#rcss 2023
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
sydneyadmu · 11 months ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
REBELCAPTAIN SECRET SANTA | gift for @bartowskis ✧˖°.
Jyn Erso spent most of her career as a freelance journalist until she was recently offered a great opportunity to work at the Yavin Times, one of the most prestigious newspapers in the country. While she hadn't planned on working with a big team, she was struggling with her publications and the job was too good to pass up.
Cassian Andor is one of the most important investigative journalists at Yavin Times and was not very pleased to work with Jyn: he read many of her previous publications and admired her works but had a feeling that she was going to be trouble.
At the beginning, Jyn and Cassian had a difficult relationship and attempted to avoid each other as much as possible. However, a few months later, Jyn is investigating Empire Inc., an energy company, and discovers some evidence that could bring them down. The problem? She needs access to certain information that only someone with Cassian's expertise can provide her with.
Working closely, spending time together outside work, and also seeing each other in casual situations made them both realize they had more in common than they thought. Will they finally acknowledge the tension between them and get more than some ‘professional’ amicable relationship?
happy holidays dear tina! ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
I am very happy to meeting you this year, you’re such a lovely presence in this fandom and the sweetest person! I hope you like my little visual creation based on your prompts (it’s the first time I make a gifset AU like this) and that it made justice to what you envisioned for them <3
and thank you @therebelcaptainnetwork for organizing this wonderful event every year!
182 notes · View notes
dilf-din · 11 months ago
Text
Tethered (to The Story We Must Tell)
For @therebelcaptainnetwork Secret Santa
WC: 3400
A/N: Merry Rebelcaptain-mas @mistressorinoco !! I hope you like this glimpse into a magical world with everyone’s favorite tragic heroes!
Tumblr media
It was a quiet life Jyn had made for herself, tucked into the whispering woods, far from the irksome hustle and bustle of the nearby village. Nothing greeted her in the morning except for the sun and the birds as she floated to the well to draw her water each day. No other beings disturbed her as she foraged in the afternoon, finding herbs to dry on her windowsill, save the rabbits and squirrels whose noses would twitch in a secret language she had come to understand over the years. They were all she had to talk to after the loss of her parents left her achingly alone in the world, with not much else to do than listen to the Earth as She groaned. None of the townspeople would come within twenty feet of her on the days she had to venture in for the supplies she could not grow on her own. It was just her and the forest, and she liked it that way.
The truth was, nobody liked witches. But she had always thought that maybe they just didn’t understand them. Her father was one of the most powerful warlocks of their time. Jyn had spent every second she could in his presence, soaking up his knowledge. She would peek over the bannister at night as he communed with other powerful men of the great age, straining her ears to pick up bits and pieces of their hushed conversations. Galen Erso was well regarded across the realm for his deep rooted wisdom and power. With him gone, she knew she had to carry out his legacy. Mix balms and potions to heal the sick, care for the spirit of the wood, bless the grounds to yield plentiful crops.
For months now, she had been so busy preparing for autumn that she almost forgot about the prophecy, the legacy of the Erso family that her father had told her of long ago. One day, their magic would save the entire kingdom. One day a man would show up on her doorstep and beg her for help. She just didn’t expect that day to be today.
Her focus was on the pot in front of her, simmering over the fire. A rich, earthen smell filled every corner of the room, breathing life into the old beams. Jyn’s nimble hands were carefully dosing out dried petals and crushed up stems to add to the bubbling mixture when her cat started to weave itself through her legs, getting tangled in her skirts, and mewling loudly.
“Alright, alright. One second,” she sounded annoyed, but when she lifted her eyes, a light caught her eye from the other side of the room.
She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and rushed to the old crystal ball that stayed perched on its ornately carved base in the main room. Deep red rubies decorated the solid gold pillar showing long forgotten constellations charted out by the witches of old. The very center showed the phases of the moon carved out in opal, an homage to their guiding light. Jyn had used the ball from time to time when she was in search of a hard to find root as her father had taught her— and she certainly didn’t use it to get tangled up in the affairs of men, so this would be the first time it had shown her something unprompted.
Jyn watched the orb in front of her with an amused smile twitching at her lips. Deep smooth glass revealed hazy images of a dark haired man scrambling over roots and briars, falling several times in quick succession only to get up and keep going. He looked panicked, but determined. Competent but a wild card. He was following the path that was marked out for him long ago, he just didn’t know it yet. Outside her cabin, a strong wind swept through the trees, rustling the leaves loudly, signaling the man’s impending approach. Chills danced up her own arms in anticipation, and beside her on the table, an inky black cat hopped up to stare into the ball with deep green eyes mirroring Jyn’s own.
“So it begins, Pollux.”
——
Pounding. His head was pounding in sync with his steps. Each heavy footfall echoed through his body and made his head ring. For a moment, Cassian was afraid he would pass out. He didn’t have time for that though. Lord Vader’s ghouls were on his tail. Cassian was zigging and zagging through the trees, trying his best to shake the ghastly figures. Occasionally, he would hear their groans and see a flash of white, and it was like a fresh wave of adrenaline in his veins to keep going.
They weren’t dangerous from a distance. In fact, they were a lousy shot. But he didn’t want to know what would happen if he got within arm’s reach of them. Long slender fingers jutted out of the tattered sleeves of stark white robes. They were a gruesome mix of bone and metal, the result of a dark magic no sensible person would ever tamper with.
Cassian saw a clearing ahead and pushed into one final sprint. The ghouls came from several directions at once, screeching and wailing as he stumbled out of the tree line, tripping over one last root. He rolled to his back to accept his fate, having spent every drop of strength to make it this far. Cassian clamped his eyes shut and waited, but was surprised after a few moments that nothing happened. He tentatively peeked to see the crowd of ghostly figures pounding against an invisible wall that he happened to be on the other side of. His head swiveled to see an entire circle of pale blue light that sparked bright cerulean as they beat their eldritch fists against it, their distorted voices muffled by the barrier.
They were deterred almost instantly, fading back into the tree line while Cassian took the time to catch his breath. He had been chased for several kilometers and feared that his lungs would always feel that stab of fire when he breathed too deeply.
Having been given time for his thoughts to settle, he frantically patted his body until he felt the familiar lump in his pocket and gave another sigh of relief. With everything on his person intact and accounted for, he really started to take in his surroundings. He had landed next to a short stone well when he fell. Any farther, and he probably would’ve busted his head against the jagged base. And what the heck was that blue thing that stopped the ghoul troopers? He furrowed his brow and scrambled to his feet, slowly approaching the edge of the property. Cassian stuck a tentative hand out and was met with nothing but the chilled fall air. No pushback, no wall of energy, just a light peaceful breeze.
The cottage behind him stood humbly, weathered boards and a shingled roof not even cresting the nearby treetops. Vines of deep green ivy climbed two trellises on each wall, mirroring each other. Tendrils of heart shaped leaves spilled over the awning covering the door like a tuft of bangs, making the house seem almost human. The wide mouth of the door was stained a deep brown and hung on brass hinges so tarnished they were a dull, ashen color. The back of the house was almost flush with the treeline, leaves and branches seemed to hold on to it tightly, as if it belonged there. It was perfectly nestled in the wild of things, set apart from the rest of the kingdom.
A gust of wind brought a cocktail of new smells to his nose. Sweet things, earthen things, ancient things. Cassian took a deep breath. Something about the energy there felt like a lightning bolt through his bones, addicting, unfamiliar, and yet, like coming home, a feeling he had searched for his whole life. Along his arms, the hairs stood on end with anticipation as he approached the door, a hesitant knuckle reaching out to knock.
He gave three sharp raps and waited. Though there was no peephole, he couldn’t shake the feeling of having eyes on him, almost as if the trees had their guard up, ready to strike should he try anything with whoever stood on the other side of the door.
An eternity passed in the seconds he waited to hear the click of the lock, followed by the muffled sound of several chains and latches, before it finally swung open to reveal a girl. She came up to about his shoulder with green eyes wilder than the forest engulfing them. She had layers of lace and other thin fabrics covering her. Each piece turned into long, flowing sleeves or skirts of a different length cinched with a belt and a leather vest atop of stockings and knee high boots. Almost every finger and knuckle was adorned in silver rings of varying thicknesses, and on her neck sat a collection of necklaces on chains of different lengths, but the one that caught his eye, was a pale white crystal hanging low on her torso. It was shaped like a tear drop.
“Hello, Cassian Andor. I have long awaited your arrival,” she spoke with an almost sultry voice and a sly smile.
Suddenly, his mouth was dry and his palms were wet. Cassian was worried that if he spoke, it wouldn’t come out as more than a squeak. How did she know his name? What did she mean she had been waiting for him?
Thankfully, she ushered him inside before he found the nerve to speak. He took a second to take in the large open space they now stood in while she re-fastened all of the latches. The walls were lined floor to ceiling with shelves holding all sorts of odds and ends. Stacks of books, magnifying glasses and other gadgets, jars that held what he hoped were animal bones, more books, candles, and all sorts of loose papers. From the age of the cottage and the wear of the leather spines closest to him, he guessed it did not all belong to her. The living area was connected to the open kitchen with a staircase and small storage room at the back of the building. A wide window over the sink shed hazy light on bundles of herbs and flowers carefully wrapped and hung to dry in the sun. Every wall was wood, save for the back one adjacent to the sink that housed the large stone hearth currently holding a large pot over lazy orange flames.
Cassian recognized it as the same smell from outside, and wondered what it was that she was making. A black cat appeared seemingly out of nowhere and rubbed his leg, purring loudly.
“I’m sure you must have a million questions,” Jyn continued, turning to face him after drawing the curtains in the den, “And it is my goal to have a million answers. Shall we begin? My name is Jyn. Jyn Erso.”
Cassian was intrigued by her eccentricity. Even now, she was continuing over to the hearth to tend to the pot on the fire as if his coming there had interrupted her daily routine.
He watched her move with precision and intent. She never hesitated, never second guessed herself. She was everything he wasn’t, and he began to feel quite small.
“What brought you to me?” she asked over her shoulder.
Cassian took a few steps forward, being careful to not trip over the very affectionate cat that was now glued to his side.
He tried to collect his thoughts in a coherent way, knowing he needed to do his best to make his story a believable one. He prayed she would have pity on his urgency and point him in the right direction.
“I work for the king. Well, not exactly. I just work in the stable. But the king, see, he’s sick, so his council sent me to find a sorcerer. They said there was a man in the woods who could heal him. Do you know who they’re talking about?”
Jyn smiled at the floor, a sad smile full of longing, and turned to face Cassian, “They sent you in search of my father.”
“Is he here?”
“He died last winter.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” his voice came out thick with sincerity. He barely knew this girl but he could see how deeply the loss had struck her. Cassian hesitated before asking, “Do you think you could help us?”
“Of course,” she almost scoffed, “He taught me everything he knew. Well, close to everything. Anything he didn’t have time to is written down in one of these journals,” she gestured to the walls lined with books. “I’ve read them all cover to cover. Tell me what troubles your king.”
Cassian leaned against the kitchen counter, and the cat hopped up beside him, “He’s being poisoned by Lord Vader. He’s been deteriorating, wasting away. He fell ill a fortnight ago, but none of our best doctors have been able to cure him. We don’t think he has much time left. It’s like Vader is draining the life out of him somehow. His name is the only world he’s spoken in days.”
Jyn listened intently as Cassian spoke of the king’s mind and body slipping away from him. The table of her mind had journals and papers spread out as she combed through her archives to figure out what kind of enchantment he might be under. She could feel the warmth of her father’s hands on her shoulders, and for a second, she almost reached out to grab one.
“And they gave me this,” Cassian paused to fish something out of his pocket, offering a white teardrop shaped crystal identical to the one around Jyn’s neck, “They said it would lead me here, and it did. I’m not sure how to explain it. Its like I could hear it—“
“Talking to you,” Jyn finished with a smile on her lips. Her arms wound around her own neck and she undid the clasp to the necklace with ease. She plucked the other half from Cassian’s hand and held the two pieces together. They fit seamlessly and began emitting a pale blue glow, as it being one again filled the stone with some sort of power.
“The Kyber heart has been passed through my family for generations. This half belonged to my mother. She gifted it to the king many years ago as a blessing of protection. His taking it off is what led to his mind being poisoned. The two halves long to be together. Though they may separate for a time, they will always come back as one,” she finished softly, this time looking deeply into Cassian’s dark eyes.
“The other half belonged to your father,” he said gently, not breaking the gaze, and Jyn nodded.
“Keep it,” he smiled, reaching his hand forward to close her fist around it, but she shook her head.
“It’s yours now. It chooses its master. Some people are said to be born with Kyber in their own hearts. The stones are drawn to certain auras. They particularly like those who possess great courage within their hearts,” she explained as she reached around his neck to fasten the necklace.
A heavy weight settled in his chest, something akin to honor. The moment was quickly broken by the cat yowling loudly in Jyn’s direction.
“I know,” she said to the small creature as she smiled and leaned down for it to head butt her, “This is Castor. He was my mother’s cat. It seems he approves of you as well. She died when I was very young. I don’t see him come out often.”
Cassian smiled and reached out a hand for him to sniff while another cat hopped up beside Jyn. Sleek and black, identical to Castor.
“This is Pollux. He belonged to my father.”
Identical crystals. Identical cats. All this talk of fate had Cassian questioning his role in this story. If what she was saying was true, the gravity of this place was always going to find him. He would always find himself back in Jyn’s orbit. He so desperately wanted that to be true.
Against all odds and presumptions, Cassian began to feel at home, in these walls breathing the same air as her. He tried to shove it down, but it was like a geyser erupting in his stomach, a warm feeling spreading through his limbs. He had never believed in fate, but she spoke as if the cosmos were pulling the strings to his life and led him here, and it had never sounded more convincing.
He couldn’t let himself get caught up in this, not yet.
“Now what?” he asked, “I don’t mean to sound in a hurry, but I’m afraid the King hasn’t got much time.”
“Now, we search for the spell to break the enchantment,” she crossed the room to a stack of journals and plucked them from the shelf, “Luckily for you, I remember reading about this very thing recently. Tell me, Cassian Andor, is this a coincidence as well?” she spoke as if she could read his rambling thoughts and a flush crept into his cheeks.
Her lips held a knowing smile as she cracked open the journal on top, an aged leather with thick gold threading around the border.
“What we’re looking for is called ruptor vitis, more commonly known as a weed killer,” she explained as she began to thumb through pages, handing Cassian the next journal in the stack to aid in the search.
Pages turning, fire crackling, cats purring. Their eyes and hands worked quickly to find the information they needed. It was a race against time. The old grandfather clack across the room ticked ominously as they searched.
Cassian saw recipes for healing potions, hexes for confusion, spells for protection. A quick scan of that particular page confirmed that was what he encountered when he stumbled onto the property. They were designed to keep out everyone but the pure of heart. Another odd tug in his chest as he continued to cautiously approach the idea that he might be more than a lowly stable boy. The gem around his neck chose him. Castor chose him. The king’s court chose him to be the messenger.
All his life he had been nameless. All his life he had been alone. Now he was standing in a warm cabin a mere two feet from someone who looked at him like he was worth something. She said his name with confidence. She listened intently as he spoke, taking in every detail, every stumble, every hesitation in his breathing. His apprehension had been palpable, but he could feel it melting away.
A few more flips, and he saw himself staring at the words Ruptor Vitis in thick, neat writing.
“Jyn,” he called, drawing her attention to the aging book in front of him.
She scanned it with careful eyes, her lips parting almost imperceptibly as she read each line to herself. With a nod, she closed the journal and tucked it under her arm. She snapped her fingers, and the fire in the hearth snuffed out, a wispy trail of smoke drifted into the open room while she grabbed her cloak from a hook by the door.
“We’ll need to pick up a few things in town, but I know how to make it work,” she explained, tucking the book into a basket along with a few candles.
Cassian stood frozen, not knowing what to do next.
“Are you ready?” she reached out to give his hand a squeeze, and he felt that aforementioned courage flood into his veins. Suddenly it all became crystal clear.
He nodded.
“Lead the way,” she smiled.
And something in him must have changed, because when Cassian pushed the door open with no hesitation to trek back out into the forest, and the kyber around his neck hummed a melody outside of time, he didn’t stop to question why a powerful enchantress like Jyn would defer to someone like him.
72 notes · View notes
frostbitepandaaaaa · 11 months ago
Text
It's You That I Hold On To - a rebelcaptain secret santa fic
hello @rebelrainfall! it is i, your rebelcaptain secret santa! i hope you are having a lovely, restful holiday, and that you enjoy this silly little fic i wrote for you! <3 also tagging @therebelcaptainnetwork
PREVIEW
“Hey,” Cassian greets a bit breathlessly as he breezes past her to deposit his shopping on the little tiled counter. Normally, Jyn might tease him, because she can tell he came home with more than just the groceries— one of the bags is topped with what looks like assorted droid parts of some kind and this is certainly not the first time this has happened (turns out Cassian Andor, hero of Scarif and ruthless intelligence officer, is something of a pack-womprat). But she can’t seem to bring herself to open her mouth, to even greet him back, to do much at all except stand in the middle of the kitchen and try to take it all in.
“Cassian, you’re dripping all over the floor,” Kay scolds, placing his own packages and parcels on the living room table.
“I know, I know,” Cassian sighs, “and so are you, I might point out.” He turns to her, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek before stopping short. His dark eyes narrow, look her over in concern. “Jyn?”
She shakes her head, dismissive, and she feels maybe just a bit foolish that her eyes are burning. That such a normal scene should affect her so much. But Cassian knows, doesn’t need her to spell it out, thank Force, because he understands. She knows he does— she’s caught the way he looks at her sometimes— like she is a mirage that he cannot bear to lose sight of.
So he simply steps forward and hugs her and even damp and chilled with rain, he feels so warm. Safe.
She relaxes into his arms, everything melting into a warm slag at the bottom of her belly as she breathes him in— smelling of silt and stormcloud.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs.
“It’s okay,” she repeats, muffled against his neck.
read it on ao3!
50 notes · View notes
woahpip · 11 months ago
Text
sleep until the sun goes down
happy secret santa @ruby-red-inky-blue! i tried writing lots of things with your prompt, but this one stuck. I hope you enjoy <3
*
Jyn hadn’t seen constellations until Lah’mu. Even though they lived on one of the highest levels of Coruscant, the skies were full of smog and cars and defense systems, all working together to blot out the shine of stars. Mum weaved the stories of them for her though, interspersing her own science lessons of what they’re made of between folklore. Storytelling gave Mum her shine back, and for a short while mother and daughter, with the help of the stars, carved out a few moments of true peace amongst their forced home with the Imperial military.
The stars on Lah’mu were not the stars of Mum’s stories, and there were few on the island who knew them well enough to share.
The island was freedom for Jyn, even though she was lonely. Mum and dad were constantly adding new wiring to their home. New alert systems for safety and for their farming, locked cabinets that opened via fingerprint with weapons for any occasion. When her parents weren’t working to keep them alive, they were plotting, heads always pushed together, voices brisk with quieted arguments. They drilled Jyn on several plans– one for another escape, for one or both of them being hurt. For someone coming to find them. Jyn played along and tried to understand why they needed to do this; the importance was there but she couldn’t quite get it. Things felt safe, so she was safe.
And since she was safe, she gave the stars their own names and stories. They didn’t have to run; they could fight. Little girls swung between their parents, eyeballs twinkling like flickering fire. People kissed, like mummy and daddy did on happy days where low clouds weaved over the island like a protective shroud. One day she would be kissed, she thought. She wondered if they would see her as stardust, like her parents.
(read the rest here on ao3)
34 notes · View notes
tonyvornskr · 11 months ago
Text
“Do you think it’s real?” Jyn whispers to him, her face half-buried in the crook of his neck but her eyes still wide and watchful over his shoulder, her back still stiff. Why is she so afraid? Why is she so tense, waiting for the other shoe to drop? They won. They survived. “I don’t know,” Bodhi says, and she hears her own fear mirrored back in his voice. And something else. Hope, she realizes. Hope, and the fear that it’ll be taken away. * the war ends. jyn keeps running.
my @therebelcaptainnetwork secret santa gift for @incognitajones ✨ it's been a MINUTE since I've written any fanfic but I love rebelcaptain and a secret santa so it was super fun to get a reason to dip back into it! happy holidays and a happy new year!!
41 notes · View notes
moprocrastinates · 11 months ago
Note
Happy December, o my giftee! I've been trying to find a snippet short enough to fit into an askbox and finally decided to share one of the first lines I wrote. Jyn is on a late-night show, and the host (Krennic, natch) ambushes her with the news that Cassian has been cast in her next project. He puts up a photo of Cassian now, contrasted with a photo of them young and in love. Jyn, having been ambushed, reacts with “My god. How young we were! I don't think I’d know him on the street now.”
OH.
MY.
GOD.
IAMSOEXCITEDFORTHISOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGICAN'TWAIT
0 notes
oh-nostalgiaa · 11 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
hi, @flyfreeskylark, it's me, your secret santa! you asked for an undercover mission after scarif where everybody lives and nobody dies (with a handful of smut sprinkled in for flavor). sadly, i was sick during both november AND December (and the less we talk about how much i hate my job, the better), but i managed to pull myself together long enough to get this written for you. i do hope it's to your liking! merry christmas and happy belated new year! please enjoy.
(you can also find this fic on ao3.)
in this world (it's just us)
The event is not exactly to Jyn’s tastes. 
The crowd is the easiest for her to navigate - she’s undeniably skilled at moving through them stealthily. Unfortunately, that is the opposite of what she’s meant to do here, so she makes a concentrated effort to take her time, to blend in so that she doesn’t bring any undue attention to herself.
She doesn’t miss a single detail as she lets her eyes drift over the room and its inhabitants, only silently reminding herself to keep an interested expression rather than her normal impassive default. 
She knows that she’s meant to be titillated by the sights and sounds surrounding her. She’s gone through the debriefs, been informed of exactly what will be expected of her - and Cassian has even - nonchalantly - tried to give her an out if she had even the slightest inkling that she could not do what’s expected of her. 
Luckily, he’s got the hardest task. She is, for all intents and purposes, just an observer.
(Besides that, she’s no quitter. He should know that just about better than anyone.)
Behind the scenes, she’s got a more detailed job to do. Monitoring communications, for one. Helping Cassian prepare, for another. 
Obviously, he’s showered by himself - he doesn’t require her help with everything, no matter how many times she may or may not have caught herself daydreaming about such things. He’d dried off, dressed in flimsy, flowy trousers that leave just about nothing to the imagination … 
Not that she’d peeked. 
Jyn hopes that her nervousness isn’t easily discernible, but she also knows that Cassian is probably the most observant person she’s ever met, and while he might not ever bring it up, the obviousness of the pause she takes while slowly exhaling and inhaling, steeling her nerves, the gentle brush of fingers against skin as she placed and smoothed out bacta patches designed to cover scars and other identifying marks is more than enough clue that she’s feeling … something.
Maybe it shouldn’t take as much concentration as she gives in order to ensure the edges of the patches aren’t easily visible through his semi-sheer tunic, but this is an important recon mission - they can’t return to base without information in hand. With another Death Star lurking somewhere out there, it’s not an exaggeration to say that this may be a matter of life and death. 
It’s always a matter of life and death. 
And it’s not fair for her to burden Cassian with her feelings, especially when she’s not sure that he feels the same - if he could ever feel the same. It’s selfish of her to think about love when the fate of the entire galaxy is at stake. So they inhabit this nebulous space where they’re not quite just colleagues and not quite just friends and oh, how she aches to pull him aside and let go of all her wants and fears in a torrent of words she hasn’t found enough courage to set free into the universe and it’s - 
It hurts.
But Jyn tucks that pain away and hides it where she keeps all of her others - in a dark place deep inside that’s carefully locked down, never to see the light of day again. 
It’s better that way. 
Through the mass of writhing bodies, she catches sight of Cassian and his contact, disappearing into one of the few tents set up to offer some semblance of privacy, hand in hand. Jealousy stokes the fire in her belly and momentarily, at least, her expression reflects exactly how she feels inside, darkly desperate, devastated that it’s not her that gets to touch him or see him so unguarded and free - even if it is just a facade, another skill Cassian’s perfected in his years gathering information for the Rebellion. 
Even if it was fake … at least she could pretend for a little while that he actually wants her like she wants him. And that’s got to be better than nothing. 
She breathes a quick sigh of relief when Cassian pokes his head from the tent and quickly slips back into the crowd, not looking any worse for wear than when he’d entered. Seamlessly and sinuously, he weaves his way toward her, and she doesn’t have to be a lipreader to know what he’s promising some of the partygoers he passes on the way. 
That sly little smile and those teasing winks are more than enough clue to know that he’s being propositioned and far from agreeing to take a detour from his current trajectory, he’s non-comittally suggesting that maybe they’ll find time to steal away later for a little fun. 
Because that’s what this whole thing is all about, isn’t it? The decadence and debauchery of a free use ball, where the male guests especially are little more than party favors. And while Cassian isn’t hers to keep all to herself, the thought of all of those eager hands trying to get a piece of him makes her stomach roil.
He dodges the minefield that is interested partygoers and finally reaches Jyn’s side, leaning in for what looks like a peck on the cheek in greeting, but what really is the whispered assurance that he’s got what they’re here for. She knows, though. He hadn’t entered the tent with the same chain around his neck that he’d left with. And tucked safely underneath what passes for a shirt is a pendant with a data stick hidden within for safekeeping. 
Jyn’s lips part as she gears up to ask if they’ve made enough of an appearance yet, if they can slip away without being noticed, but the words die on the tip of her tongue as, out of seemingly nowhere, they are joined by the party’s hostess, tall and handsomely severe, her keen eyes drifting over the pair as though to study them, to determine what they’ve been up to while the other guests are all wrapped up in each other. 
“My dear Imri, you’ve not partaken in the feast. Is there nothing to your liking - ?��, she purrs, her sultry tone enough to set Jyn’s nerves on edge. “Or are you too wrapped up in your lovely pet to pay attention to anyone else?”
Cassian ducks his head demurely then, exactly the behavior of a man that is more toy than anything else, a man that’s been taught exclusively that his only use in life is to please another. 
And Jyn is grateful for the chance to gather her words.
“My superiors would be quite disappointed if I were so rude”, she replies, her voice a teasing lilt. “On the contrary, I like what I see, Lady Eline. It’s choosing what I want to sample that is proving difficult.”
The tall older woman suddenly erupts into laughter and Jyn’s smile slowly widens (as though she’s actually pleased to have amused the monster standing next to her, like it doesn’t make her physically ill to see firsthand how easy it is for her - and for people like her - to use people for their own pleasure). 
“Please, darling, take your fill of what you want. And come back for more later”, Lady Eline offers, her gaze flitting to settle on Cassian, her eyes grazing him from head to foot and back again. “You absolutely can’t leave until I’ve had a taste of your lovely Amel.”
Jyn curls her hand into a fist, her fingernails biting into her own palm as she fights to maintain composure. So disgusting, the way Lady Eline can look at Cassian as though he isn’t a person with his own agency. 
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Their host takes that as her cue to dramatically turn and focus her attention elsewhere, allowing Jyn to catch Cassian’s eye and wordlessly gesturing toward the double doors of the grand ballroom, their only way out. 
He doesn’t have to say anything, the very slight furrowing of his brow speaks volumes. Now that they know they’ve got eyes on them, they can’t just walk right out. The already delicate operation has just become all the more fragile. 
This isn’t something that they’ve practiced - although the possibility has been discussed. If they don’t want to raise suspicion … they’ll need to act. So Cassian rocks back on his heel and Jyn pushes forward, directly into his personal space, crowding him against the wall, like he’s a prey animal and she’s the predator, finally cornering him right where she wants him. 
There is no room for hesitation here. 
They must keep cover by any means necessary.
Imri is supposed to be offering Amel to any and all interested parties. Jyn wants to do anything but. 
Outside of these walls, Cassian isn’t hers. But right here, right now, she has every intention of staking her claim, for however long it will last. 
‘Mine’, she thinks, tipping her chin up to catch Cassian’s lips in a haphazard kiss, surprised by the startled noise he makes in response, a gift for her ears only. And if it’s not the sweetest sound in the entire universe, Jyn doesn’t know what would be. 
It’s a little instinct, a little like a dance, and a little planning on the fly, which is obviously what they’re best at. It’s the clash of teeth and tongues and the thrill of hands slipping inside clothes to touch each other’s skin and - 
Oh. 
Oh.
Jyn takes a moment to press her face in the space between Cassian’s shoulder and neck, savoring the feel of his pulse hammering against his skin, beating out the same staccato rhythm as hers, pounding against her ribs, filling her ears. 
It’s not real, but it feels like the culmination of months spent pining after the man she’s got pinned to the wall, craving a glance, a touch, accidental or not, anything that hints that he might feel the same. 
And now his fingers are teasing her nipples and she’s barely gotten her fingers around his cock but she’s absolutely feeling him come to life and it’s everything she’s ever wanted and more, but stars, does her heart ache at the underlying knowledge that it’s all she’ll ever get. 
As if he hears her thoughts - and maybe he does, how is Jyn to know if he’s got some sort of latent telepathy - he breathlessly speaks, just low enough for her to hear through all the ambient noise. 
“Don’t think, just do.”
And she does. 
She feeds off of the groans and whimpers he gifts her with and she lets the stuttering rocking of his hips guide her hand, faster, tighter, not yet, oh, wait, wait, wait and she ignores everything around them - including their voyeuristic audience and just works to slowly move them closer to the exit. 
From the wall to a nearby couch, where she pushes Cassian down and relishes his flushed cheeks and dark eyes as she straddles his lap and relentlessly grinds against his shameless erection, his hands clutching her hips and helping her move, until the world seems to explode in a shower of blinding light, and if this is how they’re going to die, at least it’s together in a blaze of glory. 
There’s not much time to rest, though, and none at all to feel embarrassed about making such a mess of themselves, and once their shaky legs can hold their weight, Jyn takes Cassian’s hand and forcefully drags him the rest of the way through the doors and toward (relative) freedom.
There’s no reason to return to their suite now that Cassian’s got the precious datastick in hand and it’s easy enough to scramble the cameras monitoring their movements as they enter the lift that will bring them closer to the hangar and their nondescript ship. The chunky bracelet Jyn’s wearing hides the technology that will take care of that. All she needs to do is press a button and trust that it’ll take care of the rest. 
There is a bit of a prolonged, awkward silence between them as the lift descends, but suddenly Jyn finds the air being knocked from her lungs as Cassian’s fingers tighten around hers and pull her flush to his chest, all the more caught off guard when he leans down to nip sharply at her bottom lip before pulling away, his lips twisting up into a smile. 
“We’ll finish this later.”
To say it’s odd to feel so exhilarated in so many different ways is an understatement, but for Jyn, it’s not unpleasant, and for once, the thought doesn’t terrify her.
It just is.
But for the first time, she doesn’t feel like anything will be coming to an end anytime soon. 
Rather, it feels like a brand new beginning.
27 notes · View notes
incognitajones · 11 months ago
Text
no other place to be (RCSS 2023)
My RCSS gift for @onesingularartbean is up on AO3!
no other place to be
[2200 words, rated E]
This was still new. Jyn wasn’t used to being able to kiss Cassian, to touch him in the ways she’d wanted to for longer than she’d let herself think about. But she didn't have to stop, now that they were alone on this ship.
It was a lot of fun to chat anonymously with you about Star Wars, holiday music & other random topics. Wishing you all good things in 2024 - Happy New Year!
28 notes · View notes
georgemcginn · 1 year ago
Text
DOD Launches Reserve Component Spouse Survey
View Online IMMEDIATE RELEASE DOD Launches Reserve Component Spouse Survey July 25, 2023 The Defense Department launched its 2023 Reserve Component Spouse Survey (RCSS), the leading source of information about reserve spouses and their families. This is the first survey of reserve spouses since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes questions about the impact of the pandemic, spouse…
Tumblr media
View On WordPress
0 notes
ambientalmercantil · 1 year ago
Link
0 notes
sydneyadmu · 10 months ago
Text
REBELCAPTAIN SECRET SANTA MASTERLIST
with RCSS 2023 coming to an end, I decided to make this post with all the amazing gifts made for the event! many thanks to @therebelcaptainnetwork mod team for organizing it <3
Tumblr media
★ FICS
- Entre-Deux by @princessniitza (post-scarif getting together - rated E)
- when your hand is in mine. by @jaqobis (college AU)
- threshold by @astromechs (getting together + character study - rated T)
- i might as well be drunk in love by @imgoingtocrash (getting together under the influence - rated M)
- Love me like only you know how by @vesper-1898 (modern AU established relationship - rated E)
- A tribute to the Gods, both Old and New by @mistressorinoco (getting together + mission fic - rated T)
- It's You That I Hold On To by @frostbitepandaaaaa (post-war established relationship + love languages - rated T)
- Final Distance by @grexigone (developing relationship - rated E)
- so we could call it even, you could call me “babe” for the weekend (the road not taken looks real good now) by @youareiron-andyouarestrong (modern holiday season AU - rated T)
- It's a small galaxy by @annisthree (5+1 different meetings AU - rated T)
- when the night is over by @tonyvornskr (post war reunion)
- silver lining by @rebelrainfall (pre-relationship + whump - rated T)
- sleep until the sun goes down by @woahpip (character study + scarif rescue - rated T)
- All the Broken Hearts in the World Still Beat by @mosylufanfic (actors AU inspired by Persuasion - rated T)
- no other place to be by @incognitajones (newly established relationship - rated E)
- The Gales of November Remembered by @ruby-red-inky-blue (modern AU - rated T)
- Mint Chocolate Chip by @flyfreeskylark (modern AU, roommates - rated T)
- this mad, mad love (makes you come rushing) by @jyndor (getting together post-scarif - rated M)
- in this world (it's just us) by @oh-nostalgiaa (undercover mission - rated M)
- warmth by @lilting-aurora (bed sharing - rated T)
- choice by @youkailuvr (mission fic - rated G)
- Because (the reason is that there isn’t one not to) by @siachti (character study, thoughts on marriage - rated T)
Tumblr media
★ GRAPHICS
- sweet & cozy art by @adeptnenyim
- amazing band AU art by @ninsletamain
- cute modern AU art by @eurydia
- lovely art by @onesingularartbean
- modern AU gifset by me
- gorgeous gifset by @bartowskis
- wonderful vampire!cassian & hunter!jyn AU comic by @pfirsichspritzer
Tumblr media
★ FICS + GRAPHICS
- The Bodyguard (in universe AU - rated E) + moodboard by @agentjackdaniels
- The Go-Between by @quarantineddreamer (mission fic + getting together - rated G) & cute kyber creature art by @ninsletamain
- Should You Come Back to Me (in universe holiday season fic - rated T) & art by @nattyjae
- grace will lead me home & original child art (post-endor AU - rated T) by @luciechat -> (bonus spicy art)
- Tethered (to The Story We Must Tell) fic + moodboard by @dilf-din (witch!jyn AU)
- so much for stardust (imperial!jyn AU - rated M) by @andorerso + moodboard
Tumblr media
if there’s something I forgot to include or something I need to change, please let me know!
89 notes · View notes
dilf-din · 11 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
When All the Ash Settles — a post Scarif story
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
For RCSS 2023
Tethered (to The Story We Must Tell) Witchy AU
For Yeehawgust 2023
Uranium Fever
Wanted Poster
Running From the Daylight — Vampire!Jyn modern AU
Chapter 1
For Febuwhump 2024
When You Call, I Come Running
For Fluffbruary 2024
Let Down Your Guard, Lover (Open Your Door)
MISC/Prompt Requests
Five Sentence Fic Prompts
Bed Sharing Prompts
Love Me Tender (drabble)
Neptune (Until My Last Breath)
Hold Me (Till I’m Clean Again)
I Just Need Enough of You to Dull the Pain (18+ only) (part 1)
Everything Else is a Substitute for Your Love (18+ only) (part 2)
June 24 Drabbles
7 notes · View notes
frostbitepandaaaaa · 11 months ago
Note
Hello! This is your secret santa, I signed up to post today but I'm going to have to delay it. I apologize. Thank you for your patience with me and I hope your day is going fabulously well
no worries at all my sweet rc friend! i am so looking forward to seeing what you’ve written! i am honestly just so honored that someone is writing for me lol. hope you’re doing well and that your holiday was fantastic!!
2 notes · View notes
oh-nostalgiaa · 1 year ago
Note
Happy Tuesday! This is your RC Secret Santa hoping your week is going well!
Do you do anything special to celebrate the winter holidays?
hiiiiiii, i'm so excited to hear from you!!
i don't generally tend to do anything special for the winter holiday. i won't be working on thanksgiving this year, so i'll think about making a small dinner. the kid wants sweet potatoes, and those are pretty easy to make. for Christmas, my son is going on 20, so i'll try to get him a nice gift, but i don't expect anything in return. also, if i still have my current job, i'll most likely be working that day, anyway.
do you do anything special?
0 notes
flyfreeskylark · 10 months ago
Text
Thank you, @oh-nostalgiaa! This is lovely, sexy and sweet! It is just the kind of fic that I love. I really like the gender-role-bending too, what an interesting concept! These two have to play their parts, but they maintain their humanity and stay true to themselves. <chef's kiss!> Very nice cover art, too!
Rebelcaptain Secret Santa has been so fun, and I feel luck to have participated. @oh-nostalgiaa, I'm sorry you've had such a rough couple months! I hope you are feeling well now and that you can find a better job soon. Here's to a better and happy new year!
Tumblr media
hi, @flyfreeskylark, it's me, your secret santa! you asked for an undercover mission after scarif where everybody lives and nobody dies (with a handful of smut sprinkled in for flavor). sadly, i was sick during both november AND December (and the less we talk about how much i hate my job, the better), but i managed to pull myself together long enough to get this written for you. i do hope it's to your liking! merry christmas and happy belated new year! please enjoy.
(you can also find this fic on ao3.)
in this world (it's just us)
The event is not exactly to Jyn’s tastes. 
The crowd is the easiest for her to navigate - she’s undeniably skilled at moving through them stealthily. Unfortunately, that is the opposite of what she’s meant to do here, so she makes a concentrated effort to take her time, to blend in so that she doesn’t bring any undue attention to herself.
She doesn’t miss a single detail as she lets her eyes drift over the room and its inhabitants, only silently reminding herself to keep an interested expression rather than her normal impassive default. 
She knows that she’s meant to be titillated by the sights and sounds surrounding her. She’s gone through the debriefs, been informed of exactly what will be expected of her - and Cassian has even - nonchalantly - tried to give her an out if she had even the slightest inkling that she could not do what’s expected of her. 
Luckily, he’s got the hardest task. She is, for all intents and purposes, just an observer.
(Besides that, she’s no quitter. He should know that just about better than anyone.)
Behind the scenes, she’s got a more detailed job to do. Monitoring communications, for one. Helping Cassian prepare, for another. 
Obviously, he’s showered by himself - he doesn’t require her help with everything, no matter how many times she may or may not have caught herself daydreaming about such things. He’d dried off, dressed in flimsy, flowy trousers that leave just about nothing to the imagination … 
Not that she’d peeked. 
Jyn hopes that her nervousness isn’t easily discernible, but she also knows that Cassian is probably the most observant person she’s ever met, and while he might not ever bring it up, the obviousness of the pause she takes while slowly exhaling and inhaling, steeling her nerves, the gentle brush of fingers against skin as she placed and smoothed out bacta patches designed to cover scars and other identifying marks is more than enough clue that she’s feeling … something.
Maybe it shouldn’t take as much concentration as she gives in order to ensure the edges of the patches aren’t easily visible through his semi-sheer tunic, but this is an important recon mission - they can’t return to base without information in hand. With another Death Star lurking somewhere out there, it’s not an exaggeration to say that this may be a matter of life and death. 
It’s always a matter of life and death. 
And it’s not fair for her to burden Cassian with her feelings, especially when she’s not sure that he feels the same - if he could ever feel the same. It’s selfish of her to think about love when the fate of the entire galaxy is at stake. So they inhabit this nebulous space where they’re not quite just colleagues and not quite just friends and oh, how she aches to pull him aside and let go of all her wants and fears in a torrent of words she hasn’t found enough courage to set free into the universe and it’s - 
It hurts.
But Jyn tucks that pain away and hides it where she keeps all of her others - in a dark place deep inside that’s carefully locked down, never to see the light of day again. 
It’s better that way. 
Through the mass of writhing bodies, she catches sight of Cassian and his contact, disappearing into one of the few tents set up to offer some semblance of privacy, hand in hand. Jealousy stokes the fire in her belly and momentarily, at least, her expression reflects exactly how she feels inside, darkly desperate, devastated that it’s not her that gets to touch him or see him so unguarded and free - even if it is just a facade, another skill Cassian’s perfected in his years gathering information for the Rebellion. 
Even if it was fake … at least she could pretend for a little while that he actually wants her like she wants him. And that’s got to be better than nothing. 
She breathes a quick sigh of relief when Cassian pokes his head from the tent and quickly slips back into the crowd, not looking any worse for wear than when he’d entered. Seamlessly and sinuously, he weaves his way toward her, and she doesn’t have to be a lipreader to know what he’s promising some of the partygoers he passes on the way. 
That sly little smile and those teasing winks are more than enough clue to know that he’s being propositioned and far from agreeing to take a detour from his current trajectory, he’s non-comittally suggesting that maybe they’ll find time to steal away later for a little fun. 
Because that’s what this whole thing is all about, isn’t it? The decadence and debauchery of a free use ball, where the male guests especially are little more than party favors. And while Cassian isn’t hers to keep all to herself, the thought of all of those eager hands trying to get a piece of him makes her stomach roil.
He dodges the minefield that is interested partygoers and finally reaches Jyn’s side, leaning in for what looks like a peck on the cheek in greeting, but what really is the whispered assurance that he’s got what they’re here for. She knows, though. He hadn’t entered the tent with the same chain around his neck that he’d left with. And tucked safely underneath what passes for a shirt is a pendant with a data stick hidden within for safekeeping. 
Jyn’s lips part as she gears up to ask if they’ve made enough of an appearance yet, if they can slip away without being noticed, but the words die on the tip of her tongue as, out of seemingly nowhere, they are joined by the party’s hostess, tall and handsomely severe, her keen eyes drifting over the pair as though to study them, to determine what they’ve been up to while the other guests are all wrapped up in each other. 
“My dear Imri, you’ve not partaken in the feast. Is there nothing to your liking - ?”, she purrs, her sultry tone enough to set Jyn’s nerves on edge. “Or are you too wrapped up in your lovely pet to pay attention to anyone else?”
Cassian ducks his head demurely then, exactly the behavior of a man that is more toy than anything else, a man that’s been taught exclusively that his only use in life is to please another. 
And Jyn is grateful for the chance to gather her words.
“My superiors would be quite disappointed if I were so rude”, she replies, her voice a teasing lilt. “On the contrary, I like what I see, Lady Eline. It’s choosing what I want to sample that is proving difficult.”
The tall older woman suddenly erupts into laughter and Jyn’s smile slowly widens (as though she’s actually pleased to have amused the monster standing next to her, like it doesn’t make her physically ill to see firsthand how easy it is for her - and for people like her - to use people for their own pleasure). 
“Please, darling, take your fill of what you want. And come back for more later”, Lady Eline offers, her gaze flitting to settle on Cassian, her eyes grazing him from head to foot and back again. “You absolutely can’t leave until I’ve had a taste of your lovely Amel.”
Jyn curls her hand into a fist, her fingernails biting into her own palm as she fights to maintain composure. So disgusting, the way Lady Eline can look at Cassian as though he isn’t a person with his own agency. 
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Their host takes that as her cue to dramatically turn and focus her attention elsewhere, allowing Jyn to catch Cassian’s eye and wordlessly gesturing toward the double doors of the grand ballroom, their only way out. 
He doesn’t have to say anything, the very slight furrowing of his brow speaks volumes. Now that they know they’ve got eyes on them, they can’t just walk right out. The already delicate operation has just become all the more fragile. 
This isn’t something that they’ve practiced - although the possibility has been discussed. If they don’t want to raise suspicion … they’ll need to act. So Cassian rocks back on his heel and Jyn pushes forward, directly into his personal space, crowding him against the wall, like he’s a prey animal and she’s the predator, finally cornering him right where she wants him. 
There is no room for hesitation here. 
They must keep cover by any means necessary.
Imri is supposed to be offering Amel to any and all interested parties. Jyn wants to do anything but. 
Outside of these walls, Cassian isn’t hers. But right here, right now, she has every intention of staking her claim, for however long it will last. 
‘Mine’, she thinks, tipping her chin up to catch Cassian’s lips in a haphazard kiss, surprised by the startled noise he makes in response, a gift for her ears only. And if it’s not the sweetest sound in the entire universe, Jyn doesn’t know what would be. 
It’s a little instinct, a little like a dance, and a little planning on the fly, which is obviously what they’re best at. It’s the clash of teeth and tongues and the thrill of hands slipping inside clothes to touch each other’s skin and - 
Oh. 
Oh.
Jyn takes a moment to press her face in the space between Cassian’s shoulder and neck, savoring the feel of his pulse hammering against his skin, beating out the same staccato rhythm as hers, pounding against her ribs, filling her ears. 
It’s not real, but it feels like the culmination of months spent pining after the man she’s got pinned to the wall, craving a glance, a touch, accidental or not, anything that hints that he might feel the same. 
And now his fingers are teasing her nipples and she’s barely gotten her fingers around his cock but she’s absolutely feeling him come to life and it’s everything she’s ever wanted and more, but stars, does her heart ache at the underlying knowledge that it’s all she’ll ever get. 
As if he hears her thoughts - and maybe he does, how is Jyn to know if he’s got some sort of latent telepathy - he breathlessly speaks, just low enough for her to hear through all the ambient noise. 
“Don’t think, just do.”
And she does. 
She feeds off of the groans and whimpers he gifts her with and she lets the stuttering rocking of his hips guide her hand, faster, tighter, not yet, oh, wait, wait, wait and she ignores everything around them - including their voyeuristic audience and just works to slowly move them closer to the exit. 
From the wall to a nearby couch, where she pushes Cassian down and relishes his flushed cheeks and dark eyes as she straddles his lap and relentlessly grinds against his shameless erection, his hands clutching her hips and helping her move, until the world seems to explode in a shower of blinding light, and if this is how they’re going to die, at least it’s together in a blaze of glory. 
There’s not much time to rest, though, and none at all to feel embarrassed about making such a mess of themselves, and once their shaky legs can hold their weight, Jyn takes Cassian’s hand and forcefully drags him the rest of the way through the doors and toward (relative) freedom.
There’s no reason to return to their suite now that Cassian’s got the precious datastick in hand and it’s easy enough to scramble the cameras monitoring their movements as they enter the lift that will bring them closer to the hangar and their nondescript ship. The chunky bracelet Jyn’s wearing hides the technology that will take care of that. All she needs to do is press a button and trust that it’ll take care of the rest. 
There is a bit of a prolonged, awkward silence between them as the lift descends, but suddenly Jyn finds the air being knocked from her lungs as Cassian’s fingers tighten around hers and pull her flush to his chest, all the more caught off guard when he leans down to nip sharply at her bottom lip before pulling away, his lips twisting up into a smile. 
“We’ll finish this later.”
To say it’s odd to feel so exhilarated in so many different ways is an understatement, but for Jyn, it’s not unpleasant, and for once, the thought doesn’t terrify her.
It just is.
But for the first time, she doesn’t feel like anything will be coming to an end anytime soon. 
Rather, it feels like a brand new beginning.
27 notes · View notes