#the wrestling yoda

[charmwasjess]

AU where Dooku still meets the Tirra' taka on Serenno as a kid, but it's a baby one that imprints on him, and he takes it back to the Temple and raises it like a fucking pokemon?

And... Yoda is Yoda, so he just... goes with it? Like if your super Force sensitive kid with a ton of homeworld trauma connects with a mystical dragon that holds the world together and has lightning instead of blood and dreams earthquakes you just let that be and call it the Will of the Force?

AND IT JUST FOLLOWS TEEN DOOKU AROUND LIKE AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG EXCEPT IT'S A BIG DRAGON??? AND ITS GETTING BIGGER??

Dooku: It's a metaphor

Dooku: for me :)

[wrestler-smash-or-pass]

I've disagreed with the majority on every single poll so far. You people have terrible taste in wrestlers' smashablity. That being said

Andre the Giant

[owenoak95]

THE MANDALORIAN - PAZ VIZSLA

[the-mandalorian-historian]

“I DO MY OWN BIDDING”

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

I was just thinking about in The Lawless when Obi-Wan says “I do my own bidding.” That’s one of my favorite Obi-Wan lines, but I’ve never really thought that much of it until just now. First and foremost it’s a beautifully clever and flirtatious quip in response to Satine’s question, so I think that’s why I haven’t put much deeper thought into it. But what Obi-Wan says is true, and VERY symbolic of the beginning of the episode, as well as the entire history of Obi-Wan and Satine’s relationship.

Obi-Wan has always been under some form of authority, and in this specific time he has other Jedi Masters who would be considered of higher rank than he, such as Yoda, Mace, Ki-Adi-Mundi, etc. But most importantly, Obi-Wan is under the Jedi Code. The Code is his “master,” he does its “bidding.” In the beginning of The Lawless, Obi-Wan wrestles with inner conflict because the Jedi Masters tell him he cannot go to Mandalore due to the situation being an internal affair. ON TOP OF THAT, he desperately wants to go save Satine, the woman he has a romantic attachment to, which is strictly against the Jedi Code. So what does he do? Obi-Wan does his own bidding. He defies the orders of the Jedi Masters, he neglects the Code, and claims to Satine that he does his own bidding. Boom. So yes, while it’s a clever response, and would be perfectly perfect without any symbolic implication, it is far more profound and meaningful because of the truth it holds.

thank you for listening to me rant😌

[squad-724]

MAMMA MIA (but not exactly) STAR WARS PREQUELS

Brought to you by me, @viennainbloom @ofteasandherbs @arctech-fox and @stormyblue90

It all starts with Anakin’s second wedding

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Second wedding??

And you might think, Koshmareq you idiot, Anakin would never divorce or remarry after Padme. And you would be right. But it’s still wedding with Padme, just this time he’s having a party for his whole family, and they’re adding Rex to the relationship. Rexanidala if you will.

And here begins the issue; who is supposed to walk Anakin down the isle? The answers might be obvious, Obi-wan, but that’s where it starts getting complicated.

Because his boyfriend Alpha 17 says that Skywalker is his kid too. And Obi-wan said in the past that he sees Anakin more like a little brother. He put him in a headlock and sparred with him when the jedi’ika was frustrated; for clones it’s more than enough to earn the title of a buir.

At the time Anakin is unavailable to join the discussion, picking his own very pretty wedding dress with Ahsoka and Shmi (she’s alive and well thank you), so the male parental figures are discussing it between themselves.

And then Cliegg Lars comes back from a walk and says that in the eyes of law he is Anakin’s father by the fact that he married his mum.

Unfortunately only a few sentences in and a draw in arm wrestling later Qui Gon pops up from beyond the grave and argues that he was supposed to be Anakin’s master and he has the right to the title too in some capacity.

The Mamma Mia is not who’s the father, but who’s the most deserving the title of dad to walk Anakin down the isle.

Now this argument debate starts picking up everywhere, among the Jedi, clones, Skywalkers and anyone involved in this whole mess.

No one knows who suggest conga line, but everyone suspects Yoda.

A big thing turn happens when Alpha 17 drops the request; Rex asked him for the honor of being his father figure during the ceremony and the big bad Alpha did not cry, don’t listen to Fordo guys.

The only quick consensus was achieved when a letter addressed from Palpatine arrived from jail. He asked, as Anakin’s mentor for years, to be allowed to walk him down to the altar. The paper has been burned very quickly.

The grooms and bride are out picking their outfits (Cody agreed to help Rex get a beskar armor), while Padme is trying on the suit.

At some point someone suggests that the Force might want to „give away” their son, but every Jedi present gets a massive migraine that feels like motherly scolding and no one argues what the cosmic entity sees themselves as in Anakin’s life.

The day of the rexanidala wedding arrives and no one has decided on who walks Anakin down the aisle.

Tbh he doesn’t even know about that tradition and is planning to do it himself while Omega and Boba (flower girls) help him with his veil.

There is a fight about to break out, weapon or two raised, knives held and lightsabers clenched, before Shmi shuts everyone up and says she will do it. Absolutely no one argues further and all the other parental figures leave to sit and watch the wedding from them front seats.

The ceremony is about to start but the officiant is missing. Rex starts to panic a bit, and Obi-wan asks if anyone of the invited guests can officiate the ceremony.

A tall, white haired figure wearing expensive clothes stands up in one of the back rows. Count Dooku, allowed to leave his house arrest for his great grandpadawan’s wedding, as a leader of his planet has the power to do it.

Even with the GPS ankle monitor he looks distinguished while he perfectly recites the words of the ceremony, even his cold eyes warming up a little as he watches Anakin join his partners at the altar.

Padme has Sabé, Riyo and Mon as her bridesmaids, Anakin picked Kitster, Owen and Ahsoka (he beat Rex in rock paper scissors for her) and Rex got Cody and Domino Twins (Fives is unhappy he didn’t get to be the flower girl).

Many tears are shed, and laughs given as the three of them tie their souls forever.

Of course R2 is the ring bearer, rolling up to the altar, taser ready when the words ”speak now or forever hold your peace” are said. Rush Clovis has been stunned hours before the wedding.

The party goes without bigger problems if you don’t count the one assassin.

He’s quickly dealt with as Anakin chases him with lit on lightsaber screaming bloody murder for daring to mess up his special day. Ahsoka enthusiastically joins, happy that she has an excuse to ”loose” her shoes.

Jango is there too, his Saturdays scheduled for the next 10-15 years because of his fucking kids clones. But he still has holopicks of Boba as the flowergirl saved. His ankle monitor looks much less distinguished than Dooku’s.

Flower bouquet toss is done, and Fox catches it with his face. Every time he demands a retoss, but after fourth time he has to finally accept it.

No one knows how Ventress got invited (Ahsoka is the biggest suspects) but she only has a few drinks, fistfights Wolfee and in the end reconciles with him and apologizes for the eye.

”Mr Skywalker why are there multiple war criminals at your wedding” ’’Mind your business”

Just as the wedding is about to end, everyone exhausted, a little drunk and ready to give the last toast to the thruple, they have the last announcement to make

Padme is pregnant with twins

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Thank you all very much for reading this crazy thing we came up with on the @astral-veil ’s discord server, feel welcome to add your thought and ideas to this insanity

[dazaih]

surrender - luke skywalker x reader

summary: yoda tries to get him to give up his emotional attachments, but luke is devastatingly in love with you.

luke skywalker x gender neutral reader, esb!luke, yearning

Luke is in love with you.

He knows that much when he starts his training on Dagobah. The distance between you at the moment just makes him miss you even more, and when Yoda drops the “no attachments” bombshell on him, he almost loses his mind. The Jedi tells him that strong emotions of any sort can be manipulated by the dark side, and that for many years, Jedi have had to keep a tight leash on their feelings. Luke, however, knows that such a feat was only possible for other Jedi because they hadn’t met you. If they had, there’s no way they’d have been able to swear off attachments. How anyone could cross your path and not fall in love with you was beyond him. He can’t imagine how it could be possible.

That night, Luke wrestles with his thoughts, frustrated that his feelings for you are supposedly frowned upon by the Jedi code. Conflicted, he tries to close his eyes, but he just can’t sleep. Instead, his mind settles on sorting through his favorite memories of you, the recollection making his lonely heart feel slightly warmer. It’s bittersweet, thinking of you like this when he knows you’re so far, but he can’t help it. This is the only way he can feel calm enough to rest. It works, and the exhaustion from training finally settles deep into his bones, pulling him into a slumber.

When he awakens, it’s not from the morning light starting to pierce the gaze of the swamp—no, it’s much worse than that. He was pulled from his sleep by vivid nightmares of your torture at the hands of the Empire, the graphic images of you in pain making his stomach churn. He sits up with a start, his breathing ragged and panicked. His heart aches with the need to be close to you, and he’s suddenly so overwhelmed by how much he misses you that he feels like crying. He doesn’t, though, and after calming himself down, he gets up.

Yoda sits outside waiting for him, and he looks as if he already has some idea of Luke’s peril. Luke’s suspicions are confirmed when he meets Yoda’s concerned gaze.

“Painful nightmares, you are having,” he says sadly.

“Sure,” Luke replies dismissively, “There’s a war going on, after all. Nightmares are to be expected.”

“Made to serve the Emperor, your strong emotions can be. The path to hatred, the fear of loss often is.”

Luke just snorts, not exactly in the mood for a lecture from his teacher about how he shouldn’t even love you in the first place. Sensing his stubbornness, Yoda sighs, seemingly giving up on hammering in this point for now.

Luke isn’t even angry with him; rather, he pities him. He knows Yoda can’t ever understand, because he’s never known you. He’s never known what it’s like to be in your presence. He’s never been lucky enough to hear your voice. He’s never seen the way your smile reaches your eyes when you’re laughing at a dumb joke he’s just told. He’s never watched you repair the Falcon, your brows furrowed in concentration. He’s never felt your caring embrace after a long mission.

Luke doesn’t delude himself into thinking that he’s somehow more special than any other Jedi who came before him. He knows he’s susceptible to negative emotions, and he knows he’s not exempt from the temptations of the dark side. He’s certain, however, that if the Council had ever met you, they would have never been able to write that no attachments rule into the code. It’s unfathomable that anyone could encounter you and fail to understand how remarkable you truly are. They wouldn’t have been able to keep themselves from growing fond of you. No person, not even a Jedi Master, could accomplish such a thing.

That’s why when Yoda tries again to tell him that he really should try to control his feelings for you, he just laughs. Surprised, the Jedi looks at him curiously. Luke just shakes his head, still smiling, and bids him goodnight. He can sense his confusion as he walks away, but nothing can be done about that.

He had surrendered himself to the grip you have on his heart long ago, and he knows that he’s yours forever now.

With every fiber of his being, Luke loves you. And he’s perfectly okay with that.

[anakinskywalkerog]

My Very Soul (Chapter 33)

Anakin Skywalker x Jedi!Reader

Link to Chapter 32

Warnings: grief!! depression!!! tread lightly!! things will get better, our girl will heal, but please engage with this only if you feel good/healthy yourself! also, drama/angst, but that's what you get from me

Summary: Anakin comforts you after the death of your Master; you wrestle with some difficult truths, and agree to train with someone new

Word Count: 2.7k

It was heavy. There was no other way to explain it. Your grief was a heavy pillow, suffocating you as you lay in your bed. You felt like the sheets might swallow whole you under the weight. The feel of Anakin's arms around you faded in the face of the soft, quiet, heavy feeling pressing on you. It was like being underwater. It was like trying to fight wind stronger than a hurricane. It pushed you down, and you felt like you had no strength to fight against it.

You'd awoken after Felucia in the Temple's medical chamber, Anakin at your side. You had no memory of anything that had happened after Yuma had been killed, and you didn't understand why Anakin looked so full of relief, why he had tears in his eyes at the sight of you. Obi-Wan had simply explained that you had lost consciousness, similar to the way you had when encountering Dooku's presence. Something in Anakin's face told you that it wasn't quite that simple.

Still, you couldn't find it in yourself to care, much, about what had happened after your Master had been taken from you. You couldn't find it in yourself to care about anything at all, other than the arms that remained around you, other than having Anakin by your side. You found that there were times when even that desire started to fade; when you felt the heaviness pressing in and lost any feeling at all.

"Y/N," Anakin whispered, shaking your arm a little, reaching over to run his fingers gently through your thick hair, pushing it away from your face. Every so often he would say something like this, something soft and gentle, like he were trying to make sure you could still hear him.

"I'm here," you replied, not looking at him, but reaching out and gripping his sleeve. Anakin brushed away the tears that fell softly and steadily out of your eyes and onto the sheets of the big bed in your Jedi apartment, situated in the Knight's Billet in the Temple. This is where you had remained for days, barely moving, barely sleeping or eating, struggling to fight the weight in order to keep breathing.

After you had left the medical chambers, you had recounted to the Council how Vyra had lured you into that cave, how she had manipulated the severity of the battle on Felucia and used the Sith dwelling to call to you in order to trap you and 'torture' you. You had told them what she had said of her reason for doing so, her grudge that she had held since you had been assigned your mission on Serenno. You had explained what she had recounted about Dooku and his mysterious "Master"; you'd noticed that Yoda and Windu had shared a look at that information. You couldn't bring yourself to care, at the moment, what that meant. You had struggled for breath, standing in the center of that circle of Jedi atop the tall tower, as you had recounted the last moments of Yuma's life: how she had been in the throes of a horrible vision, caused by the poison that made her live through her worst fears. You could barely get the words out when you described Vyra killing your Master, and taking her lightsaber. Obi-Wan had stood up to walk you out, his hand on your back the whole way back to your apartment, his face grim. You hadn't emerged since.

"Y/N," Anakin said again, stroking your face, your arm. "You need to eat something." You shook your head. The thought of moving at all, let alone eating, drinking, sounded too hard. You felt the heaviness pressing in on you.

"I love you," Anakin said again, and the agony in his presence was like a spark, a stabbing pain that brought you out of the heavy feeling, if only for a moment. Your eyes filled, again, with tears.

"I know," you whispered, looking into his eyes.

"I'll be here with you," Anakin said, reaching forward to kiss your eyelids, brushing the tears away with the gentle press of his lips. "I won't let them make me leave."

"You can't stay forever, Ani," you sighed, curling into him, wishing your words weren't true.

"I won't—"

Anakin cut off his words, feeling the same disturbance in the Force that made your senses heighten. Someone was coming.

A soft knock sounded on the door of the apartment. You and Anakin both looked at each other, sensing the presence that stood outside.

"Maybe he'll leave," you breathed into Anakin's ear, not moving. Anakin remained still, listening. You waited, holding your breath.

"Y/N," you heard, Obi-Wan's soft voice calling through the door as he knocked again. If he came into the apartment, it would only take a few steps past the kitchen for him to see through the open bedroom door, where he would find you and Anakin in bed together—

"What do we do?" you whispered, panicked, your eyes widening. Numb with grief you may be; but if you and Anakin were caught, it could risk your position in the Order. Anakin's eyes darted around, and landed on the tiny wardrobe built into the wall. Jedi Knights were granted little storage space, as they were not to keep possessions of their own.

"Anakin, he'll sense you!" you whispered frantically, but Anakin was already up and running in his boxers to the wardrobe. He sucked in his gut and used the force to close the wardrobe's doors as you heard Obi-Wan's voice sound again from outside the door.

"Y/N, I'm coming in," Obi-Wan said, his voice gentle and suppliant. You pulled yourself up in your bed, fighting against the heaviness in your limbs as you used the Force to summon your robe, hastily throwing it on over your nightgown as the door to your apartment opened and Obi-Wan stepped inside.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," Obi-Wan said as he walked forward to stand in the open door of your bedroom. You knew you probably looked like Moraband; you hadn't visited the refresher in days, and your hair was a tangled mess on your head. You felt Obi-Wan's thoughts linger on the dark circles under your eyes.

"That's all right, Master," you replied, your voice hoarse. Obi-Wan walked forward and pulled the chair near the window around so that it was facing you. You gulped as he turned, looking back to you as if to ask, may I ? You nodded, gesturing that he should sit. Obi-Wan had never been inside your apartment before—his presence startled you enough that you felt the heavy numbness backing away from you.

"I came to bring you this," Obi-Wan said, leaning forward in the chair and pulling something from the pocket of his robes. As he reached out to hand it to you, you sighed in amazement.

"How...?" you asked, leaning forward to take your lightsaber from him and gripping it. You felt each familiar divot of the hilt like you had found an old friend lost to time; you felt the ghosts of tears prickle behind your eyes, and you willed them away.

"I recovered it for you, on Felucia," Obi-Wan responded quietly. "When you were found, in that cave." His tone was careful, quiet, and solemn. "I wanted to return it to you before, but...it seemed a difficult enough moment." You thought back to facing the Council, to the whirlwind of emotions you'd faced upon waking up here, in the Temple, without your Master, for the first time in your life.

"Thank you," you managed to get out, looking back up at him and keeping your tears at bay. He simply nodded. You looked around, feeling awkward, working to keep your gaze anywhere but on the wardrobe behind Obi-Wan's back.

"I also..." Obi-Wan started, and you met his gaze, his face lit by the rays of sun streaming in through the partially closed blinds. "I am also here because I wanted to make a proposition to you."

You squinted, gripping your robe around yourself, inclining your head to indicate that he should continue.

"You are, of course, under no obligation to do so..." Obi-Wan started, rubbing his hands over his mustache and through his beard. "But...I know how important it was to Yuma that you work on your ability, to block out the presences of the Sith." At these words, your heart dropped. The weight came back in full force, pushing you down. It was an effort to keep yourself seated, to not lay back into the sheets and give in to the heaviness that pressed into you. You swallowed, nodding. "I would like to continue your training, in that regard," Obi-Wan said, watching you intently, his voice soft. "Not to pick up where Yuma left off, necessarily. But to work to make sure you are fully in control of your abilities...so that, when the time comes that you must protect yourself, you are as prepared as you can be. I would like to do everything in my power to help you."

You struggled to breathe evenly, working the air in and out of your lungs. You knew that Obi-Wan meant well—that he was trying to show care for you, and for Yuma, by offering to help. And you knew you needed the help, knew now that your susceptibility to the dark side of the Force was a liability. So you couldn't help but hear the unspoken truth behind Obi-Wan's words—that it was your fault, what had happened on Felucia. That if you had made more progress in your lessons with Yuma, she would still...

Be here, you finished in your head, your eyes welling up against your will. You didn't need Obi-Wan to tell you. You knew the truth. You knew who was responsible for Yuma's death.

"Y/N," Obi-Wan started, leaning forward like he wanted to do something to comfort you, but you shook your head, letting the tears fall.

"I'll do it," you said, pushing against the heaviness. "I'll train with you." It was all you could manage. Obi-Wan paused, as if debating, then leaned back in his chair, putting his hand down.

"Good," Obi-Wan replied, his voice contemplative. "I'd like to start right away, given that the war has made it so my time at the Temple is limited. Tomorrow?" You nodded, looking away from him, your face flushed at your embarrassment. You'd never cried in front of Obi-Wan, and you didn't like it—you didn't want to feel weak around him, the Jedi who was always so very much in control. Until recently, you'd thought of yourself and Obi-Wan as similar souls, similar warriors who kept their emotions in check. You now realized that you were useless in more ways than one, that people like Obi-Wan would always surpass you. You wanted to go back to sleep.

"The last thing..." Obi-Wan continued, his voice unnervingly gentle. "I wanted to tell you," he said, leaning forward in his chair, waiting until you looked up to meet his gaze, "that you aren't alone. Though I know that no one and nothing could ever replace what Yuma was to you—to all of us—I want you to know that you still have family, here. That you still have a mentor that cares for you deeply." You blinked, the brazen affection in this statement disarming you.

 "And that if you ever need to discuss anything," Obi-Wan continued, "anything, even things that you wouldn't bring to others in the Order, you can come to me. Whenever you need." You could have sworn Obi-Wan glanced infinitesimally toward the wardrobe, but it was so fast, you must have been imagining it.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," you said, your voice small, your gratitude sincere. You felt so much affection and adoration for the Jedi Master sitting in front of you. You wished only that his faith in you wasn't so displaced. You felt your body shaking, the effort of pushing off the weight beginning to wear on you.

"That's all," Obi-Wan said, smiling at you as he stood, walking toward the door. "I'll expect you in the meditation chambers tomorrow." You nodded, feeling drained. "Don't—don't be unkind to yourself," Obi-Wan added, pausing in the bedroom doorway to turn back to you. "All of this is hard enough as it is." You nodded again, wondering how he could sense what you were thinking so accurately. Obi-Wan turned away, striding for the door to the apartment.

You listened as the front door slid shut, waiting, your heart beating. He didn't return. You sank back into your pillows, pulling the robe around you in a cocoon as you heard the wardrobe door slide open.

Anakin didn't say anything as he lay down next to you, pulling your whole body and cradling it in his arms, burying his face in your hair.

"Training might be a good thing," Anakin whispered, in a tone like he was trying to sound optimistic. You pulled yourself closer to him, your body quivering as if you were cold. You felt the tears at the edge of your eyes again, felt the quivers turn into quiet sobs.

"I'm here," Anakin said, kissing your head and stroking your back. "I'm here." What else could he say? Everything certainly wasn't okay. You tried in vain to calm the sobs, but they continued. Whenever you fought the numbness enough to stave it off, this was what happened. It was, in some ways, worse to feel.

"I should have been there," Anakin said vengefully, his voice shaky, "I shouldn't have left you." You inhaled, quickly, another sob breaking out of you.

"Are you saying—are you saying that you could have prevented it?" You pulled back in Anakin's arms, looking him in the face, your eyes wide. "That it's my fault, that she's...that she's...?" you felt your body continue to shake. Unfamiliar anger pulsed through you, the bitter anger that was only self-directed. You needed somewhere to put it. Nothing made sense, anymore. Your brain turned to fire.

"No, of course—no, Y/N, of course that's not—" Anakin started, alarmed, gripping your arms as you pulled farther away from him.

"You don’t have to say that, because I already know!" you replied, shouting now, as you pulled yourself out of the bed, standing before him. Anakin was on his feet immediately, his arms outstretched for you, but you backed away. "I know what happened is my fault entirely!! If I hadn’t—choked—if I had just listened—"

"Y/N, no, no, that's not it, no, listen to me, that's not..."

"You heard Obi-Wan," you continued, sobbing again. "And you said it yourself. Yuma was right. I was a liability, and because of me, my Master is dead."

"Y/N!" Anakin was shouting now, reaching out for you again, but you pushed him away, backing into the corner of your bedroom and sinking to the floor.

"Just leave," you choked, closing your eyes, feeling the world around you start to sway. "Just go." The world was starting to fade.

"Y/N," Anakin said gently, moving toward you slowly, his arms outstretched like he was approaching a loose rancor. "Y/N, it isn't your fault. None of it was your fault. I didn't think that for one second, and neither does Obi-Wan."

"Just leave," you repeated, softly, your sobs coming freely now. You didn't deserve to be comforted. You wanted to descend into oblivion. You were starting to lose the feeling in your legs, in your arms. You looked around, but saw that your vision was blurring over.

"I can't do that," Anakin murmured softly, and you felt his hands prying at your arms. You hadn't realized you'd been gripping your knees so tightly. You started to breathe quickly. "Look at me, Y/N," Anakin whispered, and you looked around, frantic now, your eyes clouded, unable to see. "Come back to me," Anakin breathed into your ear, and you blinked, his face swimming into view.

"I can't ever leave you," Anakin said, pulling you into his arms right there on the floor. You wanted to reply. You wanted to tell him that you couldn't ever leave him, either. You wanted to promise that the two of you would be together forever. But the world had changed, when Yuma had been taken from you. Or, you had changed. You now knew that everyone, no matter how much you loved them, would someday vanish. You didn't understand it—how one day, someone could be so very real, and the next, they could be gone. And Anakin would vanish, someday, too. You leaned into him, feeling how very real and alive he felt, with his arms around you. You felt the heaviness descend as you wept.

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NEW CHAPTER UP NOW!!!!!

just imagine this Obi-Wan comforting you after reading this angst 😂🤓

divider credit to @racingairplanes

taglist pt 1: @iyoogi @cluelessgurl @layazul @annadastra @graciexmarvel @galaxiasy @organasith @indigoblues1207 @outoftheregular @katsukiswrld @prettyboyrryy @jellydodger @wildflower57 @padmeamidalaslover @em-asian @heavenseraph @iloveinej @leapofblank @sahverah @elsyyie @usuallyunlikelyfox @jadeonce @papadragun @dopejellyfishfury @stxrrielle @lilianashomaresparza @prettylittlecarstairs @deadunicorn159 @atoelicker @arelisskywalker @maythefloorbewithyouanakin @your-local-crzy-lady @dontmindme262 @xenochuguardian @cassiopeiashift @allihavenegativethoughts @hamiltonwc @1-800-nostalgiaaa @heyitsaloy @haydenchristensenluvbot @sunflwrsunnieshine @muthafuckingstargirl @window-to-nothing @shadowhuntyi @jedi-archives @inmourningforanakin @vivsmcdo @betrund @ahqkas @aquaamethyst96 @escapepoet @randomstuff2040 @kenjikishimotosupremecy @nycweb-slinger @anxlaufeyson @magic-magnoliaa @theezlife @unipugrose22-blog @anhsoka @lucyysthings @hopefulpursepeanutdeputy @captainson-of-coul @zelzablues @chrisevansslutttt2

[grifonecoronato]

The Guardians of Peace and Justice

(spoilers for The Acolyte)

In A New Hope, Obi-Wan describes the Jedi as the "guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic"...

...okay, but what does that mean, exactly? On its surface, Star Wars positions the Jedi as agents of pure goodness (at least if we're to take Obi-Wan's description at face value).

But The Acolyte asks us to wrestle with that question on a practical, everyday level for the galaxy's citizens. After all, a religious order whose charge is to be "guardians of peace and justice", coupled with the fact that its members are armed, implies that militarisation is part of their mandate.

Faith-based police, in other words.

Orthodox Star Wars fans seem to hate this portrayal of the Jedi as cops; Jedi in The Acolyte tend to throw their weight around the citizens of the galaxy, routinely using intimidation to get what they want, and when they make mistakes they have an institution that provides them with cover and support.

With all these traits in mind, The Acolyte positions the Jedi not as agents of pure goodness, but as imperfect members of an institution that prioritises its own protection at least as much as its duty to the Republic's citizens.

So... not just faith-based police, but corrupt faith-based police!

But if you look at the story George Lucas told in the prequels, the Jedi's portrayal in The Acolyte keeps faith with how they were portrayed, and what they will eventually become.

Jedi as Superheroes

So if not cops, how do orthodox Star Wars fans want the Jedi portrayed?

I've been watching Star Wars since the 80s, and to my surprise, the Jedi we've seen in the (canon) movies, and TV shows have surprisingly few scenes with everyday citizens. Usually, the Jedi in these stories are involved in larger-than-life struggles, like blowing up the Death Star, commanding Clone Troopers, or talking in the Jedi Council chambers about politics and Force stuff.

When Jedi do encounter citizens, they are positioned as superhero archetypes: they hear a call for help from beleaguered citizens, rush in to resolve the dispute -- usually through talk and diplomacy, but also with violence and lightsabers -- and then fly off into hyperspace.

Two recent examples come from Tales of the Jedi and Jedi Survivor, both of which feature Jedi acting on their own volition in places where there is no formalised local security.

In the Tales of the Jedi episode "Justice", Count Dooku and Qui-Gon Jinn defend villagers who are holding a Senator's son hostage, and act against the tyrannical Senator who's starving the villagers. Toward the climax of the episode, Dooku reveals that he never informed the Senate that he was undertaking this rescue operation, and thus he and Qui-Gon Jinn were acting without oversight (which is not something Jedi are supposed to do, especially if they're trying to rescue a Senator's son!).

In Jedi Survivor, Cal Kestis saves a villager from being killed by the Bedlam Raiders. This story takes place during the Reign of the Empire era, when the Jedi are almost all dead, so Cal is taking decisions without Senate oversight.

In essence, Dooku, Jinn, and Kestis are free to act as superheroes because no one else is able to do anything. By acting, these Jedi "restore peace and justice".

The Jedi's Hubris

The Original Trilogy portrays three Jedi: Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Luke, and each is a paragon of goodness. Well... Obi-Wan deliberately misleads Luke about his father, and both Yoda and Obi-Wan conceal Leia's true parentage and her relationship to Luke...

... small potatoes stuff.

But when the Prequel Trilogy came out, the Jedi were portrayed very differently. These Jedi:

...attempted to defraud a merchant of his livelihood...

... cheated at games of chance...

... and were happy to risk the life of a child on a dangerous race.

But it was for the greater good, right? There were more pressing concerns at play than one junk trader's livelihood, and besides the kid was Force-sensitive, so he'd be fine in a high-octane contest.

The prequel Jedi had good intentions, after all.

But that's exactly the kind of permissiveness that led to the Jedi's downfall. And it is this attitude that The Acolyte showcases the most in its Jedi characters.

In episode 1, "Lost/Found", Jedi Knight Yord Fandar boards a Trade Federation ship to find, question, and arrest Osha. He comes aboard without permission, and when the captain doesn't immediately give him the answers he seeks, Yord outstretches his hand as if to use the Force against him.

The captain and first mate are terrified, and immediately reveal what Yord wants to know.

In episode 3, "Destiny", the Jedi tresspass into the witches' compound, in order to rescue the children they believe are being mistreated.

The scene is very tense, with the witches being very apprehensive of these Jedi and their intentions.

These actions, and many more, were taken because the Jedi had "noble intentions", as Sol puts it. And if the intentions are what matters most, the way they fulfil those intentions are of secondary concern.

Because the Jedi cannot be perceived as having done wrong, less their political enemies use that to undermine them.

That's hubris. And that was George Lucas' intent, which Leslye Headland fulfilled to a tee.

Because Headland absolutely knows her stuff when it comes to Star Wars.

The Jedi's overarching story says that the Order was destroyed because of their own hubris. Darth Sidious was just an instigator, and he only had to topple a few dominoes, which the Jedi Order had already set up by themselves.

But at the same time, we can't accept the overarching story that the Jedi fell from hubris, and then get upset when the Jedi are portrayed as acting hubristically.

The Jedi on The Acolyte had good intentions but they acted badly. That's the whole point: to sow the story seeds for what comes later.

In short, The Acolyte nailed it.

[threebea]

Reva as Obi-Wan's Padawan tho.

She belongs in disaster lineage.

Everyone lives no one leaves Yoda lineage dinner where she gets to be the baby and challenges Anakin to arm wrestle to defend Obi-Wan's honour (he called him old). R2 absolutely mildly sabotages Anakin's arm to help (it's an easy fix and he lives for chaos).

Obi-Wan has to give a lecture about not messing with someone's prosthetics and while he appreciates her dedication she does not have to arm wrestle people that call him old or they'd be there all day. Even Qui-Gon calls him Old Man now. "It's called being the only mature person in the lineage."

Xanatos tries to argue but Obi-Wan has a list. His is three pages.

Xanatos coincides the point and immediately calls Obi-Wan an Old Man.

Yoda (who has 10 pages with citations) agrees with this statement.

Xanatos is immediately tackled by a small Padawan once again defending her Master's honour (she knows better than to take on Yoda but she's pretty sure she can take out Xanatos and Master said no arm wrestling. He didn't mention actual wrestling).

Meanwhile, Feemor, Komari, and Rael are at the cool kids table playing sabacc. Feemor keeps winning. How does Feemor keeps winning!? (Feemor was taught by Qui-Gon 'Cheating at Cards as the Force Wills' Jinn and combines it with his 'hey look it's just Feemor he's harmless aura').

Speaking of, Qui-Gon takes Dooku to the cleaners because he believes in Anakin, but he knows never to bet against small determined teenagers and absolutely bet on Reva to win.

Ahsoka playfully defends Anakin's honour and wins, but then gets to brag about how she must be so much stronger than her (old) Master which results in play fighting. Everyone including Dooku gets in a dogpile with Yoda standing on-top of the undignified Jedi stack.

[fallenrocket]

I get that a lot of Star Wars fans are way ahead of me on this one, but episode 7 of The Acolyte helped me understand "attachments" in Star Wars in a way I never have before.

(Spoilers)

I've complained plenty of times about the Jedi's views on attachments. After all, virtually every Star Wars story is ultimately about love and friendship. Even though we know that Luke goes against Yoda's teaching when he goes to help Leia and Han in ESB, and even though they take a serious hit at the end of that film, we as viewers know that trying to help his friends is still the right narrative choice. And when he leaves them in RotJ, it's not because he's "detached" himself from them. It's because he cares for them--he's realized that Vader senses his presence, and by staying with them, he's putting them in more danger. By leaving and facing Vader, he's doing what he needs to do for him while also trying to protect Leia and Han. The trio is the heart of the original trilogy.

Star Wars is built on relationships of all kinds, whether you're looking at Obi-Wan and Anakin, Jyn and Cassian, Din and Grogu, and so on. But relationships in and of themselves aren't attachments.

Attachments are what we see in episode 7. Sol's desire to bring Osha to Coruscant as his padawan isn't even fully about her. It's about his own feelings, this selfish and possessive want that overrides his reason. It leads him to shut out the clearer-headed voices around him, and he acts rashly and desperately. And as a result, a lot of people get hurt. Including Osha. And including him.

Sol is obviously not the only player involved in the horrible events that transpire. But even though he doesn't intend for these awful things to happen, he plays a major role in bringing them about, and that's because he makes everything else come second to the "connection" he insists he feels with Osha.

I get it now. That's an attachment. Anakin missing his mother and worrying about her well-being (when she's, you know, stuck in slavery!) is a relationship. Anakin slaughtering an entire community of Tusken men, women, and children after she's killed is an attachment. Grogu loving Din is a relationship. Grogu Force-choking Cara when she and Din are arm-wrestling is an attachment.

And it makes sense why the Jedi would be concerned about this. Besides opening them up to the Dark Side, they simply have so much power that that sort of single-minded focus on a selfish desire makes them dangerous. I wouldn't say Sol specifically goes "Dark Side" in episode 7, but he contributes to a horrific level of pain, suffering, and death. All because he lets his feelings crowd out his judgment.

I also understand why the Jedi would be especially wary of familial and romantic relationships. It makes sense that they'd view these as putting a Jedi most at risk of developing an attachment. But I still think that cutting young children off from their families and forbidding romances for Jedi is a shortsighted way to go about it.

In my view, their methods are a little bit like abstinence-only sex ed. If the only teaching is "no romance, attachments are the path to the Dark Side!", that means any Jedi who catches feelings for someone and wants to pursue it will feel obligated to keep it a secret, like Anakin. They won't be equipped to watch out for warning signs that they're developing an attachment, because they haven't been taught what that feels like, and if they do realize they're getting into trouble, they won't be able to seek help from anyone.

I feel like it'd be better if romance was allowed but relationships were "declared" to Jedi HR. Then they could look out for one another, help to ensure that they're finding love and connection in healthy ways that aren't putting others--and themselves--in danger. By just saying "no" and leaving it at that, they're not preventing the problem. They're only forcing it into the shadows where it'll grow out of sight.

[dg-outlaw]

Acolyte Season 2 AU (or What Could Have Been)

*Season 1 spoilers* and My Thoughts.

So with Season 1 over, instead of reflecting on what was, I want to talk about what could've been. I imagine there's a plan for season 2 and part of my guess is that we'll get more into the Dark Side and the Sith with Osha's training with the Stranger/Qimir and their secret roommate, Darth Plagueis the Creeper. On the Jedi side we'll probably get into political conflict between the Jedi and the Senate, and have a 'What Do We Do With Mae?' subplot. But here's what I think could've been interesting...

From what I've seen online, a lot of fans enjoyed these two characters (Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar, pictured above), especially them together, which I think is a real loss for the show unless they are leaning more towards a Dark Side/Sith focused storyline for Season 2. If anything, that's one of my critiques of the show, even though I enjoyed it. Was the show about Osha and Mae, the Jedi, Sol and what happened on Brendok, or a mix with an ensemble cast? I think had the show been 12-15 episodes it could've successfully been all of the above, but with only 8 episodes I feel like none of those plotlines got enough attention or time to breathe and really hit. Again, I enjoyed the show and look forward to what comes in Season 2, but...

...what if Jecki and Yord had lived?

Season 1 could've still played out as it did and maybe Jecki and Yord were injured rather than killed or presumed dead in Episode 5 to further add to Sol's anguish. Though, with how badass she was, even just keeping Jecki alive could've been interesting for this AU idea. Here's why:

This first season ends with Vernestra basically throwing Sol under the bus. Yes, he made some major mistakes and he and the other 3 Jedi from Brendok covered up their secret for years because Indara thought it was the best course of action, but how would Jecki (and Yord) have taken that news? Their kind, gentle, and wise master a rogue Jedi who orchestrated some elaborate murder plot to cover up his past crimes? It wouldn't make sense to them (based on the Sol they knew) and I think you could have a whole noir-style investigation subplot with them not knowing who to trust in the Jedi Order, arguing about who to trust and whether they should doubt their masters, and wrestling with the realities and truth of Sol's past. Would they go to Senator Rayencourt or work with him to uncover the truth or would they wrestle with the idea that to uncover the truth it could unravel the whole Jedi Order?

Seriously, the buddy cop dry humor mixed with the drama could be so fun.

Then you add in Mae, who Jecki and Yord would be antagonistic toward at first, but then she'd become part of their little investigative team. Either way, Mae will likely want answers to who she is in Season 2, but the Jedi are likely to keep those answers from her and that would add another layer. Jecki and Yord would be forbidden from interacting with her or just not told about her until they saw her randomly in the streets of Coruscant with her Jedi security detail.

This would also setup a very interesting conflicts as you'd have Team Sith (Qimir, Osha, and Cave Roomie Plag), Team Sol (Jecki, Yord, and Mae), and Team Jedi (Vernestra, her Executive Assistant Mog, and other "red shirt" Jedi). I have no idea where Yoda would fit into all this, but maybe he'd secretly guide Jecki and Yord with vague Jedi wisdom because he's seeing some problems in his house that need to be fixed.

Also, Jecki would get a rematch with Qimir, a battle with Osha (similar to hers with Mae), and Yord... well, Yord would do battle and maybe die. Though, he and Mae could develop something as a mirror to Osha and Qimir, even if just a friendship (esp. if a Jecki/Mae thing happens), and that would give Mae conflict if it was Osha who killed him.

In the end, Jecki and maybe Yord (if he lives) would leave the Order, similar to how Ahsoka did in The Clone Wars. No matter what the outcome ended up being, it would shake their faith in the Order. Yoda would be the only one left who knew the truth, but with everyone believed dead or gone, it would be okay in his mind and Ki-Adi-Mundi could just be left in the dark for the sake of his Episode 1 quote about the Sith.

Obviously, Plagueis would somehow survive (unbeknownst to Yoda) and would later use what he learned about Osha and Mae to create Anakin as one of his experiments to achieve immortality, hoping to have a new body to transfer himself into. Sidious would be unaware of this as Plagueis would be aware of Sidious' intention to kill him and would've kept Anakin a secret b/c Sith be shady backstabbers like that. It wouldn't be until meeting young Anakin that Palpy realizes Anakin was that secret project Plagueis was working on but never told him about. Thus, his fascination with Anakin, Luke, and his later (sequel) attempts to use Rey in the same way.

[hayden-in-a-cheguevara-shirt]

Alone in the Chamber of the Jedi Council, Anakin Skywalker wrestled with his dragon. He was losing. He paced the Chamber in blind arcs, stumbling among the chairs. He could not feel currents of the Force around him; he could not feel echoes of Jedi Masters in these ancient seats. He had never dreamed there was this much pain in the universe. Physical pain he could have handled even without his Jedi mental skills; he’d always been tough. At four years old he’d been able to take the worst beating Watto would deliver without so much as making a sound. Nothing had prepared him for this. He wanted to rip open his chest with his bare hands and claw out his heart. “What have I done?” The question started as a low moan but grew to a howl he could no longer lock behind his teeth. “What have I done?”

He knew the answer: he had done his duty. And now he couldn’t imagine why. When I die, Palpatine had said, so calmly, so warmly, so reasonably, my knowledge dies with me… Everywhere he looked, he saw only the face of the woman he loved beyond love: the woman for whom he channeled through his body all the love that had ever existed in the galaxy. In the universe.

He didn’t care what she had done. He didn’t care about conspiracies or cabals or secret pacts. Treason meant nothing to him now. She was everything that had ever been loved by anyone, and he was watching her die.

His agony somehow became an invisible hand, stretching out through the Force, a hand that found her, far away, alone in her apartment in the dark, a hand that felt the silken softness of her skin and the sleek coils of her hair, a hand that dissolved into a field of pure energy, of pure feeling that reached inside her—

And now he felt her, really felt her in the Force, as though she could have been some kind of Jedi, too, but more than that: he felt a bond, a connection, deeper and more intimate than he’d ever had before with anyone, even Obi-Wan; for a precious eternal instant he was her… he was the beat of her heart and he was the motion of her lips and he was her soft words as though she spoke a prayer to the stars—

I love you, Anakin. I am yours, in life, and in death, wherever you go, whatever you do, we will always be one. Never doubt me, my love. I am yours.

—and her purity and her passion and the truth of her love flowed into him and through him and every atom of him screamed to the Force how can I let her die?

The Force had no answer for him.

The dragon, on the other hand, did.

All things die, Anakin Skywalker. Even stars burn out.

And no matter how hard he tried to summon it, no wisdom of Yoda’s, no teaching of Obi-Wan’s, not one scrap of Jedi lore came to him that could choke the dragon down.

But there was an answer; he’d heard it just the other night.

With such knowledge, to maintain life in someone already living would seem a small matter, don’t you agree?

Anakin stopped. His agony evaporated.

Palpatine was right.

It was simple.

All he had to do was decide what he wanted.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith (novelization by Matthew Stover)

[the-writer-in-the-winter-forest]

Gone Native

Summary: One year after the events of Jedi Survivor, Cal and Merrin take a vacation to Kashyyk. They make love, take in the sights, make love, explore the forests, make love....you get the Idea.

Cal is still getting used to being more than a survivor. So, he chooses to look into an unknown part of his past—a past he won't be able to face without Merrin.

Work Count: 5,116

Warnings: Explicit Sexual Content (MINORS BE GONE!)

A/N: I've been thinking about Cal and Merrin for the past few weeks. So, what's the obvious course of action? Smut fiction, of course! Enjoy!

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KASHYYK

Cal had been surrounded by machinery and the smell of fumes for too long. It was not until leaving Bracca that he remembered how much he adored the purest forms of nature.

The fresh air, the openness, the peace. Bracca had been a suffocating experience that made him believe he didn't deserve more. It made him think that cold, metal coffin of a planet would one day be his tomb.  But at this moment, this moment of peace as he stretches out his arms to the brisk morning air as the dawn slips into view, he’s grateful for his freedom. With his hands on his hips, he looks at the green mass stretching for miles. The beauty is remarkable.

The view from the bungalow, a gift from Tarfful himself, symbolized Kashyyk's liberation from the Empire. It had been waiting for the perfect moment to be appreciated, which finally arrived when Cal and Merrin, with a few days' break in mind, departed Koboh on the Mantis. They had built their home on Koboh while still helping where they could with the hidden path to safeguard those still hunted by the Empire. But now, it was nice to be away from it all.

Leaning in the arched doorway, Cal's eyes fell upon a sleeping Merrin. The covers had been pushed down to the edge of the bed. Shockingly, Merrin moved around a bit in her sleep. Right now, she’s curled up on her side, her arms resting above her head. She looks peaceful, serene even. He wouldn't wake her just yet. Instead, he  rummages through his bag to retrieve a small relic from the past.  He settles himself on the bed's edge, reaching out and from within. Cal stifles a chuckle when the holocron plays old recordings during his days as a Padawan. His voice sounds so nazely; he can’t believe how much. The freckles on his face were so bright in particular light he looked almost red. 

“Master Yoda's lessons are really confusing. Sometimes, I wonder if he even knows what he’s talking about.”

He remembers this recording. He had been officially old enough to begin saber drills with Master Yoda. Another recording starts to play. His past self is excited because he has heard that a few Masters will soon be looking for apprentices. The war is nearing its third year's end, and there are rumors that it will quickly end.

Cal had been anxious to fight. He can only see it now as childish, naive, and eager to take his place in the war. War is no place for a child, soldier or not, Jedi or not.

Cal is pulled from his thoughts when a set of toes nudges his lower back. The Jedi's dismal reminiscing is pushed to the back of his mind for the moment. He smiles when he can feel her eyes on him, but she plays innocent, pretending to be still asleep. Without a pause, Cal lunges toward Merrin. Their laughter fills the room as they wrestle with one another.

“Good morning.” Cal greets after finally pinning Merrin down with a kiss. “You slept in.”

She yawns, stretching her arms above her head. “And it was wonderful. Particularly my dreams about you.”

Intrigue flashes across Cal's face.” Oh, really?” He crawls up beside her, resting on his side. Merrin's smirk feeds his intrigue even more. Her nightgown hangs loosely on her petite body, and every curve is beautifully outlined. 

“I’m pleased to know that my fantasies are not too distant from reality.” 

The Jedi leans in closer. “Me too.” He replies with a kiss that Merrin breaks with her laughter, beyond happy to be in his embrace. “How shall we spend our time today?”

They had hiked most of yesterday and gone on a small wildlife expedition looking for exotic seeds they would plant when they returned to Kohbo. Greeze and Kata would appreciate it.

Their days on Kashyyk weren't difficult to fill.

“I’m sure we’ll think of something,” Cal says, hovering above Merrin, an eyebrow cocked. “But right now, I want to hear more about this dream of yours.”

Cal listens intently to every intimate detail of Merrin's dream for the next few minutes. He rests his head on her torso, eyes closed, while she repeatedly strokes his hair. Every juicy detail of the story continuously whets Cal's appetite. 

She describes the various ways he touched her, both soft and rough. The words he growled to feed her pleasure and the wonton sounds made while her pleasure grew.  Cal had to admit he was both impressed with and jealous of Merrin's dream version of him. While she talks, his fingers move further down her leg, then back up and under her nightgown. Merrin nods, anxious for him to enter.

Her fantasy about him must have been something since he finds her already wet for him when his fingers slip between her folds. The look on her face tells him everything. 

“Was it something like this?” He questions his action, hoping it’s meeting her expectations. He’s determined to outdo the fantasy.

The sting of Merrin's nails pierces his arm more, then tells Cal he’s on the right track. His finger moves deeper and faster, causing Merrin's whimpers to fill the room. Her free hand braces against the ornately carved headboard above her head.

“Yes, yes.” She pants breathlessly. Her gaze doesn't leave Cals; she wants him to see how well he treats her. She wants him to see her engulfed in pure bliss; she can feel her release inching closer by the second. Every whimper and moan from Merrin grows Cal's desire for her.

His body is screaming for her, and it's clear to see. He’s begging for a release like hers, and Merrin is more than happy to give him that release. She leads his lips back to her, distracting him while her hand slinks down his body. A shocked gasp escapes Cal's breath when he feels his lover's grasp around his cock. 

“This was part of my fantasy as well.”

Cal's beautiful eyes flood with astonishment. “I..nhh…I think I love your fantasies.” His voice is shaky and wanton.

The mixed desire of their breathing brings them closer and closer to their shared release. Cal claws at the sheets beneath him, the same as Merrin. At this moment, this fantasy is perfection. His skin is rough in some areas, due mainly to his work on Bracca—a mixture of climbing high platforms and an embarrassing number of power tool-related incidents. His arms, though, are strong and have always made Merrin feel safe.

When she first saw them, the scars on his upper body caught her off guard. They didn't frighten her; instead, they filled her with sorrow since most of them had been acquired when Cal was only a child. He had told her the stories behind many of them.

She had always found the markings on his face to be beautiful. She thought they made him look rugged and handsome even when they first met. Merrin blushes at the memory and how those thoughts and feelings have strengthened.

Cal's fingers move faster inside Merrin, savoring her tightness around them. “You’re so wet for me,” he praises her, moving his fingers faster and faster.

Merrin's voice turns slow and sultry as she whispers to Cal. “You’re doing so well, My Jedi.” She murmurs. Their gentle rhythms change pace; they’re both ready for the release. Parting her legs further apart, Merrin allows Cal deeper inside. They cling to one another.

“Merrin..” Cal whimpers, his brow furrows, his body tensing as his climax peaks. Merrin writhes against him, her head falling back against the pillows, her toes curled to a point. Cal doesn't slow until every ounce of pleasure drips out of Merrin.

It isn't long after that the pair collapses together, panting. Cal’s heavy breath is warm against Merrin's chest. Her fingers run lazily through his hair. “Better than the fantasy?” Cal asks weakly. Merrin only nods, still wholly blissed out.

With the calming motions of Merrin's hands and Cal's breathing, it isn't long until the calm pulls the pair into a soothing slumber.

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It’s the smell of freshly made food that awakens Merrin. It’s late afternoon, and the sun's positioning tells her so. Cal is still fast asleep, nuzzled comfortably against Merrin's back. He’s so beautiful. Sadly, the rumbling in her stomach wins out, and she forces herself to remove herself from her lover's embrace slowly.

The Wookies prepared and left the food—a custom amongst their people regarding guests. The food was, of course, delicious, another new experience while traveling the galaxy. It isn't long until Cal crawls out of bed to join her, where they talk and eat happily.

Reluctantly, Cal removes himself from atop Merrin and retreats to the back veranda to wash up and cool himself down.

Filled with bliss, Merrin collapses onto the bed with a heavy sigh. Her mind replays the events of their lovemaking. The feeling of Cal's skin, the curves and pull of his body, his labored breathing—oh, spirits help her.

Merrin doesn't hide her ogling gaze that follows Cal around the room. His wet body, silhouetted by the sun, is beautiful. He’s let his hair grow out more these past few months. The color (at least to Merrin) is incredible. She had seen countless people during her travels, both with and without the Mantis crew. For so long, Merrin had seen nothing but the wonders of her world. It had been overwhelming to experience so much at once. Amongst the countless she had seen, so rare was it to see someone with Cal’s hair color amongst them. It’s another uniqueness of his.

“On Bracca, it felt like the days dragged on forever. It was so tiring. The longer the hours, the more it felt like the planet was trying to swallow me up. But here…the days drag, and it’s incredible.”

“It’s the scenery.” Merrin muses, nuzzling against Cal's shoulder.

“It’s that, but there’s something else about it. We aren't running from anything. We're hiding, but at the same time, we’re not.”

“I think I understand your meaning. It’s nice to have this time now where things feel… slowed. It is nice.” Cal nods. They sit in peace for another few moments. Cal stares towards the sky, his gaze telling Merrin a familiar story. A gaze that makes her bring back up a familiar discussion. “Have you given more thought to what we’ve discussed?” Cal doesn't answer right away. Had he not heard her speak, or would he just not have responded to the question? Both seem very unlikely, so Merrin waits for his answer.

When he finally does, his gaze and voice are flooded with uncertainty. “I don’t know, Merr.” His eyes don’t even meet hers. They stay trained in the sky, where she is sure he’d like to be, to avoid this topic of conversation. “I’ve been thinking about it and not wanting to think about it.”

Her voice is faint yet sympathetic. “Why?” Guilt pools in her heart. Again, Cal doesn't answer right away. He can’t even see the annoyed side eye she is giving him; it’s childish how she has the urge to pinch him. The truth is they have a shared anxiety about the topic in question. Cal's eyes stay on the horizon, arms resting on his knees, lost in his thoughts. A kiss on his shoulder from Merrin brings him back to reality. 

“I don’t mean to push the subject.” Her voice is faint and apologetic. She holds him close, hoping he can feel her sincerity.

Cal smiles brightly, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly. “I’ll keep thinking about it.” 

This brings a smile to the Nightsister's face. She comfortably rests her head on her Jedi's shoulder, his touch easing her. Like the young couple, many of Kashyyks's natural wildlife began to rise with the morning sun. Birds sang on the warm breeze. The peace and tranquility is mesmerizing. 

Merrin hops to her feet excitedly, pulling at Cal to rise to his feet. “How about a game?” She leans elegantly against the veranda railing, her nightgown blowing in the breeze.

“What?” Cal chuckles with a hint of confusion. 

“Come on, Jedi.” She goats him, wagging her finger in a come-hither motion. Before Cal can reach her, she vanishes instantly from the veranda and reapers below the forest floor.

Cal once again doesn't hesitate. Calming his mind, reaching out and within, the next thing Cal knows, he’s running barefoot through the jungle with Merrin. The moss of the forest floor cushions each step, the morning breeze, the adrenaline, it’s perfect. 

Merrin runs ahead of him, only using her magicks to teleport herself when Cal occasionally catches up to her. “No fair.” He laughs, picking up speed. Merrin's laughter catches on the wind, echoing around them. She is more than determined to keep her lead. This is a game, and she won't be caught so early on. Playing hard to get, Merrin makes her way off the trails, using her magic to take her into the trees above.

Cal halts in his tracks. The green embers from Merrin's spell scatter like sparks forming flames. His heart races along with his mind as he tries to devise a way to pick up her trail again. 

Merrin kept her eyes on Cal when she transported herself into the canopy. She stayed out of sight, watching as he searched for her. Seeing her Jedi pursuer in the sunlight made her heart skip a beat. The light peaking through the canopy enveloped Cal in a radiant glow. 

“Gotcha!”

Merrin is snapped out of her daydreaming. Those mesmerizing green eyes of his are staring her down. He propels himself towards her, believing he’s won the game. Merrin grants him no satisfaction. 

Merrin smiles smugly before fading into a cloud of green mist. This time, she reappears a few feet ahead of Cal. She laughs over her shoulder before taking off again, jumping from branch to branch across the canopy. The game isn't over.

Refilled with vigor, Cal resumes his chase. The leaves crunch under their feet as they bound over fallen trees and doge between towering trunks of the ancient forest. The two are lost in the thrill of the moment. The wind whipped through their hair, the ground beneath their bare feet—Merrin doges into the dense underbrush with Cal close behind her. Just when she thinks she’s lost him, he fanks around her, scooping her up into his arms, claiming victory. 

“You are insane, Cal Kestis.”

The universe has granted them this peace despite all they’ve been through and suffered. This new future where they could run wild hadn't seemed possible to either Cal or Merrin. But they deserve it and each other.

They were close to the Jikazza Lagoon. There, they could wash the mud off and rest for a bit. They’re still struggling to catch their breath. Cal had discovered it during his first visit to Kashyyk. He had been waiting to bring Merrin for a special occasion. There seemed to be no better one than this. The water is crystal clear, near a small fall of water. Moss and sweet-smelling plants grow around the border where smoothed rocks line the lagoon.

Merrin shakes her head in amusement, watching Cal swing from the jungle rafters, whooping and hollering like a jungle man as he propels himself into the lagoon. Merrin grants some friendly applause for his Olympic-style diving skills.

“Well done,” she compliments him before joining him in the water. It felt amazing on such a hot day, and the shade provided by the canopy helped, too.

The gentle lapping of the waves moves them closer together. In the gentle tranquility, they float in each other's arms. Merrin's sheer nightgown hugs her body; the thin straps hang loosely around her shoulders. Cal feels his heart racing, his cheeks growing red; thank goodness for the coolness of the water. She’s beautiful like this, ethereal. It isn't long until their clothes rest on the lagoon's bank.

The couple's lips meet in a passionate kiss. Merrin's fingers rake through the Jedi's wet red hair, pulling it lightly. Cal pulls Merrin to him, gently resting her against the bank, using his hands to cushion her against the rocks.

The stone digs into his palm, but he’s too enthralled by Merrin to pay it any mind. His lips settle comfortably against her neck. A sharp hiss of pain passes through Cal's clenched teeth when he feels Merrins bite his neck. Still, he doesn't waver. Guilt floods through her body. She kisses the red flesh tenderly until Cal turns her jaw so her lips can come to his. Each kiss becomes more frantic than the last. Their hands paw at each other's bodies, wanting to feel every inch of one another.

Merrin's body shivers against Cal when she feels him enter her. She grips his back tightly; her head falls back as he begins to move against her. He’s exhausted from their chase, but he needs this. He needs to feel her more than anything. “Don't stop,” Merrin begs him with a resounding whimper in her voice. She brings her forehead to his. “Please…please.” Her thighs rise to meet his waist so she may better meet his rhythm.

“I’m not stopping, Merr. I need you.” Cal trembles as he says this, his palm digging further into the rocks. Her desperate pleas, followed by the growing tightness of her folds around his cock tell Cal how close she is. Even with the chill of the water, Cal's body radiates with a vibrant warmth fueled by passion and desire. His free hand steadies himself against the bank. His fingers tear and tremble in the mud. His breath is heavy and rapid the faster he moves against Merrin. She’s so warm and wet, making him lose his composure.

He falls against Merrin, spilling into her. Wave after wave of pleasure engulfs them. Unfortunately, the pain in Cal's palm wins out and forces him to pull away from Merrin, causing her to slip from Cal's grasp and fall into the water. Scrambling, Cal yanks Merrin out of the water. “I’m so sorry.” He frantically apologizes while parting Merrin's hair out of her eyes. She gives a few hard coughs before breaking into a comforting fit of laughter. Cal soon joins in before laying with Merrin on the bank for a long rest.

°•○°•○○○°•○○°○•°○°○°○°○○°○°○°○°○°○○°○°

They had returned to their Bungalow later that evening after a long day spent at the lagoon and after spending over an hour searching for their clothes in the water. However, both secretly liked the idea of running through the trees naked. 

Cal had fashioned a makeshift bed from an assortment of blankets and pillows on the floor near the fireplace. Merrin's head rested on Cal's outstretched arm; she fit perfectly against him. The warmth of the fire warmed their wet skin. The nightlife of the planet filled the night; it was beautifully lively. 

“Another beautiful day.” Merrin hums, turning her head to look up at Cal when he nuzzles into her neck. His breath is warm and comforting, like the fire.

“Followed by a beautiful night.” Cal's hand moves down Merrin's thigh; his thumb traces over a familiar scar. He remembers Merrin's story about how she had received it—a childhood incident when she and Ilyana wandered into dangerous marshes. She had spoken so fondly of Ilyana. Cal was grateful Merrin had her in her life and thankful they had one another.

She turns on her side to face away from the fire and faces Cal, chest to chest. Now, it's her turn to trace his scars. Like here, she knows the story behind each one. He pulls her mind from the memories with a deep and passionate kiss. Merrin looks back over her shoulder at the fire, reminiscing.

“On Dothamir, my sisters and I would tell stories around a warm fire. We’d dance and sing around the flames.” Her voice is sad, remembering her sisters and what she’s lost.

“There weren't many campfires at the Jedi Temple. But we were told stories as younglings.” 

Merrin nuzzles into him. “Tell me one.”

Cal is taken aback. Completely unexpecting this request of hers, how could he refuse her?

“Alright.” He thinks for a moment. Suddenly recalling a few of his favorites, he settled on one that stuck out. “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when the universe was new and young, there was no color wherever you went. There was no vibrance among all planets, people, and animals. The universe appeared cold and grey. The only remnants of color were in the sky. The stars, moons, and sky are as bright as they are now. One day, on a nameless world, a young child wandered away from home to explore the planet's wild. They wondered why the sky held such wonder and why everything below had no hues. Perhaps the wilds of the planet held answers.”

Merrin nuzzled closer to Cal. Her imagination drew images in the firer while he continued his story.

“Suddenly, the clouds in the sky turned grey, thunder and lightning filled the sky, and a fierce rain pelted the ground. Terrified, the child found shelter in a cold cavern. The rain lasted days and days, turning the soil into mud; soon, the cavern would be filled with water. The child dug into the soil to create a ravine to gather the water. They dug deeper and deeper, much more profound than any tool or person had before. They dug into the soil for hours and hours until the most incredible discovery was made.” He paused for dramatic effect. “It was faint, yet unmistakable.” He pauses again, drawing Merrin in. “There, gleaming in between the child's fingernails, between the soil, was the fainted hint of color.”

Merrin's eyes widened in amazement.

“The child was speechless and, without a second thought, began to dig deeper into the ground, finding more and more wonder the further they went. They continued to dig for hours, and the rain continued until a guizer from below erupted, spilling over and outside the cavern. The child followed the streams of color back to their village, where they watched every surface become covered in a new shade until the entire planet was painted. And it wasn't long until the rest of the galaxy would be painted from the veins within their planets.”

Merrin giggles when Cal's story comes to an end. Her fingers intertwine with hers close to her heart. “Hmmm, I like that one.”

Cal nods, kissing her shoulder. “Yeah, me too. I kinda like the idea that the look of a planet came from within the planet itself.” Merrin finds his wonderment amusing. She thanks him for the beautiful story and promises to tell him one of her own soon. He loves the sound of that.

Merrin beams warmly at the kiss Cal leaves on her forehead. Slowly, he shifts above her, settling between her legs, his need for her on display. “Eager, are we not?”

Cal smirks slyly. “I was thinking about the Lagoon.” Cal breaths, trailing his lips down her body, his eagerness growing when he feels Merrin shiver with pleasure from his touch. “You looked so beautiful.” His breath against her skin pulled heat and desire into her core. “I never wanted to take my eyes off of you.” He moans into her neck, savoring her rigid against his back, savoring the feeling of her wetness as he moves inside of her. So lovely and warm.

With one swift motion, Merrin turns Cal onto his back. His eyes flash with a mixture of lust and admiration. He allows himself to be taken by her passion.

“My beautiful Jedi.” Her hands glide down his face; she can feel the light sweat on his skin.

As Merrin moves atop him, Cal grips her hips tightly, his fingers digging into her skin as he loses himself in the heat of the moment. With each thrust of her body, he feels a surge of desire coursing through him, his passion for her growing stronger with each passing moment.

“More…” Cal moans in barely a whisper, his fingers gripping the sheets beneath him. “Give it to me.” Merrin complies, moving her body faster and harder. The pairs' hooded eyes meet one another, their faces flushed with want and need. “Fuck me harder.” He begs, moving his hands to her breasts; the flesh is soft and cool to the touch. Merrin gasps breathlessly when she feels his thumbs move against her nipples.

“Yess…yess…ahh.”

As Merrin braces herself against his chest, he looks up in awe, his breath coming in short gasps as they move together in perfect harmony. Lost in the intensity of their shared pleasure, they are united by an unbreakable bond that burns bright amidst the darkness of the universe.

With each passing moment, their connection grows stronger, their love for one another deepening with each breath they take. As they reach new heights of ecstasy together, they know that nothing in the galaxy can ever come between them - that they are meant to be together, now and forever.

As Cal moans Merrin's name breathlessly, feeling himself on the brink of climax, she looks down at him, tenderness in her eyes. With a fierce passion burning bright within her, she moves faster and harder, determined to bring him over the edge. Their fingers intertwine with one another. “Cal..” Merrin whimpers, her head arched back. “I’m close.

Cal’s desire turns red hot when he hears this. Her folds constricting around his pulsing cock tell him. “Yes…cum Merrin, please.”

As he reaches the peak of his pleasure, she leans down to kiss him deeply, her love for him shining brightly amidst the heat of their shared passion. With each passing moment, they feel a deeper connection to one another, knowing that nothing in the galaxy can ever come between them. They thrust vigorously against one another, wanting nothing more than to release the passion building up inside them.

Finally, their shared cries of ecstasy fill the room, no doubt altering nearby wildlife and locals within a twenty-foot radius. Merrin collapses on top of Cal, sated and gasping for breath. They remain silently intertwined until their breathing steadies. Both move a stray piece of hair from out of the other's line of sight. Their eyes grow heavy, but they remain fixed on each other, wanting them to be the last thing they see before falling asleep.

“I love you, Merrin.” Cal sighs tiredly before closing his eyes.

Merrin smiles faintly, brushing her finger against his cheek before her eyes close. “And I you.” The words echo deep within them both. 

°•○•°•○•°°••○°°○○°○°○•°°○°○°○°○°°•°○°○°

Cal wakes the following day with a heavy soreness all over his body. He rubs his eyes groggily, wondering how early it must be. He turns on his side to see Merrin absent from their bed. He sits up, looking around the room sleepily until he spots Merrin on the veranda, feeding a trio of Tachs on the railing. She looks angelic in the morning mist, as pretty as a Veda Pearl. If he ever comes across one, he’ll give it to her.

“Good morning,” Merrin greets him once she notices him awake.

The Order is gone.

It’s time to leave it behind.

Cal's words to Merrin the night he confessed his love for her now guide his path. A path that allows him to live without the dogma of The Order. 

Life is precious. And so is happiness.

That warning from Bode still manages to tear through him. Yet, despite his betrayal, he tried to pull Cal from isolation. They were telling him to be more than a Jedi. Cere, Greeze, and they had all given him similar speeches. They all wished for him to have a brighter future—one where he isn’t only a fighter or a survivor of a fallen order. 

For a short while, this newfound freedom had been terrifying. When The Order had been all that Cal had known for so much of his life, what would guide him now? Merrin, his friends…his family will.

But now, he feels a new sense of responsibility regarding his past. He has questions he wants answered, such as where he comes from. He’s ignored the subject for years, perhaps out of fear that he disguised as an obligation to his Jedi teachings.

But now, there lies the freedom to consider more.

“I’ve been thinking,” Cal says, moving his eyeline to Merrins, his arm still around her shoulders.

Merrin’s face fills with intrigue. “Oh?”

He laughs. “Not about that. But we’ll come back to it.” Merrin's demeanor shifts once she notices Cal's more serious tone. He pauses, collecting his thoughts, staring out to the forest world before him, leaning on the railing on the veranda wistfully. “I’m still getting used to letting myself have what I want.” He pauses again, looking like he hadn't correctly phrased a signal word for what he had just said. “I mean…living an everyday life. Living by my wants and desires….not by the Orders. Being more than a Jedi.”

Merrin gently squeezes his hand, telling him she understands what he’s trying to say. “You have as much right as anyone to know where you come from. Jedi or not.” She encourages him, tucking his fiery red hair behind his ear. 

Filled with gratitude, Cal leaves a kiss on Merrin's hand. “Guess I needed to hear it out loud.” Merrin can no longer hold back her tears. She leaps into Cal's arms, holding him close to her, burying her face into his neck to muffle her crying. “Why are you crying?” He asks, wiping the tears from her deep brown eyes.

Merrin shakes her head, trying to collect herself. “They’re happy tears.” She finally manages to say.

“Oh, Merrin.” Cal chuckles sympathetically, kissing her through her tears. He can taste them on her lips. “You're so incredible.” He peppers her face with small, quick kisses until the tears dry, and she’s laughing her wonderful laugh again. She’s overjoyed to see this new spark in her eyes, and she can see it in his eyes, too.  This weight Cal had been carrying regarding his past feels lighter now from embracing it and letting Merrin be a part of it.

“When should we go?”

“Soon,” Cal says, pulling Merrin into his arms and resting his head atop hers while they watch the sunrise. “Right now, I just want to enjoy another long day.”

°•○○°•°○°○°•°○°○○•°○°○°••°○°○°○•○•°•○°•

[valiantstarlights]

[Dreamling Week Day 1: Meowpheus] 5 Pictures of Dream as Meowpheus, and 1 Picture of Dream as Himself

No CWs here! This is just humor and fluff. Enjoy! 🖤

ONE

Image Description: A selfie of Johanna Constantine inside The New Inn. It's early in the morning. She is in her white coat, but it's dirty, and she looks like she wrestled with a mud monster and lost. She has a full pint of beer in front of her and 2 large plates of Full English Breakfast. Behind her to the left is Hob, cleaning the bar counter. He looks like he is arguing with a large black cat who is unimpressed with his debate skills.

Caption:

JohannaC: Breakfast of champions. 😴 (Ignore the photobombers. This isn't about them.)

Comments:

RickyVicary: Is that guy arguing with a cat?

JohannaC: I said ignore them, Ric.

--

TWO

Image Description: A screenshot of an online class. Professor Gadling is lecturing while a large black cat is draped across his nape like a scarf. Its tail has flicked and in doing so has given Professor Gadling a fur mustache.

The Chat:

Kenneth D: whoa that's a large chonky bastard

Anastasia M: HOW DARE YOU they are magnificent

Barbara M: His! name is Meowfie. I saw him with Prof G in The New Inn the other day and that's what he called him.

Anastasia M: MEOWFIE SUPREMACY

Kenneth D: he (cat) looks like he's reading the chat

Anastasia M: Your Majesty blink twice if you think Prof G is hot

Anastasia M: OMG he blinked twice

Barbara M: Stace cats have to blink too you know.

Kenneth D: @stacey - ofc prof g is hot. in other news water is wet

Barbara M: @ken DO NOT FINISH THAT THOUGHT

Professor Gadling: You guys know I can see the chat too, right?

Anastasia M: Oops? Sorry Prof G! Continue ranting abt Shookypooky please 😊

--

THREE

Image Description: Meowfie sitting primly and very proudly in front of an empty shoerack. In front of him is a piece of paper with writing on it. The penmanship is Hob's. Written on the paper is: "I hide Hob's shoes so he wouldn't leave me alone."

Caption:

HobGadling88: send help meowfie is keeping me hostage

Comments:

BethAnnY: I like that Meowfie calls Prof G 'Hob' instead of something traditional like 'Father.'

SeyCil3R: that's because Meowfie is the king of the house and Prof G is just his manservant who caters to his every whim.

HobGadling88: If he doesn't give me back my shoes, both of us are gonna starve because the food situation is getting dire.

SimonDidNotSay: oh no meowfie pls give back prof g's shoes! 😨

--

FOUR

Image Description: Hob is holding Meowfie in his arms trying to calm him down. On the floor is a destroyed Baby Yoda plushie, and its cotton stuffings are everywhere. Meowfie is looking disdainfully down at it, and is clinging to Hob with his paws. Hob is looking at the camera like he's in The Office.

Caption:

HobGadling88: Sorry @JohannaC. I told you he'd be jealous.

Comments:

JohannaC: You should have made him sit next to a sign that says, "I killed Grogu because Hob was interacting with it for like 5 seconds (which is 5 seconds too long) and I'm a slut for his attention."

HobGadling88: He wants me to tell you he doesn't appreciate you calling him a slut.

JohannaC: tell him I said fuck off and eat litterbox sand bc what I said is 100% true

HobGadling88: He says he'll give you nightmares about eating litterbox sand.

JohannaC: fucking worth it tbh

TransCirillaFiona: A wild ride from start to finish. 😌🙏

KathryneKey: Agreed. Very compelling plot. 10/10

JohannaC: tell him im sorry but that i still think he's a slut

KathryneKey: 👀👀👀👀👀 MEOWFIE HAS SUPERPOWERS CONFIRMED

--

FIVE

Image Description: Hob's home office looking like a hurricane hit it. There are shredded paper everywhere. If the viewer examines closely, they can see writing on these papers, as well as red markings. In the midst of the destruction is Meowfie, stretching luxuriously, looking absolutely unapologetic.

Caption:

HobGadling88: To all my students: I am so very sorry about this criminal. I will put him on a leash as soon as I upload this receipt of his capital crime. Rest assured, I have already uploaded your grades. But as you can see, I cannot give you back your test papers.

Comments:

DishonorOnYourFirelord: Absolutely no problem in my opinion. Meowfie just helped me with my paper clutter problem.

Nia_Ahmed: Who needs a paper shredder when you have a cat?

ParkSohee00: Don't jail Meowfie! He did nothing wrong! 🥺

TheRoseWalker: Show of hands those of you who don't want Prof G to jail Meowfie ✋️

margotGTG: ✋️

delphineyyy: ✋️

BrokenGaydar: ✋️

HobGadling88: This isn't a democracy, guys. I'm still grounding him.

NicoSolace: pls sir no it was just a mistake

JohannaC: Poor Meowfie 😂 No treats from Hob or 24/7 cuddles. Just jailtime and Hob's disappointed look (TM).

Liam2D20s: Monsters, both of you. 😭

--

+1

Image Description: A handsome dark-haired man wearing black from head to toe is sitting on a park bench. He is holding up a sign that says, "I regularly steal my boyfriend's clothes, his food, and his heart." His penmanship looks almost like a calligraphy font. Beside him sits Hob, who has an arm around his shoulder, and the other arm around his front, hand resting on the man's hip. They are looking at each other like no one else exists in the entire world. There is a second picture, which is mostly the same, except they are now kissing sweetly.

Caption:

HobGadling88: My sweet Dream. 🖤 Happy anniversary, you beautiful, lovely, darling menace. Still can't believe I get to kiss you like this after our 600k words worth of slowburn. (Photos were taken by my future sister-in-law. Thanks Tel!)

Comments:

MargeSorin: I have ascended happily into gay!heaven. 😇🙏

TransCirillaFiona: and I just exploded all over my room as rainbow colored glitter RIP me ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

TheRoseWalker: 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 AAAAAAAAAA IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

renaissancegirl: Like they say in the movie, Jerry Maguire, "You had me at 600k words slowburn." Congrats Prof. G!! 🥰🥰🥰

JohannaC: Thanks for the warning. I won't be swinging by until the honeymoon is over. See you both next month!

SamRiegelsCube: A MONTH PLS MY BUSSY IS SHAKING

[burnwater13]

Paz Vizsla using his flight pack to fight the Imps who were attacking Din Djarin and Grogu on Nevarro. Image from The Mandalorian, Season 1, Episode 3, The Sin. Calendar from DateWorks.

Grogu didn’t know a lot about Paz Vizsla. Yes, he’s a Mandalorian. Yes, he’s bigger than a brick privy (he’d heard Bo-Katan say that). He thought he should have been given the Darksaber when Grogu’s dad managed to get it away from Moff Gideon. Oh, and he’d once saved Grogu and his dad from the Imps and bounty hunters on Nevarro. But that was it. 

He didn’t know if Paz Vizsla liked music, ate frogs, or drank Spotchka. He didn’t know if the huge man liked dancing, debate, or wrestling. Could he recite the planetary capitals for the Core Worlds? Did he polish his armor every day? Did he back talk the Armorer? Who knew? Not Grogu.

Why this was important was pretty simple. Paz Vizsla had a famous Mandalorian ancestor and Grogu knew everything anyone could know about Tarre Vizsla. Every Jedi did. That’s how special he had been. You couldn't study Mandalorian history and culture at the Jedi temple and not learn everything there was to know about the only Mandalorian Jedi. 

Yup, that’s right. Tarre Vizsla, who had been Mand’alor a thousand years earlier, and who had created the Darksaber, had also been raised as a Jedi. As if that wasn't enough, he’d been of those rare people who had left all sorts of records on both Mandalore and Coruscant that provided future students of the Jedi-Mandalorian conflicts with a guide to understanding what was important to and what motivated Mandalorians. 

Of course, to access those records you needed to know that they existed, that a Mandalorian-Jedi had created them, and that they were never meant to be used to harm either the Jedi Order or the Mandalorians who challenged them so routinely. Grogu wasn't surprised to find that no one had accessed those records but him. At least the ones on Coruscant. 

He was sure Master Yoda would have had words of wisdom to share about balance in the Force and stuff like that, but really Grogu had just been trying to avoid the cheek pinching librarian and darted down a corridor that he’d never bothered with before and found himself walking through a space filled with all sorts of artifacts the Jedi had collected for millennia. 

Boxes, trays, plinths and shelving units overflowing with artifacts were sort of organized. If you call creating a winding path than only someone the size of Grogu could easily navigate ‘organized’. He suspected, much later, that it was because of this type of organization that he was the person able to find the the small metal box that held the records that Tarre Vizsla had created. Anyone else who even tried to walk through the room would have caused an avalanche of artifacts which they would have had to use the Force to suspend and even then it was going to leave a mark. 

Having seen Din Djarin’s new armor, as compared to the bounty hunter’s old armor, Grogu realized that the box he had found all those years earlier must have been made from beskar. It was shiny in a kind of understated way that didn’t match what he knew about other metals. Even in the dim light of the huge storage space he could tell that it had been created by a highly skilled craftsperson. Of course it was the same size as he was and he was looking at it from about ten centimeters away and had plenty of time to just stand there and appreciate it. Most people hadn't had that chance since it was built.

There were three indentations on the box and a very fine line separated two of them from the third on a horizontal plane. Grogu put his hand on the indentations and realized that they were handholds, or probably finger holds for a human or a species of a larger size than him. He pulled very gently but nothing happened. Dank Farrik! The box was locked. Now he really wanted to figure out how to open it. 

He wasn’t just curious about the contents. He could sense that something in the box wanted him to open it. But if it was locked, how was he going to do that?

Then he thought he heard a whisper. Really just a wisp of a sound that slipped into his ear and tickled the tiny hairs in it. “Oooo reee vaaa dddd”. Huh? What kind of word had that been? “Ohhh riii vvvv aaa ddd”. Oh ree vad? Grogu didn't know that word. What language was it? The only word he knew that was even close was ‘Ori’vod’ which was Mando’a for ‘Big Brother’, really big friend or special friend. Oh! 

Softly as he could Grogu whispered ‘Ori’vod’ and hoped his accent was okay. He found Mando’a must easier to speak than Gal Basic, but he still didn’t speak it very often. Almost no one at the Jedi temple spoke it and the few times he had offered up some sort of answer or advice using it, he got all the strange looks and comments about speaking something people understood from his classmates. 

It must have been okay because he heard the slightest sound of a latch being lifted or shifted to one side. He couldn’t tell for certain which it was but something had happened and that was enough. He put his hands in the indentations again and carefully lifted the ‘top’ of the box and found himself staring at an orb, maybe made of crystal, or perhaps a polished gem of some sort. It was dotted with tiny symbols and when he carefully lifted it from the box, it glowed with an internal light and was startled to see the images that where painted on the walls and ceiling all around him. 

At first he thought they were stars, but then he realized that they were something closer to topics. He brushed a finger carefully over the surface and pressed gently on a symbol that reminded him of a fish. The whole display changed and that very, very soft, faint voice was whispering in Mando’a again. He wondered what he could do to change that. He liked Mando’a but he didn't really have the vocabulary to understand it all that well. Perhaps he could tune into the object using the Force?

As soon as he did that he heard a voice speaking Gal Basic.

“Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Tarre Vizsla, friend. May you learn and reflect on what you have learned.”

Grogu was so surprised at that he almost dropped the orb. Instead he said “naak” and watched the light dim and the orb seemed to shut itself off. He was grateful for that. He carefully replaced it in it’s box, closed the lid and said “naak” again. When he tested the box, it refused to open. He was grateful for that. 

He retraced his path and managed to sneak out of the library and made his way to the cafeteria. Everyone at the temple expected to see him eating with a happy grin on his face. It was the perfect cover for having discovered that amazing artifact and it made all of his future visits to the library far more purposeful. 

One thing he could say about Paz Vizsla, based on what Grogu knew about his ancient relative, always expect the unexpected. You never knew when they were going to save your life or give you a guide to the galaxy. You just had to be patient. Not much of a Mandalorian trait to be honest, but Grogu was also a Jedi and no one ever saw that coming.

[thewriterowl]

The reason why Grogu doesn't have shoes is because Master Yoda didn't like wearing socks, shoes, boots or anything. Nothing about alien biology, it's just Yoda was being a stubborn shit. Fast forward and Grogu is *about* to get shoes when the 501st and Anakin think it's fun to unalive people. Still no shoes for Grogu. Luke tries to ask Master Yoda if Grogu needs any feet protection (because he can't stand being drenched by yet another bubble bath because Grogu loved muddy puddles) and Yoda is giving Luke hell, talking in riddles, avoiding the topic entirely because he believes this means he'll have to give out foot measurements "Touch my toes, you will not!" (try as Obi Wan and Anakin do, they can't wrestle the gremlin and help Luke) QUE to Luke going back to his Tatooine roots and making Grogu a pair of (somewhat) comfortable shoes out of the same material Beru used for him, humming to himself and proud of the three clawed footed attire..........Din saw all of this and that's why Luke is in the delivery room 9 months later.

Luke just existing would get himself pregnant. Din 100% has a Luke-kink and is feral over him. Him doing such sweet, parental things for Grogu like taking the time to make him shoes for his little feet would turn Din into a hormonal monster.

That kitchen counter at Din's new home is SO used to destroy Luke. And yeah, whoops, nine months later and Luke is just glaring at a very pleased Din as they are int he delivery room.