#I mean he is Mr fucking Organa

[snipsnipsnippy]

Organa-Solo my ass. You can’t tell me Han isn’t begging to take Organa as his name. Think of the stunts he could pull, the places he could get into, the fucking swagger this man would have as Mr. fucking Organa.

[twilightofthe]

Obi Wan Kenobi Show Liveblog: Part II

ok ok ok ok ok we gettin’ back to it let’s fucking gooooooooooo

aight so i’m re-listening to the obi wan theme but i’m gonna need to pull it all up once everything’s over and give it my full attention

characters like obi wan kenobi and din djarin having to take commercial air travel and deal with customs makes me laugh a lot

so i’m LOVING the neon aesthetic of Daiyu

wait motherfuck this is obi wan’s FIRST TIME OFF TATOOINE IN TEN YEARS HOW IS HE COPING

slkdfjsdlk saying this is qui gon’s kind of mess apparently

MOTHERFUCK IS THAT A CLONE

THAT’S A CLONE MR MORRISON WHY DID YOU COME BACK JUST TO HURT ME HEY

and obi wan’s giving him coins and looking like his heart is breaking fucking help me

ahaha go home and rethink your life kiddo

“MY DAUGHTER”

FUCK EVERYTHING

FUCK EVERYTHING

oh ANOTHER jedi huh?

ehhhh i don’t believe it

ah hello kumail nanjiani

oh fuck he actually did the force summon thing

hmmm still don’t know if i trust

like he did say he was a scam character

he’s giving me Hondo vibes

yeah MAJOR Hondo vibes

pffff i knew it was a scam

ohohoho obi wan’s gonna fuck with this dude big time i know it

Get his ass Obes get him

“of course” ohohoho that’s obi wan’s Danger Voice sexy ehehe

HAHAHA IT WAS A MAGNET AND NOW OBES HAS A GUN GET HIS ASS

THE GUN AND THE ANGRY VOICE IS STILL VERY HOT I’M SORRY I KNOW IT’S UNCIVILIZED OK OK OK I’LL SHUT UP

BUT IT’S HOT

SHHHH OK BACK TO WATCHING

heeheeheehee he’s STROKING HIS BEARD

PENSIVELY

fuuuuuuck

i am so obnoxious i’m sorry but also not

yes he still makes a gas mask look hot

ok wow i guess the entire first episode with me crying was me too distracted by my emotions to be drooling over obes but now the dam has burst

HELL YES BABE YOU DESTROY THAT BREAKING BAD LAB

HOOHOOHOOHOOOOOO HE BRAWLIN HE BRAWLION THAT’S STILL HOT

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

stop fucking hitting him u bitch ur just jealous he’s hot and you’re not

HELL YEAH SMOKEBOMB

I love this man so much y’all have no clue

AHAHAHA LEIA’S FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH OBI WAN AND SHE ATTACKS HIM I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

obiwanandleiaobiwanandleiaobiwanandleiaobiwanandleia

motherFUCK THE DISGUISE HE GIVES HER LOOKS LIKE PADME’S HANDMAIDEN DISGUISE I’M GONNA FUCKING SOB

AND SHE SPENDS HER ENTIRE TIME CALLING HIM OLD AND GIVING HIM A CORONARY I LOVE THIS SO SO SO VERY MUCH

ohoho so i think Reva IS trying to please Vader

fuck offffffff G. Quizzy Reva’s so much prettier than u

SO YOU DO ADMIT THAT KENOBI’S STILL ALIVE DON’T TAKE CREDIT FOR WHAT SHE’S DONE YOU BITCH

WE ALL WANNA SQUEEZE HIM BITCH YOU’RE NOT SPECIAL

obi wan hon u do realize that y’all took off your disguises and are now walking around barefaced right

oh ok ok he’s getting her new clothes good

FASHION ICON LIKE HER MOTHER

“GRANDDAUGHTER MAYBE” LEIA ORGANA I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING

HE’S USING HIS ANNOYED ANAKIN VOICE ON HER I LOVE HIM I LOVE HER SO VERY VERY MUCH

fuuuuuck he’s hot when he punches people

“my droid is fucking dead :(” “good” OBI WAN

don’t jinx it you bitch did you learn ANYTHING obi wan from like ur entire life

NO DUMBASS DON’T LEAVE HER ALONE

ahhhh she’s suspicious oh dear and here we go

OOOOH HE’S GONNA CATCH A BLASTER BOLT WITH THE FORCE TO PROTECT HER OR SOMETHING

Reva you’re such a dramatic bitch i love you can’t u jump off a building like a normal force user

nah he’s gonna float her

yep!

Skywalker requirement: MUST nearly give Obi Wan a heart attack after being in his presence for ten minutes

“IS IT THAT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FRIENDS” LEIA

“we gotta take the free help dumbass” this is giving me big Padme vibes

OBI WAN THINKS SO TOO

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Reva you dramatic-ass theatre kid I love you

“I’ll be right behind you” lmaoooooo Obi Wan just said the magic words that means he DEFINITELY WON’T AHAHAHA

so she IS trying to capture him for Vader

ahahahahahaha his EYES LOOK AT THE PAIN AND TERROR

wait wait wait what the fuck WHY DOES SHE KNOW HE’S ANAKIN

oh fuck wait a minute did she actually stab G. Quizzy?

So is he NOT the same one from Rebels?

AHAHAHA ANYWAY BACK TO OBI WAN’S BREAKDOWN HEEHEEHOOHOO

heeeheeehee he’s crying

OH THERE YOU ARE YOU BROODY BURNT BITCH

NOW THE PARTY’S STARTED

NOW THE ANGST IS HERE

HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[maybe-your-left]

Pst pst pst. I think my first ask got deleted when you tried to do something XD anyways, some blurb/hc on how the boys treats us/spoils us? I could use some fluff now :<

Special Treatment yooooo... 

Clyde Logan: Big Daddy treats y’ somethin’ good... if you didn’t know, Clyde is a bit of a sugar-fiend. he loves to take you out for a nice brunch, a fancy place by the river, with bottomless mimosas and sweet treats you can’t get enough of. gets some sugary syrup on your lips, he will gladly lick it off while you nuzzle into one another. lots of sweet pastries-cakes-muffins-creampies. 

Charlie Barber: everything is art, a performance. everything Charlie does has its purpose in his artistic vision, including anything he does for you. when he sees you feeling down, he loves to book the two of you art classes. letting you recharge and retreat back to your roots. watercolor-acrylic-body painting-pottery-silent hours-anything that gets the creative juices flowing for the both of you when you’re in a funk. 

Jamie Massey: much like Charlie, his revolve around a getaway for the senses. of course-it will be filmed, it is Jamie. something he clings to from his marriage to Darby is purging the soul every once in a while. for the both of you to reconnect as one-he books you a trip. complete with a tent, blanket, some guitars, and plenty of natures sweet treats. (drugs, he takes you on Acid trips guys)

Rick Smolan: unfortunately, he's away so much. so to make it up to you when you’re feeling down, Rick takes you on vacation! yes, its somewhere he’s been before. but he doesn’t care because he’s there for pleasure. not work, your favorite spot right now is Everest, its taken a few months of preparation but the two of you are determined to make it to the top. sharing the moment of pure-euphoria and human spirit together, thats how he spoils you rotten. 

Kylo Ren (Triplet AU): he doesn’t trust women, or men, or animals, or the sky, and definitely doesn’t trust gift giving. if someone tries to give him something that means horrible things are going to happen, so he buys nothing for people. the few times he’s given gifts, they’ve backfired on him. who knew women didn’t like exotic reptiles in an unsuspecting basket? if he’s desperate, he will run to a jewelry store and slap down his credit card, barking at the person behind the counter what your favorite colors are and they throw back a bracelet or ring that he then gives you. usually he’s blushing profusely when he hands it over, saying that it’s not gonna hurt you. trying to push you away when you try and kiss him thank you-thank you-thank you once you’ve stopped crying over the diamonds. 

Ben Solo (Triplet AU): can you wear it? check. can he rip it off? check. bonus points if he can eat it too, most of his gifts are based around the four basic Benji needs: Food-Fucking-Frolicking-Frogs, the boy loves frogs. be prepared for horrible frog statues in your yard (like gnomes but-frog)

Matthew Organa-Solo (Triplet AU): he’s not as stupid as his brothers, doesn't have an aversion to gift giving and doesn’t make it all about sex. he wants to give you something that makes you smile, and he finds that when you’re together somewhere new it makes you feel better. so once a month, you and Matty pack the car and go on a road trip! you’re trying to make it to every National Park in America-complete with different kitchy gifts that make you both smile. 

Maurizio Gucci: Daddy filled up your credit card this morning, and got you a new baby-pink leather checkbook. anything you want, he gets it for you. exotic wines and cheeses, silks and furs, a brand new purse that hasn’t been on the runway yet. cars-mopeds-motorcycles, even though you don’t drive. Daddy doesn’t let you lift a finger. 

Phillip Altman: gifts are no fuckin’ sweat to this gremlin, he knows you inside and out. and what makes you the happiest? spending time with him babygirl, so the best thing he can do is spoil you with days of love making. pinning you to the mattress, lounge chair, couch, counter, hood of the Porsche. until your full of cum and drained of your tears. Oh! and he loves taking you to concerts, the way you get all giddy and squeal when he hands you tickets to your favorite band makes his heart hurt. 

Paterson: poetry, that reminds him solely of you and how you make him feel like a different man. flowers, farmers market trips, walking your pet cat together (he doesn’t want another dog), picnic’s in the park, and lots and lots of notes around the house from him so you know how much he loves you. 

Adam Sacker: buying gifts is a waste of time when he can do it himself, he can make some wood frame for a silly picture the two of you took at a carnival. or reinforce some furniture you’ve been complaining about, maybe even build a new canopy bed frame for you, stained and everything! being a handyman and a soft soul means he can do whatever and he still gets rewarded. 

Toby Grisoni: he doesn’t buy you ‘gifts’, instead he takes you on experiences. including you on his trips around the world for filming, he likes taking you dancing in the lavish cities you stay in, a bit of a hopeless romantic if he is feeling like it. and scarves, lots of scarves for you to tie him up with at the end of a long day. 

-------

Trattami crudele, papà.

TAGGING: @finn-ray-nal-beads @onlykyloscenes @candycanes19 @historyandfandoms50 @caelum-phyriina-vermillon @ghoulian13 @mrs-kylo-ren @millenialcatlady @relationshipwithmybed @dancingmicrobes @wayward-rose  @contesa-lui-alucard @daydreamsofren @insufferablelust @ohdamnadamm @mariesackler @caillea @safarigirlsp @jalexunderthestars @shesakillerkween @glassythoughts @zimmermansbrat @not-the-teen-witch @jynzandtonic @roanniom @celestiasin @glassbxttless @cornmousequeen @driversmutbucket @blowthatpieceofjunk

Here is the link to my Mega Masterlist, for all your stalking needs. 

[spicymayo1983]

Hiya. Decided to do another pregnancy smut fest starring you, the reader, and Poe Dameron.

I love to imagine Poe as a doting, loving, expectant father. I think it's sexy. Lol.

The two of you met by chance during one of General Organa's meetings. Despite the fact of the seriousness of the situation the handsome leader of the black squadron caught your eye.

You are a rebel Alliance lieutenant, young and passionate about defeating the first order.

And you caught his. The two of you almost immediately begin a red hot, sexual relationship. A casual, mainly friends with benefits sort of thing.

The two of you can't seem to keep your hands off each other and you have sex on a nightly basis.

How will things change between you when you find out that you're expecting his child?

Warnings, unprotected sex, female receiving oral sex, angst, pregnancy talk, cockwarming. Poe is also very cuddly and affectionate towards you. 🥰🥰Not for anyone under 18.

This is straight up porn ya'll. Lol.

Flirting with disaster

It's been a few months since that chance encounter during one of General Organa's meetings. You were supposed to be focused on the extremely serious matters at hand but instead you found yourself absolutely transfixed by Mr. Trigger happy himself, Poe Dameron.

The sexual chemistry between the two of you was off the rails passionate. Your new routine consisted of nightly sexual encounters with your virile new lover. Sometimes Poe would just show up to swap oral sex, maybe do a little cuddling. But most of the time, every night, you had sex. Usually in your own bed but a few times you would squeeze into the cockpit of his X wing and sit on his lap and ride his cock until you would both cum.

You've never been with anyone quite like Poe Dameron before. He's older than you by nearly a decade and is dominant in bed but always listens to you and makes sure that you cum first. Usually multiple times.

You feel like you may be falling in love with him but you're afraid that it's still too early to tell him.

Late one night, after a particularly exhausting session of marathon sex, you are lying in your bed.

You've already slipped on a simple yet sexy little negligee. Poe is sound asleep next to you on his stomach, still nude.

You can't believe how beautiful he is. Poe is such a deep sleeper that you could run your fingers through his hair and he wouldn't wake up.

You're having difficulty sleeping so you find yourself doing just that. Playing with each soft little ringlet, giving them gentle, playful little tugs.

But this time Poe wakes up. His dark brown eyes pop open slightly and he says in a groggy voice,

"What's wrong babe? Can't sleep?"

"Yes". You reply with a deep sigh. "I don't understand how my sleep schedule got so messed up".

Poe rolls over on his side and tenderly embraces you, he wraps his arms around you and showers the back of your neck with soft little kisses.

He knows the one way to get you to fall asleep. With his arms wrapped around you in a gentle embrace Poe slides his thick cock inside of you.

You sigh deeply as you feel the warmth of his body against yours.

"Mmmm you like that babe, don't you?" Poe whispers into your ear.

"Yesss". You reply weakly, the feeling of him inside of you stirs up an entire cocktail of emotions.

You want to tell Poe that you love him but you're too afraid. You wouldn't know how to deal with the rejection.

The two of you fall asleep with your bodies locked together. The next morning before Poe gets dressed to leave you enjoy a round of sleepy, early morning sex.

After a long and stressful day packed full of meetings and intelligence briefings you can't wait to come home, take a warm bath and go to sleep.

You're surprised to see Poe waiting for you when the door to your quarters slides open. He's relaxing on the couch, his khaki shirt unbuttoned and his boots kicked off.

Even when he isn't trying the man oozes raw, animal sex appeal. You can't believe how lucky you are to come home and have this gorgeous man waiting for you.

Wanting to touch you, please you. He could be soft and cuddly or rough and dominant. Whatever you were in the mood for.

"What a day!" You announce, quickly kicking off your own boots and cuddling up next to him. "I need a hot bath and a good night's sleep".

Poe immediately leans over and tenderly kisses you on the forehead.

"Let me run a bath for you". He says, smiling a little and kissing you again, nuzzling your neck.

Tonight is a soft and cuddly night. Poe knows that you find him completely irresistible when he's being your sexy teddy bear.

Poe runs a hot bath for you. Once you sink into that hot water your troubles seem to melt away. He massages your neck and shoulders for you. As Poe massages your shoulders he plants a series of soft, delicate kisses on them, making you sigh in contentment.

"Mmmmmm". You mumble, closing your eyes in delight. "That feels great".

"I know what else would make you feel great". Poe whispers into your ear.

After he helps you dry off Poe carries you into your bedroom. Your body is tingling from excitement as you anticipate what's he's going to do to you.

He covers your body in gentle kisses from your forehead down between your breasts, where he lingers for awhile.

You begin to moan louder and you feel yourself becoming wetter and wetter as his kisses slide below your belly button.

Poe begins to gently suck your erect clit as he fingers your wet slit.

He can feel you cum for him with his mouth. Every pulse, every twitch, he can feel.

"If I don't fuck your perfect pussy I'm going to explode". Poe moans as you roll over and spread your legs for him, craving his cock inside of you.

He enters you gently, you moan and squirm from delight as you squeeze his beautiful thickness with your tight muscles.

You gaze into his eyes and run your fingers through his hair as Poe gently makes slow, tender love to you.

You cry out a little and bury your face in his shoulder as you feel his cock tense up and spill his thick seed inside of you.

Neither one of you have had the birth control conversation. But there are so many safe, effective and advanced options for men and women in a galaxy far, far away that it never crosses your minds.

You're not currently on anything but you assume that he is given his reputation.

Afterwards when you are both drifting off to sleep as you relax in his arms you ask,

"Are we exclusive?"

"Of course babe". Poe coos back, giving you a gentle squeeze. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"I'm not on the shot or anything else". He continues, the "shot" meaning one of the most popular methods of birth control for men. "But most women I'm with are on at least 1 thing so I figure why bother?"

His words immediately send chills down your spine. Before you met Poe you weren't exactly sexually active. Your menstrual cycle was light and normal so you didn't figure that you needed to take anything.

You got so swept up in the fun and carnality of your trysts with Poe that birth control slipped your mind.

"What's wrong babe?" Poe mumbles back, kissing your neck.

"Nothing, nothing at all". You reply with a nervous giggle.

You've been experiencing some things that you've brushed off as stress related. Sore breasts, weight gain, mood swings. But now you're terrified that you might be pregnant.

The next day you see your doctor regarding birth control options. But before anything is administered you are given a pregnancy test....

It's positive.

The end of part 1

[popculturebuffet]

Static Shock: Shock to the System and Aftershock Review

“You know what? 13 years ago, me and some friends sat in a restaurant all night and daydreamed about the kinds of stories we would tell if we had the chance. We wanted to expand the concept of superhero to include characters that kind of looked like us, who had some of the same background, experiences and dreams as we did. We wanted to create something fun that a new generation would respond to the same way we responded to our childhood heroes -and damn if we didn't succeed beyond my wildest dreams. Today, Static Shock is a household name with millions of fans of all ages (Is there stuff I'd do differently? Yeah, almost all of season four but why nitpick?) Static is the most successful thing I've ever helped create and I'm both proud and gratified that people have taken it into their hearts. “ 

Dwayne McDuffie, Co-Creator of Static and Writer for Static Shock

This review is dedicated to Dwayne McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III.                                                        Rest In Power Static Shock is awesome. I grew up with the show watching it both first run on the WB and second run on Cartoon Network and loved it as much as I did other large parts of my childhood courtsey of DC like Batman the Animated Series, Teen Titans and both Justice League Shows. What makes this unique among the DC Properties is that Static wasn’t really a big name when he got a show. He wasn’t even part of the DC Universe. 

See as I had no idea for probably a good decade, Static actually came from Milestone Comics, a company ran by and focused on african americans. The goal was understandable: While black heroes existed at the time, and there were some fantastic ones like Storm, Jim Rhodes and Steel... these guys weren’t the center of their universes. The big faces of the big  companies, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash.. were white. So milestone was a shakeup of that with the main teams and heroes all being black, from Icon, an alien who’d lived among man but rather than end up in kansas like say superman ended up imprinting on a slave woman centuries ago and has been with us since, who was encouraged by an energetic teenager named Rocket to put on a costume and do something with his powers and his community, Hardware, a tech genius who had his work stolen by a white asshole and wanted to fight back and BLood Syndicate, a group of gang members all caught in the “The Big Bang”, a huge fight between all of Dakota, the midwest city where the comics take place, that ended when the police released a bunch of experimental gas that gave them all super powers. 

As most of you who have watched the show already know, this is where Static comes from. Static was the company making their own Spider-Man, i.e. a nerdy teenager who suddenly gets super powers, in this case Virgil Hawkins who at the prodding of a friend took a gun to The Big Bang to get revenge on a bully. .but ultimately couldn’t go through with it, decided it wasn’t him and got rid of the gun and ran.. and still ended up in it, becoming Static, a young hero dedicated to using his powers to fight other “Bang Babies”.. a term that dosen’t really sound that great and they really should’ve thought through. But Phrasing aside the character was great and I look forward to reading more and only haven’t because I have to buy the issues gradually, but DC is currently re-releasing the individual issues of Static, Icon, and Hardware weekly in anticipation of a reboot of Milestone Coming in May digitally on Comixology at only 2 bucks a pop, and rereleased the original print collections that were long out of print for 10 bucks each, though i’m getting static on it’s own since i’ts really not that much less expensive as it only collects four issues while Icon and Hardware both collect 8, so I can wait a bit there on Hardware and already own Icon: A Hero’s Welcome.. and really need to review it at some point. 

While Milestone’s output was good, at least from the two books i’ve read, with Robert Washinton III, who sadly not only ahs also passed but was fucking homeless for a while  in the 2000′s.. what the actual hell, writing Static alongside Dwayne McDuffie, whose later moved onto animation writing tons of Static episodes all of them classics including the school shooting episode, the first three rubberbandman episodes and both Anasazi episodes. Point is it had good writers and artists and even had a distrbution deal with DC, so they had a leg up on the glut of other comic book companies.. but happened to start at the start of the comic book crash, a huge downturn in sales in the 90′s as the speculator boom, i.e. a bunch of people assuming every number one would be worth golden and silver age money, forgetting a character has to BUILD INTREST and this stuff takes time, and whose attempts to sell fast flooded the market with comics no one wanted,, caused the roof to cave in and with a bunch of assholes pegging milestone as a “Company for black people” rather than you know, a company trying to add fucking diversity and represntation to the comics industry, and that simply wanted a unvierse that was centered around people of color instead of white guys. The company eventually had to shut down, and was left to lisencing.  This is where the show comes in. Producers HAD been trying to make shows based on Milestone for a while, as far back as the mid-90s and the company was was all for it but the closest it got was an x-men style team series using various characters whose first draft was terrible and whose second draft by Alan Burnett, a producer on various DC Animated shows who’d go on to produce Static Shock, that McDuffie and others really liked but sadly did not get picked up. eventually though with presistance Static ended up getting a series and as I said McDuffie went on to write for it though he did not develop it. Some changes went into place naturally to make it work for an early 2000′s kids show and while i’ll probably miss so since again, only read one issue as we go. But due to Milestone coming back my intrest was peaking, hence finally reading the copy of Icon I had to buy from the library years ago due to keeping it overdue but am now EXTREMLEY glad I own as i’ts incredibly rare and really damn good, and wanting to read static, doing so lately since it’s finally on digtiial and again not too expensive. So join me as I give you a shock to the system and revisit this hell of a series to see if it holds up.. which just to cut that short it does and i’m only holding off binging MORE because I want the first two eps to be fresh enough in my head to review properly.. and also go over the various voice actors because that’s a thing with me now and charcter co-creator dwayne mcduffie because he’s awesome. 

As I like to do when covering a series first episodes, let’s run down the voice cast. 

First up is an UTTER LEGEND, and I use the term voice acting legend a lot, and mean it every time and have good reason to use it when I say it, and Phil LaMarr is a GOD in the buisness, having done a metric ton of voice acting roles, and being easily the most proflific black voice actor in animation. He’s also done some acting work, mostly in pulp fiction which I have not seen, but his true staying power and talent is in animation so here’s just the roles I feel are most notable or may not be very notable but i’m bringing up anyway because it’s my list. 

His roles besides Virgil include Lester Payton the Texas Ranger who showed up for one very good episode of king of the hill to be badass and show up the hickish, stupid and very punchable local Sheriff, Gearld’s obnoxious older brother Jamie O on Hey Arnold, Hermes Conrad from futurama, Carver from the Weekenders (PUT IT ON PLUS DISNEY), Axel Foley for exactly one bit in Clerks the Animated Series, but anyone whose seen it will know exactly which one, Micheal on the Proud Family, Black Vulcan on Harvey Birdman (In His Pants), Hector Con Carne and Dracula on Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Evil Con Carne, Jack on Samurai Jack something I didn’t know for decades (and I didn’t know about the carver thing till today though i’ts obvious in hindsight), John Motherfucking Stewart on Justice League and later Steel and Adult Static in the Unlimited seasons, Osmosis Jones on Ozzy and Drix, Bolbi Strogofski on Jimmy Neutron (And yes i’m just as shocked as you are.), Wilt on Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Marcus on Life and Times of Juniper Lee, Bull Sharkowski on My Gym Partner is A Monkey and Also a Sociopath Please Help God My Life is a waking nightmare..... okay the rest of that title is implied but we all watched the same show, we all know in our hearts that was the title

Moving on, he was also, and yes there’s MORE: Maxie Zeus on The Batman, Philly Phil on Class of 3000, Both Robertsons AND Fancy Dan on the Spectacular Spider-Man, Jazz on Transformers Animated, Kit Fisto and Bail Organa on Star Wars the Clone Wars, Gambit and Bolivar Trask on Wolverine and the X-Men, Aquaman I, L-Ron and Green Beetle on Young Justice, J.A.R.V.I.S. and Wonder Man (Simon Williams) In Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Gabe and Carny on Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters (Really miss that game and have been snapping up what cards I can get lately), Baxter Stockman in the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (And there’s also an awesome photo of him with 2003 Baxter... the two best together in one place. I got chills), Dormammu (I’ve come to bargin) in various Marvel Shows, Noville in Mighty Magiswords, Zach’s dad Marcus in Milo Muprhy’s Law, Craig’s Douchey Brother Benard on Craig of the Creek, showing he’s clearly come full circle, And Mr. Scully on the Casagrndes. And given It took about two paragraphs to cover all of this, yeah, I MEANT legend. 

Next we have Kevin Micheal Richardson as Virgil’s Dad Robert, and it’s the first time since I started introducing Voice Actors on a show that i’ve overlapped. I already covered him during the second episode of legend of the three caballeros, but for the short version he’s also very acomplished, very damn good and I somehow missed he played the old blind guy in hey arnold> Needless to say the dude is awesome. 

Virgil’s Sister Sharon is played by Michele Morgan who was in the rap group BWP and did some smaller roles outside of this the one exception being Juicy on the PJ’s, which I have not watched much of but REALLY do not like, though i’ll at least give it credit for being a decently long lasted black claymation sitcom at at time when there were, and hoenstly still aren’t, many black animated shows. 

Back to long casting sheets, next up is Jason Marsden, who is one of my faviorites as i’ve realized recently as Ritchie. As I also found out only recently he started on the Sitcom Step By Step and while that show is .. ehhhhhhhhh, he is great in it because he’s great in everything. He also apparently has his own internet variety show which I have to watch now. His roles include Max Goof, ironically given I was just talking about that role a few days ago, Haku in the english dub of Spirted Away, Micheal, the kid being yelled at by a bunch of 80′s cartoons characters not to take drugs in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue!, Nermal in the DTV Garfield movies and The Garfield Show, Tino on the Weekenders (SERIOUSLY DISNEY), Snapper Carr on Justice League, Rikochet on Mucha Lucha! for the last season (Why I do not knkow and while I love the guy he was not the right choice), Felix on Kim Possible, Chase Young on Xiaolin Showdown (WHich I did not realize was him and now I do easily his best role and I REALLY should’ve), Red Star and Billy Numerous on Teen Titans, Speedy on Batman Brave and the Bold, Impulse/Kid Flash II on Young Justice, and Fingers on Kaijudo. He hasn’t done as much lately which is a shame but hopefully i’tll pick up again. 

Next up is Hotstreak, Virgil’s brutal bully turned unhinted pyromancer played by DANIEL COOKSY, another actor i’m happy to talk about and another faviorite I haven’t seen much of lately. Daniel was an actor from childhood, playing Budnick on Salute Your Shorts, but he quickly gained a long and storied catalogue of VA Work: His first big roll was as Montana Max on Tiny Toon Adventures and if there is a god he’ll be back for the reboot, Stoop Kid on Hey Arnold, the incomprable Jack Spicer on Xiaolin Showdown, far and away his best role and part of why Chronicles sucked so bad was he was he didn’t get to reprise the role, The titular Dave the Barbarian, Django of the Dead on El Tigre (Had no idea), Kicks utterly insufferable big Brother Brad on Kick Buttowski and apparently he’s back at it again after laying low for a bit as he’s voicing Snag in Long Gone Gultch.. which I already really needed to watch but hot damn, I missed him. Sign me up. 

Frieda, Virgil’s crush and close friend who in the comics was his main confidante and love intrest but here is eventually pushed aside, is voiced by Danica Mckeller whose work didn’t seem all that familiar.. until I found out she was Ms. Martian on Young Justice. Hello, Megan. Very talented and she did get a major role in a dc show eventually so good for her. Can’t wait for season 4. 

So with our major players out of the way,  let’s talk about Dwayne. McDuffie is an AWESOME man and my respect has grown for him more and more with time. A writer and editor at Marvel, McDuffie has a decent resume doing smaller but awesome books, which I got most of for free last year when Marvel was giving out free digital collections due to the lock down, like Damage Control, a sitcom set in the marvel universe about the company that picks up after superhero battles and the logistics and antics that insue and Dethlok, about a pacfist trapped inside a cyborg zombie. He was as mentioned one of Milestone’s founders, and wrote Icon, Hardware and co-wrote the first few issues of Static. He’d go on to a pretty stacked career in animation, writing on this show and Justice League before becoming  story editor and show runner for Unlimited , even making a return to comics as a result writing the Marvel miniseries beyond and an arc of Fantastic Four in which Black Panther and Storm filled in for Reed and Sue while the two of them worked on their marriage after Reed did.. pretty much everything he did in Civil War. He also became head writer and show runner for Ben 10: Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, revamping the franchise a bit, and Alien Force, at least the first two seasons are awesome and I feel people overreacted on the changes. Ultimate Alien is okay, but has it’s problems but the finale was awesome and left the man’s legacy on a high note.. as he sadly passed in 2011 due to heart complications. He is truly missed and produced some utterly amazing stuff whlie he was alive. So on that melacholy note let’s see what happens when his creation hits the tv screen shall we?

Shock to the System:

This episode is written by Christopher Simmons, who is apparently a huge art designer guy.. but i’m not sure that’s the same chirsptoher simmons. Much more notable is the writer of the episode after this Stan Berkowitz, who was showrunner for season 1 and has done a LOT of DCAU work and is suprising talent, having written a lot of awesome Justice League episodes including Secret Society and The Royal Flush One. Point is we’re in first class hands.  Before the episode itself I want to talk about the intro and how it’s unique among DCAU shows. Like most Western Animation the intros for DCAU shows didn’t change much over the seasons with the most I can see is JLU changing up the footage to preview the current episode and later adding Hawkgirl to the intro after her return to the team. I THINK superman the animated series changed some of it’s footage too, but I can’t confrim it and may of just been imagining it. As i’ve talked about on my blog it’s normally a pet peeve of mine, mostly because shows you know, change after season 1, characters get added some one shot characters used for the intro never return, and after a while it can feel dated especially in more recent shows where the status quo is not at all set in stone and things change quite a bit. But sometimes it can be good enough that either the dated elements don’t matter or general enough that you don’t need to change it and i’ts just that good.. and given Batman the Animated Series has both in spades, you can see why i’ts probably my golden standard for intros and after superman the animated series DC mostly followed suit. But being part of the teen superhero boom of the 2000′s Static is unique in that it splits the diffrence: It’s intro gets the character across perfectly like a good intro should starting with Virgil getting out of bed and running a comb across his head before showing off to his sister to bug her and literally running into his dad who hand shim his bag and smiles, silently showing off his family. He then runs to school and runs into some trouble.. and said trouble changes for each intro, with Rubberband Man for season 1, Kanga (Whose name I only know because I happened to run across it) for season 2 and your guess is as good as mine for seasons 3 and 4, though Hotstreak is a constant. They still save some money for seasons 1 and 2 by recycling some animation.. but that’s alright with mea s it was good animation, and the improtant thing is cycling out old villians for new ones, while Season 3 is the only out and out redo to show off Richie taking on the Gear identity, adding about 10 seconds of intro to let him show off.  Seriously it’s an utterly great intro and like the other DCAU intros outside of superman, stuck in my brain. 

The other change that’s ENTIRELY diffrent from the rest of htem is that the music changes each time. The first two have the same formula just with a difrent vocalist and backing track: a superhero theme but with some hip hop beat boxing over it. The first intro is fine enough, not specattcular but stilll god. The second song.. is eh. Not really great and feels like a marked downgrade from season 1 and just dosen’t blend an ocrehstiral superhero theme with the beatbox elements NEARLY as well. The third song though is my faviorite.. even if I HATED Little Romeo as a  kid because I really did not like his nick show, it’s more a straight up rap song, but it has a faster beat that fits the intro better, and Romeo’s bragging fits Virgil’s character and penchant for Spidey quips perfectly. I also find it ironic that the theme that blends in with the dcau the most, the first season’s, is the one from BEFORE they decided to put it in the same universe. Still this season’s intro slaps, I just like the LIttle Romeo one a bit more.  The opening scene is picture perfect. Some masked crooks looting a warehouse are loading some stolen TV’s into a van when suddenly the lights come on one by one above one of the crooks before his tv switches to various channels before going haywire. Cue our heroes’ entrance. Let’s tak ea good look at him

Static’s Costume is awesome. While I prefer the season 3 redesign, and clearly DC agrees as the redeisgn was used for both pre and post new-52 when they used him, and while he’s getting a fresh design for the reboot, said design takes a lot of cures from said outfit. As for how the outfit differs from the comics itself  this is the design he had in the comics

It didn’t change much from the first issue, with the exception of his now iconic big puffy jacket which was added pretty early into the character’s history but I was unaware of that and just assumed he had the bodysuit the whole time. The more you know. But as you can see outside of the cool puffy jacket over a costume the two couldn’t be more diffrent. While the Dakotaverse outfit is more a standard superhero outfit, with some regular clothes touches on top the first cartoon outfit comes off more realistic, looking fantastic, but still coming off as something two teenagers could realistically have thrown together with what clothes they could buy, while still looking awesomely superheroy. IN short it’s perfect and only topped by the season 3 onward look...

But the slicker look, with an even cooler jakcet and the new colors all fitting the lighting ascetic better, but fits: not only has Virgil come along farther since he started, but with Richie now having a genius brain as Gear, he can provide a far slicker, far more professional superhero outfit on the budget the two have.  This show is just great  at costume design. 

So getting back to the episode at hand, Static puts up a huge sign in elecrticy saying “Bad guys here”, PFFFT, and then hides away and narrates that a few days ago he’d be the last person anyone would’ve expected to be a hero. Cue Flashback. 

We meet Virgil Hawkins on an average day: rapping into his razor, getting into a petty argument with his older sister Sharon, as a younger brother myself I relate to this, and talking to his dad who tries to get them to cut that out. We find out his mom has passed via his sister making really terrible eggs and saying that’s how mom made them. Exposition! Though we do get a great bit through this as when his sister gets distracted by her boyfriend calling, he uses the opportunity of her leaving the room to dump the eggs.. after having earlier jokingly prayed to his mom for a way out of breakfast. “Thanks for looking out for me mom” That’s both very sweet and very hilarious. 

This is a change from the comics it turns out as I was utterly flored to find Virgil’s mom alive and well when reading the first issue of Static. Turns out this was a change made during development and one Dwane McDuffie admitted in the interview I got the tribute quote from to not liking as he had a good reason for having Virgil have a nuclear family, as most black families in media at the time were just one single parent and a kid or two with the other having either left or died. He wasn’t too bothered by it as while he preferred what he came up with in the first place, the show DID get some really good stories out of her being gone and didn’t just have her be absent because shut up. Virgil is still working over her death and the way HOW she died ends up playing an important role in this episode and gives Virgil a dislike of guns, as she died to gang violence. So the change wasn’t for stupid or racist reasons, but likely both to keep the character count down while giving them something to work with for storylines. Or it could’ve been for stupid reasons and the writers simpily made lemonade out of that very dumb lemon, either way it ended up working.  Virgil also plans to ask his friend Frieda out. Frieda was a bigger deal in the comics, being Virgil’s friend and confidante as well as his ocasional love intrest, but here while she was inteded to at least be his love intrest here, that sorta fizzled out. As for the best friend role we meet her replacement in Richie, which McDuffie conceded was the kind of change a studio would make swapping out a female character for a male one. That being said the crew made the best of it and Richie is awesome, a bit of an overcompensating dipstick at times, but a good sounding board and pal for virgil and funny as hell too. He was also gay, something only revealed post series by McDuffie.. but unlike say Dumbledore, it’s a bit easier to swallow here: The early 2000′s were an even worse time for gay characters in tv let alone cartoons, and if they couldn’t kiss or have sex scenes on regular tv, there was no way we were getting any representation in a children’s show. So it was largely just hinted at by Richie overcompensating in how “into girls” he was and i’m once again fine with this being word of god as it was literally the best they could do and his counterpart in the comics was also gay, if not as relevant.  Ritch encourages Virgil to work on his opening to ask her out as it’s awkward as heck, hits a bit close to home.. but I do appricate the show just .. having him try and ask her out from the first episode. They likely would’ve drug thigns out a bit granted had they used Frieda more, i’m not blind to the convetions of the time. .but as someone who got the very wrong idea from tv that just waiting around meant a girl would like you eventually, when no you need to actually try even if rejection happens, I honestly wish we had more of this in media than the other garbage morals at the time. 

So he prepares to , not helped by her mentioning guy after guy is asking her out.... but before he can F-Stop, the future hotstreak, shows up.  F-STOP

That being said...... it’s not as bad as the original gangster name for the comic’s version, Biz Money B. Yes BIZ MONEY B

So yeah while F-Stop is no more intimidating, it at least means I can stop laughing. Francis, because I can’t type F-Stop without laughing and this review is already behind, shoves Virgil out of the way and agressively hits on Frieda, even saying “you smell good”, the international sign your a douchebag and also to call the police. Virgil steps up to the guy and gets PAINFULLY slammed into the lockers, something I give the animation team a lot of credit for, as you can FEEL how fucking painful that was. Virgil is saved by Wade, another local gangbanger who in the comics was a close friend of Virgils but here saves him seemingly just because.. seemingly. 

On the way home though Virg’s problems don’t end as naturally, the giant sized asshole with nothing better to do has his goons corner virgil before VIOLENTLY beating him.. off screen but the noises, and the clear brusies including a black eye, on virgil afterwords.. just holy damn i’m suprsied they got away with this but it shows just how horrifing it was and that this is a step above regular bullying, which make no mistake is absoluttley terrible and the series would later do an episode on it and school shootings, into straight up gang violence. Wade shows up again and gets the bastards to flee.. but also makes it clear he can’t keep doing this.. and forces Virgil to meet him at his base under the bridge. And it’s a tense sequence, with Virgil KNOWING this is a bad idea but having no real choice and Wade making it abundantly clear that he wants Virgil to join his crew, and makes a chilling point: while Virgils dad RIGHTFULLY dosen’t want his son to join a gang as Virgil points out.. he can’t be there for him all the time and eventually one of those times, Francis will be around. And he may not surivive that. Virgil nods noncomittaly.  At home it gets even more grim as he dosen’t open up to his family, understandably as his dad would jsut say to call the police and well.. we’ve seen how the police treat black people. At best they’d just try and use Virgil as an informant and that likely wouldn’t end fucking well for Virgil. Ritchie points out he can’t join a gang, virgil’s mom died that way.. see told you it’d be important to the plot.. but I like how the story dosen’t offer an easy answer.. well okay he gets electric powers soon enough but without the fantastic element this is just an innocent kid caught between either joining the very thing his mom hated or hoping a system not built to protect him will keep him alive. It’s utterly saddening and chilling and holy shit is it amazing a cartoon in the early 2000′s was able to get away with.. ANY OF THIS, and they handle it great, paired down a bit from the comics but even then it’s still incredibly balsy they got THIS much in. 

Naturally Wade calls in his favor and our hero is forced to come running.. and soon finds out Wade’s brought him in for a massive gang war. Welcome to the big bang, baby. He hands Virgil a gun as things get started and Virgil.. drops the thing and tries to escape, in a harrowing sequence.. and runs into Francis because god apparently REALLY hates this kid today. As if to prove that the police show up and while that prevents a beating, they demand they disassemble. then release untested gas on them because of course they do. 

As a result the big bang truly begins, with the various gang members getting mutated.. and naturally so does virgil. Though he wakes up the next day seemingly fine. How’d he get home? Does his dad know where he was?

I don’t know and we’re not getting any answers, but Virgil soon finds weird stuff happening like his clock shorting out, change being attracted to him and his razor going wild. It’s only once he get sback to his room he gets an inkling of what’s going on and calls Ritchie to meet him at the Junk yard.. though it is a bit of a dick move as he dosen’t you know, tell him anything about Wade or Francis right away. He does at the yard though.. and that he has powers, having finally figured out how to use them to a point. And the series does provide a decent justification later as to why he’d get this so quickly: Virgil is a smart kid, gets great grades at school and apparnetly there’s even an episode later where he gets a scholarship to a fancy genius school. So him getting how elctromagntisim works or being a quick study on it makes perfect sense. 

Richie suggest the obvious.. to become a superhero. And the thought.. hadn’t occured to Virgil. It’s honestly a nice twist on the old trope. That he hadn’t thought of it, not because he’s selfish or any of that or needs to learn a hard lesson, those have been done.. simply because the rush of getting his powers, and implicitly of having a way out of his current predciament, a way to keep Francis off his back and keep Wade from pulling him in further. His own path. But once i’ts brought up.. he jumps on it. Part of it is being a nerd like you or I, of course he wants to.. and being a good intetioned one, he knows this is the right thing to do. It’s waht makes a superhero a hero: Anyone can get powers in a universe like this, esepcailly the dcau, but it takes true courage and heart to use them selflessly and knowing you’ll be in danger. It’s why I love surperheroes: they often didn’t ask for this but they do it anyway because somebody’s gotta. We also get an intresting wrinkle is superman is, at least I think in this episode I could’ve missed it or misremembered things, mentioned as a fictional character. That’s because originally like the comics this wasn’t part of the DCAU.. but eventually the crew decided it shared staff from it, shared a network, both first run and on reruns, why not just make it part of the DCAU proper. I fully support this decisionf: While i’m midly annoyed unlimited never really used anything from static shock outside of Static himself in the time travel episode, despite you know Static and Gear having BEEN to the tower and not being much younger than Kara and defintely older than Courtney, I chalk it up to weird rights issues or something like that. But having Batman, Batman Beyond, Superman, Green Lantern and the Justice League itself all guest star was a good idea, and expanded both static’s universe and gave the DCAU something differnt as most heroes in it were older and more experinced in contrast to the up and coming virgil. Again really would’ve been nice if he and gear could’ve been a part of the expanded league but production might of just been too far ahead or, given he had his own series, they might just have wanted to stick to toher characters. Also begs the question why Icon or Hardware wasn’t adapted for the expanded League but hey, questions for later and the tricky logisitics of the milestone rights might’ve been the issue. I don’t know I wasn’t in the room. 

So we get a costume montage, including Black Vulcan from Superfriends, who again ironically would be voiced by Lamarr not too long after this, though weirdly they DON’T use his outfit from the comics for this montage. I mean why not? It fits the gag and would’ve been a good second to last choice.But what could’ve been aside we get our winner and cut back to present day...

Thanks boys. Static finds out one of the things in the warehouse is a shipment of computers for the school and can’t help but show off, showing up to the school, where Frieda and Richie are setting up for the dance, and dropping off the computers, and even saying his catchphrase for the first time “I’ll put a shock to your system” (Which Richie chimes in with awesome line and I agree, great catcphrase), before helping set up and flirting with frieda. 

Though as Richtie says he’s a natural. He’s not wrong as he can work a crowd. .but back it up too as his first run out had him easily taking out the crooks, and as many teen superheros and fans of heroes of hte type, myself included will tell you, getting it right in one is not easy. Not even Miles MOrales was immune. All Static needs now is a villian. 

And the end of the episode provides one as we see, in horrifc and once again damn suprising detail most of hte new metas aren’t doing so good and are melting and other stuff and we catch up with Francis whose burning up.. and naturally given that hair, though given he named himself F-Stop it’s the least of his problems, he’s got fire powers and escapes to “Have me some fun”

So with that we end episode 1. And it’s excellent, a great way to introduce the hero and while the warehouse opening is a bit superflous, it is a decent addition, showing our heroes first outing in costume and giving us a bit of an action scene to get us through the very heavy rest of the episode. But the rest of the episode is no less grippping, telling the tale of a teen caught in an unwinnable scenario who suddenly finds a way out. And speaking of which waht of Wade? Will we see him again? Is he perhaps Ebon, the series big bad as I thought when I was a kid? What comes of the man who directly caused static’s origin?

Yeahhh that’s the one mistep I think the pilot makes. Frieda is understandable as that was likely a simple change in creative direction. This though? Why build this guy up if your not going to bring him back. I mean where he went was probably the grave, as he probably did due to his mutation, but it’s still VERY weird to spend a whole episode focusing on this guy, building him up as a big personal threat to our hero.. and NOT have him become the series big bad. And maybe he WAS supposed to be ebon and they just changed their mind. I don’t know but it bothers me it bothers me a lot. Otherwise though flawless. ONe more to go. 

Aftershock: We open outside an electronics store, as our heroes watch the news reacap what happened in the first episode, with the media dubbing it the Big Bang and revealing their could be hundreds of “Metahumans”, as Virgil dubs after deciding the media’s term “Mutant” dosen’t fit, a nice wink to the fact that that’s the term used in dc comics and I believe milestone but could be wrong there. Me I like the term, has a nice ring to it. 

At the store while Richie mulls over waht this means Static finds out he’s a human CD player.... this was before mp3 players and streaming on your phone made them horribly obsolete mind you and if you don’t know what one is congradualtions you live in some sort of bubble and you made me feel really old junior. 

Frieda happens to be there and Virgil quips “What’s the matter they run out of britney cds”. Dude she’s not bad. Also be careful what you wish for man. Nickeback returned the year after this. You have not truly suffered through bad music yet my young friend. They spot a kid looking feverish, and he soon turns into a purple werewolf, as you do. It’s a bang baby.. those are richie’s exact word and you may not want to start a panic there bud. Just saying your best friend is one. THeir not all like this. Our heroes book it only to run into Francis who naturally refuses to let them leave and only doesn’t try to beat up Virgil because Virgil points otu the werewolf and nonplussed, he goes to fight it, scarring it off by revealing his own powers. He’s now dubbed himself Hotstreak which points for getting an actually good name kid. No points for what happens next as unsuprisingly getting powers did NOT mak ehim a better person and he attacks Virgil who blocks with a garbage can lid and thankfully is blasted into an ally. Richie tries to guard frieda for damn obvious reasons but gets hsi shirt burnt up because shut up Thankfully Static shows up, and we get our firsdt full on superhuman fight as both fight each other with aplomb, and it’s a damn good fight.. and one that goes pear shaped for Virg as he’s caught off guard when he finds out Hotstreak can use his powers to fly, and tackles him and his previous trauma causes him to freeze up. Thankfully , as Frieda put in a call earlier, the fire department arrive and HOt streak has to retreat, though Virgil is bummed that he “Choked”. And I love this as it not only shows Virgil’s inepxerince, as this is his first time fighting a bad guy but that just because he HAS power now dosen’t mean trauma and his previous fear of Hotstreak goes away or you won’t freeze up from time to time. It dosen’t make him weak or anything like some assholes would call it .. it makes him human. Humans make mistakes, and it makes him all the more relatable that he’s not pefect and that he did freeze up as I know I certainly would at last once in the circumstances. 

Things don’t get better at dinner as Sharon and Pops argue over the bang babies with Pops calling them a meance and Sharon pointing out Static exists so they can’t all be bad. See assuming a group of superhumans are bad because a handful of them ar edick sis why the x-men had to get their own island nation. You can only save an ungreatful populous so many times before you say “fuck it i’m getting my own island, pay me for life saving drugs, save your damn selves and stop doing genocides on us. Kay thanks”. But he does bring up a valid point that rattles his son: We don’t know anything about the Bang Babies or their biological structures and it’s likely they might further mutate into monsters, Static included. 

Virgil, understandably, wants to check this and thus he and richie compare blood samples in science, to no real conclusion. She he checks out with his doctor who assumes he’s sexually active in a great getting crap past the radar bit and a bit of realisim, but he agrees to the test though if something came up he would have to tell Virgil’s dsad and is up front about this. Nice dose of realisim.

That night City Council has a meeting and the Mayor TRIES to deflect Papa Hawkins questions about the bang babies which again, while being a judgmental ass as not every person hit was a gang member (Virgil, and as we discover later some others), and not every gang member is there by choice, some by circumstnace some, like virgil almost was, because they HAD no other option. Again years of reading x-men may of just made me a bit touchy on assholes admitely assuming superpower people bad. But it’s clear the public is upset and while she says an investigation is underway... Virgil and Richie are not only not convinced, but figure she’s actively covering it up. And unlike everyone else there who probably suspects the same, they can do something about it and tail her.  It’s during this, and cleverly as I didn’t realie till writing this using similar skills to his human cd player act, Virgil listens in and discovers whose behind it: Edwin Alva, whose apparently richer than bill gates and a beloved phinarophist Alva, as it turns out, was actually the arch enemy of Hardware in the comics, taking advantage of the guy in his civiliian idtentiy and thus casuing him to launch a war on the asshole. He does transition into this series well though, being the one behind the gas that caused it and with the mayor agreeing to back off, planning to simply dump the info about the big bang on a disc then destroy everything for now till the heat dies down. Yup sounds like a corprate douchebag. 

Static tails him, finds the lab and infiltrates it, stealing the disc.. but getting caught by Alva’s goon, and trapped in a glass prison, forced to use ALL his power to escape and barely getting out alive, but not before bouncing off alva’s car. Still he now has the proof.. and meanwhile Hotstreak, who I was wrong did get captured, is forced to take pill sbut spits them out once the orderly is gone. Dude.. WHY DIDN’T YOU WATCH HIM. Make sure he swallows that shit especially since, as he has no powers right now and can’t harm you. 

Hotstreak escapes off screen and our heroes discuss the disc before he shows up, and we get a REALLY fucking amazing scene: Virgil ducks into an Alleway and ritchie is worried.. and Virgil disarms him with just one word responses Ritchie: Virg you can’t take him.  Virgil: Gotta. Ritchie: Well at least wait for the fire department Virgil: Can’t.  It’s simpile but it gets the point across: This is his fight, he can’t wait for help, and people need him. And this is what makes a true hero: It’s easy to be a hero when everythings going well.. but it’s the true ones who stick it out against the odds and fight anyway. And he’s going to.  So we get one hell of a fight, though naturally Hotstreak burns up the disc. And I do like this as it dosen’t feel contrived.. yes Static could’ve left it with ritchie.. but he wasn’t thinking in the moment and dind’t really have time to think abotu the disc, only that people were being hurt and he was all they had between them and Hotstreak. It was no choice at all. Still that pisses Virgil off that the last night’s work is now worthless, and he fully charges up and curbstomps francis who retreats into a clearing. Hostreak brags when static follows, as even he’s figured out Static needs to be around metal, as he’s usually on his disc or the street, and in the park there suppodsidly isn’t any. But he’s not THAT smart as Virgil points out two things: one, he hoped to do this on PURPOSE so they wouldn’t be around people and no on e would get hurt and 2).. this is a city, there’s metal everywhere.. and he awesomely and cleverly proves it by unlodging a sewage pipe with his powers and dousing his foe, winning and proving his stuff. I love this solution, it’s a clever spider-man type way to disarm him, using smarts and the einvroment instead of just brute forcing it. Though the sewage part wasn’t intetional our hero still won and gets praise from the people dumb enough to follow the fight. 

However at home Virgil points out it was  Pyrrhic Victory and shows off his smarts by telling the tale behind it, which I didn’t know,because tv tropes didn’t exist yet: king pyrhus fought the romans and WON.. but had so little armies left that he still lost overall. That’s what this feels like to Virgil: he beat hotstreak but any chance at a cure for Bang Babies and Alva going to jail for causing them is gone. His mood does get a boost though as the doctor calls and reveals he’s fine, he just has a bit too much elctrolytes and just needs to lay off teh salt. He celebrates, we get a quick gag and the episode ends

Aftershock is another stellar episoe, giving us Virgil’s first super foe and a personal one at that, while showing some growth. As richie tells him he’s not virgil anymore he’s static and he can’t let his past get to him.. and he does’nt going from cowering in fear to easily beating his foe with simple logic. It’s a good followup that answers questions you may have from the first ep, like what does this do to virgil’s body, who supplied the gas, and why has no one done anything about this, and sets up another villian for Static in Alva. Great stuff. I highly recommend these episodes and the show as a whole: it’s fast paced, grounded and enjoyable, having just enough levity to not be too dour but just enough tension and stakes to be intresting. A throughly fantastic superhero show and one that i’d certainly love to revisit on this blog If you have an episode of static or the dcau in general you’d want me to cover, my comissions are open and details are on a tab on my blog or can be gotten simply by asking me via ask or dm. Tommorow we’re going deeper underground, there’s too much damage in this town as the Lena Retrospective continues. So expect gay ducks, straight ducks and some terrfirmains. See you next rainbow. 

[nitewrighter]

Princess Leia for the character meme.

First impression: Me, age 5: She’s pretty, but she’s kind of mean... but.. that’s... good? How do I be mean but good?

Impression now: *saluting* Mrs. Organa-Solo, it’s been an honor.

Favorite moment: Honestly I love all the Leia scenes in ROTJ. A lot of people complain about Leia “softening up” in ROTJ, but I really liked being able to see a softer, more diplomatic side of her. She was badass in Jabba’s palace even if she was stuck in a fanservice-y outfit that she hated, and with the Ewoks we got to see her building alliances with people she barely knew. The Bail Organa really jumped out, and we got to see a side of her that still had an emotional stake in the well-being of the galaxy rather than just being fueled by trauma over the loss of Alderaan and rage against the Empire. We got to see a side of her that wanted a life beyond the fight, and I really appreciate that.

Idea for a story: I’d love to see the “Ewok Makeover” scene, honestly. She shows up looking like an ethereal mori girl while Han and Luke are about to be ritually sacrificed to C-3PO and I think it would be so funny to see the buildup of her trying to figure that out with the Ewok language barrier.

Unpopular opinion: Not unpopular but she deserved so, so, so much better than dying for Space Dylan Klebold’s shitty ass. I don’t care if he’s her son. Poe is her better son and she went through a whole bunch of intense shit about not accepting Vader as her father, so why should she accept Kyle Ron as her son? Fuck him.

Favorite relationship: Hanleia, but honorable mention goes to her Rebel mentorship towards Poe... I mean, before Rian and JJ fucked up Poe’s characterization in every way they could, of course.

Favorite headcanon: She regularly wipes the floor with Han when playing Dejarik and Chewie cheers her on. “Laugh it up, Fuzzball.”

[fandom-imagines-stories]

One Hell of a Ride

Poe Dameron x Reader

Words: 2772

Summary: As a self-proclaimed tech-nerd, the reader rarely ever leaves base. After catching the eye of the star-boy pilot Poe Dameron, her world goes for a spin. 

Notes: Haven’t done a fluffy Star Wars piece in a while, so here we go. (Also, totally just made up the interior of a TIE fighter for the cuteness factor, so please don’t come after me.)

Star Wars Masterlist

-

You watched the codes zoom across the screen as you typed. Your eyes had grown used to the brightness of the screens, but they were beginning to droop from exhaustion. You took off your headset and saved the program, heading to the cantina for a midnight snack before heading back to your quarters. 

Even this late at night, the cantina was packed with rebels returning from missions or about to leave for one, not knowing if they’ll come back. Many of them wouldn’t. After all, you were one of the people in charge of documenting the Resistance’s losses, so you knew the numbers. These thoughts of death made you crave a drink to wash them away. You took a seat at the bar. While the coding rooms were blasted with air conditioning 24/7, the cantina was hot and sticky. You took off your sweater, revealing the tan colored tank top underneath. 

“Is that… a tattoo?” A voice guffawed from behind you, you quickly tried to cover the mark between your shoulder blades with your hand, but it was too out of reach. Poe Dameron smirked at you, examining the geometric lines that surrounded the curved half-moon. In the middle of the tattoo, was an X-Wing. “I have to admit, I didn’t really think you were the type.” Your face turned bright red. Poe Dameron was speaking to you. The best pilot in the Resistance knew that you existed. 

“It’s, uh, it’s for my mom.” You explained, taking a gulp of your liquor for courage. “She was a pilot in the days of the Empire.” 

“I know.” Poe chuckled. “Kestrel Baymoth, right?” You nodded, slightly surprised. 

“How did you know that?” 

“I make it my business to know about the great pilots of the Rebellion.” He shrugged. He motioned to the barstool next to you. “Is this seat taken?” Another gulp of liquor. 

“No, feel free.” Your shoulders tensed, trying not to stare at the way his black curls fell perfectly on his forehead, or the way his stubble speckled across his sculpted jaw. So you kept your eyes on your glass.

“You seem uncomfortable.” Poe raised a brow. “Did I say something?” 

“No,” You said a little too fast. You took a deep breath and laughed nervously. “I just didn’t know you knew I existed.” You pointed your finger between the two of you. 

“Why would I not know you exist?” He just laughed, leaning on his elbow, fingers running through that gorgeous black hair. Don’t stare, Y/N. 

“You’re pretty much legendary as a pilot.” You scoffed. “You’re one of General Organa’s right-hand men and you’ve got a reputation as quite the playboy.” He put his hand on his chest in mock-offense. “I’m not anything like that. I’m just a tech… nerd? Hell, I don’t even know what I am.” The Resistance was short-staffed when it came to tech workers so you did a lot of things. You kept records, you sorted through encoded messages, and you were pretty handy when it came to hacking. 

“Well I definitely wouldn’t say I’m legendary,” Poe ordered a drink for himself and another one for you. “As for you, you guys keep this place running!” He exclaimed. “Not everybody recognizes, but you can’t hide behind those screens forever. I see you.” His gaze was intense and you felt your face turn red again. His face broke into a giant grin. “Enough with this seriousness. Cheers” He held up his glass and you clinked them together. “I came over here for a reason.” 

“And what is that?” You tried to be suave and take a sip of the drink, but you ended up swallowing wrong and erupted into a fit of coughs. Nice. Poe’s smile just widened with amusement and he actually put a hand on your back and rubbed it gently until you stopped coughing. 

“I came over here because I wanted to buy you a drink.” Which he had. “And to see if you wanted to go someplace a little quieter-” You gave him a look and he held up his hands innocently, “Like go for a walk around base! Get your head out of the gutter, Y/L/N!” You snickered and you realized that you were a little tipsy. 

“I’d have to check my schedule.” You winked. Who are you and what have you done with me? You weren’t flirty. Especially not with Poe-Hot-Damn-Dameron. You paused, pretending to think about your availability, before going on. “I guess a little walk wouldn’t hurt.” You swung your feet around the barstool and stood up on only slightly wobbly legs. Okay, maybe you weren’t great at holding your alcohol. 

“You sure?” Poe offered a hand to help stable you, but you gave him a cocky smirk. 

“Only if you could keep up, Flyboy.” 

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” Poe chuckled to himself, watching you bounce out of the cantina. 

The night air was a little brisk, but you’d left your sweater at the bar and the buzz of the drinks kept you warm enough to forget about it. 

“I’m not usually like this, you know.” You pointed out with a drunken giggle. “Usually, I’m all nerdy and afraid to talk to people. I’m kind of a hermit.” Please, drunk self, just stop talking. You were so going to regret this later. 

“I don’t think you’re a hermit,” Poe smirked, keeping a close, yet gentlemanly distance. “And don’t say nerdy like it’s a bad thing.”

“And how would you say it, Mr. Fly-With-My-Eyes-Closed?” 

“First of all, I’ve actually done that,” He couldn’t help but laugh, “And secondly, I would say that being nerdy is pretty damn cute. Especially when it’s a certain coder with a secret X-wing tattoo.” The little wink he gave you almost sobered you up right there. But the new, bubbly drunk you persisted through. 

“Sweet talker, aren’t you?” You teased, bumping his shoulder with your own. He shrugged with that smug smile on his face. 

“I try.” The cool wind picked up and goosebumps appeared on your arms. Poe shrugged out of his leather jacket and wrapped it around your shoulders. “Here.” The butterflies already flying around your stomach doubled in size. The material was warm, almost hot, against your skin. 

You walked most of the way without saying anything else. It was an oddly comfortable silence. Like you were a pair of old friends enjoying each other’s company. Things started to get a little fuzzy and suddenly you were outside the door to your personal quarters. 

“Thanks for the drink.” You leaned against the door frame. Don’t do it. Don’t you fucking do it. “Do you want to, um, come inside?” Your attempt at being seductive was truly cringe-worthy. But Poe just gave you a small smile, taking a deep breath. 

“Maybe some other time.” Even though he’d been crushing on you for a couple weeks now, he didn’t want to take advantage of the situation. He knew that if it were really you talking and not the alcohol, you would be mortified. He couldn’t help but feel guilty as your face fell, turning an embarrassed pink. 

“I’ll see you later.” You said hurriedly, fumbling the handle of your door. 

“Key card.” He reminded you. Now your face was really red. 

“Goodnight.” You muttered, the sober voice in your head saying I told you so as you disappeared inside. 

-

Man, you really were a lightweight. Your head was pounding and you groaned at the sight of the leather jacket laying on the back of your chair. 

“Fuuuuuuck.” You would have to return it. Which means you would have to see him. You would probably have to speak to him. Would the torment never end? You shuffled down to the mess for breakfast, later than usual since you spent the morning nursing your headache. When it subsided, you realized how hungry you were. 

You sat by yourself, like usual. Your fellow tech nerds were just as antisocial as you, so it’s not like there was some special bond between any of you. Not in the way that the pilots had. Even in the early hours, they rambunctiously gathered together, laughing and shouting. You avoided looking at them in fear of seeing him. A chorus of little beeps surprised you and you turned to see Poe’s droid, BB-8 rolling towards your table. He was balancing a small note on his head and he nudged you until you took it. 

Let me make it up to you. Meet me at the airfield at noon. You shook your head, earning a nudge from BB-8.

“I can’t do it. Not after the humiliation of last night.” You exclaimed, but the droid just gave you a disapproving beep. You just couldn’t say no. “Alright, I’ll be there.” BB-8 squealed excitedly and rushed off to find Poe. If you were lucky, maybe you’d get hit by a falling starfighter before you got there. 

-

Poe waited anxiously by the ship, wondering if Y/N was actually going to show. He wasn’t used to this. She wasn’t wrong when she said he had a reputation with the ladies. But there was something about her that made his skin feel electric. He’d first noticed you when you were giving General Organa a report on some kind of First Order software. You were quiet but cute, and you had this glimmer in your eye. Like your heart was wanting for something but your head just kept holding you back. Maybe he was just imagining it. After all, it had been twenty minutes since he said to meet and he was sure that he’d been stood up. 

“Sorry I’m late, there was a problem with one of the systems and the guy in charge is an idiot.” You brushed a rebellious hair out of your face, sounding flustered. Poe smiled. 

“Not a problem. I was just starting to think you wouldn’t show.” 

“So was I.” You admitted. You took a deep breath. “Look, about last night, I don’t know what came over me- I mean, I know what happened- but I really shouldn't have acted like that, sober or not.” 

“Believe me, I have been there.” He laughed. “Never get into a drunk fight with a Mon Calamari.” You felt those butterflies again when he smiled at you and you almost forgot the object in your hand. 

“Oh, this is yours.” You handed him his jacket, cursing the blush that you knew colored your cheeks. “Thanks, by the way. For being the adult last night.” 

“You’re being too hard on yourself, really.” He insisted, moving around to the side of the ship. 

“Is that… a  TIE fighter?” You asked, examining the ship’s exterior. 

“Yeah, I may or may not have stolen it a couple years back. Took out the tracker, obviously.” Poe shrugged like it was no big deal before giving you a literal smolder. “I was thinking we could take it for a spin?”

“A what?” 

“I was wondering if you would want to go out for a ride?” It didn’t seem like a difficult question, but this wasn’t just any regular date Poe was asking you on. Hell, maybe you didn’t even realize that’s what this was. You shook your head frantically. 

“No no no no no no no.” Backing away from the ship, you wanted to curl up in the control room and never come out again. 

“Why not?” Poe exclaimed, unable to hide the laugh from his voice. 

“Last time I was on a ship was when we moved to D’Qar and I had my eyes closed the entire time.” Why would you tell him that? Now sober you was getting mad at sober you. 

“Then it’s the perfect date!” He walked to you, grabbing your hands. Did he just say date? “Come on, I promise it’ll be fun.” His big brown eyes were begging you not to say now. His lips even pouted slightly. 

“Is it safe?”

“Like you said, I could fly with my eyes closed.” He winked and pulled you back to the fighter. “I know what I’m doing… for the most part.” You gave him a look. “I'm kidding, I’m kidding! Please.” There was just something about those eyes, that hair, those lips that made it impossible to say no. 

“Alright.” 

His smile looked like it would burst as he helped you onto the ramp so you could get inside. Once you were both situated, you realized how much the ship controls reminded you of a computer. Just instead of keys, there were buttons and levers. You strapped in as tightly as possible, trying not to hyperventilate as Poe started to turn everything on. 

“Ready?” Even though you were facing opposite directions, you could practically feel his smirk. You gulped. 

“As I’ll ever be.” 

Slowly, the ship started to rise off of the ground and you could feel your heart pounding against your ribs. Don’t you dare throw up. Your hands gripped the sides of your seat and you felt a warm hand rub your arm soothingly as Poe reached back behind him. 

“It’ll be a little bumpy as we leave the atmosphere, but I’ll be here the whole time, okay?” The ship jerked a little as the speed picked up. Pretty soon you were zooming through the air and you felt your stomach do flips, probably squishing all the butterflies inside it. “Once we get out in the stars, it’s all worth it.” 

Man, was he right. As soon as the atmosphere broke away, you gawked at the endless sight of stars. Was this how your mom felt every time she flew? The thought brought tears to your eyes. Somehow, this guy- this extremely handsome man- had brought you closer to your mom on your first date. It’s official. He’s a keeper. 

“You okay if I do some tricks?” Poe asked that sense of cockiness in his voice. Feeling more at ease you agreed. He started out simple, a turn here, a flip there. Then he found an asteroid field where he could really show off. “Whatever you do, don’t resist the urge to scream.” He dove into the asteroids, dodging and turning at all the right times. You got used to the feeling in your gut and started to think that it was actually kind of fun. It wasn’t until you were headed straight for one of the giant rocks that your logical side kicked back in. 

“Uh, Poe?” You said nervously as it grew bigger and closer. You heard him fiddle with the controls. 

“Now don’t panic.” He sighed. “But the steering is jammed.”

“What!” 

“It’ll be fine, just give me a second.” His motions were fast and calculated, but you still only seemed to be moving faster towards your impending death. When it seemed like you were a goner, you let out a scream that could shatter all of the monitors in the control room. Poe pulled up just in time and you were once again soaring back to safety. 

When you came back down to D’Qar you were almost sad that the flight was over. Poe helped you out, his hands lingering on your waist. 

“So, what did I tell you?” He cocked a brow. 

“Okay, it was fun.” You admitted. “Maybe next time you could let me drive.” Please never ever let me drive. Poe raised both brows. 

“Next time?” He smirked. “Did I make that good of an impression?” You shrugged. 

“I mean, you showed me the stars. I don’t think a first date can get better than that.” You bit your lip as his eyes gazed at you with a look no one had ever given you before. Complete and utter admiration. “Besides, you did save our asses with that asteroid.” He closed his eyes, sucking a breath through his teeth. 

“Yeah, about that…” 

“The controls weren’t stuck!” You exclaimed. He shook his head and laughed. 

“Total bullshit.” He fully wrapped his arms around your waist and you ran yours through those perfect black locks. “But it was pretty hot though, right?” You giggled. 

“Definitely.” You pulled him forward so that your lips met. You would forget every code, lose every hack, forfeit all of your technology if it meant that this kiss could last forever. When Poe pulled back, he was beaming like he’d just won the whole galaxy. 

“You know, I was wrong about nerdy being cute.” He began, a roguish grin spreading across his face. “It is so sexy.” This time, he leaned in, deepening the kiss. The Flyboy and The Nerd. Who knew?

[river--glass]

Reylo Fic Recommendations: Monster Edition

In honor of Spooky Season, I wanted to make a list of fics in which one or both of them are more than human. Cryptids and creatures and monsters galore. (This one is for you, monsterfuckers.)

Demons

Count the Rings by Lachesisgrimm (olga_theodora). (E, Modern, 63K) When camping with her friends, Rey jokingly decides to marry a tree thats rumored to hold the spirit of a trapped man. Spoiler alert, the legends were true. Featuring accidental marriage, demon deals, and soft soft demon Ben. Sure there’s some angst and danger but this is mostly sweet and wonderful and Rey having dreams come true.

The Hand That Feeds by persimmone. (E, Victorian, 46K) Rey has managed to avoid unwanted male attention for thirty years, until the opening of a mysterious artifact burdens her with an accidental husband. Luckily, her new consort is not the average man. Or better, he's not... human. Featuring eldritch abomination Kylo who is so sweetly in awe and reverent of human Rey despite being powerful and older than the universe. And who also has... a tentacle form.

All The Ashes by neonheartbeat. (E, Modern, 37K) Rey, living in a terrible Brooklyn apartment and desperate to escape, posts a Craiglist ad as a half-joke seeking a marriage of convenience to just get the hell out of the country. It's unexpectedly answered by a mysterious Romanian count. Featuring soft monster Kylo, good friend Hux, and beauty and the beast elements. I loved this soft Kylo and thirsty Rey.

I Will Always Find You by kuresoto. (E, Modern, 24K) Featuring Lilith!Rey and Lucifer!Kylo. I love this. They fuck like monsters (and as monsters!) and Rey is the queen of hell and they're so viciously in love. Read It!!

Deliciously by @secretreylotrash. (E, Colonial, 18K) Puritan/Salem Witch Trials/The VVitch Inspired. Witches, demon Kylo, orgies, death... This was WILD.

The Devil’s Lucky Number by Avdal. (E, Modern, 10K) Pure smut. Demon Kylo shows up out of the blue for the sole purpose of making rey orgasm. It’s what she deserves.

The Devil You Know by KyloTrashForever. (E, Modern, 10K) In which Ben finds out the hard way that he shouldn’t play with old magic. AKA, lucky bastard dumb college student Ben accidentally summons himself a succubus girlfriend.

The Demon Within Me by Avdal. (E, Modern, 8K) Shameless demon Kylo smut.

Come To Me In The Clearing And There We Shall Dance by QueenOfCarrotFlowers @leofgyth . (E, 1600′s, 5K) She had been hoping he would find her - her only friend. Kylo. She supposes he’s a demon, or a devil, or one of the heathen gods, but she's never worked up the nerve to ask him and he has not volunteered that information.

Proposal by AKyloDarkly. (E, 4K) Lilith!Rey and Lucifer!Kylo.

Mercy by bunilicious. (E, Victorian, 3K) A Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde/Demon AU. AKA, Rey is thirsty for her demon husband and refuses to wait any longer.

Mothman/Mothlo

For Love of a Flame by thewayofthetrashcompactor. (E, Fantasy, 8K) The shadowy Order has advanced across the forest, bringing darkness in their wake. Rey is hungry and desperate, willing to face the Order themselves to steal back what they've taken from the land. What she finds there is not what she expects. Fairies/mothpeople! Weird! I’m into it!

Drawn to the Light of Your Burning Sorrows by Kyriadamorte. (M, Modern, 7K) Mothman Ben! Curious outcast Rey! This was the first mothlo fic I ever saw. Me when I saw this fic: Mothlo? Mothman Reylo?? God and Ryan Johnson have truly abandoned this fandom. Me after this fic: Mothman Kylo is the best boy and bring on the cryptids.

Macrolepidoptera by ceciliasheplin. (E, Modern, 3K) Rey runs after her Mothman to show him how much she loves him. Nothing like a 3K word fic that hits you in the feels at the same time that it’s giving you mothman smut filth. This fandom is magical.

Nature Spirits

Oh Autumn, Oh Teakettle, Oh Grace by diasterisms. (E, Modern, 31K) Ben Solo didn’t believe in dryads, until one snagged his coats and freed herself. She’s pure bliss and magic and he is captivated. If she has to go 2000 miles back to her tree, he might as well drive her there. Dryad Rey/smitten human Ben road trip! What a lovely fic!

Looking For a Breath of Life by Fighter_for_Solo. (T, Fantasy, 18K) Featuring Elf Prince Ben and human hunter Rey! A really delightful story.

I met you once — ( In a dream ) by persopilliankore. (E, Fantasy, 10K). Where Ben and Rey are soulmates and Ben is more than meets the eye.

Fearless by KyloTrashForever. (E, Fantasy, 6K) Featuring tree Ent Kylo and the softest tentacle porn you’ll ever read.

Sea Creatures. Mermaids, Selkies, OctaKylo, oh my!

Beyond the Veil by dachenbritta. (M, Modern, 40K). Deep within the waters of the Oregon coast, a lone mermaid longs for the man she's watched for years. Her wish of joining him comes true but comes at a cost. This was hilarious and emotional and such a great read.

Sirens by SageMcMage. (E, Fantasy, 21K) In which Merman Ben tries to woo Mermaid Rey by little gifts on her doorstep. Adorable! 

Yn Beisht Kione by Melusine11 @hellomelusine . (E, Modern, 5K) They say a beast roams the sea. Protecting a treasure long hidden in the Headland's caves. Some say it is the soul of a man killed by pirates to protect that treasure. Sailors have been known to throw casks of rum at the beast in the hopes of placating it, so they don't get eaten and can pass in peace. Most people though, don't believe he exists, and Rey is about to find out how wrong they all are.

I Found You by Kyoloren. (T, Fantasy, 5K) In which scavenger mermaid Rey finds a strange black T-shaped object in her waters on Kef Bir and is determined to return it to its owner. Mermaid Rey!Cute little fish people soulmates!

Octopussy by KyloTrashForever. (E, Modern, 5K) Three brothers at the beach plus one horny sea monster equals a lot of holes being filled. Smutty monster filth, no need to look for a deeper meaning than that. You like tentacle porn? Here ya go.

Live by the Sea, Love by the Tide by Twin_Kitten. (E, Fantasy, 4K) Rey and a few other mermaids escape the clutches of Unkar, and stumble into the territory of another pod of mermaids. Ben's pod. Soft caretaking mermaid Ben!

Where the Blue of the Sea Meets the Sky by HarpiaHarpyja @thisgarbagepicker . (T-E, Fantasy) A Short delightful little series featuring Selkie Ben and explorer Rey! I seriously cannot say enough good things about this author, do yourself a favor and go read EVERYTHING she’s ever written.

Tentacle Dick (that’s it that’s the plot)

Damnably Unbecoming by cuddlesome. (E, Canon-verse crack, 5K)

Froot (i've been saving all my summers for you) by kuresoto. (E, Canon-verse crack, 4K)

Vampires

In The Dark by KyloTrashForever. (E, Modern, 44K) A Dark Shadows AU!! It’s not “finished”, but it ends well where it is! Featuring vampire Ben who is very sorry about drinking blood and human Rey who is even thirstier than he is.

A Little Death (Goes a Long Way) by crossingwinter. (E, Modern, 23K) A Vampire & A/B/O AU. Weird and dark but I am here for it.

The Lioness by Lilia_ula. (E, Fantasy, 13K) Rey goes bravely to her death after being chosen as the village sacrifice, but upon meeting the beast things don’t go as planned. I love to see Reylo fics where they both revel in who they are and what they are together. Fascinating.

Beneath the Pale Moonlight by bunilicious. (E, Historical Recency, 15K) A fluffy fic about vampire Ben falling hard for Rey! 

The Curious Case of the Aquarist and the Vanishing Walrus by radioactivesaltghoul. (T, Modern, 6K) Rey loves spending time in the walrus enclosure at the aquarium she works at.Ben is a vampire with an unusual ability. This is bizarre and wonderful and just such a fun read. I think about this fic daily.

Werewolves

we decided not to kill the wolves (we wanted to be wolves) by crossingwinter. (E, Fantasy, 32K) A pack of wolves lives in the woods to the north of Raddus and as winter looms, they have their eyes set on Leia Organa’s stronghold. Rey may be new to Raddus, but she’s not about to do nothing while it may be in danger. And besides, Poe must be exaggerating about wolves the size of bears. She’s not afraid of monsters.

Howl by monsterleadmehome. (E, modern, 2K) When Ben Solo is trying to earn Eagle Scout status, he spends a night alone in the woods. A chance encounter with a werewolf girl named Rey leaves an impression. Ten years later, he runs into her again and this time, they're all grown up.

[lilyevansreyjakku]

Mrs. President

Summary

Ben solo of organa the only son to both Senate leia and general of the Galactic army Han ..

Married Miss Rey Palpatine the last relative to Palpatine and heir to his empire ..now is Mrs Rey solo .. And about to become the new president of all galactic space and plantes . Ben didn't want anything to do with this but after his previous embressing encounter in the party rey and their marriage . Ben is falling slowly for rey he has felt this strange attachment and love for rey since he first meet that night , but doesn't want to show it . Deep down Rey knows she has won her husband heart since the beginning just like she has won all the Galactic election ..

"How does it feel Mr solo organa to be the first gentleman and married to the president of the galaxy ?"

Ben solo fakes a smiled , but inside was screaming that he didn't want this nor be the first gentleman, worse he has fallen in love with his wife and fucks her every night sensationally and gets paranoid every single time his wife is around handsome man who trying to get with her because she is the president of the galaxy those free loaders . he knows rey is faithful to him but she is young and beautiful while his young a bit older than her . Rey knew very well that he was older than her when they got married , she has shown her loyalty to him and his family many times changing his mind about her ..

" Amazing , its an honor to be the first gentleman and serve the galaxy and my wife the president ". He was getting good at this he thought .

~~~~~~~~~~~

For those that don't have no idea what this story about go here in the link 👇👇

Part one

Thank you for the support everyone it means a lot to me when you like and reblog my stuff .. I hope everyone is doing well out there 💜💜 stay safe my lovelies !✌😘😘

I have been reblog stuff but I've been with my family I want to spend my time with them and with my baby my dog ! Because work didn't let me do stuff in my personal life and also stopping me from editing . I was always focus on my job so now I'm editing frequently yay ✌✌.

@ztfangirl @sushigirlali @grlie-girl @reyloarmy @winglessone @nite0wl29 @riaria84 @michellestarswept @bellaren18 @bunilicious @infinitelyblackrose @kylorendustries @lilia-ula @practical-or-brave @orkindofamazing @artemisrose727 @yuuyamiartist @reyloisblessed @thebadjediandthegoodsith @emeraldsiren19 @bisexual-dilemmas @lastmouseleft @unexpectedreylo @xtaketwox @nancylovesreylo @magicaldogs @buffshipper8490

[politicalmamaduck]

Reylo Fic Recs: Modern AU

The Other Promise by @kuresoto

Rey knows she's not normal. Why else would she be subjected to four foster families before she aged out of the system and took life into her own hands? It could have (definitely does) something to do with the fact that she can see how long people have to live.It doesn't bother her (much) anymore, and with her being--well, her--she's resigned herself to working in a morgue for the rest of her life where the only people who keep her company besides her boss, are the dead. No friends, no family. No one.But everything starts to unravel when a new neighbor moves in next door. The walls she's built come crumbling down for the uniquely handsome man who always wears a three-piece suit, complete with a pair of leather gloves, regardless of how hot it is.The chance encounter turns into frequent run-ins, with the single most important factor that had ruined any relationship she ever tried having in the past being absent. He has no life timer.

Where No Thing Gleams by @maq-moon

An online DNA test sends Rey on a whirlwind journey across Europe. When she hits a roadblock in her travels, the enigmatic Kylo Ren offers to solve all of her problems. The catch? She must simply go on one date with him.Or so she thought.

The Skeptic and the Medium by @shelikespretties

Rey Niima fought for a logical, no-nonsense life as a scientist and skeptic of all things that go bump in the night. Kylo Ren is a famous medium for whom bumps in the night show off. So of course they have to make a Netflix special together.

Dear Mr. President by @shmisolo

Dr. Dameron shifts and slides a manilla folder across the desk to her.  “Under ordinary circumstances, I’d let you keep the folder.  I hope you’ll understand why I can’t do that this time around.” She opens it and stares.She stares and stares and stares.Dr. Dameron has to be kidding.  There have to be hidden cameras here, this has to be some elaborate prank.  That’s why it’s him here and not Dr. Wexley—that was his name.  Dr. Wexley. But instead of getting to her feet and tossing her hair and saying he was cruel for playing with her heart like this, all she does is ask, blankly, “So...Ben Solo is my soulmate?  Our new president is my…” She swallows.And Dr. Dameron nods.

Carry In My Core (That Voice I Adore) by @shmisolo

Starring in her first opera would be stressful as is, but Rey, always one to outdo herself, just had to go and make things even more complicated with Kylo Ren.  It’s hard enough looking him in the eye, much less pretending to be in love with him.  She can make it through this.  She has made it through worse.  She can make it through this.

the star to every wandering bark by @abstractragedy

There is something else as well, an instinctual drive that’s making him go, almost calling Ben to Takodana; much like an idea for a novel, a terribly persistent and gnawing thought at the back of his mind that will not go away until he does something about it.A change of scenery is always good for one’s mind. By alternating one’s perspective the reality might change as well.--When Ben Solo travels to Takodana in the name of his second novel, meeting an impossibly intriguing woman named Rey wasn't exactly what he envisioned. But the universe has a funny way of working things out.

Yichud by @shmisolo

Mazal Tov - The expression comes from the Mishnaic Hebrew mazzāl, meaning "constellation" or "destiny".  Borrowed from Yiddish מזל־טובֿ (mazl tov), from Hebrew מַזָּל (mazál, “star, constellation; fate, luck”), from Akkadian (manzaltu [UD.DA]) + Hebrew טוֹב (tov, “good”); literally “good stars, good luck.”

crossfade (cursed and blessed) by @shmisolo

The Talmud states that on Purim one is to drink to the point of not knowing the difference between “cursed is Haman” and “blessed is Mordechai.”  In other words, you’re supposed to get so blitzed you can’t tell your friends from your enemies. Rey and Ben might be taking this a little too literally at Leia’s annual Purim Party.

Convergence by @kuresoto

Other, also known as ‘soulmate’ for people who wanted to believe. Not everyone had an Other, and the only way to find your Other was by saying their name. When that happened, memories of their life, where they grew up and the steps that led them to you, would be condensed into a single flashback that passed in a blink of an eye. The fact that someone had said Rey’s name and didn’t bother approaching her hurt, especially since she had a good idea why. Her parents tossed her aside when she was barely five, so she shouldn’t be surprised that her soulmate had done the same.

Siman tov u’mazal tov by @shmisolo

“I didn’t get to have a big wedding,” his mother had told him when they’d finally spoken about it. “I was pregnant and it was a lot and your dad and I just got married. It’s my time. I’m having a big wedding.” She sounded nervous, almost defensive, as though a woman who is nearly sixty doesn’t have a right to want a big wedding. She wasn’t no young blushing bride. She has a thirty-year-old son for god’s sake.But his mom was going to have a big wedding.And Ben had taken a deep breath before saying what he’s sure Leia was even more nervous about hearing.“I’m not sure I’m coming.”

How Our Song Goes by @lariren-shadow

Rey is a struggling student who would love to have at least some money to save rather then just paying her debts.  Kylo Ren would love to get his trust fund, the only problem is there's a clause in it that states if he wants it now he has to get married.Rey is willing to be Kylo's bride to her own cut.  The only problem is that they'll have to make their relationship look real to everyone else.

Puppies by @lariren-shadow

On a crisp autumn day Rey and Ben meet in the park while walking their dogs.  Things don't exactly go smoothly.

burn sky until you see lines by @solikerez

He writes a letter for every time he feels like the world is shattering around him, and it is still not enough.

306.73 or: How to Woo a Librarian by @reylotrashcompactor

She was back again. Ben called her The Scavenger in his head because she liked to pick collections dry. (Though he knew from her library card that her name was Rey. Pretty.) There wasn’t a pattern to her hauls, only that she’d take almost an entire shelf with her in that ratty little messenger bag and leave him to pick up her mess. But, Ben didn’t suppose he was fooling anyone but himself: he had it bad for the Scavenger and she was back. He’d talk to her tonight. He would.

What you don't know by @thewayofthetrashcompactor

Rey wants to see the local haunted house and drags her reluctant boyfriend and friends along with her. It's not quite what she expects.

Between Sky and Sea by @moonshotsandarchimedeslevers

When Rey finally set out to find her parents in the innumerable islands of the Jakku Archipelago, the last thing she expected was a mysterious stranger to drop out of the sky with his story of hidden treasures and secret wonders.

Blades Crossed by @the-reylo-void

Notorious figure skater Kylo Ren has had a rough few years; once a decorated competitor, now it's hard to say what he's losing faster, sponsors or partners. With Nationals just six months out and no qualified partner on the horizon, Kylo finds himself begrudgingly skating with college hockey phenom Rey Kenobi, a scrappy forward coming off injured reserve who doesn't know a lutz from an axel. It's only for six months, but family drama, a twisted coach, and a budding closeness to his new partner ensure that this will be the most eventful competition season of Kylo's career.

it's you and me (i know it's our destiny) by @shmisolo

It’s just a kid’s game, he thinks when jealousy pangs in his heart.  But it’s more than just a kid’s game.It’s Pokémon. It’s the only good thing in his life.

happy cockus day by trasharama

She prefers the nip of New Hampshire winters, heavy winds blowing in her hair, being bundled up in three layers with pens whose ink freeze fast and thaw slow. She loves warm buildings, and Christmas breaks, and slurping down huge bowls of ramen in the evenings, but being on the ground, a clipboard in her hand, boots on a voter’s doorstep? That’s where she knows she belongs.So there are a lot of things going against Rey Johnson’s introduction to Ben Solo, his moody personality probably the least of her worries, since he’s the reason she’s not outside, making some sort of tangible effort to get his mother elected as president.

A More Perfect Union by fangirl_outlet

Rey, new to DC, tags along to a stuffy networking event with her friend -- they're both poor and, hell, there's free booze. Ben, a recruiter for the lobbyist firm he works for, finds the intern with the soft voice and angry eyes a fun challenge -- especially when he finds out she works for his estranged mother Senator Leia Organa.

Spending Valentine's Day Solo by @jyn-z-solo

 She places his scent—woodsy and warm, like sandalwood and ginger—before she recognizes the large, gloved hand outreached to steady her or the sleeves of his black wool coat. “Rey,” he blurts out—is the pink on his cheeks from the chill outside, or is he blushing?  “Ben! Hi!”  She’s trying desperately to sound nonchalant, but at the rate her eyebrows continue to rise, they may end up past her hairline.  “Wha… What are you doing here?” he asks, running a hand through his hair. 

Unshakeable by @shmisolo

Rey is performing in another fucking musical and Ben goes to see it.

My own modern AU fics:

what is past is prologue: Reylo in Washington, DC

A collection of my Tumblr-based Reylo fics set in Washington, DC. Prompts and prompter will be in chapter titles.

My other fic rec lists:

Fic Recs Under 100 Kudos | Smuggler Ben Solo | Fantasy, Fae, Magic, Fairy Tale, and Mythology | Historical AU | Dark Side Rey | Canonverse | Smut |

[desiraypark]

When the Sun Sleeps in Canto Bight [11]

Previous Entire Series CHAPTER PLAYERS Ruby Girard Solo, The Beautiful Singer and Wife of Kylo Ren Kylo Ren aka Ben Solo, Leader of the Knights of Ren Sanya Solo, Kylo and Ruby’s Daughter (5) Ben “Little” Solo, Kylo and Ruby’s Son (4) Aida Solo, Kylo and Ruby’s Daughter (2) Threepio, Leia Organa-Solo’s butler The Organa Hotel Receptionist The Organa Hotel Bellhop Rose Tico, Manager of The Organa Hotel CHAPTER CONTENT Angst; Mommy Getaway/Mommy Getaway Blues; Daddy Kylo; surveillance implied

Sanya and Little walked on either side of their mother, as Kylo followed behind with Aida in his arms. Threepio stepped out of the town car.

“Hi, Threepio!” Sanya and Little shouted. They ran to him and he bent down to hug them. Ruby walked down the stairs with her bags--just two of them, and Threepio stood up and met Ruby.

“Mrs. Ruby,” Threepio said. He looked behind her. “Mr. Kylo.”

“Hey Threepio,” Kylo said.

Threepio grabbed Ruby’s bags and carried them to the car. Ruby bent down in front of Sanya and Little.

“I want you two to be good for Daddy, alright?” Ruby said.

“Can’t we come with you, Mommy?” Sanya asked with a pout.

Ruby shook her head. “I wish you could, Honey. But Mommy needs a little rest. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Ruby stood up and turned around. Kylo watched her walk toward him, and she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Aida on the cheek. Their youngest reached her hands out as if to ask for another kiss. Ruby giggled and kissed the tot on her cheek once more, then gave it a little pinch.

“See you in a few days, Angel,” she said.

“Blrrbbr, Mommy,” Aida babbled.

Ruby met Kylo’s eyes. The morning sun had lightened them, and she could almost see herself inside of them. Kylo’s Adam’s apple bobbed up, then fell back down. Ruby turned around and trekked down the walkway and to the car. Threepio held the back door open and she climbed in.

Suddenly, she heard cries on the other side of the window. She looked out and saw Sanya and Little at their father’s side, crying. He knelt beside them, trying to comfort them. Then, Aida burst into tears. Ruby quickly turned her head away and closed her eyes, stopping her own tears from falling.

Threepio drove off and took her to the Organa Hotel. ____________________

“Welcome to the Organa Hotel,” the receptionist said with a big smile.

“Good morning,” Ruby said, returning the smile.

“This is Ms. Organa-Solo’s daughter-in-law,” Threepio said, stopping at her desk with Ruby’s bags.

“Ah, hold on,” the receptionist said. She walked away from the desk and to an office. She knocked on the door, then opened it and talked inside. When she stepped back, a dark-haired woman dressed in a long blue dress with designs along the sleeves.

“Good morning,” she said, floating in front of the desk. She held her hand out to Ruby and Ruby shook it. “I’m Rose Tico and I’m the manager here at Organa Hotel.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ruby responded.

Rose waved the bellhop over. “Please take Mrs. Solo’s bags to the Penthouse Suite.”

“Leia insisted I give you the full tour,” Rose said. The bellhop took Ruby’s bags from Threepio. “Are those all your bags?”

“Yes. I’m only staying for the weekend,” Ruby answered with a smile.

“I’ll be off, Mrs. Solo. I’m set to return Monday morning,” Threepio said.

“Thank you, Threepio.”

Guests and employees alike smiled and waved at Rose, as if she were Leia Organa-Solo herself. And Rose returned their greetings--calling the employees by name and asking how their kids were. She gave Ruby a grand tour of the hotel - the spa, the gym and tennis court; the pool and sauna, and the lounge. It was a grand place. Then, the tour went to the penthouse suite - a room that seemed to be as big as the entire first floor of her home. A luxury lodging overlooking the city of Canto Bight. When Rose left her alone, she turned twirled around the room and flopped on the plush bed. She noticed a portable radio on her dresser and got up to turn it on. She flipped through the stations to land on the popular music frequency. Suddenly, she heard her own singing voice emanate from the speakers. Did someone ask to hear her? Or did Sheev pay for this play? Ruby sighed, turned the radio off, then plopped back down on the bed for a nap. 

Later, she grabbed some lunch from the lounge--nothing too filling or fancy, just shrimp cocktail and a salad. After lunch, she walked the grounds of the hotel--smelling the flowers and sitting under the gazebo. Then, she took a walk through the city. She let the sun kiss her skin, and enjoyed the sounds of heels touching the ground beneath her - heels other than her own and that of little children, for a change. ____________________

“Yeah, you just make sure nobody fucks with her, you know what I mean? Hang around for about an hour, then fuck off,” Kylo said into the phone. “Yeah. Especially tonight and tomorrow night. Nighttime is when ya really gotta look out...yeah. Alright, I gotta go.”

Kylo hung up the phone and rushed back into the kitchen. He stepped around his kids and rushed to the stove to check on dinner.

“Vroom, vroom, vrrrrroooom!” Sanya said, pushing a toy truck across the floor. Little put his toy down and reached for the truck.

“I wanna play with it now!” he whined. Sanya snatched the truck away.

“No!” she shouted.

Little reached for the toy and Sanya kept pulling it away. Then, Little let out a piercing scream.

Kylo grabbed the wooden fork from the ceramic utensil jar and banged it against the stovetop. “Hey!”

Sanya and Little froze. “You see your sister playin’ with it?!”

Little sat on his butt and folded his arms. “But I want to play with it now.”

Kylo looked up at the clock. “It’s not time for you to play with it yet. I’ll tell you when it’s time.”

Kylo looked over his shoulder just in time to see Aida throw her bowl of cereal on the floor.

“Shit,” he whispered as he rushed over, hoping to grab it. But little o-shapes scattered all over the floor.

“Uh oh!” Aida said.

“Yeah, uh oh,” Kylo said. He lifted the little one out of the high chair. “What’d ya have to go and do that for, huh?”

Aida threw her arms around Kylo’s neck. He laughed and planted a kiss on her cheek. 

“Hey, Little...Sanya? You wanna do something for your Pop?” he asked his two eldest children.

“Yeah!” they asked standing up.

“Can you clean this cereal up for me?” he asked. He walked to the stove, making sure to keep Aida away from it, then he stirred his sauce with a wooden spoon.

“Okay!” Sanya said. They rushed to the pantry. Sanya beat her brother to it, but he reached for the doorknob--as did she. Kylo looked over and rolled his eyes.

“Let Little open it, Sanya.”

Sanya stepped back and Little opened the pantry door. Before they could fight their way inside, Kylo’s booming voice filled the kitchen again.

“Little, you sweep, Sanya you scoop it up.”

“Okay…” they agreed in unison.

“And look. I don’t want no more fightin’ outta you two. One more argument and you ain’t gettin’ none of that cake,” he said.

“Ohhkaaay...” they answered with a whine.

The kids wobbled out of the pantry--Little dragging a broom that was twice his size and Sanya holding a piece of cardboard.

____________________

The sun slowly set on Canto Bight. Ruby stood in the window, sipping a cool glass of water and listening to a contest on the radio. She looked down at her watch and walked to the phone.

“Can you connect me to BROOK-2015, please?” she asked. “Thank you…”

Kylo was cutting Sanya and Little’s meatballs into smaller pieces. “Guess I should have thought about this before I made ‘em so big, huh?”

Sanya and Little giggled, and Aida giggled, too. Kylo looked down at the toddler on his lap and laughed. “What are you laughin’ at?” he asked.

Sanya and Little burst into laughter, and Aida did too. Kylo smiled and shook his head. Suddenly, the phone rang.

“Hold on,” he said. He held Aida in his arms and walked into the hallway to grab the phone.

“Yeah?” he answered.

“It’s me,” Ruby said. “I want to talk to my babies.”

Kylo leaned against the wall and smiled. “Ain’t I one of your babies?”

“No.”

Kylo scoffed. “Yes, I am.”

“Can I talk to my children please?”

“Yeah,” Kylo said. “After you talk to me.”

Ruby huffed.

“I miss you…” Kylo said. “And I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ruby said. “But I just want to talk to my children.”

Kylo sighed and pulled the phone away from his mouth. “Hey, kids! Your mom wants to talk to you.”

Sanya and Little squealed and ran into the hallway. He held the phone to Sanya first.

“Hi, Mommy!” she squealed into the phone.

[midnightartemis]

Chapters: 32/? Fandom: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Finn/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren Characters: Rey (Star Wars), Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, Finn (Star Wars), Poe Dameron, Rose Tico, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Maz Kanata, Larma D'Acy, Amilyn Holdo, Snoke (Star Wars), Boba Fett, Bossk (Star Wars), Armitage Hux, Chewbacca (Star Wars) Additional Tags: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abuse, Drug Use, Suicide Attempt, Star-crossed, Dreams, Alternate Universe - High School, High School, School Dances, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Foster Care, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Near Death Experiences, Multiverse, Reincarnation, Attempted Sexual Assault, Assault, Graphic Description, Teenage Drama, Horny Teenagers, Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Past Drug Use, Drug Dealing

Chapter Three

Tuesday goes by without incident, though Latin will kill me. Rose is more than happy to walk me to my classes, chatting happily about her own, and I’m happy for the company for once. Poe and Finn are in my P.E. class and they’re so competitive. Rose tells me it’s okay to take them down a notch if I can. I’m athletic, but usually never got the chance to stay in a place long enough to participate in anything.

Wednesday rolls around and Rose is buzzing about Friday as we eat lunch. My eyes search for Ben, but I can’t find him anymore. “What’s Friday?”

“Oh, my god. I completely forgot to add you to the group chat.” Rose palms her face and gets out her phone. I sheepishly hand her my half-broken iPhone but she doesn’t bat an eye. “Poe, Finn, and I are having a little get together to celebrate the start of the school year. Please, come. I know you have to ask Maz.”

I’d never been invited to a party before. “I would love that. I’ll ask her tonight.”

I hope Maz said yes. Things were going smoothly there.

Rose and I left lunch early so that we could walk together to class. Rose liked to show up early to vocal class to help set up and I was more than happy to have a few minutes alone, even if it met sitting in awkward silence with him.

I open the classroom door and he’s there sitting where he was Monday. I take my seat across from him and pull out my headphones to listen to music for a bit. I scroll for a while and settle on The Lumineers’ Ophelia album. It takes a lot for me to not dance and hum along, so I pull out my drawing notebook and start in on practicing drawing 3D shapes.

I feel his eyes on me and I look up, realizing that I’ve been bobbing along to the music. He looks away and I think there’s a hint of a smile on his face. I flush. What is it with him? He didn’t look like a hardcore drug dealer, not like the ones I’ve seen. He looked quiet and lonely. Soft. Dammit, Rey.

He looks up again and sees me watching him. He scowls, his mood instantly souring. I look away sheepishly.

“Sorry.”

“Did they get to you, too?”

“What?” My heart races at his voice. My eyes meet his and they’re looking over me intensely.

“The golden trio.” His voice is low, angry.

Poe, Finn, and Rose? I frown. “I-”

Before I can say anymore, the door opens and Mrs. Tico walks in, cheerful as ever. “Hi, Rey! Ben!”

“Hi, Mrs. Tico.” I smile back, but inside my stomach is rolling with anxiety. What did he mean ‘ get to me?’ Rose had made it pretty clear what happened and I doubted Poe just hated Ben for shits and giggles. I look back at him and he’s concentrating on his notebook as if nothing had happened. I scowl and go back to my own work.

“How was school, hun?” Maz picks me up in her bug after school to take me to therapy.

“Good.” I smile. “I have a mountain of homework already, but everyone is really nice.”

“Good, good.” We drive without talking, just listening to the radio quietly. My stomach turns as I think about the party. I cross my fingers and ask.

“Maz?”

“Yeah?” she glances at me.

“I was wondering- well… Rose and Poe and Finn were getting together Friday night and they invited me. And I was wondering if I can go?” I bite my lip and look at her hopefully.

Maz smiles. “Ah… the infamous Dameron Back to School get-together.”

My eyes widen. “Oh. Oh. I didn’t realize it was a party-party. Nevermind.”

“No, Rey. Go! Have fun. Enjoy your friends. Just no drinking or drugs. I’m here to keep you safe and healthy, not ruin your high school experience.” Her eyes sparkle, but there’s a seriousness to them. “11:30 PM. At the latest. Okay?”

I nod, trying to hide my excitement. “11:30. Got it.”

We pull into a parking lot of a small brick office building downtown and Maz walks me in. We go to the second floor where there’s a small waiting room. It’s very zen with comfy chairs, light incense, peaceful art, and meditation music in the background. There are two doors, both closed. Maz and I sit and wait until the door on the left opens. A man walks out and he’s got a wide, open face covered in a grey beard and eyes that radiate kindness and knowing. I instantly feel at ease when he smiles. “Rey?”

I nod and stand. He walks over and sticks out his hand and I shake it. “I’m Luke Skywalker. Let’s go in and have Maz fill out some paperwork and then we will get started on your introductory session.”

Did everyone in this town know Maz? We fill out the usual paperwork in Luke’s office. It’s just as zen as outside. There’s a Buddha sitting on a bookshelf perfectly curated with books on mental health and well being. A fountain trickles gently in the corner. Everything is in order, at balance.

“I’ll be waiting in the lobby.” Maz signs the last paper and leaves us. I take a seat on the couch and Luke sits in the chair across from me.

“So, Rey,” he says with a small sigh. “I’m guessing this isn’t your first time in therapy?”

I laugh a little. “No.”

“Well, I have a few questions that we can discuss, but first, I just want to give you a little overview of what our plan is if you choose to move forward. I like to do a little one-on-one session before placing you in a group. I run a few groups, and it’s all just about trying to place you in the right one where I think you have the best chance of learning and listening to your peers and sharing your own stories. Sounds good?”

I nod.

“So, tell me about yourself, Rey. Your childhood, things you like to do… Anything you’d like in whatever way you want to tell me.”

“Well…” I take a deep breath. The story in my head is one that’s carefully rehearsed, told over and over. “My parents abandoned me when I was six. I was found by some workers abandoned in the Jakku city dump. And they couldn’t find my parents, so I got placed into the system. I jumped around a lot as a kid. No one really wanted me. And then when I got older, I got tired of the abuse and the neglect, so I started gathering evidence on my fosters and getting their licenses revoked. But that just met that I jumped around even more. I’ve just kinda learned how to survive and take care of myself.”

“That sounds hard and exhausting.”

I nod and sigh. “Yeah.”

“What about now? You’ve only been at Maz’s a few days, from my understanding. How’s that going?”

“Good. I think.” I reply. Luke says nothing, waiting for me to fill the silence. “It’s a lot to process. Everything changed so quickly and she’s unlike any foster I’ve ever stayed with. It’s… It’s almost like it's too good to be true… And, I guess I’m worried that it will be. Or I’ll fuck up and it will all be taken from me.”

“Do you think you deserve a good foster home?”

I can’t meet his eyes. Tears prickle at my own. “No.”

“Why not?” Dang, this guy is good.

“I’m not anyone special… There are a lot more kids out there who are a lot more deserving.”

“So… What I’m hearing is that you spent the last few years catching abusers in the system… But you’re not deserving of a good home?” He raises his eyebrow at me. I see his point, but I still can’t reconcile myself with it. “You sound pretty special to me, Rey.”

“I’m not anyone special.” I shrug. “I just didn’t want other people to go through what I have.”

“Do you feel that’s your duty? To save other people?”

I mull over his question and nod slowly.

“There aren’t many people out there who would put others before their own personal wellbeing and safety. What things do you like doing for yourself?”

“I like listening to music… And working with my hands.”

Luke smiles. “Good. Those are really good ways to take care of yourself.”

“They help me a lot when I need a break from the outside world. It can be really… Overwhelming.”

“Tell me about that.” Luke nudges me in that direction gently.

“Well, I don’t know. It’s like… I can get really overwhelmed in crowds. If there’s a lot of noise or people or things going on. It gets hard to think and concentrate.”

“Like at school?”

I nod.

“Is there anywhere you go to get away from the noise and let yourself relax for a bit?”

“Usually after lunch, I go to the art room because there’s no one there before class usually.” Not no one. Might as well be no one though.

“Good. It’s important to create room for yourself and thoughts and to listen to yourself.” Luke smiles. “Tell me about school. Are you enjoying your classes so far?”

“Yeah. Principal Organa was really happy with my interest in science and math. She put me in physics, and pre-calc, and small engines and I really like all three so far. It just makes sense to me. More than English or Latin or Social Studies. Though, I don’t mind Social Studies either. And psychology is interesting, too.”

“Very interesting.”

I laugh. “Right, I’m talking to a psychology master.”

“I have a group on Thursdays after school. It’s some of your age group dealing with some similar things as you. Is that something you would be interested in?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“I’ll have you start next Thursday so I can let them know that the group is expanding a little. How does that sound?”

“‘Good.”

Luke nods and stands. “I’m afraid that’s all we have time for today. It was great to meet you, Rey.”

I stand and let him lead me out of the room.

[sushigirlali]

If You Don’t Love Me, Lie To My Face - Part II (Reylo Fanfic)

Part I | Part II | Part III | Epilogue 

Summary: Grifter!Rey helps U.S. Senator Leia Organa’s son, Ben Solo, out of a jam when a couple of muggers invade her turf. Afterward, she debates robbing the rich American herself, but can she protect her heart while stealing his?

Pairing: Rey + Ben Solo | Finn + Poe Dameron

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

A/N: It was hard sticking to a posting schedule, but I did it! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Master list –> AO3 | ff.net | Tumblr

——————

If You Don’t Love Me, Lie To My Face - Part II

By: sushigirlali

——————

Kennington, London

——————

Vaulting off the bed, Rey threw on his long shirt and raced to Ben's side. "Please, don't read whatever he's written. It's not what you think."

"Too late," he replied grimly, tossing her the device.

"Ben, I—"

"So, what am I to you exactly? It's hard to tell based on your boyfriend's flurry of messages. A mark? A quick fuck? What?"

Rey tried for a joke. "Well, not a quick fuck."

It didn't land.

"Get out."

"Ben!" she protested. "He's not my boyfriend, he's my brother. Well, foster brother. But that's neither here nor there."

"No, it really isn't."

"Please, let me explain!"

"No," he said shortly. "No, I don't think so." He marched over to the door for the second time in as many days and threw it open. "Get the hell out!"

"Wait, can't we just—"

"No! You're clearly not who I thought you were. I really don't see what else there is to say."

Frustrated by his stubborn refusal to hear her out, Rey vacillated between desperation and anger. Anger won out. "Fine! Fuck you, then!" she shouted, grabbing her things and escaping into the hall. "It's not like I ever—hey!" Rey stopped short as Ben abruptly shut the door in her face. "I was still talking, asshole!"

But he didn't answer.

"Fine! Be that way!" she raged. "Go back to America, you rich prick! It's not like I was going to beg you to stay! And don't think I'll be back! Because I won't! I hate you, Ben Solo!"

Silence.

"Okay," she muttered, pulling on her boots. "Okay, be that way, you coward." Rey kicked the door for good measure before turning on her heel and heading for the elevators. "Who does he think he is, anyway?" She impatiently smacked the button. "Kicking me out like that...it's not like I was going to do anything. I'd already decided that I wanted…"

Him. She wanted him.

Rey jumped when the metal doors dinged open. "This is it. The moment of truth." She looked back at Ben's flat one last time, but was disappointed when he didn't appear to stop her. "Goodbye, Ben," she whispered, boarding the elevator with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry."

——————

"Where the hell have you been?" Finn demanded the moment she entered their hideaway, taking in her disheveled appearance.

"Enjoying myself!" she snapped, tossing her clothes and bo staff through her open bedroom door before joining him in the living room. "Or at least I was until Ben read your fucking text messages!"

"Ohhh…" Finn had the grace to look chagrined. "Uh, sorry."

"You should be!"

"Hey, you had your fun, didn't you? And besides, you don't want to get mixed up with his sort," he snorted.

"And what do you mean by that?" she huffed.

"Didn't you read my texts?"

"No, Ben did! Or, some of them at least." Rey flopped down on the sofa. "Why?"

"Because," he said, muting the stock car race he'd been watching on the telly, "I heard that those goons you chased off last night are still looking for him."

"What?!" she exclaimed, grabbing him by the shoulders. "What do you mean they're looking for him?"

Finn seemed startled by her reaction. "I mean, they were hired to kidnap him. His mum is important or some shit."

"Of course," she groaned, releasing her friend to pace around the room. "I knew the tall one seemed familiar."

"Who?"

"One of the muggers," she explained impatiently. "It was Phasma."

"Oh, shit."

"Exactly," she concurred. "So, the other one had to be Hux then; he's always attached to Phasma's hip."

"Did he recognize you?"

"Yeah," she waved away the concern in his voice, "but more importantly, the two of them being involved means the First Order is after Ben."

"He's done for then," Finn sighed. "Hope you got a consolation prize, at least."

"Not that it's any of your business, but no, I didn't."

"You gave up the opportunity to shaft some rich American who probably—"

"If you want to preserve our relationship, you won't finish that remark," Rey glared, still pacing.

"Look, I'm sorry, but—"

"Shut up for a second, I'm trying to think."

"About what?" he asked.

"How to save Ben, obviously."

"And what are you going to do about it? Play human shield when the bullets start flying?" he said incredulously.

"Don't be silly," she dismissed.

"Then what?"

"We kidnap him instead," she said simply.

"We—?! Have you lost your mind?!" he exclaimed.

"No, I haven't," she denied. "This is the best way to protect him until he can get out of dodge."

"You do hear yourself, right?" Finn stepped into her path. "How is holding the bloke against his will the best way to protect him?"

"The First Order can't kidnap what they can't find," Rey shrugged, starting to pick up items around the room that could be useful. "We might need duct tape, a pillow case…hmm, what else?"

"Wow, you've really fallen for this guy."

Rey snapped around to face him. "I have not!"

"No? Then why are you doing this? Why help a stranger at all?"

"He's not a stranger! Ben is my—he's—" Rey threw the supplies on the ground. "Look, I don't have to explain myself to you! I just can't let anything happen to him, okay?"

Finn gave her a strange look. "Okay, sis, whatever you say."

"So, you'll help me?"

His expression softened. "Of course, I will. Here." He picked the tape up off the floor and handed it to her.

"Thanks."

"Sure," Finn smiled, "we're family."

——————

Looking through the swanky window of the swankiest lunch spot in the swankiest part of London, Rey was feeling out of her depth. Or, at least she had been until she spotted her target. After that, all she felt was anger.

Striding inside and past a bewildered looking maître d', she went right up to the table Ben was sharing with a pretty blonde woman. He looked so good in his black suit and red tie that she wanted to bite something, preferably him.

"Rey!" he said, looking stunned at her sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you," she said evenly, eying the person next to him. "Alone."

Ben frowned. "What else is there to say?"

"A lot," she said matter-of-factly. "Look, I'm sorry to interrupt your date—"

"It's not a date," he denied quickly.

"No?" she had to suppress a smile.

"No," he said more calmly. "I'm in the middle of a business meeting."

"Really?" Rey assessed the wide-eyed woman in her soft pink suit. She looked downright disappointed by her tablemate's dismissal, but Ben's expression seemed honest enough. "Good, then you can reschedule." Hustling around the table, she forced Ben to his feet.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" he exclaimed, tripping a little on the long white tablecloth.

"Kidnapping you," she deadpanned, taking his hand. "Didn't I tell you before? I'm a bad guy."

Ben's fingers clenched over hers, but still he resisted. "Rey, I've got at least 100 pounds on you!"

"So what," she scoffed. "I've taken down guys even bigger than you."

"Without your weapon?" he asked, eyeing her naked hip.

"I left my staff in the car, but I can now see that was a mistake. So, stop playing around and come with me before I go get it!"

"Listen, my mother is—!"

"I don't care!"

"Well, I do! Your life isn't worth—whatever this is! You can't really be this desperate for money!"

"Sure I can," she said, trying to tow him toward the back door. "Come now, we need to get out of here."

"And go where?" he said incredulously.

"My place. My brother is downstairs with the car."

"You brought a getaway car?!"

"Of course I did!" Rey grunted, throwing all her weight behind moving him along. Unfortunately, Ben was so massive that she made little headway.

"Um, Mr. Solo?" the pretty blonde piped up out of nowhere. "Should I call the police, or...?"

"No!" they shouted at the same time, with Rey adding, "Stay out of it!" for good measure.

"Hey!" Ben glared down at the hellion attached to his arm. "Don't yell at her! It's rude!"

"Me?!" Rey returned. "You yelled at her too!"

"Shut up," he snipped, turning back to his acquaintance. "Kaydel, I—uh—need to reschedule, okay?"

"Um, okay," Kaydel replied with barely contained annoyance. "I'll just—go, then."

"Bye!" Rey said cheerfully, waving her off.

"Really, Rey?"

"What?" she tugged on his hand again. "Come on! Your manners have been preserved, your face has been saved. So, can we go now?"

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, throwing a few bills on the table as she yanked him toward the back exit. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"I already told you, we're going to my place. It's near The Black Prince."

"I thought you didn't live in that neighborhood."

"I lied."

"Big surprise," he sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, you can be mad at me later," she persisted. "It's not safe here."

Ben pulled her to a stop near the restroom. "What do you mean it's not safe? For who? For you?"

"No, not me."

"For me?"

"Dammit, Ben, come on!" Rey growled, getting desperate now that they were so close to the exit.

"Not until you tell me why."

"Fine!" she huffed, throwing up her hands in the air. "Those muggers the other day weren't just there to pick your pocket, Ben. They were sent."

"Sent by whom?"

"The First Order. It's a paramilitary organization with international connections who—"

"I know who they are," Ben said bitterly, taking her hand again. "Let's go in here. We shouldn't talk about this out in the open."

"Finn is right outside! We could just—"

"I don't want to talk to Finn, I want to talk to you. And then we can go. Deal?"

"Ugh, fine!" Rey grudgingly allowed him to lead her into the single bathroom stall, sensing he wouldn't budge until he knew everything.

Locking the door behind them, Ben placed his hands on her shoulders. Even though they had been parted less than a day, it felt good to be touched by him again.

"Alright, now tell me what is going on," he said calmly. "Please," he added politely.

"Finn heard that those two muggers from last night are still looking for you," she informed him.

"Heard from who?"

"I don't know, Finn has a lot of sources around the city."

"And I'm just supposed to take his word on it?" Ben said skeptically.

"No, you're supposed to take mine," she retorted.

"Because you're so trustworthy?" he frowned.

"Look, I didn't rob you, or whatever you think I did or was going to do!" she said defensively. "Did I have a moment where I considered breaking into your safe? Yes, okay? But I didn't! I decided I wanted you more!"

Ben's dark eyes blazed with feeling. "And now? Do you want me still?"

"Yes!" she admitted, as much to him as to herself. "I'm just trying to protect you, idiot! So, I need you to believe—mmph!" Rey's ranting stalled as Ben drew her mouth under his.

"Why?" he said against her lips.

"Because, you're special," she whispered, sliding her hands up his board torso, "and so was what we shared last night."

"I knew it," he said, kissing her again. "I knew you felt it too! When I read those texts I wanted to sink through the floor. I thought I'd misjudged you, that everything I was feeling was just in my imagination." Rey gasped as he backed her into the sink attached to the wall. "I never want to feel that way again."

Rey tugged on the lapels of his suit, gratified to find him hard against her thigh. "I'm sorry," she said softly. Then, roguishly, "Want me to kiss it better?"

"I have another idea," he growled, spinning her around so that she faced the mirror. His hands went this fastening on her jeans, but he hesitated for a moment. "Is this okay? I won't make you do anything you don't—"

"Yes, yes!" she cried pushing back against him.

Not needing to be told twice, he made quick work of her zipper and his, pulling down their pants and underwear just far enough to get the job done.

"Hold onto the sink," he ordered.

Doing as he asked, Rey let him take the lead. "What now?"

"Bend over," he instructed, nudging her feet apart.

"Okay," she said breathlessly, spreading her legs and bending at the waist. Hands braced on the edge of the sink, Rey waited for Ben to mount her. "What now?"

"Do you want this?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"YES!"

"Okay, then," he growled, spreading her with his fingers. "Here I come..."

Rey gasped as he filled her in one stroke, rocking her on her toes with the force of his penetration. "Ben!"

"Shit, was that too hard?!" he asked hurriedly.

"No," she moaned, pushing back against him. "You kicked me out before I could get my fill this morning! Do it again!"

"Whatever you want, sweetheart," he said hotly, wrapping an arm around her middle and pumping into her with long, deep strokes. The other tangled in her hair, pulling her head back onto his shoulder.

"Oh, god!" she whimpered, watching his face in the mirror above the sink. He looked like he'd found heaven and hell all at once.

"Do you like that?" he growled against her cheek, nibbling on her earlobe. He met her eyes in the mirror. "Do you like the way my cock feels inside you?"

"Yes!" she groaned, so turned on by the constricted way he was holding her that she knew she wouldn't last long. "Ben, I'm going to come!"

"Already?" he said in awe. "Damn, I'm sorry for neglecting you this morning, baby."

"You're—making—up—for—it!" she grunted as he continued to thrust away inside her.

"I'm glad to hear—ah!" His whole body snapped forward as her inner muscles started to flutter around him, trapping her between his chest and the sink.

"Don't stop!" she whined. "Ben, please! I'm so close!"

"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely, clearly on the brink himself, "I swear I can usually last longer than this."

"I don't care! We're fucking in a bathroom!" she said with unconscious humor. "Make me come, dammit!" He laughed out loud and the sound eased her temper. "Uh, sorry."

"Hey, I love how vocal you are," he assured her.

Her heart pounded at his sweetness. "You do?"

He started rocking from side to side, bringing a shuddering gasp from her lips. "Oh, yeah." Putting a little space between them so he had room to maneuver, Ben resumed pumping his hips, setting a pace that had her screaming in seconds.

Placing a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound, he followed her release a few moments later with a satisfied groan.

Knock, knock.

"Fuck," Ben swore, freezing inside her. "Just a minute!" he called back.

Carefully pulling out, he grabbed a couple paper towels from the dispenser on the wall and wiped himself off. Still braced on the sink, Rey watched as he adjusted his clothing before running the scratchy paper between her thighs as well.

"Thanks," she half-laughed, half-moaned.

"I can't believe we just did that, I don't know what came over me. It's like I'm—"

"Addicted to sex?" she supplied, turning on the facet to splash some water on her flushed face.

"Addicted to you," he countered, pulling up her jeans and refastening them for her.

"Nicely played," she teased, leaning back against his chest. "Now, let's get you out of here."

"As you wish."

——————

There was no one in the hallway as they left, so Rey could only assume that they had grown tired of waiting. She supposed she should be embarrassed about having sex in a public water closet, but she wasn't. Still, she was glad that they didn't have to endure any judgmental stares on their way to the back alley.

Even though it had taken longer than planned to retrieve Ben, Finn was still waiting for them. Her best friend was loyal to a fault, something she was immensely grateful for.

"Took you long enough," Finn scolded once she shoved Ben into the back of the dark blue mini.

"Sorry," Rey replied without elaborating. "Let's punch it."

"Uh, hi," Ben said awkwardly, looking comically out of place in Finn's tiny car. "Ben Solo," he introduced himself, buckling first Rey's belt and then his own.

"Finn," he brother grinned, eyeing them in the rear view mirror. "So, did you two fuck in the bathroom, or what? Cause your faces are all red and you're sweating."

"Finn!" Rey said indignantly.

"What?" he said innocently.

"Listen, before we go anywhere," Ben said slowly, "thanks for helping us out, but—"

"Fuck off?"

"Finn!"

"Well, excuse me for not being thrilled that the man my baby sis met yesterday is exposing her to potentially dangerous, not to mention unsanitary, situations."

"Oh, my god," Rey groaned, covering her face. "Please, stop talking."

"The First Order is no joke," he continued, "so it would save us all a lot of time and heartache if you could just keep it in your pants for a couple hours. Okay?"

"I—okay," Ben grimaced. "I get your point."

"Excellent!" Finn said brightly. "We'll be home in a jiffy and then we can come up with a game plan."

"Can't wait," Ben and Rey said together. They looked at each other, then burst out laughing.

Still watching them from the front seat, Finn smiled too.

——————

"Hey, Finn?" Rey called after several minutes of driving.

"Yeah, I see them," he answered, gripping the steering wheel harder.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked, oblivious.

"A car has been following us for several blocks," Rey informed him. "Stop, don't turn around," she cautioned.

Ben sat up straight, like a child being chastised. "Sorry!"

Finn tried to ease the sudden tension. "Where did you find this pup, Rey?"

"Hey! I'm 35!"

"Are you?" she said interestedly. "I guess we never discussed our ages."

"Well, there wasn't much time in between—"

"Hey! Keep your bedroom tales to yourself," Finn broke in. "Gross." They laughed, as he intended. "Now, here's what we'll—oh, shit!"

Finn swerved as the red hatchback behind them sped up, nearly blocking their way forward on the narrow side road. "Fuck, do you both have your seatbelts on?"

"Yes!" they said, checking just in case.

"Finn, what do we do?" Rey said, turning around just as their pursuers slammed into the right bumper. "Ahh!"

Ben lurched sideways, cracking his head against the window. "Ben!" she screamed, catching him as he half fell onto her lap.

"Is he bleeding?" Finn said tightly, trying to put some distance between the two vehicles.

"No," she replied, tears clogging her throat. She brushed his hair away from his face to find a lump already forming. "Just knocked out."

"Okay, he's okay," Finn said encouragingly. "Now, I need you to do something for me, Rey."

"What?"

"Hold on!"

Bracing her feet against the back of the passenger seat, Rey wrapped her arms around her lover and bent her head. The next few minutes were dizzying, terrifying, but Finn kept them on the road as he weaved through traffic.

"Fuck! Rey, I'm going to have to make a hard left across a red light," he warned.

Ready for it, she hunched further over Ben, their seat belts and gravity keeping them in place as Finn made the turn in a burst of speed. Rey heard several tires squeal and a hard crash, but their car made it through unscathed.

"Alright," Finn said a few moments later, slowing down, "I think we've lost them."

"Was that them who crashed?"

"Yeah, right into a light pole. I don't think anyone else was hurt."

"Good," she sighed in relief.

"How did they find us?" Finn wondered.

"I think I know." Rey dug through Ben's jacket and found his cell phone.

"Turn it off and take the sim card out," Finn advised.

"I will, but first…" she held the phone up to Ben's face to unlock it, then scrolled through his favorites for two names. Reaching into the black messenger bag resting by her feet, she retrieved her own mobile device and quickly copied over the contacts. "Got them. Okay, powering down now."

"Great, but how are we going to solve the second problem?"

"What's that?"

"Getting the big guy out of the car."

——————

Entering the underground garage that led to their lair fifteen minutes later, Finn parked as close to the lift as possible. "Maybe you should call that handsome Poe bloke now, he sounds pretty capable."

Rey lifted a brow, unbuckling her seatbelt before reaching for Ben's. "I don't think I said anything about his looks when I mentioned him on the way over."

"Well, you have now, so…?"

"Fine," she said, rolling her eyes, "we could use the backup. One of the downsides of working alone, I guess." Rey slowly propped Ben up against the opposite seat, careful not to knock his head. "But after we get him inside, okay? Poe already hates me, so the last thing I need is him seeing his friend like this."

"If we must," Finn ribbed, getting out of the car to bang on the elevator call button. "And I'm sure he doesn't hate you. Did you even actually meet him?"

"Kind of? It was more of an impression, I suppose." Slipping out of the car, she came around to Ben's side and gingerly opened the door. When he didn't immediately fall out, she released a breath. "Ben?" she said softly, touching his face. "Ben, we need to get you inside."

"Mm?" he mumbled, long lashes fluttering.

"You hit your head. Can you stand?"

"I loaf you," he slurred.

"Okay, then." Rey tried to get him to focus, not taking his words to heart. "Ben, it's me, Rey."

"I knowww," he said, slowly coming around. "My woman!"

"Um, Finn, can I get a hand?"

Her brother reached into the backseat, stretching one of Ben's arms around his neck. "Hey, buddy, we need to go now."

"Go? Go where."

"Rey's room."

That seemed to perk Ben up. "Okay, I think I louvre her."

"That's nice," Finn grinned. "Get up and you can lay on Rey's nice comfy bed."

Blinking rapidly as Finn helped him stand, he seemed surprised when Rey appeared under his other arm. "We were just talking about you," he said in a stage whisper. "Your brother said I can marry you."

"Oh, uh, that's nice," she stuttered, flushing as he nuzzled her cheek.

"One thing at a time, Romeo," Finn said, trying not to crack up. "First the lift, then we can talk about love."

——————

With Finn's help, they managed to get Ben into her room without too much drama. Well, besides the minor altercation he had with the rug in the hallway.

"We're chucking this old thing out today," Rey said, bending to roll up the worn carpet. "It's a menace!"

"Just because your fiancé almost tripped—"

"La la la, I'm not listening!" Rey danced away, dropping the offending mat by the door.

"You have to admit it was pretty funny."

"No, I don't," she contradicted. "Honestly, I just hope he doesn't have a concussion."

Finn looked toward Rey's bedroom door in concern. "Does his friend have first aid training?"

"Probably? Those bodyguard types usually do." Rey pulled out her cell. "No use putting this call off any longer," she sighed. Navigating to the first contact she had added from Ben's phone, she dialed up Poe Dameron.

He picked up on the first ring, sounding harried. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Um, hey, it's the woman from last night," she started, cringing at her own intro. "I mean, uh, the one with Ben. Rey. This is Rey."

"Where is he?" Poe said shortly.

"With me, at my place," she said simply. "Listen, something's happened—"

"To Ben? Is he alright?"

Rey was actually kind of impressed by Poe's level of distress. He had seemed much colder last night. "Yeah, he hit his head during a car chase." Finn facepalmed next to her, but she ignored him. "He's conscious, though," she followed up quickly.

"He did what during a what?!" Poe yelled.

"So," she plowed on, "if you want to maybe come over, we can explain the situation to you."

Poe was silent for a few seconds. Then, "Oh, is that all? You kidnap my best friend and—"

"Hey, I did it to protect him!" she huffed. "You weren't there! You don't know what's going on! The First Order is—"

"The First Order?" he repeated seriously.

"Yes."

"I'm on my way."

"I'll text you the address."

"Thanks, Rey."

"No problem, Poe," she replied, cheered by his change of tone. Maybe he didn't hate her after all! "Damn, when did I start caring what other people think of me? What have you done to me, Ben Solo?"

——————

A/N: I just want everybody to be friends, okay?! New chapter next Friday! I can guarantee more smut with a side of angst!

[magnetvrs]

my @kyluxsecretsanta fic for @litchi-prince <3 I hope you enjoy!

tags: kylux, HS au, fluff, first kiss

Mr Skywalker was far from Hux’s favourite teacher. He was nice enough but that had never impressed Hux - Hux didn’t really know how to handle nice people, he always felt like he was ready for everyone to bite him and when they didn’t he felt off-balance. 

His room always felt like it had a layer of dust covering everything - the books that lined the walls, crammed in on overburdened shelves and his desk which was covered with knick-knacks that almost drove Hux to distraction with the urge to sweep them all off into a big plastic bin bag and throw them into the bins at the back of the kitchen - just to have a little order in the place. It was really like an emperor's ancient tomb filled with all his worldly possessions and left untouched for centuries, except a little more scatterbrained and untidy. Mr Skywalker himself seemed like a bit of a relic, not just because of his wild hair and weathered face and the strange robes he seemed to favour - sometimes he seemed like he was from a different planet entirely. 

It was a shame really because Hux did love history; he spent many evenings with his nose buried in musty old textbooks in his room, as his only companion. It was his favourite subject, one that he could always pass with his eyes closed even if Mr Skywalker seemed to be able to make everything so boring - with his diplomacy this and his forgiveness that. 

Mr Skywalker did have one redeeming feature, however. 

‘Ben! I won’t tell you again,’ he snapped, turning around from what he was writing on the whiteboard. For all that sometimes he seemed like he was on a different planet, Mr Skywalker did seem to have a sixth sense for Ben Solo and when he was doing something rebellious or obnoxious. Which was, to be fair, almost constantly. 

There was a shuffling sound behind Hux, a few curse words and ‘it’s Kylo’ muttered under his breath before Kylo was slamming his bag down onto the desk next to Hux’s - front and centre, of course. Everything bounced with the force and a few of Kylo’s keychains and pins clattered to the floor but Kylo didn’t seem to notice, slouching down at his desk and picking at his nails. His long hair, streaked obnoxiously with bright colours that Hux was sure didn’t meet school policy - hung like a curtain around Kylo’s face so that Hux couldn’t see his expression. That didn’t stop Hux from aiming a self-satisfied smirk in Kylo’s direction, though. 

Mr Skywalker seemed unsatisfied by this, running his hand through his hair, but doesn’t push it any further. Kylo’s foot was already tapping away underneath the table to some silent beat and Hux watched in sick fascination as the sole of his black converse flopped away from the rest of his shoe with every movement of his foot, as if it might rip off completely. Hux’s own shoes were loafers, black and specifically fitted to his feet that he’d shined that morning. It summed up their entire dynamic really, not exactly enemies but hostile to each other – on complete opposite ends of the social spectrum while both managing to be outcasts. Two extremes.

‘Well, Lei-... Mrs Organa pointed out that a group presentation is a part of your assessment and since you haven’t completed yet…,’ he pauses to clear his throat. ‘I’ve paired you all up and you’ll present your topic to the class next week.’ He picks up a stack of papers and starts placing them on their desks. 

Hux sinks down into his chair as Mr Skywalker places the paper down on his desk. He’s never enjoyed group work, especially not presentations - Hux has either ended up doing all the work himself despite trying to designate it or butting heads when the other group members didn’t like him taking charge. 

He picks up the paper half-heartedly, mentally preparing himself for whatever he’ll have to endure. But when he reads the name, Hux realises that nothing could’ve prepared him. 

**

 ‘Phasma!’ Hux hisses, tugging at her sleeve. ‘Stop staring! He’s going to notice.’

‘I can’t believe Skywalker paired you with him,’ Phasma says, apparently unwilling to drop the subject. But she does at least stop staring and turns back to her own lunch with the barest hint of a smile playing around the corners of her lips. ‘Doesn’t he know you’ll eat him alive?’ 

Hux chokes on his crisps, the sharp pieces scraping the inside of his throat on the way down. ‘What!? Phas?’

Phasma didn’t reply, instead smirking to herself as she ate her pasta.

‘Hey,’ a familiar low pitched voice just over his left shoulder says. Hux wonders, faintly, how long Kylo has been stood there and therefore how much of his panic Kylo had seen. It would certainly be troublesome if Kylo thought he cared about what Kylo thought of him, or had a crush on him or something. Foolish. ‘I guess we’re working together. Skysucker must want you to rescue my grade. You’re top of the class aren’t you?’

Hux takes a moment to cringe at the nickname. 

‘Oh,’ he replies, more snottily than he intended. He sees Phasma silently laughing out of the corner of his eye but elects to ignore her and instead stares steadfastly ahead. 

‘Well, here’s my number if you want to talk about it,’ Kylo says as a hand appears over Hux’s shoulder, holding out a piece of paper. Hux turns to look at Kylo, his gaze sweeping up from Kylo’s outstretched hand to Kylo’s face - where Hux realises, Kylo has a habit of rolling his lip piercing with his tongue. Disgusting. 

‘Yeah,’ he says, snatching the ragged paper from Kylo’s hand and trying not to think about how many germs it could possibly carrying as he shoves it into his pocket. ‘We’ll definitely need to talk. Don’t think that I’m going to work on this on my own, Ben. You don’t get to ride my coattails and half-ass this.’ 

Kylo simply shrugs, obviously unaware of the intimidating aura Hux is attempting to project and heads back to his friends across the cafeteria. 

‘You sure showed him,’ Phasma teases once Kylo is out of earshot. Hux rolls his eyes.

**

His backpack lays discarded on the edge of his bed, the A-Level coursework inside begging to be done - experiment write-ups and graphs and essays that usually Hux would’ve completed with gusto already. Instead Hux stares at his phone, the crumpled sheet of paper clutched between his fingertips. There’s a kind of suffocating anxiety settling in his chest already, at the thought of not having done his work but it’s not getting him to do this any faster. It should be nothing, a string of unconnected numbers shouldn’t intimidate him like this. And yet…

It’s Ben Solo’s number and that alone has Hux frozen, unable to think of anything to write. Was ‘hey’ too simple? Hux isn’t sure that he’s ever said ‘hey’ in his life. Listing off the sections that Hux had already earmarked for Ben seemed a bit too cold and impersonal (not to mention that there were so few of them because Hux wanted to limit the things that Ben would no doubt mess up, and wouldn’t Ben notice that straight away).

There’s no reason to be scared of Ben and his stupid distractingly pale and freckled face, Hux tells himself. He takes a deep breath and starts typing. He’s not used to having someone to text, except for Phasma who he’s known for so long that he doesn’t feel that overwhelming anxiety to keep himself neatly laced up and together around her, as he does around everyone else. 

She’s been there and seen his worst, known his deepest secrets, lived through the terrible haircuts and ache and squeaky voice and come out the other side. She’s practically family so it’s different with her. 

Hello Ben.

He hits send before he can think about it, tossing his phone aside and burying his face in his hands. He thinks that he’d rather die than read Kylo’s reply until his phone actually buzzes and he’s yanking it towards himself without thinking.

Hello Armitage. 

Hux’s teeth sink into his lip and he huffs in annoyance, taking a moment to stare at one of the bare white walls of his bedroom while he composes himself. Kylo is definitely fucking with him.

It’s Hux. I’ll write up the notes since I know more about the Russian Monarchy than you. I’ll send them to you and you can put them into the powerpoint. Do you think you can do that?

He doesn’t leave any room for Kylo to argue with him, simply setting out their roles in this. Hux supposes that if Kylo has a problem with this he’ll no doubt voice it. Sure, it’ll mean Hux doing most of the work but at least he’ll have control and God knows what Kylo would come up with. 

It’s Kylo. Of course, I can. 

Hux snorts in surprise, his fingers playing with a loose thread on his duvet. He’d been expecting Kylo to… well… be more argumentative than that, but it had gone easier than Hux was expecting. Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad after all. 

Should I come over to your place?

Hux reads the message over and over again. A noise from downstairs catches his attention, a barely audible sound that could be someone clearing their throat or the scrape of a chair against the floor.

No. The library tomorrow at lunch. 

Hux sets the phone down safely on his bedside table and takes his bag over to his barren desk, pulling out the lab report that has to be done tomorrow and willing himself to concentrate on it -on anything except for Ben Solo. 

**

The library is busy when Hux gets there, so Hux ends up only being able to find a table at the back - squashed between biology textbooks and medical journals, behind a table of Year 7’s being loud and annoying. Hux glares at them as he pulls out his notes from his backpack and lines up his highlighters in colour order and thankfully, they seem to take the hint and head off outside.

He’s almost given up waiting when Kylo finally shows up, after all, there’s only so many times that Hux can rearrange his highlighters and shuffle his notes. Kylo’s swapped his black ripped jeans for tartan today, covered in chains and zips, and a faded band t-shirt. Hux stares for a moment, trying to make out the band before shaking his head at the faded fabric as if it’s personally offended him.

‘You’re late Ben!’

‘It’s Kylo,’ Kylo shouts back and Hux catches the librarian glancing over towards them. He aims his glare squarely at Kylo. Kylo throws his bag down onto the table, sending Hux’s neatly arranged highlighters scattering across the table. He unzips it with an unnecessary flourish and pulls out a giant, ancient and beaten up looking laptop whose fan buzzes loudly when he opens it up. The back is covered by stickers - bands that Hux has never heard of and skulls and pentagrams, scuffed and peeling away. He catches sight of a rainbow on one corner and averts his gaze, heart hammering in his chest. Was that…?

‘I’m not surprised that your laptop looks like that if you throw your things around. Don’t you care about anything?’ Hux snaps back, unable to disguise his envy - his father would never allow him his own private laptop, even though they could most definitely afford one. There’s just something about Kylo like Hux can’t quite control himself around him - every little thing Kylo does just gets under Hux’s skin. Usually Hux would hate it but again with Kylo… with Kylo it almost makes him feel strong. 

‘Can we just get on with this so I can leave?’ Now that he looks at him, Kylo does look as if he’s being followed around by his own personal rain cloud. Or more so than usual at least. His hair hangs limply around his face, grease caking the roots and there are two angry spots of colour high on Kylo’s elegant cheekbones, just below his more smudged than normal eyeliner.

‘Here are my notes,’ Hux says as he pushes them across the table, shifting easily into business mode and turning off those annoying thoughts that are eating away in the back of his mind. ‘I’ve divided them into sections and highlighted the important parts. All you need to do is make each section into a slide,’ he realises suddenly that he’s talking slower than usual - that he’s trying to annoy Kylo, just because he wants to. ‘If you can do that we’ll call it even, we can share the grade. Even though I’ve done all the work.’ 

Kylo splutters angrily but otherwise doesn’t panic, not bothering to glance at Hux as he pulls the notes towards him. Hux’s eyes narrow and he can feel his brow furrowing. Despite the little he knows about Kylo this is definitely not the usual Kylo - always pushing back, trying to get the final word in.

‘Is something…,’ Hux starts to say before he realises how ridiculous and caring he sounds. He doesn’t want to seem like he’s gone soft. ‘Do you have a problem with that?’

‘I have to go see Leia later,’ Kylo grumbles as if that should be enough to answer all of Hux’s questions, not looking up from where he’s furiously typing away on his laptop.

‘Don’t you mean Mrs Organa,’ Hux says, highlighter poised in mid-air. 

‘I definitely mean Leia,’ Kylo says, popping another M&M into his mouth. ‘She’s my mum after all, she doesn’t mind what I call her as long as I’m still talking to her. We agreed.’ 

‘The Head Teacher is… your mum?’ Hux says slowly. Now that Kylo’s said it he can definitely see the similarities there, something in Kylo’s smile and his high cheekbones. Not that Kylo smiles much. Frankly Hux is surprised that he even knows what Kylo’s smile looks like, but he can see it as clear as day in his head so maybe Hux has been looking more than he’d like to admit - more than he’d even realised. ‘You don’t have the same name?’ He blurts before he can stop himself.

‘My family’s pretty dysfunctional,’ Kylo says, leaving it at that. It’s almost like he’s embarrassed about it, apparently unwilling to expand on this any further. He doesn’t need to though because it hits Hux like a ton of bricks, his chest feels tight with understanding and his lips dry; he’s embarrassed to realise that he’s shaking. It feels like the world has shifted on its axis but nobody else seems to have noticed.

There has been a change though, a spark of connection that’s passed unspoken between them. For the first time, Hux understands - understands Ben Solo, understands Kylo Ren. 

Where Hux conforms, wrapping himself in his order and unity, Kylo Ren rebels - pushing against authority, against everyone, making himself The Other that Mr Antilles the English teacher had kept banging on about in Gothic literature. Hux understands.

He glances over at Kylo again, meeting Kylo’s gaze this time. They share a look for a moment, Hux’s chest squeezing until he’s afraid he’s going to suffocate under the weight of that look - of whatever it is that is passing between them.

‘I have to go,’ he says, the words coming out strangled and half-formed. ‘I’ll do the rest at home.’ He takes off, heart-pounding, unwilling to think about what’s just happened.  

**

Hux runs a comb through his hair one last time, securing that a few flyaways are meticulously glued down flat to his head. He admires his reflection for a moment with a critical eye, noting the impressive circles beneath his eyes that surely every A-Level student approaching exam season has as well as the pale, sallow colour of his skin. Apart from his hair and his clothes, Hux has never particularly cared about his appearance. But apparently in the middle of a school bathroom is the moment his mind has decided that he really should do. He leans closer as if examining his skin in more detail will reveal some unknown secrets and his thoughts turn to Kylo Ren. He shakes his head, trying to rid himself of that thought but too afraid that he knows exactly why he would care about Kylo Ren’s opinion of his appearance. 

The alarm on his watch goes off - only 10 minutes until class, and so Hux gathers up his things and leaves the bathroom. It’s not like he’s going to be late, there’s no need to rush and yet to Hux not being early is as good as being late. The halls are busy but Hux is used to it, ducking around hordes of Year 8’s with P.E. kits and other Sixth Formers who were totally not mitching off to get McDonald’s for lunch in a completely obvious way. He finally reaches the history department, sinking back into the alcove against the wall between rows of lockers as he waits for the previous class to be over. 

He’s not exactly excited about the presentation per se, he’s always liked public speaking but his classmates weren’t exactly motivating to try and present to. He’s got some kind of strange energy that’s been building in him all day, though, tingling at his fingertips and the back of his neck. Maybe it’s not the presentation he’s excited for… maybe it’s seeing him… Hux swallows thickly, staring down at his USB and pages of notes.

‘Hey so,’ Kylo says as he flops down next to Hux, all limbs and elbows and knees - as if he’d heard Hux’s thoughts. ‘I’m not doing the presentation. Good luck.’ 

Hux swallows, unable to form a coherent thought for a moment. He’s distinctly aware of the sound of blood rushing in his ears and the way his fingertips are tightening around his sheet of notes.

‘You’re… You’re what! Ren! You absolute fucking…. You…. fucking…. Shit…. Fuck…,’ Hux is truly at a loss for words. Somewhere along the line, his mouth seems to have become disconnected from his brain and both of them can only reel at Kylo’s stupidity. ‘You’re not going to do this to me, you prick. You’re not!’’ 

Kylo is silent, his face far less stormy than Hux would’ve thought after that barrage of curses, Hux manages to think through the fog of rage clouding his mind. 

‘You called me Ren,’ Kylo says quietly, after a moment. 

‘Well of course I did! It’s your fucking name isn’t it?’ He shouts back, getting angrier by the second.

‘Thank you,’ Kylo says softly and before Hux can process what’s happening, Kylo is leaning in until their lips are only a few bare inches apart. Oh, Hux realises, he wants to…

Hux realises that he also wants to. He wants to kiss Kylo Ren, for all his stupid haircuts and terrible personality and annoyingly beautiful face. 

Closing the gap is easy, it’s only when their lips meet that Hux starts to panic. Kylo feels warm against him, his lips slightly chapped and rough, and Hux is frozen - taking in the feeling with a kind of distant panic. What if he forgot to brush his teeth that morning, what if he’s no good at kissing, what if….? Luckily, Kylo takes the lead and starts to move his lips softly against Hux’s, tipping Hux’s head back. Hux loses himself in the feeling, kissing back as much as he can. 

When Kylo pulls away Hux decides that it wasn’t terrible all things considered.  

Kylo smiles as he gets up. ‘See you later.’

Hux breathes for a moment, his hand moving towards his lips of its own accord - as if pulled by some invisible magnet. His lips feel the same as always - smooth and soft thanks to a regular Chapstick routine although they tingle slightly at the touch of his fingertips - slightly sensitive now. Once again, the world feels like it’s changed, shifted around the two of them like an alternate reality. Hux wonders how he can ever go back to just ‘being’ now, now that he knows what it’s like to kiss Kylo Ren.

That was… that was…

‘Kylo you bastard!’ He shouts at Kylo’s retreating back. 

‘Armitage!’ Mr Skywalker bursts out of the classroom. ‘I don’t expect that kind of language from you! Is your presentation ready?’ 

[eleanor-writes-stuff]

keep calm and let HR handle it [II/VI]

Rey managed to go a full year without ever directly interacting with her new CEO, but now it seems like he’s dropping by her office every single week.

(Because what else is a love-struck fool to do when he falls for his head of HR other than find reasons to visit her department?)

OR: five times Ben gets summoned down to HR, and one time Rey gets called into the CEO’s office, based on this prompt from @optimisticsprinkles​: “Rey as the director of HR at [office] and Kylo/Ben starts finding reasons to be sent down to HR”.

Welcome back to this 5+1 modern AU in which Rey and Ben go from colleagues to friends to lovers (how predictable of me, I know). Today’s update: there's a ruckus on the 37th floor, but for once it isn't Ben's fault. He heads down to HR anyway because... well, three guesses why.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 Also available on AO3. And hey, maybe check out my Twitter and Ko-fi?

To: rey_niima@organafoundation.com From: dopheld mitaka@organafoundation.com Subject: CODE RED!!!

Rey,

We’ve got a code red on our hands. Grumpy Poe went into Mr. Solo’s office ten minutes ago and they started fighting pretty much immediately, something about Leia. Finn and I managed to separate them before things got physical, and Finn’s dealing with Poe right now. But when I tried to calm Mr. Solo down, he said he was going to go take a walk to clear his mind and that if anyone needs him, he’ll be down in HR.

So heads-up, I guess. Good luck!

Sent from my iPhone.

 To: dopheld_mitaka@organafoundation.com From: rey_niima@organafoundation.com Subject: Re: CODE RED!!!

Hey Mitaka,

Thanks for the warning. I’ll handle things from here. And tell Finn and Poe to get their shit together before HR gets involved, please.

Warm regards, Rey Niima, Head of Human Resources, The Organa Foundation.

 There’s a knock on her open door less than a minute after Rey hits send on her reply to Mitaka, and she looks up from her screen to find an unexpectedly nervous-looking Ben Solo hovering in her doorway.

“Hi,” he says, more to the ground than her, and takes a deep breath before finally dragging his eyes up to hers. “Do you, uh, have a minute?”

It’s odd, how she doesn’t even have to fake or call upon the smile that immediately tugs at her lips. What’s odder still is the fluttery feeling in her stomach that accompanies the realization that she’s the one he came to, but Rey sets that aside for later.

“Sure, come in.” She waves Ben in and watches him carefully shut the door behind himself before crossing the short distance between them to collapse into the chair opposite hers.

Ben closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose with a sigh before he sits up straight and turns to her. “Judging by your reaction, I’m guessing you already know about the clusterfu– the situation upstairs.”

Rey rolls her chair a little closer to her desk and leans in. “Given the state Poe’s been in these past few days, it was really only a matter of time before he finally got that fight he’s been itching for. I’m just surprised he went after you instead of literally anyone other than his boss.”

“Perks of being childhood friends with the CEO and the former CEO’s golden boy, I guess,” Ben shrugs, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. He notices it too, Rey thinks, because the next thing she knows he’s forcing a tight smile and cracking a joke he obviously does not find entertaining in the slightest. “Imagine being so confident in your job security that you get to target your boss’ biggest weakness just for sport. Must be nice.”

He drops the act when his forced smile starts looking painful, and Rey scrambles to match what little he’s just revealed about this morning’s fight with the bits and pieces she’s heard about his past with Poe and his relationship with Leia.

It’s an alarmingly incomplete picture, one that leaves her feeling almost helpless. But Ben is here, chose to be here with her out of all the places and people he could have gone to, so she must’ve done something right the first time around… right?

She thinks of the little smile he’d given her last Friday when she’d tried to be supportive of him, thinks of how sincere and surprised his eyes had looked, and wonders if maybe…

“It’s shitty of him, is what it is,” Rey asserts, and then holds her breath as she waits for Ben to react.

Maybe, just maybe… all he needs is someone to listen to him, to let him know he’s not alone. It’s a feeling she knows well, and one she’s spent years figuring out how to deal with – successfully, if the little twitch of Ben’s lips is anything to go by.

“Yeah, I guess it is,” he says, slowly sinking into his chair as the fight seeps out of his tense shoulders, as he senses an ally. “Good luck telling him that, though. Poe Dameron can do no wrong in the eyes of everyone, especially his own. It’s always been that way.”

Rey can’t help the little burst of laughter that escapes her at the thought, not with the memory of Poe being sent to the doghouse by his absolutely livid boyfriend still so fresh in her mind. “Maybe in your experience, but I’d bet good money that Poe is definitely getting an earful about his many, many failures at this very moment. Some of us have seen too much to be fooled by that act of his,” she tells Ben with a smirk, only to remember–

“You probably know what I’m talking about. Childhood friends, huh?”

“Friends, neighbors, two kids who just happened to be around the same age and were forced to spend time together because of it – same difference, right?” Ben shrugs without looking at her, unnaturally preoccupied with fixing a rolled-up sleeve.

Poe tells the story pretty differently, painting a picture of two boys finding brotherhood in their friendship and supporting each other through their toughest childhood years until one of them inexplicably abandoned the other. But then again, Rey supposes there are always two sides to every story.

She lets Ben stew in his residual frustration for a little longer before she asks, as gently as she can, “Do you want to talk about it?”

That catches his attention, but maybe not in the best way. Silence stretches out between them as Ben just keeps looking at her, and eventually Rey feels the need to add, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to, it’s totally–”

“That’s the thing, though,” Ben interrupts, his voice softer than she’s ever heard it, almost hushed with… confusion? Wonder? A secret he means to keep just between the two of them? Whatever it is, she has to strain her ears to catch what he says next. “I do want to – talk about it, that is… with you. Which makes no fucking sense, we’ve literally only met once and we’re practically strangers, so what is it about you that–”

He cuts himself off, and for a moment Rey is overcome by the sudden and visceral fear that history is about to repeat itself, that Ben is going to shut down and get up and leave her life just as suddenly as he’d crashed into it all over again.

It makes absolutely no sense, but that seems par for the course considering their… acquaintanceship started with her intending to dress down her CEO. So Rey doesn’t let herself think too much before she quietly says, “I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

Ben forces out a sharp puff of breath, something she’d almost be tempted to brand a laugh if not for the clear frustration on his face. “All part of the job, right?”

His words, his tone – they jog something in her memory, and Rey recalls that he’d said pretty much the same thing on Friday too, right before he walked out. It’s not much, but at least it’s another piece to add to the puzzle she’s been trying to solve ever since that evening.

For now, though, she’s got a far more pressing issue to address.

“I suppose, but I’ve also been told it’s what makes me a pretty decent friend… if you’re looking for one of those.”

Because very little about her experience with Ben Solo so far makes any sense, but that instant spark of recognition she’d felt upon seeing his lost eyes? The way she instinctively understands what he’s silently asking for, what he desperately needs? How every single part of him seems to light up whenever she chooses to stand by his side?

That… that makes all the sense in the world to Rey.

So she offers him a small smile as he weighs her words and her offer, one that grows brighter when Ben’s lips curve to match hers.

“I could use a friend, I think,” he says, “especially since the only one I have is being kind of a dick right now.”

Rey makes a show of closing her laptop and pushing it aside. “Tell me everything.”

So Ben does, starting with the familiar story of a lonely, scared child that makes her heart ache in recognition and solidarity. She’d learned long ago that family isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be, but that doesn’t make the ugly truth behind the Organa-Solos’ picture-perfect family any less surprising or easier to swallow: two parents who loved and cared for their son but also loved and cared for many other things, two people who didn’t know what to do with the child who reminded them more of the ghosts of their pasts than themselves, two individuals who tried their best to give him everything only to end up giving him everything but the things a child needs most.

And then: the golden boy who was everything his parents wanted and everything he was not.

And then: the uncle who could see the good in even the worst of people but not him.

And then: the man who promised him the belonging and acceptance he’d longed for his whole life.

By the time Ben’s done speaking, he still hasn’t actually gone into detail about his fight with Poe. But Rey thinks she’s heard enough about their past to figure it out, seen enough of Ben’s barely-healed wounds to know how easy they would be to reopen. So she doesn’t pry or poke or prod – not today, not when Ben has already offered her so much. Instead, she wordlessly reaches across her desk and offers him her hand, giving Ben a smile and a squeeze while he slowly eases himself back into the present.

“Thank you,” he finally says, voice tellingly thick, “for listening. I’ve never… no one’s ever… I just, I needed to tell my side of the story, just once, you know?”

It’s funny – and a little sad too, Rey realizes – how she’d gone all these years working at the foundation thinking she knew Ben Solo’s story when really, she’d heard it from everyone but him. And she knows she’s not the only one – far from it, and Ben knows, Ben must know, Ben knew when he decided to come back and shoulder his mother’s legacy and work alongside people who’d formed an opinion of him long before they even knew him.

Rey gives him a smile in lieu of all the things she wants to tell him – how brave he is, how far he’s come, how she’ll be there every remaining step of the way if he wants her to…

“Thank you for sharing it with me,” she says instead, lacing their fingers together even tighter in the hopes of conveying all the things she can’t quite put into words without saying too much. “And anytime, Ben. I mean it.”

He stares at her for the longest moment, and then finally gives her a nod. “I’ll probably take you up on that quite a bit,” he says with a smile as he slowly pulls his hand away and stands up to leave. “You know, now that we’re friends and all.”

And he sounds so happy at the thought, it nearly breaks her heart.

Rey stands as well, though she manages to keep herself on her side of the desk and squash down the impulse to walk him the ten feet to her door, at least. “Friends and all,” she echoes in agreement, knowing even as she says so that it doesn’t make any sense or mean anything.

But Ben, Ben just smiles at her as if it makes all the sense in the world, and so maybe… maybe it does, just for the two of them.

Rey is no less puzzled by their interaction when Ben Solo leaves her office for the second time, but at least this time there’s a smile on her face as she gets back to work.

. . .

Hi, I still have no idea what I'm doing but hopefully this lived up to expectations and its predecessor, especially since y’all were so kind and supportive and encouraging the last time around. YOU GUYS!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Anyway, if you weren't pleased by all that convenient 'glossing over the backstory' I did to keep this chapter a manageable and uniform length: worry not. We'll get more of Ben's Sad Tragic Backstory soon, I promise. Until then, as always: thanks for reading, I hope you liked it, and please don't hesitate to like/reblog/comment!

[twilightofthe]

SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE EPISODE 9 BENEATH THE CUT.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

S O . . .

Honestly I’m kinda really glad I spoiled myself for this movie because I got really really upset by the reviews and went in with my expectations basically on the floor, so I was actually able to be pleased and happy with a couple things in the movie, so I will start off with the few things I did like.

I loved the Rey/Finn/Poe dynamic.  The actors’ chemistry works sooooo well together and I loved their adventure through the first two acts.  You can see how much these guys all genuinely like each other-- even tho the script seems to try VERY HARD to stick Poe and Finn with the worst case of “NO HOMO NO HOMO”-ing I’ve seen in Star Wars since Anakin and Obi Wan in The Clone Wars lol.  Seriously, the script is trying so so hard to pick fights between Poe and Finn, but blessed amazing Oscar Isaac and John Boyega manage to play it so the entire conflict reads more like Poe is jealous of Finn’s feelings over Rey, they act it VERY MUCH like quarreling lovers and it is completely 100% the work of John and Oscar and I love these two so much, I owe them my life.

I adore Rey and Finn’s chemistry too, they spend the entire film with Finn desperately worrying over Rey and Rey confiding her worries and fears to Finn and constantly giving each other looks and ugh, I love them so much.

Force Sensitive!Finn!!!  Just for a second but it happened!  They should have been more blatant but I like that he canonically is!!!

Just in general, I’ve always been a Jedistormpilot shipper, and I feel the ending really leaves that as an open option I will happily take.

The bits with the Resistance and Leia did the best they could with Carrie’s footage.  It was choppy and kinda obvious that footage was all they had to work with, but they tried their hardest and given what little they had to work with, I will unhappily accept it and the fact that Leia had little to no role in the story.  I’m still really upset about it and her character’s death was so damn anticlimactic, but it was what happened.

Billy Dee Williams was charming and awesome as Lando, I loved seeing him, and he did a wonderful job, even if he was just a nostalgia cameo.

3PO was entertaining as ever!  I liked him!  They definitely sidelined R2 way too much, but I was glad to see 3PO and I was glad that he didn’t permanently lose his memory!  The only thing I was kinda ehhh about was the bit with the dagger and the Sith language because the way he was suddenly able to translate it after not being able to translate it?????  Did not make sense at all???????????

Abrams fucking got me with the nostalgia for a second during the Luke Force Ghost scene.  I’m sorry, but I was so happy to see that Leia had done a bit of Jedi training then chose to give it up, I loved the callback to Yoda lifting the X-Wing but then Luke’s ghost did it-- COMPLETE WITH THE OG MUSIC!!!!!  Mark knocked it out of the park and I just love seeing him.

Same for Ian and Sidious!  While I personally did not like the Sidious plot at all and I will expand more on that later, I loved seeing Mr. McDiarmid again and he always just fills me with a bit of glee being his dramatic Palpy self because he’s just as good and as hatable as he’s always been and I thank him for it.

I think that was about it for what I liked, and honestly that was all the work of the talented actors and me being happy to see them pulling off their characters to the best of their abilities.  The plot itself???  Ehhhhhhhhhh.....

Look, as I mentioned before, I liked the Jedistormpilot mission.  That was fun.  

The entire Resistance plot?  Way way way too staggered and jumped around too much, not going into detail, felt a lot like it was trying to cram in everything with little payoff and not much emphasis placed on the importance of its plan so the audience really doesn’t get time to register everything that’s happening with them, let alone care about them

Naomi Ackie did a charming job with Jannah, I would have liked it if her entire plot didn’t kinda invalidate Finn’s overall story arc.  I get they were trying to say “oh look!  Finn’s not alone!  There are other ex-stormtrooper rebels!  Just like Finn!!!”  Instead what it looks like is saying basically that Finn isn’t special, Finn’s defection wasn’t important overall, literally everyone does it, and it means nothing.

(Also going off of this, it really felt like JJ caved to the TLJ hate and totally sidelined Rose, she did like jacksquat in this and I’m mad)

The thing is, I don’t think the Resistance plot and the search for Palpy mission would have been as scattered and rushed and disorganized IF: Rey Palpatine wasn’t a thing, Reylo wasn’t a thing, and Force Ghosts were utilized more.

Look, I was fine with Palpy coming back (on a condition).  Someone had to be the big bad and Disney is too worried about toy sales for it to ever be Kylo, so I knew Sidious could work-- provided they brought back the Skywalkers whose stories were intertwined with his and involved them in his ultimate downfall somehow.

I was fine with Rey Nobody. I was a little mad all the Skywalker legacy was going to her without her earning it really, but I figured that if the final film connected her with the Skywalkers properly, it would be fine, she had time to earn it.

Instead, we got little to no Skywalkers-- one Luke scene that meant nothing to the plot, scraped together Leia footage they could only take so far, and a fucking muddled voiceover from the man who Sidious screwed over the most, the one who originally killed him, the one who should have been THERE.  Look, I should have known they would never actually bring Anakin back, but dammit, he SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE.  HE SHOULD HAVE.  This was his story originally, like it or not, and the entire goddamn Sequel Trilogy never so much as said his name, even when they brought back the creep that destroyed his life and he was supposed to give his own to defeat.

Literally no one asked for the Rey Palpatine plot.  It made no sense, you feel nothing for her “heroic” parents because you know literally nothing about either of them, the convoluted logic on why/why not Sidious wants her alive makes no sense.  His goal makes no sense, it’s confusing, so he wants Kylo to kill her but he also doesn’t, he wants Rey there so she can kill him and he can transfer his life force into her and then he’ll bring the Sith back somehow with all that hooded crowd on the bottom of Exetor???  Where did they even come from??  What happened to the canon saying all the dead Sith were on Korriban?  How is Palpy even gonna use Rey to bring back the other Sith????  When can his ghost/zombie corpse/whatever the fuck he is just fucking pull life energy out of people’s chests?  

What they should have focused on instead of the timeline devoted to Rey Palpatine was keep Sidious as the threat, keep all his other “raising the dead Sith” stuff-- just move his hidey hole to Korriban dammit --and have all the Rey’s parents plot shift to scenes with her interacting with Luke and Anakin’s Force Ghosts trying to figure out how to take down Palps together once and for all.  Let her get adopted into the Skywalker family by the only two who actually carried the name, not just have her randomly take it at the end after interacting with Luke freaking once.  She has seemingly close relationships with Leia and Ben, dammit, in that case she should have been Rey Solo or Rey Organa.

Also have Luke’s Force Ghost replace the nonsense with whatever guy Luke was apparently working with to track down Sidious on Exetor-- we never saw all of that and having aaaaaall of that background wordvomited onto us by 3PO at once makes it jarring and confusing and forgettable.  Literally just have Luke show up and tell them!!!!  

Han’s appearance to Kylo on whatsitsname Endor water moon???  Also should have been Anakin if they really wanted to show Kylo/Ben’s beginning to turn (really it should have been Leia but again I get why they couldn’t) back to the Light via a convo with the dead.  Like omgggg let him finally talk to the grandfather he was trying to impress!!  The opening was right there????  But nope, Han is there, and I guess whatever he says is suddenly enough to turn him good again???

(THIS ALSO MEANS MY FUCKING FANFIC WAS RIGHT.  HAN SOLO IS A FORCE GHOST.  WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.  THAT WAS LITERALLY THE ONE THING I PROCLAIMED WOULD NOT BE CANON.  I’M THE NEW ORACLE OF DELPHI BITCHES.  WHAT THE FUCK.)

Aaaaand this brings me to the romance.  The fucking romance.  Look, I’m sorry if you guys all do, I really am, and I respect if you want to unfollow, but I never have been able to stomach Reylo.  Ever.  I never saw the romance.  I saw pain and abuse and one-sided obsession.  Check that, I will admit that I always saw some sort of want from Kylo.  Adam played him very much being obsessed with having Rey with him for some reason throughout all the films, but it also always played as toxic, and him not knowing what to do with that want, and just lashing out and abusing and forcing himself on her at every turn.  It never played as a healthy relationship and it never played like Kylo should be rewarded for it.  And this entire film????  I see still no romance????  Like the first half is just Rey being damn furious at Kylo, hating him, literally wanting nothing to do with him.  I think another part of it is that I have never in the films seen Rey as having romantic or emotional feelings for Kylo, not ever.  Not consistantly.  It’s always just been an entire film’s worth of her despising him-- no not in an enemies to lovers UST despising, like actual hate and frustration --and then one singular bizarre scene that sticks out like a wart on a face where she suddenly does a 180 and is soft with him, like in the elevator scene in TLJ or the ending scene of TROS.  I wouldn’t even say Rey feels soft for Kylo the first damn time she stabs and kills him before healing him.  That to me seems a lot more like guilt to Leia her mentor over stabbing her son, and healing him for Leia’s sake than Rey actually wanting him alive.  Maybe that’s just because from what I’ve seen, Daisy isn’t the biggest Reylo fan and just didn’t play it with her heart.

I’m glad Ben was redeemed, after what Sidious put that family through, I would have been upset with the last Skywalker descendant dying in Dark disgrace.  But I’ve never been able to like his character really because they never fully let him be evil or an intriguing villain character, but they never showed him as good.  I’m sorry, but the comics don’t do it for me either because it seems they’re just trying to slightly alter Anakin’s issues and problems and stick them onto him and go “see they’re the same!” and it just rings fake and irritating for me, and his sudden turnaround does not have the same weight behind it because I don’t even know what he really turned back to the Light for.  Was it for Rey?  That obsession didn’t look like love.  Was it for Leia?  We never got to see him speak two words to her.  Was it for Han?  Possibly?!?!  That scene was not clear?!??!?!!?!  It sure as hell wasn’t for Anakin or Luke because they weren’t allowed to interact with him at all.  His return to the Light made no real sense because there wasn’t a clear motive besides “plot says so” and I Could Not See the logic in Rey suddenly wanting to make out with him, whether he saved her or not.  Really the one good thing about it was that their lack of chemistry throughout the film means that if I ignore the fact that that kiss happened, it’s pretty easy to pretend they never got together ;D  Plus, that Jedistormpilot hug at the very end tho, like I said, possibilities........

AND ANOTHER THING (god I really am a crotchety old lady), THE ABILITIES OF BEN AND REY TO BRING EACH OTHER BACK FROM DEATH.  Rey effortlessly healed a straight saber wound through the gut that has fucking killed multiple trained Force users dead and even more non Force users, healed it in seconds.  Now I probably seem like the biggest hypocrite here as I’m planning on having Anakin survive that same exact type of wound in a fic I’m writing (spoilers for those reading it lol but not really, did y’all actually think I was gonna kill him like that xD  And that in no means says he’s gonna recover completely...), but the difference is that I’m not having him survive through someone else effortlessly curing the wound.  If Ben survived that gut wound by healing himself, using his raw energy that all Skywalkers are supposed to have, I would be able to believe that.  Self preservation will to live saved Vader on Mustafar, saved Luke, saved fucking Sidious.  

But the matter is, if Rey was so powerful that she could just heal Ben from dying like that, why the fuck in the prequels is Anakin so panicked over his loved ones dying ever?  He’s supposed to be the most powerful Force user in existence, more powerful than Rey, shouldn’t he have been able to do that for say, Shmi??  One might argue, “but Rey’s had training!”  Who trained her?  Leia, who learned from Luke, who learned from Obi Wan and Yoda, neither of whom knew how to fucking do that and pass it down, don’t tell me they did.  The other option is that Rey did it untrained on natural talented instinct, which again, in that case, why couldn’t Anakin figure that out?  Why didn’t any Jedi?  Rey worked off of emotion healing Ben, Anakin should have been able to figure that out too.  I will accept Ben’s energy transfer to Rey saving her after she died later as that literally killed him, that makes sense, trading energy at an equal point-- and further canonizes my theory that Sidious was able to steal and drain Padmé’s life energy through her bond with Anakin to save him after he burned, which was the actual reason Pads died in Ep 3.  But Rey effortlessly bringing Ben back like that????  I just can’t, that just doesn’t work for canon for me.  I’m sorry, but no.

My final issue is the sheer amount of ignoring this trilogy did of the prequels.  I’ve already ranted about Anakin not showing up when he should and I will not repeat myself, this rant got long and I’m getting tired, but he should have been there, dammit.  He really should have.  Luke should have had more screentime.  That bit at the end where Rey hears all of the other Jedi’s voices speaking to her???  I’m sorry, but that really does break canon!  It was supposed to be only Qui Gon’s line, or those he taught and could pass it down, who could become Force Ghosts, and as delighted as I was to hear Kanan again and Windu and Luminara and everyone else, their voices should not have been there as they are not Force Ghosts! (and this is only partially me whinging over the fact that in my Force Ghost fic I have already stupidly proclaimed that only Qui Gon’s line has become ghosts and now I somehow have to fix that o_o)

(ALSO also the appearance of Ahsoka Tano amongst the voices means that she is dead which means they had the actual audacity to fucking kill her off OFFSCREEN with no explanation which grrrrrr)

One last whine about the romance, everything with Zorri Bliss and Poe seemed really forced and just another way for the script to blare out “HE’S NOT IN LOVE WITH FINN HE’S NOT HE’S STRAIGHT SUPER STRAIGHT LOOK LOOK LOOK”, tho Zorri’s character herself was fun without the forced romance.

Look, overall, I really liked the characters of the sequels, but I felt the plot was really poorly executed, and I really felt that this was not the “Skywalker Saga”.  The Skywalkers felt cast aside and put in the background and ignored and totally invalidated.  They were my favorites and I feel the narrative let them down and it makes my heart unhappy.  It really feels like abusers like Palpatine and Kylo got to win at the expense of their victims, and that really makes my heart unhappy.  That’s just my personal feelings.  Nothing wrong if you did like it, but it’s just me.  I miss my Skywalkers and their happy ending and I probably always will.  I probs won’t ever really be satisfied with what happened to them, tho I will work my hardest on it.  I guess that’s it.