#what if ben wants really badly to be a knight like his uncle is when hes young bc girls are gross or whatever and hes shy and awkward

[like-sands-of-time]

I wonder what ani and padmé would have been like as parents to Luke and Leia, and later grandparents to Ben. Like I don't have any great developed thoughts on that whole au concept I just do love the thought. Ben has so much impressive family, and a lot of uncles and aunts to look up to. If a lot of things had gone a lot differently, idk how, and padmé and ani got to grow older and stronger together, if Ben were to have his grandfather not only as a legend but as a person to hold him and tell him stories, I wonder what that would have been like.

[andromedasstarship]

faceless, nameless - the prologue

gif credit - @kylos 

pairing - kylo ren x reader 

warnings - canon-typical star wars violence, depictions of death/violence, fighting (verbal + physical), loosely implied physical intimacy (really up for interpretation here), angst, tension, implied mild love triangle, kylo ren betrays you 

summary - For four years, Kylo Ren considered you to be many things: his right hand, his confidant, an irreplaceable strategist, a friend and most importantly his equal. It all ended when he left you with a blaster shot to the stomach on a near deserted planet. On the brink of death, a rather dashing Resistance Pilot stumbled upon you, saving your life.  

Donning a mask to hide your identity, you’ve grown to become the most fearsome Resistance fighter they have; bewildering the First Order as to how you always seem to ruin their plans and avoid capture. Kylo Ren is a different man from when he left you two years ago, so how will he react when he accidentally finds you alive and well in Poe’s memories?

masterlist // series masterlist // read it on ao3 here 

next chapter 

-----

the prologue - the sun 

On Starkiller Base, there were plenty of rumors as to why Kylo Ren kept you around. Some said it was because of your extensive training in hundreds of different languages, both spoken and signed. Others were sure it was due to your diplomatic upbringing that came with countless connections and near endless wealth. Or, maybe it was due to your more than adequate ability in battle that served him the most. Even some people thought you were a kept woman, who only existed as a way for Kylo Ren to blow off steam behind closed doors. Your favorite rumor was that you were actually a high-ranking Resistance spy who was tasked with infiltrating the First Order at the highest level and that Kylo Ren had become weak because of you. Had it not made you laugh so much the first time you heard it, Kylo would’ve crushed the windpipe of the lowly officer who created the elaborate lie. 

Of course, there were some truths in all the rumors, but none of them exciting. You were in fact trained in hundreds of languages and that training was a product of your diplomatic upbringing. You were exceptionally trained in various forms of combat, but that was something that came after you met Kylo; he had always been afraid of you not being able to properly defend yourself. You were most certainly not a kept woman, not that you and Kylo weren’t intimate, but certainly not in the type of dynamic people thought. You absolutely were not a Resistance spy, but even though neither of you said it aloud, Kylo Ren was definitely weak for you. 

How it actually happened is quite boring. The two of you met when Kylo had just turned 24, still more Ben Solo than Kylo Ren. You were recently 23 at the time, head of a diplomatic welcoming committee that met with Kylo as part of his first official diplomatic endeavor as ‘Kylo Ren’ the soon to be Commander of the entire First Order. He quickly became enamored with you and the way you commanded a team full of older men who clearly didn’t approve of your position- whether it was due to your age or gender he didn’t know- but still treated you with respect; in short, you radiated a confidence and power he desired. For you, it was quite the opposite, Kylo Ren still wasn’t sure of himself and at times still acted like the awkward lanky Jedi boy who had never spoken to a girl outside of school purposes. He was a fresh and welcomed change from all the annoyingly rich and cocky men you met with on a daily basis. 

Him and his team stayed on your home planet for nearly three months. Countless delegates from various planets flocked there for balls, meetings, conferences, and more. Your connections ran deep and you directly aided in the First Order’s successes during those three months. For the first few weeks, you and Kylo skirted around the obvious pull between the two of you. He wasn’t exactly sure how to ‘woo’ a girl, nor was he even sure if he was allowed to. His lack of action caused you to regularly doubt if he also felt the spark, or if it was completely one sided on your end. Weeks of longing gazes and accidental brushes of fingertips finally came to an end when the two of you were sitting on your private balcony, overlooking the well kept grounds, discussing the conference that had just ended. It was a roaring success for your planet as well as the First Order, both of you securing mining resources at an exceptional locked rate for a minimum of fifty basic years. You made the first move, he was irresistible under the moonlight, closing the space between you on your bench and pressing your lips directly on his. In his hesitation you thought you had completely misread the past month, but it was only a moment later that his hands found purchase in your hair, pulling you closer. The two of you were nearly inseparable for the rest of his trip. 

It was difficult, when he finally had to return to his new master and some massive ship that would be lightyears away from you. Unspoken promises were made the night before he left, declarations of love and devotion made behind closed doors. He was still far from truly becoming Kylo Ren, had copious amounts of training to finish before he would see himself be fitting for someone like you. If he was nothing else, Kylo was desperate for loyalty and when you watched his ship leave you had no doubts he would come back. 

And he did, nearly an entire standard year later. You almost didn’t recognize him when he stepped off his personal ship. All broad shoulders and shrouded in layers of black, with that intimidating mask covering his face. He was proving to be quite the warrior, the tales of him and the Knights he commanded reaching the farest edges of the galaxy. When the welcoming festivities had ended and he removed his mask in the privacy of your room, you found a mature face that had lost the softness you once knew. It was no matter to you, flinging yourself into his arms and vowing to never let go. 

This time, when he left, you went with him of course. Kylo had been shocked when Snoke approved it, but Snoke, ever the manipulator, knew the growing attachment between the two of you would inevitably prove to be valuable in controlling Kylo Ren. 

Moving into a giant spaceship wasn’t easy for you. The dark, cold and everlasting expanse of space was a sharp contrast to your warm ocean planet. You missed the sun on your face and your people, but when you vowed to never let him go, you meant it. As time went on, you grew accustomed to the ship and then eventually Starkiller- which was an entirely different battle, that piece of ice had you complaining for months-, and soon enough you couldn’t imagine a life not in space. 

Most of your days were monotonous, not that you minded. From the first day you stepped foot onto base, Kylo began training you himself. He never wanted you to feel as hopeless and afraid as he did when he woke up to his uncle ready to kill him in his sleep. So he trained you, and he trained you hard. You could wield a lightsaber well enough, as he argued that should anything ever happen to him- a thought you hated entertaining-, his saber would be the best weapon you had available. You were smaller than him, so close combat was a challenge but you learned to use your size and agility as an advantage. What you specialized in, was the staff. It allowed you to give a larger opponent at a safe range until it was possible to take them down. Kylo had a special one created just for you, with double edged electrical ends that you could easily turn on or off. It was rare that he actually let you on a battlefield with him, but when he did you were unstoppable. Not that you minded, you quite enjoyed working behind the scenes, forming battle plans and leading diplomatic endeavors for the First Order. 

Other than Snoke, no one out ranked you, not even Ren; a fact he had been extremely particular about after a visiting diplomat made the excuse of outright ignoring and belittling your presence in a meeting. You were equals in everything, even going as far as taking on the ‘Ren’ moniker. 

Among First Order subordinates, you were fairly well liked, and not just because it was unspoken that anyone who thought badly of you would probably die at Ren’s hand. The people actually liked you. Ren was cold, you were warm. When he was sharp, you were soft. It worked well, his ability to command troops and fuel the fires of war was complimented perfectly by your ability to talk nearly anyone to your side. 

You never wavered in your support for him, ever loyal by his side no matter what he did or who he killed or how many villages he burned to the ground. You stood next to him, never behind, when new planets presented themselves as potential allies. You watched from above when he burned villages, that dared aid the Resistance, to the ground. You cleaned and healed every single wound he received from Snoke’s brutal training. You held him together when the pull to the light made him feel weak and undeserving. 

Anyone could see that you were the sun that Kylo Ren revolved around.  

So, when he came back to Starkiller on that fateful day, covered in blood- your blood-, announcing that you were dead- and he was the one who killed you-, and that your name was never to be uttered on his base or by any First Order subordinate ever again, no one knew what to do. 

-----

 a/n - hi!!! im so excited for this story, ive never written star wars before and my lore knowledge isnt the best ill admit, so please excuse any minor bits of pieces i may get wrong! comments/likes/reblogs always appreciated. if you wanna be added to the taglist, just ask and ill make one! :D 

no permission is given to copy or republish my writing on any other platform or account. if you see this story outside of my blog or my ao3 it is stolen work. i do not own nor claim to own star wars or any of the character involved in it. 

[river--glass]

Reylo Fic Recs Long Ass Fics pt 2: Alternate Universe

Someone asked for fic recs 100K or over, so here they are. See Pt. 1 for Canon Verse or Alternate Canon Verse fics. (I haven’t read all of these- my personal comments are in bold)

Equilibrium by AttackoftheDarkCurses & thebuildingsnotonfire. (modern, E, 479K)

When Rey works up the nerve to ask Grand Master Luke Skywalker to train her, she makes friends and finds something deep and wonderful in the martial art known as Taekwondo.

She never thought the choice would change her life.

Alternatively, a (long) story of love, family, and Martial Arts.

The Heartbreak Prince by diasterisms. (Harry Potter, E, WIP) 

I swore I would never read Harry Potter AU’s or Works In Progress, but for this fic I broke both rules. This is, pun not intended, so magical in every way. It has me SHOOK and if somehow you haven’t heard of it yet, do yourself a favor and check it out!

In Living Memory by SpaceWaffleHouseTM. (multiple times, E, 221K)

Ben and Rey are rendered immortal after being struck by lightning at the precise same moment, and keep running into one another as the centuries drag on. Waffle’s stories are all amaaaaazing and you need to read ALL of them.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot by SageMcMae. (modern, E, 214k)

MMA fighter, Kylo Ren is suspended from the league and sentenced to community service at his uncle’s martial arts academy. There he meets Rey Niima, a recent graduate with a natural ability and incredible potential.

Soul Searching by OptimisticBeth. (AU, Modern, E, 205K)

A Soulmates AU in which Ben is horrified to find out he’s soulmates with his 16 year old student, ten years his junior. (no underage shenanigans) This fic fucked me up. The world building is so stunning. The story is rich with love and fluff, but oh the angst. Soooo much angst and emotional anguish and two people who are trying their best but just can't communicate for shit. The overall story is so beautiful and worth every heartbreaking moment. A happy ending WILL come!

Satan Wears a Rolex by AquaWolfGirl. (Modern, E, 205K)A Devil Wears Prada AU. Unfinished, but it’s fascinating and it ends well where it is.

Hiraeth by Ferasha. (1990′s, E, 204K)

An absolute angst and pain train of a historical war fic. This is not a comfort fic. It will fuck you up. But if you’re into that, the way they’ve woven canon plot in with the Yugoslav Wars is a masterpiece. It’s dark and gritty and will make you feel things.

Le Fin Du Fin by QueenOfCarrotFlowers @leofgyth. (Victorian, E, 196K) A Crimson Peak AU!!! This writer has never let me down.

A Proposal by Any Other Name by Lucidlucy. (Modern, E, 188) A Leap Year AU.

Salt in the Blood by Hagen. (9th century, E, 169K) Featuring pre-Norman invasion Ireland, selkies, love of the sea, and mythical creatures.

The Great Big No by dietplainlite. (1990′s, E, 165K)

Kylo Ren is third generation rock royalty, a reigning brat prince starting to feel the burn of the fame he reached for with both hands. Rey is an aspiring singer on the verge of a big break, provided her A&R guy still has a job by the time she reaches LA. Their paths have crossed briefly, disappointingly, before. What happens when they collide?

The Trail Bride by SecretReyloTrash. (AU, Wild West, E, 160K)

Rey Niima finds herself in a perilous situation when her husband dies at the start of their journey West. From the few bachelors on the trail in her party; she attaches herself to the best of her options- mysterious Banker Ben Solo. A really interesting, amazing piece. Lots of introspection, and a heart wrenchingly real look into abuse and recovery. I emotionally digested for days.

The Sacred Texts by Eskayrobot & Poaxath. (Modern, E, 159K)

Doing the Unstuck by slipgoingunder. (Modern, E, 158K) A When Harry Met Sally AU.

The Mating Service by AlbaStarGazer. (Modern A/B/O, E, 146K)

If Rey had known how quickly she would find her biological mate and alpha through the world wide mating service, 'Match,' she might have considered signing up years ago.

Unravel Me by UnderTheCancerMoon. (Modern, E, 145K)

Rey and Ben push and pull their way through their 20's, experiencing the love, success, loss, and challenges that make life rich.

Fire Away by Daisyflo. (Modern, E, 141K)

The Witch in the Wood by HarpiaHarpyja @thisgarbagepicker & Inmyownidiom. (Fantasy, E, 138K)

I cannot say enough good things about this fic. It’s serving you knight Kylo and witch Rey and so so many good feelings. Sure there’s some angst and dark magic and some struggles but mostly this is a lovely Ghibli-esque story about two people living in a treehouse and talking to animals and having a really good life! Everything HarpiaHarpyja writes is magic.

Snow Without Winter by neonheartbeat. (Renaissance, E, 138K) 

If you’re into serious historical fics (this once features catholicism and Rome in 1492) this is for you.

Lemon-hot Summer by IshaRen & pr3tty_g1rl5. (Modern, E, 130K).

In which Ben is the horniest virgin alive and Rey is bored and looking for something (or someone) to do.

Stranger Than Fiction by daxcat79. (Modern, E, 127K). Grumpy writer Ben and sunshine muse Rey.

Like Red But Not Quite by @kylotrashforever. (Modern, E, 126K) KTF is a god-tier reylo writer and you need to do yourself a favor and go read everything they have ever written.

Dark Water by LinearA. (1950′s, E, 125K)

The North Shore by @strawberrycupcakehuckleberrypie. (Modern, E, 125K)

Notting Hill vibes. Actor Ben meets shop owner Rey, and both their lives are changed instantly. It’s mostly about them both being smitten and starting a really good life together!! Lovely!

Stars In My Pockets (Wear Daisies In My Hair) by LostInQueue. (Modern, E, 125K). A Reylogan fic.

we could plant a house, we could build a tree by like_a_dove. (Modern, E, 124K).

An absolute classic. It’s about growing pains and growing feelings - the transition from childhood into adulthood and all the messy bits in between. God, it will hurt you. Badly. But it’ll be so, so worth it.

go i know not whither and fetch i know not what by voicedimplosives. (1990′s, E, 118K)

Russian Mafia AU!! A truly beautiful piece of work. Great plot,great smut, great Bendemption arc. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that’s fully worth the ride.

Souviens-toi de moi by Maniable. (Modern/historical, E, 117K)

Disconnect by Weatherbug02. (Modern, E, 115K) 

Candyleg by 5cents. (1950′s, E, 115K)

The girl was too young, but old enough to have a hustler’s-eye view of her own bleak future. The boys were paying her to do a snow job on a candyleg, but she was beginning to love her work and love Solo, and she decided to stick with him till death did them part...

Baby, It’s Just Biology by polkadotdotdot. (Modern A/B/O, E, 112K)

Only If You Want To by Violetwilson. (Modern, M, 111K)

Personal security expert (and occasional under-the-table hitman) Kylo Ren has a strong feeling about the cute dive bar waitress with the strange bruises and the vicious wit. She's either a victim or the weirdest criminal he's ever met. Possibly both.

Ileenium Manor by WaterlilyRose. (AU, victorian, E, 109K)

Leia’s maid Rey instantly hates Lord Ben when he comes to take over the household. She can’t hate him for too long as he starts to pursue her. If you’re in the mood for a sweet but angsty Lord/Maid fic, this is for you.

Kohelet 3:16 (Call Me A Cab) by LinearA. (Modern, E, 108K)

Ruby Woo Red by HeartSabers. (Modern, E, 107K) Featuring makeup artist Rey and TV star Kylo.

Sixth Year by witheyesclosed. (Harry Potter, M, 107K)

The one where Ravenclaw Rey gets paired with Slytherin Ben in Potions and ohmygod he’s hot now

Lockjaw by bitterbones. (zombie apocalypse, M, 106K)

A Song of Trash and Fire: Ben and Rey Make a Porno by HarpiaHarpyja & sunshineflying. (Modern, E, 106K) 

With the help of rich Unca Wanwo, flagrant misuse of Ben's creative writing degree, and copious amounts of coffee, Ben and Rey put together the porno of the century, starring themselves and their friends . . . with interesting results.

The Hypnotist by Pandora_Spocks. (Modern, E, 104K)

From a galaxy far, far away, soulmates Ben and Rey have been reincarnated on Earth to resolve their karma. Dr. Ben Solo is a charismatic hypnotist to whom present day Reychelle Lumen has been referred to for help with her nightmares.

Score by SpaceWaffleHouseTM. (Modern, E, 104K)

Ben's friends convince him to take the Rice Purity Test, but when he and Rey are revealed to have the highest scores of their friends, they quickly form a pact to beat Poe's out by the end of the semester. I loved this! Its so so sweet and funny and all from Ben’s POV. Sweet, sweet pining Ben.

The World Shifts (And I Am Better Here) by lachesisgrimm. (Fantasy, E, 102K)

Once upon a time there was a beggar girl whose parents sold her to a thief, and she was very unhappy.--In which prophecy is used with malicious intent, and the universe exerts itself to correct the problem.

for @scarletvizhlovers

[nastybuckybarnes]

A Broken Fairytale  -  Five

Pairing: Prince!Bucky x Reader AU

Summary: Sold by your mother, you work as a servant for the King and Queen of Acadia. The Prince, much to his initial dismay, takes a liking to you. When a wicked woman intervenes, your life is nothing more than a prison sentence. With a war on the horizon and a betrothal to a missing Princess that he can’t escape, Bucky is forced to be the Prince -and King- that his father wants. A pawn in a bigger game than the two of you realize.

Warnings: Language (Maybe), Fluff, minor character death, lil angst

Word Count: 3.4K

A/N: okay boys. It’s been five months. Omg im so sorry!!

SERIES MASTERLIST MASTERLIST edited poorly but oh well :)

~*~

“Do you know who (Y/n) is?”

Brock looks at the woman then scoffs. “Yeah, new servant girl. Decent enough. Why?”

The woman walks towards the Knight. “I want her gone. She’s been nothing but a thorn in my side since the day I got her. Get rid of her.” Brock raises his eyebrows, “What like, kill her?”

The woman groans and pinches the bridge of her nose. “Ideally, yes, I’d like her dead. But if you haven’t the stomach for that, then get her out of the picture in a different way. Kidnap her, ship her away, lock her up. I really don’t care. But my sister almost saw her daughter tonight. All these years of hard work… could’ve been wasted.”

Brock looks at the woman for a moment then shrugs, “what’s in it for me?” He asks. The woman smiles a yellow-toothed smile and pulls something from her pocket.

“This is what’s in it for you.” She drops a heavy coin purse into his hand and he smiles, opening it and inspecting the pieces of silver and gold in the light of the full moon.

“You want her gone? She’s gone.”

As he turns to leave, the woman grabs his shoulder.

“I want her gone before the new moon. And I’ll need proof. Or else it’ll be you being hunted. I’m a wicked woman and I always get my way.” She lets him go and he scoffs, brushing off his shoulder and shaking off the slight fear he feels.

“Like I said,” he turns on his heel to leave the property, “she’s gone.”

The woman smiles wickedly, content with herself and the way she’s taken care of her problem.

~

“(Y/n)! Hurry up! We won’t make it to Ben’s before sundown if you don’t move your be-hind!” Wanda calls, sending you a playful smirk as you finish paying for some flowers.

“Alright! I’m on my way!” She giggles as you catch up to her, linking her arm through yours.

“So, I saw Prince James leaving our room the other night. What was that about?” You sigh and shake your head. “He wanted something that couldn’t be.”

She purses her lips and nods, “well I hate to be a bearer of potentially bad news, but he’s joining his cousin and my brother today.” You glance over your shoulder, stomach tightening as you see the dark-haired prince. His eyes are already on you, a guilty look in them and a shy smile on his face.

“Come on. We’re almost there. You can pout and sulk later.” You elbow Wanda in the ribs gently but follow her towards the bakery.

A hand is suddenly on your wrist, gripping it tightly but not tight enough to hurt.

“Ladies. A lovely day we have, isn’t it?” You look up at the prince then over at Wanda. “Yes. Indeed it is a beautiful day, Prince James. I am... surprised that you joined us.” He smiles softly and nods. “I figured it would do me some good to spend time with the people who keep my Palace in one piece.” She smiles then looks down at her feet.

The silence is awkward and tense, and you want to run straight at the horses trotting past.

“Well, I’d better go see how much money Pietro has wasted. I want to give Ben a gift of some sort. He’s always so kind to us.” You make a mental note to get her back as she leaves you alone with the Prince. “(Y/n)... I’d like to apologize for my actions the other night. They were inappropriate and uncalled for, and you deserve better. That’s no way for a prince to behave and no way for a potential suitor to behave. I’m offering you my deepest and sincerest apologies.” You’re surprised, and you’re sure your face displays that clear as day. “Um... you’re forgiven, your Highness. Although I am still curious as to why you wish to court me.” He shrugs, running a hand through his hair. “I find everything you do... mystical. You are different than the other maidens in the country, and you’re gentle. I think that’s what drew me in first. You’re gentle despite what you grew up with. And before you go defend Lady Griffon, know that Steve informed me of her actions.” You don’t look up, almost ashamed of yourself for what she did.

“You’re strong. And smart. And I wish to know you better.” You find yourself smiling, despite your earlier hesitation.

“Well... I suppose there’s no harm in just speaking to you, is there?” He smiles triumphantly and shakes his head. “No, there isn’t. Now, I want to know anything and everything about yourself.”

Steve watches with a smile as you and Bucky talk and laugh together without a care in the world.

However, Steve’s not the only one watching.

From a few feet back, a set of grey eyes stare at the pair, almost taking notes of their behaviour.

A plan formulates in the mind of the staring man, a disgusting and dangerous plan, but a plan that will get him recognized and filthy rich.

~

“Why do you buy such strange things?” The prince asks, having insisted upon holding your few items.

“I pick the carts that have the least amount of people near them. Those are the people who need the money the most.” He’s absolutely awestruck by your response, falling harder for you by the second.

“And every time we go see Ben, I try and leave some coins in a discreet place for him to find later. I’m not sure if it works, but I know he seems happier every time I see him.”

“How? How are you the kindest person in the kingdom?” You giggle softly and shake your head, handing him a piece of banana bread.

“I’m not. However, I know what it’s like to be mistreated. And I’d never wish that upon anyone. No one deserves to be treated badly.” He frowns, looking at you in confusion, “even those who mistreated you? Do they not deserve to be punished?”

You sigh and shrug, “that’s not for me to decide. If punishment is what is meant to happen to them, then it will happen in due time.” He’s silent for a moment, pondering your words while chewing the baked good.

You’ve given him a lot to think about during your conversations, and he couldn’t be more grateful.

“So there is no part of you that holds resentment towards the people who’ve treated you poorly?” He asks after a few moments of silence. You shake your head and sigh, “what good would it do now? There’s really no point in hating people whom I may never see again.” The back of his hand brushes against yours as you walk and you can’t help but smile softly.

“You shall never cease to amaze me. Every time you speak I find myself even more entranced than before.” You look down and shake your head, ignoring the way your heart races at his statement.

“You’re far too kind, your highness.” He shakes his head, fingers snaking around yours for a moment.

“Please, no more formalities. I wish to know you for you and you to know me for me. That is... if that’s what you’d like.” You stop walking to look up into his nervous but oh so beautiful blue eyes.

“I’d love nothing more, James.” He smiles brightly, so brightly you’d think he’s looking at the creator of all good in the world.

“Very well, what do you want to know?” He asks nervously, his fingers taping nervous patterns against his palm. You smile and gently take his hand in yours.

“I’d like to know about the real James Barnes. Not the prince. Can you tell me about that?” He nods with a smile.

“I can.”

~

“So... you and Prince James seem to be getting closer with each passing day,” Wanda remarks when you, her, and May are getting ready for bed.

You roll your eyes playfully and shake your head. “We are simply learning about each other. I figured it would be rude to deny the Prince of anything he wants.” May raises her eyebrows.

“Is that why you’re sneaking out of our chambers and walking through the gardens with him nearly every night?” You whip around to stare at her and May who are staring at you with identical smirks.

“Y-you noticed that?” She giggles and nods. “Of course! It’s the talk of the Palace. Only good talk though, I promise.” You sigh then smile widely. “Wanda he’s wonderful. He’s sweet and caring and so charming. He gave me his cloak to wear last night because I was cold. And he kisses my hand and he whispers the sweetest nothings into my ear.”

May smiles at you, a knowing look in her eyes. “You fancy him.” You shrug, smiling bashfully. You turn away from her, your eyes catching on something in the sky.

“Is that... smoke?” You ask softly, walking to the window and peering out. Sure enough, one of the larger houses in the village is on fire.

Just as you’re turning to ask May and Wanda where it’s coming from, the door bursts open and Peter runs in, panting hard with tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Peter! What’s wrong?” May asks, jumping off her bed and gathering her nephew in her arms.

“I-I tried to s-save him!” You step forward and frown, placing your hand gently on his shoulder.

May gently rocks him side to side, trying to calm him down.

“Slow down Peter,” Wanda says, “start from the beginning.” He shakes his head then swallows hard. “There was a f-fire. At the bakery. U-Uncle Ben... h-he’s... I couldn’t...” He hiccups a sob and May gasps, arms dropping away from her Nephew to cover her face.

“No. Please dear lord no.” You take Peter by the elbow and guide him towards you, pulling him into a tight hug when he starts sobbing again.

“I’m so sorry,” you whisper, stroking his hair as he cries against your shoulder. You blink back tears of your own as Wanda coaxes May to sit back down, shushing the sobbing woman.

“B-but he's gone... h-he’s g-g-gone!” You hug him tighter and kiss the crown of his head. The four of you sit in partial silence for a while, May sobbing softly against Wanda while Peter gradually stops crying.

“It’s not fair,” he whispers. You nod, sighing heavily. “I know. And it’ll be hard. But I don’t think Ben would want you to be so... distraught over his passing.” He coughs a sob and clings to you.

Sighing, you wrap your arms around him and start humming.

When his sobs become less intense, you start singing softly to him.

“Hush now my Storeen Close your eyes and sleep Waltzing the waves Diving the deep Stars are shining bright The wind is on the rise Whispering words of long lost lullabies.”

Wanda helps May to bed, gently brushing her hair as you sing the lullaby to them.

“Oh won't you come with me Where the moon is made of gold And in the morning sun, We'll be sailing Oh won't you come with me Where the ocean meets the sky And as the clouds roll by We'll sing the song of the sea.”

~*~

You sing and hum to Peter for the next few hours, ignoring the way your eyelids grow heavy.

When he’s finally asleep the moon is high in the sky and the village is dark, the fire having been put out long ago.

“I’m going to go make some tea and maybe start on May’s tasks for tomorrow,” you whisper to Wanda as you pass her. May is sleeping restlessly, tears still dripping down her cheeks.

“Oh (Y/n). You don’t need to do that.” You wave off her protests and start down the stairs, the lullaby stuck in your head.

You hum it to yourself as you heat up some water and clean up the kitchen, trying to get ahead for her schedule tomorrow.

You’re so focused on cleaning that you forget about the tea entirely. More important, perhaps, is the fact that you don’t notice the man watching you. Well, until you crash right into him.

His arms wrap around your waist and he pulls you up against his chest. “Careful,” he murmurs.

You stare up into his eyes, your lips parting for a moment before you push away from him slightly.

You offer him a shy smile before resuming cleaning.

“I heard about what happened,” he whispers, walking over to you and stopping you from continuing.

“Poor May and Peter,” you whisper, closing your eyes and trying to block out the memories of the two of them sobbing.

“If there is anything I can do to help you, please tell me.” You shake your head and offer him a tight smile. “I’m alright. I just want to get ahead in May’s chores for tomorrow.” He stops you again, taking your hand in his.

“You always focus on everyone else. Never yourself. I want to help you with anything you may need. Because I care about you. And I know you might just be trying to make me happy by allowing me to court you but... I do truly and deeply care about you.”

You take a deep breath and look over at him. “That’s the thing, I truly care about you too. I... I find that the feelings I have for you... they’re terrifying. I know that the product of these feelings will be nothing but pain.” He turns you to face him, waiting for you to look up at him.

“(Y/n). Please look at me.” You don’t, far too ashamed of your feelings and embarrassed at admitting them out loud.

“(Y/n).” The way he says your name almost makes you look up. Almost.

He cups your cheeks and bends down a bit, looking up into your eyes. “What’s wrong, doll?” He asks, gently wiping a tear off of your cheek. You sniffle and wet your lips before speaking.

“I’m scared. Of... of this being a hoax. Some kind of terrible joke. I’m so scared.” You squeeze your eyes shut, expecting a laugh or a reprimand. Instead, slightly chapped lips are pressed against your forehead.

“I understand. I really do. I’m scared too. But I’m willing to face the consequences if it means I can be with you. Even if it’s only for a short period of time. You’re worth it. So worth it to me, (Y/n).” You look up into his eyes and cover his hands with your own.

“Do you really mean that?” He smiles and rests his forehead against yours, his eyelids dropping. “I do, (Y/n). I know it won’t be easy because we won't be able to tell anyone, but I’d really like to at least try this with you. And if you really don’t like it... don’t like me, I’ll leave you alone.” You nod once, your own eyes falling closed. He breathes a sigh of relief against your mouth before carefully slotting his lips against yours.

You rest your hands on his wrists and lean into the kiss, your lips moving in sync with his. One of his hands trails down to your waist and squeezes gently. He pulls you slightly and you stumble forwards, desperate to keep your lips connected.

He continues backwards then spins you around and pushes you against the wall. Your hands find their way into his hair and you smile against his lips, gasping for air when the two of you finally part.

“Please don’t push me away again,” he whispers, his breath fanning out across your lips.

“I won’t. But... can you kiss me again? Please?” He chuckles lightly and captures your lips in a searing kiss. His right-hand moves from your waist to your thigh, pulling it up until you hook it around his waist. Grabbing your waist with both hands, he hoists you up while pressing you harder into the wall.

Your other leg instinctively wraps around his waist, your work dress hiking up around your middle. You wrap your arms around his neck and buck your hips, gasping slightly as he grinds against you.

He takes advantage of your open mouth and slides his tongue inside. The feeling is foreign, however not unpleasant, and you find yourself absolutely melting into it.

A soft moan leaves your mouth, the sound going straight to the growing tent in his pants. He grinds against you again and you whimper. Grabbing fistfuls of his hair, you tug hard, satisfaction and warmth filling you as he groans against your mouth.

He takes your bottom lip between his teeth and gently nibbles it as you catch your breath.

“Please,” you whisper, your mind not fully aware of what you’re asking for. The Prince, however, seems to know exactly what you want and attacks your mouth with more kisses while his hands start exploring your body over your dress.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” You rip your lips away from his, hitting your head against the wall in the process.

“What the Hell, Steve!” The choice of language the man between your legs uses makes you raise your eyebrows. You take a look over his shoulder then immediately regret it.

Steve stands in the doorway of the kitchen, Wanda, Sam, Nat, Pietro, and Clint all with him.

You press your forehead against James’ chest and catch your breath while trying to muster up the courage to look at your friends.

James takes a half step back, holding your waist tightly as you place your feet back on the ground.

“What do you need?” His voice is rough and deep while his eyes are soft and gentle, gazing at you.

“Wanda was worried because (Y/n) was down here all ‘alone’. I guess she had nothing to worry about, huh?” Sam asks with a grin.

“Y-you guys won’t say anything to anyone... right?” Your voice is a nervous squeak and, upon realizing that you’re genuinely nervous, their eyes soften.

“Of course we won’t. But if you guys choose to pursue something, perhaps you should do it in a more private setting,” Steve says, a gentle smile on his face. You cast your eyes down and bring your hands in front of you, rubbing your thumb on your palm to distract yourself from the embarrassment you feel.

“Peter was waking up when I left. We should get back to him soon,” Wanda says, successfully breaking the awkward silence. You nod, looking up at Bucky for a moment.

“Go on. I’ll... I’ll find time to see you. I will.” You nod again, leaning your head back a bit as he leans down. His lips meet yours in a gentle kiss, different than the ones you shared a few moments prior.

Someone clears their throat and the two of you break apart. “I should... I should go,” you whisper. He rubs your cheek gently with the pad of his thumb and nods. “Yeah. I guess so.”

Shuffling behind you interrupts the moment and you glance over to the source.

“Peter,” you whisper, hurrying over to him. “It’s okay, Peter. I’m here now.”

He hugs you tightly and sniffles, “C-can you sing me the lullaby again please?” You nod and gently comb your fingers through his hair as you start singing, walking him slowly up the stairs.

“Oh won't you come with me Where the moon is made of gold And in the morning sun We'll be sailing”

Your voice trails off as you walk Peter away from the kitchen and upstairs to your room.

Wanda and Pietro follow quickly after, leaving Bucky to face all of his friends.

“You do realize you’re supposed to marry someone who isn’t (Y/n), right?” Natasha asks bluntly.

Bucky shoots her a glare but otherwise ignores the question, walking out of the kitchen without another word.

[elopez7228]

Scenic Route 31/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774 

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

***

King con. He couldn’t say he didn’t deserve the title.

Just last night he’d been the happiest man alive, watching her return his kisses and share his desires, or better yet, take the initiative. He had been betrayed by his most loyal followers and forced to forfeit his position at FORCE. He was screwed.

Lord, he’d been screwed ever since she came into his life.

Her and no one else.

He would have sold his empire for her. Never in his life had he wanted someone so badly. He had realized in a matter of hours that he had never truly been in love before.

Before Rey.

Idiot. Now what? What was he suppose to do with this grand revelation when he couldn’t resist fucking things up when he had the chance?

It dawned on him that Syed had been right all along: Rey was nothing more than a diversion act set up by Earth Soldiers. He should have known. She was too real, too uncomplicated and disinterested in his past as Leia Skywalker’s un-prodigal son to ever be a part of their hippie cult. Had she been a true believer, she would have reacted differently to him.

Even the bottom-feeders in Leia’s organization knew who Kylo Ren was. They would never be able to play the part convincingly in his presence—either they would try to get back at him for undermining their glorious leader, or they would bend over backwards for him because they wouldn’t dare displease Leia by hurting her son.

But Rey? She threw the playbook out the window. She laughed in the face of them all, be it FORCE, or Earth Soldiers, Leia Skywalker or Kylo Ren. She only ever had eyes for Ben Solo.

The thought made him stop in his tracks. No one had ever wanted Ben Solo before.

Not his own mother, who saw his likely unplanned birth as nothing but a complication in her promising military career (perhaps why she left him with faceless nannies for eight months of the year) and certainly not his rakish father, who could never relate to his soft-spoken, taciturn son. The man only had an appetite for speed and dirty jokes, which Ben found equally unappealing.

His fellow boys on the base were no better. They constantly made fun of his bad posture and  lanky frame, if not his unmasculine passion for calligraphy which was too far from their fanboy worship of Rambo and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And then you had the girls. Lord, the girls. With his too-big ears and elongated nose they happily christened him “rat face”, shoving him deeper into his self-imposed solitude.

Worst of all was his uncle, who Ben lived with after turning thirteen and losing his father. Luke worked at the FORCE headquarters in San Francisco where he became obsessed with carrying on his father Anakin Skywalker’s legacy—a grand ambition for the future of the family enterprise that was also forced upon his new intern-nephew. But Ben never liked the projects they designed for him, not that they ever bothered to stop and ask him for his opinion anyway.

Year after year, silence after silence, the anger accumulated. A deep, unvoiced rage against the whole world, against himself. He hated his own ugliness, his shyness, and his parents’ apathetic disdain. He was always an outcast, never able to make friends or fit in.

Just thinking about the atrocity of his childhood and teenage years was making him chew the inside of his cheek raw. He had spent years trying to please the people around him, in vain.

His life changed the day he enrolled in Harvard and began going by the name Kylo Ren.

His mother hardly had the means to pay for his education there. Even less could be said for his uncle, who in his lunacy had managed to get kicked off of FORCE’s board of directors after staging an internal coup. Luke was facing a defamation lawsuit from the president, Snoke, and had nothing to offer his freshly-graduated nephew.

In fact, the way Luke and Leia put it, Ben wasn’t talented enough to attend an Ivy League school. They didn’t even try to pull strings to get him hired at FORCE. Ben couldn’t help but feel that they saw him as little more than a culmination of both of their failures in life.

FORCE was rife with corruption now, they told him. An apple with worms, etcetera, etcetera.

And then they declared that the family enterprise, founded by very his own grandparents, Anakin and Padmé Skywalker, was barred to him forever? When did he become so despised and useless that he was denied a place at the table when it came to his own heritage, his own fucking bloodline?

It was then that Snoke reached out, unexpectedly. In the name of maintaining the family business and keeping the Skywalker name in the game, he offered Ben a privately funded scholarship to attend university. His mother had pushed him to refuse the offer.

Truly, she had been unbearable. Finally there stood a genuinely lucrative opportunity for him to take and she demanded he refuse it? What for? What did she have to offer in return? Nothing. Not a single alternative to humor him with other than a measly “trust me”.

And with that, he was willing to take a chance on that scholarship.

Ben managed to ace all the entrance exams, despite his hatred for standardized testing and the nagging feeling that he hadn’t done well enough.

Maybe he was finally learning to believe in himself?

In his eagerness to leave the past behind, he began calling himself Kylo Ren. New name, clean slate.

Kylo Ren was everything that Ben Solo wasn’t. He was muscular and popular with the girls. He aced his classes easily and all but owned the campus scene. For the first time in his life he had enough confidence to play his music, drink, smoke, and not care what his mother thought of him.

Not that she thought any better of him, of course. All complaints as usual. His new name was ridiculous, his longer hair was unruly, and he only worked out to impress others. Furthermore, his cigarettes smelled terrible, his music sounded worse, and could he please date girls who were a little more respectable?

So he stopped visiting her entirely. He was never the son she wanted, anyway. It was time to stop pretending.

It was at about the same time that she established her own environmental awareness initiative, named after one of Padmé Skywalker’s utopian projects, and declared war on FORCE.

The newly rebranded First Order Capital and Resource Extraction office, still helmed by Snoke, reached out to him once more. After college he could have a future there: money, a senior position with near-total freedom, and a seat at the proverbial family table. He could restore the legacy of his grandfather.

After ten years of searching, he thought he had finally found his place—standing to Snoke’s right, taking on Luke and Leia who were no doubt envious of his success.

That, was before Rey came into the picture.

With her arrival, Kylo Ren was tossed aside like an empty shell.

She rejected him and his unrestrained passions—she barely wanted him to begin with.

She only respected Ben Solo while having nothing but disdain for Kylo Ren and he...fuck, he was actually okay with that. It only made her more appealing.

The sound of a car horn forced him out of his reveries. He looked up to find Shakti behind the wheel.

He got into the car and immediately lit a cigarette. Shakti said nothing. When he’d texted her to come find him at the intersection of 89 and Carbella in Gadiner at 4 AM, she obeyed.

But Ben could see her staring out of the corner of his eye. He relented.

“What?”

“New look?” Shakti grinned, pointing with her chin in his direction.

It took him a second, as he touched his head to find the braid still intact. Time to get rid of that, before the other Knights assumed he went into the woods last night to play dress up.

And yet he found himself reluctant to do so, when it was his only remaining evidence that the night spent with Rey was real. That she had touched him, and cared for him, with tenderness and good intentions. If he undid it another piece would disappear into the void, nothing but a dream.

It had been hours and he could still taste her on his lips. She was right. He had made bad choices and now he had to face the consequences.

Why had he tried to find the chip in the dog collar when things were going so well?

Easy. Because he was sure it would be there. As soon as he realized she wasn’t an acolyte—at least, a willing one—he suspected she was a mule. Hand-picked for the job by his mother. Yes, she would be able to muddy the waters without ever having to lie.

Leia always had a certain knack for casting; she was unrivaled in the art of picking and choosing who to manipulate next. And who better to trust with the actual cargo than the dog, in case the girl proved incompetent? Knowing Rey, she could have easily lost an envelope, or her bag, or her phone...hell, the Millennium Falcon too. She could have just left it to rot when Syed started chasing her. But who in their right mind would abandon a defenseless puppy?

It was a stroke of genius.

That morning, it had been time to see if he was right, if he had correctly predicted the end of his mother’s master plan. To see if he was as clever as she never gave him credit for.

He’d tried to resist the urge. He really did. He’d kissed Rey and hoped to drift back to sleep with her. But it was no use, he had to know.

And so he got up, silent as a shadow, to dress in the clothes that were scattered on the ground outside. Thinking back, it was the other evidence of their moonlit  tryst. He found her keys in her bag and opened the car door.

BB8 was so happy to be out that she forgot Luke’s instructions to attack Ben on sight. The only thing she did was relive herself in the bushes.

In one smooth motion, he had grabbed her collar, easily finding the metal latch of the hidden compartment that popped open right there and—

And that’s when he saw her standing there.

In hindsight, he knew right then and there that there was no fixing this. Nothing he could say or do that would make her believe that he hadn’t meant to do anything other than confirm a hunch. He’d been caught like an idiot with his hand in the cookie jar, hours after promising to be honest with her.

There was no way he was getting her back now. She slipped through his fingers like water, gone forever.

A hard bargain for one microSD chip.

Her love was worth more. He wouldn’t have admitted a few days ago, but after Syed and Skylar’s betrayal, after Snoke and Hux and the endless blackmail? It was over. FORCE had turned against him, so swiftly and violently that it left him breathless. Like it did to Luke. And his grandfather.

But the girl, Rey, had been there for him.

And even as she screamed at him in rage, even as she claimed deception—she had proven him right too. The mule, the secret, the dog. All of it.

She had started out innocently enough, a tourist on holiday. But by moving the chip on purpose she had become a willing accomplice.

That alone was enough to make her the enemy. But did Ben still have a side here?

Syed had managed to turn Skylar against him in impressively short order. What had she promised him in return? Money, or sex, maybe both?

Had she managed to turn the rest of them too? Maybe there was no one left to trust, and he was alone again. A total reject, a pariah, Leia’s failure of a son.

Looking at Shakti behind the wheel, it was impossible to tell. She didn’t seem any different but Syed could have tried to manipulate her regardless. The two women were never close despite working on the same team, Syed’s brutal tendencies often clashing with Shakti’s militaristic discipline.

He could see it clearly now: Syed and Skylar’s mission had been Ben himself.

The other knights would reveal their cards in time.

And as for Snoke and Hux...nothing was certain. They could have very well asked Syed to dispose of him. But knowing her, the attack was likely more of a personal choice. She wanted him to give up Rey’s location, making Rey the final target. The fact that Syed and Skylar got to beat him up in the process was just icing on the cake.

Maybe he still had a shot at redemption here, if he played his cards right. The list of tasks was endless.

The only thing he was absolutely sure of was that Rey had a couple of very competent assassins on her trail. After last night, they would stop at nothing to get back at her.

He had to warn her...he had to stop them.

His deceptively prim metropolitan belle had proven to be far more resourceful than he expected, but she was still no match for two Knights of Ren.

Decision made, he took out his phone.

Shakti was right beside him as he made the call, but that no longer mattered. Either she was with him and she was going to understand the stakes in a matter of time, or she was against him and he would personally ensure that she wouldn’t tell a soul.

Rey didn’t answer, it went straight to voicemail.

“Rey, it’s Ben. I know you don’t want to talk but hear me out. Syed and Skylar are tracking you and they won’t stop after what happed last night. You have to go to the police, you’re in imminent danger. Call me, I—“ he hesitated, his voice breaking.

Should he say it?

“I’m an ungrateful bastard and I’m sorry. I love you.”

Next to him, Shakti turned red. She glanced away as best she could to hide it.

Mentally, he added another item to the list: maintaining control of his team after just having revealed his greatest weakness. After Rey, there would be nothing left of Kylo Ren.

[dexi-green]

Rise of Skywalker was good. Rant/Appreciation, spoilers ahead. Super long and rambling. This is all personal opinion, if you disliked it, thats fine. If you disagree, great.

First some quick points, then the longer stuff.

I loved Babu Frik and D-O

We finally got to see the Knights of Ren in action!

Also all those Star Destroyers?? Like those things are gotdamn huge... and that many of them? Actually scary honestly.

LANDO LANDO LANDO! LANDO AND CHEWIE IN THE FALCON!!

WEDGE!!!

CHEWIE GETS HIS MEDAL!!!

Also not gonna lie.. I wanted to see a gungan. Put some respect on Jar Jar. Or confirm the Darth Jar Jar theory you cowards.

We got to see a proper version of Rey’s version of Luke’s Dark Side cave vision (The TLJ one just wasn’t it for me. The mirrors..okay...)

Storm Troopers fly now... Did they steal stuff from some Mandalorians. Mandalorians are like..the only ones ever to have jet packs like that (that I’m aware of). Maybe the Mandalorian show will see some leftover imperials stealing Mandalorian armor, which they will replicate (obviously badly, because there stuff is no beskar).

I was so happy to see the interactions between Leia and Connix, because I just loved to see Billie with her mom <3 I’m so glad they gave her a role and just kept expanding it.

Hux... I love the back and forth between him and General Pryde, (I was hoping Richard E Grant would’ve played Thrawn but alas...) wondering who the mole is, and OF COURSE ITS HUX! Because he just wants to see Kylo lose. We love it.. I’m kinda sad he was taken out so quick, but it was good while it lasted.

How they tried to push Poe into some kind of.. not relationship, but not too subtlety trying to tell the audience, no he’s not gay, in like...just a bad writing way, like okay gosh, he’s straight (Also Poe was a drug runner...). That LGBTQ “representation” was trash, but definitely better than Endgame’s so-called representation.

I also wished we woulda got more (legacy) cameos, especially in the final battle when all the ships arrive. Maybe the Ghost Crew (I think you can see the ship though), or a character from the Mandalorian show (I was hoping for more tie-in’s in general (baby yoda), but The Mandalorian did sorta set up the force healing ability). My foolish soul was hoping for a super old old clone or a super old and scarred up Mace Windu, or just super old Ahsoka, but this film 100% confirmed no going back that they are totally dead with their voices amongst the other dead jedi :/ I can’t have everything and thats alright. I’m just glad they were in there in some capacity.

JJ has said that the thing Finn was going to tell Rey was that he was force sensitive (none of the good ships flew sadly imo) but that is still...amazing to me. I love it so much. Especially with that exchange between him and Han in TFA “We’ll use the force.” “That’s not how the force works.”. Hopefully he got or gets the chance to tell Rey because then she could train him and <3 Also I think that now makes it go back to no non-force sensitive people have used a lightsaber in the films (aside from Grievous). I loved the inclusion of Jannah and the other storm trooper deserters. Not only because of the kinship with Finn, but also... They are on a moon of Endor... So moon of the Endor system inhabitants, with slightly primitive techniques and tools and things come to help in the final battle? I love it. Putting some respeck on the Ewoks (also we see Ewoks?!?! Specifically Wickett <3) (Also I noticed a Fire, Water, Earth theme. The final battle in the prequels was in fire/lava. The final battle in the original trilogy was on the forest moon of endor, and while not the final battle, Kef Bir is the ocean moon of endor)

Palpatine doing what we all knew he was, using bodies to live through. I mean thats why he always had apprentices, just so he could skip over to them when his body got gross and weak, or at the very least work through them. I definitely wanna know more about the whole Snoke operation. We knew it was insane for some rando to be that powerful to be whispering and seducing Ben to the dark side from birth. And the cloning? like please, tell me more. I loved Palpatine’s exclamation of “Return of the Sith!” as an obvious nod to the films Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith, but also the fact Return was going to be Revenge of the Jedi.

I LOVE LOVEDDDD the small scene of Luke training Leia. Yeah the CGI on their faces wasn’t the best but just being able to see it and knowing that he did go forward and train her as well as other students was everything to me. I’ve always wanted Leia’s force abilities to be more acknowledged outside of the comics, so you know I went crazy in the scene from TLJ (for multiple reasons). Leia training Rey?! Rey referring to her (and Luke) as her jedi masters?! we love to see it <3 Rey going back to Tatooine, back to the moisture farm (I could just hear Aunt Beru calling out for Luke (but also him calling for her and uncle owen when they got disintegrated..oop)). Calling herself a Skywalker, AND SEEING LUKE AND LEIA’S FORCE GHOST!! WE LOVE TO SEE IT (but hate it because it’s the end). THE TWIN SUNS AS THE SAGA ENDS WHERE IT BEGAN!!

The voices of the Jedi at the end?!? I cried. I mean there was Anakin, Obi-Wan (both old and young), Qui Gon, Mace Windu, Yoda, and Luke of course, but also Aaayla Secura, Luminara, Adi Gallia, KANAN JARRUS (who is voice by Freddie Prinze Jr. aka the best Fred Scooby Doo could ask for) , AHSOKA TANO!!! Nothing I want more than more Ahsoka <3 I would’ve loved to see them all show up as Force Ghosts at the end ala the ghosts of Harry’s family in Harry Potter Goblet of Fire/Deathly Hallows but I understand why they opted for voices only. Also no Ki-Adi-Mundi because while everyone was saying, “Rey, You can do it! We are with you!” he just woulda been like, “But...what about the droid attack on the wookiees?”

Han!! Han!! When he appeared to Kylo, after Leia pulled him back as much as she could, and Rey healed him and inched him further, and then of course, Han finished the job. Leia asked him to bring him back and he did in the end. The person he seemingly hated the most (maybe thats tied with Luke. I honestly would’ve liked to see some kinda of thing between Luke and Ben, some reconciliation). The famous Solo “I know” which we all know means I love you. like come onnnnn <3 AND Ben and Leia’s bodies becoming one with the force... but Leia only after Ben... like she was holding on, waiting for him <3 This really made me like Ben/Kylo a bit more, obviously the light side Ben more, because Kylo is actual trash imo.

I cried when Chewie cried for Leia. Her death was sad on it’s own, but Chewie just broke me. He had a happy family, then Ben went bad, Han and Leia split, and Luke left, then when he thinks everything is coming back together, He lost Han, then he lost Luke, now Leia? If you actually watch him he just collapses to the ground, throwing his arms, sobbing... AND HAVING TO SEE HIM IN SHACKLES!?!? And not like “oh we gotta trick these guards” but actually captured and shackled, After all the wookiees being captured and enslaved and he how he had to deal with that...come on man....

I cried when Luke pulled his X-wing out of the water. We all saw it submerged in TLJ, waiting for that moment when someone would do it. The fact that he does it, when he couldn’t back when it happened on Dagobah. It shows how much he’s grown, showed him stepping into Yoda’s role even more fully. He never got to leave that island in it, but Rey did. Plus Rey wearing his Rebel helmet like she wore the helmet in TFA?! Honestly... Two “nobodies” from nowhere sand planets who become the hope and saviors of the galaxy (you could include Anakin in that as well, but he just...kinda sparked the hope in Luke and was his savior so...indirectly the hope and savior).

The only thing I didn't like was the Ben and Rey kiss at the end but luckily it wasn't drawn out and he died right after. Cause you really expect me to believe that within the same movie of him pushing her to her limits and making her believe she killed a friend that she gone be like...oh but you still cute tho?  Also while re-watching everything and watching the prequels last month I remembered how Palpatine influenced the midichlorians/force to make Anakin in Shmi (it might not be canonized though, I’m not sure...). Obviously he’s not a biological father but...he is responsible...so that in a way makes him Kylo's grandfather in a sense. Rey is Sheev’s biological granddaughter so...big yikes. To me Kylo/Ben and Rey have a much better dynamic as brother and sister anyway.. I think a brother and sister bond suit them so much better. A rhyme of Luke and Leia, and the forged sibling bond between Obi-Wan and Anakin. It has pieces of both and would have been beautiful for it to play out that way. About Rey pulling her family in Ben Solo back to the light. I mean she even thought of Han, Leia, and Luke as parental figures... but luke and leia kissed so :/  guess just a family thing. 

Running themes in all of star wars is hope, family, and who you are. In this, the prequels were the darkest. They end in a family divided, hope seemingly lost, and giving into the worst parts of yourself. The original trilogy was about finding the hope in the darkest times, becoming more than you think of yourself, and that family can overcome anything together. This trilogy was about clinging onto hope that you can find and making it a beacon for others, becoming more than what you and others think of you, "subverting destiny", and the fact that family isn't blood, not always. Just because someone tells you you're a monster, just because you started to believe it, doesn't mean you are. Once you have hope you hold onto it with everything you have, no matter how many times you fail or slip.

Rey being a Palpatine isn't "the bad guys bloodline living while the good guys die out". It isn't about bloodlines. Sure Kylo and Vader's terrible deeds will live on in infamy, but so will the entire rebellion's. Instead of being like, "oh well by blood I'm a Palpatine so I gotta use that last name" she made a conscious choice to go by Skywalker, because of what the Skywalker family meant to her and the galaxy, so that their deeds live on and not Palpatine. He will become a bad memory, a scar on history, while Skywalker’s, the positive idea of them, will continue to live and spark hope year and years into the future. Her blood isn't tainted and her grandfathers nature isn't hers, if it was she really would be the empress on the sith throne after Palpatine's death. She would've took Kylo's hand and offers before. Its the same with Kylo. He succumbed to what Rey was actively fighting against. Its the idea its harder to be good than bad.

Palpatine's bloodline living on means nothing unless Rey decided to make it mean something. But she didn't. As far as I'm concerned the only thing the bloodline might've impacted is her connection to the force and how strong it was naturally (like Kylo because of Leia (maybe Han..debatable, i like to believe he’s a little force sensitive) and her and Luke's connection to it because of Anakin). Her parents also actively fought against Palpatine as far as we know, Luke and Leia fought against Vader like... To say oh your parent was like this so you are gonna turn out the same? Yikes. Also Finn and the other stormtrooper deserters? Literally brainwashed from such a young age to be killers but they said no? It seems like the theme was you can fight against your destiny or like Yoda said about the future being hard to see because its constantly moving so "destiny" is kinda just a trash idea, be who you are or the person you want to be, not what others tell you.

Also I see some people saying it destroyed Anakin's legacy, and I have to disagree. To the fan's Anakin's legacy was never killing Palpatine. Sure that was the action, but the act was saving Luke. It was coming back from the dark to the light to save his son and in a way, the rest of the galaxy, at least for a time, it was betraying his master. It was the why he did it, not the how. Not only did he save Luke's life, but he fueled Luke to go forward and continue down the path of hope and light as long as he could. Anakin's true legacy lives on in Luke and Leia and the Rebellion. Palpatine's return doesn't diminish Anakin's sacrifice. Because it wasn’t about just destroying Palpatine. Anakin/Vader's thoughts went to Padme and Luke, and the prophecy of bringing balance, he knew he had to do something. When Luke takes off his helmet when Anakin is dying he thinks, “The boy was good, and the boy had come from him–so there must have been good in him, too. He smiled up again at his son, and for the first time, loved him. And for the first time in many long years, loved himself again, as well.” (coming from the novelization of Return). As long as Luke lived, and Luke's legacy lives on, so does Anakin's and so does Anakin’s return to the light. Anakin's legacy and impact, the good and the bad, will continue. Maybe the people of that galaxy won't know of the person named Anakin compared to sith lord Darth Vader, but his impact will always be there.

Yeah they aren’t always the most perfectly written stories with the best effects and yadda yadda, I know there are some missteps and less then stellar things in this films, but they are here to entertain, and I’m entertained. There is probably so much I’m missing, and I really want to go see it again, and can’t wait till it’s out on DVD or streaming services... 

It was a beautiful film that did the best it could to end a saga thats bigger than anything ever, thats been going on for years, something that is unheard of and never been done. I just want to honor the history, the memory, and the work it all took. I just love these films so much. <3 Also, always remembering Carrie, Peter M. and Peter C., Christoper, and Kenny, and all other actors and crew who have passed who lent their time and effort to all of these films and this entire franchise <3 

[politicalmamaduck]

The Last Shot

Today is the two year anniversary of when I started posting this fic! Happy Birthday, Bri/ @the-reylo-void!

A Smuggler Ben Solo/Dark Side Rey arranged marriage fic for @the-reylo-void. Many thanks to @rapturousaurora for betaing, @cosetteskywalker for the above moodboards, and @aionimica for her drawing of Rey in her wedding dress!

Read it on AO3 here, and listen to the playlist here!

Chapter Twenty Seven: Balance | Chapter Twenty Six: Light to Meet | Chapter Twenty Five: Darkness Rising | Chapter Twenty Four: The Betrayal | Chapter Twenty Three: Stay | Chapter Twenty Two: The Storm | Chapter Twenty One: The Fulcrum | Chapter Twenty: In Darkness | Chapter Nineteen: Rey’s Dream | Chapter Eighteen: Jakku | Chapter Seventeen: The First Flashback | Chapter Sixteen: The Rendezvous | Chapter Fifteen: Tatooine | Chapter Fourteen: The First Mission | Chapter Thirteen: Goodbye to Naboo | Chapter Twelve: The Wedding Night | Chapter Eleven: The Aftermath | Chapter Ten: The Wedding | Chapter Nine: Naboo | Chapter Eight: The Time in Between | Chapter Seven: The Negotiations | Chapter Six: The Duel | Chapter Five: The Discovery | Chapter Four: The Bargain | Chapter Three: The Bounty | Chapter Two: The Meeting | Chapter One: The Treaty

The world in which Ben Solo woke up was bright, but artificially bright, unlike Tatooine’s binary suns causing the sands to shimmer. The unwary could easily believe they saw things in the desert, things living or dead. Whether or not those things were really there, one could not say. 

It was also quiet, save for the hums and beeps of machinery. Was he on a ship? He was alive, that was the most important thing, and no one was shooting at him for the moment. His head ached, but not as badly as it had on Tatooine. His body was sluggish and his vision still slightly blurred. He blinked a few times and raised his hands to see that they were, in fact, not bound, and noted the healing bruises on his wrists. 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes once more. 

“The patient has awakened,” he heard a med droid say. He tried to open his mouth to respond, but the med droid was too quick, and injected him with something. He could feel himself slipping back into unconsciousness as he heard a female voice responding to the droid. His mother? His wife?

This time, he dreamed. He dreamed of a battle, with Rey by his side and at his back, their ‘sabers clashing against weapons in a red-tinged darkness. He dreamed of his mother, finally retired on Naboo, having Gatalentan tea with Aunt Amilyn and the Naberries. He dreamed of his uncle, training a new generation of Jedi. He dreamed of his father and Uncle Lando, laughing in the Falcon with Chewbacca. 

He dreamed he was happy. 

He could almost believe it, even though he knew it to be a dream. He felt as though he could swim on the tide of happiness, float in the healing waters as they pushed him to shore and into his loved ones’ outstretched arms.

The sun and the waves were soft, caressing him like a mother or a lover, bearing him along to safety. 

The Light had always been there, calling him, just as the Dark, but he needed to find it within himself, to embrace it as his own choice, rather than what his family or the galaxy demanded of him. 

And so did Rey. 

Rey, he thought. He wondered where she was, if she could forgive him for not telling her the extent of his communications with the Resistance. 

Rey, his beautiful, stubborn, fierce wife, who so badly wanted a family of her own and vengeance for the one she had lost. She was equal parts light and dark as he was, and she too in time would come to realize the balance required by the Force and forge her own path.

He hoped she would allow him to be there with her, by her side, as she figured it out for herself. 

The water upon which he was floating was not water, he belatedly realized in the haze of his dreams and thoughts. 

Ben opened his eyes again to find himself submerged in a bacta tank. The tank’s monitor started beeping loudly, and the medical droid hurried over to address it. If the droid were a human being, Ben was certain it would have sighed, for its patient seemed determined to awaken from sedation early. 

Ben could feel himself being propelled upward as the tank’s top was removed, and prepared himself for the removal from submersion. 

The medical droid helped him out of the tank and guided him to a nearby bed, and only then did he notice the woman sitting in a chair to the left of the bed, glaring at him. 

Rey. 

Ben situated himself in the bed, and the droid promised to come by with food. 

They were alone together, and Ben found he did not know how to begin, but Rey saved him the trouble.

“You took a long time to recover.”

“I’m ten years older than you, remember?”

“That doesn’t make you old. You wasted your Force potential for too long.”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, looking down at his hands. “Where exactly are we, anyway?”

“Your mother’s Resistance base. They weren’t exactly happy about me being here, but I think the look on my face and your condition caused them to keep quiet for the time being, except for that golden protocol droid.”

Ben smiled at the thought of C-3PO’s incessant fretting. “Oh dear, oh dear,” he deadpanned to mimic the droid, looking at Rey, hoping she would at least smile. 

She laughed, which turned quickly to another intense frown. “You should have told me about all this.”

“I know,” he repeated. “I am truly sorry, Rey.”

“You should be.” Her lower lip quivered. “I’m sorry too, Ben. I betrayed you, too.”

Ben was certainly not about to quibble with her word choice, not when she offered an apology after presumably saving his life. 

“But you saved me. Thank you,” he said, gently reaching out to her in the Force. She didn’t respond, but she didn’t push him away, either. 

She shook her head. “The Resistance got there first. I wanted to try to heal you myself, but they wouldn’t hear of it.”

“You know how to Force heal?” he asked, his eyebrows raised. It was said that the healing arts employed by dark side users came at a great price. 

She shook her head. “I meant with the supplies the Knights and I have, until we could get you to our hideout. Fionnuala is the best at Force healing, but she wasn’t there with me; only Falisa and Keeva were.” 

“You have a hideout?” he asked, his eyebrows raised once again. She sighed. “Of course we do. Hux’s troops and the Knights don’t always get along, and we’re not entitled to command troops or ships.” 

He nodded. While he would admit to being curious, the idea of being ensconced with the powerful, malevolent Knights of Ren and who-knew-what-else dark side relics in a location of their choosing would probably make even Luke Skywalker nervous, even if he hadn’t faced down temptation numerous times. 

Ben could still feel the nervous, chaotic, pernicious energy that had permeated the atmosphere on Jakku. It was something he was not inclined to repeat. 

“Thank you, though. For your apology and for attempting to rescue me. And coming here,” he added. He wondered who among the Resistance dared antagonize Rey.  

She shook her head again. “No, Ben. I’m the one who sent the bounty hunters after you.”

In that instant, Ben Solo’s carefully constructed world--and vials of medicine sitting on the nearby table--shattered.

[dow234]

Star Wars Sequel fix(IF GEORGE HAS IT)

THIS IS A ROUGH DRAFT

have a two part system

1. a live film that rime with the prior(George takes a Yoda/Obi seat)

2. an animated series that is based on the Whils(George takes command)

new Directors and Writers

Film 7

The film starts on an ocean planet with various small islands. An orphan girl, Rey, who is a scavenger by trade. She get out of the Orphanage goes around the island or go on the ship and dig in another area to help the other orphans. Rey one day gets a small item and holds on it like a luckily charm. The Order is an organization that starting to attack the planet. In one battle an Order solider becomes a defector leaves with the girl who was near by. Fin introduces himself to Rey and takes off his armor and makes his equipment unrecognizable by organization. He tells Rey that he defected because he never wanted to be part of the Order and that the last battle was his best chance and thanked her. Rey ask about his past and he says that he does not know who his parents are and was taken as an infant by the order he was trained and saw what happened to those who did not follow the Order’s way he kept things to himself. Rey and Fin later on gets of the planet by and old man(Han) and his friend(chewie) on the falcon. They talk but also go to the Jungle planet that has a famous canting(much identical to the original), the battle of the planet but the difference is that Han dies much more dignafing and he distracts his son to let the girl leaves. The leader of the Order talks to the son and plans to go ahead. Once at the Resistance base the girl is told that the lucky charm is to find Luke and the boy goes and is interrogated to understand everything about about the Order he tells them about the military and size the size is all of the unknown regions and all the equipment and strategies they will use. He tells them that they have a Clone and Doid army besides a standard army. He also tells them that there is one base that is unknown base that is very unstable and if fire one round it will be destoied. The girl leave with the falcon to find Luke.(end is the same)

Film 8

This one is a lot more different this time Luke takes the lightsaber and tells the girl that I need to train you for at least one wide rotation she agrees. The fist thing he does is tell her about the destruction of his school which happened he states that he was gone for a long time to find more information about the force but when he came back Asoka Tano is dead and is school is destroyed by Ben his nephew and it broke him in a way and pushed himself to exile himself. One week later the super weapon is on the capital of the Republic but is also distoyed, the girl is distort Luke says not to worry because things will be great at the end, His last lesson was the force pit she also sees Anakin Skywalker. This action pushes a fear towards the Republic and the Order attacks, the Resistance and Republic are attacking the Order they are losing badly. One battle lead to the death of many officers of the Resistance, Leah is dead by her son Ben. The new Admeral Holdo is very different a beautiful woman who tells a close officer that she has a plan but needs to find out if there is a mole in the resistance. A stealth mission is made by an officer these stealth missions are to send teams of 2 to the first order to find out as much any information they could gather. To get the Order they go to a shady character A bounty hunter by the name of Jango Fet is hired to help them with one condition that if the shady character screws him over then he will die. They get on the flagship. There was a retreat and battle and the admiral decides in a hasty move to get everyone out of the ships to the planet to fortify the stronghold there. The ships are distoy at the end. During this time the girl and Luke has come to help, in her first battle the girl is captured and is interrogated by ben he takes the lightsaber and belitters her stating YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR OWN!/ DO YOU KNOW HOW TO BUILD ONE!? DID HE FORGET TO TECH YOU HOW TO MAKE A LIGHTSABER!? Ben kills Snoke in front of Ray as a demonstration of power and states I can teach you also I trained with Luke my uncle I know all his weaknesses one is that he can not because he is not the chosen one. The girl is freed by the boy and his teammate and Jango gets them out but his ship is damaged and has to crash on the planet, it is destroied. On the planet there is a massive battle but the republic is loseing. The girl sees Luke sacrifices himself but states to Ben I am sorry I needed more guidance on making a new force user order I never thought you would do this even with your grandfather’s apprentice. Ben says it was Asoka let him and Jaster to go to currasant to find holocrons we found the Holocrons but also the archive of the Jedi and I saw my grandfather past and it was him that was Vader. Luke states that he wanted to tell ben that Vader is also Anakin but it was not time for him. Ben states no you fear him I would have been ok knowing that out linage has a force user that used both sides. Luke staes sorry and asked if Jaster is he with you. Ben No. Ben kills Luke but tells him that only the chosen one can bring back balance to the force and you are not the chosen one. Durring the battle Fin decieds to self sacrafice and attack the main canon but he fails but he is found and attacked with his hands and feet are cut off he tires to crall to the base he is picked up by an Order soilder and gets him to a safe area to be taken as a prisoner, he is freed by Jango. The battle between the order and the republic it ends to be a retreat this time Chuie and some of the soldiers(all are old) stays behind to let the rest live. The rest gets on the falcon they leave. The bounty hunter is angry but tells Ray that he is Jaster Fett the son of Boba Fett. The rest of the Republic forces gets on the transport ships and go to hyperspace to another stronghold in the Outer Rim. Rey tells Jaster that Luke is dead, he states his physical self but now part of the force and you can hear him if he wants you to see him. She tells the new commander that Snoke is dead, Jaster raises and states she is dead!? Rey states no he is dead, Jaster says Snoke is a Woman, a beautiful woman. Cut to the Holdo she is Snoke by being taken by Ben and her guard.

Film 9(my way)

Jaster, Luke, and Anakin are training Rey and she builds her first lightsaber it is blue. Jaster tells Rey that she is the project of Sheev Palpatene that used His DNA and Obi-Won’s DNA and the medicorians of them and Luke and Anakin. The war is now at a standstill and that the Republic starts to use Clones and Droid Armies to fight the Order. The republic uses the old Fett DNA and DNA from many Heroes of the Empire civil war and great soldiers of the invasion of the Order. The Droid army of the republic is based on Clone war and Empire models. Fin gets new hands and feet. Ben with both of Anakin’s Lighsabers now can sense him and he starts to talk to him and asks for guidance, Anakin starts helping him by telling him of his past in a dream. The War is getting worse for both sides battles are seen in many places a General and Admiral Meeting makes a decision to get after Snoke and put 10% of both of the Army and Navy to go after Snoke. The battle of Snoke starts Jaster and Rey “surrender” goes into the main ship to kill Snoke. Ben talks to Jaster. Ben: It has been a long time. Jaster: I used the name Jango so not really. Ben: Really, First Luke now you. Jaster: I was shocked and deiced to go my own way. Ben: Just like me. Jaster:…. Rey: you have conflict in Ben. Jaster: it is Kylo, do not disrespect him. Rey: but. Jaster: no buts. Ben: that is ok, the conflict now has been greater by now seeing my grandfather and he taught me a lot. Jaster: great, this is good news by the way can you tell me how he looks like. Ben: he looks like both him in the Jedi order and Vader. Jaster and Rey: as discribed. Ben: you saw him!? Jaster: yes he also trained us. Ben: a part of his plan. They all get to Snoke she had her personal Gaurd and Troopers near her, Ben has his personal guard as well. The guard notice Jaster and said he is back. Snoke talks to Jaster and Rey this time Snoke wants Jaster and Ben to fight while there is a fight Snoke orders her personal troop to counter attack any raiders that. are getting on the ship. The fight between Ben and Jaster with either on insulting the other but ends up to a fist fight with Ben almost getting off the side and Jaster gets him by the arm. Ben: why? Jaster: You are my Friend, MY FRIEND! Snoke orders her guard and the Knights to attack Jaster and Ben. The Knights and Rey attack Snoke but her guard fights them. Jaster picks up Ben and they attack Snoke. Snoke starts to fight Ben and Jaster the fight end with Snoke’s death. The Battle ends a little later. It has been five years, Ben, Jaster, and Rey makes a new school calling it The School of The Bendu, which both sides of the force is being used and holds the largest archive of knowledge. And ends with the statue that holds both light and dark sides of the force with an encryption on the bottom in balance is the best way but not by itself Skills and Knowledge will make things clear.

[fyeahfantasticfour]

Does reed ever get really truly sad?

ALL THE TIME. I’d even say that at the heart of his character is a deep and abiding guilt and sadness over his role in the spaceflight crash and what it did to his family. He has always blamed himself for it and he beats himself up constantly because of it, and I don’t think that he will ever stop. That is like…his Uncle Ben. His parents getting murdered in an alleyway. The death of Pa Kent. It’s the tragedy he’ll never really recover from and that drives and informs everything he does.

Besides, he hasn’t exactly had the easiest or the most uneventful life, even before founding the FF. For starters, Reed’s mother, Evelyn, died when he was a child (50+ years and no writer has ever bothered to so much as explain how she died, and if that’s not sexism I don’t know what is) and his father, Nathaniel, effectively abandoned him. Reed didn’t see him again for 25 years (ish. Nathaniel’s a��time-traveller, and also comics). Also, just FYI, Reed originally got the premature grey at the temples as a byproduct of the trauma he suffered while fighting as a major with the Italian underground during WWII, which by all accounts was incredibly dangerous and it’s likely that a lot of his men died. (But I don’t know how canonical Reed’s military service is nowadays. Is it subject to the sliding timescale, or is it just out of continuity entirely?) So it’s not like Reed’s life was free of tragedy even before he became a member of the FF.

But if you want some good sad Reed moments:

Fantastic Four: First Family #1, which picks up immediately after the spaceflight crash and features the FF being taken to a military prison and studied. They’re all terrified, traumatized, and coping badly with their new, out-of-control powers and the reality of what their lives will be like now, and Reed’s so paralyzed by guilt over everything that he shuts down completely and is nonresponsive for days:

I 100% recommend reading this comic for the sad Reed feels alone.

Cut for length.

Fantastic Four v1 #66, where Ben’s emotionally and physically abusive towards Reed (who was just trying to help) and Reed just accepts it because he blames himself for Ben’s disfigurement:

Their relationship…went through a deeply unhealthy period after the spaceflight crash.

Fantastic Four v1 #133, aka the saddest New Year’s ever:

This is right after Sue left Reed for the first (of two) times, and needless to say Reed’s handling it none too well, which we see again in Fantastic Four v1 #140:

Fantastic Four v1 #142, after Reed’s forced to put his son into a coma in order to save all life in the solar system (it’s complicated), and everyone blames him for not finding another way, and, yes, that includes Reed:

I can’t say I entirely like the way Reed and Sue’s separation was handled, but I do like that Reed was horribly depressed and self-destructing the entire time. 

Also, that whole storyline highlights the unfairly high standard to which the FF can hold Reed at times – they have a tendency to expect Reed to magically solve everything that goes wrong in their lives, even (or especially) if it’s impossible, and if he can’t, they’ll oftentimes blame Reed for it, which doesn’t help the fact that Reed was always already going to blame himself for letting them down. Especially if he thinks they never would’ve been in that position in the first place if not for him/the crash. No one will ever be harder on Reed than he is on himself. Most of what he blames himself for isn’t even his fault.

Marvel Fanfare v1 #2, which features Reed working himself half to death in a desperate effort to cure Ben:

In this comic, Reed puts his own life and happiness on hold (he misses his wedding anniversary) and works nonstop for days with little food and no sleep because he thinks he’s close to curing Ben, and he spends the entire time beating himself up mercilessly for failing Ben so many times. I wait for the day when fandom finally understands that Reed locking himself in his lab because he is pushing himself too hard to cure Ben is a form of self-harm/punishment. Every time he tries to cure Ben, he relives the massive trauma of the spaceflight crash over and over, which, again, he can’t move past any more than Ben can. Even Ben realizes that Reed’s torturing himself and wishes he’d stop:

There’s also Fantastic Four v1 #296, which spotlights Reed’s undiminished guilt and Ben’s difficulty coping with his disfigurement/powers, and the deeply unhealthy and dysfunctional nature of their relationship after the crash (I don’t think it’s fair to say that Ben was doing any of this consciously, but I guess it doesn’t change the fact that it was happening):

This is after Sue catches Reed sadly watching old home videos of Ben alone in the dark because Ben broke up with him announced that he was leaving the FF. (Marvel, if you don’t want me to think Ben and Reed are in love, you should maybe stop having them act like they are. As far as tragic ships go, BenReed ranks pretty high up.)

Fantastic Four v1 #406, where Reed’s been presumed dead for months, but it turns out that he was exiled to the past and has been living alone in a cave, and his experiences leave him pretty badly broken and defeated in ways he never had been before: 

I’d recommend Fantastic Four: Unplugged v1 #2 for sad BenReed feels from Ben’s POV after Reed’s supposed death. During the reading of Reed’s will, we find out that Ben’s coping VERY badly with Reed’s death, and it’s not made any better after he finds out Reed left him the game ball Ben gave him way back when they were in college, which it turns out Reed’s kept/treasured for decades. Look, they just love each other a lot.

These next few are from Waid’s run, and I’d 100% recommend reading this because I feel like Waid really gets Reed and what a tragic figure he is.

Fantastic Four v3 #60, where Reed tells Valeria the story of the spaceflight crash, complete with soul-crushing guilt:

There’s also Fantastic Four v1 #501-502, which takes place immediately after a vicious attack by Doom on the FF that involved throwing Franklin into Hell and badly scarring Reed’s face. Reed takes to brooding alone in his lab afterward without doing anything, and the fact that he’s not sciencing is how you know he’s really upset.

Fantastic Four v1 508, where Doom forces Reed to kill Ben in order to save Johnny’s life, and Reed is devastated:

And Fantastic Four v1 #509-511, where Reed travels to Heaven to get Ben back, because he can’t handle life without him, and just….loses it completely when Ben tells him he isn’t coming back:

(Do you see what I mean about Ben and Reed being in love? Also, can I point out that Ben turned down Heaven itself for Reed and swore he’d never leave him, but now Reed’s left Ben…)

Marvel Knights 4 v1 #18, where Reed’s father Nathaniel unexpectedly returns, and Reed asks Nathaniel to stay and behave like an actual father for once, but Nathaniel abandons him again:

So Nathaniel Richards is a truly abysmal father. Like. He gives Franklin Storm a run for his money in terms of terribleness, and believe me, that is difficult. (At least Reed had the good sense not to name his son after his terrible dad, Susan.)

And honestly, as much as I hate the way Reed’s characterized in Civil War I, the one thing it got right was Reed being devastated over Sue leaving him:

There’s also Fantastic Four v1 #588, which takes place right after Johnny’s death:

Or Fantastic Four v4, Fraction’s run, where Reed discovers that he is dying of cancer, and he’s terrified:

Or Fantastic Four v5, which is basically about the Fantastic Four losing everything and Reed, being Reed, blaming himself for all of it:

Also, I just want it known that when Reed’s depressed, he watches Josie and the Pussycats, because it’s his all-time favorite movie:

[roguewn]

prompt: Luke is badly injured and Kylo wants to finish him, but Rey gets in the way.

sent by: @angrydragonpuppy

Rey wakes up to a deafening silence only filled with the sound of the rain. She’s lying on the ground, a bleeding arm and a piercing headache reminding her of what is happening. 

Her lightsaber lies a few meters away and flashes of the fight immediately come back to her mind.

“I don’t want to kill you.”

“You will have to, I can’t let you do this.”

“Fine. You leave me no choice.”

She remembers Kylo raising his hand and the world turning black all of a sudden. He made her fall unconscious because he knew it was the only way to get to Luke without killing her.

Luke.

Rey can hear voices in the distance, the heavy rain makes everything around her quite blurred. When did it get so dark? How long has she been unconscious?

She gets up, soaked clothes feeling as heavy as an armor. She picks up her lightsaber and looks around, spotting two figures taking shape in front of a rock face. Then, she sees it. The red light of Kylo’s saber lightning up Luke’s exhausted face.

“Ben... Please.”

Kylo looks as determined as ever, a hint of disgust on his face. “I never thought I would hear you begging. What a disappointment. We truly are all cowards in front of death.”

Luke shakes his head. “Please, don’t do this to yourself. There is no going back from that path. You can still change your mind.”

Rey hides behind a rock as she listens to their conversation. She’s not sure about what she should do. She needs to stop him, but how?

She’s close enough to see the twitch on Kylo’s lips at Luke’s words.

“Still playing the rightful teacher and the caring uncle? Drop the act. I stopped considering all of you family when I found out the truth. I know why you kept it from me. You were always afraid.”

A voice echoes through Rey’s mind like a storm, her heart filling with a pain that doesn’t belong to her.

You always thought I was a monster!

The power of Kylo’s haunting thoughts makes her fall to her knees. The fact that she can hear what it’s going through his mind without even trying to make the contact can mean only one thing: Kylo has lost all control.

The red lightsaber rises against the black sky like a death omen. Luke couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to. Worn out and wounded, he lowers his head in defeat - not because he lost the fight, but because he's about to lose a part of his family to the darkness, once again.

The final blow doesn’t come as quickly as expected. Kylo stays still, the sword in his steady hands, but his mind elsewhere. Rey can feel that he’s thinking of his father, of whether he’s going to feel as weak as he felt when he killed him and let the void swallow his lifeless body. She can feel his hesitation. And that takes away all of hers.

“Don’t!” She shouts, jumping out of her hiding place and putting herself between them, facing the black knight.

The lightsaber stops just a few inches away from her face, she can feel the warmness against her skin. When she opens her eyes, Kylo looks breathless.

“Move,” he orders, wide eyes on Rey. If he had slower reflexes, he would have killed her.

Rey opens her arms, in a quite naive attempt to hide Luke from his sight. “You don’t want to do this.”

“Move!” Kylo repeats through gritted teeth, preparing to strike a new blow.

Rey doesn’t listen to him. Instead, she opens her palm and drops her weapon. “I don’t want to fight you.”

“I don’t want to kill you,” Kylo retorts. “That’s why you need to move!”

“If you really wanted me to move, you could very well do it yourself and we both know it,” Rey says, seeing the conflict on his face. “You don’t want to do this. You don’t have to do this.”

“I swore to finish what my grandfather had started.”

“Your grandfather redeemed himself,” comes Luke’s voice from behind Rey. “During his last moments, he told me I saved him.”

Kylo doesn’t show any emotion. “A moment of weakness.” he recites like a script.

Luke manages to get up behind Rey, though with great difficulty. “Is that what Snoke has told you? He lied to you.”

“He’s never hidden anything from me! He helped me become who I am,” Kylo growls, holding the lightsaber in front of him.

Rey feels something exploding in her chest. “He helped you become who you are? And who is that? A murderer? A torturer? Is that really what you wanted to be?”

Kylo’s eyes are full of rage when he looks at her and Rey realizes he has never really looked at her with that much hatred. It was always directed at someone else, never at her. She feels a pang in her chest.

“You don’t know anything about me,” the black knight hisses. Then, he seems to gain some control back. “Jedi are a hypocrite cult that sell lies to those who are stupid enough to believe them. I will end them once and for all.”

He’s about to raise his weapon again, but Rey takes a step forward, face distorted with anger. “Then kill me!” She says. It almost sounds like a roar. A thunder breaks the silence that follows her words. “You want to kill all the Jedi? I’m a Jedi too. Kill me!”

She knows it’s the most stupid thing she could say. As much as Kylo has said he doesn’t want to kill her time and time again, she can’t really trust his words. He’s unstable and scared. She can feel that and it’s a dangerous combination. She’s playing with fire right now and if she gets burned this time, she might not recover from it.

Kylo lowers his saber and closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opens his eyes again, a single gesture of his hand is enough to push Rey on the ground again, several meters away.

Nothing stands in his way now. Luke glances at Rey’s lightsaber, but he can’t possibly reach it before Kylo strikes his blow. His lightsaber lies at the bottom of the ocean and there’s nothing else he can do now. He feels Kylo’s rage, his desperation and his fear, and the intensity of those emotions almost paralyze him. He knows, deep down, that he deserves what is about to happen and maybe that’s why he doesn’t attempt a single move.

Kylo swings his weapon back and then forward with all his might, almost closing his eyes before hitting his opponent. He hears a cry of pain, but it’s not the voice he expected. At all.

Terrified, he opens his eyes to find Luke crouching down next to Rey. Her shoulder shows a smoking hole where Kylo’s lightsaber pierced her skin without mercy.

No.

She’s holding her arm and clenching her teeth. It’s hard to tell if she’s crying under that heavy rain, but Kylo can feel all of her pain inside his chest. Their connection is his biggest strength and his worst nightmare. It’s almost choking him.

“No,” he murmurs, not realizing he’s saying it out loud. He feels an unreasonable rage building up inside of him, again. “Why did you get in the way?!”

Rey looks up at him with eyes half-closed. Through the pain, Kylo can see her usual determined expression that always makes him feel like there’s really another way.

“Because I don’t want to lose Ben.”

It’s the first time she says his real name and he can’t help but feeling affected, even if he wished otherwise. But somehow, that little scavenger girl always manages to get the best of him.

Kylo spares a glance at Luke. He doesn’t even feel like his revenge makes any sense anymore. He feels empty, a deep void in his chest. Nothing has gone the way he expected to and he’s tired to fight. He turns off his lightsaber.

“Enough,” he says, walking away. “I’ll have my revenge when there isn’t any annoying scavenger around.”

His words, said with his coldest, emotionless voice, would have sounded sincere if Rey couldn’t read his thoughts.

I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if she died by my hand.