#ren patting the wall at the end is so funny and for what

[valvarads]

If that man isn’t the culprit, then we’ve wasted a lot of time, you know. Don’t worry. If you believe, it’ll definitely end well.

[ceilingfan5]

#30 Taakitz

read here or on ao3!

It starts as a normal enough day, although Taako fell asleep before taking out his contacts last night because he was so worn out he just crawled into bed at like 7:30 and then it was game over, so he wakes up in his undies and his work undershirt and has to fuckin’ scramble to shower, and spotify chooses to play four ads in a row about the same stupid credit union, and then the song choice? Hey, the song choice? Heat of the Moment. 

But whatever. 

He trips over some shit he left on the floor, a bag with stuff that he finally moved from his car to his apartment, random asses and ends, and smacks his elbow on the wall hard enough he has to drop everything to find a bandaid, and he’s combing his hair with his fingers on the way out the door, stomach rumbling because he missed breakfast, and he speeds to work the backway and hits a pothole and his car makes a funny noise, which, you know, bodes well. He parks and rushes, clocks in, and bumps into the handsome manager from another department, who smells like a man candle, and smiles like a stock photo, and gives Taako a pat on the shoulder that just slightly lingers. 

“Hey, Taako,” he says, already with his customer service glow turned on too bright. He gives his obnoxious green polo shirt a tug, and Taako imagines being given the opportunity to kiss that tummy. He imagines taking it. “How’s your morning going?”

“Ehhh, y’know, blood, chunks, the usual.” Taako intentionally says something concerning and then doesn’t elaborate. He likes getting Kravitz’s attention. But another employee comes in after Taako and shouts for Kravitz, who’s instantly distracted. 

“Haha, uh oh. Sorry to hear it. Well, here we go again, right?”

Kravitz glances back at him kind of apologetically, and then starts to say something else, but Taako shakes his head and moseys to the cheese counter, tying on his stupid lime green apron and putting up his long hair. 

And it is truly a work day from hell. Ren spills the mozzarella juice on the floor, and when Taako goes to get the mop, the stock manager yells at him for taking the wrong one, even though they all know Robbie busted the other one. Some old lady asks Taako for a cheese that isn’t spicy, and when he jokes about that, she tells on him. And then Lucretia is on his ass, and asks him if he even cares about the Grocery Adventure Mission Statement, and he has to say yes ma’am of course he cares ma’am so he doesn’t lose his fuckin’ job, and when he gets back from being yelled at, again, some other idiot is at the cheese counter trying to return a basketball, which gets dropped, because it was taken out of the packaging of course (but why would that disqualify a return. To the cheese counter. God, isn’t the customer ever right anymore?) and it knocks over Taako’s sign that says don’t tap on the glass, it scares the cheese, which he secretly worked really hard on, shh, don’t tattle, and it gets nasty and they have to throw it away, and when he is having five consecutive quiet seconds for a joke funeral, the alarm goes off because someone went out the wrong door, and security busts ass through the cheese zone, and Magnus socks Taako on the arm but misses his shoulder and hits his sore elbow. Some idiot watches tik-toks at full volume in the breakroom, over top the sports news nutwork, which is also at full volume, and also Taako forgot his lunch. And doesn’t have any cash on him for the vending machine. And no one will give him any, and he gets caught with his arm up ins, and has to play it off all cool like a joke and not like he’s a wet tiger about to start eating faces. 

And when he goes back to the cheese counter, Kravitz is standing there, but when he opens his mouth, nothing comes out, and he gets real embarrassed, maybe because Taako’s giving him the Kubrick stare, unfortch, and he just goes, “See you tomorrow?” 

And Taako goes, “What, you’re done?” 

And Kravitz goes, “Yeah, sorry, wish I could hang out longer.”

And Taako goes, “No you don’t.” 

And Kravitz laughs awkwardly and walks away. And cheese business continues as per usual, including a horrible Karen that gets real mad at him for telling her that her crumbly pick ain’t gonna grill her any cheese awards, and her kids won’t like it anyhow, and he gets tattled on again. And when he finally gets to go home, he notices one of his tires is low, and he has to go home via the gas station air machine, which makes the worst noise he has ever paid two dollars for the privilege of enjoying for five minutes. And he resolves to go to the tire store tomorrow, if he makes it, and goes home, eats an entire bag of chips in one sitting, and falls asleep on the couch. 

And wakes up in bed, with his contacts still in. 

He peels his eyes open, and tries to math that one, because he knows he was wiped, but not like…that wiped, right? But the time makes him frantic and he forgets it in favor of a shower…which is 4 consecutive credit union ads…and Heat of the Moment. 

And he trips on the thing and busts his elbow. 

And then he sits on the floor, even though he doesn’t have the time. Because there was no bandaid on the wound, and there was no wound to want a bandaid, until he tripped. And today is yesterday and he is in hell, actually. 

“FUCK!” he hollers at the top of his lungs. But he hurries to work anyway, because what the fuck is he supposed to do?

Avoid the pothole, at least. 

“Hey, Taako, how’s your morning going?” Kravitz smiles at him, all plastic and ready for a day of retail Barbie, and Taako squints at him. 

“Uh, you know, little bit of blood, little bit of horrendous de ja vu?”

And Kravitz winces, but someone shouts for him, so–

“Haha, uh oh. Sorry to hear it. Well, here we go again, right?” 

“Right,” Taako says slowly, rolling it over in his head.

Kravitz starts to say something else. But Taako shakes his head and fucks off to cheese alley, and has the same, exact, fucking, day, again. It’s nightmarish, and not even in the normal retail way. Like in a literal fucking time loop way. 

He catches the basketball, though. 

By the end of the day, he’s hungry and he’s ready to lose it, and Kravitz comes by again, and Taako snaps at him-

“What the hell do you want?” 

And Kravitz shuts his mouth, shakes his head in apology, and just walks away. And Taako his ice cream and chips and freezer mac and cheese and all of the chocolate chips in the baking bin for dinner. 

And when Taako’s last chance phone alarm goes off again, and he wakes up in bed with his contacts in, he screams bloody murder when he sees the date. 

He doesn’t shower this time. He dry shampoos his hair and ties it up, and just puts on two coats of deodorant and hopes for the best. He does beef it, (who put that shit there!!!! fucker!!!) but he knows where the stupid bandaids are now. He eats fucking breakfast, even if it is a protein bar that kind of tastes like toothpaste. It’s fucking something. And he drives the long way to work, and he gets there on time, instead of truly last minute.

And instead of bumping into handsome man candle Kravitz, who could be a model, or a kiss instructor, or keep a heart shaped locket warm, he seeks him out, and when Kravitz looks up from his locker and sees Taako standing there with his you-can’t-say-it’s-greasy braid and the dark circles under his eyes and the intense intent within them, he lights up like a fluorescent oasis. 

“Taako!” he says, delighted. “I’m surprised to see you- not that you’re never early, it’s just…” he clears his throat lamely. “You’re never early.” 

“Yeah, only why would a guy like Taako wanna waste his time here if he wasn’t gettin’ paid?” Taako says, leaning back so so so casually against some other fucker’s locker and folding his arms. His elbow hurts. He wishes he’d picked out a pikachu bandaid, but the shuckle one will do.

“True,” Kravitz says, sheepish. “I just- you know, punctuality- it builds…a reputation, um. Anyway. To what do I owe the pleasure?” 

“Nothin,” Taako says, sooooo casual. Achingly casual. “Just wanted to say hey.”

“Hey,” Kravitz says a little more softly.

“Hey,” Taako says, with an intense smolder, and Kravitz grins and bites his lip with his perfect teeth. Fucker could afford braces. No no, no resenting. Not yet. “You got any plans for lunch?”

Kravitz brightens somehow, which is a real surprise, given how bright he’s already acting. But…It’s more real, somehow. “I’ve been meaning to show you my secret spot, would you want to-?”

“Is it quiet?” Taako says, maybe far too urgently. 

“Yes,” Kravitz says, firmly enough that Taako knows he knows about the tik-tok guy. And Taako nods very seriously. 

“It’s a date,” he jokes. 

“Is it?” Kravitz’s eyes widen a little behind his pretty glasses. Taako’s cheeks get hot suddenly. 

“I mean what I say, and I say what I mean, unless I categorically don’t. Anyway, bye.” And he bolts, before Kravitz can figure him out. 

He glances back though, and sees him smiling to himself. A real one, not a customer service one. 

Taako moves the mozzarella tub so it won’t spill, and he catches the stupid fucking basketball, and recommends a mild cheese, not a spicy one, and when Grocery Adventure Radio plays Heat of the Moment, he only flinches a little. And when the alarm goes off and Magnus barrels through, Taako high fives him so he doesn’t hit his elbow. And Taako is handling some other dumb shit without bristling too bad when Kravitz shows up at the cheese counter, looking kind of nervous and excited in equal measure, and Taako takes his lunch break with him, and Kravitz shows him the boiler room roof access, and the broken padlock, and the chill spot outside the view of the cameras. 

“I thought you were a rule-follower,” Taako accuses, eating the premade sandwich he swiped when stocking the gruyere and only complaining about the lack of a dimensional profile a little. 

“Yeah, well,” Kravitz grins. “I get bored. I enjoy a game here and there, you know, to make things a little more exciting. As long as I get my job done at the end of the day, what does it matter?”

And Taako nods, grinning. 

“You’re better than I gave you credit for, Krav.” 

And Kravitz beams. 

Their lunch break isn’t nearly long enough, and Taako ends up standing at the edge of the roof looking down past the bird fence, wondering about a billion things, about time loops and capitalism and gravity and exhaustion. The sun considers setting, and then jumps right into it. 

And Kravitz, handsome Kravitz, who smells like a man candle and whose face could sell paper towels and who showed a secret side of him just because Taako asked, puts a hand on his shoulder. 

“You know, it’s hard?” he says, and takes a breath. “It is, it’s hard. But there’s good bits, you know. Things that make the day worth it, rather than the same can of beans dumped in your lap every day.”

“Yeah?” Taako says, staring at a brilliant, flaming orange-magenta  grocery store parking lot sunset. They’re always prettier than they have any right to be. And he has to be here for three more hours. It isn’t fucking fair. 

“Yeah,” Kravitz says, honestly. “I like seeing you every day.”

“Yeah.”

“And I liked having lunch with you?”

“Yeah?” Taako tears his eyes away from the sunset, and looks at an even prettier sight. Kravitz pushes his hair out of his eyes and quietly resolves to tie up his long locs better before he gets back to work. Taako thinks about the day before, and the day before, and the day before, and hopes that tomorrow can fucking be tomorrow, and that this was the lesson he was supposed to learn, and not some other stupid dumb fucking bullshit, because he’ll just let it loop at that point, fuck it, he’ll stay home and learn how to play guitar and speak four languages and perfect his auntie’s applesauce cookies through trial and error, finally, because he can’t find the damn recipe card. 

But no, no. This feels right. 

“Let’s do it again tomorrow.”

Kravitz’s relief is palpable. 

“Oh good,” he says. “I didn’t have a chance to share my Michael Winslow style sound effects, and we’re definitely late.”

Taako has to laugh. 

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Mmmm, the mystery continues. Bye!” And Kravitz races him down the stairs, Taako laughing right on his tail. 

And when Kravitz comes to visit the cheese counter before he leaves, he slides Taako a slip of paper with his number on it. Taako dreams of kissing him under the moonlight. Or on top of the cheese counter. He’s not that picky. He winks at Kravitz, and Kravitz turns and ducks his head like he knows he’s blushing, and Taako laughs, feeling a lot less heavy than he has in a while.

And Taako goes home after work, and showers, and makes the best damn grilled cheese, twice, and puts on his actual fucking pajamas, and takes out his contacts, and right before bed, he just texts Kravitz,

thanks 

And he crawls under the covers, and for once, is ready for tomorrow to come. Maybe he’ll even pick up that bag. 

Maybe. 

[elliestormfound]

Witcher Secret Santa

Dear @linx1457

this is your secret Santa! I wish you merry christmas and hope you enjoy your gift!

@thewitchersecretsanta

Geralt/Jaskier modern au, roommates, mutual pining, 1854 words

CW: none, just fluff and pinging with a happy end

read on ao3

--------- “I told you not to go in my room and I told you not to touch my stuff,” Geralt said, looking at his new roommate.

Geralt worked as a tour guide for the local national park. During the colder months less tourists visited and his wage hardly covered his rent. His brother Lambert had suggested he take on a roommate and posted an ad for him in the local newspaper. 

But most of the people that had answered the ad had been weird or downright creepy and he had lost all hope till a musician called. Jaskier - that was his name - was new in town and wanted to gain a foothold in the big city. He needed to stay somewhere cheap for a couple of months till he could afford his own apartment. 

Geralt had invited him over and even though he had not been sure if someone so outgoing would clash with his more reserved nature, he had somehow been convinced that it would work out.

But now he wasn’t so sure anymore.

“Who even has real steel swords?” Jaskier asked, “I thought they were cheap imitations from the ren faire…” They were standing in Geralt’s room where his two heavy swords had crashed down from where they were supposed to hang on the wall.

“They are from an actual blacksmith,” Geralt said through gritted teeth, and more quietly, “from the ren faire.”

Jaskier laughed, “so I was right!”

“That is not the point!” Geralt growled and bent down to pick them up.

---------

It had been the 18th ad he had called for a room and when the man with the gravelly voice answered, Jaskier had been instantly smitten. And when the man with the deep voice turned out to be illegally handsome and accepted him as a roommate the musician was in heaven.

And at the same time he knew that it was a bad idea to pine after someone you lived with. He had experience with that. Bad experience.

So he tried his best to keep his yearning under control. But on some days it was particularly hard. Like today with the swords. 

Jaskier knew he shouldn’t go into Geralt’s room, but he had lost the charger of his phone. So he snuck in when Geralt was at work. His eyes had been caught by the reflection on the blades of the swords on Geralt’s wall. 

When he had first saw them after he moved in he had been a bit concerned - who the fuck had swords??? But Geralt had told him that he used to work as a stunt choreographer for sword fighting.

Jaskier had walked over and brushed along the blade with his index finger. And the fucking swords had fallen to the ground with a loud crash. In the exact moment Geralt had returned from work.

After Geralt chided him, Jaskier grabbed one of the swords to occupy his shaking hands and the adonis that was his roommate had the audacity to stand very close behind him and take his hand in the most tender way and fucking breathe on his neck. 

He knew that he couldn’t have stopped himself from kissing the bastard and pushing him on the bed if he had stayed a moment longer, so he made some shady excuse and practically ran into his room to play some music to calm down. 

----------

Over the last few weeks Geralt got used to living with Jaskier. He would never admit it out loud but it was actually very nice that someone was there when he came home from work. He especially loved the days when Jaskier cooked. Opening the door to their apartment and being greeted by the delicious smell of lasagna was something he could get used to.

“I’m home,” he called down the hallway and suppressed a smile when Jaskier answered, “then get in the kitchen, darling, dinner is almost ready.”

After he had put away his jacket and boots he walked over and stopped in the doorframe to take in the kitchen. Jaskier was a great cook - his food always tasted fucking amazing. But the utter chaos he left in his wake was honestly impressive. Dirty pots and pans were stacked in the sink, little red spots of (hopefully) tomato sauce decorated the tiles behind the stove and at least five different packages of spices stood open on the counter. 

Geralt sighed quietly but knew that the lasagna would be worth the clean up later.

---------

Jaskier’s mother had told him that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. So he occasionally cooked for Geralt. 

Of course he didn’t cook FOR Geralt. He cooked for himself and made too much so Geralt could eat with him. At least that is what he told his roommate. Today it was lasagna. 

He smiled when he heard the key turn in the lock and Geralt calling out that he was home. He yelled, “then get in the kitchen, darling.” It had been funny to watch Geralt’s reactions to his frequent use of pet names. Jaskier had reassured him that he did that with every one of his friends, but to be honest, at least to himself - darling was reserved only for Geralt. 

“How was your day?” he asked, as his roommate stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Jaskier had just put the parmesan on the lasagna and made sure to angle his ass in the perfect line of sight for Geralt as he bent forward to put the lasagna in the oven. 

He smirked as he stood back up and turned around to find Geralt blushing. He cleared his throat before he said, “good, not many tourists in the park today. I gave a tour to a family and cleaned some garbage that campers had left behind.”

Jaskier smiled and said, “and then you come home to this?” He turned around and looked at the mess he had created.

“At least I get dinner here,” Geralt replied and walked over to the cupboard to get out plates. He set the table and sat down to watch Jaskier pour two glasses of red wine. 

Jaskier’s cheeks were flushed from the cooking and his brown hair was tousled. On the apron he was wearing ‘KISS THE COOK’ stood in bold letters. Geralt had to shake his head because his roommate looked very kissable right now. 

---------

“Fuck,” Geralt said as he hit the TV. There was only a static noise and a corresponding image that was not unlike the view of the snowstorm outside. No matter to which channel he switched, the results were the same. 

“What are you ranting about, darling?” Jaskier asked as he walked into their living room. He was wearing one of Geralt’s hoodies and his own ridiculous pyjama bottoms. At least he had told Geralt they were pyjama bottoms, but they actually were illegally tight fitting booty shorts that had “flower twink” written on the ass.

“There will be no movie night today,” Geralt said, hitting the offending electrical device for one more time, “the fucking snowstorm has cut off the tv.”

Jaskier moaned sadly and pouted expertly. It was not only pursed lips. It was a full body pout with furrowed brows, round puppy eyes first looking down and then slowly up through his lashes, shoulders hunched forward, arms hanging limply down by his sides and one foot drawing circles with his toes in the soft carpet. 

Geralt believed that his roommate secretly practised this and he had to admit in the privacy of his own mind that it worked every damn time on him. But sadly this time he couldn’t do anything about it. 

But then Jaskier’s face lit up with a smile and he said, “Geralt, I have an idea -” Geralt groaned quietly because Jaskier’s ‘ideas’ rarely ended well, but his roommate ignored his nonverbal protests, “- do you remember when I went to the flea market the other day? I bought an old VHS recorder and a video cassette.”

“Why the fuck did you buy that?” Geralt asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Be thankful, Geralt, it will save movie night!” Jaskier called as he turned on his heel in search of the old recorder.

-----

It did not save movie night. The video recorder did in fact work, which wasn’t short of a miracle for that old thing, but the video cassette Jaskier had bought with it was not a movie. 

“How could I have known that ‘fireplace romance’ is not a movie?” Jaskier said, eyeing the case.

“You could have read the description,” Geralt grumbled as he looked at the tv screen that showed a fireplace with a delightfully burning fire and nothing more. For four hours. 

Jaskier sat down on the couch that was facing the tv and patted the space next to him.

“Come on, it’s better than nothing!”

Before putting the tape in the recorder they had set up everything for movie night: popcorn, hot chocolates with the tiny marshmallows swimming in them and a bowl of gummy bears. 

-----------

They had sat like this for a while, talking about work and Jaskier’s next gig in a coffee shop around the corner. Somehow, without Geralt noticing him moving, Jaskier had come closer to him and was now pressed to his side. It felt good.

Jaskier took a sip of his hot chocolate and turned to his roommate.

“Geralt, what do you think about…” but he stopped as he saw Geralt smirking and looking at his lips.

“What?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

Geralt cocked his head and said quietly in his deep voice, “you have something on your lip.”

Jaskier frowned and asked, “where?”

Geralt gestured for his own lip and Jaskier tried to imitate him, but he missed the spot of chocolate. 

“Can you help me?” he asked, leaning a bit closer to him.

Geralt’s mouth was suddenly dry and he swallowed. Jaskier’s face was so close to his now that he could see all the tiny freckles that had faded during winter, but were still visible up close. He blinked and finally reached over. 

Gently he placed his palm on Jaskier’s hot cheek and felt him leaning slightly into the touch. Slowly he stroked his thumb over Jaskier’s lower lip to remove the chocolate that clung to it.

He could feel Jaskier breathing in deeper right before he opened his mouth just a bit and Geralt could feel his warm breath on his thumb. 

A heartbeat later Geralt threw all restraint and explanations why he shouldn’t do it overboard, and said in a hoarse whisper, “I really...i really want to kiss you right now.”

Jaskier’s eyes widened before a soft smile played over his lips.

Jaskier leaned forward to close the gap between them and kissed him. In that moment Geralt couldn’t remember why he had been convinced that kissing Jaskier was a bad idea because it was the best thing he had ever felt.

The kiss started slow and soft, almost chaste but when Geralt wanted to lean back he felt Jaskier’s hand in his hair, pulling him back into the kiss.

[babbushka]

Paradise Inn

(this is entirely @autumnlovesadam​‘s fault)

Flip Zimmerman x Reader x Kylo Ren 

In a small town just outside of Colorado Springs, there's a motel called Paradise Inn. The rooms are cheap, the furniture leaves much to be desired, the walls are thin -- but it's your favorite place to have filthy, raunchy, seedy sex with two favorite boys, Flip and Kylo.

And there's a vacancy.

5k; NSFW (threesome MMF, double penetration PIV, dom!Flip, service top!Kylo, lactation kink/breastfeeding, semi-public sex, derogatory name calling/dirty talk, multiple positions & orgasms, marathon sex) 

Available on AO3!

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

The engine quiets next to a big black motorcycle outside the shop, the familiar store-front bringing a smile to your lips. Flip turns the motorcycle off, and your arms relax around his middle, no longer concerned with falling off. It’s new, the bike, a surprise present you and Kylo worked on together. He builds them, these custom motorcycles, and he does a damn good job.

You’re excited to see him, Kylo. It’s been a couple days since you were able to get together, and even longer since you got to do what you were about to go ask.

“Be back in two shakes.” You kiss Flip’s cheek, and he smiles at you, gives your ass a light pat as you hop off the back of the motorcycle and head into the shop.

You catch your reflection in the mirror, black leather halter top and dark wash jeans. Flip’s Sherpa coat protects your arms, but you let it slip off your shoulders, wanting to catch Kylo’s attention.  

He’s there right in the front, looking up as the little bell dings for a new customer. You’re not any ol’ customer though, you’re special, you’re always special. Kylo excuses himself to the man he was talking to, and opens his arms for you.

“Kylo!” You let yourself get scooped up by this hulking man. His tattoos are on full display as they wind around you and hold you tight. You kiss him sweetly on the mouth, no tongue, not yet.

“Long time no see, sweets.” He huffs against your mouth with mock-offense, making you roll your eyes and pull away from him playfully. He throws up a hand in a wave to Flip who waves back, smoking his cigarette outside.

“You came over for dinner Friday night.” You point out.

“It’s Thursday.” Kylo counters, and you grin.

That grin, he knows that grin. He knows it, knows what it means. Trouble, that’s what. Trouble in the best of ways. His dick is already twitching in his jeans, he’s already getting hard for you, for what he knows is coming.

You back him up against the cashier counter, your hand hidden between your bodies as your palm rubs up and down the crotch of his jeans, feeling just how hard he is.

It makes your mouth water, so you grin.

“Let me make it up to you?” You whisper in his ear, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. You can feel it, when your other hand reaches up to cradle the back of his skull, his long black hair silky and soft through your fingertips.

“Hm?” He’s already lost in your touch, your smell, he shudders as your nails scrape lightly against his scalp.

“We got a babysitter; Flip and I are going to…go for a ride.” You look at him, really look at him, nearly going cross-eyed from it, from trying to convey the true meaning of your words when you ask him, “Join us? Please?”

“Is – are you good for – you know – ” Kylo asks nervously, making you bite your lips with excitement.

“It’s been long enough and the doc cleared me, I’m good for it.” You reassure him. He sighs with relief, always careful with you, never wanting to hurt you. It had been nearly three months since giving birth to your daughter, and you were ready to get back into bed. “We missed you. I missed you.”

Your stomach does flips when he licks across his teeth and replies, “Let me get my jacket.”

You walk out of the shop together, and Flip pinches his cigarette to put it out when you get close enough. You cup Flip’s cheeks in your hands and kiss him deeply, tasting the Camel on his teeth, inhaling the sigh he gives you.

“Hey Flip.” Kylo says, reaching out to shake his hand.

“Thanks for coming.” Flip accepts it heartily, gives him the closest thing to a smile Flip ever gives anyone other than you.

“Always,” He shrugs, before reaching out and caressing the side of your face, “Who could ever say no to her?”

“Who would want to?” Flip agrees, and this time, Kylo is the one who almost smiles.

Your heart soars, watching your two favorite boys be good with one another.

“I’m riding with you the way there, and Flip the way back.” You tell Kylo, and he nods, one leg over his black hog and turning her on. You’re quick to follow, snuggling yourself against his back.

“Where to?” He asks Flip, because Flip’s the one who gives the orders when it’s the three of you.

“The usual place, but the diner first. I’m starving.” Flip replies easily.

With that, you all put on your helmets and the engines roar back to life, loud and nasty on the street as Kylo and Flip pull onto the open stretch of road ahead.

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

Sunset in the mountains is gorgeous, you can’t help but think. Kylo and Flip cruise at a steady pace, and you nestle your head against Kylo’s back, watching the world move past. The Rockies are have exploded into a beautiful purple landscape, the sky a tie-dyed vision of lavenders magentas and fuchsia. Kylo focuses on the winding path ahead, and you focus on the feeling of the hot leather seat between your legs, how the vibrations make your clit throb.

You’re glad it’s not a far way to the next town over, you’re glad, you don’t know if you’d be able to wait too much longer.

Speak of the devil, you think, as the streetlamps of the sleepy little town come into view. The anticipation thrills you, as the tires eat the road away, the little neon sign of the diner grows larger and larger, until Kylo and Flip are pulling up into the parking lot.

Flip immediately moves to you, winds his arm around your middle and tugs you close to his side. He and Kylo look like twins almost, which you think is funny because Kylo does have twin brothers, and Flip certainly isn’t one of them.

Still, the hostess eyes them up and down, their dark hair, their strong intimidating statures, the way they’re both dressed in dark jeans and leather jackets…and you, in the middle of them, standing and waiting for a table.

“Smoking section, please.” Flip mutters, not one for wasting time.

She doesn’t say anything, just nods once and grabs a couple of menus. Not like you need them, you’ve come here one time too many, you know what you order, what you like. The waitress knows, she recognizes the three of you.

She doesn’t say anything, just gives you the menu at your table and lets you be.

You sit at one of those corner tables, the kind that’s one big booth that wraps around. Kylo slides in first, you after him, and Flip at the end, sandwiching you between them on the red and white leather seat.

A different woman comes over, much less suspecting than the first, barely looks up at you as she pulls out her little notebook, and a pen, asking you, “What’ll you have honey?”

“Number 2 combo?” You’re polite, overly polite because you know that you’ll have to make up for the brusqueness of the men on either side of you. “With a basket of fries, and a large vanilla shake with two cherries, please.”

“Boys?” The waitress asks.

“Double cheeseburger with no pickles, and a coke. Please.” Flip replies, smoking his cigarette, already handing her the menu. You smile and kiss his chin, the goatee tickling your lips for a moment or two.

“Same.” Kylo replies, and you squeeze his thigh, a little warning. “Please.”

You grin at him, and the waitress leaves without another word.

The diner is full, nearly every table is packed. You don’t care, neither of you do. Flip’s got one arm slung across the back of the booth, his leg crossed over his thigh. Kylo’s leaned back against the booth, his legs spread. They’re both hard and you wonder how long it’s going to be before Flip decides that he’s ready to go to the motel.

You thank the waitress for the food when it gets delivered, and immediately go for the milkshake. You pluck the cherries off the stem with your teeth and chew them slowly, before one at a time tying the stem into a knot with your tongue and teeth.

“One for my honey,” You kiss Flip, passing the first cherry knot into his mouth, before turning to Kylo and doing the same, “And one for my baby.”

“You’re real fuckin’ good at that ketsl, aren’t you?” Flip grins, chewing on the cherry stem for a moment, because your man isn’t nothing if he’s not a chewer, before pulling it out of his mouth and letting it rest on the little napkin coaster.

“I’ve had a lot of practice.” You tease, a little bubble of laughter escaping your throat.

“What’s so funny?” Kylo asks, his hand creeping between your legs, squeezing your thigh with his big palm.

“I’m just excited. I hope they have a room open.” You say honestly, earnestly in a way that has Kylo licking his lips, giving you a little half smirk. Flip smiles, smokes his cigarette.

“Yeah? Your pussy’s wet for it?” Kylo asks, his voice very low, deep and dark in your ear. It sends shivers up your spine, your thighs press together.

He smirks again, he can feel it with the hand creeping ever closer.

“Mmhmm, want a feel?” You dare, making his eyebrows shoot up a little, looking up to Flip.

“Here?” He asks, nodding slightly to the reminder that you’re all in a very public space. No one is looking at you, no one cares, everyone too preoccupied with their own affairs, their own dinner.

“Touch her.” Flip nods, baritone rumbling through your chest. “It’s okay.”

Kylo carefully, ever so subtly, pops open the fly of your jeans and wedges his hand into your underwear. His fingers slip and slide through the folds of your pussy, his cock throbbing in his own jeans as you spread your legs a little further. It’s all so discreet, no one would ever know what’s going on under that booth. Kylo’s good about things like that.

He rubs at your cunt for a while, your clit pulsing under the heat of his thumb, big and broad and rubbing soothing little circles that make your nerves short out, make you slurp a little harder on your milkshake. Your hand holds his wrist in place, you grind against the heel of it, and Flip tries his best not to grin.

You make the sweetest little sounds, doing your best not to move, not to be loud, not to be heard over the chatter of the diner, but when your eyes start to flutter and roll back, Kylo knows he has to stop.

“Pretty fuckin’ wet.” He eventually decides, pulling his hand away before you come, because it’d be bad if he got you coming right here – you come so loud after all – and buttons you back up.

“Well I gotta fit both of you, so it better be.” You turn back to Flip and kiss him a little, a couple chaste smooches against the warm skin of his throat.

“Oh is that what we’re doing tonight?” Kylo regards you and Flip carefully. You turn your attention to Flip too, eager to see what he has to say.

“Yeah, it is.” He says, before taking another bite out of the burger.

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

True to your word you ride over to the motel with Kylo, knowing that Flip will get you on the way back. With each second that passes, you only get more and more worked up, practically shaking as Kylo waits out in the motel parking lot, while you and Flip go inside to pay for the room.

“One room please.” Flip requests, already pulling out his fat wallet. He always carries cash for things like this – not that he’s got anything to hide from anyone, because you’re right there with him, but it just makes life a little less messy when there’s no paper trail.

The guy at the reception desk sees Kylo outside, and glances over at you carefully.

“How many people?” He asks, a little too suspiciously, but not suspiciously enough for either of you to give a shit.

“Oh a single king is fine.” Flip replies, his tone brooking no argument.

“Check-out’s at eleven.” The man says, sliding a single tarnished key attached to a Paradise Inn key-ring.

“Perfect, thank you.” You flash him a winning smile, and you pretend not to notice the way he stares after you as Flip holds open the door.

Lucky number 17, you find the door of your room easily. There’s not much, but then again you’re not here for a five star treatment. It’s small, brown shag carpeting from the door to the bathroom, with nothing more than a king sized bed, a black and white television on the dresser, and a lamp in the corner.

You barely get a second or two to take in the surroundings before Flip’s hands are on you. There’s a reason you wore the halter top, with one zip your tits are out and your nipples stiff against the cool air of the A/C. He rubs them with his rough thumbs, and you loop your arms around his neck as his hands travel lower lower lower, working on your jeans.

“Hi.” You say to him, your voice breathy and soft, excited.

“Hey honey-bunny.” Flip smiles back against your lips and then frowns at you like he’s angry about somethin’. He grabs your jaw and gives your face a little shake. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful, you know that?”

“Mmhmm, but tell me anyway.” You grin, bratty and naked as he walks you back back back towards the king.

“Lay down on the bed, let me take a look at you,” Flip licks his lips, strikes up a cigarette and puffs the smoke thick and heavy into the air. He breathes out through his nose  “Damn, goddamn, you’re beautiful. We’re going to fuck you so hard you won’t know anything other than how beautiful you are.”

Flip works on unbuckling his belt, sliding it slowly out of the loops. You watch the movement, and so does Kylo.

“Did you bring the camera?” Kylo asks, knowing that sometimes, the first time Flip fucks you he likes Kylo to take pictures, all sorts of pictures from all sorts of angles.

Flip surprises him by shaking his head.

“No, not this time, this time’s just for the three of us. Come here.” He tells Kylo, turns him so that he’s facing you on the bed. You’ve pulled down the comforter and have thrown it to the floor so it doesn’t get too filthy, arms and legs spreading out beautifully in the sheets. Flip gives Kylo a gentle nudge, asks, “Do you want to kiss her?”

“Yes sir.” Kylo’s response is quick, and it makes Flip hum out in approval.

“Kiss her nice and slow, finger her open I want her ready for me by the time I’m done with my cigarette.” He pats Kylo on the back, and with the new permission, climbs up onto the bed with you.

He pulls your body to his, so that you’re facing one another on your sides, those muscular biceps flexing as they hold you close. Before he can really start, you tug the black t-shirt over his head, his chest exposed to you. Your hands splay across his pecs, and you gasp happily into his mouth as his left hand finds your pussy with his eyes closed.

“Your cunt’s so tight baby, how’d you manage that?” Kylo murmurs against your lips, thrusting one finger, then two, then three inside.

“Magic – oh!” Your eyes shoot open as he pushes those three fingers inside you up to his knuckles. He keeps them there are rubs against your walls, spreads his fingers, stretching you carefully. Your hips push down on his hand and you gasp again, this time a little harder. Immediately, Kylo’s other hand clamps down around your mouth.

“We can’t be too loud sweets.” He whispers, not stopping his pace at all, not letting up on your pussy, “These walls are thin, we can’t have anyone hearing you, they’ll know how much of a cockslut you are.”

“Kylo,” You whine, the sound muffled against his palm but still legible enough for them to hear, “I’m gonna come, Flip? Flip I’m – ”

Flip’s been smoking his cigarette at the foot of the bed, watching Kylo touch you, watching Kylo prepare you for him. He nods, even though you can’t see it, your eyes shut tight from the sensation of Kylo’s fingers stuffed up your pussy.

“You get to come as many times as you can tonight ketsl, don’t hold them back.” Flip rubs your calf soothingly, smirks at how your toes are curled and how your thighs tremble already.

“Thank you Philly -- ohh your hand’s just so fucking big Kylo, pleaseplease – a little harder please -- !” You encourage, and Kylo listens, always listens to what you say, to what you want. He’s a little rougher with you, a little faster, his fingers stiffening and curling inside you to rub against your gspot so that you can get out a quick orgasm before the night really begins.

He doesn’t even have to touch your clit before your body is snapping up for a split second, relaxing right after, shocks of pleasure ricocheting inside your brain.

“She’s ready for you.” Kylo kisses you softly and carefully eases his fingers out of your pussy.

You’ve done this often enough, you know what’s coming, but it still thrills you every time, still sends a jolt of adrenaline up your chest. Your ribs ache for it, for the feeling of being pressed between them, your orgasm glowing over your body as Flip puts his cigarette out.

“Good, hold onto her for me, hold her steady.” Flip tells Kylo.

Manhandling you, Kylo leans against the headboard of the shitty bed that squeaks and creaks and groans, and pulls your back against his chest. It’s broad and warm and already covered in a sheen of sweat, and you grin blissed out and in love, as you watch Flip shuck off his clothes.

Kylo wraps his hands beneath your thighs and holds them open. Flip smiles and kisses your pussy sweetly, swipes his tongue through the come and slick between your legs just once, before licking it off his lips and swallowing it down.

You let out a long moan when Flip pushes the head of his cock into you, your hips widening for him as you adjust yourself back against Kylo’s chest. Kylo kisses your neck, sucks on your earlobe while Flip bottoms out inside you, the feeling of fullness all the way up to your cervix making your knees want to fight Kylo’s grip.

“Flip,” You whine, your mouth seeking his, “Holy shit that’s good.”

“Kylo, rub her clit for me.” Flip smiles against your lips, sucks on your tongue as he rolls his hips against yours. Kylo’s fingers find their way back to your clit and he presses down with steady pressure in little circles. Flip groans as the sound of his cock thrusting in and out of you fills the air, “Your pussy’s so wet, pretty girl.”

“O-oh!” You moan, before suddenly, the overstimulation has your nipples leaking, making your eyes snap open with embarrassment, “Oh fuck, I’m sorry I – ”

“What’s that?” Kylo says, as Flip stops fucking you for a minute.

“Milk, shit, hand me the little towel?” You groan, one hand covering your face as Kylo lets your legs down, as Flip gives you some space.

“No – !” Kylo’s brain short-circuits, realizing that it’s your breastmilk, suddenly strangely fiercely protective of it. He doesn’t want it to go to waste, not something so precious as that, something that comes from you, something for the life that you’ve created with Flip. “No I’ll, can I -- ?”

You and Flip look at each other, before looking back at him, and he feels his heart hammer in his chest. He doesn’t know how to explain it, he just…he just thinks it would be wrong to wipe it away, not when…not when he could savor it.

“Of course you can.” You whisper, and this is new, this is something you haven’t done before, either with Flip or with Kylo or anyone else.

But damn, you’re eager to try.

Kylo shuffles out from under you, and you settle down onto the mattress again. Flip moves over you again, his arms holding your legs up around his hips as his cock sinks back into your cunt. Kylo licks up the milk that’s dripped from your nipples and sighs at the taste, his finger returning to your clit as he lays himself down so his head can rest on your sternum, your breast in his other hand as he latches himself to your nipple and sucks.

“Mmmmm.” You moan, one hand pulling Flip down to make out with him as he fucks you, your other hand carding gently through Kylo’s hair.

The sensation is overwhelming – the suction on your nipple as Kylo drinks his fill, his rough fingers on your clit, Flip’s cock dragging in and out of you, in and out in and out it drives you insane, it drives you over the edge, it makes your back arch and your toes curl and your eyes sting with pleasure, with the overstimulation on all ends.

“Aw fuck, fuck Flip – Kylo – fuck I’m – ” You’re hiccupping, panting, sweat sweat sweating all over and Flip knows you’re going to come again, he speeds his hips up, brings you closer closer closer, and you’re sobbing out their names, “Flip, Ky! Please!”

You come hard on Flip’s cock on Kylo’s fingers, cunt clenching down around them. Flip fucks you through it, you’re not done yet, not yet, not even getting started.

“You think you can take both of us?” Flip asks you seriously, sweetly, calmly. He doesn’t want to hurt you, never wants to hurt you, and so he makes sure you can handle it.

“Please!” Your eyes are clouded from orgasm as it rips through you, but there’s clear certainty in your voice when you shudder through the pleasure that you want, that they’re going to give you.

“Ky.” Flip places a sweating hand on his back, getting his attention. Kylo nods, pulls off of your nipple and licks up the droplets of milk that linger on his red swollen lips.

Kylo lays down on his back, and Flip gets off of you, grabs you carefully and settles you right on Kylo’s cock. It’s roughly the same size as Flip’s, although not as thick around the shaft, and you’re boneless above him as you sink down on it with a great big moan.

Flip kneels behind you, and whispers into your ear to relax as he pushes his cock inside your pussy too. You let your hips drop to accommodate them, and your nipples leak onto Kylo’s stomach as you cry, it’s too good, it’s so much and not enough because neither of them are moving and if they don’t start to move soon you might just lose your mind.

“You’re doing so good baby.” Flip’s hands hold you up, you can’t do it yourself, you’re drooling all over yourself and trying your best not to scream. Still, Flip asks, “Does it feel good?”

“Uh-huhh, you’re both really fucking big I – oh!” You let a big string of drool land on Kylo’s face, and he just licks it up, eyes wide, pupils blown black with lust. You can barely see one another in the shitty light of the lamp, but it’s enough to see how fucking hungry they both are for you.

“I’m going to come soon.” Kylo grunts out.

Now that he’s got his cock in you too, he’s starting to lose the ability to form coherent sentences. The tightness of your pussy and the friction of Flip’s cock rubbing against his own have his whole body tensing and flexing, shuddering and shaking as you moan and cry cry cry on top of him.

“Not fucking yet.” Flip growls through clenched teeth.

“Flip,” You sob, rocking back on the two cocks that can barely fit inside you, on the cusp of another orgasm that you’re almost afraid is going to hurt from how good it’ll be.

Flip thrusts into you harder, faster, he’s close too, you know he is, you can tell, can tell with how he’s starting to bite down on your shoulder, bite enough that he could break skin.

“No, not yet.” Flip shakes his head, hair sweaty and falling in his face as he corrals your body up and off him, with a harsh, “Pull out of her. I’m gonna come in you okay ketsl?”

“Please Flip, fill me up honey.” You cry into his mouth as he kisses you deeply, passionately, rolling you onto your sides so he can have one hand on your hip and the other splayed out across your back.

He grunts with a muffled shout against your lips and comes, shoots a hot thick load into your cunt and groans through it, hips pushing it deeper. He stays like that for a few moments, before forcing himself to pull out of your throbbing aching pussy. His come oozes onto your folds, drips and pools onto your slit. He strokes himself to make sure that every last drop gets on your pussy, before he collapses down onto the mattress with a loud groan, chest heaving.

“Fuck my come back into her, slowly Kylo.” Flip orders the man who had been fucking his fist to keep himself from shouting out your name. Kylo’s so quick to scramble back on top of your body, that Flip lets out a chuckle as he lights another cigarette and breathes, “Go slow, don’t come yet.”

“She’s so hot, you’re so fucking hot, sweets.” Kylo moans as he rubs the head of his dick into Flip’s come, pushes it through your folds and into your cunt. The squelch is slick, heady and so thick, the room smells so much like sex that Kylo almost blacks out from that alone, from the all consuming feeling of you.

“Thank you Kylo.” You slur your words, blissed out of your mind, the world moving in slow motion as Kylo takes long drags in and out of your pussy, pushing more of Flip’s come back into your body with each thrust.

“C-can I come, Flip, please,” Kylo sweats all over you, it drips down from his nose, the ends of his hair. He drools into the pit of your throat, and Flip breathes smoke through his nostrils like a great languid dragon, watching your face.

“No, not until she comes one more time.” Flip smiles at you softly, turning your face to meet his as he kisses you, his tongue hot and thick against yours as he sucks on your bottom lip. “You’re gonna come like this, aren’t you ketsl?”

“P-Phil I – yesyes I –” You cut yourself off and come for the last time of the evening, nothing but sensations, lights and sounds and feeling all around you. You feel like you can taste it, up in your throat, how much come there is inside you. Your hands rub at your lower stomach, it’s like you can feel it, sloshing around inside you. “I’m so full.”

“Here honey-bunny,” Flip gives Kylo a nod, “You can take some more, here.”

Kylo comes so hard that his arms give out on top of you, and he falls with a thud onto your messy chest. You’re all disgusting, covered in spit and tears and sweat, milk and come, all mixing all over these sheets. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you make a reminder to leave more cash for the maid in the morning.  

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

Everything is quiet, as the three of you catch your breath. Kylo comes in you just as much as Flip does, and you moan in the back of your throat at the thought of it mixing together, your two favorite boys inside you.

“Thank you Philly, thank you Ky.” You mumble, your eyes shut, mind already starting to drift off to sleep. You’re exhausted, after all that, and the pillowcase is cool and so inviting.

“You’re welcome sweets.” Kylo pulls out of you, his cock softening enough that you only wince a little from the overstimulation.

“Anything for my girl.” Flip pulls you to him once again, never wanting you too far away, wanting you close to him.

“Sleep?” You tuck your head under his chin, already snuggling against him, not caring about anything else in the entire world other than the heartbeat underneath your cheek.

“No, no not yet, we gotta get cleaned up.” Flip cards his fingers through your tangled knotted hair, picking apart the sweatier pieces and coaxing you up with little kisses. “C’mon ketsl, shower time.”

“I can’t get up.” You complain, and Flip chuckles because after the night you just had, he’d be surprised if you’d be okay to walk for a couple of days.

It was a good thing the weekend was just around the corner, he thinks, because he doesn’t envision you getting out of bed at all when he gets you back home, when you leave the motel in the morning. Still, you can’t not shower and use the bathroom, so he pats Kylo’s shoulder.

“Ky, give me a hand?” He asks, hoping to get some help from the man.

Thankfully, Kylo’s awake enough to shoulder some of the weight as the three of you shuffle your way to the bathroom. The hot water is blissful on your sore muscles, and you groan and moan and sigh with happiness as big strong hands wash your body, your hair, your face.

In the morning, the three of you will sneak out well before anyone will have any clue that you’ve gone. You’ll wrap your arms around Flip’s middle as he rides the motorcycle back towards home. You’ll pick up your daughter from your dear friend who knows what you get up to and doesn’t judge, and whenever anyone else asks where you’ve been, well…you won’t be lying when you tell them paradise.

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

[sztefa001]

Question about your transformers OCs, if they could get a pet. What would it be? (Also hi Sztefa!)

HI ALPS THANK FOR THE ASK! >w< <3

Okay so

Here comes the promised wall of text that took me 4 evenings to write:

Bit of summary: camera drones for Taf and Breeze (that's canon), kitty for Mini, and probably therapy dogs for all the rest xD ;w; Also I feel like a lot of that's gonna become canon. Including Morph getting a [read! not gonna spoil that one!]

Also there's a doodle at the end! :3c

Seekers Taffy and Breeze:

The pastel babs who lived away from the war in relative luxury had a bunch of cyber pets transforming into camera drones and that's canon. They're all actually one and the same pet 'cuz hive mind. Not an Earth-based pets as, well, back then they weren't on Earth nor they knew of it's existance. But you know those funny miniature goats? That's how the drone pets behave. So yeah, babies. All of them. While in drone mode they record all the best shots of the pastel babs so that the pretty seekers can select, edit, cut out gifs, pics, make videos, etc. Yep, they're influencers and celebrities. Lord Master makes big money out his two pretty properties. After breaking out and escaping they manage so save one of them and it later lives with them. Once they have a chance they most likely buy one or two more and copy that one's personality so that it has company (it feels better while in more bodies). Happy bunch once again, yay!

Seeker Renfrew:

Battered by war Breeze's long lost trinemate, some time later sparkbonds with Taffy as well. Enjoys the presence of the funny little camera drone (makes him smile!) but what he needs most is probably a therapy trained dog. Maybe Terry helps him get a specially trained cyber dog? Ren ofc appreciates Earth creatures as well, is happy when they're not scared of him.

Flying Minibot MiniMint

Being raised on Earth she's used to Earth creatures. It saddens her that they live for such a short time but it doesn't stop her from making friends with them. Is friends with local cats, dogs, birds, etc. Most likely there was/is a cat or two in her life but it's not like she's actively adopting them. If one likes her and decides to stay - "Welp, guess I have a cat now :D" Also during one of her adventures on another planet she makes friends with big horse-like creatures (or maybe just cyber horses, idk). Imagine tiny bot the size of a human riding on a wild giant robo-horse leading the whole herd. Wow.

"The Big Guy / Widower / Old Man / Ex Mafia Boss"

This guy is a side character and doesn't have a name yet, created for the sole purpose of hitting Alpine's oc Holly with major angst and drama. His story may change but what stays is that the love of his life suddenly dies and he doesn't take it well ("time to murder everyone and then myself"). But eventually he calms down and adopts a cyber dog. Big borzoi looking bab who was too nice to become an attack beast. Not therapy-trained but really good at at her job. Knows when to quietly hug or when to throw a husky-like tantrum. 10/10 best girl and she's canon.

BM-21 Grad TerrorRain

The war may be over but this hotheaded multiple rocket launcher still has no chill. Would like an attack beast, loyal and obedient. Gets a cyber doberman or sth like that to give it a military training. All goes well untill the dog is ordered to attack someone that's not a training doll. It loves destruction, sure. But when ordered to hurt another living being it will curl up apologetically and start whining. At first Terry is angry and frustrated but soon learns that there's really no need to be so violent anymore.

Monoformer Morphine

Dead inside and worn out by the war medic who may or may not be a bit addicted to sleeping pills. He doesn't really care much about anything. Would never adopt a pet on his own - that's effort and responsibility and he has already barely any energy to function. Once Terry gets a cyber dog he doesn't pay much attention to it except for being basic decent (giving head pats when doggo wants, maybe sneaking a treat or just letting the dog get spoiled a bit when Terry's not looking). He doesn't expect much from the dog but turns out its a real good boi that knows exactly when Morph is just fatigued and when has a bigger crisis. Cuddles up to the poor medic or tries to get his attention to provide distraction. Often prevents Morph from taking more drugs than he should. This also teaches Terry how to differentiate between Morph's regular-depressed and gonna-drug-myself-to-pass-out-for-the-rest-of-the-night-crisis.

Also I can't get one image out of my head, said image being Morph feeling free while horse riding. I want him to have a cyber horse. Maybe later when they move out from the Old Mafia Boss they get to live somewhere where those are? That'd be cool. Mini would defo visit often. That's it, I'm defo gonna give Morph a horse, yolo.

Monoformer StrongSpark

Tiny, blind, heavily disabled bot that barely survived after forming (or rather deforming) in highly radioactive environment; survived only becausse Morphine refused to give up on him. So yeah, basically Morph's and Terry's kid (and later also Mini's bff). The 3 of them live at the Widower's place and his dog immediately starts taking care of the kid. Helps him calm down, protects him, notifies of upcoming attacks, etc. Terry's dog cares about Sparky as well (tho these two are out more often). Tiny bab with 2 big guardians. Nice. When the good grandpa (yes, the Old Mafia Boss adots them all) passes away the family inherits the dog and the good girl officially becomes Sparky's guardian 24/7.

IF YOU MADE IT TILL THE END (or just scorlled past the descriptions) HERE'S A DOODLE OF A CYBER MINI GOAT FOR YOU:

[starlightsearches]

Scoundrel

So my inbox decided to delete every request that I had, but lucky for me I actually copied them all down this time! Here’s three requests that I’ve combined into one story, hope you all love it!

Anonymous asked: Lol you reblogged a head cannon from @historymiss about kylo and his “scoundrel” skills and it is just so funny to think about, I’d love to read a fic by you about it. Maybe reader is some type of smuggler being hunted down by the first order and they get away but not before they impress each other with shady skills?

Anonymous asked: Ooh! How about a prompt? “It’s a hobby of mine to prove you wrong” reader to kylo?

Anonymous asked: kylo x reader “is that blood?” “... no?”

Requests are closed ✨

Kylo Ren x Reader (no pronouns)

Warnings: some angst, language, mentions of sex pollen 😏, mild horniness, not a happy ending 🙁

There's no light at all in your hiding place, just the hard press of metal against your spine and the sound of your own breathing. You close your eyes, not that it changes the much, fill your lungs as quietly as you can manage and then hold your breath, listening closely to the sounds of footsteps as they move past you, the modulated mumbles of storm troopers as they head towards the exit of your ship. It's not easy to track their movements just by sound, but you don't think they found your stash, thank gods. If they all get off your fucking ship, you can be on your way in no time.

"Search completed, sir. No sign of the fugitives." You can just barely hear one of the troopers report to some silent supervisor, and your mind catches on the last word. Fugitives? Who were they looking for? Some people would pay a lot of credits for information like that. Despite its chaotic beginnings, today could still be a lucky one. You press your ear closer to the false wall that you hide behind, furrowing your brow in concentration.

"Complete searches of the rest of the ships, they’re here somewhere," there's a second voice now, and as soon as you hear it, ice floods your veins. You'd recognize that voice anywhere. Shit.

Your previous confidence in your hiding place leaves immediately, but you can't move, your sense of self-preservation still convinced that he might slip up this time. You're startled from that delusion almost immediately by a loud pounding sound, and then the panel covering your little shelter gives way to blinding light.

You land on your hands and knees with a loud smack, the impact driving spikes of pain through your bones. Someone—a trooper you assume—is on you immediately, yanking your hands behind your back. As soon as your eyes adjust, he's in your line of sight, filling your view with an expansive blackness.

"You again," he's crouched down beside you, the words almost quiet enough to be a whisper, and said with a kind of reverence that might only exist in your imagination. It's been a long time since you last saw Kylo Ren, but it feels like no time at all.

"We can't keep meeting like this, Commander," you reply, coating your words in a healthy level of sarcasm to hide any trembling that could break through, "People might think that you're in love with me."

He doesn't respond, because he never does, but he lifts his hand to your face, rubbing his thumb roughly against your cheek, the seam of his glove scraping against your skin. "Is that blood?" he asks in the same even tone, raising his hand to eye level; you can just barely make out the dark red smear against the black leather.

" ... No?" And then after a beat, "well, it's not mine." Nothing changes in the man before you, but you hear a modulated snicker from behind, and the trooper mutters an apology when Ren shoots him what you have to assume would be a glare if you could see the face behind his mask.

"Search them," Kylo Ren stands to his full height, and you follow close behind, yanked to your feet unceremoniously by the trooper. Some might find this situation humiliating, being cuffed and patted down on your own ship, but you're able to ignore it rather easily, choosing instead to keep your eyes trained on Ren. He returns your stare, his arms crossed tight over his broad chest, fingers flexing rhythmically against the swell of his biceps. No, being handled like this doesn't bother you at all, but you think it might bother him.

Your weapons are removed one by one, and it's a few minutes before the trooper is satisfied, attaching the cuffs to your wrists and giving you one final shove to signal the end of his search. "Should I take them back to the command shuttle?"

Ren stays silent, and your mind kicks in to lightspeed as you try to come up with a plan. If they got you off this ship, your chances of escape would diminish greatly. You'd need to stay aboard, but how? Fighting both of them wouldn't be an option, especially not weaponless. You'll have to make this up as you go and hope things play out in your favor.

"Leave the prisoner with me for interrogation," he says to the trooper, and you stifle a sigh of relief, "I'll need to search the ship again." You try to keep your emotions in check as you watch the trooper walk towards the exit, following him around the corner and out the door with your eyes. It's just you and Ren now. You could make this work.

He breaks the silence as soon as you're alone, plucking the thoughts right out of your head, "you're not going to escape."

"That's funny, I think you said that the last time we ran into each other," you keep your reply light, your tone laden with a healthy dose of mockery so he won't look any deeper. It's not easy to play tricks on a man with powers like his, which is why you've got to keep him distracted, uncomfortable. After all, this is your arena—he'll have to play by your rules.

He takes you by the shoulder, pushing you further into the ship with a shove that's probably meant to be harsh, but there's no heat behind it. "You can't get away from me," he says, more emphatically. His fingers press deeper into your shoulder, a heavy grip to emphasize his point, like that’s all it would take to keep you with him. He should really know better by now. 

You shrug out of his grasp with a little twist, turning to face him in the small corridor, chest to chest, your bound arms sandwiched between you, your own reflection staring back at you through the eyes of his helmet. "I wouldn't count on it, Commander. It's become a hobby of mine to prove you wrong." Your voice is barely a whisper, the heat of your breath creating little clouds of fog on his mask—you're closer than most would dare to be. It's dangerous, the way you get in his space, dangerous how you challenge him, but gods, do you like it. 

He chooses to ignore you again, refusing to take the bait, and instead continues his path down the hall, pulling you towards the cargo hold. It's mostly empty right now, with a few scattered transport bins littering the corners—just empty enough to fool any asshole who might try to poke their nose into your business.

"What are you hauling?" Ren asks, unconvinced by your sparse collection, searching the hold with slow, methodical movements.

"I don't know if you could tell, but I'm actually between jobs at the moment," you kick a crate of broken blasters to sell your lie, but it's clear he's not convinced as he walks the length of the hold, searching for any signs of hidden compartments. You take the chance to look around, as well, seeing if there’s anything that might aid your escape, or at least help you get the damn binders off. It’s a waste of time—there’s nothing in here for you, and even if there was, you wouldn’t be able to get to it without Ren noticing. You look back at him, just for a moment, checking to see if he’s distracted enough to ignore your scheming. By then it’s too late—you hear the sound of the panel lifting first, and it's only a second before he's opening the crate hidden beneath, too quick for the cry that rips from your chest but gets caught on the way out.

"Spice, really?" He reaches a gloved hand towards the container of the innocuous-looking yellow powder and your heart threatens to leap out of your throat, your feet moving towards him of their own accord.

"Don't touch that!" The words finally break free as you throw yourself at him—you don't really have a choice. The impact is hard, hard enough to upset his balance as he stumbles backward, catching you in his grasp, his hands gripping at your shoulders to steady you, too. You’re anchored in his arms, but your breathing is coming hard and fast, the adrenaline making home in your veins even if the danger has passed.

"Afraid I might contaminate your supply?" he whispers the question, the words coming low and mocking through the modulator in his helmet. He thinks it's his turn to get under your skin.

"That's not spice," you say, breathing hard, panic still coursing. "It's a highly potent kind of pollen used to, uh, stimulate arousal. Getting even the smallest amount of it on your skin or in your lungs can create an effect that lasts for weeks." He goes still against you, solid as stone, but you can feel his heartbeat running rampant through his body as he realizes the meaning of your words. Neither of you dare to move, afraid of worsening your already precarious situation, even though you’re well out of reach of the container. The tension has sucked all the air from the room and you stutter, trying to bring it back, "there's a king in the Kazyk sector who pays me good money to haul it for him."

"Is it contraband?" His gaze flits from you back to the powder, and then back again. Even though you can't see them, the pressure of his eyes weighs on you, bringing a heat to your cheeks.

"Depends on who you ask. It is expensive, highly coveted, and notoriously hard to transport. It can cause . . . complications when moved, if you're not careful."

"Complications?" You feel yourself flush, your entire body uncomfortably warm—the temperature control on your ship must be malfunctioning. It's only made worse by your proximity to Ren; you can feel his heat passing through the thick fabric he wears, smothering you.

"Do I need to spell it out for you, Commander?" You had wanted to mock him again, using his title like that, but the whisper that leaves your parted lips is absent of any ridicule, your words so soft and wanton that it sends a shiver up your own spine. You can't help but wonder if he's blushing under the mask—if his thoughts are currently consumed, like yours are, by images of bodies intertwined, heady moans passed between parted lips, his hands—ungloved—exploring every inch of you . . .

Your wrists tug against their restraints, unbidden. It's a good thing that you're still cuffed, because if they weren't, you're not sure what would stop you peeling back those layers he wears, taking off that stupid helmet, finally revealing his face. What would he look like, laid bare before you? What would it feel like to be encircled in his arms with nothing between you but desire?

You ball your fists, fingernails pressing crescents into your palms as you try to remove these thoughts from your mind, forcing yourself out of his grasp with a sharp tug, trying to breathe again. Gods, what is wrong with you? Some of the pollen must have gotten into the air and made its way into your system. You turn back, hoping to confirm your theory, but the little pile of yellow powder sits undisturbed, and the air in the cargo hold is heavy and still.

"Just put the lid back on it. I'm not hauling anything else," you command, and to your surprise, Ren obeys, replacing the cover on the container gently so as to not disturb the powder beneath. He grabs you again, by the arm this time so that he can keep his distance, thank gods, not that it helps you cool off—the heat stays trapped beneath your skin for much longer than you’d care to admit.

He takes you through the rest of the ship, stopping occasionally to open one of the many hidden storage compartments scattered throughout, cracking locks, breaking codes seemingly without even trying. He finds all of them—even the ones you made yourself, ones you were sure nobody would be able to locate without your help. It doesn't matter anyway; you were telling the truth before. You're not hauling anything else.

You lean against the wall, watching as he rips away the edge of another panel in the floor, finding it empty, and you roll your eyes. "Not to be a dick, but can't people like you just feel if I'm harboring fugitives on my ship?" He looks up at you, and you hope he can’t see the way you’re still shaking, hope he can’t feel any of the shame you’re trying so desperately to hide. You need him off your ship—no more complications, no more interference.

"People like me?" he asks, with the slightest hint of laughter, just barely detectable behind the modulation. So he does feel it—your embarrassment, the leftover yearning that you can’t seem to elude.

You roll your eyes again, as if the movement itself could create the nonchalance you’re trying so hard to mimic. You want to be annoyed at him. You want to be unaffected, cool despite what just happened. But it’s not working. "You know what I mean. Couldn't you just sense them?" 

"I know you're not hiding the people we're searching for,” he admits, sliding the floor panel back in place, “and I found all of these- "he gestures vaguely down the hall, the evidence of his handiwork littered along the corridor "-on my own." It’s hard to be sure when you can’t see his face, but you think he might be smug about it all. 

You furrow your brow, thoughts humming, trying to piece together this interaction in a way that makes sense. When that fails, you resort to mockery. 

“. . . So you've been ripping my whole ship apart for what? Just to show off?” Your heart jumps when you see him freeze—the physical changes slight, but not beyond your notice—a slow smile spreading across your face. You’ve got him now.

“You are trying to show off, aren’t you? I have to admit it, I’m impressed,” he stays where he is as you move closer, the visor of his mask trained on you, his muscles taut like he’s ready to run. Who would have thought that, in this scenario, you’d be the dominant one?

“That’s not-” he stutters—you can hear it through the vocoder, and you laugh, just a short, breathy thing. You shouldn’t let yourself get distracted from the goal at hand, but this is much more fun.

“No need to be embarrassed, I tend to have that effect on people. Everybody loves a scoundrel.” You flash him a cheeky smile, and he bristles, folding his arms over his chest again and standing to his full height. You can see the tension in him, practically pulling him apart. He wants to run from you. He wants to stay. 

“Not me,” he says like he wants to believe it, but you can’t miss the way his voice shakes.

“You especially, Commander. The Order and its people are far too proper for someone like you. There aren’t enough scoundrels in your life.”

The silence that follows your words fills the space, leaving little room for air. Maybe you’re hallucinating, but he might inch closer, his fingers twitching, maybe to reach for the latches in his helmet, maybe to bury them in your hair.

The sound of pounding footsteps against the durasteel floor shocks the breath back into your lungs, but even as the trooper dashes into view, Ren doesn’t pull away.

“Sir, there’s a problem,” the trooper huffs, and after a pause, Ren rips his eyes away from you. The trooper hesitates, now, realizing that he’s barged in on what probably looks to him like a private moment. “Uh, there’s a small band of Resistance fighters attacking the troops, we believe they’re here for the fugitives.”

Ren’s immediately on the move, his cloak snapping from the speed of his departure, and you and the trooper glance at each other for a moment before they follow after Ren, and you do too, curious to see the commotion. Despite his limited headstart, Ren seems to have vanished from the corridors of your ship, no trace of him at all, the only sounds echoing through the hallway coming from your own footsteps and the soft jingle of the trooper’s movements. 

The jingling. You’re almost to the door before you realize what that sound means, and you want to smack yourself. You can see the keys now, out of the corner of your eye. Escape had never been closer, and you almost missed it. You choose to ignore the voice in the back of your mind that reminds you about what had caused you to become so distracted. You don’t have time to think about it now. You have a plan.

The trooper startles when you yelp, tripping over nothing before you go sprawling, landing on the floor with a clang. You watch him from the ground as he stares back at you, hesitant, glancing towards the exit before his eyes fall to you again.

“A little help?” You sell it, make it look like a struggle as you try and fail to find your feet, but the trooper still doesn’t move just yet, and you resist the urge to roll your eyes. Then he takes the bait.

“Thanks,” you mumble under your breath, falling into him as he pulls you to your feet, bracing yourself against the duraplast of his uniform before pulling the keys from his belt with a deft tug and tucking them into your palm.

He doesn’t even notice, running as soon as you're stable, and you follow behind, spinning the key in your palms angling it just right until you hear the snap of release. You catch the cuffs, trying to limit the noise they make as they fall from your sore and stiff wrists. You’re free. 

The trooper exits the ship immediately, off to help his comrades, but Ren is still by the door, deflecting the odd blaster fire. Most of the fighting is far past your ship, on the other side of the yard, but one or two stragglers have decided to aim his way. You watch from around the corner, listen as the sounds of fired shots ends with strangled cries. You move in behind him, getting close, holding the cuffs in place as best you can. 

“Looks like the fight has moved on without you,” you announce your presence, and he turns to look at you, but your eyes are on the saber, burning bright and wicked by his side. “Impressive, but not very useful long range. Blasters are more . . . versatile.”

He gives you a hard look—a searching look—before raising his hand, the fingers flexing in his gloves. Your blaster, the one the trooper pulled off of you earlier, nudges past you on its way to his hand and you jump out of the way, hardly noticing the smooth movement with which he fires, the bodies dropping even from this range as he shoots into the crowd with perfect accuracy.

You’ve never seen him in action like this before. Despite the number of times you had come face to mask with Kylo Ren, he’s never used his powers on you. Something about the realization is frightening.

“We need to leave,” he says, interrupting your thoughts, “back to my shuttle.” He’s looking at you again, head inclined, like it’s a question instead of a demand. And the stupidest part of you wants to go. You force that part of yourself to be quiet. 

He deactivates his saber, drops your blaster and reaches for you, his hand stretched out the same way it had only a few moments ago, but there’s none of the same power behind it; you still feel the pull.

“I know,” he says, and the cuffs fall from your hands because there’s no point in hiding anymore, “but . . .you still could-” he swallows hard enough for you to hear through the modulator, “-we still could . . .”

You walk towards him, your footsteps slow and even and he trembles, his fingers shaking again for an entirely different reason, and they don’t stop, not when they meet your waist, not when your hands grip both sides of his helmet, trying to find a hold against the cold metal.

“I’ll tell you what, Commander,” you say with a whisper, pulling him closer, close enough to rest your forehead against his, “I’ll go with you . . . the next time you catch me.”

It’s a smooth movement, unexpected—first you pull him close, pressing a kiss to the front of his mask, imagining the way his lips must be flushing in response, imagining what it would be like without the ridiculous apparatus in the way. He’s unbalanced, a little surprised, and when you push him back he doesn’t anticipate it, falling, flailing, until he lands with a thud in the soft mud outside of your ship.

“Until next time, Commander!” you call down to him as the hatch lifts, running to the cockpit as fast as your legs will carry you. You’re in a panic as you start up the ship, a shake in your hands that makes it hard to hit the right controls but you don’t stop until you hit lightspeed, trying your hardest to breathe.

You plug in the right coordinates and sit back in the pilot’s chair, brushing your hand across your cheek, picking up the stray moisture that lingers there. You don’t remember when the tears started. You’re not sure how to stop. It seems like today isn’t your lucky day after all.

[reydjarinkenobi]

So I love time travel, and Finn/Poe, so maybe Finn/Poe in the clone wars?

Thank you for this prompt! I found it very interesting. I would like to preface this by apologising. I have sought of run away with this. This is mostly set up but it is just the first chapter. Tell me if you want me to do more. 

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Poe knew that touching the stone was a stupid decision.

Really, even as he was reaching out to touch the weirdly carved symbol on the large stone jutting out into the room, he was telling himself not to do it.

In his defence, Luke had told all of them that Finn and Rey weren't allowed to touch anything weirdly carved  in the Temple. He hadn't said anything about Poe.

It was a simple mission; the simplest one he'd ever had. Go into the weird old Jedi Temple. Take a few holos. Go home.

Really, it was just to get them off base and doing something; a distraction.

Chewie hadn't been adjusting well to Solo's death. Even eight months later, he growled at everyone except Rey, General Leia and Finn, at the drop of a hat.

Rey was on edge from Luke's not-really training (and, really, Poe could sympathise with her. It must have been hard being assigned to sit alone in a forest for hours instead of learning how to fight when every time they stepped onto a battlefield, their comrades were dying in droves.) Though, Luke's refusal to train her hadn't stopped Rey from learning a bunch of battle changing tricks herself.

Plus, she and Jessika had been spending much of their spare time looking for information on Rey's parents. From what Poe had heard the last news hadn't been good. The two had been planning on going on a trip back to Jakku when they got a chance. That was until…

Well that was just another reason they were stuck with this assignment wasn't it?

Finn was still reeling from the debacle at the last Temple they had been sent to investigate. Him and Rey had activated something that had caused both of them to glow as they were thrown into a Force Vision which had apparently helped reveal him as Force Sensitive.

As soon as he'd gotten back to base, he'd been set off on similar exercises to Rey, but they'd all seen how Luke seemed to pay extra attention to him. Poe had been part of more than one late night invasion of the training rooms where both of them had passed the Skywalker lightsaber back and forth, attempting to follow the katas written out in one of the books that Rey had pilfered from the Temple they'd been in.

And Poe? Well Poe was just tired. They all were really.

The last world the First Order had invaded was Yavin 4. His father hadn't survived.

He didn't know how much longer he could take it. How much longer they could all take it.

They were losing. They all knew it. More and more Republic planets were siding with the First Order, their leaders choosing to bow and save themselves the expenses rather than fight. Their funds were waning, and they were losing too many people. Every battle, every retrieval, hell, every relief mission, was turning into a disaster. More than half their fighters were refugees.

Every day, they got news of the First Order progressing, or Rey and Finn would feel the pulse of another Force User dying, the last remnants of the Jedi Order being eradicated as the First Order and the Knights of Ren spread their influence throughout the galaxy.

Soon, there would be nothing left but darkness.

So, yeah, Poe kind of needed the break.

"You should take it!"

"Luke would want you to have it."

"You're better with it! You've had more practice."

"You already have better control than me."

"That is not true."

Poe shared an eye roll with Chewie as BB-8 trilled in annoyance.

This was a familiar back and forth that Rey and Finn had been having over the last few missions. Neither of them wanted to take the Skywalker lightsaber with them.

It would be funny watching two supposed Jedi fighting over who should not have a lightsaber, if it wasn't so irritating.

"I'm better with a blaster!"

"Well, I'm better with my staff and that's a melee weapon, so I'm already covered in close combat."

Finn faltered at that argument, taking a second to search for something to combat that leap in logic whilst Rey waited with a raised eyebrow. Poe huffed and strode forward, closing Finn's hand around the saber.

"Come on, Finn. Rey's more stubborn than you. And she won the argument. Let's just get this over with."

Finn huffed. "She's far more powerful than me - you saw what she did on Dandoran. She should have the lightsaber."

Rey scowled. "You're the better Jedi. You have better control. Luke's going to formally claim you as his padawan any day now. He's been showing you katas four times a week for almost a month."

"You've learnt more than me on your own. You're the better Jedi."

"Luke thinks I'm a ticking time bomb and he's right. They're just hoping I blow up in the Order's faces not their own."

With that, she strode into the temple, Chewie lumbering on behind her with BB-8 trailing behind with a few sad beeps.

Finn sighed and Poe bumped their shoulders, threading the fingers of their free hands together.

"Give her time. She's still recovering from..."

Finn swallowed. "I know. But she didn't lose control. I felt it. She didn't go dark. She reined herself in and got the job done."

Poe squeezed his partner's hand. "Dandoran was… a mess. And what she did was amazing. But I get why it scared her."

Finn frowned and shrugged, making to walk off after Chewie, BB-8 and Rey, but Poe tugged him back.

"Do you know who else was amazing on Dandoran? You were. Cutting the wing off a TIE fighter mid-air and not dying from the fall was incredibly hot."

With how close they were, Poe could see the way the praise made his partner's cheeks heat up and Finn smiled into the quick kiss they shared before they followed the rest of their team inside.

Their argument ended up being moot, because in the third room they entered, Rey summoned an object to her hand, obviously sensing something weird with it.

Finn hummed in interest when he saw the saber. It's hilt was much longer than the Skywalker saber's and when Rey held it in both her hands, a blade emitted from each end, one a pale blue and one gold.

She gasped swinging the blade through the air before her eyes widened, as she twisted her hands and the saber came apart into two.

"I didn't even know you could make sabers like this," she whispered, powering down the sabers so that she could test the mechanism locking them together without risk of burning herself.

She closed her eyes and grew very still for a few moments before she came back to herself with a light shiver.

"The Master left it here knowing someone would need it."

Finn grinned at her, patting her on the shoulder. "See? You've got control of that ability now. I don't even know how you do it."

Rey wrinkled her nose.

"Yes… Luke's instructions on how to strengthen my shields really helped with that… and the meditation on controlling both my powers and my emotions didn't hurt either," she admitted grudgingly.

Poe sent his boyfriend a proud smile when didn't gloat as they all moved into the next room, still looking for the runes that Luke and General Leia had asked them to take holos of.

Eventually, they got to the room they were looking for and Chewie and Poe were left to twiddle their thumbs whilst BB-8, Rey and Finn started pouring over the walls.

That was until Poe had touched the stupid rune.

He really knew he messed up when Finn and Rey had snapped their heads around half a moment before his fingers had brushed it, both of them calling out for him to stop, but by that point it had been too late.

The world around him had filled with a blinding light, and, when his vision cleared, they weren't alone in the room anymore.

He jumped away from the man that had materialised beside him. He was in armour that would have made him reach for his blaster if it wasn't painted blue. Nevertheless, he stumbled back a few steps before an unseen Force shoved him behind Finn and Rey, who had both assumed defensive stances.

He didn't know which one of them had moved him, but he wasn't fazed by it; he'd had to get used to getting manoeuvred by invisible hands when he'd started fighting regularly alongside Finn and Rey, neither of whom were afraid to use their powers to move their allies out of the way of danger if they could.

It didn't bother him. Honestly? It was kind of a thrill.

There were five other men dressed in similar armour, though three of them had gold paint, whilst the last two were wearing significantly less protection with their weird robes that kind of reminded him of Luke. In the back, near the doorway, was a young Togrutan female as well as an older human female around Poe's age clutching a blaster.

The Togrutan and the man in black robes ignited lightsabers whilst the other men raised their blasters.

The last man in the beige robes and the light upper body armour glanced at the man beside him with a disapproving frown.

"Now, now. We don't need to resort to violence right away."

"Who are you?" the dark robed one with a scar over one of his eyes growled, ignoring his companion.

They all stood there gaping. The last thing they'd expected to see was people with lightsabers. At least not ones that weren't red.

Poe glanced between Finn and Rey. Neither of them had gone for their lightsabers, instead Finn had raised his blaster whilst Rey was brandishing her spear. To be fair, he'd never seen Finn miss a shot and had once watched as Rey knocked out ten storm troopers with her staff within fifteen seconds.

Both of his Jedi were frozen, staring at the image in front of them with blank expressions.

Intellectually, they all knew that there had to be a few other Jedi in the galaxy, but any ones that hadn't already been killed should be impossible to find unless they had the protection of the Resistance at their backs, and the only ones who did were Finn, Rey and Luke.

For once, Poe was the first to recover in a social situation. He was good at back alley deals and criminal underworld politics - he'd had to be with the sheer number of undercover missions he was send on - but Rey and Finn had this quality about them that could sway any opponent. Years in the First Order under countless temperamental commanding officers had taught Finn just how to react to deescalate any interaction and the genuine kindness that Rey met every situation with, hiding her sharp, calculating mind completely disarmed almost anyone they met. That was, unless they were on the battlefield. Then, they were terrifying.

He drew himself up, tilting his chin back confidently in a way that he'd learnt to do whenever he was met with a more powerful opponent. "I think we should be the ones asking the questions since we were here first. You just appeared out of thin air."

Chewie let out a garbled roar and Rey nodded in acknowledgement.

Poe really needed to learn Shyriiwook. They had all worked together on nearly every mission since Finn and Rey had joined the Resistance - he was fairly sure they were officially considered a team in the official records. Finn and Rey had been promoted to the rank of Commander, and Chewie had been given it as soon as he formalised his commitment to the Resistance.

"The Force is… different now," Rey murmured, her face an impassive frown.

She'd gotten better at controlling her expression over the past few months. Maybe all the meditation was helping with that. Though, Poe would never suggest that to her.

Finn glanced at her, before taking half a step back and closing his eyes. A moment later, he jerked, letting out a gasp. Poe stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Finn gave him a small smile as he leaned slightly into the touch.

"It's… so much lighter," he murmured, is voice thick with awe.

Rey hummed in agreement. "More full at least. There are just… so many lights."

Less than a moment later, she shook her head, snapping her gaze towards the people in front of them.

"Something… very strange has happened," she announced and Poe sighed internally.

He really shouldn't be surprised by weird Force shit when he spent most of his time around Jedi. He definitely couldn't complain when he was actually dating one.

The man in the dark robes frowned as he powered down his lightsaber, the young Togrutan in the back doing the same for her green one and her smaller, yellow one.

The red-haired Jedi and the dark robed one shared a glance.

"I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, High General of the GAR, and this is General Anakin Skywalker. We may be able to assist you."

Poe felt himself freeze.

"Oh shit."

Finn and Rey glanced back at him, their eyes wide with similar realisation.

Finn turned back to them. "If you're Obi-Wan Kenobi… and you're Anakin Skywalker, that would mean…"

"We travelled back in time," Rey finished for him, her voice barely above a whisper.

Poe instinctively wanted to deny it. Time travel was crazy. There was no way.

But the group in front of them looked pretty darn solid.

And the man in front of him wasn't wearing a black helmet.

So it was the only logical conclusion.

Calling time travel logical seemed like a juxtaposition.

This should be impossible.

Chewie let out a roar, and Poe didn't have to know Shyriiwook to understand the gist of what he was saying. This was fucked.

"Excuse me?" Kenobi asked, arching an eyebrow.

Skywalker snarled, "You expect us to believe that?"

Chewie grumbled and leant back against the wall, striking up a quiet conversation with BB-8, which consisted entirely of them complaining at each other, from what he could hear from BB-8's replies.

Finn, Poe and Rey glanced at each other, all of them trying to think of the right thing to say. It needed to be something that would prove that they were from the future, something they couldn't have known if they lived in the time they were currently in, but it couldn't be something that would side track this conversation too much.

So no bombshells. Like the Emperor. Or Darth Vader. Or the Genocide of the Jedi.

Right.

Rey inclined her head downwards and Finn grasped at his belt. He raised his eyebrows and tilted his chin. Poe nodded, signing a quick agreement with Rey's plan.

Finn sighed, and unclipped the metal cylinder from his belt.

"This is your lightsaber," he said, looking at Skywalker. "The one you're holding right now."

He held it flat in his palm, allowing Skywalker to easily summon it to his hand, comparing it to the identical weapon he'd already been holding. The man closed his eyes for a few seconds, grimacing.

"It's the same saber," he announced when he opened his eyes, his tone more subdued than before. "But the crystal doesn't recognise me anymore."

He nodded at Finn, holding the weapon out.

"It likes you though."

Finn blinked as he summoned the weapon back to his hand. "Uh… thank you?"

Rey shot him a smug grin and Finn rolled his eyes.

General Kenobi frowned, putting a hand on his chin.

"So we do have… visitors from the future."

BB-8 trilled angrily and Poe cringed.

Rey blew out a sharp breath. "She's right. It seems our way back has been destroyed as well."

She gestured to the now cracked stone, that Poe had just touched.

Yep, they were royally screwed.

Kriffing Jedi bullshit.

----

Are you guys curious? Do you want more? Not gonna lie, I have big plans for this fic. Send me an ask or a message if you want more. Or comment on ao3.

[suchdan-veryphil]

Goodnight, Solos - A Dad!Ben Solo Imagine

Request: Can we get an imagine where Ben has trouble with his and the reader’s toddler and the bedtime routine? Maybe it’s the first time he does it bc the reader is pregnant with their second child and is on bedrest? Their toddler gives him a hard time and just doesn’t wanna go to bed?

Fluff!!!

Word Count: 1,928

Trigger Warning: Swearing maybe?

A/N: I am absolute Adam Driver Trash. Ben Solo deserved better. 

---------

“Ben, are you sure that you’ve got her?” As you sat up against the backboard of the bed, your 7-month-pregnant belly protruded from the covers. The doctor had put you on bed rest, insisting that since your toddler had been born 7 weeks early, that you were at high risk for early labor with your ever-growing baby. 

Your husband put his dirty clothes in the hamper before he nodded his head and looked at you. “Not to be an ass, but I literally single-handedly took down a handful of Palpatine’s assholes. I think I can give our two-year-old a bath and read her a story before bed.” 

A deep breath ran through your body as you tried not to take offense to what he was saying. “Yea, well if you end up needing help, call me over.”

“I will not.”

“Need help or call me over?” 

“Both.” Ben turned around and kissed you on your forehead before he turned on his heels and walked out the door and down the hall towards your toddler’s room. 

“Reina, it’s time to take your bath. It’s almost bedtime.” 

Looking back at the 6′3″ man was a pair of (y/e/c) that reflected yours, and a head full of messy, curly, midnight hair that was definitely her father’s. “Daddy, not yet.” 

“Yes, yet. C’mon, wookie.” Ben had a way of making things sound stern, but not rude or mean. His voice was deep and sultry, but his tone was gentle and empathetic. 

“Can I do the bubbles?” her voice was the stereotypical voice of a toddler who knew how to make her father give her what she wants, accompanied by the slightest tilt of the head. She smiled at him, making her chubby cheeks turn light pink. 

In that moment, Ben knew that everything he had faced leading up to this point in his life was so that he could be the best father possible for this child and the one on the way. 

“Yes, you can do the bubbles. Let’s go.” Ben held his arms out, and they were soon holding your two-year-old tightly, carrying her into the bathroom. He ran the water and plugged the tub. “Reina, come do the bubbles!” 

Reina ran to the cabinet by the sink and pulled out the container of the bubble bath and used all of her 29-month-old strength to pop the top off and run towards the bathtub. With no thought, she turned the container on a 180-degree angle, dumping a good majority of the bottle into the tub. Ben quickly grabbed it, struggling to grip it well enough to turn it back over before he plopped it into the sink. 

“Bubbles, Daddy!” Reina giggled and put her hands in the running water as the bubbles began to form in the water. 

“Yes, lots of bubbles, wookie. Now you gotta take off your clothes?” Ben was grateful that you weren’t able to hear him questioning your two-year-old daughter on how to take a bath. 

“Yes and then I jump in the bubbles!” Reina squealed as she undressed and then ran out of the bathroom. 

“Wait, where are you going?” 

“On a mission!” 

“Reina, you’re not wearing clothes, come here!” Ben stood and used the length of his legs to stride quickly towards the naked child that was running through the house. 

“Catch me, Daddy!” 

Reina ran past Ben and into her bedroom. “Daddy, my wanna put my Rey doll to the bath!” Ben stood there for a moment, confused as to what she was trying to say. “Rey doll in my bath!” 

Ben shook his head as he realized what she was saying. “Yea, sure. Let’s just get in the tub, Reina.” He leaned over and scooped her up before he walked her back into the bathroom and put her in the tub before he turned the water off. 

Reina looked up at her father and smiled as she grabbed fists full of bubbles, and squeezing as they floated into the air, made their way back down and landed on various surfaces. “Daddy, can you use the force to blow the bubbles around?” 

As the Solo boy took a washcloth and made it soapy, he smirked a little and shook his head. “I cannot. But watch this,” and with that, he took a deep breath in and blew into a large hill of bubbles, causing them to fly everywhere and causing the toddler to go into a fit of giggles and laughter. Ben couldn’t help but also chuckle as he continued to bathe the child that taught him a kind of love that he never thought he would know. 

The rest of bathtime was pretty smooth if a mess of bubbles on the floor, counter, sink, and Ben was still considered smooth. Ben sat with Reina on her bedroom floor, wrapped in a towel that was made to look like a uniform from the Rebellion. Y/N bought it as a joke, and Ben didn’t find it very funny at first. Only when Reina decided she loved it did he come around. 

As soon as he ran the brush through her hair, she whined. “Ow! Daddy that hurted!” 

“It hurt?”

“Yea, I want momma to brush it. Can you go get her?” 

Ben frowned and gave her a small squeeze. “Momma can’t leave the bed, remember? She has to stay in bed so that she can keep your baby sibling safe and sound.” 

“Then we don’t have to brush my hair.” Reina pouted and gave him a teary-eyed expression that pulled at his heartstrings in a way that only her mother had been able to do before.

“Yes, we do, wookie. I’ll try to be more gentle. I promise.” And he was. He had combed through her hair in small sections and in small strokes. This caused the chore to take about four times as long as it should have, but the job was done and there were no more tears, which is what he cared about. 

“All done, kid. Where are your pajamas?” 

“Top.” 

Ben collected any random pair of bottoms and a top before he turned around to find his daughter opening the drawers on her crafting desk with her towel still wrapped around her. 

“What’re you doin’? It’s bedtime. Come get dressed.” 

“Not yet! I wanna color you a pitcher!”

Ben took a deep breath, not because he was frustrated but because he didn’t know how to get through to the toddler. He finally understood when y/n said: “she’s just like you, stuck in her ways.”

“Tomorrow morning, the first thing we can do is make a picture but now you need put your clothes on so we can lay down and go to bed.” 

“Daddy, a story first. Momma always reads me a story.”

“Yes, we’ll read a story but not until you’re dressed.” 

Ben had come a long way. If you had come from another galaxy and had heard of the late Kylo Ren, and then met your Ben, you never would have put two and two together. Ben was kind, and he was learning patience. It wasn’t easy for him. There were many days when you two had started dating where you could see his temper come out, but he truly was working on it. 

Then the day you told him you were pregnant with your lovely Reina, he really began to hold himself accountable for his actions. He wanted to be the dad he never imagined himself being and giving your daughter a life full of love, trust, and lack of fear and anger. 

He held the pajamas up in his hands as he waited for Reina to close her drawers and make her way over to where he stood. 

“I can do it.” Her arms reached up and stretched as if she would ever be able to reach any object held over her father’s head. Ben chuckled at the sight, and just to tease her a little, he reached them up higher. 

“Are you sure?” Another chuckle escaped his lips as she started to jump up in an attempt to get taller. 

“I’m gonna tell momma! My want my pajamas!” The small girl had a stern voice that she had undeniably learned from her father. Ben knelt down and helped her step into her underwear, pants, and lastly her shirt. 

“Don’t tell the big boss on me, you know that look she’ll give me. Ben then made a serious face, imitating the one you give when you have to discipline Reina. 

With a giggle, Reina lifted her tiny finger to her lips in a shushing motion. “Okay, daddy. Let’s play a game!” 

“No no no, let’s read a book and go to bed!” Ben said trying to match the toddler’s enthusiasm as he lifted her up and brought her over to the shelves of books by the window. 

The shelves were packed with all kinds of books. Comics, coloring books, books on animals, books on the universe, but Reina’s favorite was “Goodnight Moon”, so it was no surprise when her hand went straight to it. She slid it off of the shelf and held it tightly in her hands. 

“This one, Daddy.” 

“You got it Wookie.” Ben kissed the side of her head and smiled as he lowered her into her bed shaped like an X-wing. 

“Daddy, lay with me?” 

“I don’t think I’ll fit in the bed with you, kid.” 

“Make you fit! Come here!” Reina moved over all the way to the wall and patted the bed beside her. 

Ben watched and tried to analyze whether or not he would fit on the bed. With a light, sigh, he decided that it didn’t matter. As he flicked the lights off, Reina’s star projector night light lit up and covered the ceiling with stars. As he laid down, he pulled the blankets over the two of them and took the book gently from her hands. 

“Ok, get comfy.” Ben cleared his throat and opened the book. Reina cuddled into her father with her head on his chest and her arm over his abdomen. Ben smiled lightly to himself as he began to read. 

“In the great green room, there was a telephone...” Ben rested his head on Reina’s and continued to read in a slow, soothing voice. 

It was only when Ben was half-way through the book that their baby girl had fallen asleep, but he continued to read aloud as if she were still listening. 

You had already been waiting for almost two and a half hours waiting for Ben to come back to bed. You knew Reina could be tough to get to sleep, but she had never taken this long before. Getting out of bed, you slid into your slippers and waddled your way down the hall to Reina’s room. 

You were met with a dark room covered in stars and the sight of your Ben and Reina Solo cuddled up together, Ben’s stomach holding “Goodnight Moon”. 

His cheek was rested on her head and her arms were wrapped around his body. You could feel your heart swell with love as you took the sight in. Ben Solo had come a long way since his battle with Palpatine, and even if he still felt a struggle, you knew that he had changed forever, for the absolute best. 

You took one last glance and smiled as you slowly backed out of the bedroom and closed the door, leaving it open a crack. Before walking away, you glanced in and bit your lip. “Goodnight, Solos.” 

[hermits-that-craft]

Night AU - Chapter 52 - Arc 2 - Relost

AO3:https://archiveofourown.org/works/23509375/chapters/66540838 I’m sorry it took so long!

“You two are idiots.” Tango laughs breathlessly. “I can’t believe you got away with that.”

“But they did!” Zedaph cheers, smiling.

“Dude shh you’re going to wake up the hermits!” Scar stage whispers, and Cub snorts under his breath. Etho hums a song to himself, listening to Impulse and Scar play catch up with the others. 

“I can’t believe Scar has a god mode but I don’t.” Zedaph whines playfully. “I think I deserve a god mode.”

“I don’t know how to activate god mode though.” Scar says, hanging upside down off his bed. 

“Void nerfed you because you’d be too powerful” Cub says sagely, nodding his head as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“They nerfed you!” Tango cackles, falling off the bed as he laughs. Zedaph and Impulse soon follow suit, either sitting on the floor with Tango or getting dragged off the bed by the other two.

“We’re coming for you Cub!” Zedaph cackles, shuffling towards Cub’s bed. The older men quickly jumps onto his bed, standing on top of it as though his life depended on it. Etho snickers in the corner, watching as Scar is dramatically dragged to the floor by Tango.

“The floor is lava.” The words barely leave Etho’s mouth before the hermits are clinging to beds and fences as though their lives depend on it, all shooting half hearted glares at Etho.

“I thought you were asleep!” Scar says, hanging off of the fence post that the lantern is held up by.

“I didn’t think you could jump that high!” Etho counters, and the group laughs, Scar slowly lowering himself to the ground.

“Well sometimes you just gotta up you know?”

“‘Well sometimes you just gotta up.’” Zedaph quotes. “Wise words from mister GoodtimeswithScar.”

Everyone pauses, dread replacing the joy as their communicators hum in unison. Scar and Impulse both immediately shake their heads, not willing to find out if Doc or Ren are dead, or worse. No one wants to look, to find out the terrible news. To find out if a friend is dead. Killed and respawned, or their body found somewhere. Cub pulls Scar into a comforting hug, though nothing on his face could be described as anything but horrified. Zedaph taps Impulse’s hands gently, grounding the man. Tango looks at Etho, pleading with him to check with his eyes. Etho nods, and Tango lets out a relieved sigh as Etho pulls out his communicator. Horror fills his stomach, fear overtaking his common sense and brain as he reads, and rereads, the notifications. Tears slip out of his eyes, and vomit threatens to force its way out of his throat.

TheJungle has entered the server.

TheJungle: Night, I want the nHo back. I will join you if you give them to me. TheNight: I already have 1/ 4 ready for you. TheJungle: Omw

“Good news and bad news, everyone.” Etho says, his voice soft. “Night doesn’t have Doc or Beef anymore.”

“The bad news?” Tango’s voice sounds like it's traveling through a wall of honey, but Etho swallows, trying to force the fear and tears down his throat.

“The jungle is back.”

---

Iskall and Etho walk along the edge of the shopping district, Iskall quietly testing his new robotic arm. It’s been painted white, and it responds well to his movements, though he leans towards it as he walks. Etho keeps an eye on his, helping him adjust to the new weight.

“It’s kind of funny,” Iskall murmurs. “I just got used to not having the weight of an arm, and now I have to get used to the weight of one again.”

“It’s heavier than a norm- a non-robotic arm.” Etho catches himself, reminding them both that this arm is Iskall’s new normal. “So you’re going to have to get stronger.”

“Are you saying that I’m not strong.” Iskall jokingly asks.

“Yes.” Etho depans, before dodging a punch from the ex assassin. “Am I wrong?”

“Yes! Yes you are wrong!” Iskall pushes Etho gently. “I am amazing and strong and you all are weak compared to me.”

“Yessir.” Etho nods, pushing Iskall back. The pair laugh, turning around the hill before they freeze.

Doc leans on the side of the hill, his eye wide and fearful as he watches Etho and Iskall. His metal arm is gone, wires poking out of the gaping hole in his shoulder where the arm should be. Redstone, or perhaps blood, covers what is left of his lab coat. It’s torn to shreds, there’s barely anything left of the fabric that Doc took such good care of.

“Doc?” Etho asks, his voice quiet. “Doc, are you alright?”

“I need to go back.” Doc sways in the breeze. “I need to get Ren out. Oh Void, they’re going to slaughter Ren.”

“Doc you’re not making any sense.” Etho says, slowly walking towards his friend. Iskall looks at his new arm, frowning as his gaze hits the claps. “I’m sure Ren is going to be-”

“Take my arm.” Iskall says, his hand undoing one of the claps. “Get Ren back.”

“Iskall-”

“Get my friend back, Doc.” Iskall struggles with the arm, Doc helping his detach it from his body. Iskall helps Doc to attach it to his arm, Etho spluttering in the background. Etho watches and Doc pulls Iskall into a hug, a tear falling from his eye.

“I will. I’ll get Ren back.” Doc promises. 

Iskall leans against Etho as Doc flies off, a stray tear falling from his eye. Etho gently rubs his shoulder, humming to Iskall as the man struggles to contain his fear. Etho doesn’t - Etho won’t let Iskall relapse, he promised the other hermits that this would be good, healthy for Iskall. He won’t let Iskall lose himself.

Rendog burnt to death fighting Docm77 

---

They footsteps echo down the hallway, bare feet hitting the stone floors. It’s angering, this base in their domain - Night control the End and the Nether, surely they could have built a base in one of those. In any case, Night has an offer that he cannot refuse. Her long hair is in a braid, and she prides herself on knowing that she will confuse her father's sibling.

“Jungle, welcome.” Night says, their mask cracked. They look deranged, perfectly matching Jungle’s emotions. “I assume you are here to collect your players?”

“I will work for you until I get all of them back.” Jungle smiles, making sure that it’s just too wide. They scan the room, spying Beef and Doc. Two of their players. “I thought you only had one.”

“I had to lull the hermits into a false sense of security. I wanted to make them think that Experiment escaped.” Night nods to Doc, and Jungle turns his gaze to the man. 

It’s so, so painfully clear he’s scared. They can smell it on him. But he isn’t fighting Night’s control - or maybe he’s too weak to escape it. The fear only serves to break the two men further. Fear radiates off of the two men, though it’s clear that the stars that Night replaced them with are confused by their hosts’ fear. 

Perfect.

They can’t wait to bury these men in bedrock and vines.

---

“Dad?” Grian asks quietly, his eyes wide. Builder reads over the notification. Once. Twice, before he sighs. “What are we going to do?”

“I need to get something from the godly realm.” Builder says, standing slowly. Xisuma blinks, watching the god with distrust. “Something to counter Jungle.”

“Oh!” Grian lights up a small amount, and Cleo looks to the corner of the room, her mouth open as though she’s going to ask it something, “Are you getting Althea and Ella?”

“Who?” Joe asks, sitting on the table.

“My sisters.” Grian says without second thought.

“His daughters.” Rose points to Builder. “The goddess of Mushroom Islands and the goddess of roofed forests.”

Builder nods, before disappearing into the air. Xisuma wraps his arms around himself, his knees hitting his chest. Scar pats his back sympathetically, and Xisuma sighs.

“I can’t keep anyone out of here, can I?” Xisuma mumbles.

“You’re trying your hardest.” Scar says, smiling. “That’s all that matters.”

Rose summons some magic, using it to clear some of the dusk off of the higher shelves in the room. Cleo starts mumbling to herself, and everyone except Joe and Rose give her worried looks as she addresses her ramblings to Amari.

Three buzzes echo from the communicators, and Builder enters the room with two women. One of the wears a red cloak, a white dress and a brown leather corset, knives and potions hanging from it. The other women wears a simple red dress, her hair in a bob around her head, though she wears sturdy leather boots.

“You must be Xisuma!” The one in the red dress smiles, shaking his hand. “I love how you used my domain for the shopping district, It’s always nice to see people settle here!”

“Uhh, Althea you might want to introduce yourself-” The other, Ella, says, patting her back. “In any case, I want to beat up our sinling. Where the fuck are they?”

---

Amari watches over the group, as everyone settles in for the night. She refuses to allow herself to show to the mortals, and though Etho, Keralis and Cleo are kind and promise that the mortals would get used to her, she refuses to give them another reason to fear. She leaves the barracks, walking over to a small room that overlooks the shops. They glow against the night sky.

“Hello Madam Amari.” Joe Hills says, and Amari turns her head, surprised. “I assume you’re here, this is the nicest view in the building, though if you aren’t here I assume I look insane.”

Amari smiles, knowing that Mr Hills says this as he enters every room. Perhaps she’ll give him the sight, for being kind to her and her wards. Void only knows that kind eccentric people deserve a power that is from an unknown blessing, and prophecy is so very over used.

[ericsonclan]

My Maiden Rose

Summary: Minnie and Renata enjoy some time together when something happens that leads them to take the next step forward in their relationship.

Word Count: 1000+

Read on AO3:

The sun was slowly crawling up from its hiding spot behind the hills. The birds were happily chirping in their nests while the living dead groaned and roamed around the lands outside the kingdom. But none of that seemed to matter at this moment. All that mattered to Minnie was the warmth of her bed and the serene bliss of having Renata in her arms.

Her arms wrapped further around her love, slowly pulling her in closer to her. Renata’s gentle teapot-like snores continued on as her hand remained intertwined with Minnie’s. The redhead looked at her love safely sleeping in her arms. The sight made her heart flutter. To think that she’d find someone like this after the world had fallen to the living dead. Someone who cared for and deeply loved her.

Minnie rested her head on the pillow once more, letting herself enjoy the joys of cuddling with Renata when suddenly her love shifted around in her arms. Soon Renata’s face was mere inches from Minnie’s. That fact made the red-headed knight blush lightly as her heart skipped a beat. Every so gently Minnie lifted her hand and tucked back a stray strand of Renata’s hair, careful not to wake her while doing so.

But it seemed she had failed when Renata hummed happily before her eyes fluttered open. She gave a sleepy yawn then smiled lovingly at Minnie. “Morning, Min,” Renata leaned forward and softly kissed the tip on Minnie’s nose.

“Morning, Ren,” Minnie returned the smile and the romantic gesture. The two laughed together for a few seconds before Renata wrapped her arms around Minnie and snuggled in closer, her legs slowly intertwining with the redhead’s.

“Mmmmm, I declare today a cuddle day,” Renata’s breath tickled Minnie’s ear, causing her to shiver slightly.

“As much as I’d love to, I have training soon,” Minnie pulled back and could see the sad pout on her love’s face. “But afterwards we could go horseback riding together.” The knight’s suggestion made an excited, joyful smile appear on Renata’s lips. She nodded then proceeded to plant kiss after kiss on Minnie’s face.

Minnie giggled at all the small, romantic gestures before she wrapped Renata tighter in her arms and captured her lips in a loving tender kiss. Renata’s hand traveled up and wrapped around the back on Minnie’s head, deepening the kiss. It wasn’t until they needed to pull away for air that the kiss ended. Minnie gave a smile then shuffled further under the covers with Renata still in her arms. “We can cuddle for a little longer though,”

“I’d like that,” Renata gave a happy, content sigh as she nuzzled closer to her love, hoping that the minutes would last longer than they could.

Minnie gave her all in the sparring match against Sophie. Their wooden swords clashed loudly against each other as both tried to get the upper hand in the match. With Minnie’s overwhelming offense and Sophie’s fairly balanced style of fighting it made all their matches close. Sophie sidestepped and lunged forward with an attack that she figured Minnie couldn’t defend against. She was soon proven wrong though and had set herself up for a potentially fatal mistake. Minnie’s training sword knocked Sophie’s out of her hand, sending it flying through the air and landing on the grass behind them.

“Well, my dear twin, it seems that we are all tied up again.” Sophie smiled and collapsed onto the grass. Minnie soon joined her, taking in a deep breath before responding.

“Seems so,” Minnie’s eyes turned skyward for a moment and looked up at the lazy clouds in the sky. She wished she could spend the rest of the day relaxing and watching clouds. Even if she only had a few hours of free time now before her evening chores. That’s when the knight remembered her plans with Renata. “Shit!” Minnie jumped up onto her feet.

“What? What’s wrong?” Sophie looked up with concern.

“I forgot I had plans with Ren. Was distracted by training and other stuff and-” Minnie stopped her sentence when she heard Sophie’s laughter.

“What's so funny?” Minnie frowned over at her twin.

“Nothing, nothing. It's just funny to see you this frantic about being maybe a few minutes late to plans with Renata.” Sophie had a teasing smile on her face.

“Oh, like you aren’t the same way with Marlon,” Minnie’s smile grew when she saw she was right on the money.

“Hey, this isn’t about me,” Sophie  hopped up to her feet. “Are you two just going around the kingdom or outside the walls?”

“Inside the kingdom. Can’t risk getting into a fight with some of the living dead or deal with any other bullshit that happens outside this place.” Minnie shook her head. Over the years there had been far too many close calls as is.

“Sounds like a good plan to me!” Sophie smiled and patted her sister’s back before walking away. After a few paces, however, she stopped and glanced back at Minnie. “Probably should change out of those clothes though. You sorta smell.”

Minnie frowned at her twin’s words before lifting up her shirt to see if Sophie’s words were true. After a few sniffs her frown deepened. “Damn it.” The redheaded knight turned to leave and prepare for her plans with her love.

It took a few minutes to get changed and dressed in her armor and find Renata who had been sent all around the castle to deliver different messages and such. The knight had run around nearly half of the castle before she spotted Renata. Her love smiled brightly at her when she spotted Minnie and ran over. Minnie, getting caught up in her emotions as well, wrapped her arms around Renata and spun her around. After putting Renata down, Minnie shared a kiss with her love that turned into many before they pulled away.

“Ready for a romantic horse ride through the streets of the kingdom?” Minnie asked as she walked hand in hand with Renata.

“Yep, I can’t wait!” The jester rested her head on the knight’s shoulder for a minute as they walked along before reaching the stables. Minnie prepared Nightshade while Renata prepared one of the kingdom’s appaloosa horses. Soon they were set, both of them riding side by side as they journeyed the kingdom’s streets.

Every now and then they’d reach out and hold each other’s hands before a citizen or obstacle got in the way and their hands separated. They talked happily about this and that, how their days were going and what chores and other tasks were still left to do. Renata motioned for her horse to trot close beside Minnie’s and with a bit of maneuvering she stole a kiss from the knight, making her blush lightly. Renata laughed and smiled playfully. She always loved how easily she could fluster her knight.

“So I was thinking that a trip to the royal gardens would be nice,” Minnie began to speak of the plan just as they were passing the southwest section of the walls.

“That sounds fun, sitting by the roses making flower crowns. Let’s do it tomorrow!” Renata smiled excitedly at her love who gave a soft chuckle.

“I’ll see if I can trade some chores with Marlon and Brody, but I’m sure I can make it happen.” Minnie had a soft expression on her face that soon faltered when she noticed that a section of the wall was crumbling. Why had this not been reported and taken care of? Had any of the living dead gotten in? Just as those thoughts entered her mind she spotted two walkers lazily stumbling forward and trying to grasp at Renata.

“Ren, watch out!” The knight moved to unsheathe her blade while Renata guided her steed away. With a heavy slash Minnie sliced the living dead’s skull diagonally in half, its brain matter and lifeblood slipping down its face and dripping onto the ground. Redirecting Nightshade she harshly cut off the other walker’s hands before embedding her sword through its mouth. With a grunt Minnie sliced upwards, decimating the member of the living dead’s brain and life.

“Min, to your left!” Renata warned. The knight tried to move in time but knew she couldn’t. The living dead’s withered, decaying arms reached out for the redheaded knight’s armor but soon stopped when a knife impaled its shallow skull. The creature crumbled to the ground and revealed that the court jester had been the one to end its miserable existence. Renata had a relieved expression on her face when she saw her love was unharmed but she soon turned her attention and knives to the three other members of the living dead that were struggling to get through the small opening in the wall.

With a flick of her wrist Renata ended another life, her knife finding the soft retina and exploding it before reaching the creature’s brain. Another toss proved fatal as the weapon cracked open the walker’s skull making the faint light in its milky white eyes fizzle out. Renata guided her horse back and sent the next blade flying through the air and landing right in between the eyes. The living dead’s groans hitched in its throat and it flopped lifeless to the ground.

One final decaying corpse hid behind it and roamed forward giving unearthly groans until Minnie dashed forward and pierced the thick skull, hitting its one weakness and cutting its shallow life short. The knight flicked the blood and brain matter off her blade then sheathed it once more. Guiding her horse over, she went to check on Renata. “Renata, are you okay? None of the living dead reached you, did they?” Minnie reached out her hand and gently cupped her love’s face before examining her for any bites.

Renata shook her head then rested her hand on top of Minnie’s and leaned into the touch. “I’m okay, Min. You didn’t get bit either, right?” Renata’s eyes wandered around Minnie’s armor, looking for any potential signs of injury.

“No, I’m alright, but we should inform the guards of this breach in the wall,”

Renata nodded in agreement to Minnie’s suggestion and so Minnie stayed to guard the wall while Renata went to inform the guards. During those few minutes the knight’s mind wandered. She had chosen a ride inside the kingdom to keep Renata safe and yet the living dead still threatened to take her love away. Nowhere was ever truly safe in this world now that the living dead had risen. Minnie knew this and learned it time and time again. After all this wasn’t the first time walkers had gotten into the kingdom.

The knight’s hands began to slightly tremble. She didn’t want to lose Renata. The love she felt for her was so deep, so grounding that she feared what would happen if she lost her. Minnie quickly shook those thoughts away. No, she would protect Renata and they would have a future together. The thought shifted her train of thought, a sort of realization washing over her in that very moment.

She wanted to marry Renata. Start the journey into spending the rest of their lives together. The thought quickly consumed her mind and quickly turned into a future plan that she would eventually act on. She wished to propose to her love as soon as possible. A few moments later some guards came to take post at the broken section of the wall until builders showed up. As Minnie rode away, her mind continued to form a plan. First thing was first - she needed a ring.

Minnie strode forward down the corridor of the castle. Her heart pounded with nervousness and excitement for the plan as her hands grew sweaty. She would go to the royal blacksmith to ask them to craft a ring. Minnie knew that she wanted to ask Mitch for his help, especially since he had crafted that beautiful ring for Brody. She knew he wouldn’t let the secret slip for the proposal nor did Minnie believe Brody would let the others know if Mitch happened to tell her.

Sophie, however, was a different story. She loved her twin sister dearly but she also knew that Sophie couldn’t keep that sort of secret especially when it involved her best friend. So Minnie would simply avoid her sister for the next few days while the ring was forged and then after the proposal she would let her know. With the plan set, Minnie entered the blacksmith shop and was immediately greeted by Willy.

“Hey, Minnie!” The aspiring knight smiled warmly. “Did you come here because you broke a sword or shield?”

“No, I’m actually here to see Mitch,” Minnie replied simply as she began to fidget with her fingers.

“That's new. “Mitch’s voice appeared further into the smithy. “Why would you need to talk to me?”

“Well…. It's something serious and private, so,” Minnie glanced over at Willy. Mitch seemed to pick up on the signal well enough.

“Hey, Willy, Dad wanted to see if there were any good deals on iron recently. Run down to the eastern district and check.”

“Aww, but I wanna hear what Minnie was going to say,” Willy frowned and scraped his foot against the floor.

“Just fucking do it! I’ll help you work on that new sword if you go now,”

Willy didn’t have to hear that offer twice and quickly scampered off. After he was well out of earshot Mitch looked over at the knight.

“So, what the hell is so important?” The blacksmith leaned against the edge of the table.

“I’m going to propose to Ren,”

Minnie’s declaration made Mitch nearly lose his balance. “Holy shit, popping the question! Good for you. So, what does that have to do-” Mitch stopped his own question, his mind finally catching up. “Alright, I can make the ring, but you owe me.” Mitch tried to hide it but his eyes shone with excitement that he was finally making another ring. He really enjoyed the process and what the rings symbolized.

After a few minutes of discussing the design, Minnie left to go to the training yard. The redheaded knight couldn’t stop smiling once she left the smithy. Her heart practically felt like it was soaring in anticipation for the finished product. Perhaps it was a good thing she had training in a few minutes; she could use it as a way to burn off this excited energy.

Renata hummed a happy tune as she strolled down the castle corridor. She was going to do it. She was going to propose to Minnie. That small breach by the southwestern wall yesterday had opened her eyes and made her realize that she didn’t want to wait any longer. She wanted a forever future with Minnie.

Renata had a determined glint in her eyes, prepared to go all out to show Minnie just how deep and never ending her love was. But first things first: she needed to get a ring and what better place to go than the royal smithy. She knew she couldn’t ask Mitch since he was married to Brody. He was bound to slip up and spill the beans about Renata’s plans and since Brody and Minnie were best friends, word would get to Minnie quickly and the surprise of the proposal would disappear.

Nor could she tell Sophie. She loved her best friend with her whole heart but she knew that Sophie couldn’t keep a secret like that from her sister. So she would just have to dodge Sophie for the next few days before the proposal. Once the ring was set then she could bring Sophie and the others into her master proposal plan.

Renata had decided to go to the master blacksmith and ask him for assistance. Luckily for the court jester she spotted Tripp almost immediately as he was walking forward from the forge with a brand new sword. The friendly giant of a man smiled warmly at the unexpected company. “Renata, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Hiya, Tripp! I came here today on a top secret mission,” Renata leaned forward and motioned for Tripp to crouch down so she could whisper the secret. Tripp played along with a smile and leaned over so that the jester could fill him in on the top secret information.

“I’m planning on proposing to Minnie,”

Renata’s whispered words made Tripp’s eyes grow large as the sword slipped from his hand and clattered onto the ground. “Oh, shit my nuts!” Tripp exclaimed rather loudly then grew quiet for a moment before remembering that his two sons were out of the smithy. “Renata, that’s amazing! I’m super happy! You two kids seem great for each other.”

“Aww thanks,” Renata rubbed a finger under her nose and gave a happy grin.

“So I’m guessing my part in this top secret love mission is to make the ring?” Tripp picked up the sword and placed it on the table.

“Yep! I’d pay for the ring of course!” Renata reassured the master blacksmith but he causally waved his hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry about it, I’m making an exception for this one. Now what kind of design were you thinking?”

Tripp’s question made Renata’s smile grow and soon the pair were brainstorming design ideas. Renata could feel her excitement practically radiating off her body. She couldn’t wait for the next few days to pass so she could have the ring and finally propose to her love.

Sophie tapped her finger against her chin while her head rested in her hands. Her blue eyes stared blankly at the wall of the knight’s equipment room. Renata and Minnie had both been acting weird these last couple days. Minnie had been avoiding interactions like the plague with everyone at the castle but especially with Sophie. She always seemed to be on edge and would often frantically write this or that on a slip of paper before tucking it away. Meanwhile Renata had called for a raincheck on their friendship picnic the other day, promising to do two more in a week’s time. None of it made any sense. No one’s birthdays were any time soon so she wouldn’t be busy with that.

Sophie shook her head. It had all started when they came back from that small breach at the wall when they had gone horseback riding together. Both of them seemed a bit shaken by it but considering the hell that they’d had to endure over the years this seemed like an event that would trigger them sure, but not to this level. Sophie leaned back in her chair; she was starting to get really worried. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed when her love entered the room with some beverages and bread.

“Soph, I brought you a snack,” Marlon sat down beside her and saw that her mind was too caught up in her thoughts. Slowly he took her hands in his and placed a soft kiss on them. “Everything okay?’ he asked while rubbing soft circles on the top of her hands.

“Minnie and Ren have been acting odd lately. Like really odd,” Sophie looked over and saw that Marlon had picked on this as well.

“Yeah, they have been acting strange. Maybe that breach reminded them too much of the day that we lost Pete and Omid.”

“Maybe, I wish they’d just tell us if that's the case,” Sophie looked down at her feet and kicked them anxiously. Marlon was about to speak up once more when suddenly the door opened and in strolled Renata with a scroll.

“Hello, my good friends! I-” The jester paused when she saw their expressions. “What's wrong?”

“Why don’t you tell us? You’ve been acting weird.” Sophie crossed her arms.

“Oh, that.” Renata placed down the scroll and rummaged around in her pocket.

“Yes, that! Renata, if you're struggling you should tell us.” Sophie looked at her best friend with worried eyes.

“Don’t worry, Soph. It’s not what you think. In fact, I think you’ll be shocked when you see this!” Renata pulled out a beautiful wedding ring with a simple, elegant stone in the middle. The intricate details complimented the stone on the ring. Marlon and Sophie stared at the ring in disbelief.

“Holy shit!” Marlon stood up so abruptly that he knocked over his chair.

“Renata! Holy fuck, are you proposing to Minnie?!?! I’m so happy! We’re going to be sister-in-laws and-”

Renata put her hand over Sophie’s mouth. “I know, I’m super excited too but we gotta keep it down so Minnie doesn’t find out!”

Sophie’s eyes grew large and she started saying a bunch of stuff that sounded like a garbled mess due to Renata covering her mouth.

After a minute Renata removed her hand. “So, anyway I have the ring and the perfect plan,” Renata held up the scroll and displayed it proudly before opening it up. There on the scroll was a detailed plan marked with where each knight would be and what flowers to get as well as a song for some reason.“So, here’s the plan. I’m going to ask Minnie if I can walk her to the training courtyard where all the knights will be waiting on their steeds. When we arrive you’ll all ride forward in formation before zigzagging across from each other then trotting around me and Minnie. That's where the flower baskets come in,” Renata pointed at the scroll. “Brody, Sophie and Marlon will toss the flowers while I propose then if-” Renata took a deep breath, “When Minnie says yes then you’ll sing this song. So, pretty romantic huh?”

“Yeah,” Marlon’s voice was rough from the emotions of all this.

Sophie wasn’t doing much better beside him, using her shirt to wipe her eyes of happy tears. “We’ll get the other knights on board.”

“I can get Lou and some others too.” Marlon added with a smile.

Renata was practically beaming. This would work. She was going to propose to the love of her life. The woman that she had been blessed to find even though the world had fallen to the living dead.

The next day soon arrived and Renata could feel all her anxiety bubbling to the surface. She felt super antsy but in a good way. In just a little while she would be engaged to her love. That thought propelled her forward as she gave a few quick knocks on Minnie’s bedroom door. She heard something fall over and Minnie frantically swearing.

“Fuck...shit… ummm… who is it?”

“It’s me, Renata.” Renata swayed back and forth on her feet. There was some scurrying in the room followed by more crashing sounds before Minnie threw open the door.

“Hi,” The knight’s voice cracked. She frowned and cleared her throat. “Hi,” She leaned forward and stole a kiss from Renata. The jester smiled and pulled Minnie in for a kiss then another, then another. She was panicking slightly and for some reason her mind had thought kissing would calm her down. It didn’t really but it made her heart flutter happily.

“So,” Minnie had a happy smile on her face, “What are you doing here?”

“I thought it would be nice if I walked you to the training yard today,” Renata tucked her hands behind her back and gave a loving smile.

“Shit, well, I don’t have training today,” Minnie awkwardly scratched the back of her head. “But we could go to the royal gardens. Sit there for a bit, talk, maybe kiss some more,” Minnie gave a smile over to Renata. Surprise flickered in Renata’s eyes for a moment. That was odd. Minnie should have training today. She had it every day. Renata thought for a moment; her whole plan hinged on the fact that they would walk to the training yard together. She would have to make some excuse to get them there.

“Okay, sure. We can go to the royal gardens, but I need to deliver a message to someone at the training yard first.”

“Oh, okay,” Minnie looked upset by that for some reason but her expression soon changed to a loving one. Her hand intertwined with Renata’s. “Real quick though and then to the flower gardens.”

Renata nodded and happily began to walk with her love.

Minnie looked over towards Renata. She felt sick, like at any moment her heart would explode. In her right pocket was the ring Mitch had helped make for Renata. As she walked down the halls with Renata she kept going over the speech in her mind again and again. Every single thing and moment had to be perfect. Every. Single. Moment.

She would take Renata to the royal gardens and there she would play a song on her lute. Tell Renata how deeply she loved her and how she wanted to spend forever with her and... Minnie could feel her head spinning and she knew she couldn’t wait any longer. This message that Renata had to deliver could wait, right?

“Renata, could we actually stop by the royal gardens first?” Minnie stopped walking and her grip on her love’s hand tightened slightly.

Renata glanced over then looked towards the training yard. “It will be really quick,” She kissed Minnie’s cheek then pulled her forward. Minnie continued to try and come up with some valid excuse to go to the royal gardens first but nothing was working. When Renata was set on something she never let it go.

After a few minutes they arrived at the training yard where, to Minnie’s surprise, the knights were all standing in formation. Beside them stood Louis along with Prisha, Aasim and Ruby. Tripp and his family were here as well. Just what the hell was going on? Why were Louis and Sophie crying so much?

“Okay, so the message I have to deliver needs to take place riiiiiiiight here,” Renata stopped in the center of the yard. Her hands began to shake a little bit which made Minnie look over in concern but her love had the same cheerful smile she always had on her face.

Marlon gave the signal and slowly the knights trotted forward, beginning to try and cross in front of one another one at a time. It wasn’t going so smoothly. Brody ran into Sophie which slowed down Violet and it was momentary chaos but soon the knights were guiding their horses to trot around Minnie and Renata in a circle.

“Minnie,” Renata took both of her love’s hands in her own. “The message that I have to deliver today is for you. From the moment I met you in the throne room during that feast the late king-” Renata paused. Some of the flowers that the knights were throwing were getting caught in her mouth. The court jester coughed and spat out the flower petals. “From the moment I met you, I knew you were truly unforgettable. The way your eyes shone, how beautiful your hair looked, how chivalrous you were. I knew I needed to get to know you.

As I did my heart immediately fell for you: the gentle warmth you have, the kindness and bravery. Everything I learned about you just made me fall deeper and deeper and then I got up the nerve to ask you out and that… didn’t go great at first but soon after you said yes. I felt so much happiness from the news that I was sure I couldn’t possibly be any happier. But I was proven wrong because each day with you filled me with so much joy.” Renata smiled at Minnie with such deep love that it made the redheaded knight’s heart pound wildly and tears well up in her eyes.

“Minnie, I adore you and I want to be with you, today, tomorrow and forever.” Renata got down on one knee and held out the ring. “I promise to always love you and stay by your side. To give you the same care and happiness you give me. So, will you marry me?”

Minnie’s breath hitched and tears were slowly slipping down her face. She couldn’t believe it. Renata had just proposed to her. Her love had proposed to her on the same day she was planning to propose. That thought snapped Minnie back into reality.

“Renata, I can’t believe this. I was planning to propose to you today too.” The knight’s word made her love’s eyes widen in surprise. “That's why I wanted to go to the royal garden to propose and play a song for you, but I’ll just do it here.” Minnie took a deep breath, her mind trying to recall her speech.

“Renata, when you entered my life and showed interest in me, I wasn’t sure whether you were serious or not. Because I just couldn’t comprehend someone like you, so warm and caring, loving and forgiving, would fall for someone like me. But soon I realized you were serious and once I let myself be optimistic about us and gave it a chance I knew it was the best decision I ever made.

Every day with you makes me feel beyond lucky, makes me want to strive to be better and to show you the love and warmth that you give me each day. So I promise to always support you and protect you, to be there every day and cherish each moment with you.” Minnie got on her knee and held out a ring with an intricate design that showcased the bright and stunning stone in the middle. “Renata, my sun and joy, my beautiful maiden rose. Will you marry me?”

“Are you kidding? Yes! Yes! Yes!” Renata had tears in her eyes as she tackled Minnie in a hug then pulled back so they could each place the ring on the other’s finger. Renata looked at her love then cupped her face, kissing her passionately.

Minnie deepened the kiss before pulling back and laughing at the overwhelming amount of flowers that were surrounding them and had fallen on top of them. But they didn’t seem to mind at all as they kissed and kissed again. Their hearts filled with pure bliss at the fact that the other wanted to spend the rest of their life with them. In that moment everything was perfect. Come what may, they would have each other. There to love and support one another and to walk side by side together through whatever life brought their way.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Home- Chapter 15 (Kylo Ren/ Ben Solo x F!Oc)

Words: 1,592

Masterlist:

Chapter 14 / Chapter 16

Kijimi is quite a dangerous place and full of soldiers. Each of us must use something to hide ourselves. Poe’s the one who guides us, he checks the nearby perimeter, but when he returns he tells us that the Stormtroopers are everywhere.

"All right and I know what we should do," he says.

"So do I. Leave.” Answers C-3PO.

"Clam it, C3PO,” The rest of us continue to see everywhere just in case.

"Follow me,” Poe walks determinedly through the streets until we lean against a stone wall. "Okay. Let’s head down this way,” He points out, but a gun is activated aiming at his head.

"Heard you were spotted at Monk’s Gate,” says a woman in a red suit and a helmet that modulates her voice. Finn, Rey and I move away from the wall to see who’s threatening Poe. "Thought, he's not stupid enough to come back here."

"Oh you'd be surprised," replies Poe.

"Hey, I don't think it's a good idea to use sarcasm against someone who’s targeting you," I add.

"Who’s this?"

"What’s going on?"

"Do you know her?"

"Guy, this is Zorri. Zorri, this is Rey, Kiara, and Finn,” He says still unable to move.

"I could pull this trigger right now…”

"I've seen you do worse."

"For a lot less.”

"Bad time, Poe," I say worried. At any moment, that woman can hurt Poe or some Stormtroopers can find us.

"Can we just, uh... talk about this?" Poe asks, looking at the woman.

"I wanna see your brains in the snow.”

"Lovely woman," I reply.

“So, you're still mad?" Poe asks.

"Now, what did you do?"

"Zorri, we could use your help,” continues Poe ignoring my comment. “We gotta crack this droid’s head open and fast,” He says pointing to C3PO “We’re trying to find Babu Frik.”

"Babu?" she replies “Babu only Works with the crew. That’s not you anymore.”

"Wait, what crew?" I ask confused.

"Oh, funny he never mentioned it,” Poe tries to stop her, but it's useless. "Your friend’s old job was running spice.”

We all look at the man, surprised.

"You were a spice runner?" Finn asks and Poe turns around.

"You were a stormtrooper?" Poe replies.

"Were you a spice runner?" Rey continues.

"Were you a scavanger?" He defends himself again and then looks at me.

"I didn’t say anything.”

"We could do this all night," he says defensively.

"You don't have all night,” says Zorri approaching. "You know, I'm still digging out of the hole you put me in. When you left to join the Resistance.”

I didn’t know it. I have vague memories of when I met Poe, but he never mentioned anything from his past.

"You two,” Zorri points at Rey and me. “You’re the one they’re looking for. Bounty for them just might cover us.” She says as Rey and I share a knowing look. "Djak’kankah!" Zorri yells.

The following was very fast, but all the people who came out of nowhere to intercept us were shot down, finally I knock Zorri down and we light our sabers aiming at her.

"We could really use your help," says Rey. Zorri accepts and guides us to the place we are looking for with great stealth. We enter a place where there are various creatures drinking and laughing.

“Babu’s in the back,” We follow the woman.

Finally, C3PO is connected to the necessary machines. Actually, he didn't want to know much about it. The little creature known as Babu Frik is taking care of everything.

Being in this place makes me dizzy, I'm not sure what happens, but I only know that I need air. I look for Zorri and I approach her.

"Is there a balcony or something safe where I can go out? I need air…”

"I don't think you will find anything safe on this planet,” she answers crossing her arms and I raise my eyebrows waiting for another answer. She sighs. "You can go out to the roof, just hide," she says pointing to some stairs.

"Thank you.”

The last thing I hear from the group is concern about the droid's memory loss, but I move on. As soon as I get out, several other facades connect creating a space where I can be. I breathe trying to calm my breathing. My head turns and I feel pressure on my chest, but the air is a great help to minimize it.

In that, someone else comes out but my eyes are still fixed forward, the vision is not pleasant, several explosions occur in the distance and a light watches over some areas.

“Hey…”

"Hey," I reply.

Poe stands beside me.

“I'd like to talk about what happened in Paasaana…”

"We don't have to talk about it."

“Kiara…"

"No, Poe." I turn to see him. "I don't want to argue about that any more. I'm tired.”

"I don’t want to argue. Actually, I come in peace.” I look at him confused and he sighs. “Listen, I know that I was very hard on you all this time since you came back and I don't want to make excuses, what I did or how I treated you was not good. Sorry. When you were captured, we all wanted to do something to rescue you, I thought Kylo was going to hurt you, I thought I wouldn't see you again. All the memories from before, I knew you were someone special. when you left with Han- I guess it wasn't that hard- we were younger and I knew you would be safe with him, but…” His eyes connect with mine. “Kylo has done horrible things, I thought the worst–”

"Poe, him–”

"I know. Leia told us everything she knew. You have history together and she assured us that you would be fine. When you came back, weak and without a hand, I- I'm sorry. I just don't want to lose someone else,” His eyes reflect sadness and regret, I know he’s telling the truth.

We’re both leaning against wall, I take his hand and give it a slight squeeze.

"I can't ask you to understand, Poe. No one can, maybe Rey, a little, but still. It's kind of complicated and I could tell you everything, but you only met Kylo Ren, the person I'm fighting for is Ben Solo.”

"You love him?”

I sigh nodding.

"Unfortunately. When I was with him ‘captured’, I denied it all the time, I felt a lot of anger, but he also had moments when I could see hope in him. No one is lost forever, and I don't want to justify it, it's just-"

"Complicated," He ends.

“It's his decision now.”

"So," he says, grimacing, "Are we okay?"

I smile.

"Yes, we are fine,” I hit him hard on the arm and he complains. "Don't ever treat me like that again.”

"Yes, I deserved it.” We both laugh.

"If we get out of this alive and I mean everyone. Can I be the godfather of your future children?” He says with a smile and makes me laugh.

"We must get out of this first,” I frown, "but what makes you think I will have children after this?”

“Well, in a hypothetical happy ending, you get the tantrum prince, then get married and have children. I’m optimistic about your story, so I must anticipate.”

His words make me laugh out loud.

"A great change of mood, Poe. I cannot guarantee you to be the godfather, it is also the prince's decision…”

"Oh please, He would surely do everything you said."

"We'll see."

"I asked for it first.”

"Sure. But now tell me, what is your story with Zorri? ” I ask making a face. It's not that I don't like it, but I could notice something between them.

“It's nothing, I mean, it was a long time ago.”

I sigh, relieved.

"That's great,” I pat his back and decide to go back. "If not, you would break Finn's heart,” I say before entering.

Poe straightens up and I can see his cheeks flush.

"What!?" He squeals, but I don't stop.

————————————————————————

After a few minutes of waiting, Finn and Rey are away, talking about… something while I'm sitting on some boxes. At that, Poe enters the room with Zorri behind him.

"There's an incoming destroyer,” she says.

"We gotta go now. Did we get it? Babu?” Poe asks looking at the creature, which states that the Droid is ready.

C3PO stands up and his eyes reflect red light. We all watch him as he gives us the coordinates of where the wayfinder might be. Then its system shuts down.

"The Endor system," says Finn "where the last war ended?"

Oh no.

The tremor of a roar shakes the place causing a chill.

Rey walks up the stairs and opens the hatch. Finn and I look out at her.

"Ren’s detroyer,” She informs us.

"He's here?" Poe asks.

For a few seconds she doesn’t respond.

"Chewie?" Rey answers and I frown.

"What about him?"

“He’s on Ren’s ship,” I can perceive Rey’s feeling of joy. He’s alive.

"What?" I climb and listen to it. I hear the wokie's roars and smile. Rey turns around.

"He's alive! He must’ve been on a different transport.”

I realize maybe... just maybe, that's what Ben was trying to tell me.

Oops.

"We gotta go get him,” Finn announces and we all agree.

Before we leave, C3PO works again, but its memory has been reset and continues to introduce himself.

This will be a problem.

Taglist:

 @oopsiedoopsie23​

@blackheartedspider​

@fandomshit6000

@thewinterschildren178​

[thethespacecoyote]

A little late, but here’s Day 4 for @kyluxromanceweek with “Secret Crush.” More office AUs, because why not. 

Hux can’t help but scowl when he returns to his cubicle, fresh cup of coffee in hand, to find a little wrapped box sitting just in front of his keyboard.

He narrows his eyes at it, as if his stare could wither the sparkly red bow sitting innocently atop the shiny golden paper. It’s not the first strange gift he’s received in the past few weeks, and honestly? They’re starting to wear on his nerves.

He growls as he sets his steaming coffee cup on the desk and picks up the box, looking down his nose at it as he turns it over in his hands. Of course there’s no tag. Whoever is doing this clearly doesn’t want to be found out.

Hux shakes the gift, considering just dumping it in the trash and forgetting about it altogether, but instead he pulls at the red bow and slips it off before tearing into the paper. Beneath he finds a silky red box, a name Hux recognizes from the high-end grocery store he occasionally frequents scrawled in gold on top. He pries open the lid and wrinkles his nose at the fancy chocolates nestled inside—the kind of heavy, indulgent sweets that Hux hardly partook in. He scowls and stuffs them into his laptop bag, trying to put the gift far from his mind so he could get the afternoon’s work done.

Whoever thought it funny to play such a joke wasn’t going to get a rise out of Hux that easily.

The following day Hux returns from a trip to the bathroom to find a single rose, lovingly wrapped in red ribbon, siting in his mesh pencil holder. Hux frowns, plucking the rose out and peering around the wall of his cubicle to where Phasma sits at her desk, phone cradled against her shoulder. She shoots Hux a quizzical look, signing off from the call and setting it back in its cradle.

“What is it?”

“Did you see who left this?” He brandishes the rose at her, eyebrows furrowed. She glances at the rose for a moment, before smirking.

“You got an admirer?”

“Of course not,” Hux hisses, shaking the stupid flower. “Someone is obviously trying to make a joke out of me. Make me look like some kind of lovesick fool.”

Phasma laughs, turning around in her chair to face him.

“You know, most people would be happy to get free gifts, even if it was from a stranger.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Lighten up a little.”

Hux scowls, folding his arms.

“I’ll ‘lighten up’ as soon as I figure out who is doing this. I want you to keep your eyes and ears open next time I leave my desk, see if whoever they are shows themselves.”

“Yes sir,” Phasma taunts as he storms back to his cubicle, stuffing the rose in one of his drawers before getting back to work. He gets up to grab coffee , but to his surprise and slight disappointment no new gifts grace his desk, and Phasma tells him she didn’t notice anything.  

When Hux comes to work early the next morning, there’s a massive bouquet of roses sitting daringly in his chair.

The gifts only grow more extravagant as the days go on. A little gift bag filled with delicate macarons and rolls of fruit pastilles. More flowers, this time a striking bunch of black lilies. A half-sized bottle of Prosecco. A small porcelain figure of a cat—which, despite himself, Hux actually likes, and sits on the little shelf above his computer as soon as he unwraps it.

And still he’s been unable to figure out who’s responsible, or why they’re doing it.

He’s sure it must be a prank, but there’s no one in the office he believes would go to such lengths. These kind of gifts are expensive, nothing even the most dedicated would throw away on some silly joke.

Then why?

Periodically he considers Phasma’s suggestion, that he has a true admirer—but he isn’t exactly well-liked among his coworkers. He’s more than competent in his work but rather cold when it comes to socializing, not interested in gossip or debate with the rest of the office. Hux is the type to keep his personal life far removed from his professional life, disinterested in indulging his colleagues’ incessant need for small-talk.

He can’t imagine any of them wanting to become—romantically involved with him.

So maybe it really is a joke at his expense. Perhaps the entire office pooled their funds together, just to lead Hux on, make him believe anyone could ever be interested in him. Maybe they were just waiting for him to fall for it, so they could

Honestly, Hux can’t wait for the weekend, where he might be free of all this nonsense for two blissful days. He checks his watch as he returns from his lunch break, hoping the next few hours will fly by, so he can spend his time in the solitude of his apartment with his cat and favorite books.

But as Hux approaches his cubicle he stops dead in his tracks, lips parting in surprise at what he sees—not another bouquet of roses nor box of chocolates, but a besuited man with long, dark hair barely tamed back against his head.

Hux recognizes him instantly.

Ren, one of the upper managers that Hux rarely even saw in his department, though he certainly heard plenty of rumors about the man. He apparently came from a wealthy family, and Hux has heard grumblings that may have influenced his appointment. From the few times Hux has encountered him, he seems a touch too changeable for such a position, but otherwise he’d never given the man much thought.

Until now, when he notices the wrapped box in Ren’s hand, topped with the same kind of red ribbon as all the other gifts Hux has received.

“You’re kidding,” is the first thing to come out of Hux’s mouth, in a wholly unprofessional manner but he can’t hold back. He stares at the gift in Ren’s hands, then up to the man’s face, feeling a conflict of emotions roil in his stomach at the amused expression he finds there.

“Nope. Just really good at sneaking around.” Ren smirks, looking quite satisfied with himself. Hux frowns, heart fluttering even as his mind reels in denial.

“I thought this was all a joke…it’s not a joke, is it?” He asks, taking a step back. Ren’s face falls slightly, frowning.

“No? Why would you think it was a joke?” He fidgets with the gift, confident posture taking a slight hit. “Did you not like the things I got you?”

“I—that’s not—that’s beside the point,” Hux stammers, regretting the flush he can feel crawling to his cheeks. “But I didn’t realize anyone here would be…serious about me. Much less a junior manager.”

He’d gone through a list of suspects in his head several times and had at least considered Ren, but quickly dismissed the possibility. Hux can’t wrap his head around the fact that Ren was responsible for this all along—but perhaps he’d been just that good at concealing his feelings. Biding his time, plying Hux with little gifts and presents until he felt confident enough to confront him.

It’s a little endearing—which is not a word he ever thought he’d ever ascribe to someone like Ren.

“I’m serious. Very serious.” Hux takes the wrapped box as Ren holds it out to him. His heart beats a little quickly as he pulls at the bow, taking the little lid off. His eyes widen at what he sees underneath, lips parting in surprise.

Nestled in a bed of white silk are a pair of golden cufflinks, dotted in the center with a dark red stone. Truthfully they’re a little too gaudy for Hux’s taste but he’s still bewildered by the gesture.

Alright. It’s definitely not a joke.

Ren moves in closer, and as Hux inhales sharply he can detect the strong scent of his cologne.

“Wear them tonight?”

“Tonight?” Hux looks up, raising his eyebrow. “What’s tonight?”

“A date. Well, hopefully.” Ren shrugs, closing Hux’s hand over the box. “If you’ll indulge me.”

Hux balks, eyes widening at his audacity. His first instinct is to say no, remembering his plans of solitude and relaxation for the weekend, but—

—It has been quite awhile since Hux has been on a proper date, and part of him feels curiosity at just what further sort of pampering Ren has in store for him. After a moment’s hesitation he composes himself with a nod.

“I don’t have a car. You’ll have to pick me up.” Despite himself, Hux feels his heartbeat pick up in his chest. The grin returns to Ren’s face, looking excited as a schoolboy with a crush.

“Deal. See you tonight, Armitage.” And with an affectionate pat to the hand he turns away and walks away, leaving Hux to ponder over what exactly he’s gotten himself into this evening.

[today-only-happens-once]

Family

Title: Family

Word Count: 3675

Summary: for asofterfan’s Punk!AU. Patton is protective of his little brother, Thomas. ““Pat,” Virgil says in a low voice as he steps closer, alarm twisting his stomach. “Are you hurt?””. Platonic/familial dynamics all around.

Warnings: discussion of violence, injury (lots of bruising mostly), cursing (more than normal in my fics…Punk!Logan curses a lot okay), mention/hints at abuse and neglect, nausea mention, some angst/hurt/comfort, let me know if I forgot anything else.

Author’s Note: Long AN is long, sorry - Behold, the fic that caused me tremendous self-doubt and second-guessing. I am in love with @asofterfan’s Punk!AU. (Special thanks to them for letting me and others create within the context of this awesome AU) I tried to do as much research through their headcanons and art as I could, but I’m sure there are inaccuracies. This will also inevitably pale in comparison to the development of their AU so please check it out if you haven’t because it’s awesome. I kinda wanted to explore Patton’s relationship with Thomas a bit but also the Analogical dynamic and this is what happened. Yikes. The self-doubt and writing insecurity never really went away with this fic (can you tell from how I’ve been rambling?) but like might as well post it, yeah? No? *drops this here and then sprints far away*

Also, editing done by yours truly so all mistakes are mine and mine alone.

Tags: @creativenostalgiastuff, @helloisthisusernametaken, @ren-allen, @lizaelsparrow, @princelogical, @random-pianist, @ravenclawicecream, @erlenmeyertrash, @milomeepit, @at-least-seven-pretty-potatoes, @rileyfirstname, @pinkeasteregg, @sassy-in-glasses, @vigilantvirgil, @generalfandomfabulousness, @lacrimosathedark, @thepoolofthedead, @monikastec, @heir-of-the-founders, @yourworstnightmare999

…

Virgil shakes the can of spray paint as he surveys the brick wall in front of him. He has the image in his mind of the final product, but it always takes him a moment’s pause to figure out where exactly to start. A light, late afternoon breeze tugs at the loose strands of his hair. Logan sits on the ground in the alley with a book in his lap, his back against the wall and one knee propped up.

He turns the page, then glances up at Virgil. “It helps if you actually, y’know, use the spray paint.”

The corner of Virgil’s mouth twitches. “You don’t say?” he quips dryly.“You know, you said you’d keep a look out for me.” He looks at the wall a moment longer before beginning. The hiss of the canister cuts through the sound of birds chirping and tires rolling on pavement as cars passed by, oblivious to the two teens deeper in the alley.

“And I am,” Logan replies. His gaze narrows at the page for a moment before looking back at Virgil. “Although I really don’t think you have anything to worry about. Nobody around here cares much about artists painting on the walls unless they’re police, and those guys don’t really do much around here. There’s about a 99% nobody’s going to even notice us, let alone care to do anything about it. ”

“Yeah, but with my luck?” Virgil sprays another line. “I don’t love those odds.”

Logan smirks and flips the page. He brushes a strand of blue hair out of his eyes. Virgil eyes the book in his lap as he grabs a different color and resumes painting. He coats the red brick in a glistening dark black streak. “What are you even reading?”

Logan glances up, adjusting the frame of his glasses. “Judith Butler’s Bodies That Matter. It expands on the gender performativity argument she proposed in Gender Trouble.”

Virgil arcs a skeptical eyebrow at his friend. “You’re reading advanced gender theory? For fun?”

“Nothing is binary and everything is gay,” Logan replies with a lift of his shoulder. “They want proof? This book offers it, or tries to. At least, the binary part. I’m still reading.”

Virgil continues working, hesitating less between lines as the image starts to take form. Distantly, the wail of police sirens cut through the air; it’s too far away for either of the punks to even look up.  For a while, the only sound between them is the hiss of Virgil’s spray paint cans and Logan turning pages. The sound of footsteps makes both boys pause, but as they glance down the alley to the street, the two girls walking by don’t even glance in their direction.

Virgil doesn’t usually tag in broad daylight. But he was trying a new design that he wanted to see in daylight, and sketching it out over and over only made him feel most antsy about finding out what it would actually look like. Before he placed it anywhere that would actually get noticed, Virgil wanted to make sure he knew what he was doing with it. And even though a part of him was more on edge due to the fact that the possibility of him getting caught was higher without the cover of dark, his shaking hands stilled as soon as he’d begun. He supposes art was funny like that sometimes.

It’s almost an hour later when Virgil takes a few steps back and surveys his own work. Logan looks up at him for a moment before marking the page and jumping to his feet to stand by Virgil.

Virgil purses his lips, his gaze narrowing. “That line isn’t straight,” he says, pointing it out to Logan. “It curves a bit to the left.”

“So? I’m never straight,” Logan replies, almost deadpan save for the slight smirk that pulls at the corner of his lips. “It looks good, Virge.”

Virgil is quiet, then reaches for the canister at his feet. “I’m just gonna fix one thing.” He steps back up to the wall, adding a few strokes of the purple to add some dimension where Virgil felt it was lacking. “Hey,” he says as he works, “Logan?” He tries to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

“Hm?”

“Mind if I maybe crash at your place tonight?” he asks without turning around. He can never look Logan in the eyes when he asks, and he hates how often he does so. But last night had been… rough, to say the least. He had a feeling that Logan had seen the bruise on his arm during lunch, even though the teen had tried to keep his sleeves pulled down.

“C’mon,” Logan says. “You know you don’t need to ask.”

…

By the time the two boys get back to Logan’s house, it’s almost five. The sun is low in the sky, just about ready to set. Logan’s driveway sits empty, as usual, as they get closer. It’s not until they’re walking up the driveway when they notice someone sitting on the front steps of his porch.

Logan and Virgil share a glance as they get closer. The familiar head of pastel blue-purple-pink hair is leaned back against the railing, his eyes closed.

“Patton?”

At the sound of his name, Patton opens his eyes.

“Hey, Logan,” he says, his voice sounding oddly strained. Virgil looks at him closer, and notices the way the pastel punk has his arm wrapped around his chest. The way he’s curled in on himself a little. Something is wrong.

“Patton, don’t take this the wrong way but what are you doing here?” Logan asks.

“I, uh…” Patton gives them a pained smile that looks a lot more like a grimace. “I need your help.”

��Pat,” Virgil says in a low voice as he steps closer, alarm twisting his stomach. “Are you hurt?”

“I… yeah.” Logan is already unlocking the door, but his gaze flashes back to them at the answer. Virgil wraps Patton’s arm around his shoulders. He winces as Virgil—who is being as gentle as he can—pulls him to his feet.

“What the hell happened?” Logan demands as Virgil helps Patton inside. His brown eyes are practically blazing with fury. It’s not that Logan isn’t used to patching people up. Usually himself or Virgil after a late night call. (They were both used to that particular arrangement, Virgil thinks with a bitter taste in his mouth.)

But Patton is an entirely different story. Everybody loved him; and if you didn’t love him, then you had done something to get on his bad side and you were afraid of him. Patton was almost a perpetually warm person, sincere and well-meaning even if his love and affection could feel like a bit… much, at times.

Logan may have the sharper temper, but Virgil can feel his own anger bubbling in his chest as the reality that someone had hurt Patton sinks into him.

“I’m sorry,” Patton is saying quietly as they make their way up the stairs. “I didn’t mean to bother you guys, I just…”

“Shut up, Pat,” Virgil tells him, but not harshly. “You don’t have to talk about it unless you want to.”

“Take him to my room,” Logan says. “I’m gonna grab the first aid kit.” Virgil nods his understanding and leads Patton to the door at the end of the hallway.

Virgil flips the light switch as they enter Logan’s bedroom. The room admittedly helps ease some of the uneasiness in Virgil’s stomach. Logan’s room—with its dark blues and blacks on the walls and bedding—always felt safe to Virgil. The teen smiles faintly to himself at his stuffed turtle John and Logan’s octopus Tsugarensis sitting side by side amidst the pillows near the headboard. Bottles of hair dye sit on his desk.

Patton is quiet as he sits down on the edge of the bed, glancing around the room. He catches Patton’s quiet hiss as Virgil extracts himself out from under the other punk’s arm. He notices then that Patton’s hands are bruised, the knuckles split. The teen also has a dark bruise forming along his cheekbone.

Virgil shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. He’s used to the one being hurt. It’s not often that he finds himself on the other side of the situation, and if he’s being honest, he hates it. It’s tying his stomach in knots despite the familiarity and vague sense of safety Logan’s room provided.

“I’m sorry, Virge,” Patton says softly, staring at his hands in his lap. “My mom isn’t home and I didn’t want to scare Thomas. But I needed help and I wasn’t sure where else to go, and Logan lived closer, so...”

Logan interrupts the conversation as he comes into the room with a box in his hands. “Patton, you’re gonna need to take off the vest at least.” There’s a surprising and rare gentleness in the request that Virgil has only ever hear Logan use when Virgil had been injured.

Patton nods, then hesitates. He sucks in a bit of a breath before shrugging out of the turquoise garment. Virgil bites his thumbnail, watching the way Patton clenches his jaw against a wince. Logan glances at the pastel punk out of the corner of his eye, setting the box on the bed beside Patton and kneeling in front of him.

The unasked questions hang heavy in the air of the bedroom. Virgil wants to ask what happened, but he is too well acquainted with injuries one would rather not talk about to force that kind of conversation on Patton. From the subtle glances Logan keeps tossing to him, he’s pretty sure the blue-haired teen feels the same way.

“Can you raise your shirt, Pat?”

Patton presses his lips together, not answering at first. Slowly, he reaches for the hem of his shirt and—visibly gritting his teeth—pulls it up and over his head. He averts his gaze as he sets his shirt beside him.

The sight of Patton’s chest is one Virgil is too well-acquainted with, but seeing it on Patton makes a faint nausea rise in Virgil’s throat before he swallows it down. Across his ribcage is a brilliant—painful—smattering of purple, yellow, and a very angry red. Something that looks suspiciously like a footprint marks his right side. Logan goes suddenly very still for a moment, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

Patton swallows. He offers a weak smile, even though he isn’t looking at either one of them. “Is this where I say ‘you should see the other guys’?”

Guys plural? Virgil thinks, anger sparking all over again in his chest.

“You’re damn right,” Logan replies, his voice deceptively even. “If not after you, then after me.” He looks up at Patton, who still won’t meet his eyes. “Is anything broken?”

“I don’t… I’m not sure,” Patton whispers.

Logan nods stiffly. “Then this might hurt.” Gingerly, he starts prodding around Patton’s chest. Feeling for any broken ribs. Virgil winces in sympathy as Patton sucks in a sharp hiss.

“It was because of Thomas,” Patton says after a long moment of silence, as Logan continues to press around his chest.

Virgil’s gaze flies up. “Thomas did this?” That definitely didn’t make sense. Thomas and Patton adored each other.

“No, no, no!” Patton says quickly. “I…” He sighs, some strands of his pastel hair falling into his eyes. “Thomas has been struggling with some kids in school. This morning when I went to get him up, he yelled at me. I don’t even remember what about. He’d… never yelled at me before. But I told him he had to go to school. He said I…” Patton cuts himself off suddenly, shaking his head. Virgil’s brow pulls together at the unfinished thought, but Logan cuts in before he can ask about it.

“Well, shit, Pat,” Logan replies, pulling his hands back from Patton’s torso. “You could’ve told us. We would’ve backed you up.” He pulls the wrapping off the bandage.

Patton lifts a shoulder. “I didn’t even know. He didn’t tell me what was happening. I waited for him for a while after school but when he didn’t show up, I went looking for him. Found him cornered by a few guys who had him shoved up against the locker.”

Virgil’s brow furrows together. As bubbly and warm as Patton was, one thing you did not do was mess with someone he cared about. Especially his little brother. “You and Thomas fought some guys?”

Patton shakes his head. “I got their attention, and told Thomas to get out of there. He didn’t exactly want to, but he knows I would’ve kicked his ass harder if he’d stuck around. Thomas isn’t much of a fighter.” Patton’s hands curl into fists on his knees. Virgil isn’t sure if it’s in anger or something else.

Logan secures a bandage over the pastel punk’s ribs. “No offense, Patton,” he says, “but you’re hardly the most likely one to throw a punch yourself.” He glances at the bruised and split knuckles along the other teen’s hands.

Patton looks at them too, relaxing his fists and flexing his hand before wincing. “Yeah, well. That wasn’t exactly my intention either.”

Logan takes his hand, cleaning up the abrasions along his knuckles before wrapping them. “You had your knife with you, at least?”

Patton glances up. “You know I don’t bring it with me to school.”

Virgil’s phone buzzes in his pocket, and he fishes it out and checks the ID. It’s a text from Roman.

Have u seen Pat?

The purple-haired teen sighs to himself and texts back. Yeah. He’s at Logans. Why?

R: Thomas just called me. He seemed worried bc Patton didn’t come home.

Thomas had recently gotten involved in theatre alongside Roman in the second half of his freshman year. Roman had given Patton’s little brother his number in case he needed a ride to rehearsal.

The phone buzzes again. U know what happened?

Long story. Just tell him Pat’s safe and with Logan, Virgil texts back quickly.  

R: Thomas said he might be hurt???

Virgil hesitates a second before replying. Yeah. He is. I’ll explain later. Virgil pockets his phone and ignores it when it buzzes again. He knows Roman is already plotting revenge, and Virgil isn’t too far behind him, but he has bigger priorities at the moment.

He can see Patton’s jaw jump. He hears how shaky the pastel punk’s long inhale is, even though he tries to cover it with a cough and a smile.

“Hey, uh, Logan?” Patton asks as Logan finishes securing the bandage in place.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.” Patton flexes his grip and finally locks gazes with the blue-haired teen. “You’re good at this.”

Logan and Virgil exchange a quick glance that Patton doesn’t seem to notice before the teen shrugs. “Don’t mention it.”

There’s a moment of silence before Patton sighs again, and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I just can’t believe Thomas didn’t tell me.”

Virgil slips his hands into his pockets. He leans back against the edge of Logan’s desk. “Maybe he thought he could take care of it himself.”

Patton runs his fingers through his pastel hair to brush it out of his face. He looks unconvinced. “It’s just… I was always supposed to look out for him, y’know?”

Logan sits back on his heels. “The kid’s not so little anymore, Patton,” he says, but not unkindly. “You’re gonna graduate in a few months, and Thomas is gonna have to know how to fight his own battles. Even when he gets in over his head.”

Virgil snorts. “Oh, he definitely will. Kid’s got a bit a rebellious streak in him, I swear. We’re rubbing off on him. In a few years I bet he gives you a run for your money, Logan.”

Logan jokingly puffs his chest out. “Good! Somebody’s gotta call the teachers out on their whitewashing of history when I leave.”

Patton groans, but a small smile is tugging at the corner of his lips. “Great. So my brother is gonna get into even more fights.” His tone is light, but the real concern leaks through regardless.

Logan pushes himself to his feet and crosses his arms over his chest. “So we’ll teach him how to defend himself before we all go our separate ways.”

Something falls in Patton’s eyes at Logan’s words. He opens his mouth to reply, then closes it. Virgil’s gaze narrows as Patton clasps his hands together, seeming to rethink what he’d been about to say.

“Yeah,” he says. “Sure. That… That’d be great.”

Virgil frowns, opening his mouth to ask what was wrong when Patton’s phone buzzes loudly. The teen grabs it out of the back pocket of his jeans and cringes as he answers. “Hey, Thomas. I’m okay.”

Logan closes the first aid kit and steps out into the hallway. Virgil follows him, wanting to give Patton a moment alone on the phone with his brother. Logan heads straight for the bathroom, sliding the kit under the sink before turning to face the purple-haired punk. 

Logan blows out a breath. The spark of fury is back in his eyes. “God damn it.”

“I know,” Virgil says. “But you know Pat got in his fair share of punches.”

Logan’s eyes glance up to the teen across from him. “C’mon, Virge. You saw the same damage I did. That wasn’t a fair fight.”

The corner of Virgil’s mouth twitches humorlessly. “When has anything in our lives ever been a fair fight, Lo?”

“They’re cowards.”

“Yeah,” Virgil agrees. “But Patton’s not.”

Logan opens his mouth to respond, but the sound of the bedroom door opening makes him close it.

“Guys?” Patton asks.

Logan steps out of the bathroom. “Yeah?”

“Thomas is kind of freaking out,” Patton says, his shirt and vest back on, waving the phone in his hands. “I should probably get home before it gets worse. But, uh,” he smiles, awkward and embarrassed. “Thanks, again. For helping me out.”

“Sure. You might want to get some ice on that,” Logan tells him, gesturing at Patton’s chest. “I don’t think anything is broken but it’s still gonna hurt for a while.”

His smile softens into something a bit more sincere, and also a bit sad. “Yeah. I will.” He’s about halfway down the stairs when he stops and looks back at the two of them. “I’ll see you guys at school?”

“Yeah,” Virgil answers for them. “We’ll be there.”

“To beat up some guys if they so much as show their faces,” Logan adds under his breath.

“We might have to wait in line once Roman finds out,” Virgil replies just as quietly. When Patton grins, Virgil can’t quite tell if he heard them or not.

“Don’t know what I’d do without all of you guys,” Patton says, and then he’s down the stairs and out the door.

Virgil smiles a little to himself as the door closes behind him. Logan leans against the wall in the hallway, his eyes still looking at the door Patton had just walked out of. “You think Thomas knows?”

Virgil lifts an eyebrow at the other teen before letting his gaze fall back to the closed door as well. “That Patton would go to hell and back for him? I’m not sure, but I’d bet so.”

The corner of the blue-haired teen’s mouth curls up in something between a smirk and a smile. “I guess Thomas and Pat are kinda like us, huh?”

Logan says it lightly, but there’s a certain weight to his words. Virgil locks gazes with him, expressing the unspoken truth that Virgil would absolutely go to hell and back for Logan. He’d go to hell and stay there for Logan.

For any of them.

And he knows, as much as he sometimes thinks it shouldn’t be true, that they all feel the same way.

Virgil shrugs a shoulder and plays it off as soon as he knows Logan understands. “What? One big happy family?”

There’s a subtle earnestness in Logan’s eyes that catches Virgil off guard. “Sure. Why not?” Logan says. “You know. You, me, Roman, Patton. Hell, even Thomas is practically all of our kid brother at this point.”

Logan pushes himself off the wall, his voice just a little quieter as he continues.

“I don’t know what it’s really like to be part of a not fucked-up family, but I’d guess this is pretty damn close.”

….

[thepaperpanda]

Sleeping with the enemy || Part II

Part I

Words: 2314

Warnings: Smut, Unprotected sex, threesome

SUMMARY: Trying to make Kylo jealous, reader is coquetting with Hux. Reader will have an opportunity to meet him more intensively. But, of course, Kylo can read her mind...

Author: Cass & Beast

Few days have passed.

Because of the way Kylo had treated you before, you were shunning him as much as you could.

Of course, few times you both passed each other. Without any word. Even without a single glance. But it made you feel comfortable somehow. You didn't have to deal with his mood swings at least.

Hux pushed you with his shoulder while you were sitting in the canteen.

"Could you be so polite and start to listen what am I saying?" He muttered looking at you with a frown. "Make yourself useful and go to Kylo. I have the important report for him, but I don't have the patience to deal with that man."

He gave you report and walked away like nothing happened, looking over his shoulder. "Better do this quick."

The folder with report was red and rather big.

You raised your head to throw Hux angry glance.

"Yea. Of course. I have to do everything in behalf of you, because you're too lazy to do a single thing."

Loud sigh left your mouth. "I'll do this."

Hux only sighed heavily. "Learn some respect, child. Just won't hurt your knees, when you will get to his chamber." He said with sarcastic tone, then left the canteen.

Kylo was sitting in his room waiting for any pieces of information.

He looked surprised when he saw you in the door

"Ah! Hux's loyal scum. How's new work?" He asked, smiling meanly.

You pretended to not hear what he has said.

"You report is ready, sir."

You put the folder on his desk, not even looking at him

"I hope those are a good news." Kylo said and got up from his seat.

He walked to you and put a finger under your chin, forcing you to look at him.

"Not so eager anymore? I thought you enjoyed it.." He purred.

"Fuck off." You mumbled under breath took step back. "Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"

Kylo grabbed you by hair to hold your head in place, he looked into your eyes.

"First, show me some respect. Second, stop lying to yourself. We both know what do you want. We know how it will end." He said wrapping arms tightly around you. Every visit in his chamber ended like this, no matter what, he was always acting in the same way.

His eyes were full of anger and you saw it.

You turned head aside.

"Don't flatter yourself too much, sir," you said looking at the wall and focusing yourself on muting your emotions.

"Listen... I can feel it." He had his arms wrapped around your waist.

Brunette muttered softly getting closer to your neck. "I still like your scent, you know... the scent of sweet naive girl..."

Kylo looked at you. "Your heart is pounding every time you get closer to me... and you tell me to 'fuck off'... that's rude, little one."

You resisted

"Leave me alone. You kow nothing about me."

Your hands clenched into fists.

"I know more than you know, little one. Now go back to work." Kylo released you from his grasp.

Hux was waiting at you.

"Finally! How are your knees?" Man asked with a smile. "If I can be honest. When I saw you the first time I thought you have more self-respect... You should take a real man. Not the unstable leader." He muttered.

"I don't know what are you talking about."

Walking next to him, you were focused on the corridor. But you good knew what he was talking about.

"Come on... stop pretend that you are so hard to get." He muttered rolling eyes.

Hux looked at you. "My people are celebrating because of destroying resistance base. Maybe you should relax? With me?" He asked offering his arm. "What would you say?"

The need of revenge on Kylo was too huge for you to stop, so you nodded slightly.

"Yea. Right. Well. Yes. With a pleasure."

"Pleasure by my side, Y/N."

He walked with you into the control room. "I never was a fan of it. They only get distracted." Hux winced looking at his people. "But at last I can spend some time with you." He admitted with soft smile.

"I see, Hux" you smiled a bit at him. "So. What's now?"

He shrugged. "We will wait till..." Before Hux could finish his sentence, Kylo entered the room.

He looked at everyone, frowning. "At last for once you all were usefull."

Hux rolled his eyes. "As always. He talks like he is the one that did whole job." He muttered to you.

You gave a little nod.

"Exactly. He behaves like he would be a Supreme Leader."

You patted Hux's back.

"I think you would be better than him."

"I... Thank you." Hux only nodded.

Kylo walked to two of you. "Since when YOU are celebrating... With her?" He asked looking at Hux but pointing at you.

"Since I know, how to treat a woman. Not like someone is treating us." Hux smiled sarcastically and pulled you closer.

You were glad. Seeing the grimace on Kylo's face made you strangely satisfied with yourself.

"Hux. Can you help me with reports? I have to finish them, but I am not sure how."

You grabbed him by palm.

He squeezed your hand. "Of course, with pleasure, Y/N."

Hux left room with you. You both could hear how angry Kylo was screaming at everyone. "THAT'S ENOUGH! Go back to work!"

Hux only laughed at this.

"I love to annoy him."

"After his last behavior towards me, I found this pretty funny to make him angry. He is like a blind child. In control."

You winked at him and left his hand.

"And where are you going little one?" He grabbed you by palm and pulled you closer. "You won't run away so easily." Hux smiled at you.

You bit lower lip, wrapping arms around his neck and getting on you tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"Don't worry. I am always around."

You winked at him and walked away, to go back to work.

Hux walked to you and wrapped arms tightly around your waist. "Now you won't get rid of me." He purred softly into your ear.

You giggled and turned around to look him in the eye.

"Oh really?"

With a corner of the eye you saw how Kylo was leaving a main room. You were sure he saw you and Hux.

"Of course you won't." Hux smiled.

Kylo stopped and looked at two of you, frowning.

"Sir, do you need something?" You asked viciously looking at Ren over Hux's shoulder.

Kylo only walked away.

Hux looked behind and then back to you. "Let's go to my chamber or better no… Too many guards on our way there.."

You nodded with soft smile. “Come to visit me at evening. I will be waiting.” You said and then walked away.

In a little, softly-lit bedroom, you're on a average sized bed. You're freshly showered, nude, and just a bit softly squirmy from anticipating what will happen next. You lied there for a bit, at times rubbing yourself for a moment. It was when Hux arrived.

"General Hux, I was sure you'll come." Your voice was soft like never before.

He entered without knocking, being sure of himself. He got undressed and quickly joined you on the bed. Without a word, Hux lied down beside you on your left and gently caressed you, starting at knees and gradually tracing your whole body, increasing your delighted squirming.

A few kisses later he pulled you toward himself with firm strength and determination, yet always gently. Mostly on his back but somewhat leaning toward you, Hux directed your hips onto his so that your left buttocks covered his crotch entirely. With his left hand he pulled your left leg around his left leg, then pushed your right leg sideways to be flat against the bed. He continued to pull a bit here and push there, bringing your hips a bit more up on his, his right hand cupping your right buttocks at times, rubbing your crotch.

"Y/N, you're fucking beautiful," Hux whispered.

He rubbed you a bit more between the legs, wiggled his fingers wherever they might be, shifted a bit now and then for effect, to find just the right spot for himself to settle in, then he caressed your torso, breasts and face with his left hand. He kissed your face then paused.

Kylo walked in the room.

Ren walked around the bed, leant across it and kissed you, first on the neck, then the right nipple, gently sucking it into his mouth and rolling it with his teeth for a moment. Then fully on your lips, tasting and inhaling you.

He leant back, put his right middle finger on your lips, you wanted to suck it into you, but Kylo quickly slipped it out, and traced a line down your center - chin, to neck, to sternum, to belly, between your lips. He slided it into you while whispering softly. "Be still, Y/N." He knew this was a challenge for you, but one that you willingly accepted.

Kylo held it inside you, not moving, and instructed you to demonstrate your muscles. As you did, his initial response was firm. "That is not enough. I know that you can do better ... I've felt it." You closed your eyes and squeezed tighter, imaging his cock instead of his finger.

You were eager for more. The novelty of the situation, the posture of your hips pushed up yet supported, the attentions and arousal of Kylo and Hux gave you new levels of excitement. With Hux beside and below you, and with Kylo so tantalizingly near and above, you looked Kylo in the eye and quietly begged. "Please."

Kylo sent a questioning look to Hux who nodded. Hux pushed his hand deeper under you. He also firmly pushed your legs farther apart, almost uncomfortably. With his left hand keeping you legs apart, Hux used his right hand to tease into readiness wherever he could reach.

Kylo, enjoying watching you try to stay still while you were beginning to uncontrollably squirm and moan, reached down and petted you body, keeping intentionally away from where Hux was touching.

Kylo bent down and gave you a few long, full-tongue licks along all of your pussy that sent you into a delicious, creamy, thrilling orgasm. One more quick lick followed by a little slap on your heated, ready pussy, then Kylo looked into your eyes. "You're incredibly tasty, Y/N. I needed that."

Hux continued to hold your legs apart and pushed you up a bit further. Kylo positioned himself in front of your spread legs, got himself ready and in a strong stance, then leant forward to enter you.

Kylo entered you in one, agonizingly slow, deep, powerful motion.

Hux shifted his hips slightly. You gasped and shuddered as Hux pushed into your ass. His hands on your sides, fingers curved around to hold your nipples. Lips on the back of your neck. Kylo reminded you to be still, to enjoy all of the sensations, the hardness within you. The strong men below and above you. The pinching nipples. Hux's teeth on your shoulders and the back of neck. Kylo's lips and breath dancing with hers.

"Oh God.." You could only mumble quietly enjoying the pleasure.

Kylo started to move his hips. Slowly withdrawing until just the tip remained. Your eyes were closed as you absorbed the feelings. The smell. The sound of moist bodies moving with each other.

While Ren held himself just barely inside of your quivering pussy, Hux slowly pulled out until he too had only the tip of his cock inside. They both felt your muscles contract as you tried to pull, to will them both back into you.

You whimpered just a bit.

Suddenly you imploded as you felt both men thrusted deeply, filling you beyond fulfilling. They were simultaneous in their plunge and withdraw. Plunged and withdrawed. You lost sense of time. Of connection with gravity as you were suspended between the two.

A whisper from Kylo brought you back for just a moment until you realized that it was a signal for Hux, and in an instant the rhythm had shifted, with one sliding inside you deeply as the other pulled back.

"Fuck! Fuck, it's so good! Fuck me harder!" You grunted loudly rubbing your clitoris.

And you were off again. Nearly floating above yourself as you orgasmed over and over. Your body moving in sync with theirs. Breathing as one, thrusting as one.

It didn't take long before Kylo and Hux reached their peaks, too.

Kylo was first, cumming deep inside of your clenching pussy.

"Fuck!" Ren leant down to suck on your pulse point, riding his orgasm off.

Hux was second, but before he came, he slipped out of your ass and pumped over his length, rolling you a bit. Seconds later, he erupted his load on your belly.

Hux kissed your nape as you panted deeply trying to catch a breath.

You weren't expecting something like this to happen. You knew subconsciously, that Kylo will join you since he could read your mind. But it was way too much from what were you expecting.

When Kylo slipped out, too, you rolled on the bed, covering tour figure with quilt.

"How did you like it, Y/N?" Kylo asked, dressing his boxers on.

You took deep breath and were about to answer, but were cut by Hux's kiss.

"Great." You managed to whimper.

It didn't take long for three of you to fall asleep. Your head rested on Hux's chest while Kylo had his arm wrapped around your waist, spooning you.

Sleep came fast, and the last thing you remembered was Kylo's whisper.

"I think I fell for you, Y/N."

Gif: by Cass

Pandies🐼: @blue-dragon-ice @calkingwood @imidarogerson @grossograsso @thewildgardensstuff @irai-lauri @leven-and-ashley @la-verdura @bearded-steve-rogers @sebbystan-plantlover @atuckyismylife @krispyjellyfishzombie @personality-within @haseki-huricihan @choppedgardenwhispers @vroobelek @lattimelka @chris-beamz @hidden-secrets69 @side-blog-of-me @purepearls @i-am-margerita @volcanoxxx @kastrup-sofie  @mikkal-akasaki  @withoutashadowofhope  @radbluebirdeagle @marvel-fan-site  @smutloversblog  @buquete  @super-psycho-love69 @tanglesss @peter-sommer @baysidewest @vegemania @philip-stan @chodiusmmm @subwaystunnel @tykorclint @dagger-dragger @kurant @nothing-can-least-forever @oxfordkipem @deliciousbouquet90  @tuptuptup @hellenna80  @karina-marina9 @latimeriaaa  @bratko @wurld89  @scott-evans @kiss-me-rouge @ovonel-espaniol @dancing-tacco @ratugadhi @white-tiger-shangrila @peter-sommer @axn69  @eternal-life-awaits @mrs-laura-harmon @artsy-inside @gleeeeees @darkllaama @jatut @agawux @fuzzy-tigrrr @jrjohnsson2 @cassandbeast @maaargoshaaa @dontgetmewrongman @einexx

[two-halves-of-reylo]

I am using the prompts to try and write a larger, post TLJ story. Here’s this week’s chapter:

Poe had very nearly wet his pants.

A cargo ship had arrived on Storia 2A90 from one of the newly declared allies. It had next level cloaking systems, advanced enough to thwart the First Order’s ability to trace it through light speed, and had delivered to them a new fleet of X-wing fighters. 

It wasn’t enough, not nearly enough, but it was a promising start. 

The arrival of the fighters continued to build the air of hope among the growing band of rebels.

One of the vessels stood out, a customised dark-hulled beast. It had been delivered already inscribed in silver, ‘Black One’.

Poe patted the hull and kissed it, saying, “Come to papa, baby.” He bent low to the ground and scratched his fingers across the top of his favourite droid. “This one’s for us, right, buddy?” BB-8 spun in mad circles, his skittery beeps and chirps signally his excited agreement. 

Invigorated by the arrival of the new fleet, Poe leapt into action. 

Lieutenant Connix sat behind a databank of screens. Poe rested a hand on her shoulder, winked at her and said, “It’s time to get this resistance across the galaxy. Am I right?” 

He was oblivious to the deep blush that stained her cheeks. “Y-yes, Commander Dameron.”

“If feels good to be called than again, Connix, real good.”

Many of the rebel pilots were fledging, still in training, but there were also newly arrived and more experienced recruits arriving daily from planets across the galaxy and stretching into the outer rim. 

Poe organised them into teams, for flight training, but also for daily scouting and surveillance of the planet and its atmosphere. He coordinated between using the land speeders and the fighters, leaving nothing to chance. If the First Order were to locate the new base before they had a real chance to rebuild, all would be lost.

Rose was on her feet, but still recovering from her injuries, and requiring plenty of daily rest. Finn was often with her, attentive and kind as ever, but Rey could tell he was itching to be of more use.

Rey arranged for Finn to join her on a scouting run to the mountain range south of the base. They took two land speeders. 

Halfway to their destination Rey caught Finn edging just ahead of her speeder. She looked over at him but he was staring, nonchalant, straight ahead. She edged her speeder just in front of his. Without a glance in her direction he nudged into the lead once more. Within minutes they were outright racing, swooping over the dips and rises of the sandy surface. Finn was so loud, Rey could hear his shouts, even from inside her cockpit.

As the more experienced pilot, Rey pulled a manoeuvre that had her reaching the destination first, with ease. She laughed and the sound of it inside her cockpit shocked her. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt carefree enough to laugh out loud. It felt good.

They took their lunch break, sitting in a shallow but cool cave, several metres above the ground. The position gave them a wide outlook to the horizon. The day was clear. It was sad to see the lack of life, of daily activity on the mostly uninhabited planet, thanks to the First Order. The rocky mountains surrounding them had formed from ancient volcanoes and gave off a whiff of sulphur, especially when warmed by the sun. Rey was grateful for an upwind that kept the air around them fresh.

After so long apart and weeks of chaotic activity, it was at last a quiet and private moment between the two friends. Rey didn’t know when she would get another chance, so she took the opportunity to try and get Finn to open up. 

As she had feared, Rose’s romantic feelings were not reciprocated.

Rey said, “The longer you leave this, the worse it will be. If you don’t feel the same, you have to tell her.”

“The thought of hurting Rose terrifies me,” said Finn. His shoulders slumped. “I do love her. She’s brave, funny, and she risked her own life to save me. I owe her everything. I just don’t…love her that way.”

“We saved each other too. I love you as a friend. You don’t owe me more than that.”

“It’s…different with Rose. You don’t see the way she looks at me.”

Rey handed Finn a Crohler sandwich from the cooler they had brought. He picked at it without much interest. 

Rey thought about the way she had seen Rose’s face light up, whenever Finn was around. She said, “No, I have.”

Finn said, “I have no experience with…this. The First Order, they treated us like machines. We weren’t allowed to form attachments. We were beaten and sent to isolation if they even suspected we had…favourites.” 

He looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he stared at the ground. A small gathering had appeared near his feet. They were tiny critters with four short legs and long tails. They were no bigger than a large insect but they seemed to be a mixture of reptile and bird. Their scaly skin was covered with short blue and green feathers. Finn tossed them some crumbs from his lunch. One of the critters had a trunk that extended in membranous sections from its head, each new section advancing with a clacking sound. The creature sucked up a few of Finn’s crumbs. It stilled for a moment and then spat out the food in violent disgust, chitting and squeaking. The other critters responded to the warning and scattered into narrow fissures in the cave wall.

Rey stared at her friend, helpless. She thought hard about what she could say that might help.

She had exactly zero experience with relationships.

Back on Jakku, she had used her staff to beat off the odd trader who thought she was bargaining with more than she was prepared to offer. Before BB-8 and Finn had entered her life, she didn’t even have friends, not really.

Thinking about fighting, for some reason her mind went straight to Ben. She suddenly felt hot and uncomfortable, despite the cool surroundings. She wiped away beads of sweat on her upper lip and brow. There was nothing in her complex relationship with Ben that could offer solace to anyone.

Finn spoke suddenly, a blurt. “We hid it, but there was someone, once.” He paused, embarrassed, and chewed on his bottom lip. “It didn’t get far as relationships go, but we cared for each other.” He drew in a breath that seemed to hurt and released it quickly. “He was killed on my first mission.” He looked up into Rey’s face. “When I defected. On Jakku.”

“Oh.”

“Seeing Zuk reach for me as he died, being powerless…it was the final straw. Then Kylo Ren ordered us to kill everyone…I couldn’t.” 

At the mention of Kylo…Ben, Rey’s discomfort grew, like a hard, twisted knot inside her. There was such a disconnect between the monster she’d first met, the monster she knew who had ordered such atrocities, and the conflicted young man she came to know on Ahch-To. That man had saved her life by killing Snoke, he had been the partner she fought with against the Praetorian Guard. Somehow, despite the monstrous things he had done under Snoke’s control, she had seen there was still good inside him, a glimmer of hope for his future. 

Rey thought how impossible it would be to convince someone like Finn of this, someone whose hatred of Kylo Ren was utterly justified. She was riddled with guilt for keeping her Force connection with Ben a secret, but she didn’t know how she could ever explain it to Finn or any other member of the resistance.

Finn had thrown the sandwich back into the cooler and had picked up a stick. He was tracing patterns into the sand at his feet. “Most Storm Troopers are men, but I don’t think it would have mattered.” He blinked up at Rey. “That’s what I like.”

Rey hesitated. “So you haven’t been attracted to anyone else, since you left?”

“Well.” Finn shrugged inside his brown, leather jacket and fiddled with the cuffs. “I have. Not that it will do me any good. I don’t think he flies that way. Anyway, he’s a bit of a tart.”

*

The sleeping quarters were a barracks, abandoned by the original inhabitants on Storia. The barracks were large enough to house a small city:  a series of simple pods and common areas cut into an enormous cave, a rabbit warren of tunnels interconnecting them.

Tossing from side-to-side in her narrow cot, Rey was frustrated. Thoughts of Ben Solo and her Force bond with him were haunting her. Every time she drifted off, it was only to dream again and again about their moments together, or to extend them, play them out with different outcomes, outcomes that made her huff out loud.

The signs of the Force connection opening were easy to recognise. It always started the same: a slight pressure inside her head, a muffled thrum and then a pop.

She opened her eyes and rolled over to face the wall.

He was there.

Ben was sitting on the ground, his back resting against something, one leg bent. His shoulders seemed broad enough for two people, his presence vast enough to rob the room of air.

He was staring at her, but when their eyes made contact, he looked away. As usual, his surroundings were invisible to Rey. He looked exactly the same as the last time she had seen him.

Rey’s eyes darted to Leia’s cot and back to Ben. She knew he couldn’t see her, well she hoped not, but Leia was his mother, and she was strong with the Force.

“We’re not alone?” Ben said.

Of course he would sense something, damn him.

Rey shook her head, hating the way his voice sent a shiver across her skin and made her stomach muscles tighten.

It was the first time the Force bond had opened with another person so close by. Except for when Luke had caught them holding hands. That hadn’t ended well. Rey didn’t know why, but she sensed that Ben being able to see his mother right now might not be such a good thing. Even if Leia suspected something was going on between Rey and Ben, Rey wasn’t ready to share the knowledge of the Force bond with the rest of the resistance, not until she understood it better for herself. She didn’t want to think about how they might want to use it to their advantage.

It was selfish of course, but she wanted to keep their connection private, for now, just between the two of them.

Rey’s eyes flicked to the other cot again, but Leia hadn’t moved and appeared to be in a deep sleep.

Ben’s dark hair fell in soft waves on either side of his face. It was a waste for a man to have hair like that. Betraying that thought, Rey’s fingers itched, wondering what his hair would feel like to touch.

He spoke slowly, thoughtfully. “I can sense, a presence, a colour. Someone strong with the Force.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “My mother?”

Rey nodded, silently.

“Is she…is she alright?” He was working his mouth, uncomfortable with the question. His eyes glistened often but Rey thought this time it wasn’t from anger but instead, concern.

He was dressed from head to toe in his customary black and he was sitting on his cape. Despite the overwhelming hulk of him and the presence of so much black, Rey didn’t see the dark lord, the commander calling orders to destroy the resistance against the First Order. 

She saw a vulnerable young man.

Rey considered her reply. Her observation from a few days ago, that Leia was diminishing, wasn’t quite right. By day, and to the rest of the rebels, she was the general they knew: focused, feisty, and occasionally irascible. At night, well it was different. Diminishing wasn’t the right word. It was more like she was preparing for something.

Transitioning? 

Leia lay very still, as though in a trance, and Ben was right, she almost seemed to glow with blue/green light.

“I think so,” Rey whispered.

“I didn’t fire on her, on the command ship, I want you to know that. I…couldn’t.” Rey watched him and fought the compassion that rose within her. He lived with such constant conflict; it hurt to watch him grapple with it.

Ben said, “But I saw the bridge destroyed.” He frowned and looked away, lost in the memory. “I couldn’t see how she could have survived…but then I sensed her again, alive, on Crait.” He shook his head and shrugged. “Despite everything, I was relieved.”

Ben looked up and they stared at each other. Rey was only wearing a thin tank top and no arm or chest bands. Self-conscious, she drew the blanket up from her waist to under her chin.

“You know I can’t hurt you here,” he said. His voice was soft now.

“Do you want to?”

He gazed at her for a long moment. Those enormous, expressive brown eyes drew her in, sometimes sad, sometimes longing for…Rey didn’t dare think what. Ben pressed his lips together tightly, and a muscle worked in his jaw. “No,” he ground out.

“What’s changed?”

“I was angry at your…rejection.”

Rey rolled her eyes. It was hard to stay quiet at that. She had rejected the First Order, the dark side of the Force, Ben’s desire to rule over everything and everyone, not Ben as a person. She asked him to join them, and even now she couldn’t help the fact that she was relieved that they could still be connected like this.

Instead of responding, she kept her voice low and said, “Why aren’t you in bed? Don’t you ever sleep?”

Uncharacteristically, half his mouth lifted. It was completely unexpected and disarming. “Is that an invitation?”

She felt her face flame. “What? No.”

He waved the wrist that was resting on his bent knee, a casual, dismissive gesture, and grinned. 

Ben Solo teased her now?

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said.

Angered at being teased, Rey’s tone became accusatory. “What are you doing? Are you trying to find us? The rumours in the galaxy say you are, but no one knows where you are looking.”

Those eyes again. “Do you want me to?”

Was it her imagination, or did everything he was saying tonight seem laden with extra dangerousness?

It was probably her discussion today with Finn about relationships.

Stars above, why was she thinking about relationships?

“Why does everyone think I killed Snoke?” she said, instead of answering his question.

“Really?” he said. “After you were gone, Hux came in, and-” Ben’s attention was drawn away, he stood up to address someone or something in his world. Then he was gone, the Force bond broken.

Rey was woken a second time that night, a few hours before dawn. 

Almost panicking, she threw on her boots and an old jumper and ran, breathless, bursting into Poe’s quarters without even thinking about knocking. Luckily he was alone and she shook him awake. 

Rey said, “It’s the General. Come now.”

Poe slept, ready for an emergency, and was already wearing pants and a shirt. He pulled on his boots, then reached for the holster belt for his blaster.

“No time for that,” said Rey, pulling his hand.

Rey and Poe raced down the corridors, BB-8 at their heels.

Poe’s boots slid to a stop on the stone floor as they reached the entrance of the sleeping chamber. Leia was laying still, silent and deathly pale in her bed. The blue/green glow surrounding her was noticeable to anyone.

Rey’s heart was in her throat. Was she too late?

“Shit,” said Poe, emphatically. “No, no, no. No way.” He spun on his heel to order his droid. “BB-8, get the physician. Hustle, buddy.”

BB-8 began spinning, but Leia held up her hand. “Stop,” she said in a surprisingly strong voice, although her arm fell heavily back on the bed. “There’s no need.”

“General,” gasped Poe, relieved at the sound of her voice. “You almost gave me a heart attack. Let me get the doc, there’s clearly something wr-”

Summoning all her energy, Leia cut him off. “Let go of the control stick, flyboy. LISTEN.”

BB-8 made a downward whirring sound that telegraphed, uh-oh.

“Come here, both of you.”

Rey and Poe moved to stand on either side of the bed. Leia held out her hands to each of them. Rey was shocked at how chilled Leia’s skin was to the touch. Poe, clearly impatient at the lack of activity to rectify the situation, shuffled from foot to foot.

“It’s time,” Leia said, simply.

Poe began to argue and Leia narrowed her eyes, her irrepressible internal power, silencing him.

Rey and Poe felt it at the same time. They blinked at each other, eyes wide. Leia was sending…something through them, was it the Force? Rey’s entire arm was tingling.

“It’s time for me to guide you in a different way,” Leia’s voice was growing softer. “You are the future.”

Leia’s head shifted so that she was looking directly at Rey. “You have the best instincts of anyone I know. Trust them. I know it is not in your heart to lead, but others will look to you, and be guided by your actions.”

There it was, the pressure, the thrumming and the pop. 

Not now thought Rey.

She felt him at her back.

“You are strong with the Force, Rey,” Leia continued.

“Turn around,” said Ben, unable to see or hear the rest of the room.

Rey did everything to school her expression to be neutral, to focus on Leia. She kept her back to Ben. This was not the time. 

Or was it?

He sounded pissy at first. “What are you holding? Wait.” His tone changed, deepened. “I sense something. Is it my mother?” His voice rose with alarm. “What’s wrong with her?”

Rey ignored him and heard him hiss in frustration, threatening to release his temper from its very short fuse.

Then she heard Ben’s shocked gasp.

“I can see her,” he said.

Through their bond, Rey sensed how rocked Ben was by seeing what was happening. His feelings were utter turmoil. She wondered how long it had been since Ben had last seen his mother. Was it their Force bond allowing him to see Leia now? Was she sharing her world with him?

Leia was looking directly at Rey, but Ben was standing behind her, just over her right shoulder.

Could she see him as well?

Poe was too upset and focused on Leia to notice anything strange about Rey’s expression or behaviour.

Leia was looking at Rey, but Rey could have sworn the words she spoke next were for Ben as much as for her. 

Leia said, “You are our hope and our light.” 

Behind her, Ben made a choked sound.

Rey, overwhelmed by all that was happening, felt her heart sink, because this sounded like goodbye, but Leia was smiling and squeezing Rey’s hand.

“I don’t understand. What’s happening?” Ben croaked. Rey heard the raw emotion in his voice. She couldn’t focus on him right now, but it seemed he was caught up in his own thoughts anyway. “Her hair is so grey. Did I do that?”

Leia turned her head on the pillow to make eye contact Poe. The effort seemed to drain her. “I know you are brave. The bravest…and the best pilot I’ve ever known.”  Poe tried to smile at that. “I hope I have taught you the wisdom of knowing when to retreat, of knowing when the losses are too great to bear.” Then she added, “You’ll be a great leader, General Dameron.”

Rey looked across at Poe and was shocked to see a tear run down his cheek. “Stay, boss,” he begged.

Leia’s voice was little more than a whisper. “I can’t wait to join them, you see.” She exhaled, long and slow. “Luke told me, don’t worry, no one is ever truly gone.”

Leia’s head turned and her eyes rested a final time on Rey, and she was sure, on Ben as well.

“Mom,” said Ben in a broken voice.

Rey looked down at the bed in time to see Leia vanish from this world. For a few seconds her nightclothes held the shape of her before they settled, empty and flat on the bedding.

She had never felt more fearful or alone.

[yeahnobaggage]

CHAPTER THREE:  FEAR

Poe had very nearly wet his pants.

A cargo ship had arrived on Storia 2A90 from one of the newly declared allies. It had next level cloaking systems, advanced enough to thwart the First Order’s ability to trace it through light speed, and had delivered to them a new fleet of X-wing fighters.

It wasn’t enough, not nearly enough, but it was a promising start.

The arrival of the fighters continued to build the air of hope among the growing band of rebels.

One of the vessels stood out, a customised dark-hulled beast. It had been delivered already inscribed in silver, ‘Black One’.

Poe patted the hull and kissed it, saying, “Come to papa, baby.” He bent low to the ground and scratched his fingers across the top of his favourite droid. “This one’s for us, right, buddy?” BB-8 spun in mad circles, his skittery beeps and chirps signally his excited agreement.

Invigorated by the arrival of the new fleet, Poe leapt into action.

Lieutenant Connix sat behind a databank of screens. Poe rested a hand on her shoulder, winked at her and said, “It’s time to get this resistance across the galaxy. Am I right?”

He was oblivious to the deep blush that stained her cheeks. “Y-yes, Commander Dameron.”

“If feels good to be called than again, Connix, real good.”

Many of the rebel pilots were fledging, still in training, but there were also newly arrived and more experienced recruits arriving daily from planets across the galaxy and stretching into the outer rim.

Poe organised them into teams, for flight training, but also for daily scouting and surveillance of the planet and its atmosphere. He coordinated between using the land speeders and the fighters, leaving nothing to chance. If the First Order were to locate the new base before they had a real chance to rebuild, all would be lost.

Rose was on her feet, but still recovering from her injuries, and requiring plenty of daily rest. Finn was often with her, attentive and kind as ever, but Rey could tell he was itching to be of more use.

Rey arranged for Finn to join her on a scouting run to the mountain range south of the base. They took two land speeders.

Halfway to their destination Rey caught Finn edging just ahead of her speeder. She looked over at him but he was staring, nonchalant, straight ahead. She edged her speeder just in front of his. Without a glance in her direction he nudged into the lead once more. Within minutes they were outright racing, swooping over the dips and rises of the sandy surface. Finn was so loud, Rey could hear his shouts, even from inside her cockpit.

As the more experienced pilot, Rey pulled a manoeuvre that had her reaching the destination first, with ease. She laughed and the sound of it inside her cockpit shocked her. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt carefree enough to laugh out loud. It felt good.

They took their lunch break, sitting in a shallow but cool cave, several metres above the ground. The position gave them a wide outlook to the horizon. The day was clear. It was sad to see the lack of life, of daily activity on the mostly uninhabited planet, thanks to the First Order. The rocky mountains surrounding them had formed from ancient volcanoes and gave off a whiff of sulphur, especially when warmed by the sun. Rey was grateful for an upwind that kept the air around them fresh.

After so long apart and weeks of chaotic activity, it was at last a quiet and private moment between the two friends. Rey didn’t know when she would get another chance, so she took the opportunity to try and get Finn to open up.

As she had feared, Rose’s romantic feelings were not reciprocated.

Rey said, “The longer you leave this, the worse it will be. If you don’t feel the same, you have to tell her.”

“The thought of hurting Rose terrifies me,” said Finn. His shoulders slumped. “I do love her. She’s brave, funny, and she risked her own life to save me. I owe her everything. I just don’t…love her that way.”

“We saved each other too. I love you as a friend. You don’t owe me more than that.”

“It’s…different with Rose. You don’t see the way she looks at me.”

Rey handed Finn a Crohler sandwich from the cooler they had brought. He picked at it without much interest.

Rey thought about the way she had seen Rose’s face light up, whenever Finn was around. She said, “No, I have.”

Finn said, “I have no experience with…this. The First Order, they treated us like machines. We weren’t allowed to form attachments. We were beaten and sent to isolation if they even suspected we had…favourites.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he stared at the ground. A small gathering had appeared near his feet. They were tiny critters with four short legs and long tails. They were no bigger than a large insect but they seemed to be a mixture of reptile and bird. Their scaly skin was covered with short blue and green feathers. Finn tossed them some crumbs from his lunch. One of the critters had a trunk that extended in membranous sections from its head, each new section advancing with a clacking sound. The creature sucked up a few of Finn’s crumbs. It stilled for a moment and then spat out the food in violent disgust, chitting and squeaking. The other critters responded to the warning and scattered into narrow fissures in the cave wall.

Rey stared at her friend, helpless. She thought hard about what she could say that might help.

She had exactly zero experience with relationships.

Back on Jakku, she had used her staff to beat off the odd trader who thought she was bargaining with more than she was prepared to offer. Before BB-8 and Finn had entered her life, she didn’t even have friends, not really.

Thinking about fighting, for some reason her mind went straight to Ben. She suddenly felt hot and uncomfortable, despite the cool surroundings. She wiped away beads of sweat on her upper lip and brow. There was nothing in her complex relationship with Ben that could offer solace to anyone.

Finn spoke suddenly, a blurt. “We hid it, but there was someone, once.” He paused, embarrassed, and chewed on his bottom lip. “It didn’t get far as relationships go, but we cared for each other.” He drew in a breath that seemed to hurt and released it quickly. “He was killed on my first mission.” He looked up into Rey’s face. “When I defected. On Jakku.”

“Oh.”

“Seeing Zuk reach for me as he died, being powerless…it was the final straw. Then Kylo Ren ordered us to kill everyone…I couldn’t.”

At the mention of Kylo…Ben, Rey’s discomfort grew, like a hard, twisted knot inside her. There was such a disconnect between the monster she’d first met, the monster she knew who had ordered such atrocities, and the conflicted young man she came to know on Ahch-To. That man had saved her life by killing Snoke, he had been the partner she fought with against the Praetorian Guard. Somehow, despite the monstrous things he had done under Snoke’s control, she had seen there was still good inside him, a glimmer of hope for his future.

Rey thought how impossible it would be to convince someone like Finn of this, someone whose hatred of Kylo Ren was utterly justified. She was riddled with guilt for keeping her Force connection with Ben a secret, but she didn’t know how she could ever explain it to Finn or any other member of the resistance.

Finn had thrown the sandwich back into the cooler and had picked up a stick. He was tracing patterns into the sand at his feet. “Most Storm Troopers are men, but I don’t think it would have mattered.” He blinked up at Rey. “That’s what I like.”

Rey hesitated. “So you haven’t been attracted to anyone else, since you left?”

“Well.” Finn shrugged inside his brown, leather jacket and fiddled with the cuffs. “I have. Not that it will do me any good. I don’t think he flies that way. Anyway, he’s a bit of a tart.”

*

The sleeping quarters were a barracks, abandoned by the original inhabitants on Storia. The barracks were large enough to house a small city:  a series of simple pods and common areas cut into an enormous cave, a rabbit warren of tunnels interconnecting them.

Tossing from side-to-side in her narrow cot, Rey was frustrated. Thoughts of Ben Solo and her Force bond with him were haunting her. Every time she drifted off, it was only to dream again and again about their moments together, or to extend them, play them out with different outcomes, outcomes that made her huff out loud.

The signs of the Force connection opening were easy to recognise. It always started the same: a slight pressure inside her head, a muffled thrum and then a pop.

She opened her eyes and rolled over to face the wall.

He was there.

Ben was sitting on the ground, his back resting against something, one leg bent. His shoulders seemed broad enough for two people, his presence vast enough to rob the room of air.

He was staring at her, but when their eyes made contact, he looked away. As usual, his surroundings were invisible to Rey. He looked exactly the same as the last time she had seen him.

Rey’s eyes darted to Leia’s cot and back to Ben. She knew he couldn’t see her, well she hoped not, but Leia was his mother, and she was strong with the Force.

“We’re not alone?” Ben said.

Of course he would sense something, damn him.

Rey shook her head, hating the way his voice sent a shiver across her skin and made her stomach muscles tighten.

It was the first time the Force bond had opened with another person so close by. Except for when Luke had caught them holding hands. That hadn’t ended well. Rey didn’t know why, but she sensed that Ben being able to see his mother right now might not be such a good thing. Even if Leia suspected something was going on between Rey and Ben, Rey wasn’t ready to share the knowledge of the Force bond with the rest of the resistance, not until she understood it better for herself. She didn’t want to think about how they might want to use it to their advantage.

It was selfish of course, but she wanted to keep their connection private, for now, just between the two of them.

Rey’s eyes flicked to the other cot again, but Leia hadn’t moved and appeared to be in a deep sleep.

Ben’s dark hair fell in soft waves on either side of his face. It was a waste for a man to have hair like that. Betraying that thought, Rey’s fingers itched, wondering what his hair would feel like to touch.

He spoke slowly, thoughtfully. “I can sense, a presence, a colour. Someone strong with the Force.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “My mother?”

Rey nodded, silently.

“Is she…is she alright?” He was working his mouth, uncomfortable with the question. His eyes glistened often but Rey thought this time it wasn’t from anger but instead, concern.

He was dressed from head to toe in his customary black and he was sitting on his cape. Despite the overwhelming hulk of him and the presence of so much black, Rey didn’t see the dark lord, the commander calling orders to destroy the resistance against the First Order.

She saw a vulnerable young man.

Rey considered her reply. Her observation from a few days ago, that Leia was diminishing, wasn’t quite right. By day, and to the rest of the rebels, she was the general they knew: focused, feisty, and occasionally irascible. At night, well it was different. Diminishing wasn’t the right word. It was more like she was preparing for something.

Transitioning?

Leia lay very still, as though in a trance, and Ben was right, she almost seemed to glow with blue/green light.

“I think so,” Rey whispered.

“I didn’t fire on her, on the command ship, I want you to know that. I…couldn’t.” Rey watched him and fought the compassion that rose within her. He lived with such constant conflict; it hurt to watch him grapple with it.

Ben said, “But I saw the bridge destroyed.” He frowned and looked away, lost in the memory. “I couldn’t see how she could have survived…but then I sensed her again, alive, on Crait.” He shook his head and shrugged. “Despite everything, I was relieved.”

Ben looked up and they stared at each other. Rey was only wearing a thin tank top and no arm or chest bands. Self-conscious, she drew the blanket up from her waist to under her chin.

“You know I can’t hurt you here,” he said. His voice was soft now.

“Do you want to?”

He gazed at her for a long moment. Those enormous, expressive brown eyes drew her in, sometimes sad, sometimes longing for…Rey didn’t dare think what. Ben pressed his lips together tightly, and a muscle worked in his jaw. “No,” he ground out.

“What’s changed?”

“I was angry at your…rejection.”

Rey rolled her eyes. It was hard to stay quiet at that. She had rejected the First Order, the dark side of the Force, Ben’s desire to rule over everything and everyone, not Ben as a person. She asked him to join them, and even now she couldn’t help the fact that she was relieved that they could still be connected like this.

Instead of responding, she kept her voice low and said, “Why aren’t you in bed? Don’t you ever sleep?”

Uncharacteristically, half his mouth lifted. It was completely unexpected and disarming. “Is that an invitation?”

She felt her face flame. “What? No.”

He waved the wrist that was resting on his bent knee, a casual, dismissive gesture, and grinned.

Ben Solo teased her now?

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said.

Angered at being teased, Rey’s tone became accusatory. “What are you doing? Are you trying to find us? The rumours in the galaxy say you are, but no one knows where you are looking.”

Those eyes again. “Do you want me to?”

Was it her imagination, or did everything he was saying tonight seem laden with extra dangerousness?

It was probably her discussion today with Finn about relationships.

Stars above, why was she thinking about relationships?

“Why does everyone think I killed Snoke?” she said, instead of answering his question.

“Really?” he said. “After you were gone, Hux came in, and-” Ben’s attention was drawn away, he stood up to address someone or something in his world. Then he was gone, the Force bond broken.

Rey was woken a second time that night, a few hours before dawn.

Almost panicking, she threw on her boots and an old jumper and ran, breathless, bursting into Poe’s quarters without even thinking about knocking. Luckily he was alone and she shook him awake.

Rey said, “It’s the General. Come now.”

Poe slept, ready for an emergency, and was already wearing pants and a shirt. He pulled on his boots, then reached for the holster belt for his blaster.

“No time for that,” said Rey, pulling his hand.

Rey and Poe raced down the corridors, BB-8 at their heels.

Poe’s boots slid to a stop on the stone floor as they reached the entrance of the sleeping chamber. Leia was laying still, silent and deathly pale in her bed. The blue/green glow surrounding her was noticeable to anyone.

Rey’s heart was in her throat. Was she too late?

“Shit,” said Poe, emphatically. “No, no, no. No way.” He spun on his heel to order his droid. “BB-8, get the physician. Hustle, buddy.”

BB-8 began spinning, but Leia held up her hand. “Stop,” she said in a surprisingly strong voice, although her arm fell heavily back on the bed. “There’s no need.”

“General,” gasped Poe, relieved at the sound of her voice. “You almost gave me a heart attack. Let me get the doc, there’s clearly something wr-”

Summoning all her energy, Leia cut him off. “Let go of the control stick, flyboy. LISTEN.”

BB-8 made a downward whirring sound that telegraphed, uh-oh.

“Come here, both of you.”

Rey and Poe moved to stand on either side of the bed. Leia held out her hands to each of them. Rey was shocked at how chilled Leia’s skin was to the touch. Poe, clearly impatient at the lack of activity to rectify the situation, shuffled from foot to foot.

“It’s time,” Leia said, simply.

Poe began to argue and Leia narrowed her eyes, her irrepressible internal power, silencing him.

Rey and Poe felt it at the same time. They blinked at each other, eyes wide. Leia was sending…something through them, was it the Force? Rey’s entire arm was tingling.

“It’s time for me to guide you in a different way,” Leia’s voice was growing softer. “You are the future.”

Leia’s head shifted so that she was looking directly at Rey. “You have the best instincts of anyone I know. Trust them. I know it is not in your heart to lead, but others will look to you, and be guided by your actions.”

There it was, the pressure, the thrumming and the pop.

Not now thought Rey.

She felt him at her back.

“You are strong with the Force, Rey,” Leia continued.

“Turn around,” said Ben, unable to see or hear the rest of the room.

Rey did everything to school her expression to be neutral, to focus on Leia. She kept her back to Ben. This was not the time.

Or was it?

He sounded pissy at first. “What are you holding? Wait.” His tone changed, deepened. “I sense something. Is it my mother?” His voice rose with alarm. “What’s wrong with her?”

Rey ignored him and heard him hiss in frustration, threatening to release his temper from its very short fuse.

Then she heard Ben’s shocked gasp.

“I can see her,” he said.

Through their bond, Rey sensed how rocked Ben was by seeing what was happening. His feelings were utter turmoil. She wondered how long it had been since Ben had last seen his mother. Was it their Force bond allowing him to see Leia now? Was she sharing her world with him?

Leia was looking directly at Rey, but Ben was standing behind her, just over her right shoulder.

Could she see him as well?

Poe was too upset and focused on Leia to notice anything strange about Rey’s expression or behaviour.

Leia was looking at Rey, but Rey could have sworn the words she spoke next were for Ben as much as for her.

Leia said, “You are our hope and our light.”

Behind her, Ben made a choked sound.

Rey, overwhelmed by all that was happening, felt her heart sink, because this sounded like goodbye, but Leia was smiling and squeezing Rey’s hand.

“I don’t understand. What’s happening?” Ben croaked. Rey heard the raw emotion in his voice. She couldn’t focus on him right now, but it seemed he was caught up in his own thoughts anyway. “Her hair is so grey. Did I do that?”

Leia turned her head on the pillow to make eye contact Poe. The effort seemed to drain her. “I know you are brave. The bravest…and the best pilot I’ve ever known.”  Poe tried to smile at that. “I hope I have taught you the wisdom of knowing when to retreat, of knowing when the losses are too great to bear.” Then she added, “You’ll be a great leader, General Dameron.”

Rey looked across at Poe and was shocked to see a tear run down his cheek. “Stay, boss,” he begged.

Leia’s voice was little more than a whisper. “I can’t wait to join them, you see.” She exhaled, long and slow. “Luke told me, don’t worry, no one is ever truly gone.”

Leia’s head turned and her eyes rested a final time on Rey, and she was sure, on Ben as well.

“Mom,” said Ben in a broken voice.

Rey looked down at the bed in time to see Leia vanish from this world. For a few seconds her nightclothes held the shape of her before they settled, empty and flat on the bedding.

She had never felt more fearful or alone.