, dehumanizing, and it somehow had him ready to shoot off any second. "Would you?" Cal whimpered. "Would you let them fuck me?"

"I'd hold your fucking legs open," Boba whispered. He spat down Cal's crack and used the slickness to ease one finger inside him. "What's the matter? I thought you liked being a whore."

"Your whore," Cal whispered, caught between self-loathing and desire. "I'm your whore."

"Then why'd you offer yourself up to that prick?" Boba growled, adding a second finger. The spit wasn't enough, it burned, but Cal liked the way it hurt. "You offered to fuck a gangster for credits, ner jet'ika."

"I wanted to piss you off!" Cal cried out. A feeling like boiling water shot up and down his spine, a coil at the base winding tighter and tighter and ready to burst as he was impaled on his lover's fingers.

Boba laughed and sped his thrusting up to a brutal pace. "It worked." He crooked his fingers up just right, and Cal saw stars. The coil snapped, and Cal came with a sharp cry, making a mess of his bare chest and the hangar wall. Boba withdrew his wide fingers and slapped Cal's ass with a sharp crack. "Stay there."

Cal leaned against the ladder, weary and weak-kneed. "I'm still cuffed, jackass, I can't go anywhere," he called after him.

Boba yanked his medkit off the wall, cackling loudly, and tossed everything out except for the lube. "You're in a real fucking mood tonight, aren't you?" Boba took a rough hold of Cal's chin and forced eye contact. "Yeah. You went unfucked for five months, of course you're in a mood." He ripped his armor pieces off, leaving them to scatter loudly across the floor. His dove-gray flight suit followed, then his compression shorts and finally, finally his cock was out and on display. 

Cal licked his lips hungrily and dropped to his knees. "No." Boba yanked him back up and flipped him around. 

"Hey!" Cal protested. "I want to—"

"I don't give a shit. You're a fucking brat, Kestis. You don't get what you want." Boba cracked him hard on the ass again, a hard sting that he just knew was going to leave a bruise. "I should have just shown my cards. I wanted to fuck you in front of that bastard so badly." Boba emptied out the tube and rubbed his stretched-out hole with slippery fingers. "And you wanted me to do it. I could feel it." He positioned his cockhead at Cal's tight ring. "Even with your little witch watching, you would have let me. Wouldn't you?" Boba thrust deep and sent Cal flying into the wall with the strength of it. He threaded his finger's through Cal's red strands and yanked his head back. "Tell me, whore. Tell me you would have let her watch."

"I…" Fuck, he could barely breathe with the sensation of Boba bottoming out in him. "I would've… I would've fucked you while she watched us." He was going to have to meditate before seeing Merrin again or he'd never emotionally recover.

"Because you're my whore, aren't you?"

"I'm your whore." Cal almost screamed as Boba reached around and started jerking his painfully sensitive length with a rough hand. "Ah! Fuck, Boba, Boba please, please please—"

"Please what, baby?" Boba sped up. The obscene sound of wet flesh smacking together echoed in the cargo bay. 

"Don't…" Cal gasped. "Don't do that to me again. Don't go dark."

Boba's hips lost their rhythm. He slipped out and spun Cal, hoisted him up into his arms like he was a sack of tatos and slung his legs over his shoulders. Boba crushed his mouth to Cal's, reentering him the same moment, and swallowed his cry. His hips jacked up in a frantic, unsteady rhythm, hitting that sweet spot with every forward thrust. "You missed me that bad, did you baby?" Boba murmured into his mouth. "You didn't let anyone else fuck you, did you?"

"No!" Cal was going to scream, he was on the brink once again, his pulsing length trapped between their sweat-slickened bodies.

"That's 'cause you're mine." Cal was practically delirious, but it sounded like Boba was talking to himself. "Nobody else gets to fuck you. This ass is mine." He squeezed his cheeks. "Mine. Only mine."

"Only yours." Cal's eyes rolled back in his head as he reached his peak again. His legs tightened and pulled Boba against him, trapping his length deep inside. Cal painted their fronts with jets of spunk, and Boba let out a shout and snapped his hips up as far as they would go. Cal felt heat filling him up and spreading deep within.

Neither of them spoke for nearly a minute, though Boba did let Cal's legs drop and let him stand on his own. "I missed you," Cal finally said, then kissed him.

"Sorry for going dark." Boba buried his face in Cal's neck and took a deep breath. "It wasn't on purpose."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Cal asked quietly.

"Not right now." Boba kissed him one last time and withdrew from Cal's cuffed embrace. "I'm going to run diagnostics. I hear a humming I don't like coming from my backup hyperdrive." He climbed up the ladder buck naked.

"Hey, uncuff me first!" Cal protested, holding up his hands.

"You're a fucking Jedi, uncuff yourself." Boba opened the hatch with a snicker and disappeared.

Boba set his ship down on a cold, desolate, rocky planet that only had a series of numbers, not even a name. Cal leaned forward, peering out the viewport. "Weird place for an exchange," he said. BD-1 crawled into place on his shoulder and beeped in agreement.

Cal let his head hit the wall with a clunk. Boba was such an asshole. Somehow, it made Cal love him even more.

"Nah. I've definitely done weirder meetups." Boba eased the engine into low-power mode. "I see your witch on my sensors. She's entering the atmosphere now."

Cal watched Phee's ship, piloted by Merrin, come to a rough stop. He winced. She was… well, she was still learning. Hopefully Phee wouldn't be too upset about her landing gear. "Are you finally going to tell me who paid you to take Phee?" he asked, following Boba out of the cockpit. 

"You'll meet them when I do." 

Cal slid down the ladder after him. "What do you mean? You don't even know who hired you?"

"How do you think this whole guild thing works?" Boba smashed a button on the side of the cargo hatch and put his helmet on. "People post jobs to the guild. Guild posts jobs for the hunters. I get a name, a face, a general location and a drop-off point. I don't even know who I'm working for half the time, let alone a detailed background."

"But that means you could be working for anyone!" Cal exclaimed.

"Yeah, and? Credits spend the same no matter who puts them up." Boba fiddled with the frame of Phee's frozen carbonite chamber. 

"That seems risky. What if you end up working for some lunatic?"

"I'm almost always working for some lunatic, Cal." Boba activated a set of small repulsors and guided the frame out of the cargo bay.

Cal gave Boba a look. "We'll talk about this later." He opened his arms in anticipation. 

Merrin disappeared from her docking ramp with a flash of green light and rematerialized in his arms. "You're alright?" she asked tearily, threading her fingers through his hair. "That beast didn't hurt you, did he?" 

"Beast?" Cal felt bad for laughing. "He's not a beast, Mer."

"Did she just call me a fucking beast?" Boba asked. 

"I am simply naming what I see in front of me." Merrin's eyes glowed green for a few seconds.

Boba laughed, dark and wicked. "Easy there, little witch. I'm not one you want to mess with."

"You think I am afraid of you?" Merrin raised her hand and bared her teeth.

"You call those needles fangs?" Boba scoffed.

"Don't start." Cal pinned her arms to her sides before she could do something he would regret. "Merrin, please. Just don't."

"I do not understand what you see in this creature." Merrin shrugged him off with an irritated scowl.  

"Eyes up, chakaare." Boba nodded at ship rapidly descending from the dark, star-studded sky.

"Are we really going to just let him give Phee away?" Merrin whispered.

Normally Cal would have immediately assured her no, of course not, but he had an odd feeling tingling at the back of his neck, ordering him wait and see. "I want to see who paid for her before I make a decision." 

"Anything you cunts are planning, don't expect me to help," Boba called over. "Once I hand her over and get my money I'm walking. I'm a professional."

"Good to know." Cal had his saberstaff and Merrin. He could almost definitely handle whatever came out of that ship.

The T6 swooped down at an unnecessarily fast speed, cranked hard to the right, and swerved into a landing spot. Cal and Merrin both exchanged smirks. "And I thought I was a bad pilot," Merrin said with a snicker.

The docking ramp extended with a hiss and puff of pressurized gasses. The figure that walked out of it was tall and slight, and as it got closer Cal could see it was humanoid, presumably female. She wore a full array of oddly mishmashed armor—black-painted pieces that almost looked like recycled plastoid from the clone wars—and had a small golden device strapped to her back. A red scarf was looped around her neck, as were a pair of goggles. Cal saw an indentation in her helmet that appeared as though it was made for the goggles to fit over. "Boba Fett?" she called. Her accent was strangely familiar.

"That's me." Boba stood casually beside the frozen-solid Phee, one hip cocked and a hand on his blaster. "You've got my credits, I assume."

"Only if she's unharmed."

"Not a scratch on her. You have my word."

"So you say." The woman turned to Cal and Merrin, tilted her helmeted head. "And you two?" 

"My passengers. Don't wory about them, they're getting off here. They're not involved in this." Boba's tone was lighthearted, friendly even; Cal watched the Force thrum around him, tense like a quetarra string. "Now where're my credits?"

The woman typed in a command on her commlink, then tossed a bag forward. A droid covered in sleek white plastoid descended from her ship and tooled up to the carbonite-encased Phee. "Vitals are steady and normal for one in hibernation, Mistress," the droid announced politely.

"Go ahead and put her on the ship, AZ." The woman waited until the droid had disappeared with the carbonite frame to turn back to Boba.

"Looks like it's all here. Our business is concluded." Boba turned and started to stride back to the Slave I.

"Not quite." The woman took off her helmet, revealing a braided crown of pale blonde hair. 

Cal swiveled his head back and forth between her and Boba like a Shilian mithoo, stunned. Those eyes, that nose, that jaw; female or not, there was no mistaking who—what—she was.

"What kind of game is this?" Boba stood frozen in place, too shocked to move.

"Sorry Alpha, no game." The woman grinned a very, very familiar grin. "I'm Omega. I think you and I need to chat."

[corvidscreams]

You mind showing us more of night brother cal?

Well, there’s only so much I can say, since @paper-crane-castles is the mastermind here, but I do know a few things.

Like, say, that the nightbrothers are fiercely protective of their new little brother (and have taken to calling him ‘Domiri’, after Dathomir’s sun, as a paired nickname to Merrin’s lunar ‘Korata’) and that by the time the mantis crew swing by Dathomir in search of an astrium, Cal is the proud owner of three (3) whole lightsabers. Two of said lightsabers are quite unusual, given that they were purified through nightsister magic.

[stardustandash]

Sunspot

ao3 link

959 words

The ship has had an air of quiet anticipation the last few days. At first Merrin couldn’t put her finger on it. There are no Empire base busting missions planned. The Partisans haven’t contacted them for nearly a week, and the Mantis has been parked on a warm little planet a stone’s throw from a crystal clear ocean. It’s not that Merrin doesn’t like the heat or playing in the surf, it’s more the fact that in the months she has been on the ship they haven’t stopped this long anywhere.

Then she notices. Cal has changed while they have sat on this planet. He’s become more sluggish, more reluctant to spar or practise using his Force. Then there are the dots. All over his body small reddish spots have been blooming. More appear each day until he’s absolutely covered, and he no longer seems interested in anything but napping in the sun. Merrin does not know what disease this is, but she knows it’s bad anytime spots appear.

It worries Merrin, eating away at her until she can no longer let this tragedy unfold in silence.

“What is wrong with Cal?” she asks bluntly.

Greez looks up from where he is filleting a couple of fish in the galley. “What isn’t. You’re going to have to be more specific here, did he hurt himself again or are you two having a fight?”

“We are not fighting,” says Merrin. “He is lying around doing nothing.”

“Yeah, took longer than I thought it would, but he finally slowed down a little.”

Merrin mulls over this information. Greez had known there was something wrong with Cal then. Maybe it’s simply something Cal wants to keep from her. It hurts a little, but she can understand. She has only been around a few months and there is still trust to be earned on both sides. Without anything else to say she turns and leaves, hearing Greez spluttering behind her.

The next step is to ask Cere. This time Merrin feels more guilty, knowing that Cal has been sick for a while and hidden it from her. Yet she cannot help that she wants answers to her concerns. She finds Cere outside the ship staring out over the ocean. Seabirds cry overhead and it feels so very serene. Closer to the water Merrin can see Cal lying on a blanket with BD-1 running around in the shallow surf.

“What’s up?” asks Cere as Merrin approaches.

“There is something wrong with Cal,” says Merrin. “I am concerned.”

Cere pauses and glances over to where Cal is lying on the beach. A frown teases her lips but understanding, and something else, lights in her eyes.

“Yes. Going to the seaside has a long human tradition of helping people get better.”

“But he has only gotten worse since we arrived here. He is lethargic and no longer wants to spar with me. And he is covered in spots,” says Merrin.

“Relaxing is healing, Merrin. I know it’s hard, but you should try lying on the beach too.”

“But there would be nothing to do.”

“That’s the point.”

Merrin huffs. She likes the beach, but she likes having something to do more. She spent so long doing practically nothing on Dathomir, she wants to keep travelling.

“What about the spots?”

“Ah yes. Those. They’re not my area of expertise, though I have recommended creams for them and been rejected. Maybe you should ask Cal about them yourself if you are this concerned. I know I am, but he hardly listens to me,” says Cere with a sigh.

Of course Cere would suggest she confront Cal head on. It is the best course of action, and the one she should have taken originally. Merrin’s cheeks flush a bit with embarrassment and she tries her best to take deep breaths and will it to evaporate as she marches across the sand towards Cal.

Sensing her approach, Cal sits up and turns to face her. Dressed in a pair of swim shorts, he makes an aborted gesture over his chest as if to hide it before thinking better of it. Merrin grins a little at the movement, and he flushes red beneath his coating of spots. But she will not be distracted from her mission.

“What is wrong with you?” asks Merrin.

“What?” Cal blinks up at her, confused.

“You lie here day after day. You refuse to spar with me. And you are covered in spots. What disease is this?”

Cal’s mouth opens and closes several times in a poor imitation of a fish.

“What?” is what he eventually lands on.

“What are you sick with?” asks Merrin again.

“What? No, I’m not sick Merrin. I’m just a pale-skinned human.”

“What does that have to do with it?”

“We get spots, freckles when we are out in the sun. I’m not diseased,” says Cal.

“Cere says she recommended creams and you didn’t listen.”

“Yeah, sun creams. The kind that keep harmful radiation at bay. I have some, but I don’t need the extra-strength kind like she claims.”

“I think you need them. You look awful,” says Merrin.

“Wow. Thanks.”

“You are welcome.”

Cal sticks his tongue out at her. She sticks hers out right back. For a moment everything feels right. Then Merrin remembers the other part of her concern.

“If you are not sick, why do you refuse to spar? And just lie here day after day?”

“Cere took away my lightsaber.”

Merrin rolls her eyes. “Oh so it is that you would simply roll over and die if you did not have your lightsaber? Get up, Cal Kestis, it’s time for a lesson.”

“I’m not, I wouldn’t, oh fine,” Cal fusses as he stands. “Bring it on.”

[tljisthegoat]

The beauty of being a multishipper in Star Wars is that you can love and appreciate sooo much more about each pairing.

Cal Kestis could've gotten with Trilla Suduri instead of Nightsister Merrin and I still would've loved all those characters. They could've gotten into a poly ship & shared Cal lol

Anyway, my point is that having multiple ships to enjoy will always be a fun, enriching experience that greatly enhances everything overall.

[wrencatte]

mini-fic 6(ish!) post-Fallen Order. Mantis Crew. Cal & Merrin. Omniscient POV (Mostly Merrin). 1.1k words Cal...has a beard??? ao3 mini fic link - chapter 6 (ponchos)

Cal plops down on the couch with a loud, drawn-out satisfied sound, relishing in the first comfortable seat in literal days. Merrin looks up from her holonovel, blinks once, twice, and bluntly asks, “What is wrong with your face?”

He slaps a hand to his chin. “There’s nothing wrong with my face.”

“No, there is,” she insists, abandoning her novel to grab hold of his wrist and wrench his hand away – or at least she tries to wrench it away, but Cal resists valiantly, muscles straining with the effort. He leans as far back from the Nightsister as possible until he yelps, and they both go tumbling off the couch to land in a groaning heap on the floor.

Cere watches them, eyebrows raised, and lifting not a single finger to assist either one of them. BD chirrups from his spot over the Master’s shoulder, something distinctly mocking in his tone even without knowing binary, and Cal groans again, louder and more obnoxiously.

“Thanks, buddy, knew I could count on you,” he snarks. The droid whistles something else that just makes him laugh.

“What did he say?” Merrin asks even as she resorts to prying Cal’s hand off his face, fingers digging under his palm. He tries to smack her hand away with his free one, but she just grabs it and pins it awkwardly to the side out of the way. She pauses, head tilted in contemplation, then drops her entire body weight on the Jedi. He lets out a wheezing oof! at the suddenness, eyes wide. BD laughs at him. “This would be easier if you just gave in.”

“Doubt it,” he grunts.

They grapple – no, actually, tussle is really a better word to describe it. Neither of them are actually trying at all. Cal’s stuck arching his face away from Merrin since he can use his hand, and Merrin could easily hurt him in this position, so her efforts are half-hearted at best. Both of them are laughing like children, little hushed, breathless giggles. Cere doesn’t hide her smile, thoroughly enjoying the sight of them acting so care-free, and secretly recording the whole thing. Even though they have BD for that, there’s something about having a version all to herself that she can’t resist.

Cal finally gives up and removes his hand. Merrin makes a noise of triumphant – that gets cut off when he (gently) smacks his hand against Merrin’s face instead, effectively blinding her. He uses the surprise attack as leverage to shove her back against the base of the couch and he scrambles to his feet, putting distance between the two of them quickly, and…goes back to covering his chin.

“It is not that embarrassing,” Merrin tells him.

Cal scowls. “You said there was something wrong with my face!”

She makes a conceding expression. “Fair, but I did not mean it in that way. It merely…caught me by surprise.”

Cal had been gone for the last few days, exploring a nearby mountain pass in hopes it was what they were looking for (it wasn’t), so forgive her shock when he came back looking like that. He changed out of his regular poncho and new vest combo in favor of a pair of loose pants with far too many belts and his ratty training top that Greez has tried to throw out several times – though not as many times he’s tried to throw out some of his older, more…pungent ponchos. His hair longer than when she first met him, long enough to tuck behind his ears, and when you add that to what’s going on with his face…

He eyes her warily then semi-reluctantly drops his hand, putting it on his hip instead in a sort of are you happy now? pose. Merrin stares at him. He stares back, weight shifting as if he’s about to bolt.

“It looks good,” she declares finally.

Cal rolls his eyes. “You literally said – .”

“I did not get a proper look! You surprised me!” Merrin snaps. Cal throws his hands up in a huff.

He has a beard.

Or…almost a beard. Barely a beard, it’s still growing in and all. But it’s there and it, and it adds a maturity to his face she wasn’t expecting. Before, his old, world-weary soul could only be felt in the Force when he dropped his shields and let them help him. Now, though, Merrin looks at him and she can see the weight he carries far too easily. The beard looks good, yes, but it makes her heart ache just a little.

Cal scrubs a hand over the short, scratchy-looking beard. It makes his freckles stand out, somehow, or maybe that’s because they’ve been hopping from sunny planet to sunny planet these last few months and he’s no longer stuck under the perpetually gloomy clouds of Bracca. He burns instead of tans, but he seems to get new freckles every day.

“I didn’t mean to grow one in,” he admits. “But I’m kinda attached now.”

“Literally,” Cere adds.

He sticks his tongue out at her then jumps with a strangled yelp when she thrums their bond in admonishment like he’s a twelve-year-old apprentice all over again. “Hey! That’s a cheap shot!”

“What’s a cheap shot?” Greez asks, walking onto the Mantis. He looks up from the holopad he was consulting. “Oh. Hey, Cal, welcome back…What’s wrong with your face?”

Cal swears at him in Huttese as Merrin laughs. “All of you! All of you are against me! It’s not that bad!”

“It truly isn’t,” Merrin assures him, sounding only half-sincere to his ears.

Cere shrugs. “It’s not too bad,” she agrees. “I think it needs another day or two before it really works for you, though. Right now it’s…” She wiggles her hand with a wince.

“Ehhh,” is Greez’s contribution.

Cal hides his face with both hands this time, sighing very, very loudly. “You are all so mean to me. Fine, I’ll kriffin’ shave it off. Greez, got anything I can use? My kit got lost somewhere.” He glares BD-1 from between his fingers and the droid chitters in response, sounding offended. “I am not! You’re the one who went over the ledge! I told you not to scan it!” BD-1 beeps something decidedly rude.

“Nothin’ for your human sensitivity. You’re gonna have to wait until our next supply stop, kid.”

He groans. “Unbelievable. That’s a week from now.”

Merrin pats his shoulder consolingly. “You will survive,” she says seriously. “And if you do not, I know several rituals that will bring you back with minimal…side-effects.”

“Thanks, Merrin, you really know how to make a guy feel better.”

She smiles. “You are welcome!”

[eveenstar]

Hey, I found your blog looking for Dagan Gera stuff after finishing Jedi Survivor. Saw you were taking requests and figured I’d send in one myself because I love your writing and Dagan absolutely needs more love.

Would it be ok if I requested a Dagan x Female!Current Jedi!Reader based off your relationship head canons you did? Where the reader is separated from Cal and ends up with Dagan.

It saddens me to search the Dagan Gera tag and see the same 4/5 fanfics every time! He definitely needs more love and I'm here to give it to him ♡

Hope I didn't disappoint!!

¨”°⍣~•★ 𝐥'𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐝𝐮 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 | dagan gera x f!jedi!reader ★•~⍣°”¨

not even the moon could tear my eyes away from you.

Cal, Cal...Cal. There was so much noise, so much pain and confusion. The last thing you saw was a smoke bomb being thrown your way and the flash of Cal's blue saber trying to shield you off of your attackers. A pair of big, rough hands dragged you away, and somewhere amidst the fighting, you lost your consciousness.

"we stay together now, no more running off,"

"who said anything about running off? in fact, I am a very responsible jedi,"

"I'm convinced you and Merrin must be sisters."

The colours of the monochromatic room were the first to greet your eyes. The lights flickered for a moment, burning your eyes as they tried to adjust to the change. Your head was pounding.

You didn't recognize this room, it looked ancient but somewhat...modern. The walls were shiny white, with golden stripes. The symbol of the Jedi Order was painted onto the floor, in all its old glory. The High Republic, the peak of the order....

In alarm, you scurried up to your feet, reaching for your lightsaber, but your hands tapped the empty belt.

"Looking for this?" The door slided open, a pair of boots stomped in. Dagan waved your lightsaber in his hands.

"Give it to me." You hissed, holding out your hand. Dagan tutted and shook his head.

"Cal has yet to come for you." Dagan announced. He waited for you to say something, to react, maybe even try and attack him. You didn't. "Does he not care for you?"

"Is that what I am now?" You crossed your arms. "Bait?"

Dagan tilted his head, then narrowed his gaze. One, two... He shook his head, a small grin twitched in his lips.

"Yes." He said simply. "No."

You raised an eyebrow, confused. You could feel Dagan's presence and it was cold, angry and...something else, you couldn't quite put your finger on it. The Jedi that stood before you was a relic of the past, of times now forgotten, and underneath all that darkness and hunger for revenge was a confused and hurt man.

"Are you going to keep me here?" You asked, not once taking your eyes off of him. You found that Dagan could only hold your gaze for no longer than a few seconds.

"Yes." Replied Dagan.

"For how long?" You sat back down, leaning against the cold wall. You hoped Cal would return soon, you didn't know what to expect from Rayvis and the Fallen Jedi, and you didn't want to find out.

The silence lingered and stretched for uncomfortably long seconds. You looked away to the window beside you, watching the clouds outside. It was so beautiful, you thought. In your years with Cal, you had seen so much of the galaxy, in its worst and best.

Now you wondered if you would ever see that again.

Lost in your thoughts, you failed to notice Dagan leaving. The door glided closed, and the faint sound of a beep was caught by your ears. Locked in and guarded outside. You didn't have your lightsaber or your blaster with you, and the room was deprived of anything else.

You would have to wait.

And that wait dragged on weeks and weeks on end. During that time, you had gotten to know Dagan better than you ever thought possible. It was hard not to, as the fallen Jedi had made it a habit to come to your "cell" to talk - it had started with simple questions;

"How did you meet Cal?"

"Did he train you?"

"Who are the members of his crew?"

But you would budge one second. You would never betray Cal like that, he was like a brother to you. Your family. Just as Merrin, Greez and Cere were. In your unwillingness to share and determination, Dagan found himself complimenting you for it, telling you how that was a strong trait to have, how Cal was lucky to have you (he gritted his teeth at the 'compliment', he should be the one to have y-) and... at first, you resisted. You insulted at each and little thing you could sense and knew about him.

But Dagan always found himself back to you. The questions slowly began to turn around to only you. Simple things such as your homeworld, your favorite planet, how you built your lightsaber...and despite all odds, you found yourself replying to him. Every time.

You tried to make him open up, to speak to you like a normal person. But all you got was a scoff and an eye roll, completely dismissing you. Accepting defeat, you told Dagan of the state of the galaxy, of the rise of the Empire and the fall of the Jedi Order, how you were just a child when it happened, how your master died to save you. Only did you stop when your voice failed you, when the tears freely strolled down your face and your shoulders trembled.

Dagan, who had been listening to you, his emotions shifting between anger and disappointment, was caught off guard by your tears. He didn't like seeing you cry, but it brought you closer to him and further away from Kestis. He couldn't let that opportunity slip past his fingers.

His arm wrapped around you, bringing you closer to his body and resting his chin atop your head. "Shh, shh," Dagan kissed your forehead, letting you cry against his chest, hoping that would ease your troubled mind....and bring you to him.

Dagan was right in the end.

As the days passed, no signs of Cal Kestis or his friends, Dagan made it his mission to turn your mind to him. He was only showing you the truth. The cold and hard truth. There was no hope for the galaxy! The Jedi are gone! But Dagan has a plan, he assures you, Tanalorr is the future for the both of you, and the new order that Dagan intends to nourish.

And you? You slowly fall into his webs. You allow this fallen Jedi, knight of the Jedi Order of old, to enter your mind and body with his words, his touches, and his kisses. You want it to feel wrong, it should be wrong, but it feels so right, especially when he's mapping your body with his touches, holding you close to him as if the galaxy depended on it.

Dagan would let you accompany him once he was sure your loyalty lays with him and only him. Soon enough, you would turn into his trusted advisor and lover. He would compare you to Santari Khri, but remind you how much better than her you were.

"You won't betray me." Dagan would tell you, his cold hand on your chin, tilting your head upwards to look at him. "I know it. I feel it."

In the privacy of his chambers, he'd kiss your lips, and his kiss would feel like a storm. Passionate, aggressive, as if he was trying to possess you in every sense of the word. His body was but a means to worship yours, and Dagan found himself falling into the warmth of your love.

With you by his side, Dagan was more confident than ever. You had to keep him under control, or he would leave destruction and death in his wake, more than he already has. He would not stand for anyone getting in the way of Tanalorr and his mission to reshape the galaxy.

Rayvis teases Dagan. You soften the fallen Knight. You are a weakness to him, as he is yours. He may try to hide it as best as he can, but everyone can see it as clear as day - the longing of his eyes, the blue that softens whenever you enter a room or look at him.

Dagan will deny it, no matter how obvious it is. You once walk in on him Force-choking one of the raiders, who had been unlucky enough to be in earshot of Dagan while talking about his weakness, you.

"Dagan!" You stood, horrified at the scene. "Put him down!"

Dagan peered over his shoulder to look at you. The anger of his eyes faltered for a second.

"Leave." The raider was slammed against the wall, hands grasping at the invisible pressure on his throat. "Now. You shouldn't see this." The humming of his red blade was another proof of how far Dagan was willing to go.

He didn't listen to you. Not this time. The raider laid dead at his feet, and Dagan sheathed his lightsaber back onto his belt. He wrapped his arm around you, taking your lips in his again, and you found yourself complying, as you had many times before.

But something was heaving on his mind. Cal Kestis. He was intent on getting you back, as if you weren't as safe as you could be under Dagan's protection. You didn't want your friend to fall to his blade, but you knew what Dagan was capable of.

"He will try to take you from me. I won't lose you." Dagan whispered by your ear at night, his chest pressing onto your back. "I won't lose you the way I lost Tanalorr."

"You won't." You assured him, taking his hand and kissing his knuckles, his fingers, his palm. "I promise you."

Dagan nuzzled his face in your neck, "You are so beautiful. So very beautiful." He murmured against your skin. "Not even the moon could tear my eyes away from you."

You smiled, feeling his hold on your waist tighten. You had grown used to his Force presence, as it comforted you so many times before. It now felt warm and cozy, like a blanket being placed around you. Maybe a shield? No matter how you put it, it always made you feel like there was nothing that could stand in your way.

Dagan was right. The galaxy needed a new beginning, and you two were the right people for it. You trusted Dagan to settle things right.

Cal was an afterthought.

[visionsofmagic]

― ❀ ‹ little touches › ❀―

✧ pairing: cal kestis x f!reader

✵ summary: you and cal are sharing lots of touches that seem little to you in the first place but they begin to grow from just little to something more.

✧ wc: 5.6k

✵ warnings&tags: fluff to nsfw (minors dni!), (lots of) touches, kisses, friends to lovers, (kinda) slow burn, jedi!reader, force using/connections, some uncannon scenes (maybe?), oral (m receiving), fingering, licking, petnames/nicknames, sub!cal turning into dom!cal, chocking, praising, biting, nipple playing, & more in the story! enjoy <3

― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ― ❀ ―

  Cal Kestis. A name your mind have filled with after you two became close friends – closer than you thought from others’ eyes, especially Greez and Cere who were teasing you two frequently. Their teasing has grown after Nightsister Merrin joined to the team. Merrin had a straigthforward personality, making her speak whatever she was thinking that made you have respect for her bravety which was lack of you from your point of view because you would never tell how much you loved Cal, your best friend as he called when he introduced you to other people. Without having enough confident like Merrin did, you knew you wouldn’t tell Cal that you saw him more than just a friend but because of both your lack of confidence and fears about its consequences, such as losing him forever if he didn’t love you back.

Merrin always told you to speak with him but you could never. She was angry about it since Cal was the only one who could not see the love you has held for him while every other in the ship has acknowledged it. You didn’t blame Cal, no, he was so innocent to think about it, especially since his goal was something significant to look after, not paying attention to other things. 

But this secret of you never stopped you from, well, giving him little touches as you believed such as fixing his orange colored – looking so good hair after jumps, fights or travels around the galaxy. Fixing it, caressing it, allowing your hands to travel on the softness of his hair was something you liked to do and Cal never disturbed by it. He even liked to come to your side for you to fix his hair, giving you a blushed face for such innocent wish you accept gladly. 

Moreover, you could heal his wounds that happened on his arms or hands after a tough fight or event, simply bandaging them after cleaning which he would apricated and thanks again and again, giving cute smiles.

Other than these touches, you would touch his face from time to time, just for a few seconds that would be enough for you to become breathless for a moment. He has both a cute and handsome face – you always impressed from the way he looked, showing reflections of his pure and wonderful soul – heart. He was so cute – as you thought whenever you looked at him from far away or a closer view. 

So, yes, they were little touches, happened from time to time, naturally or sometimes willingly since you carved to touch him – to feel him. You wouldn’t say you were all innocent like him, no, you couldn’t hide the fact that how you wanted to touch him so closely, and him to touch you with his smooth palms. Marker, you even wished him to hold your face with his palms and kiss your lips – your face, and more, every part of your body. How shame of you – you would think after wishes that turned from innocent to naughty ones in time without your control. Your heart felt like it would explode soon enough because of the love and passion you felt for Cal. 

And one day – finally, it all turned upside down.

After his alone fight with Wyyyschokks on Kashyyyk – a group of huge spiders while seeking for supplies for the ship and the team, Cal got an injury on his chest as he informed you the moment he got into the ship and you gave him a “I missed you and I was so worried” type of hug. He gave a painful moan, feeling sharp feeling on his chest. 

You quickly stopped hugging him. You were worried about his health, so, you helped him to get inside of his personal room on the ship. After putting his body to the bed, leaving his arm on your shoulder slowly, you began to take some health supplies. 

“Are you okay?” You finally asked as he leaned a little towards the bed, putting his strength on one elbow while his other one stayed on his chest. “Your chest?” You asked again, gathering supplies, and finally coming to his side. “Is your chest hurting?”

The painful look on his face disappeared slowly, turning from painful to calm one. He opened his eyes that were closed because of the pain, “Yes but its feel better now. I think it was because of the impact of your hug.” 

“I am so sorry!” You said, feeling sad to give him pain. It wasn’t your intention really. You just missed him and after others left the ship for particular different reasons, you thought about Cal and you felt sorry to leave him alone but Cere needed assistance before going out as well. 

Standing in front of him, he smiled, “Not be sorry. It’s okay. I am glad to find a heart-warming welcome like always.” 

With a blushed face because of his compliment, you nodded, pointing to his chest, “You still need to be healed.” 

Looking at his chest, he nodded, “I don’t think it is something serious but okay.” 

Opening his legs wider, giving you enough space to get between them, not particularly paying attention to how it would make you two close to each other, Cal slowly removed his top, leaving you sight of his well built chest.

His hand stayed under his chin as he opened his chest to your bare eyes without thinking about it that much as you thought firstly, but, when you looked at his face as soon as you gathered enough confidence, redness on your face – you saw how his eyes weren’t looking at your face at all. He was looking at the door stayed on his right, having red cheeks, averting your gazes. 

As your anxiety felt down slowly thanks to seeing he was same as you, you smiled to yourself secretly – maybe for the first time, you wanted to be brave, brave enough to take a step closer for your relationship, getting his intentions; whether they were same as yours or not. 

You never touched his body’s special parts like his thighs, chest and well, cock. How only the thought of it made you weak on the knees. Taking deep but rapid breaths, your hands gently touches his wound that was just a thin cut, appearing to be a red mark on his chest that needed some cleaning, heal cream and bandaging.

Getting between his thick thighs, feeling hot with each second, you tried to calm down the air by asking, “How did you get this one?” Opening the medic box, you picked up a liquid that cleans heals wounds, you poured it on cotton. 

“What can I say?” Cal used his playful and childish tone while answering your question, “The danger finds me eventually as it seems.” 

Chuckling to his dumb looking face – cute at the same time as always, you said, “Or you find the danger, hm?” while kneeling closer to his chest and face, beginning to clean the wound rested below his built abdomen from up to down, making your hands’ tips touch his bare chest from time to time, giving you hard time to breath. And when you paid attention to Cal who didn’t respond you yet, you realized how unclear breaths – pitching irregularly. Also, his eyes were directed on your hands on his chest, not looking your face that looked at his expressions. 

Was it because of feeling someone closer after such a long time or simply, he found your touches – breath taking? – You asked to yourself as you cleaned it finally, putting down cotton on the box, ready to be thrown into garbage after finishing. Then, you picked a little box that had a grey cream on it to heal the wound more and permanently. 

Cal, who was silent surprisingly, was sitting in front of you so beautifully that you forgot your mission for a second. Both palms resting on his back – on the surface of the bed as he was leaning back, giving you an entire show without noticing, he looked so good. He was both had beauty and attractiveness. He was both cute and handsome – taking your breath away every time you looked at him. 

Then, his eyes looked at yours, so intense that your hand shook for a moment before you came to your senses, smiling nervously because of being caught by him while you clearly undressed him with your eyes only. Feeling so shy and some guilt, you tried to get rid of the awkwardness you two were holding with a funny memory, “I hope spiders doing okay though. They seemed to like you the last time you fell into their home.” 

You opened the box, taking some cream for your forefinger and middle one, you didn’t look up to his eyes but you could feel his piercing gazes that turned to soft ones. 

Childish as ever, he shrugged, “At least they didn’t eat me for a welcome party, huh?” 

“Yeah.” You just said, not paying attention to his reply since your fingers were burning like hell now due to touching his skin directly while wiping the cream on the wound. 

He was warm – even hot. He felt – good. It felt so good to touching him from this close and directly. You began to feel guilt as you remembered your mission; healing him, not being greedy for more. No, you shouldn’t be in a situation that you wanted to sit on his lap, touching his chest entirely, moving from his upper body to lower one – lower enough to turn this whole situation from innocent one to a sin. 

Taking heavy breaths, you stopped wiping the cream the moment Cal’s hand found its way on your wrist, holding it firmly but gently at the same time. However, you couldn’t help jump in surprise, not waiting him to touch you like this. He clearly wanted to say something to you. 

Looking at his green eyes that felt darker than before in terms of the color, you waited for him to began but he didn’t. Instead saying something, he just looked at you intensely and directly, making you having irregular breaths once again. 

“Did I hurt you?” You asked, only question came to your mind that seemed logical. 

He shook his head negatively, holding you still but now, caressing the skin he was holding, making you look at his hand and to his face again, trying to understand what he was thinking but you never good at reading minds of others. The gift you held as a Jedi was to enter deep down to their emotions which was something helped you to understand Cal more. 

So, you were going to close your eyes for a second to reach his deep feelings and intentions from there just to get a slight understanding of his behaviors, but, he stopped you from doing that by saying, “Do you the time we decided to open ourselves to each other, completely?” 

Remembering that moment very well, you nodded. He was referring the time you both decided to open your forces to each other, letting other to feel other’s force, giving permission to special part of being a Jedi. It really helped your friendship grew bigger and further because you could try to reach each other’s forces whenever you felt sorrow, pain, lost or happy – like all the emotions you felt so high from time to time. It also helped you to get used to this life, feeling one another, not feeling alone but safe and sound in each other’s company. 

But you never tried to access more of his intentions about you, having fear of seeing a fact that he didn’t like you back – he just saw you as a friend, nothing more. In return, Cal promised you to not trying to discover the secrets you were holding deep down on his own, instead, he wanted to wait for you to open to him, willingly. What a good soul he had, as you realized once again. 

“What about it?” You asked to him, curious as ever. 

“I promised you that I will not try to reach deep down to your feelings but –“ He stopped for a second, looking anywhere except your eyes. “I – I think they happened to be opened as their own.” His shutter made you understand what he was saying after a while. 

Finally understanding what he was referring to, you looked at his blushed face both because of guilt and excitement, sending his feelings thorough the force you two opened without any control of your mind. He was feeling – happy? 

“You are saying that you saw – my feelings?” 

He nodded, averting your gazes still. “They were so – loud. I am sorry, I really am. I didn’t mean to –“ 

He stopped talking when your free left hand touched his chest again, the parts that were undamaged. He looked at you in shock like the one you felt before. 

“I –“ He tried to say but you stopped.

“Cal,” You said, sounding so calm contrary to the explosions you held on your inner chest. “Yours are too loud like mine. And since I am feeling sensitive jedi – I can’t help but feel them as well.” 

“Oh –“ It was the only thing Cal said before lowering his head down because of shyness he was feeling now. 

Not believing what was happening entirely, not ready to acknowledge them yet, you began to act according to the feelings and instincts you were holding deep down which were known Cal even if you held them as secrets ‘till this day. When he firstly pointed out them, you felt so lost – so lost that you could leave him like this, escaping from the room, ship and even the planet. However, all the bad emotions disappeared when you felt his own secrets – shy, happy and at the same time, lovely and passionate because of you – and your touches. He was feeling as the same way like you did – he had same love and desire! 

Was this all a dream? – You asked to yourself. Maybe it was, but it was the most magnificent one you had, so, even if it felt like a dream, you knew it was real and in the end, you were ready to take actions. 

Bravery and confident came back into life thanks to Cal and you were going to show your gratitude to him for this. 

So, you put your hand under his chin, lifting his head, seeing so many sparkles traveling on his green and beautiful eyes. Smiling him, you decided what you wanted to do – something you wanted to do for a long – long time. Finally, you knelt down closer, took a deep breath and connected your lips with his soft ones that felt like heaven itself.

Your eyes closed by their own, a huge explosion occurred on your chest, happiness and peace appeared as well as desire and affection with love – pure love. 

His soft lips felt like heaven – so smooth and kissable. Through the force, you opened your deep feelings for him to see his affects on you as well yours on him which were quite visible after the kiss started. He was shaking a little firstly; then, he gained more confidence, putting his hands on your waist, making you come closer, sitting on his thighs while resting your knees on each side of his thighs. 

Lifting his head higher to reach you more, beginning to use his tongue shyly but proudly now, Cal made you moan as he helped you to sit down onto his now hardened cock you could feel from your clothed pussy. It was so hot under there, sending little jolts to your core without being naked. How could he would feel if there was not any clothes? – You thought when Cal left your lips – messy as ever, only to begin kiss, lick and bite your neck, earning lots of low moans from you. 

“Cal –“ You tried to say between his heavy kisses. Your hands began to travel on his body shamelessly, exploring the parts you never had chance to touch so closely – intensely and freely. This time, you didn’t have to hold yourself back, no, you could feel him entirely. He send relaxing feelings by using force, trying to tell you that it was okay for you to touch him – he needed it like you did, so, you didn’t wait a second, lifting his shirt completely, leaving his upper body naked. 

Thanks to practices he was doing and other things, his body was built powerful, contrast to his childish face which could turn into a hot mess whenever he wanted. 

Putting your hands on his neck, argue to touch him from head to toe made your mind go dizzy. Trusting to your inner wishes, your hands started moving without any control of your brain, feeling his delicate skin under the tips of your fingers, closing eyes, his hot breaths under your ear, neck full of love kisses turning into nasty ones, two heart beating so fast, power of force pulling you two together. 

Cal left your neck, looking at your half-closed eyes, then to your hands on his body, he smiled, kissing your lips again before saying, “Hey, look at me.” Listening his wish, you opened your eyes completely, seeing how his warmness hitting his own face and body. “Do you want to stop here or –“ 

“No!” You said suddenly. Realizing it, you blushed, looking at him shyly, “I want more. I want to feel more – “ You took a deep breath, “If you want it to as well.” 

Smiling widely, Cal said, “Yeah.” Reflecting your actions, he began to touch your neck, moving from there to chest, then, reaching your clothed breasts and hardened nipples through the tiny fabric of your top, he made you moan louder than before, making your back arching in pleasure. “I would like that too.” 

Heavy breaths’ coming out of you two were filling the room, giving clues of unholy things you would commit from now on. Feeling his both palms on your breasts, you closed your eyes after pulling Cal’s hair a little to take his attention, “More Cal.” You said, “I want your mouth too and that tongue of yours.” 

Smirking, no more shyness he held before, he nodded, helping you to remove your top, leaving your exposed chest to his hungry gazes, he took one of your nipples inside his mouth after saying, “Gladly.” 

Closing your eyes, throwing your head a little to back, you felt how his tongue traveled on your nipples from right to left, how his palms captured your breasts to play with them like the way he wanted – he was so good making you feel euphoria. Wanting him to show your gratitude, you decided to touch him more after he spent some time with your breasts. 

As he bit one of your nipples’ slightly, you moaned and pulled his hair, making him leave your chest alone as he looked up, a few salvias on his open mouth, red cheeks, sparkling on his eyes, he looked like an angel even if in a situation like this. Your hand on his hair, pulling it time to time, you smiled, “Look at how messy you are.” Caressing his cheek, knowing very well how he turned on right now after seeing you being bossy over him, you said, “But you need to be touched too, right, Cal?” Gripping his clothed and hardened cock in a fast action, you made him close his eyes with the effect of grip, leaving a low moan. Caressing his cock, you said, “Will you be a good boy and let me make you feel good, hm?” 

Unzipping his pants, you took out his cock from his boxer, making it meet with the cold air of the room for a second before holding it entirely with your two palms, making force flow coming from Cal stopping only to moving rapidly to reach yours. 

“Will you be my good boy Cal?”

“Yes!” He said, low but sharp voice coming out of him, “Please.”

And there he was – submissive for the first time, just for you. How cute. 

Without waiting any longer, you got up from his lap, sitting down on the ground between his thick thighs, putting your knees on the cold surface; you looked at Cal who was waiting for you to make a move for his aching cock, needy, looking at you with half-closed eyes. 

Smiling him to make him relax, you didn’t leave his gaze even when you began to lick his tip, feeling his pre-cum’s taste. Moving from his tip to lower, licking all the way down to his balls, you witnessed how Cal closed his eyes, throwing his head back while his shaking hands stayed on the surface of the bed behind him.

Closing yours too, you only focused on his touch-starved cock, leaving your tongue and mouth taste him, taking it into as possible as you can, earning new moans from Cal who was enjoying this as well as you did. Making him feel good like this was a reward for you which no one could give but him. 

Trying to take him further into your warm mouth, you nearly began to choke on his thick cock while your fingers working on his balls. That made Cal open his eyes, kneeling down to you, starting to caress your hair, putting some of them behind your ears to see you with a better view. He was looking bossy now, not you. He wasn’t that submissive. Contrary to that, he really looked he was in charge and your assumption happened to be correct when you felt him pulling the back hair of yours like you did to him. 

“Oh, Y/n,” He said, sharply, “I really liked to be a good boy but how about you become a good girl and take it all?” He smirked, “Hm?” Mocking you a little, he didn’t wait for your answer because he already knew even before asking – he knew how you both enjoyed him being submissive to you and bossy. 

He held you from the hair, taking your own control of will, starting using your mouth like a toy, making it going in and out rapidly on his cock as you began to choke real this time. 

Then, his free hand found one of your nipples, twisting it a few times like how you was being breathless because of his cock coming in and out of your wide open mouth roughly, a messy hair completed with tearful eyes. 

Both his hand on your nipple and his cock on your mouth which he would take out only to slap your face with it, saying things made your thighs crashed into each other with pure lust and high, he took a mess out of you. “You have no idea how beautiful you look right now.” Moaning, he added, “You don’t know how I wished to see you like this for a long time, ugh,” He touched your cheek, “C’mon, be a good girl and make me cum. Yeah?” 

Nodding to him, you put your hands the places your mouth couldn’t reach. Adding the tongue along with them, you earned a loud moan out of Cal who didn’t last so long and cum all of your mouth, “I’m cumming!”

He left your mouth freely when you shallowed all of his cum, messy but happy, you looked at his proud face. 

“My good girl.” Oh, how only his words could make you come. If he would keep up with using that nickname, you would cum all over to the floor underneath you. “You did a really good job.” 

“T-thanks.” You said, not that confident or bossy. He smirked more to your pathetic situation. Then, he put his hands on your waists, helping you to get up from the floor with shaking legs and reddened knees. 

“Oh, my beautiful Y/n, come here.” He put down your body onto his bed, covering yours while his taller and stronger one as he got top of you, giving messages to your painful knees. “Don’t worry,” He kissed your face again and again, gently – childishly, “I will make you forget the pain. I will make you forget the entire galaxy. Just say the word.” He kissed you once again, “Will you say the word my love?” 

His nicknames of you were going further – closer in a beautiful way and you knew how he could feel each of their effect on your body, inside and outside which was making him say more things to you. He liked his own effects on you and he was going to gain all the things you would offer to him, even those which you could not imagine of having. 

“Please, Cal,” You gave him what he wanted, ready to have him. “I want you – I need you.” 

“What you need me for, Y/n?” That dummy! He was so cocky, so much but you liked it like the rest of his features. 

“I need you to fuck me, Cal, please!” You could wait longer but needy part of you wasn’t patient, not anymore, especially after he was being all cocky and bossy yet again. 

“Then, I will give what my good girl needs, gladly.”

He removed both your pants and underwear which he looked for a moment and smirking to your choosing of color, pink, he left you all naked. After spending some time to admire every feature of you from head to toe, he said, “You are so beautiful in every way. My dreams could never.” Blushing, you smiled happily. Hearing his praises on your body boosted your self-esteem. He was still so sensitive towards you, not wanting you to get sad. 

Lastly, he too removed his pants and boxer. Naked in front of you as some pink color appeared on his cheek. You chuckled, touching to his back as he knelt down again, hovering on top of you. You said honestly, “You are both a beautiful and handsome boy, Cal. I can not imagine any other living being having this beauty.” 

“Well, I like to be called as handsome from you again and again if you would say it in that way, my love.” He chuckled. 

Not waiting longer, he let in his two fingers at once inside your tight aching pussy, leaving you nothing but only scream his name because of the way he began to use his fingers and speed of them that you didn’t expect him to be that – rough. 

Cal who was afraid to hurt even a flower, avoiding his feet to crash them, turned into that something you could not ever dream about. He always treated you such a wonderful lady, giving you little gifts and hugs, fearing to hurt you in any way. However, now he was different than that, yes, indeed his that side was still there, kissing you gently and saying good things as his long fingers disappeared inside your walls, fucking you with them roughly. You liked every side of him in the end because he was all yours – both a gentleman who treat you like a lady and a cocky boy who liked to make your mind go all dizzy. 

“Cal!” You moaned again as his speeded up fingers which were three now and tongue on everywhere of your laying body made you cum hard and strong for the first time of your life – your fingers could never. 

Chuckling to your pathetic form, Cal held your face, making you look at his dark green eyes, sparkles moving inside, showing how he enjoyed watching you like that, under him. His fingers covered with your juicy appeared just to disappear again in his mouth. While Cal was licking remaining juicy of you, you moaned at the sight of it. He was going to be your death – oh how beautiful and magical boy he was, looking wonderful, your cum on his lips. 

Then, he kissed you, leaving your juicy transferring from his lips to yours. Using his tongue after you left a moan when you felt his cock’s tip entering you slowly. “Cal –“ You were breathless maybe for a hundredth time in this day. 

He didn’t respond or say anytthing. He left his actions and force do their job to give you something.

Entering as enough as he could get, finally, he waited for a while for you to adjust his length and thickness. Nodding to him for inform that you were ready, he kissed your cheeks, then your nose and finally, lips, putting both of his hands under your head, close, he smiled, “Just relax. You only will feel me. Nothing more. Ready?” 

Nodding him again, you hugged him from his neck and back, closing your eyes, you took all of he began to give you with devilish moans and screams both his names and other things your ear could not hear no more. 

Thrusts of his wondrous cock giving your pussy turned from slow and deep to rough and fast. He speeded up, going in and out fast enough to make you wonder how his stamina was that powerful and high. As his thrusts didn’t stop their strength and pace, Cal took your thigh, helping you two put your legs on his back to leave him more space to fuck your used pussy – further and deeper. 

“Cal!” His name was only thing your mind comprehend and going out of your mouth that kissed by him from moment to moment while he kept fucking you so senseless.

You could feel burning sensation inside your thighs, his balls hitting your ass cheeks strongly, making your body jump with each thrust, giving a climax you never tasted before in your entire life – which you would want over and over again after this. 

“Cum, Y/n,” Cal said between his heavy breaths, sweats flowing from his forehead to his face, showing how fast he was – how rough he was. “Cum all over my cock. C’mon,” He added after looking at your bouncing boobs because of impact of him and his cock buried deep inside your walls which were hugging him from time to time, alerting that you were close to leave another climax – powerful than the first one. “Feed me with your juicy and I will feed you with mine.” 

Adding some speed up which you never expected made your stomach turn upside down as your climax was ready for you to leave. And the last thing that made it reach to the higher point was Cal’s deep voice on your ear mixing with his hot breaths. “Cum, my beautiful love.” 

Moaning, your nails scratched his back harshly, earning a ground from Cal, you cum.

As your juicy flowed onto his cock and bed under your naked bodies – full of sweats, redness and lustful hotness, you moaned his name for the last time before nearly fainting thanks to Cal’s on-going thrusts. 

He looked like he was close to cum either, so, looking at him, you found last remaining of your power, touching his face with your hands while using force to reach deep down of him, reflecting what he did to make you cum, you smiled lightly, “Come inside me, Cal. Please. I need you.” Kissing his parted lips, you added, helpding Cal reaching to the end, “Fill me up, my love.” 

Groaning, Cal listened your wish – the one he wanted so badly too but never had courage to ask you. He cum inside – hard and a lot, filling you up 

You both waited ‘till your breaths slowed down, enough to take another actions, Cal left a kiss to your lips, then, he slowly came out of you, making his cum flowing from your pussy to the bed. He watched it for a while, feeling wonderful at the sight of it. 

When he had enough, he took his part beside you on the bed to rest for a bit before a shower. 

He put his arm for you to put your head on. Approaching him, you took his hair in front of his forehead, looking at his dumb looking face – full of smiles, you said, “Cal, I –“ 

“I know.” He said, not wanting you to continue. Feelings were enough for this moment – no word needed as he thought but you were going to say it anyway because you waited for so – so long for this to happen. 

“I love you, Cal. I really do.”

“I know,” He said once again, kissing your nose. “I love you too, Y/n, with all of my heart and soul."

Putting his free hand on air, he waited you to connect yours with his. As you gladly connected them together, both holding each other’s hands tightly, you smiled. Without saying a thing, you exchanged gazes with deep meanings behind them, kissing each other gently and shyly from here and there. You stayed a few minutes like that, not minding your cums or sweats. 

But when you felt aching on your pussy, you called him. “Cal?”

“Yeah?” He asked, still watching your cute face in pure affection and admiration.

“Would you like to take a bath with me?” 

He smirked, “Oh Marker, how it comes like a melody from your lips when you are asking me something I wanted for such a long time.” He nodded, “Of course, my good girl. I would like to do everything with you.” 

Chuckling with a blushed face, you watched him to get up from the bed, “Including cleaning the ship with me?”

He put his hands on your back and under knees, picking up your body from bed, making you rise on air. You hugged him from his neck, trusting his strength as he made your way into the bath, “Well, maybe we should talk about that ‘everything’ part, huh?” 

What a childish boy he was who you liked the most.

the end. 🌶️

[novaonhere]

A Future, A Home

Relationship: Cal Kestis x f!reader

Summary: You, Cal, and the crew on the Mantis are about to leave Jedah to go to Koboh after figuring out about the last intact compass. Cere asks you to stay and help with the archives. You both wake up and have a rough time leaving each other.

Word Count: 870

Warnings: Cal leaving again 😭 how dare, cute BD alarm clock

A/N: I can’t get over all the custom features Survivor offers like omggggggg the stubble???

Prompt: “You’ll stay, this time, right? You won’t go off again. You won’t disappear.”

(gif not mine)

————————————————————————

The small window in the corner of the room shines just enough light on your eyes. You slowly blink, groggy from starting to wake up. The room is cool, unlike the vast landscape outside. The dark orange-brown rock around you creates a pleasant cave sensation, protecting you from the outside world. A pair of freckles hands wrap around your waist, pulling you in. You smile softly, knowing your partner is still fast asleep, in his own little world.

You don’t mind, actually, you’re more than happy he is sleeping so soundly. You know for a fact his bed on the Mantis is rock hard and he can barley sleep anyway with so much turbulence and rocking about. With the “go-go-go” mentality, he can never bring himself to even sit down at times. The fact that he asked you to bed first was shocking, but you were extremely glad to show him to your room, where he instantly laid down on the fluffy sheets and knocked out.

The memory made you smile. While you’ve been on Jedah with Cere and Merrin, you’ve just now learned what Cal has been up to the past few months. You take your hand and stroke his arm, tracing each freckle like a game of connect the dots.

Missing him would be an understatement. In this world, your kind were being hunted constantly. Jedis needed to be eliminated, according to the Empire. You’ve spent your lives running, fighting, looking past your shoulders. To experience pure bliss and safety in each others arms was a luxury, a luxury you never wanted to let go of.

Cal shifted in his sleep, gripping onto you tighter. You chuckled, letting your eyes slowly blink back to rest.

BD-1 chirps at the door, acting as your own personal alarm clock. Sighing, you slink out of your boyfriend’s embrace, who grumbles in protest. You open the door a crack, crouching down to the adorable droid, cocking his head up at you.

“Good morning, buddy.” You smile, the droid bouncing with joy. “We’ll be out in a few, I’ll send Cal to the Mantis straight away. Meet him there?” With that, BD-1 scampers away.

“Five more minutes,” Cal complains, Force grabbing your pillow and sending it your way. On instinct, you catch the pillow, a sad smile on your face as you close the door.

You slowly make your way towards the bed, sitting down besides his curled up frame. He looks peaceful, being able to not worry and rest. You know once he wakes up fully, the worry and anxiety of the day will come crashing. His hand reaches out to yours, interlocking your fingers together as he straightens up.

“Good morning,” You smile. Cal reciprocates, bringing your hands up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on your knuckles.

“You looked so peaceful,” He smile, brushing a strand of red hair away from his eyes. “I wish you could…” You trail off as he starts to shift, moving his legs off the bed. You stand, making room for him to get up. He sits next to you, placing a kiss to your temple. You faintly smile, worry still painted on your face.

“After all of this…” You start.

“We’ll have Tanalorr, (Y/N). A place where we can sleep next to one another every night.” He states, sounding leveled headed and very much like he rehearsed that statement. You nod, watching him slip on his everyday clothes, freshly washed thanks to the kind droids helping out with the Hidden Path.

“But you’ve never known that. Who says you’ll stay? You’ll stay, this time, right? You won’t go off again. You won’t disappear, right?” Your worries and doubts melt from your mouth. You were ready to settle and help out with those you can. After traveling with Cal and the Mantis for years, it became too much. Cere asked for you to aid her in helping with the Hidden Path, which was definitely more your style.

“(Y/N)…” Cal breathes out, slipping his saber to his side. He turns around, facing your concerned face. “This is it. My last fight for now. Of course we will help those and train those who want to go back out and fight. But my job will to be protect and teach.” He walks up to you, taking your hands into his freckled ones. He places a sweet, gentle kiss to your cheek. “We’re so close, and I’ll come back to you. Every time.”

“A Future.” You smile.

“A Home.” He grins.

You look up into his eyes, shinning, knowing his said his truth. You smile, pecking him on the lips. He reaches his hand behind your head, pulling you back in for a longer, much needed, kiss. You grasp onto his collar, wanting to hold yourself there for as long as possible. Unfortunately, he just had to pull away, giving you a goofy smile.

“Go kick ass, Cal Kestis.” You smile, letting go of his hands. He chuckles, making his way towards the door.

“Anything to come back to you.” He responds, smiling over his shoulder. With that, he leaves you in your room. The sun coming from that small window now blinds you.

[multifandom-simp-page]

An Elevator of All Places

Pairing: Cal Kestis x GN!Reader

Word count: 1.1k

Summary/Request: Based on this request

I think this is gender neutral? Please let me know if it’s mistagged

There is a mention of killing, violence, and yk general empire shinanigans. Please let me know if there's anything I missed!

You shivered, “Ugh I hate Imp bases” You groaned as you followed BD and cal through the dark hallways of the base, your lightsabre gripped in your palm as you kept alert for any stray stormtroopers wandering around. 

The slight click of your boots made you jump every so often, on edge and exhausted as you spent the past few days going out nonstop with Cal. Leaving early in the morning and not returning till long past even your crewmates retired to bed. 

Cal had noticed your recent fatigue and promised today would be the last day before you both took a few days off, catching up on some much needed rest and proper cuddles. You suddenly stumbled as your eyes drooped, tripping over your own foot. 

Cal was quick to look over his shoulder as you tumbled to the ground. Pain shooting up your thighs as your knees hit the cold metal of the hallway floor. You groaned as you braced yourself with your hands, hearing the clattering of your lightsabre as it slid across the floor and feeling Cal’s gloved hand grip your shoulder. 

He immediately jumped to check you for injuries as you rocked mack to sit on your heels, “I'm fine Cal, just took a tumble that's all” You assured as you spoke softly, watching his brows furrow in worry. 

“Are you sure? You can barely keep your eyes open…” His tone was laced with worry as his other hand came up to your face, his thumb swiping under your eye, where you knew deep eyebags were sunken and dark in color. 

“I'm just a bit tired, lets's finish clearing the base and just get out of here okay? Merrin promised to make dinner and I can’t wait to see what she cooks up” You gave a light chuckle at the end of your sentence, assuring your very worried Jedi boyfriend that you were okay. 

You knew he didn’t quite believe you but he smiled and helped you off the floor anyway, BD crawling off his shoulder as he stood, opting to run a bit further down the hall. You brushed off your pants and summoned your lightsabre to you, continuing through the base. 

-

After another hour or so you and Cal had finally made it back to the exit, only running into two groups of stormtroopers, and some droids. Now you were both making a beeline for the exit with a purge trooper hot on your heels. BD had quickly run out of stims between the two of you and Cal decided he’d rather not risk either of you coming out of it any more banged up than you already were, thus deciding to hightail it out of the base for the time being. 

You didn’t know the extent of his injuries but you were sure they were worse than yours. He had taken the brunt of the blows for you, seeing as the fatigue of your recent journeys was hitting harder on you than it was on him. 

You were racing ahead down the hallway with BD on you shoulder to get the service elevator while Cal staggered behind, trying to keep the Purge trooper occupied with a blaster you had picked up off of one of the troopers you killed. 

Adreniline was pumping through your veins as you rushed to the operating pad, allowing BD to jump off your shoulder and start tinkering with it to call the elevator. Your head whipped around to see Cal rounding the corner at mock speed, his eyes wild as he sprinted towards you. As you turned your head back to BD to see the progress, the corner of your eye caught a glimpse of black and purple rounding the corner after him. 

“How much longer BD?” You shouted as you heard the furious thudding of boots approaching. BD didn’t answer as the doors opened with a ding. BD quickly scampered inside and you stepped in placing your had on the door to hold them open, turning to see your companion closing in on the elevator. 

Your heart dropped as you saw the purge trooper dangerously close behind Cal, you bit the inside of your cheek as gauged the distance Cal had and your chest tightened at your realization. He had a good fifteen feet before he would be in the clear, you could see the way his chest heaved and you knew with the way the purge trooper was gaining on Cal that he wouldn’t make it. 

You moved to step out of the elevator to help Cal but winced and clutched your side, where a storm trooper had nicked you in the side with their blaster. You looked at Cal and outstretched your hand, using the force to pull the blaster from his grip and bring it to you. 

Once the blaster reached your hands you wasted no time using it to shoot at the purge trooper beind Cal, and barely moved quick enough for him to get in the elevator, and usher BD to close the doors. 

The last thing you saw as the elevator doors sealed was the Purge trooper slashing their staff across them, leaving a red mark streaking across the doors. You sighed and slumped down against the side of the elevator next to Cal. Leaning your head against his shoulder and clasping his hand in yours.

He gave your hand a gentle squeeze and kissed the crown of your head, chuckling as BD settled into your lap. “Thanks for the save, that was a close one,” He said lightheartedly as you hummed, you eyes falling shut. 

The gentle hum and passing lights of the elevator came to a jolting stop and the scraping of metal wretched your ears. Cal shifted and BD jumped up, tinkering with the command board. He beeped and you groaned, “Great, now were stuck, and in an elevator of all places” you grumbled and curled into Cal’s side. 

He simply chuckles “Yeah, yeah. Just rest a bit for now, me and BD will fix it and ill wake you up when were ready to head back to the Mantis” He said and you made a noise of agreement, your body ached and your head was pounding. A nap sounded just right. 

- The next morning you awoke to find yourself in your and Cal’s shared courters, your wounds delicately bandaged and your clothes changed to something comfy. You smiled and curled back into Cal, who was laying next to you in a similar state, ‘Of course he carried you back’ You rolled your eyes internally but couldn’t help the smile that was plastered on your face.

-

This was a fun little drabble! I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the request, I did take my own creative liberty with it and I think it turned out super good!

[lesbian-cal-kestis]

it's all downhill from here (in the outer nowhere)

Summary: Cal Kestis is reminded of his past, causing havoc while trapped in a memory he will never forget. Title from Bleed Me an Ocean by Acid Bath.

Warning/s: Minor Character Death

Pairing: Merrin/Cal

Characters: Cal Kestis, Nightsister Merrin, Greez Dritus, BD-1, Kata Akuna (mentioned), Prauf (mentioned), Jaro Tapal (mentioned), Original Character/s

Additional tags: Cal Kestis needs a hug, he doesn't get one, canon-typical violence, angst, hurt no comfort, okay maybe there's a little comfort, post-Jedi: Survivor, Planet Jakku (Star Wars), panic attack, dismemberment (brief mention), Cal needs to understand that avoiding his problems is not a substitute for therapy, flashbacks, Order 66 (Star Wars), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD

Language: English

Word count: 3.1k

Cal Kestis was by no means a lucky man. 

Three of the previous missions he embarked on had gone sour, the Empire somehow finding him at every turn; he didn’t doubt this mission would be any different. Time and time again, the people he tried to help would be killed or captured or maimed or-

“Kid, grab some seat! We’re coming in on Jakku - lots of Imperial chatter going on there…” His pilot, the vertically-challenged hairball he’d been venturing with for most of his adult life, announced over the ship's communications system. 

Cal inhaled shakily, wrapping his hands around his lightsaber and fighting the urge to sense the few echoes he had not seen. Imps were never a good sign, but the young man could only hope the force would fulfil his request for a peaceful rescue just this once. 

The hyperspace travel time was long enough for Cal to familiarise himself with the Hidden Path’s target; an Abednedo male, relatively tall with a solid build, who had an impressive collection of communication codes stored in his safehouse. The codes also contained locations of hidden refugees throughout the galaxy, all hiding from the Empire for one reason or another, and the Path was bent on assisting them no matter the cost.

Cal jogged into the Stinger Mantis’ cockpit, sitting in the co-pilot’s chair - his rightful spot, now that Cere was gone. He looked back towards the cockpit section that allowed the Mantis to track communications from external channels, eyeing Merrin in her position, her eyes firm on the console. Her hair was tied up in a style that Cal adored - A neat bun with a few stray hairs that weren’t long enough to be tied up hanging down, framing her face beautifully. He couldn’t get over how gorgeous she was. 

He then looked to his left, opposite where the Nightsister was seated, and let his gaze rest softly on Kata. It was hard for him to believe how much she had grown and matured, even with her father's absence. She may not have been force-sensitive, but she made up for her lack of abilities with “space magic” - a term that Merrin laughed at - with her capabilities in marksmanship. 

“Cal, you are staring.” Merrin pointed out, her voice sending a wave of warmth throughout Cal’s body, her soft tone putting a slight smile on his face. 

Turning back to look out through the windshields at the barren planet below, Cal noted the Star Destroyers that weren’t far off from them; far enough away not to notice them, but relatively close to their mark. The planet reminded him of Jedha, with plenty of ancient sites burrowed beneath the sand, grasping at the force for somebody to tell their story to. 

Not today, Cal thought. I have somebody to meet. 

Descending into the atmosphere of Jakku, the city of Reetskii grew as they flew across the horizon. The Mantis crew marvelled at the structures they flew past, watching the sands of time move with the winds the ship created as it sped through, eager to find the Abednedo. 

There were few landing bays in the near-forgotten city, but it made sense to have less than 10 areas for spacecraft. Reetskii roughly translated to “the leftovers” in Galactic Basic Standard, having no minerals or ores to mine, and barely enough agricultural facilities to support the settlement - the perfect place to hide away from the Empire. 

Though, not perfect enough, it seemed. 

Upon docking, Cal eyed a stormtrooper squad, their armour gleaming harshly in the Jakkuvian sunlight. It was almost blinding, and had Cal not turned around, he was sure he would have had colourful spots dancing in his eyes from the glint. The Abednedo’s hideout was visible from the landing pad the Mantis was stationed on, his purple skin only just noticeable through a gap in the door. 

“You guys see that?” Cal asked, kneeling behind the ship’s controls to remove himself from the trooper’s field of view. “Small batch of troopers right near the hideout. Do you think they found out about the codes?”

“No,” Merrin replied, squinting to get a better look at the area around their mark. “I do not think they did. The Abednedo is still alive, his body would be dumped outside the building and covered in scorch marks if they knew of the codes.”

“They might want him alive.”

“They do not.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because, Kestis. They have no reason to take him alive.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do, actually”

“Well if you know so karking much why don’t you just-”

Greez cleared his throat, eyes darting nervously between Cal and Merrin. The Latero knew things had been on edge for them lately, and stars knows what caused it, but they had a mission to focus on. Bickering like an old married couple was helping nobody. 

Rolling his eyes and standing from his crouched position, Cal put his arm out to the ship's console, BD-1 taking his place on his shoulder. 

The clock was ticking, and minute by minute the deadline to retrieve the codes was drawing closer. 

Exiting the Mantis to set foot on the dusty walkway of the landing bay, Cal walked with purpose towards the Abednedo’s residence, his gaze flittering around between multiple threats he took mental note of. Funny, he thought, we’ve been communicating with this guy for three cycles and we still don’t know his name. And it was true; the Abednedo was nameless thus far, merely being referred to as “the Jakku contact”. It made Cal feel uneasy, not being able to put a name to the face - it allowed his mind to wander too far, likening the Abednedo to… him. 

Pulling up the hood of his lightweight poncho, Cal continued to close the gap between him and the building the contact was located in, BD letting out a string of beeps and trills. 

There’s a lot of Imperials around here, the droid noted, Merrin might’ve been wrong. 

Oh, how Cal loved it when his little companion took his side during his and Merrin’s spats - it made him feel less lonely in the world. The boy let out a slight chuckle, more a huff of laughter than anything, and strode closer to the door that held the codes. His gait remained confident, to not give away his anxiousness about the entire situation. The force signatures that resided within Reetskii were ill at ease, almost screaming to Cal that something was wrong.

He ignored them. 

Knocking on the door of the hideout, Cal rocked gently on his feet, energy buzzing around him. A small security hatch opened, with a singular eye visible through it - the eye was waiting for a password.  

“Tanalorr welcomes you,” the redhead muttered loud enough for the individual behind the door to hear him. He picked up on the sound of a complex locking mechanism opening, the door sliding open just enough for him to squeeze through. Cal jumped as a large hand rested on his shoulder, his gaze rising to look at the being before him. 

Prauf-

“I got to give you the codes now, kid. Don’t know if you noticed, but the Imps are sniffing around like starved tooka-cats,” the purple-hued brown-skinned humanoid stated, his mahogany eyes trained on Cal, alerting him to the urgency of this task - but Cal couldn’t look away. He couldn’t move. 

Cal knew that he would struggle with this mission before the Mantis entered its two-day-long hyperspace journey to Jakku. He didn’t think he’d freeze up under the watchful eye of an Abednedo that was the spitting image of the second person in Cal’s life to sacrifice their existence so his could continue. Eyes beginning to well with tears that would forever remain unshed, the boy shook his head lightly to bring himself out of his catatonic state. 

“Yeah, yeah, the uh- the codes, right,” he stuttered, grabbing the data disk that contained the valuable information from the Abednedo’s outstretched hand (when had he outstretched his hand?), offering it to BD-1 for safekeeping. “Are you coming with us? There’s plenty of space on the Mantis -  the Hidden Path could use somebody as versatile as you,” he questioned, instilling his tone with a kind of curiosity he could not will himself to truly feel at the current point in time, his mind digging memories to the surface that he would prefer to have stayed buried. 

“That’s the plan, kid,” the contact replied, grabbing a small bag of supplies from a hook behind him. He was dressed casually, with clothing that would keep his large form cool in the desert heat. Cautiously stepping out from the hideout, the Abednedo took a wary glance around, ensuring the stormtroopers wouldn’t notice their hasty departure. 

The Abednedo signalled for Cal to follow him, so he did. Weaving through relatively small alleyways and passing by market stalls, it was evident that the red-haired human was being led a backway to the Mantis’ location. 

They couldn’t be more than twenty paces from docking bays when Cal heard it- the unmistakable shout of a stormtrooper alerting his peers to an individual running around with a lightsaber on his belt. There was no star system in which this could be good for them. 

“You! Stop right where you are, in the name of the Empire!” The trooper shouted, his blaster aimed directly at Cal’s heart. Looking back to the Abednedo, who already had his palms raised in surrender, he knew a split-second decision had to be made. 

Reaching slowly for his lightsaber, the trooper stalked closer to the unlikely pair - perhaps not all that unlikely on Jakku, but still unlikely - barking orders at Cal to not do what he was thinking of doing. Hearing the plastoid dog alerting the rest of his squad to the presence of the Jedi, he knew it was too late to stop what was happening. Blaster bolts began racing towards Cal and the contact, being easily reflected by the Jedi’s brilliant orange ‘saber, its glow matching that of the desert sunset that was encroaching on the horizon. 

The death of the reporting trooper seemed to summon two, three, ten more in front of the two men, most wielding blasters with a few baton-wielding hounds accompanying them. If he were on his own, this group would be easy to dispatch. With an ally in tow, however - not so easy. He would have to keep note of any stray blaster bolts, fired or reflected. He’d have to take note of who the baton wielders were targeting, he’d have to-

The hum of a crimson lightsaber. A scream so primal that it reawakened the abilities of the force that the padawan had lost during the purge. The unmistakable thump of a body hitting the ground.

Except this time, it wasn’t a lightsaber. It wasn’t a scream. It was a shout of surprise, and a body hitting the ground. A body hit the ground. It hit the ground, it hit the ground, it hit the-

An electrified prod woke Cal from his panic, reminding him he was still in a fight. Reminding him he wasn’t on Bracca, he wasn’t being stared down by Inquisitors as he helplessly watched his best friend be murdered in cold blood. He was on Jakku. He was on Jakku, gathering contact codes for the Hidden Path. He was on Jakku, following Prauf - no, not Prauf, an unnamed Abednedo - to the Mantis. 

An unnamed Abednedo that sat against a wall, head slumped, body motionless. An Abednedo that had thumped to the ground. An Abednedo that, like Prauf, was dead. He was dead. Because of Cal and his carelessness and his incorrect assumption that his lightsaber wouldn’t be seen. The incorrect assumption that nobody would notice him slow time, that nobody would notice him use the force. 

Cal couldn’t think. 

He couldn’t breathe.

Prauf, his body lifeless, the ever-present spark in his eyes dissipating, his force signature disappearing, the blade in his chest extinguishing. 

Lifeless. 

Dissipating. 

Extinguished. 

Dead. 

And then Cal was on the Albedo Brave, clones firing at him, his master urging him to activate the controls for the escape pods, and this time? This time, he would fight back. 

Cal spun his ‘saber in his hand, raising it above his head with determination and striking down any clone that dared to show its helmeted face to him. One, two, three, ten clones were dispatched, limbs and heads rolling across the deck of the ship, and as Cal turned around to check on his master, nothing had changed. 

His master lay lifeless on the floor of the escape pod, the rise and fall of his chest dissipating, his life extinguishing before Cal’s eyes. Dead.

One thing had changed throughout all the chaos and confusion felt by the young padawan. 

No last words were exchanged. 

And, Merrin was beside him.

She was resting a loving hand on his cheek, turning his gaze from his Master - no, it was Prauf, and then his Master again - to her. The warmth of Merrin’s touch helped slightly with grounding the boy, but nowhere near what either had hoped.

“Merrin, Merrin you need to go, the Clones are coming, and the Inquisitors, I can’t hold them off for long but you need to run,” he stammered out, breaths ragged and eyes darting around frantically, unable to shake the surroundings his brain had convinced him were real. The walls were closing in, or at least it felt they were to the Jedi. He felt small next to the Nightsister, his juvenile form from the Purge enveloping him the way a jaw plant would to smother its prey. Cal’s breathing continued to be erratic as he brought his hands to the back of his head, interlocking his fingers and rocking himself back and forth in a sorry attempt to release himself from the memories that plagued him. 

A distant voice spoke, and though Cal could not make out what it was saying, he could tell it was trying to comfort him as smoke shrouded him, followed by a flash of green and a feeling of warmth surrounding the young boy. 

He was so, so tired. 

Maybe he should sleep.

Something was wrong, Merrin could tell that much on her own. Even without force abilities as complex as Cal Kestis’, she had enough insight with the power Dathomir bestowed upon her to tell that something was wrong. She had already instructed Greez to start the engines of the ship, and to keep it idle until her return - she didn’t doubt her decision. 

Coming across a tide of amputated appendages and the smell of charred flesh, Merrin’s belief that Cal was in trouble further solidified itself in her mind. Seeing him crouched over a body, body shaking as he took harsh, jagged breaths. She had seen her Jedi like this before, when they had shared a bed at night and he tossed and turned so viciously that he unconsciously threatened to fall out of the Mantis’ sleeping cots. How could he be having a nightmare in broad daylight? Was he sleepwalking? No, he couldn’t be - he was awake when he left to gather the codes, and he slept as well as he could the previous night. Maybe it was what Cere had told her about all those moons ago, something that resembled a nightmare while the person suffering was awake. 

Merrin believed Cere had called it a ‘flashback’. She couldn’t be entirely certain, however. 

As she approached Cal, Merrin could hear him mumbling hurriedly, his sentences sporadic and nonsensical to ears unfamiliar with his past. He was sputtering about how he had failed, and how he was sorry, begging please Prauf I’m sorry, please Prauf, please wake up. The names changed from Prauf to Master too many times for Merrin to keep track. 

She had no idea how to stop this, she didn’t know if she could stop this, but Dathomir be damned if she didn’t try. 

Reaching out an ungloved hand, Merrin rested her palm gently on Cal’s cheek, softly turning his face towards her and away from the body of their contact. Cal had a far-away look to him as if he was looking through her instead of at her, as if he was standing on a planet and looking absent-mindedly to the stars. She rubbed circles on his jawbone with her thumb, willing him to wake from this nightmare, to come back to her and the gifts the future would provide.

And he did. 

Just not in the way she had hoped he would. 

The terror visible in Cal’s eyes tore apart Merrin’s heart, the tears in his eyes falling without shame. Her Jedi was being tortured by his mind, and though he was aware she was here, he did not wake. Spouting out obscenities about the Clones and the Inquisitors closing in, how they would hurt her and how he would hold them off for as long as he could, Cal rose to his feet. He ignited his lightsaber, in a stance that would allow him to block or parry any blows thrown at him, but there were no enemies nearby. There were no Clones or Inquisitors, nor were there any Stormtroopers nearby - he had already dispatched them in ways far more barbaric than Merrin had seen him use before. 

“At ease, my Jedi. You are okay, there is nobody here but you and me. Rest, allow sleep to overcome you,” she whispered tenderly into his ear, worried she might cause him to run. The magic she imbued into her words stopped his flight response, attempting to lull him into a dreamless slumber. Curling himself into the fetal position, Cal sat down and rested against the wall of a hut, interlocking his fingers behind his head. He was… scared. What had he seen that terrified him to the extent it made him regress into a child-like mindset? She could only wonder, as she knew asking Cal any questions while he was in this state would result in answers that made no sense. 

Allowing her magic to surround both of them, Merrin summoned them back to the Mantis, laying Cal down on the potolli-weave fabric of the couch cushions. Greez and Kata looked on with concern, but all she had to do was give a slight nod and they were off, making their way home to Tanalorr. 

Her Jedi could rest easy tonight.

[breakfastteatime]

Comfortember Day 12: Dreams

Water presses against him, fills his ears.  

Cal jolts, eyes springing open. Overhead is a bright blue sky. That can’t be right. Doesn’t feel right. He sits up, sinking slowly into the soft sand beneath the water. Far, far away he sees a beach and a figure waving and shouting. He knows her. He does. Who is she?

Someone moves at his side, the water splashing.

Cal watches a young man run past him and toward the beach. There’s something familiar about him too. Cal gets to his feet and hurries after him. Maybe he can explain what happen. Either him or the woman calling out on the beach.

Except Cal never makes it to the beach. The people shatter like glass and drift away, the world fading into –

Water presses against him, fills his ears.  

Cal jolts, eyes springing open. Overhead is a bright blue sky. That can’t be right. Doesn’t feel…

“I’ve done this before,” he whispers.

He looks over, sees a young man, probably his own age, flat out in the water beside him, eyes closed, grinning up at the sun. Facing the beach, Cal sees the tiny figure waving and shouting.

“Hey,” Cal calls, reaching out. “Hey, I think – ”

His hand passes through the other man.

The man’s eyes open and he sits, the water splashing. “Yeah, yeah, alright, I’m coming!”

Cal knows him. He knows his face. But there’s something different. Something…

…animated?

This time, Cal tries to keep up, make it to the beach, but…

Water presses against him, fills his ears.  

Cal jolts, eyes springing open. Overhead is a bright blue sky. That can’t be right. He was…

“I’ve done this before,” he whispers.

More than once. He takes a deep breath, ignores the sound of a person beside him. He needs to remember what he was doing before this. Right before.

Inside. He’d been inside. With the others. Stuck during a storm. Invited into a home. Log cabin. Simple. Homely. Welcomed to the table. Greez helping with the cooking. BD scanning. Merrin and Cere speaking with the friendly homeowner – Dyla. She’d taken pity on them, told them it was too dangerous to go back to their ship. Talk. They’d all been talking, until Cal was called upstairs, the Force insistent. A room. Medical equipment. A figure on the bed. Young. Unconscious. Shimmering.

An echo.

The man was an echo. And now, Cal is inside the echo. Not hearing. Not merely watching. Not even seeing it from within the man’s perspective. He is inside the echo. He is himself within in the memory, in the past.

“This is new,” Cal tells himself.

He can’t let the echo loop again. There must be more.

Cal looks. The man gets up, calls out, runs for the beach. This time, Cal goes with the flow, doesn’t allow the echo to reset. He pushes through, follows through, and this time when the people disperse and the beach fades to white, everything coalesces anew and suddenly he’s back in the cabin they’ve taken shelter in, except he’s in the past with its hazy, dreamlike quality, and standing ahead of him is the young man, arms held up, with Dyla aiming a weapon at him. Instinct tells Cal to get in between them. Before he can move, the pair burst into laughter, the man turns and walks through Cal, passing by like a warm breeze.

The scene replays.

Cal swears. He needs to get the hang of this, follow the man’s memory, not get stuck in it.

Not get lost.

He tunes in, hears the pair properly this time.

“It’s going to work perfectly,” Dyla says. “No one’s going to see us coming. No one knows about us. You go to work, same as always, we come in and launch the surprise attack, take you hostage and you let us in. No one will suspect you because why would they? You being such a loyal soldier.”

The past moves on, and Cal’s there, in the Imperial outpost they’d taken care to avoid today, staring at a stormtrooper with his arms raised, Dyla aiming a weapon at him, a crowd of others behind her.

“Give us what we want, and no one gets hurt!” Dyla bellows.

The stormtrooper – the young man – opens the door and beyond is a prisoner transport. Dyla and her people rush aboard, start freeing people, start –

The echo shifts. A firefight. Prisoners versus stormtroopers. Cal sees Dyla. Sees the fear on her face. It’s all gone wrong. Cal knows exactly which stormtrooper is the young man, can see him a sea of white.

Sees a prisoner behind him. Sees the prisoner holding a weapon – a slugthrower.

The prisoner doesn’t know he’s aiming at an ally.

He lines up the shot.

Fires.

The slug cuts through the helmet.

The young man drops.

The crowd moves past him, the fight heading beyond the prison. Dyla alone remains. Her, and Cal. He joins her at the man’s side, sees that despite the terrible headwound, he’s still alive. He’s still –

The echo fades and they’re back in the water, back on the beach. The echo has looped again. Cal sits, turns to the man, reaches for him.

The man looks at him, stares in confusion. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

No one ever noticed Cal in an echo before. No one. This man, this rebellious stormtrooper, is trapped within it. Stuck in his own past, going around and around and –

Cal holds out a hand. “Come with me. Come back. Dyla’s waiting.”

Their hands connect. The echo ends. Cal is back in the cabin, hand closed around the young man’s. The young man who is staring up at him from his nest of medical equipment. Cal’s head gives a nauseating thud. He can’t be sick. Can’t be. Not on this poor guy he just woke up. He takes a deep breath. “I’ll go and get your, uh, your – ”

“You were in my head.” The man’s voice is a whisper. “My memory. And now you’re here. How?”

The door opens. Dyla is there, staring first at Cal, and then at her partner in the bed. She rushes forward.

“You’re awake!” she cries out. “I never… I never thought it would…”

He reaches for her, hand trembling. She grabs it, sits on the bed, kissing his fingers.

Cal backs away, finding a wall to lean against. His head throbs, the migraine gaining strength. He’d never, not once, done that before. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb him.”

She looks up at him. “You’re joking, right? Dev’s been in a coma for months. You woke him up. The doctors said he would never –” She trails off, stares at him, wonder in her eyes. “What are you?”

He’s going to be sick, that’s what he is. He rushes out of the room, almost crashes into Cere, finds the cabin’s refresher and just about makes it in time. A few minutes later, there’s a knock on the door and Cere calls out. She steps in, crouches down by his side. “What did you do?” she asks.

He holds up a hand, begging for silence. He’s not ready. His head is in a vice, brain slowly crushing under the pressure.

Cere’s voice is next in his head, soft and soothing. It’s alright, she tells him. We’re still safe here. I’ll be back for you.

She slips out once again. The only sound is the rain lashing the refresher window. Cal sinks to the refresher floor, eyes closed, the cold tile the most soothing thing he’d ever experienced in his whole life. Slowly, surely, the nausea backs off and the migraine steadies. He sits up, massaging his head. He wishes he hadn’t left his sunglasses aboard the Mantis. They’d really come in handy right about now. Instead, he gets to his feet and washes off in the sink. When he steps out, Dyla is in the hallway, eyes swimming with tears.

“I know what you are,” she says.

Cal takes a breath, steadies himself with the Force. “And I know what you are. You and Dev.”

Dyla smiles. “Guess that means we’re on the same team.” She salutes him. It’s the Partisan’s salute. “I promise I’ll never tell a soul, not after what you’ve done for us.”

“Will Dev be alright?” Cal asks.

“Eventually,” Dyla says. “He’s got me. And I spoke to Cere. She told me offer you a bed.” She nods to the door on her right. “That’s for you.”

Cal thanks her, steps in, and finds Cere and BD waiting. There’s a bed with the covers turned down, and BD’s busy hopping on the pillow to fluff it.

“What did you do?” Cere asks.

Flopping carefully into the bed, Cal closes his eyes. Cere places a cold compress over his head. It feels so good. “It was an echo,” he tells her. “It called to me. But it wasn’t like others. It was a sequence, a chain of echoes, stuck on a loop.” He pauses, takes a deep breath. “Cere, I think I walked through his dreams.”

“Your psychometry is strengthening,” she says. “This is likely the next progression of the ability.”

“Could have used a heads up,” Cal says.

“Get some sleep,” Cere tells him. “And try to stay in your own dreams."