#ABYS TWINS REAL!!!!

[ingo-ingoing-ingone]

With a wild coincidence that they arrived on the same day of my blog-iversary, I can introduce! MY BOYS!!! I am too sleepy for better pictures lol

They were designed by @cecilioque for me, who also did all the talking to the manufacturer.

Thank you SO MUCH Sunny for helping my boys become real! I adore them SO MUCH!!

[targaryenrealnessdarling]

It's Who We Have | Part Ten

Summary: the group reconvenes six months later, setting out to remind both of them what family they have in them | Word Count: 3k~ | Warnings: mentions of PTSD, smut

General Taglist | Billy Washington Masterlist | Series Masterlist

The crisp morning air of Castleton felt chilly against their cheeks, the lush greenery of the Peak District stretching out before them. Billy adjusted his overcoat, falling into step beside her, their hands brushing as they traversed the rugged terrain. There was a sense of gentle peace in the air, a warmth that radiated despite the weather, a welcome respite from the once chaotic routine of their lives just six months before.

In the time since Cranstead Fields, winter had come and gone in a pleasant haze of dark nights and a Christmas spent at Billy's parents, with a somewhat hungover trip to Abi and Libby's with the friend group on Boxing Day. 

Navigating their way through the aftermath of the indescribable trauma was exhausting. Nightmares haunted Billy at night, but not in the sense he was sat bolt upright, sweating and scared, but in the sense that he barely slept in fear of them.

But he was slowly learning to cope, with her unwavering support.

The way she coped with PTSD was a journey of its own, one that unfolded differently from Billy's. While his nights were often plagued by restless sleep and lingering fears, hers were marked by moments of quiet introspection and occasional bouts of anxiety.

It wasn't easy, and there were still moments of struggle and doubt. But met with steadfast determination and a desire to remain committed wholeheartedly to each other.

In the end, it was she who moved in with him. Her flat had always felt empty, with no real desire to return when her Dad stood on her doorstep in that fateful July. And while Billy's flat was in no way perfect, it felt like home in a way that her own place never had. The walls may have been a bit too bare, the furniture a mishmash of hand-me-downs and charity shop finds, but it wasn't just the physical space that they shared, but also their hopes, dreams, and fears. It was theirs.

In any case, it was nice to finally get away from the hustle and bustle of London, even if they were being pelted by rain and chilled to the bone from the cold, their hands were still warm with the pleasant thrum of their hearts. 

Harry’s voice broke through it, “Is it actually the Devil's arse? Cos if it's not then what's the fucking point?”, shortly followed by a raucous laughter, an echo of Libby, Ami, Abi and Harry, who followed shortly behind. 

Ami in particular struggled with the rough terrain of the Peak District after her Year Abroad in the concrete laden Beijing. Abi didn’t waste a second making fun of her though, claiming ‘it was his job to as both her twin and older brother’.

Paddy laughed and took Harry’s face in his broad, calloused hands, “Harry I fucking love you, but you’re thick as pig shit.” His words displayed both banter and deep affection, punctuated with a big, sloppy kiss that pulled Harry off balance.

Everyone chuckled, watching Harry regain his composure and forcing the rapidly emerging colour to his cheeks, “Jesus Christ, Pad…that was fucking foul.”

“Yeah that one had a bit of flavour to it, didn’t it.”

“Did you lot see that?! Pad may as well have spat in my mouth!”

Ami, as short and harmless as she appeared, managed to once again knock him off balance as she shoved his shoulder walking past him, following behind everyone else as they trudged up the grassy hill, “Don’t pretend you didn’t like it, Hazza.”

As they continued their trek through the rugged beauty of the Peak District, the air filled with laughter and playful banter. Despite the rain pelting down on them and the chill in the air, their spirits remained high, buoyed by the warmth of their deep friendship. The green stretched far into the distance and despite the women’s hair being held in tact in high ponytails, it still whipped across their bright, flushed faces with the flashes of laughter and the wind cold on the tip of their noses. 

She, Libby and Ami led the way, their easy chatter filling the air as they reminisced about past adventures and shared inside jokes, as well as the occasional gasp as Ami relayed her experiences on her Year Abroad, and how she never once bought an alcoholic beverage for herself in all her time there. Occasionally Abi was not far behind her, as if not wanting to admit that he was happy she was back, exchanging playful jabs and teasing insults, their bond as siblings evident in their behaviour.

Meanwhile, Harry, Paddy and Billy brought up the rear, their conversation a mixture of lighthearted jokes and heartfelt confessions of slight vulnerability under their facade of boyish banter. Paddy, always the joker, regaled Billy with tales of their past escapades, while Billy, more reserved but no less engaged, listened intently, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, raising the odd eyebrow at the way the two other men seemed very close, with lingered glances. 

Billy and her being official for a good while now strangely affected the friend group very little. Despite the events at Cranstead and the trauma they had endured, their friendship group remained a source of comfort and stability. They didn't cling to each other out of fear, but rather revelled in the freedom and carefree spirit that had always defined their dynamic.

Weirdly, it was like it had always been like this. Maybe it had been.

It didn’t stop Billy from stealing glances at her though. For some reason, seeing her so happy again with everybody made his heart feel so full it almost hurt. For some time after, every time he saw her anxiety-struck face, he was bought back to glancing over at her in the passenger seat that hot July day, with moist eyes and a panicked rhythm of her breathing.

It was slowly getting hazier. Replaced with, more often than not, her expression of softened happiness at her existence in this world beside him.

Interestingly, it was Billy’s parents who were the most taken aback by their relationship turning official. They had always seen her as just another member of Billy's sprawling group of friends, almost like a daughter, someone they cared for deeply and looked after, but never envisioned her actually becoming part of their family. Their surprise, however, soon gave way to a supportive acceptance, touched by the genuine affection they witnessed.

It was Jeff who had been most surprised. And they both guessed it was because of the way he was so blasé about everything else in his life, that he had barely paid much attention in the first place.

Lana had put him in his place though, with a smack to the arm, “Wake up, Sherlock, I called it ages ago!” Her tone was teasing, a spark of banter lighting up her eyes as she chided him for his cluelessness.

During breaks in their hike, the friend group often found themselves in candid conversations, sharing their experiences and struggles in coping with the aftermath of Cranstead Fields. Billy and her were the focal points of their collective support, with their friends offering unwavering encouragement and empathy as they navigated the challenges of therapy and healing.

Even amidst the laughter and banter, there was an unspoken understanding among the friends that Billy and her were still healing, still grappling with the scars left behind by their shared trauma. But in all of it, they were always there.

As they reached a clearing, Harry and Paddy took charge of gathering wood for a makeshift fire pit, while Libby and Ami spread out blankets and cushions for everyone to sit on.

Once everything was set up, Paddy pulled out his flask of whiskey with a mischievous grin. "Anyone fancy a little something to warm the bones?" he asked, holding up the flask for all to see.

Harry eagerly reached for it, taking a swig and passing it on to Billy, who shook his head with a chuckle. "Not for me, mate. I'll stick to tea," he said, pulling out his own flask filled with hot tea, pulling her towards him with the other so the two could share both in the heat of the flames as well as the comfort of each other.

"Thanks," she said with a grateful smile, a rush of warmth gathering at her cheeks that made her feel like a teenager again, so she leaned in to press a quick kiss to his cheek, to watch the way it similarly affected him.

Libby, who had been observing the exchange with a knowing smirk, couldn't resist chiming in. "Three guesses to what you two are gonna do when you get back," she teased, nudging her playfully.

She smirked back, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I don't think you need three guesses," she replied, casting a glance at Billy. "Besides, probably holier than whatever you and Abi are gonna do."

"You're not wrong," Libby conceded with a laugh, exchanging a knowing look with her now fiance. "But we'll leave the details to your imagination."

“ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT SEX AGAIN?!”

“Harry, shut the fuck up!”

With the fire crackling merrily and the warmth of friendship enveloping them, they settled in for a cosy evening under the stars, sharing stories, laughter, and the occasional flask of tea or whiskey. Sometimes both. Her ending up perched on Billy's thigh as she nursed the small cuppa in her gloved hands. It ended late into the night, with a slightly wobbled approach back to their bed and breakfast. Billy and her saw off each of them before slipping into their own room with a pleasant rush of the central heating on their faces.

With a soft sigh, she kicked off her boots, the worn leather hitting the floor with a dull thud. Her overcoat followed suit, landing in a heap on the nearby chair as she turned to face the bed, gathering her moistened hair to tie it out of her face.

"Train's at 12 o'clock tomorrow. Shall we get up early-ish for breakfast?" she asked, the excitement evident in her voice.

Billy nodded in agreement though she couldn’t see him, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of anticipation and affection. "Sounds like a plan," he replied, moving closer to her until their bodies were just inches apart.

She sank into his touch when his long arms wrapped around her middle, his heart beating pleasantly against her back, and burying his face in her hair, rocking with her body as if to sleep. As his arms enveloped her, holding her close, she couldn't help but notice the slight stiffness in his embrace, a silent acknowledgment of the shared trauma they both carried. They had grown accustomed to navigating the world together, finding solace in each other's presence, yet the lingering fear of confined spaces, especially cars, remained a constant reminder of the horrors they had faced.

But she didn’t say anything. She simply covered his hands with hers. And often, that’s all she needed to do for his shoulders to loosen.

“You look beautiful,” he murmurs, smiling against her crown.

She chuckled softly as if not believing him, the sound like music to his ears. How could she believe him when she had been pelted by wind and rain all day. "Flattery will get you nowhere," she teased, turning in his embrace to face him, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Billy grinned, his fingers trailing lightly along her jawline. "Good thing I'm already exactly where I want to be," he quipped.

Her laughter bubbled up again, infectious and pure. "Smooth talker," she teased, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

He returned the kiss with equal tenderness, savouring the sweet moment between them. "Just stating the truth," he murmured against her lips, his breath mingling with hers.

He smelled of cigarettes, rain and the shampoo he’d used that morning. So normal and mundane, and yet it excited her nonetheless when they lay in bed together, hands clamouring for skin as if they were forbidden lovers, deprived of touch and separated by tragedy. And though there was no negativity of the kind to be found, the necessity behind the pressure of their fingers undoing each other's clothes, popping buttons, tugging at sleeves and kneading flesh, was there all the same. 

Billy's touch was subtly rough yet reassuring, his fingertips tracing patterns along her skin as if committing every curve and contour to memory. And she, in turn, responded eagerly to his touch, her body melting into his with a sense of familiarity and belonging that filled her with a profound sense of peace.

In the quiet intimacy of their embrace, they found refuge from the outside world, cocooned in the warmth of their love and the gentle rhythm of their breaths. The gentle tapping of heavier rain cast a mist against the window of the room, a waterfall endlessly making its way down like a slick of oil. It was strangely calming, with only the sound of the oncoming storm, spurred by the arrival of the evening, as the gentle background noise between laboured, passionate breaths.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, clinging onto him tighter with every lazy thrust into her. She looked at him with a sort of reverence, the sheets draped around his middle, and appreciated the way his stomach muscles flexed. In the months they’d been together, he’d lost a little bit of that wiry, lanky look and broadened somewhat. Not that she would dare complain.

Billy let out a stuttered moan, batting against her neck, leaning over her with chests flush and skin tacky to press open-mouthed kisses to her collarbone, his hands clamped tight around her waist. 

Since the trial, nearly all of Billy’s sex was like this. Lazy, languid and thoughtful. Sometimes, on odd occasions where he had some beer in him, he was needy and more risky, engaging in quickies stolen in dark corners, spurred on by the real threat of getting caught. Paddy had nearly rumbled them once. 

“Never want to let you go -” he breathed, ragged, “-just want you all to myself.”

Her brows drew together, breath hitching as he pressed his forehead to hers, blue eyes unyielding as his usually lingering touch drifted south to her thighs, fingers flexing as he tugged one around his hip with bruising intensity. The angle coupled with the relentless bullying of her sweet spot , had a long moan slipping between her lips. 

At first, Billy had been hesitant with their intimacy. After knowing her for so long outside the realms of romance, that was the one part where she felt the need to coax him out of his shell. She was a woman, and he a man. And while they had been friends for so long with something primal and deep simmering beneath, he was allowed to lose control with her. He was allowed to explore what a loving, sexually healthy relationship felt like. Allowed to discover what she liked, what he liked, what they both really liked, and sometimes what they didn’t like.

Once teased from his cage though, there was no way Billy was going back. But still, when his thumb lingered at her lips, blue eyes trained over her face to watch her hedonistic expression, he still blushed and felt a twinge of white hot pleasure jolt up his spine, when she took his thumb between her lips and caressed it with her tongue.

He nearly faltered. And she had to bite back a smile when she felt his hips tremble.

And yet it surprised her every time how he was able to turn the tables. For someone who some would assume was shy and unassuming, his now moist thumb glistened from her lips and dipped between her legs, where he was still pushing into her with heightening intensity, to apply gentle, but calculated pressure to her bud. Her fingernails dug into his back, lips parted with no sound, feeling as if she was being flung from some great height along with him.

“Oh, Billy-” 

Billy never lasted long after her. It was as if he was impatient to follow her in the breathless embrace of their highs. Both barely said a word. ‘I love you’s and constant praises were sometimes whispered in embarrassed laughs and tender words, but most of the time, there was little need to say anything at all.

Anything either of them said was communicated long ago. Like a tapestry of feelings and histories of them, woven forever into a story that formed each of them.

In the soft, calm afterglow of sex, Billy pulled her back to his chest, one hand idly brushing the tangles from her hair lovingly. His eyes were too watching the river made by the heavy rain, but felt no weight in his heart at the sight.

Rain always reminded him of her, of the memory of her once upon a time. Of the way she looked on that morning at Primary school. Of her wide, mischievous eyes when they’d rush home on the way from Cranstead Fields, trying to out-run the rain. Of her delicate features, flushed from chill and hair frizzy from humidity when she stood in his kitchen with parted lips. Each moment ignited something different, unique, but something that never left him, and only added to the complex emotions that stirred for her.

A smile crept to his lips at the memory of a few hours before, sitting before the fire pit and sharing a flask of tea, warming their bellies with it and thus their fingers before the flames. He thought of how the fire had burned out in a warm orange glow over their faces. And Billy closed his eyes, and allowed himself to sink into that feeling, into the memory of the love and laughter of the ones he held close to his heart.

And her, well…she saved him more than once in body and soul.

Each rescue, whether from the dark pits of his own doubts or from the brink of physical peril, had woven their lives inseparably together. She was his beacon in the storm, a lighthouse guiding him back to safety with her unwavering strength and tender care. Cradled by love and mutual devotion, Billy truly understood the essence of what they shared.

It was who they had, and in the end, that was everything.

General Taglist: @aemondsfavouritebastard @bellstwd @blackswxnn @blairfox04 @buckybarnesb-tch

@castellomargot @emmaisafictionwhore @eponaartemisa @hb8301 @jamespotterismydaddy

@justbelljust @minholy223 @mochi-rose @natty2017 @nenelysian

@primonizzutto @qyburnsghost @randomdragonfires @risefallrise @thelittleswanao3

[sweetrevxnge]

Like Phantoms, Forever

Chapter Seventeen | The Shadow of the Past

Pairing: Ben Solo x Reader

Summary: Your destiny had never been clear to you, only becoming so when it led you to leaving behind the life you knew to train with the galaxy's sole Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker. His Jedi Academy became your new home, bringing with it the promise of someday becoming a Jedi Knight. While navigating the ways of the Force, an inexplicable connection forms between you and a fellow student—the heir to the legendary Skywalker bloodline, Ben Solo. Together, the two of you must face your destinies and forge the path to your true selves.

What to expect: fluff, violence, sexual content, general angst, mentions/descriptions of injury and death

Additional info: this story is set in 28 ABY, six years prior to the events of TFA

*concurrently being published on AO3 and Wattpad as well!

Masterlist

Spotify Playlist

Word count: 3.6k

Chapter-specific CW: description of injury, pharmaceutical drugs, mentions of death, light ptsd

A/N: listen... I know I'm slow to update, but this chapter is hands down one of my favorite ones so far, so I needed it to be p e r f e c t. I also uploaded ch. 2 of my vampire!kylo fic, so there's a little extra something for you guys. enjoy!

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When you finally woke, the first thing you saw was the soft glow of the twin suns peaking over the horizon, spilling through the blinds and onto the infirmary floor. For a moment, there was peace. A piece of time filled with utter tranquility as you blinked the sleep away from your eyes.

But it passed. A haze fell over you, dulling your senses like an old knife as it carved into a bone. The clarity of your vision faltered, producing a double image of every item of furniture in the room. Various machines beeped around you, a constant, low drone in your ears. The white light of the overhead lamps seemed blinding to your sensitive eyes. 

Hanging beside you was a green bag, feeding into a translucent line that stopped in the crease of your elbow. Below the bag was a screen, flashing with words in Aurebesh that were too small for you to make out.

Yet, something else was missing. Something that had grown overly familiar to you in the past few days. There was no pain. No pounding in your head, or ache in your shoulder. It was gone, but not eliminated. It had only been buried, locked away deep inside of you, held back by the cocktail of chemicals coursing through you.

Over the drone of the monitors, you could faintly hear a hushed conversation, happening somewhere on the other side of the white curtain that separated your cot from the only other one in the infirmary. Though you couldn’t see them, you recognized the owners of the voices immediately.

“You understand my concerns though, don’t you?” Master Skywalker asked, exasperated.

“Yes, I do. But that’s exactly why we need to go together,” Ben said. “You said it yourself—it’s too risky to open up the Academy to the New Republic’s surveillance. For all we know, they’ve already been compromised. You can’t just leave everyone’s safety in their hands.”

“If what you said is true, then the Empire already knows where we are. Every second that passes is on borrowed time.” Though only a whisper, Master Skywalker’s irritation was clear.

The statement hung in the air. Guilt crashed into you like a tidal wave, pulling you under the surface. This entire mess was your fault. It was your father that had laced the food supply and endangered your peers, and though you had killed him, you didn’t feel victorious. Instead, all you felt was a gnawing pit in your stomach, slowly filling with shame and regret.

The gravity of your actions weighed on you, crushing your chest under its enormity. To wake from a nightmare and find that it had all been real. He was dead, either lying cold in an unmarked grave or reduced to ashes, locked away in a storage closet inside one of the many decaying Imperial bases scattered across the Outer Rim. Knowing that his blood coated your hands made you sick, but even now, you couldn’t be sure that it had been your hands. It was greater than that, an act fueled by something larger than yourself, a force more powerful than all of the suns in the galaxy.

You pinched your eyes shut, trying to ignore the memory as it played behind your lids. Ben’s voice served as an adequate distraction.

“And that’s why it’s crucial for you to stay here,” he said. “Master, I’m your most experienced student. I’ve spent nearly my entire life training to become a Jedi Knight. Let me prove to you that I’m worthy of that title.” His demand turned into a plea, beyond that of a pupil seeking approval from his mentor.

“I admire your spirit, Ben. I really do. And that is why I’m trusting you with the safety of my students.”

Disappointment sank through you. The exact scenario you had dreaded from the beginning was coming to fruition and you were powerless to stop it. As unfair as it was, Master Skywalker’s logic was sound—especially considering his prior suspicions of your close relationship with Ben. Nevertheless, your heart ached.

An unamused laugh rumbled in Ben’s chest. “Some responsibility that is. Protecting people who each have a lightsaber of their own, and enough sense to know how to use them correctly. I’m honored, really.”

“You misunderstand me–”

“No, I understand perfectly,” Ben hissed. “I’m capable enough to track her down halfway across the galaxy and bring her to safety, but not enough to take her on an authorized trip to Ilum—which as far as we know, has been deserted by all civilization for centuries–”

“How did you do it?” Master Skywalker interrupted.

“Do what?” Ben asked, his voice guarded.

“Exactly what you said. How you found her, trapped in an abandoned mining facility halfway across the galaxy. How did you do it?”

At that, you pried your eyes open again, watching their shadows move behind the curtain. You had asked him the same question and never received an answer.

Ben hesitated for a long moment before finally answering. “I’ve been having these…dreams.”

“Dreams?” Master Skywalker asked. “What kind of dreams?”

“It varies. Most of the time, the details are a blur. But other times, they’re vivid—almost real.”

“How so?”

Ben let out a shaky breath. “I’m not sure. All I know is that the night she was taken, just after I had fallen asleep, I had one. But this time, it felt less like a dream, and more like a vision.”

Despite Ben pausing for Master Skywalker’s response, he never received one. So, he filled the silence. “It felt like I was there, watching her get dragged out of her bed by Ren. But no matter how much I wanted to stop him, I was helpless. A bystander trapped inside my own mind.”

“And in this ‘dream’, you saw where they took her?” Master Skywalker’s question was equal parts cynical and weary.

“No,” Ben said. “I can’t really explain it, I just…” He paused, choosing his next words carefully. “Felt it.”

The ambiguity of his answer left you unsated, but seemingly was enough to conclude Master Skywalker’s interrogation. He was wise, more knowledgeable in the Force than you could ever wish to be. Perhaps all of this could be explained by the inexplicable ways of the Force—just like your connection with Ben. Mysteries best left unknown, you supposed.

“I sense that your feelings are clouded, Ben. I worry about you,” the Jedi Master said quietly.

Reluctantly, Ben replied, “There’s no need to.”

“These dreams you’re having are…unusual. Perhaps the Force is trying to warn you.”

“Warn me about what?” His tone was curt, more bold than yours would ever be when speaking to your Master.

You squirmed under the layers of blankets, suddenly uneasy about where this conversation was leading.

“Everything. The danger of forming attachments, the fear of loss. My own Master taught me these lessons—it’s only right that I pass them on to you.”

“That’s insane,” Ben scoffed, shifting his weight. “And I would’ve done the same for any of my classmates.”

“Really? You would’ve flown across the galaxy without my permission if, say, Voe had gone missing?”

The question must have struck a nerve, receiving no response from Ben. The vitriol for Voe that had been stowed away during the chaos quickly resurfaced, stronger than ever. You imagined what she would say if she knew the circumstances, that your father worked for the Empire this entire time. It was just the fuel she needed to turn your peers against you—once and for all.

A venomous feeling wrapped around your heart, sinking its claws deep into your flesh. Your pulse rose, and as it did, the machine recording each heartbeat grew louder, more rapid.

“Is that?” Ben asked in a hushed voice.

“She is awake,” 4-3B announced from the other end of the infirmary.

In the seconds that followed, you debated whether it was better to pretend that you were still sleeping, or give in and fully wake up. With little time to decide, you settled on a mix of both, inhaling deeply as you lazily rubbed the sleep from your eyes with the heel of your palms. As much as you would have liked for them to continue their conversation, you also knew that this was unavoidable—unless you could magically induce yourself into a coma.

Metal fingers wrapped around the white curtain as Master Skywalker pulled it back, revealing him and his nephew, both with unkempt hair and dark circles etched under their eyes.

“Hey kid, how are you feeling?” Master Skywalker asked, offering you a tender smile. 

Ben’s gentle, brown eyes landed on you instantly, scanning your face. Your cheeks burned under his gaze. Stars, you missed him. Close to you, holding you. But now wasn’t the time.

You cleared your throat. “I’ve been better,” you croaked, reaching for the pitcher of water beside you. Unfortunately for you, it was set on the table by your injured arm, the one that was still wrapped in bacta patches. Weakly, you gripped the handle of it, disappointed to find that the bacta treatments had only healed your bones—not your strength.

It took all your effort to raise the straw to your lips. Water spilled from the spout of the pitcher and onto your blankets, shocking your warm skin beneath. Before you dropped it, Ben’s hand clasped onto yours and steadily guided it to your lips.

“Thank you,” you said in a small voice, pinching the straw between your fingers and taking a few, long sips of the cold water.

Ben smiled and nodded in response before setting the pitcher down. “Let me get you a new blanket, too.”

“No, it’s okay. I already have too many as it is.” You managed a smile as you pinched the stack of fabric covering you.

“Since you arrived, your temperature has been below the normal parameters. In order for you to recover in a timely manner, I have placed multiple exothermic blankets on you and adjusted the heat settings in the infirmary,” 4-3B explained, shuffling over to your bed. It was holding a sleek, silver tray with an array of fresh bacta patches spread over it.

“I’m getting you a new blanket, whether you like it or not,” Ben said, already scouring the room for a fresh one.

“Any updates, Threebee?” Master Skywalker asked, peering at the new patches as the droid set them down on your table.

“By my calculations, as well as her impressive response to the initial bacta treatments, she should recover fully in the next week.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” he said, beaming at you. “As soon as you’re feeling up to it, you and Ben will go to Ilum. Now more than ever, you need a lightsaber that is attuned to you.”

You blinked. Did you mishear him? Or had he really changed his mind in the last five minutes? Behind Master Skywalker stood Ben, a smile ghosting his lips. You wondered if his heart was beating as fast as yours was.

Embarking on this journey seemed mundane in comparison to what you had survived. But despite the unknowns that laid ahead—particularly the looming threat of being hunted by the First Order—there was also anticipation, excitement. To experience adventure with Ben. A taste of the life that, for now, was not an option—and likely would never be. It was all you had ever wanted, and it was finally happening.

“Artoo will accompany you two in my place,” Master Skywalker added.

“What?” Ben said, returning with a folded blanket in his hands. “Does Geegee not meet your standards?”

“I hardly see how having two droids instead of one is a hindrance.”

Your eyes darted between the two men. “Excuse me, who’s Artoo?” you asked sheepishly.

“He’s my astromech unit,” Master Skywalker answered before looking at Ben. “And he will be going with you, or you won’t go at all.”

Ben shook his head in disbelief as he peeled the damp blanket back and draped the new one in its place. “Fine.”

Master Skywalker flashed a wry smile at his nephew before clearing his throat. “Now Ben, Threebee, if you both don’t mind, I’d like to speak with her. Alone.”

Ben’s eyes flicked between yours and Master Skywalker’s before he nodded reluctantly, turning his back to the both of you and letting the door slam shut behind him. You winced at the sound.

“Of course, Master. I will come back later,” the droid said, abandoning the tray of patches and hobbling behind the curtain, out of sight.

Ignoring his nephew’s rather dramatic exit, Master Skywalker pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down, smoothing out the front of his robes. Blood thrummed in your ears and your head pounded as you propped yourself up on your elbows, biting down on your lip when you shifted your weight onto your injured arm. Whatever analgesic was infusing through the line was quickly neutralized when you started moving.

Swinging your legs over the edge of the bed, you faced him, avoiding his gaze. Without him saying a word, you already knew exactly what conversation would ensue.

The two of you were quiet for a moment, chests rising and falling with every breath, before he clasped his hands around yours, squeezing firmly. In the silence, his gray eyes spoke volumes, carrying a heavy weight.

“I cannot overstate how grateful I am for your safe return,” he said, his lips trembling as he pressed them into a tight line. “And I feel it’s necessary that I apologize.”

Your hand burned between his—not from discomfort, but rather from the contrast of heat against your cold skin. 4-3B had been right about your body temperature. The sensation made your condition seem real, less like clinical words being thrown around.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Master,” you said, shaking your head. “It wasn’t your fault. It was no one’s fault but my own.”

He sighed through his nose. “I was afraid you would say that.”

Taken aback, you remained quiet. It was the truth—all of this was your fault. If it weren’t for your lunatic father stalking you and wreaking havoc upon your life, you wouldn’t be in this situation, sitting across from your apologetic Master, heavily medicated in an infirmary. Truthfully, this was the best case scenario. No one else was hurt—excluding, of course, those who had impeded your efforts to get back to the Academy. But collateral damage was a consequence of war, which by the looks of it, was on the horizon. It was only a matter of time before the First Order resurfaced. Then, it would be your responsibility to help eliminate them, to snuff out the smoldering remains of the Empire.

Master Skywalker continued. “I failed to protect you—to protect all of my students. This is my burden to bear, not yours.” Releasing your hand, he leaned back, his knuckles white against the arms of the chair. “Lately, things have been…clouded. I can no longer rely on the Force alone for insight, but I will find other means to protect the Academy. I promise you this—from now on, you will be safe here. Always.”

You nodded in understanding. But there was more to the story, more that he didn’t know. Ben had only told him what he had seen—the rekindled power of the Empire. It was your responsibility to tell him what happened on Zeffo, admit to what you did. Sweat gathered in your palms at the memory of your father’s death, the image of him lying lifeless on the ground burned into your eyes. What would Master Skywalker think of you when he knew? Would this be the offense that broke the dam? Expulsion seemed like the best outcome of making this confession.

“Master, there’s something else you should know,” you said, afraid to raise your voice above a whisper.

His shoulders sagged. “I know. The Empire is rising again.” His defeat was tangible, as if he had single-handedly let down the entire galaxy. In fairness, you couldn’t imagine how he must have felt, given his role in destroying it nearly thirty years ago. A rebel with an unbreakable spirit, now forced to watch helplessly as insurgents breathed life back into the entity he had fought to dismantle. 

“Ben told me,” he sighed. “I’ve already contacted my sister in Republic City. The New Republic special forces will handle this.”

 “It’s not that—well, it is that, too. There’s more.” The words were heavy on your tongue, sticking like molasses. A tiny voice in your head reminded you that you were not obligated to tell him—you weren’t obligated to tell anyone. But the nagging feeling in your gut told you that honesty was the only path to inner peace. 

“The person responsible for this operation wasn’t just some Imperial zealot. It was my dad. My own father did this to me.”

Master Skywalker clenched and released his jaw, digesting the information. “That’s…” He paused. “Terrible.”

You nodded in agreement, unsure what to say. 

“I imagine that must have been very difficult to cope with,” he added.

“It was. My entire life changed in an instant, and honestly, I don’t really know if I’ll ever come to terms with it,” you said, swallowing the lump forming in your throat. Master Skywalker watched you from his seat, completely silent.

“But it doesn’t matter now. He’s dead.” You paused, hesitating one last time. “I killed him.”

A heavy silence fell over the room, making the air thick and difficult to breathe. You let out a shaky breath in relief. The burden was gone, but it was short-lived. Involuntary tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, burning your skin.

When he didn’t respond, you scrambled to articulate something to soften what you had just admitted. But what could you say? The Jedi were peacekeepers, protectors of the light—and more and more, you found yourself straying from its path.

“Master, I-I’m a monster,” you whispered, warm tears pouring over.

“What he did to you wasn’t right. Acting out of self-defense does not make you a monster,” he finally said, his voice calm.

You lowered your gaze to your hands, now resting in your lap. “Only I wasn’t acting in self-defense. When I asked him where my mother was, he admitted to murdering her. He compared her to a sick animal.” Blood boiled under your skin at the memory. “And when he said that, I wanted to hurt him—more than I’ve ever wanted to do anything. I wanted him to feel the way I did, how my mom felt when she died by his hand.”

With narrowed eyes, he stared at you, an inscrutable emotion written across his face. Not one of malice or disappointment, but something akin to curiosity.

Releasing a long breath, you added, “I wanted justice.”

“I can see why,” he said, resting his jaw on his metal hand. “The conflict you felt is…familiar to me.”

Of all the reactions you had anticipated, empathy was not one of them.

“It is?” you asked.

“Yes. Decades have passed now, but the feeling still lingers. The disappointment. The anguish.” His gaze was distant as he spoke, silently reliving his own experience.

“What did you do?” you asked. “I mean—what did you do to get rid of it?”

He drew in a long breath before exhaling with a renewed energy, his eyes brighter. “Time passed. Meditation helped me organize my thoughts, sort through my emotions before tucking them away in their designated spaces…” His thought trailed off into oblivion, but you didn’t want to intrude. He was being gracious enough by sharing at all.

“It was my father, too,” he said reluctantly. “The source of my conflict, my sorrow—it was him.”

His confession ignited hope in your chest, a hope that you, too, could be reprieved. 

“I won’t bore you with the details, but his actions could be categorized in a similar way as your father’s. Heinous acts, hurting the people he once loved…” He pressed a finger over his mouth in thought, twisting his peppered beard between his fingers. “For a long time, I blamed myself. I thought that if I had just known earlier, then somehow I could’ve stopped him. Put an end to his cruelty.”

“And did you?” you asked, lost in his story. “Were you able to stop him?”

He let out a soft sigh. “In a way, yes. But the darkness had its claws in him, and there was no absolution for him in this world. In the end, he taught me a lesson—one that I will carry with me forever. Just as you will, too.”

Admiration filled your chest. Throughout the galaxy, Luke Skywalker was a legend, a myth told by firesides and to children before they fell asleep. But he was alive—a living, breathing being with more adventures in his pocket than most would have in a lifetime. And here he was, in the flesh, relating to your experience.

“Master, teach me how to process these feelings. I need your guidance, now more than ever,” you pleaded, curling your fists around the blankets in your lap.

“And you will have it. But first, you need to rest. Strengthening your mind will require all of your energy—your body will need to be healed before you are able to,” he said, standing from his seat and placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. “Until then, try to find solace in knowing that, in their own ways, your parents are at peace.”

With that, he left, easing the door closed behind him. A calmness washed over you, drenching you in a radiant warmth, soaking through your skin and bones. Through the clouds came slivers of light—thin and feeble, but unyielding. A sunset falling beyond the horizon, only to give life to the stars glowing in the night sky.

This was the lesson. Without darkness, the light was impossible.

[therealsaintscully]

A sign of life from me (saintscully)

If anyone's still reading, and remembers where I'm from in the world you'll know happened to my country, to my people last Staurday. I am relatively safe but definitely still in shock. My life will never be same. I woke up Saturday morning to the sounds on endless air raids and every belief I had about living here, a piece of land that is an active volcano, proved to be horribly wrong.

I haven't slept since. My mind is going a thousand miles per second, but last night, after a nearly year's long hiatus from fic writing, I remembered a piece I wrote for 'Turned', a story that from start (not yet written) finish, is nothing more than me trying to come to terms with being a Jew. Of putting myself in the shoes of the other side in the conflict.

Liebe's story, which I'll add below, is based on a real anecdote, one of many. A young man pushed by his grandfather into a mass grave - it's a story I read in a Ronen Bergman's book 'Rise and Kill First', and is the real story of one of Mossad's chiefs. His grandfather pushed him, and that's how he was saved. Decades later, he saved countless Jewish lives as head of Mossad. I weaved it into 'Turned' in a way that, unbeknownst to my readers, will be critical to David's story while kidnapped by Abi Nazir.

That story is the kinds of stories we grew up here hearing from our gransparents. I wrote this into Turned as a historical lesson learned.

It happened again this Saturday, to so many people. Parents hiding their 10-months old twins in the closets before being gunned down in their shelter room. Women hiding under heaps of bodies, pretending to be dead. Party-goers rounded up into a circle in a field, gunned down with RPGs and automatic weapons. I heard accounts from Saturday from friends, relatives, colleagues, from ex-military friends currently in reserve duty - whose loved ones were kidnapped into Gaza and are still mising, like pawns in some twisted game, just like David in 'Turned'.

I'll never be the same again.

I'm not coming back to tumblr, and can't fathom coming back to writing these fics, but something in my life came into a very brutal full circle this week. I went back and read this part of the story and it hits so differently now. I feel like such a fool.

I hope you're all well. Thank you for the love and kindness you always showed me.

-Sasha

----

(From 'Turned')

"David was fifteen when the school's headmaster called everyone to assembly. It was a gorgeous, snowy December noon, only a few short hours before their long-awaited Christmas break. The entire student body murmured impatiently as the headmaster escorted a frail old man to one of the chairs onstage.

Impeccable in a three-piece tweed suit, the old man sat with a grunt, never letting go of his cane. The yellow star on his chest and the number tattooed on his arm left very little to the imagination as to who he was and what he was about to tell them.

Little Liebel—as Leonard was called by his family—was eleven when their neighbours rounded up the Jewish men of the village at gunpoint, leading them into the depths of the nearby woodland. Under the cover of a dark, moonless night, the Jews were instructed to strip naked and dig a pit in the frozen ground, then line up along its edges with their hands raised. Standing in the cold with his eyes closed, his teeth rattling loudly, Liebel was surrounded by neighbours and relatives—uncles, cousins, his grandfather.

A burley, rugged man of few words, Liebel's grandfather and namesake held his ground behind him, his chin pointed defiantly. In his decades heading the village's volunteer fire brigade, the elder Liebel saved many lives, including those of many of the men who stood in front of them, guns loaded.

“Skaičiuojant tris,” the village doctor called out, and Liebel drew a deep breath. On the count of three. The truth was, Leonard had confessed, that he’d felt relieved. They’d heard rumours of gas chambers and death camps by then. If one must go, he supposed, then doing so proudly with your family by your side was the way to go.

Suddenly, Liebel felt a warm hand—his grandfather's—covering his back, pushing him over the edge. His small body dove into the pit just as the guns started firing, but his would-be killers never noticed.

His uncle's lifeless body nearly crushed his spine before Liebel ever hit the ground.

Liebel hid under his neighbours and relatives’ bodies whilst they writhed and moaned, begging for help. Gushes of fresh, dark blood kept his naked body warm.

Just before midnight, he watched as life slipped away from his grandfather's cobalt eyes. The grove fell deadly silent. Liebel crawled up the pit, soaked in blood, and never looked back again.

The story stuck with young David for an hour or two that day, as much as a teenager's attention span would allow for a story so unfathomable, so alien. Imagine his surprise when, years later, he’d found himself, sweat-sodden and shaking, standing over an abyss—not in the woodlands of Lithuania, but the arid sands of Afghanistan.

At least, he was quite sure that he was. A combination of powerful sedatives, a sack covering his head and three days of travel crammed into the boot of a car had left him disoriented, but he knew through some sixth sense that he too was standing over a precipice. He had no idea where or why they were there, but there was no mistaking the perplexed battle cries as gunfire shot from every direction. As minutes passed, more and more people crowded next to him over the precipice.

For his captors, something had gone horribly wrong, and they were all about to pay for it.

He'd never been so relieved in his life.

On the other side of their pit, a dozen faceless men loaded their weapons while static filled the desert air. Out in the distance a man yelled words he did not understand. On the count three, he imagined it was. In an unexpected burst of trench musing, he wondered whether the Afghan desert sands had ever been blood-free. Whether they ever would be.

‘I’m coming, love,’ he whispered, closing his eyes despite the sack covering his face. He was ready. ‘See you on the other side.’

And then a warm hand covered the small of his back, pushing him over the edge.

“Jump!” a voice whispered, and there was no mistaking whose it was. “Now!”

[duchess-of-mandalore]

not to beat a dead horse about the age thing, but i feel like there has got to be another reason for the change, other than katee sackhoff's real age, because when in star wars history has that ever mattered before? it wouldn't be the first time an actor has played a character whose age doesn't match their own, so why should it matter now? so i'm wondering if the backstory that dave had in mind just didn't line up anymore, as they fleshed out the character, and that's why they changned it

I mean ... yeah. That's exactly what happened. But there are a lot of people right now saying, "Oh, I always knew Bo-Katan was meant to be a teenager in The Clone Wars," and sorry, but no you didn't, because she wasn't.

The reason why I brought Katee's age into it was to support that claim. Yes, VA ages don't really matter, but they also aren't meaningless. Dave hired a 30-year-old Katee Sackhoff to play an experienced warrior who he envisioned and later confirmed as the sister to a character who was also in her mid/late-30s. He implied at least twice that in his mind, they were twins or very close in age.

The Mandalorian is Jon Favreau's project, and he only pitched the idea for the show well after Disney had acquired the franchise. Dave didn't envision Bo-Katan coming into live action in a show set in 10 ABY when he hired Katee (in about 2011) to play Bo-Katan in a show set 30 years prior.

Katee was actually the one to point out that Bo was still alive and *wink wink* *nudge nudge* maybe she should play into the story. When the opportunity arose to bring Katee on board, Dave and Jon took it, and I understand why they did. Katee's a great actor with lots of name recognition, she loves this character, and this was a good opportunity to explore more about Bo and the Mando story.

But the new time period also meant Dave (and Katee) felt that the backstory needed to be changed. And that's what I'm annoyed about. I'm annoyed that we won't know Dave's original backstory for Bo and Satine and their family as it originally existed. And I will always be annoyed that Satine and Bo don't get to grow up together.

- Dave Filoni on Bo-Katan and Satine, 2013

[abybweisse]

blog HC scenario - Undertaker, Real Ciel, Sebastian, Our Ciel, Abbywise the mun, Lizzy Midford, Sieglinde, and Finny. How would each one handle the situation of meeting Annabelle the sentient doll?

Annabelle doll is bizarre

Undertaker would be intrigued and want to study her. Maybe Othello could help.

Neither of the twins would want anything to do with her... then our earl might point out that real Ciel isn't much different from her now....

Sebastian would want to know if he could train her to be an amusing weapon. If she wouldn't obey him, then he'd rip her to shreds.

My oc, Aby, would burn it. "It" because he wouldn't see it as anything else but an object.

If I saw anything weird going on because it's around, I would either stop drinking... or drink something stronger.

Lizzie would say she's not cute. And possibly use her for sword practice....

Sieglinde would take her apart to see how she works, much like Undertaker or Othello would.

Finny, once he realized she was evil (or whatever), would tear her apart, much like Sebastian might.

They'd probably all rather deal with the Raggedy Ann doll she's based upon....

It was a life-sized version of the popular Raggedy Ann doll that somehow ended up being named "Annabelle". Quite a gnarly history built up around it. Eventually, it ended up in a case at the Occult Museum.

I, the mun, had a matching set of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls, but they were smaller than the "Annabelle" one... and probably made from kits or patterns... maybe by one of my grandmothers. Hard to tell, since I don't have them anymore. But several toy companies made their own versions, and since they were relatively simple designs, lots of individuals made their own.

[yayneloveart]

So ive come to a realization about the masked woman and how she fits into the story with Mizuki

Spoilers for Nirvana Initiative ahead

So the person im watching play NI is being super critical of every detail, including the two mizuki's basically being exactly the same but being raised seperately. They just so happened to start dressing exactly the same 6 years apart. They have the same motorcycle. They move in the same social circles, have a lot of the same friends. How did they not meet?

There have been several studies that examined twins separated by birth and how they developed as individuals. There are several verified cases where separated twins or triplets end up still being super similar despite not ever really meeting before (like the case of Edward Galland, David Kellman, and Robert Shafran). Mizuki and Bibi are basically twins, just 6 years removed. Them having similar personalities and the same taste in clothing and style is not impossible or unbelievable.

So Mizuki's present day outfit is a school uniform for an all girls school. It's likely a prestigious and expensive school, since she said in the last game she wanted to get into a good school, and she has the money to afford an expensive one. Bibi should have the same level of intelligence and its been hinted that Boss has money, so her going to the same school is understandable.

Their motorcycles match because THEY WERE BOTH GIVEN TO THEM BY ABIS. they need their employees to get around to investigate, and 18 year olds can only drive motorcycles, so they were bought similar models. And if they were given a choice in model and color, they very well could have the same taste in design.

As for their social circles... They live in the same area. They visit a lot of the same hotspots, they know people who know people, and generally they ended up in families with intertwining 'business ventures'. Mizuki met Iris and Amame since they worked for her dad. Kizune went to the same school and was in the same club as them. It was really a coincidence that Lien saw Kizune dance and fell in love with her, and just so happened to be a former thief and friend of Bibi. And Bibi said that she avoided meeting her because she didn't want Mizuki to know who she was so she could live a normal life. Too bad she was adopted by Renju and Shoko.

Hell, Boss may have been inspired to adopt Bibi because Mizuki was 9 when Bibi was 15 and already living with Date. Date probably mentioned at work 'oh hey, my 9 year old roommate is insanely strong. Isnt that crazy?' And Boss looked into Mizuki's history with her police connections. She found Bibi and secretly adopted her to become her new secret weapon

(and why did no one question knowing two girls named Mizuki who looked very similar? Bibi probably told them that its just a coincidence and left it at that. They just accepted it after a while)

Tl;dr identical twins in real life: *Dress and act very similarly*

People: Thats what twins do

Fictional clones born 6 years apart: *dress and act very similarly*

People: Unlikely. Unrealistic. Dumb. Hate it.

[brawlqueen]

❝ here, you want help with your braids? ❞ / @beatgod​

maybe at some point she stopped counting. the days where she finally let his clumsy, stupid fingers, stupid old man! knit equally clumsy braids in her hair. she stopped counting the days she’d wake up and they’d have a relatively quiet morning save for the usual bickering. the cup of coffee he couldn’t live without; the tiny apartment that she couldn’t seem to ever leave. hiroe’s braids naturally are much better, and as mizuki’s hair grew out, longer and longer / and as her birthdays passed / more bereft and more alone / what else is new ? 

she stopped counting date coming home.

it was a blur as it was; really. searing pain unlike anything even she had experienced and blood and blood and blood / like mommy and daddy’s blood. like surely --- that stupid dumbass is alive, a couple of rocks won’t kill him. if he’s gone i’ll drag his ass back -- they’ll recover him. he owes me so much of his life insurance for all those birthdays and --- 

she shouldn’t count anymore -- right? she’ll stop at some point -- right?

“ yeah, could you ? i like how long i grew my hair out, but i wanna make sure i don’t fall on my ass, y’know? besides on the job i’m not gonna look stupid like -- you know how bad ota’s hair is? have you seen what he did to it? it’s crazy! “

date. stupid, stupid, STUPIDSTUPID DATE!

withholding emotions she isn’t sure she’s ever remotely understood, it’s always better to be the girl on fire; always better to be burning and loud and raging, mizuki simply cuts herself off with a seamless laugh that can be heard even with the back of her messy bedhead poking up in various whorls and whirls.

hiroe was so cool. she was so tough. she could handle her strength and she never felt she had to slow down even if she wasn’t part of the mpd, much less abis. and .... hiroe was kind too. she was thankful aiba was still here. glad, of course, for the privacy settings that pewter installed because she didn’t want her thoughts read --- god, what had it been like in his brain? 

DON’T THINK ABOUT HIM! HE LEFT HE LEFT HE DIDN’T MEAN T--

“ oh you gotta tell me about how the parlor’s going! kenichi’s gonna have some competition with ota’s diner, not to mention genny’s in golden yokocho. something tells me though that he’s not really gonna care about competing. he’s a nice guy, you know? does he have a girlfriend? ikuo’s behaving right? just say the word and i’ll come over and beat his head a little. 

don’t worry, i won’t break anything!” 

sunny and cheery; she can’t help but find how easy it’s become to mask it. the grief, the rage, the longing, the numbness, the nonstop collision course of eighteen short years of life going on a hundred.

 the waiting and catchphrase after the pysnc --- but it’s never come yet. mizuki date says i’m ‘home’ to an empty house apartment..

aiba says --- aiba says --- but she wants to lash out at her too, glad she can’t read her nastier thoughts, filled with a grief and rage she doesn’t recognize she has. how she wants to grab tearer with her bare hands and wrangle him to death. or maybe just beat him black and blue at the end of the long road to a case she’s determined to ask boss about -- today. 

mizuki wants to lash out everywhere, where no training dummy lasts less than a single touch of her nail and she can keep up with hiroe like they were long forgotten twins.

and avoid asking her the real question now that / dat--- he’s gone / no he isn’t!

if he’s gone, then why are you still here, hiroe ?

[govindhtech]

Double Omniverse Isaac Sim NVIDIA GPUs on AWS Help Robots

The pace at which more intelligent robots are developed on the cloud is about to accelerate

With the arrival of NVIDIA Isaac Sim and NVIDIA L40S GPUs on Amazon Web Services, developers will be able to create and implement accelerated robotics applications in the cloud. Developed on the NVIDIA Omniverse development platform for creating and integrating OpenUSD applications, Isaac Sim is an extendable simulator for robots with artificial intelligence capabilities.

The L40S GPU is designed to power the workloads of the next generation of data centers by combining powerful AI compute with media acceleration and graphics. The L40S, which is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, boosts engineering and robotics teams by enabling rapid real-time rendering and giving up to a 3.8x performance leap for Omniverse compared with the previous iteration.

Using Isaac Sim, the generational leap in acceleration yields 2x quicker performance than the A40 GPU across a wide range of robotic simulation workloads.

Additionally, L40S GPUs can be used for generative AI tasks, such as real-time inferencing for chat and text-to-image applications, and fine-tuning massive language models in a matter of hours.

Roboticists will be able to quickly access preconfigured virtual machines to run Isaac Sim workloads thanks to new Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) on the NVIDIA L40S in the AWS Marketplace.

The advancement of robotics in simulation is accelerating application deployment, boosting sectors like retail, food processing, manufacturing, logistics, and more.

According to ABI Research, revenue from mobile robots in warehouses is predicted to soar, more than triple from $11.6 billion in 2023 to $42.2 billion by 2030.

Robotic devices have been crucial in helping fulfillment centers satisfy the demands of online buyers while also giving workers a better work environment. Over 750,000 robots have been installed by Amazon Robotics in its facilities worldwide in an effort to enhance the working conditions for both its customers and staff who assist package fulfillment.

“They develop, test, and deploy they robots in a way that depends heavily on simulation technology,” stated Brian Basile, head of virtual systems at Amazon Robotics. They at Amazon Robotics are always expanding the scope and intricacy of they models. They will continue to push the limits of rendering, simulation, and model training with the new AWS L40S offering.

Using Isaac Sim to Hasten the Development of Robots

Large datasets may be required by robotics systems in order to operate precisely in deployed applications. Acquiring these datasets and putting them through real-world testing is an expensive, time-consuming, and unrealistic process.

AI-based robotic applications are trained and tested using robotics simulation. Simulations are making virtual advancements possible like never before with synthetic data. Prior to operation, simulations can aid in the verification, validation, and optimization of robot designs, systems, and algorithms. In order to maximize efficiency and lower the cost of manufacturing change orders, it can also be utilized to optimize facility designs prior to the commencement of construction or remodeling.

Teams may work together more successfully using Isaac Sim’s cloud access and access to the newest robotics simulation tools and features. Machine learning engineers may create production-ready synthetic datasets for training resilient deep learning perception models in Isaac Sim by utilizing the Omniverse Replicator synthetic data generation engine.

Adoption of Isaac Sim by Customers on Amazon

Among the AWS early adopters of the Isaac Sim platform are Theory Studios, Amazon Robotics, and Soft Robotics.

In order to automate, optimize, and plan its autonomous warehouses in virtual environments before deploying them in the real world, Amazon Robotics has started utilizing Omniverse to create digital twins.

Amazon Robotics will improve its Proteus autonomous mobile robot and expedite its development by using Isaac Sim for sensor emulation. This will help the online retail giant handle fulfillment more effectively.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[ingo-ingoing-ingone]

Ingo and Emmet are perfectly in sync. They have to be, living as conjoined twins. The Subway Masters of Nimbasa City, the two are happy with their friends and family and trains. Of course, the universe contains chaos and random chance that can affect even the closest of people. The two find themselves in situations that neither would have ever expected, and it will test them both. Through it all, one thing is certain. Family, both blood related and chosen, will never let you be alone. And, no matter the trials, a two-car train will always continue onwards.

HAPPY ONE YEAR OF ABYS AND THE CONJOINED AU MY FRIENDS!!!

I owe an unbelievable amount to you all, for real for real <3 I appreciate every single reader, and all those who enjoy the AU but haven't read the fic. Anyone who's engaged with my little story. <3

Hope you enjoy this update!!!

Warnings for this chapter are pokemon death and minor references to injury and medical stuff. It's a recovery chapter, Ingo edition!

As always, disclaimer is linked in the first reblog

[lucindarobinsonvevo]

i know it’s unfair to gail but i really am a little bit obsessed with my hc of her hating leo. not for any offense by him I think he would be perfectly respectful to his sisters mother, but more for what he represents. He’s the replacement eldest son. The real first born son. The one who Paul has shuffled in to replace her child who she lost because of him. 

And then, to have him interact with elle? her only daughter? Leo Tanaka, who is a bad influence, hanging around her child? I think she’d hate it. Not only has Paul replaced his sons with new twins but now Elle has replaced her brother with a newer, better model. 

I can’t help but feel any love from Elle toward Leo would be very very earnest. that’s not just ‘some dude’ that’s her brother! I think it would take Elle a long time to be open to having more siblings (hence her pulling away and being isolated from them in canon) but when the cards are down she would love to be a little sister again.

I guess the way I picture it in my mind is Elle saying something to the effect of ‘i love being a sister again, i really missed this. I babysat Abi today, and when Leo was gone I dressed her up in a beautiful dress I picked out because Leo has no taste (scoff)’ and Gail being like ‘Paul’s other kids are not your responsibility, you don’t need to take care of Leo’s problems’  and her being like ‘he’s not dad’s other kids, he’s my brother and I love him’ i mean that’s pretty basic but that’s how im seeing it my head anyway lol. 

[sweetrevxnge]

Like Phantoms, Forever

Chapter Five | What Is and What Should Never Be

Pairing: Ben Solo x Reader

Summary: Your destiny had never been clear to you, only becoming so when it led you to leaving behind the life you knew to train with the galaxy's sole Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker. His Jedi Academy became your new home, bringing with it the promise of someday becoming a Jedi Knight. While navigating the ways of the Force, an inexplicable connection forms between you and a fellow student—the heir to the legendary Skywalker bloodline, Ben Solo. Together, the two of you must face your destinies and forge the path to your true selves.

What to expect: fluff, violence, sexual content, general angst, mentions/descriptions of injury and death

Additional info: this story is set in 28 ABY, six years prior to the events of TFA

*concurrently being published on AO3 and Wattpad as well!

Masterlist

Word count: 4.6k

───────── ⋆ ☆ ⋆ ─────────

Ben was right. Master Skywalker had been planning to advance you to lightsaber technique training in the coming days. The prospect of this advancement filled you with excitement, eager to begin and start feeling like you weren’t a lifetime behind your peers. Unfortunately for you, the only experience you had with wielding weapons was a toy blaster you lifted from one of the snotty-nosed boys in your elementary class. Something told you that a prop blaster was no match for a lightsaber. Just a sneaking suspicion.

You were finishing up what you could only assume was one of the last guided meditation sessions with Master Skywalker when he informed you of his plan. From the very minute you learned it, the only thing you could think about was sharing the news with Ben.

The twin suns had been hidden behind a blanket of puffy, gray clouds all morning. But come midday, they were beginning to give way, allowing narrow rays of light to spill onto the ground. You inhaled the scent of moisture evaporating off of the stones that marked the path to the dining hall, relishing the fresh aroma.

As the sunlight washed over you, gooseflesh erupted across your skin, sending a warm shiver through your body. With the rainy season fast approaching, you hoped that the clouds would stay separated for the remainder of the day, to enjoy one of the last sunny days for the coming weeks.

It had been nearly impossible to focus recently, your mind often drifting to your time spent with Ben the other night. The devious creature that was your brain was incessantly conjuring the image of him in his unkempt robes, replaying how the distance closed between the two of you as you were leaving. Truthfully, it was delusional to believe that Ben felt the same way, but the sick, masochistic part of you still clung to the hope. Perhaps this was just part of the Jedi condition—suffering the throes of unrequited feelings in a way that still honored the Jedi Code.

Pushing the curtain aside, you entered the dining hall, instinctively searching the room for Ben. In your surveillance, you spotted a familiar face, but not Ben’s. 

Voe was sitting with two unfamiliar students, the likes of which you assumed you met and subsequently forgot in the haze of your first day. The promise of eating lunch with her soon had entirely slipped your mind, considering that the events ensuing your happenstance encounter had purchased the primary real estate of your consciousness.

Disregarding the question of where Ben was, you picked up a clean tray and walked over to the array of lunch offerings. A growl rumbled in your stomach as you picked out a ronto wrap, inhaling the warm steam trailing off of it. 

How does Master Skywalker import such a diverse selection of food? The Academy’s location was kept confidential for the safety of the students, as well as their Master. Despite being a decorated hero of the Rebellion, Imperial loyalists remained throughout the galaxy, ones that were not particularly fond of him—or his efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order.

You set your tray next to Voe’s and sat down, greeting the blonde padawan. She was truly striking. Her captivating green eyes and flawless brown skin were enough to make anyone envious of her perfection. She was sporting her usual updo—three thick braids that trailed down her scalp before unfurling into loose curls that tumbled down her shoulders. Should she ever want to leave this life behind, she could easily make it as a model on Coruscant, donning the finest couture in the galaxy.

“And here I was thinking that you had forgotten about getting lunch together,” Voe smirked as she wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

“Of course I didn’t forget!”

If the Academy was teaching you anything, it was how to become a better liar.

“You’ve met Tai and Hennix, right?” she asked, motioning toward the two men sitting beside her.

Your mouth opened to respond, but before you could articulate an answer, one of the men interjected.

“Yeah, we met her when she arrived,” he said coolly. “Tai and Hennix, in case you forgot.” He nodded toward the Quarren sitting beside him as he said the latter name.

“You’re a lucky girl, you know that?” Hennix said. “It took years of pestering to finally wear this one down, but somehow you managed to do it almost immediately.”

“Oh, give me a break, Hen,” Voe sneered before prodding at the food on her plate.

“Hey! I’m just saying, you’re a tough shell to crack.” He laughed, his tentacles quivering with the force of it.

You couldn’t help but giggle at the conversation unfolding in front of you. Their friendships must be like no other, considering they have known each other for the better part of their entire lives.

As they continued to chat, you picked at your plate to keep yourself occupied, as well as to satiate your growing hunger. Their conversation turned into white noise as your mind sifted through the drone of passing thoughts. The mention of your name caused you to snap out of the trance.

“So,” Tai repeated your name, “you’re the girl who’s got Solo’s head all scattered.”

“Hm?” you hummed through a mouthful of grilled ronto, still not entirely following the conversation. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I mean,” he drawled as he leaned onto his elbows, “you’re the girl that Ben hasn’t shut up about.” He cocked an eyebrow, his attempt at soliciting a reaction from you.

Recognizing the hot seat you were now sitting in, you masked your reaction, carrying on chewing your food as if he hadn’t just implied what you thought he did.

You barely had time to react to learning Ben’s surname, a detail you surprisingly knew nothing about until now. It sounded vaguely familiar. Maybe if you weren’t busy directing all of your energy into redirecting this conversation away from Ben, you would be able to think critically about where you knew it from. But that wasn’t the case.

For now, ignorance, and possibly some light damage control, were your best defenses. 

“I think you’re mistaken. I barely know Ben.”

Tai tilted his head slightly, intrigued. “Well he sure seems to know you. It’s all he’s been talking about recently. You can hardly have a conversation with the man without your name being brought up.” 

The implications of his words made your head spin, but you couldn’t indulge such thoughts right now. Right now, steering this conversation away from Ben Solo was of utmost priority.

“Like I said, I barely know him.” You tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear, averting your eyes from Tai’s stare. “I am flattered though. I’m sure he’s a great guy.”

“He’s a moody prick, that’s what he is.” Voe all but threw her utensils down on her plate, turning the attention to her as she spoke. “Thinks he’s better than everyone else.”

Hennix cleared his throat and scratched the side of his neck before chiming in. “You’re still hung up on it, huh?” 

Hung up on what? you thought, not privy to the context of Voe’s outburst. From what you understood, Voe’s resentment toward Ben stemmed from their competitive relationship, nothing that would warrant her calling him a “moody prick” to his peers.

“Zip it, Hen,” she hissed as she stood from her seat, ignoring your stare.

Voe stormed out of the dining hall, leaving you, Tai, and Hennix to marinate in the uncomfortable air she left behind. You pushed your food around with your fork, hoping for an opportune time to make your own exit. 

Tai rubbed his temples and let out a long whistle, breaking the silence the three of you were steeped in.

“I didn’t know she’d be so…” Hennix paused, looking for the right word to use.

“Sensitive?” Tai finished for him, taking a sip of his drink. “Yeah, me neither. If you ask me, I think it’s time for her to get over it.”

Curiosity clawed at your throat, desperate to know more about what just occurred. But you suppressed it, not wanting to discuss the subject without Voe’s knowledge. Whatever had set her off was clearly a delicate topic, and despite what your feelings for Ben may allude, you still respected her far too much to gossip behind her back.

You wiped your mouth with a napkin and ran your damp palms down your robes, signaling to the others that you were leaving.

“Well, uh, it was nice chatting with you guys.”

“Hey, you too.” Tai nodded at you, a mischievous look in his eyes. “And say ‘hi’ to Ben for me, will ya?”

The two men smiled knowingly, to which you rolled your eyes and rose from your seat. They exchanged a smug look as you stood from the table, turning on your heels and leaving as quickly as possible. 

A cloudy haze washed over you as you left the building, trying to process what exactly just happened. You’re the girl Ben hasn’t shut up about. Tai’s words replayed in your mind, taunting you, begging you to feed them attention. 

This couldn’t be happening. This had to be some cruel prank being pulled on you, one specially designed to make you suffer. You and Ben were friends. And of course, people talk about their friends with their other friends. Friends talk about friends, right? What does the word ‘friend’ even mean? If you say a word enough, it begins to sound like a fake word, like something you have created in your own mind and assigned meaning to. Not so dissimilar to your feelings for Ben.

As you approached your hut, raindrops began to hit your face, scattering across the ground below you. During the course of lunch, the cold, gray clouds had crept closer, covering the two suns. So much for a sunny afternoon.

You swung your door open and let it fall shut behind you, peeling the outer layers of your robes off, your sights set on your sorry excuse for a bed. There was enough time before the evening training session for you to nap. After all, getting some rest wouldn’t hurt—not to mention that it would temporarily silence your racing thoughts. 

Pulling off your wet boots, you crawled into bed and relaxed into the pillow, releasing the tension in your neck and shoulders as you did. Before long, exhaustion consumed you, your eyes fluttering shut as the soft patter of rain hit your roof, lulling you to sleep.

A knock at your door roused you from your slumber, nearly indiscernible over rhythmic pelting of rain outside. The world was blurry as your eyes adjusted, your consciousness attempting to do the same.

The suns’ light had completely vanquished, leaving the sky a dark abyss. Shit, shit, shit. Another knock rattled your door, sending a wave of panic through you.

“U-uh, one second!”

You scrambled out of bed, fumbling blindly for the lantern set atop your bedside table. In a moment of utter grace and elegance, you knocked nearly everything else off the surface, pawing for the tin cylinder. Your fingertips found the switch, flicking it and igniting the bulb within the glass. Pulling on your cloak and stepping into your still-damp boots, you stumbled to the door, picturing a very wet, and disappointed, Master Skywalker behind it.

Just as your trembling hand squeezed the handle, another knock landed on the metal, causing you to flinch at the noise. Trepidation coiled in your stomach as you pulled the door back, revealing the man beyond it. To your surprise, it wasn’t an angry Master Skywalker you found, but Ben Solo instead, drenched from head to toe and holding a covered dinner tray in his hands. 

“I was starting to think maybe you had run away,” Ben said with a laugh, raindrops trickling down his face.

“Stars, Ben.” You clutched your heaving chest, feeling more disoriented now than you were before. “I thought you were Master Skywalker coming to chew me out.” 

“Chew you out?” He shook his head, sending water running down the sides of his hood. “No, no. The evening session was canceled, didn’t you see the message on your datapad?”

“I wasn’t even aware that I had a datapad until now.”

Ben chuckled. “I refuse to believe that you haven’t opened your bedside drawer the entire time you’ve been here.”

“Well,” you said, placing your free hand on your hip, “how was I supposed to know there was stuff in the drawers?”

“Master Skywalker really skimped out on showing you around, didn’t he?”

“I guess so.”

A drop of rainwater rolled down Ben’s pointed nose, a reminder that he was still standing in the downpour.

“Shit, I’m so sorry. Please, come in. I’ll get you a towel.”

“Oh, yeah, thank you.” He ducked into the hut and set down the tray he had been carrying on the first surface he could find. “Since you missed dinner, I saved you a plate of bocha. And because I know how much you like it.” 

Damn him, bocha was one of your favorites. He wasn’t making it easy for you to quash your feelings. You watched as he pushed his hood back and sloughed the wet robe off his shoulders, glancing around your room with it draped over his arm, unsure what to do with it.

“Where should I, uh, put this?”

The door squeaked shut behind you as you reached to help him. “Here, I got it. You can sit wherever you’d like.”

You stretched the material in your hands and hung it from the lip of a jutting plank from the wall. When you turned around, you found Ben crouched down by the fire pit, digging through his pockets in search of something.

“How are you not freezing in here?” He glanced up to you, his hands still rummaging through his robes.

To his credit, it was incredibly cold in the room. Stars, you were a bad host. “I guess I’ve just gotten used to it. I haven’t used the fire pit yet, either.”

“You might want to start. Winter will be here before you know it.”

“I mean, you’re probably right. Is there a hidden lighter in that bedside drawer, too?”

You fished out a fresh towel from your drawers, hearing a triumphant ah-ha behind you. Ben flicked the cap off a silver lighter, testing the flame, before reaching down and igniting the firewood.

“No, there’s no issued lighter. The last thing Master Skywalker needs is someone accidentally burning their hut down. We’re supposed to use our datapads to call a protocol droid in to start the fires, but I snagged this years ago while I was off-world.”

A wave of heat rose from the dry wood as flames spread throughout the pit, bathing you in its warmth. “Well, isn’t that handy,” you muttered, preoccupied with the fact that Ben was actually here, alone with you, in your hut.

“Much better,” he sighed as he sat back on his hands, satisfied with his work. 

“Here, I don’t want you getting sick because of me.” You sat down next to him and handed him the towel. “As much as I hate to admit it, I think you were right about how cold it was in here.”

He smirked. “I know I’m right. You haven’t spent a winter here yet.” He rubbed the towel over his hair, squeezing the water from his dark locks. “Keep it, you’re gonna need it.”

You raised an eyebrow at him as he stuck the lighter out to you. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yes,” he said with a chuckle, draping the towel around the back of his neck. “We may not get a lot of snow here, but it’ll still freeze over.” 

The flames danced in the reflection of the light as you inspected it in your palm, mindlessly flicking the cap off and on as your thoughts drifted to the memories of winter on Dantooine. It would rain throughout most of the season, but never get to freezing temperatures. The air was so clean, so crisp, and just the right temperature to leave your window cracked at night, inviting the smell of the rain-soaked grasslands to waft in. 

Flipping the lighter shut, you pulled yourself from your daydream and stuffed the metal cube in a pocket.

“Mmm,” you exhaled through your nostrils, “I was looking forward to seeing it snow here. It only ever rained on Dantooine.”

Ben discarded the towel behind him and ran a hand through his hair, smoothing back his damp curls. “You’ll see snow, alright,” he smiled, leaning back onto his palms. “At some point during your lightsaber training, you’ll go to Ilum—and trust me, there’s plenty of snow there to fulfill your heart’s desires.”

“I’m going to go to Ilum?” you echoed his words, unsettled that your Master had not mentioned any of this to you yet. “Wait, what’s on Ilum? Why is this the first I’m hearing about it?”

“Wow, Master Skywalker hasn’t told you anything, has he?” His gaze shifted from the quivering flames to you. “Ilum is where Jedi go to find their kyber crystal—to build their lightsaber,” he explained as he moved to poke the fire with an unscathed stick from the pile. “Master Skywalker took all of us as a group when we were still younglings, but you’re an exception.”

He squeezed your shoulder, the feeling of which caused a warmth in your chest to stir. Stars, how pathetic you were.

“So, Master Skywalker and I are going to go there?” you asked, unable to hide the concern in your voice. “No offense to him, but he’s kind of intimidating.”

“I don’t necessarily disagree with you.” A short exhale escaped his lips. “But as he’s gotten older, he’s become less tolerant of journeys, and extreme temperatures. So, he asked me if I would go with you instead.” 

Your eyes widened at his words. “You’re going to go with me?” 

“Yes,” he replied, nudging you with his elbow. “Relax, it’ll be fun. And cold. But mostly fun.” 

While the prospect of being off-world with Ben was exhilarating, you could only imagine what Voe would think when she found out. Knowing her, she’d likely be furious that she wasn’t asked by Master Skywalker to accompany you.

“Just get through this training and you’ll be building a lightsaber in no time.” He offered you a sincere smile, his dimples curved and his eyes gleaming in the light of the fire.

“Speaking of, Master Skywalker told me that I’ll be starting next week!” In the chaos of today, you had nearly forgotten to tell him the news. 

“You’re going to do great.” 

“Thanks, Ben.” Hugging your knees against your chest, you stared off into the fire. “I’m nervous though, I feel like I’m going in blind. I don’t want to disappoint him any more than I already have.”

He locked eyes with you, pulling his teeth over his lower lip as he considered his response. “I can help you,” he said, clearing his throat before continuing. “Like, I could teach you some of the basics so you’ll know what to expect.”

A daring remark crossed your mind, one that you couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say. “Ben, is this your way of asking me out?”

There was a pause after you asked the question, a pause so palpable that you could almost feel the air hanging between you. Sweat beaded at the nape of your neck, panic flooding your veins and seizing your chest. Not only was it a stupid thing to say, it was possibly the swiftest way to end your friendship.

Ben rolled his tongue over the inside of his cheek before finally answering. “Only if you want it to be,” he replied smoothly, as if you hadn’t just essentially shattered the Jedi Code with your question. His gaze was unwavering from yours, piercing you as you realized what he said.

You parted your lips and inhaled a shallow breath, a desperate attempt to calm your racing heart as it pounded violently against your ribs, its rhythm deafening you as you formulated a response.

“I think I would like that,” you said softly as you stared at him, feeling as if the world was shifting beneath you.

“Then yes, it's a date.”

Ben smirked, wrapping a strong arm around you and drawing you closer to him. You were a rag doll in his grasp, allowing yourself to be pulled into him, resting your head on his shoulder. He craned down to press a quick kiss on the top of your head before resting his cheek on the same spot.

Emboldened by the success of your last flirtatious line, you leaned back to look at him, an expression of pseudo-disbelief written across your face. “Ben Solo, did you just kiss me?”

He hummed. “I’d hardly call that a kiss.” His voice was low—almost hoarse—yet his words were like silk to your ears. His amber eyes flicked between your lips and your wide eyes, the intensity of his stare nearly suffocating. “And how do you know my last name?”

“A good question for another time.”

Another pause. An agonizingly long lull hung between you as you sat completely still, your chests rising and falling rhythmically. A moment of near clarity, in which you condemned yourself for feeling this way. But it passed just as quickly as it came. Rationality was replaced by desire, a need burning through your chest like a branding iron upon flesh. What little logic and reason remained in your mind was helpless in witnessing what you were about to do.

Your lips collided with his, moving together fluidly as your hands wrapped behind his neck, pulling him down to you. Without a moment of hesitation, Ben leaned in, his free hand raking through your hair, gripping it gently as the arm that held you inched down to the curve of your spine, pulling you closer.

Relinquishing the touch of his lips, you pulled back, admiring the redness blooming throughout the delicate skin, the expanding darkness of his dilated pupils.

“How about that?” you asked, your erratic breath fanning over Ben’s glossy lips.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” he panted before chasing your lips again, his mouth moving fervently against yours.

His hand released its grip on your hair and fell to your hip, the other mirroring the movement. In one swift motion, he pulled you onto his lap, drawing a sharp inhale from your lips. Moving to straddle his hips, you slid onto his lap, dragging your hands from his neck from his chest for support. Ben didn’t protest, tightening his grip on your hips to guide you.

Neurons were firing faster than you could react, your body alight with energy at every delicate touch of his hands and lips. Ben groaned against your lips as you shifted your hips over his, creating a delicious friction between your bodies.

He kissed you greedily, passionately. With an intensity that could only exist in one’s dreams until this moment. Ben’s hands snaked up your waist, his fingers igniting the nerves beneath your robes, fueling the blossoming heat in your stomach.

“Ben,” you sighed against his lips, drunk on the endorphins coursing through you. 

In what felt like a counterattack to the logic clawing its way back into your mind, he dragged your hips forward, his growing bulge pressing against your core.

“Mmm?” he hummed, not wanting to separate his lips from yours. His hands released their grip on your waist, running up your arms until they found your face, his rough palms cupping your cheeks.

Gathering the remnants of your willpower, you reluctantly pulled away from his lips. “We can’t…” you said weakly, studying how your fingers traced the seams of his robes in an effort to avoid his gaze.

“Can’t do what?” Ben asked, gently smoothing a thumb over your cheeks.

“Jedi can’t do this.” Your eyes found his, your heart aching as you did.

He parted his lips to speak, but the words fell silent on his tongue. “I know,” he sighed, the same heartache evident in his tone. His fingers fell from your face, coming to rest on your shoulders. “What do we do?”

The answer should have been simple: we don’t. We don’t break the Jedi Code. We don’t risk getting kicked out of the Academy. And we don’t foster these feelings.

“We could find a way to make it work.” The words leaving your mouth were just as much of a surprise to you as they were to Ben. “We’ll keep it a secret.”

“It would be difficult, especially with the tight-knit group we have here.” And here you thought that you were supposed to be the voice of reason between the two of you. 

“There’s a possibility of someone finding out. We could get kicked out.” Lifting your hips to climb off of his lap, you sat back down in your spot beside him, folding your legs up to your chest. You rested your chin on your knees as you stared into the fire before you, sparks shooting off of the flames as the charred wood hissed and popped. “Is that a risk you’re willing to take? Especially as the Master’s nephew?”

Ben inhaled deeply, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “To be honest, I can’t think of a better reason to get expelled than this.” His hand found yours, his fingers weaving between yours in a tight grasp. “We’ll be okay,” he soothed, your name falling from his lips as his thumb rubbed your hand reassuringly.

You turned to face him, searching for any sign of insincerity, finding none. “Nobody—and I do mean nobody—can know.”

Ben nodded in agreement, a lock of dark hair falling from its place into his face. “I promise–”

“That means no more talking to Tai and Hennix about me.” You jabbed a finger into his arm to assert your point. “They heckled me about it today at lunch.”

He laughed. “Okay, okay, I take full responsibility for that. In my defense though, I wasn’t aware that these feelings were reciprocated, so I didn’t see the harm in talking about my crush with my friends.”

The electricity in your heart stalled for a moment. “Yeah, well, the feelings are mutual. So, you need to cut it out. Like now. That’s an order, Solo,” you commanded, your tone equal parts playful and serious.

“Yes, your highness.” Ben bowed his head, earning a punch to his bicep from you.

“Smartass,” you said as you stood from the ground, walking over to grab the tray of bocha. “Thanks for dinner, by the way.”

Ben followed your lead, taking his robe down from its place, the material still obviously soaked. “Anytime, princess.”

After a moment of wrestling with the wet cloak, he pulled the hood over his head and he leaned down, planting a warm kiss on your forehead. “I’ll come by tomorrow night to pick you up for training. Until then, try to get some sleep.”

“Says the insomniac.” You rolled your eyes as you pulled a wobbly stool over to eat your meal.

He let out a puff of air through his nostrils, the smirk on his lips growing. “Look who's being a smartass now,” he said as he pulled the door open, the familiar sound of rain spilling into the hut. “Sleep tight.”

“You too, Ben.”

In the haze of the rainfall and protection of dark robes, he disappeared into the night, leaving you with just the crackling fire as company.

A/N: I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! These next few chapters were so much fun to write, I can't wait for you guys to read them!! I will be trying to edit and upload chapter six by the 12th, but the following week I'll be in Disneyland (seeing our favorite space boy!) and the week after that, I'll be taking my NCLEX. Sooo, sadly I need to focus on preparing for that first. If I have time to edit chapter seven, I'll upload it when I can. Otherwise, expect it to be posted sometime after June 27th :) Okay, sorry for the long note, ily all! -C ♡

[admelioraii]

Al Andalus III: One of the world's greatest civilizations; The downfall and end, Part 1.

Previous parts:

Al Andalus I: The dawn of one of the world’s greatest civilizations.

Al Andalus II: One of the world’s greatest civilizations; Times of Glory, Part 1.

Al Andalus II: One of the world’s greatest civilizations; Times of Glory, Part 2.

Al Andalus III: One of the world’s greatest civilizations; The Downfall and end, Part 1.

Al Andalus III: One of the world’s greatest civilizations; The Downfall and end, Part 2.

Córdoba, Spain

I. Abd al Rahman “the victorious “ aftermath.

The mistake of his life:

Hakam II was a great ruler, as we said before, even though he lived in the shadows of his father. Busy with reading, studying and discussing sciences and new inventions he married very late. He was over 40 years old when he finally became father for the first time, father to twins. His two sons were called Abd al Rahman and Hisham. The first born died prematurely, left was only Hisham the youngest one.

When Hisham was 12 years old Al Hakam II got paralized. In spite of being a good ruler until now Al Hakam II made the mistake of his life, a mistake that came to change the country forever. Ill and weak he had to plan for the future, better said the time after his death. He decided to put up a three people strong interim government.

These people were; 1 The prime minister: Jafar ibn Othman al Mushafi. 2 The minister of interior : Muhammad ibn abi Amer. 3 Subh. (The mother of Hisham). Muhammad ibn abi Amer was desperate for power and with Al Hakam II taking his last breath, the minister of interior started making plans. For to gain power he had to get rid of the other two interims. He started with jailing the Prime minister and when the time was right , he killed him. Subh, the mother of Hisham was easier to handle, some threats and persuasions and she was no longer a threat.

Al Mansour

Muhammad ibn abi Amer, later known as al Mansour was, to explain his personality in a simple way, contradictory! He became the most feared person in the history of al Andalus. By now he had got rid of the other two joint rulers on the list, his plan continued.

He started to rule as the only supervisor to Hisham II.Muhammad ibn abi Amer married the daughter of the general of the army in al Andalus, after using him , he later killed his father in law as well. Partly because his father in law discovered his plans. Again in need of military support this time he turned to the general of the arm stationed in Morocco, Jafar ibn Ali Hamdun, he was killed as well after being used by abi Amer.In his stead he put someone loyal to him. Just as he did with his two prior victims.

With time he succeeded at convincing Hisham that there was a conspiracy going on and to protect Hisham he needed full authority, which he got.He declared himself “Interim al Mansour”(the victorious interim). As time passed Hisham grew but he still didn’t get to rule the country.

Córdoba, Spain

The real face of al Mansour:

Al Mansour fought a total of 54 battles with the Christians northern provinces and he won all of them. To better understand his contradictory personality we have chosen two real stories. The first one is that he was told there were three Muslim women kept hostages by the Christians in León. The Christians denied the accusations and said they knew nothing of the existence of such women. The Christians blocked the.way he passed and entered the city, looked for the women in a nearby monastery but never found them. Infuriated he killed anyone who crossed his path and confiscated their possessions amidst the Christians insisting on innocence. The post war declaration with Abd al Rahman the victorious ordered the Christians to pay gisia and forbid them to harm any Muslim in their country.

The second story is about when al Mansour was extending the mosque of Córdoba to double its size. To complete the construction it was essential to purchase the surrounding buildings. During the process of purchase they came across a woman who owned a house with a garden included. In the garden grew a special palm tree, she insisted not to move unless they provided her with another house with an exact same palm tree in its garden. Al Mansour searched and found such a house with an exact same palm tree; the only problem was that the house cost five times the price of the lady’s original house. Al Mansour paid from his own money without any problems. Here we have al Mansours contradictory personality in an eggshell. Cruel and ruthless yet kind and generous.

The people of al Andalus were not particularly hostile to him. As a ruler he was fair, there was no injustice in al Andalus and there were no poor people, not yet.

By constantly terrorising Hisham about conspiracies and threatening him,al Mansour finally got his way. After years of menaces Hisham gave after and al Mansours position became inhederatory in favour of his children. By now he called himself The generous King. When he died in 1002 A.C. His position was automatically handed down to his son Abd al Malik Mansour.

The Anarchy:

After the rule of al Mansour the country fell into a complete anarchy, a total lawlessness. A disorder that lasted a very long time. During this period al Andalus was divided into 7 different pieces, every piece was a country of its own, with its independent government, police system, military and so on.

The upcoming 400 years of Andalusian history was dominated by conspiracies, killing, treason and a constant change of rulers. This ongoing disarray gradually weakened the country. At the same time the Christian northern provinces, being aware of the situation, united either by marriage like Castilla and León or by mutual agreements or interests. Little by little they grew stronger. We have chosen not to tell this period of the history of al Andalus in a detailed manner, as it would first of all be too time consuming and prolong the article unnecessary. Secondly because this time period in history is extremely confusing, complicated and complex. Instead of following 7 countries parallely, we have chosen to tell the story of one of these countries, Granada and the Nasaries.

Madinat al Zahra

[susieskinner93]

Not just any other day

robron have a reason to celebrate

for day 5 of robron week 2020 

Abi watched her parents. She was sitting at the kitchen table, having her breakfast, her siblings already left for school, and watched her dads getting everything sorted. It was just another ordinary day... at least it should've been. It was weird though. She didn't notice before but Daddy Aaron didn't let Daddy Robert lift a finger, and usually Daddy Robert's the one who makes breakfast. It made no sense. She watched as they smiled at each other fondly, before Aaron placed the pancakes in front of her.

“I can have pancakes?” - she asked with wide eyes.

“Just for this once.” - nodded Aaron but when Abi looked at her dad he was busy staring at Robert.  Her 4 year old brain couldn't decide why it felt weird, but she knew that something was up.

“Are you ready to go to auntie Vic's?” - asked Robert.

“Do I have to?” - pouted Abi.

“I thought you liked it there.” - told her Robert.

“But I want to stay with you and daddy.” - she said. She was home from nursery because they had some renovation so the kids were sent home. She was always with them, 24/7 for 2 weeks now, and it was a lot. Especially today.

“So... I guess you don't want to help auntie Vic baking that cake... “ - said Aaron. He knew this would do the trick.

“Cake? What cake?” - she asked with sparkling eyes. Aaron just shook his head a bit looking at Robert in a silent agreement that Abi was just like him with her sweet tooth, before he answered.

“She said she needed to try something. And she hoped you'd help her. But if you don't want to...”

“No I want to!” - she said quickly.

“That's great, because she's gonna be here in 10 minutes, so you better finish your breakfast before.” - he said as he passed Robert, briefly stroking the back of his head as he went upstairs to pack her bag.

“Daddy?” - asked Abi with her mouth full – “Do you have to work today?”

“Yes sweetheart, me and daddy have to go to collect some stuff for the yard.” - it was a white lie, but he couldn't exactly tell her what the were gonna do today. She wouldn't understand. Not yet.

“That's boring.” - she decided. Robert couldn't stop the laugh escaping his lips.

“Yeah, it really is. But you're gonna have some fun with auntie Vic right?” - he asked as they heard a knock.

“SHE'S HERE!” - shouted Abi running towards the door.

“Oi, what did we tell you.” - said Robert not far behind before his daughter could open the door. Abi looked at him for a second before she turned back.

“Who is it?” - she asked loudly looking at her dad for confirmation.

“That's better.” - nodded Robert.

“It's me, Vic, can you let me in please?” - said the voice from outside. Abi stepped aside to let her dad open the door. - “Hiya.” - smiled Vic coming in.

“Hey, thanks for today.” - said Robert quietly.

“Hi Vic.” - said Aaron coming down the stairs. - “Hey you, go brush your teeth quickly, I packed your bag.” - he told her, and Abi was already on her way.

“DID YOU PACK MR MONKEY?” - shouted Abi from upstairs.

“YEAH, HE'S THERE ON YOUR BED WAITING FOR YOU TO BRING HIM DOWNSTAIRS.” - shouted back Aaron. He didn't see the smile on Robert's face as he listened to their little conversation, instead of paying attention to Vic, who was talking to him.  

“Hi. I just wanted to tell my brother to stop fussing, if he'd listen.” - she said hitting his arm playfully. -  “We're gonna have a great time, and you guys can have some alone time.”

“Until the twins get home anyway.” - said Aaron with a smile.

“Do you want me to babysit tonight? You have a booking or...”

“No, it's... we don't want a fuss.” - said Aaron quickly glancing at Robert to check if they were still on the same page with it. - “It's not even a proper anniversary... it's just....”

“Important.” - said Robert finishing Aaron's thought. Before they could say another word Abi rushed down the stairs, and in a minute they were gone, leaving Aaron and Robert alone.

“So... “- started Aaron as he swayed slightly.

“So...” - repeated Robert after grabbing him by the waist. - “I know it's not a real anniversary...”

“Yeah I can guarantee not many people have this.” - smiled Aaron – “But …” - he shrugged going quiet.

“It's part of us.” - said Robert leaning in, touching their foreheads together.

“10 years...” - sighed Aaron.

“And you still didn't get bored of me.” - joked Robert. - “I'm so lucky.” - he whispered  - “That you gave me another chance.”

“I didn't have a choice.” - laughed Aaron stroking his cheek – “You stood there in the doorway... I just... for a second it was like all those years... without ya... they were gone. And you were there, almost like you never left.”

“Minus the beard.” - laughed Robert. - “And the hair.”

“You could've been bald for all I care. I'm just happy you came back home.” - he said quietly before he leaned forward to kiss him.

“You really don't mind?” - asked Robert and Aaron looked at him confused for a second.

“Mind what? That you're back?”

“No, that... that we keep on... celebrating that day... like it's a good thing.” - he said frowning.

“It is a good thing. I got you back.” - said Aaron reassuring him.

“The kids can't keep up with all these dates.” - he smiled – “The twins had a project at school, Mrs Green thought they were joking when they listed every anniversary.”

“Yeah I know.” - chuckled Aaron still standing by the door, holding onto Robert. - “Jacob was so proud of himself... that he remembered the dates quicker than Annie.”

“Why do they always have to compete with each other?” - wondered Robert.

“Oh it runs in the family.” - smirked Aaron. - “I couldn't imagine my life without them... or Abi. And they only exist because you came back to me.” - he said pulling him closer.

“No, they exist because you didn't give up on me, and no matter how hard your mum and Paddy tried to change your mind, you didn't let go.”

“I would never.”

“I know.” - he said with a weak smile twisting Aaron's wedding ring on his hand. It made both of them smile.

“So... what do you wanna do today? We have.... until 3 before the twins get home.”

“I have a few things in mind.” - grinned Robert.

“Really?” - asked back Aaron obviously teasing.

“Remember what we did on the first day I came back from prison?”

“I have a vague memory of it somewhere in the back of me mind.” - said Aaron biting his lip.

“Vague is it?” - smirked Robert. - “I obviously need to refresh that memory of yours then.”

“You can try.”

“Come on then.” - he laughed pulling Aaron up the stairs. Today was theirs to celebrate.  

[abybweisse]

hi aby,i enjoy reading your BB theories and about the lords of stars ,do you think the lord polaris(the butler) might related to Brighton hotel(?) where Sebastian and OC will investigate? I personaly think lord vega are twin girls and are well educated children(i dont believe 2 adults would fit in a small bed in vega room),so they might be in the school where snake and finny will investigate?Im sorry for my bad english

My ideas about the lords of the stars being at the different assignment locations really hasn’t changed since the last few posts I’ve made about them.

Here is a recap of my predictions on this:

The manor: I expect Lord Polaris to be stationed at Heathfield Manor, since that’s the place one would most expect to see a “butler”. There’s blood being collected there, and we know Undertaker sent Polaris to obtain “food” for real Ciel. This suggests that Lord Polaris is capable of traveling long distances in very short times, since Yorkshire is the farthest away from Brighton (more on that later).

There are also all those maids... and Jane is potentially a candidate for Lord Polaris (and even “Knife Dude”), since she strikes me as a good parallel to the Angela Blanc side of the Ash Landers/Angela Blanc combo, from s1 of the anime. If Jane is Lord Polaris, or if Lord Polaris is there, then Mey-Rin really might die soon after her flashback ends. Depends largely on the answer she gives to Jane’s offer of employment/switching sides.

The orphanage: This is where Finny and Snake have been sent. From this assignment, I predict we will see flashbacks from Finny and/or Snake. So far, we’ve really only seen snippets of their lives before meeting our earl and Sebastian.

I agree this is where Lord Vega should be, and I agree it’s young twins. I’m not sure whether they are boy and girl or both girls. However, I’m also leaning towards girls, since their speech pattern reminds me, frighteningly, of Bluer’s little twin sisters, who also speak in unison and with bubbly voices. Lord Vega was also sent out to get “food” for real Ciel, so the orphanage might be another blood collection site.

The sanatorium: This is where Bard and Lau have been sent, and I expect to get flashbacks from either or both of them, too. We know very little about them before meeting our earl and Sebastian, too. Bard was found as the last man alive on a battlefield. Lau’s impending arrival to England has been mentioned during Mey-Rin’s current flashback, and it’s a good setup to learning more about him when we get to his assignment. Particularly since the sanatorium supposedly caters to war veterans. I expect Bard and Lau to go in as war vets suffering from PTSD, and that’s a really good lead-in to get their backstories.

Lord Canopus should be there, since that one does have bleeding wounds... according to the bloody bandages in their bedroom at Sphere Music Hall. There’re also rumors about a nurse there with special healing abilities, and I wonder where Blavat is now... and what new scam he might be pulling. Could he go from fortune-teller to miracle-worker? Possibly. If he’s been released from jail, he would likely go back to work but with a new gimmick, even a new persona. This, instead of being a place to collect blood, might be a place to transfuse it... to Lord Canopus, as well as to any more renal failure patients that help provide funding. The vast majority of “Vega” and “Polaris” blood collected probably ends up here, since the renal patients in Bath never received “Sirius” blood. If Lord Canopus is here, too, then “Canopus” blood would also be delivered here.

The resort: Our earl and Sebastian have gone here, and this is where I expect real Ciel/Lord Sirius and Undertaker to be located. If the Viscount of Druitt shows up again, I can see this being where, too, since it’s a lap of luxury where some of the elite have decided to stay... indefinitely. Lord Polaris could show up with “Sirius” blood for real Ciel, as well as with updates on what’s happening at the other three locations. Since I think Lord Polaris isn’t a bizarre doll or a human, I expect Lord Polaris to be the main transporter of blood and relayer of news.

This assignment will be saved for last. Here is where our earl and Sebastian will likely learn the fates of the servants and other allies they sent on the other three assignments. If Tanaka isn’t at Phantomhive Manor anymore, then he’s probably here. Here is where we will get more information from Undertaker. Here is where Undertaker might also have to fight Sebastian again... as well as reapers from the organization. Someone will respond to Othello’s dove, you know...? 👀

Thanks for the ask! 🖤

[captain-jinguji]

Hi! May I ask for both sfw and nsfw alphabet with Syo and Ai?

Hey babes! Yes you can. I'm starting with syo and the SFW alphabet and then working my way up from there so be on the lookout!

SYO KURUSU SFW ALPHABET

Argument: Do they argue? How bad does it get?

Tries so hard not to but sometimes he gives passive aggressive comments that you pick up on and then it escalates from there. Never lets it get out of control though because he feels so guilty the minute the argument starts. 

Babies: fur baby, scaly baby, or no baby?

Definitely wants a fur baby. A smaller dog would be perfect and he thinks it would be a great addition to the family.

Cocktails: are they extroverted? Introverted? Both? With their s/o? 

LOLOLOL hes extroverted we all know that. Loves to make friends and has no problem doing so. Is the same with his s/o.

Dance: would they encourage their s/o to join the industry? How would they take it if they did?

On one hand he would love it if you joined the industry! On the other hand he knows the industry and how busy it gets and he's scared that you won't have much time for the relationship anymore. 

Exit: Do they like to travel? Where would they want to go? 

Definitely likes to travel! He wants to show his s/o his hometown in France and definitely wants to be a little more extravagant and check out bora bora. 

Food: what's their favorite date with their s/o?

Shopping. It's two of his favorite things combined; his s/o and spending money. Also spending money on his s/o!. 

Grease: what's something special they made for their s/o? 

It's not that he made it but he put the design in. He got you guys matching raspberry fedoras with sunflowers on the side.

Honesty: would they ever hide something from their s/o? 

The wedding ring LOLOLOL no on a real level hes very open with his s/o and the only thing he'd hide is a surprise for his person.

Independence: what type of lover are they? Clingy or carefree? 

He's more carefree. He cant really handle the type of person that clings to him for life 24/7 and encourages his s/o to still have a life outside of the relationship. 

Jealous: are they a jealous person?

Oh yes. Definitely. Hes scared that you would find someone better or you get sick of him and his busy schedule so he gets mad at any potential suitor that has their eyes on you. 

Kindness: how far would they go for their s/o? Ride or die kind of thing?

Definitely a ride or die kind of relationship. He would commit crimes for his lover if it meant they were happy. 

Love: what's their love type? 

Words of affirmation is definitely his way to go. He always makes sure that you know how good he thinks you look and that youre the most beautiful person, inside and out, on this planet. 

Mouth: where's their favorite place to kiss?

Your forehead! It makes him feel like your protector and like he's the king of the world with his queen/king at his side.

No: anything they wouldnt do with or for their s/o? 

He would try to keep them out of the public eye. The paparazzi get crazy and he knows it and he just doesnt want you to get in the middle of that. 

Odor: what's their favorite scent? On a s/o?

Oh oh oh rose scent on his lover! He just loves the sweetness of it and it reminds him of spring :)

PDA: how open are they to PDA 

I mean he won't make out with you in public but he definitely likes to hold your hand and give little pecks. So relatively open.

Questions: will they be an open book or not? 

Yes. To him, a partnership is with someone you can trust and that's definitely who you are to him. 

Reserved: what's something that only his s/o would know about? 

His heart disease. He doesnt like worrying his friends but it does come up in their conversations and he knows that his s/o wont betray his trust by telling everyone. 

Serious: how long until they start to get really serious with their s/o? 

Is serious right from the start. He doesnt like to play games and is in it for the long run 100%.

Type: what's their type in a s/o ? 

Definitely someone who can keep up with him. He's very active and friendly and loves to be moving around. Someone who kind of compliments that would be preferred. 

Untouched: have they been in a relationship before? How many? 

Had little crushes but was never in a super serious relationship. Definitely a first for him

Very: what's something they're really good at outside of music? 

Athletics! Sports are his life outside of music and he's good at pretty much everything.

Weird: what's something odd or weird about them?

As much as he denies it, Natsuki has proof that this is true; he has a little plush from when he was a kid that he still sleeps with because he feels safe with it. 

Xylophone: their favorite part about you? Physically? Mentally? 

Physically its your smile. He loves how brightly it shines and it always sets his heart on fire. Mentally its your determination. You set your heart on something and you get it done. 

Yearning: would they like a family? How many kids? 

Definitely would like a family some day. A traditional, two kids and a dog kind of family ya know? Also would like those kids to be twins but that's kind of not up to him lol 

Zebra: Do they change throughout their relationship? Are they truly themselves?

Hes in it from the minute the relationship starts but he does have a few topics that he doesnt like to discuss at first so, he's relatively himself with a few secrets.