#fallen Jedi reader

[vodika-vibes]

Hi Vod'ika!!

First things first! I love all your fics, hc's, aus. I've read most of them *multiple times.* You're an amazing writer!! And your take on clones and their relationships (both with each other and with partners) is really interesting and wonderful!

I do have a request. You mentioned an Fallen!Jedi au, with Corr Skirata, where the Jedi falls trying to protect Kal, is taken in by Kal and the Nulls and falls for Corr?

This is my humble request you write that, like, I am willing to beg 😂 I also love Corr, he doesn't get enough love, and the au premise is *chef's kiss*

Thank you again for all you do in the fandom space!

An Empire Of Our Own

Summary: There’s a tragedy in a fallen Jedi. Corr knows that. He knows that the little Jedi who saved his buir’s life is walking a thin line between sanity and insanity. But with the Empire murdering the Jedi, she belongs to Clan Skirata now.

Pairing: Corr Skirata x Fallen Jedi F!Reader

Word Count: 1071

Prompt: Fallen Jedi AU - A young Jedi knight falls while saving Kal Skirata from certain death, losing her own legs in the process. Clan Skirata takes her in and decides to recreate a new Mandalorian Empire. (Not to be confused with a New Mandalorian Empire).

A/N: So this AU will likely be a series of ficlets if anyone wants to make requests for it. I hope you like it!

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“You’re doing great, Mesh’la,” Corr praises with a grin as he watches the tiny Jedi hobble around the room using crutches. She shoots him a frustrated look.

“I don’t feel like I’m doing great.” She drops onto a chair and glares at the prosthetic legs she’s learning to use. She lost both of her lower legs in the attack that should have taken his buir’s life. 

Corr wonders if she regrets her actions, now that she’s fallen. Though he’d never ask. Not here, not when she’s still recovering.

“Come on, cyar’ika. You lost both of your legs,” Corr points out as he hops off the table he’s sitting on and meanders over to her, “The fact that you’re already walking on them is driving our medics insane.”

Eerie yellow eyes peer up at him, and then she huffs and folds her arms, “I have to do something.”

Corr crouches in front of her, resting his arms on her upper thighs. “You need to rest. Hurting yourself more isn’t going to help.” She scowls at him, and he knows that he should be more careful. 

She’s fallen. She’s dangerous. 

But, well, he’s dangerous too. And he’s never going to be afraid of someone who once spent three hours lecturing him on the medicinal properties of lavenders.

She reaches out with a slender finger, and taps on one of his prosthetic arms, “Did you?”

“Nope,” Corr replies cheerfully, popping the p irritatingly. “But you shouldn’t emulate me, as amazing as I am.”

Her hand moves to his face and she shoves him gently, Corr doesn’t move. She’s not that strong, after all.

“How’s Kal?”

“Perfectly fine,” Corr replies, “The only reason he hasn’t visited is because he’s in the middle of having a garden built for you.”

“A garden?” She tilts her head, “Why a garden?”

“You think we don’t listen to you when you wax poetic about flowers?” Corr teases, “Besides, it’s good for my vod’e to make the garden. They seem excited about it.”

“...they don’t have to.”

Corr shrugs, “You’re family.”

She stares at him, and then sighs, “That’s going to get you all in trouble. I don’t want that.” 

And that, right there, is why Corr isn’t all that worried about her going insane. She might have fallen, but she’s still herself. Still kind, still gentle. Still more interested in protecting other people than herself.

“I like trouble,” Corr replies flippantly, “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Are you calling me trouble?”

“Only the best kind.” Corr stands and offers her his hands, “Come on, let’s continue.”

Her scowl returns, “My legs hurt, I don’t want to.”

“Well, you can’t stay in the chair.” He counters, “Come on, I’ll carry you.”

“Ugh, no thank you.” She takes his hands and allows him to pull her to her feet. Corr’s close enough, then, that he’s able to see the way that she winces when her weight settles on her prosthetics.

He doesn’t even have to think about it before he’s scooping her into his arms and settling her comfortably against his chest. She doesn’t deserve to be in pain, he won’t allow it.

“I said I could walk,” She grumbles, though there is no heat in her voice and her head drops to rest on his shoulder.

“I’m not going to let you hurt yourself even more, cyar’ika.” Corr says easily, “If that means that I have to carry you, then so be it.” She releases another frustrated noise, and Corr can understand.

Recovery is hard. Especially when you lose two of your most important limbs.

No wonder the poor thing has been in such an awful mood lately.

“I’m surprised that you’re all helping me,” She says suddenly, her breath is warm against his neck and Corr has to suppress the urge to shiver at the sensation.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve fallen, I’m dangerous.” She bumps the side of her head against his shoulder, “Can’t even die like a proper Jedi.” She sounds disgusted with herself.

“You saved my buir,” Corr says, “And you’re still you. Just with neat yellow eyes.”

“Ugly yellow eyes.”

“Pretty yellow eyes.” Corr corrects with a grin.

“What happens if I snap and try to kill you?” She asks.

“I’ll stop you, obviously.”

“You overestimate yourself,” 

Corr shoots her an amused look, “What? You think I don’t know how to stop you in a fight? Come on, cyar’ika. I was trained for that.” He carries her through the halls and stops in front of a door, “Here we are, home sweet home.”

He opens the door and carries her into her suite, gently sitting her on the couch, and then kneeling at her feet again. He smiles up at her, a warm smile on his face.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She asks.

“This is how I always look at you.”

“I know, and I don’t understand why.”

“Because I like you, obviously,” Corr replies, shamelessly. And his words are rewarded by a blush rising to her face, “And, since you’re not a Jedi anymore, I feel comfortable pursuing you properly.”

“And what does that look like?” She asks.

“Oh, wining and dining you. Movie dates. Kissing you under the stars.” Corr grins, “And, when you’ve recovered enough, we take the galaxy back from Palpatine and we both get our revenge.”

“Revenge isn’t the Jedi way.”

“Justice then,” Corr says with a shrug, “Buir has plans.” His grin becomes sharp, “An expansive Mandalorian Empire sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”

“Only if I don’t have to rule it.”

Corr laughs, “That seems to be the consensus, yes. No offense, beautiful, but a Jedi leader of the Mandalorian Empire is never going to happen.” He leans up and quickly kisses the corner of her lips.

She looks very flustered, and Corr grins as he leans in and bumps his forehead against hers, “You didn’t even try to stop me.”

“Yeah, well,” She averts her gaze, “I’m not a Jedi anymore, right? So I guess it’s not wrong for me to like you too.”

Corr grins and this time, when he kisses her, it’s a proper kiss. A chaste and gentle kiss, but a proper kiss all the same. “You’ll see, mesh’la.” He murmurs against her lips, “It’s going to be great.”

“Which part? Us, or the Mandalorian Empire?”

“Both.”

Corr kisses her again, more than happy to lose the afternoon to her soft lips and hesitant touch.

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[luanswritings]

Sweet and cosy

Summary: Cal comes back from a particularly hard mission, you missed each other more than before, and tonight, you want another kind of physical intimacy…

Warnings: Fluff (not a warning), smut (cock warming, piv, unprotected sex (please don’t do this)), not proofread!

Words: 850

Gif

You had fallen asleep long ago before he even got back on the ship. You had been feeling sick for a few days, but had assured him it was just the flu. It was just the flu. Cal heard none of it. He wanted you to rest, and worry about nothing, which meant no missions for you until you got better.

You hated feeling helpless, although you knew he was right. After a long and hot shower — you needed it — and after hopping into a midi nightgown — nights were hot on this planet, you hated it — you got to bed. It wasn’t really a bed. But it was where you slept, since the moment you joined the crew. The crew had changed members, but the place hasn't changed. Not at all. You miss Greez’s plants, so you started asking Cal to grab you some if he could, so you could get them to live inside the ship. You loved using them for your recipes. Because the crew needed it, and without you, they wouldn’t have proper meals. You were what you liked to call a « multifunctional person » : cooker, healer, fighter. And so was everyone, actually.

“Cal?” you sleepily muttered as you heard the loudness — it wasn’t that loud — of the opening door. He smiled at the sight. Your two beds had been glued to each other for as long as you could remember.

At first, it was because you had always been used to sleeping with someone. You had lived with dozens and dozens of girls before in a school made for girls. Cal the stem had nightmares, in the end, you helped each other. Then, you started speaking all night, quietly laughing so you wouldn’t wake Cere, Merrin and Greez. Even BD joined, sometimes going into your lap, like an animal in search of affection. It all changed, when one day, you almost died. Cal thought he lost you, and told you how he felt about you once you were safe. That night he carefully held you, and since, your relationship slowly, but surely developed into romance. Every night, you held each other, every day, you were even more close than before. Holding hands, secretly while eating…

When, one night everyone was out, you took a shower together. You did that before, sure…but… it was thrilling…exciting, considering what would happen next if none of you changed your mind.

He quickly got out of his dirty clothes and joined you on the mattress. Even while you slept, you seeked his presence, his touch. This time, you were quickly beginning to wake up. As soon as your eyes were opened, your arms were fast around his neck.

“Cal!“ you smiled. He hummed. Oh. Was he not feeling like hugs right now? Idiot, he was tired, you thought. “Tired?“ he quietly sighed. “Would you like a massage?“ you sweetly suggested. He almost felt ashamed to want you. Want your body, heart and soul in such a physical way. Even so, when you were both tired.

“I need you…“ he weakly mumbled. Your eyes slightly widened, but soon replaced with a happy smile.

“Would you like to lay down then?” you suggested again.

“N-no, I need to be inside of you-” ‘Oh’. Oh! Okay! You nodded, spreading soft kisses all along his jaw. He hummed in appreciation. He got you onto your back, slowly lifting your dress. Just enough so he could work around your heat. He took his time, despite his, and your growing need. He didn’t want to hurt you. His knuckles caressed your tights, your lower tummy, your hips. Everything that was to his reach, actually. Soon enough, the tip of his fingers this time, worked oh so gently around your vulvas and clitoris. When his middle finger got to it, you muffled a moan into the crook of his neck. Cal kissed your face while he made sure your body would be ready for him, while making sure his, would be too. He was being « multifunctional » at the moment. His finger gently sliding inside of your vagina while his left hand palmed himself through his boxers, and kissing you. Your hands soon reached for his left hand, eyes searching for a ‘no’ like he did moments before. When you saw none, your hand started carefully going from the tip of his cock to the base. He quietly moaned. You didn’t want the crew to overhear you in this intimate moment — which moment was pretty rare lately.

When you both knew your bodies were ready — your hearts and souls were long ago, like always — you guided his cock to your entrance, while he lowered himself slowly into you. Your nails dug into the skin of his upper back. You moaned in unisson, your bodies immediately relaxing.

“I love you,“ he kissed you when he bottomed out. He rolled the both of you onto your sides minutes later. The silence was comforting. What was overwhelming for you felt like — no was — a pure bliss. You felt like home. He was your home, and you were his.

“And I love you,” you whispered before falling asleep.

[f1a1w1n]

Hey, helloou! I saw you write for Cal and I was wondering if you could write something abt him with a reader who doesn't like to cry, but she's actually kind of sensitive, so she cries easily?

Just think he'd be sweet to someone that tries to be strong for him and stuff.

hello! sorry its taken so long! I think this is such sweet idea.

Cal x f!reader

summary: sensitive reader x cal

basically two lovesick fools confess to eachother

word count: 1.8k

warnings: none except for kissing oooo!

an: request stuff or ill claw my eyes out

love ya!

~

“Bingo.” 

Cal rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. “I told you so.” You say smugly. You and Cal stare up at the face of the canyon, deep flowy lines etched into the red rock. It had taken you roughly the whole day to walk here, in the early morning having had to ditch your speeders when you encountered thick jungle that you’d have to cut through. By hour six Cal had started to doubt your navigating skills, but you were sure of your surroundings. 

You and Cal had drifted these past few months, with Cal always going off and exploring some part of an abandoned temple, fighting stormtroopers, and you hunting some bail skipper. It was lonely work but you pretend to enjoy it when Cal asked. The only time you managed to spend with Cal was late night dinners together on the Mantis, but you could tell he was too tired, so you eventually just went to bed when you got to the ship, sparing Cal the trouble you thought. 

“Yep. Right as always.” Cal smiles.

A thick silence settles between the two of you. You felt a glob of burning pain creep up your throat. You smile half-heartedly and take a swig of water, hoping the tightness of your chest will loosen. “Uh, shall we?” Cal gestures towards the small crack in the rockface. 

You nod and make your way towards it. You wish you could talk to Cal, openly chat like you used to. But something stops you, a new unspoken boundary drawn between the two of you. You almost think you see Cal go to say something but he walks ahead. If only it was a year ago, when both of you talked with no hesitation, no concern of what the other thought. Complete and open communication. Now you couldn’t help but wonder what was going on inside his head.

You try to make small talk. “So what are we exactly looking for?”. Cal opens his bag and kneels at the base of the cave opening and fishes out his lightsaber.  

“Well, uh. I’m not exactly sure yet.” Cal pulls a flashlight out and tosses it to you. 

“What?” I say.

“Well I’d have to be near it to know.”. We walked for an entire day just for Cal to be unsure? You don’t say that though, a mangled ‘oh’ sounds parts your lips, unsure what to say next. Cal takes your silence as a cue to keep talking. That burning in your throat threatens to rise again.

He stands and steps back. “It’s a force thing.”. You nod again and walk behind Cal as you trek deeper into the cave. Cal’s lightsaber buzzes to life, bright blue light painting the cave walls. Your flashlight begins to glow a soft white the darker the rock hallway gets, puny compared to Cal’s light. Outlined by the light of his lightsaber, you can see the back of Cal’s head, clearly deep in thought. He leads you in and out of twisting hallways, one hand on the cool rock as he traces the swirling patterns. 

The deeper you go, the more constrictive the quiet becomes, broken only by the soft hum of Cal’s lightsaber and your own steady footsteps behind him. You train your eyes on the dusty floor, resisting the urge to stare into the back of Cal’s head, he’d probably notice, another freaky jedi thing you despised. 

That burning in your throat found its way sneaking into your mouth. You’re supposed to be used to this distance, the space that had grown between you two. You’d both chosen it, right? You clear your throat, though you keep your voice low. “Why do you need me here? Seems like you have it figured out.”

Cal glances back, his eyes bright, reflecting the blue of his lightsaber. For a second, you catch a flicker of something in Cal’s eyes. Hurt? Confusion? His gaze shifts quickly, back to the shadowed path ahead.

“Uh it’s kind of complicated….” He looks at you briefly, then away again, his brow furrowing as if he’s searching for the right words. 

“Complicated.” you repeat, not a question, an open ended statement. 

Cal shrugs. “It’s nice having your company, and uh, Cere wanted me to talk to you.”

Your chest tightens at that, though you hide it by turning your flashlight down, angling it at the uneven floor. “Talk to me about what?” you murmur, hoping the strain in your voice is masked by the dimness.

Cal shifts uncomfortably, his fingers flexing on the hilt of his lightsaber. He hesitates, glancing down at the ground. “I’m… not sure, exactly.” He lets out a quiet, almost sheepish laugh, and rubs the back of his neck. “You know how Cere is. She notices things.”

You bite the inside of your cheek, drawing blood. The metallic taste flooding your mouth, at least it distracts you from the burning that’s migrated down to your chest. “Right.”. You remain silent, waiting for Cal to continue. 

“Yeah. Well…” He trails off. “She just… she mentioned that maybe I’ve been too focused on other things lately. Missions. My training. I guess she’s noticed the same distance we have.” He frowns as if the realisation itself hurts, like he hadn’t allowed himself to fully think it through until now.

“Do you think we’re distant?,” you test.

Cal’s gaze flickers to you, eyes shadowed in the dim glow of his sabre, his face unreadable. “I don’t know,” he says softly. 

The words land heavier than you expect. You look away, blinking back the heat gathering in your eyes, refusing to let yourself break here, in front of him. Not now. But Cal notices anyway, he wants to say more, to reach out, but he hesitates, unsure.

“Look,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper, “I know things have been... tense. Different. We’re both busy people - and I didn’t want to push you if - if you needed space.”

The admission makes something clench inside you, the ache you’d buried threatening to spill over. But you force yourself to respond with a casual shrug. “Space is good, I guess,” you say, though it sounds empty even to your own ears. “Priorities and all that.”

The silence stretches out, thick and stifling, until finally, Cal turns and begins walking deeper into the cave, leaving you to follow. And for the rest of the trek, neither of you say anything more.

~

Later, back on the Mantis, the quiet surrounding you settle into the small corner bunk that has become your refuge, pressing the small of your back into the ship's cold walls. You’re alone, listening to the gentle hum of the ship as it drifts through hyperspace. You’d expected to feel relieved, finally back in the comfort of the Mantis. But instead, you feel raw, grated over like a freshly scraped knee that keeps getting reopened, every emotion you’d tried so hard to contain is now dangerously close to the surface.

Footsteps sound from the hall, Cal appears in the doorway. His expression softens when he sees you, but he hesitates, glancing away as if he’s still unsure of his place. It's ironic really, seeing as he usually sleeps in the bunk opposite yours, but as of late he’s taken to sleeping in the co-pilot's chair. 

“We were gonna get food at one of the outer rim planets if you wanted to join us,” he says tentatively. 

You try to force a smile, but it falters, and before you can stop yourself, you look down, your voice tight. “I’m fine. Not really hungry.”

He nods slowly, but there’s a look in his eyes that tells you he doesn’t believe you. He goes to leave but something boils over. “Look, if there’s something you need to tell me just tell me alright? I’m sick of this weird back and forth we’re having.” You feel the tears prick at your eyes, a dull ache in your chest as you struggle to keep it together. “I miss you, and I don’t know what I did but just talk to me.”

But the weight of it all, the loneliness, the unspoken feelings, finally breaks through. “You don’t talk to me,” you whisper, the words barely audible. 

Cal’s face falls, and he steps further into the room, looking at you with something between frustration and guilt. “I do talk to you,” he insists, voice tense. “But every time, it’s just… it’s like you’re not there.”

You fling yourself up. “I barely say anything? All you ever say to me is—‘hi,’ ‘bye,’ and ‘goodnight.’ That’s it. That’s all I get now!”

Cal steps forward, his jaw clenching. “That’s not fair, and you know it. I’ve been busy, but I just thought… I thought you just needed space!”

“I didn’t need space, Cal; I needed you,” you shoot back, your voice cracking. The tears are hot and sticky staining your cheek, you look away, unable to bear the way he’s looking at you—like a beautiful puppy. “I’m just—just here, waiting for scraps of your attention.”

“You think I don’t feel this too? That I don’t notice the distance?” His voice raises, rawer. “You think I don’t notice you slipping off and going to bed whenever I come home? Or - or you smiling and talking to everyone else on this goddamn ship except for me? You think I   like feeling like I’m losing you?”

His words hit you like a blow, raw and passionate, the pure emotion in his eyes, and for a moment, you can’t find anything to say. You swallow hard, turning away, you wipe at your cheeks, hating that you’re crying, hating that you can’t seem to hold it together in front of him. “You do that too.” Your voice trembles. “You do that too.” You repeat. 

Cal’s face twists with an emotion you can’t read, and he looks away, like he’s trying to gather himself. “I can’t lose you,” he says, so quietly you almost don’t hear him. His gaze flicks back to you, and in his eyes, you see the same hurt, the same longing that’s been eating away at you. “It’ll kill me.”

Before you can respond, he steps forward and pulls you into him, his arms wrapping around you in a fierce, almost desperate embrace. The distance between you vanishes, and you feel his warmth, the steady rise and fall of his chest against yours, the solid, grounding presence of him surrounding you. 

His lips find yours, first a tentative kiss, then filled with a desperate kind of need, and you melt into it, your hands gripping his arms as if you’re afraid he might let go. When he pulls back, his forehead rests against yours, his breath warm against your skin.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. He strokes your hair. He pulls away and wipes the tears from your face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Just kiss me.” you say.

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[buckysdoll-op81]

I actually love him x

[goosewriting]

Glad to hear requests are open! I just wanted to say I love your inquis!cal fics :D

I was wondering if you could write something with Cal? Lovesick Inquis!Cal hunting an in-denial-of-feelings-for-him Jedi!reader is always a favorite of mine. Literally just Cal pinning the reader down and insisting how they’d make such a great team if only reader would join him. Just anything really, being at his mercy- ugh.

Feel free to write it or not, I don’t mind, just figured I’d put it out there :)

Loth-cat and Mouse

summary: as reader escapes from an inquisitor, old sparks might reignite despite the danger.

relationship: Inquisitor Cal Kestis x gn!Jedi!reader

warnings: mentions of death and murder 

word count: 3.6k

A/N: top tier request anon, tysm! writing the whole force shenanigans was my favourite part tbh. i’ve been meaning to explore that aspect for so long, battle of the will and all, and i’ll definitely be doing it again! tell me what you think pls c: 

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(english is not my first language. constructive criticism and grammar corrections are very appreciated!)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Living in hiding when the galaxy thinks you’re dead is easy. It comes with the privilege of being virtually invisible in a galaxy that seeks to oppress and exploit every living soul.

Ever since escaping the Clones turning on the Jedis as a Padawan, and the rise of the Empire, you’ve lived in hiding, as most of the surviving Jedis did. And for a long time, you were successful. That is, until an Inquisitor picked up your scent and started hunting you down.

This went on for two years, and you somehow managed to evade her, always being a step ahead. You only came face to face with the Inquisitor twice: the first time, when you looked the purplish skinned Mirialan in her yellow eyes for the first time, and the second when you knew what you had to do.

Sitting in the dusty booth of a run-down tavern somewhere in the Outer Rim, your shoulders slump forward as you remember how you had felt her life essence vanish through the Force like a cloud of spores disappearing, carried away by the wind. You knew you couldn’t get through with it with your own hands, so you rigged an old warehouse with so many explosives that not even the strongest Jedi Master would be able to escape. Using yourself as bait, standing by the entrance to the building, that was the last time you’d see her. Your plan worked, and the whole thing came down on her. So much so that it almost took you out as well, but you survived despite the injuries. You hope that in the eyes of the Force, you had freed her from her pain. Maybe somewhere deep inside she was thankful.

Or that was what you’d keep telling yourself to be able to sleep at night. 

It’s been a couple of months since then, and you’ve doubled your efforts at staying hidden, as you don’t think you can take another Inquisitor hunt. Not because you can’t win against them. You already did, and that’s the problem. When you first realised an Inquisitor was trailing you, you were afraid. But now, after defeating her, the thought of going out there and turning around the hunter and hunted roles suddenly seems… exhilarating. But that would make you no better than a Sith, would it? Your face contorts in discomfort as you can practically hear your Master’s disappointed voice at what has become of you.

“I thought I taught you better.”

You sigh. Yeah, you did. But you trained me to be a peacekeeper, not an outlaw. It’s a kill or get killed world out here. It probably always has been, but we were shielded from it, had a roof over our heads, clothes to wear and food on our plates. You smile bitterly to yourself, the hood of your cape casting a shadow over your face as you twirl a toothpick between your fingers. Who’d have thought that we had it better during the war than afterwards. 

Your motions come to a sudden halt and you involuntarily snap the thin piece of wood in two as you feel the air in the tavern change, turning impossibly cold. The constant chatter doesn’t stop though, the few customers currently in the tavern continue on unaware of the shift. 

Rising up to your feet quickly but without making a noise, you beeline towards the bar, turning a sharp corner into the kitchen and then towards the back exit you know of. You can hear some modulated voices back in the main room; Purge Troopers. And where there are black armoured troopers… you don’t need to look to know what else is there. 

Once out of view from the main area, you quicken your pace, exiting the place with one goal in mind: getting as far away as possible. With your mind reeling, you skilfully evade every person and droid in your way so as not to make a fuss or cause noise by something falling to the ground. Mentally, you go through every interaction from the last several weeks, trying to find where you did something careless that gave you away. But you’ve been so thorough with your recons, moving every few days, never staying in one place too long. 

How did they find me? 

This question echoes through your mind over and over as you take step after step. The destination of your brisk walk doesn’t really matter, you just need to put as much distance as possible between yourself and whatever hound they’ve sent after you. 

It isn’t until you suddenly feel your burning lungs and aching legs asking for a break that you realise how far you’ve walked, and at what speed. You ran all the way back to your hideout. Agh, stupid! you reprimand yourself, smacking your hand to your forehead. it must have been an automatic response to come to your current “safe spot”, but if they find you here, you wouldn’t be able to come back to retrieve your supplies. In the few days you’ve been here, you’ve collected several machinery parts that you were planning on selling, but that plan just went down the drain. So you pack up whatever you can carry, mentally saying goodbye to not only the place and everything you’re leaving behind, yet again, but also the potential money you could have made which you desperately needed. With a sigh and a mental promise to do better next time, you head out to the port. Not the nearest one, though; the troopers probably have that one surrounded and monitored. You’re going to the one two towns over. It will take a while to get there, but it’s the safer choice. 

The whole way there, you do your mental meditation exercises to keep your Force signature hidden. The familiarity of it also helps you calm down a little and recentre yourself. 

After what felt like half an eternity, you’re finally at the port, and you go to buy a ticket off the planet. You’re relieved that at first glance there don't seem to be any Stormtroopers doing patrols out here. There is a bit of a line at the ticket shop though, so you stay a little further back by some crates and equipment waiting to be loaded into the cargo ships. Hiding out of sight, you wait until you can approach the window directly. 

One by one you watch the people in the queue leave, and when there’s only one person left, you take a quick look around to make sure no Imperial has arrived. The coast is clear, and you take a step in that direction. Except that your boots remain stuck to the ground. All at once, you’re surrounded, no, enveloped in that cold, eerie aura from the tavern earlier, which holds you in place. You take a gulp of air much like a fish out of water, and you try to turn your head around when you hear a modulated chuckle behind you, but you’re frozen in place.

“Going to the port further away even though it cost you more time. Bold choice,” the modulated voice of a man says, and your heart feels like it’s about to leap out of your throat. 

This is it. They found me, you think to yourself, trying your hardest to slip your hand to your belt underneath your robe to reach your weapon, but to no avail.

“Don’t worry. All the troopers are probably still by the tavern searching the whole village,” he says, and you can feel yourself slowly being turned towards him. You were ready to spit in his face and curse him out, but the image before you catches you completely off-guard. While the red visor of his sleek helmet is practically unmistakable regarding his line of work, he threw on some sort of poncho to cover his armour. It’s almost comical, and were it not for the imminent danger you find yourself in, you probably would have laughed a bit.

“Everything has been so boring lately,” he continues, rolling his head back and to the side to make his point. Then, his visor locks onto your face, and he stays silent for a moment. “When I read what you did to the Eleventh Sister, though, I knew I had to come check you out for myself.”

“W-why,” you manage to croak out. His Force grip is starting to get tighter and it's getting harder for you to breathe.

He slightly shrugs, one of his shoulders leaning onto the big supply crate that shields you both from view. “As I said, I was bored. And you get a head start, so…” He pulls the poncho over his head, letting it fall down to the ground unceremoniously. “Entertain me.” 

As he turns on his heels, he finally lets go and you can fill your lungs again. You don't know what just happened, but you’re not about to waste this chance to escape, so you beeline to the ticket shop and buy your way off the planet. Before boarding the ship, you take one last look over your shoulder; the Inquisitor is nowhere to be seen. Or felt. 

From then on, a strange game of Loth-cat and mouse starts. You’d escape, the Inquisitor somehow following your trail, even though you took great care to stay anonymous. Only days after arriving at a new location, you’d find his Purge Troopers looking for you. Every time you thought you might be able to get a break and rest at one place a little longer, the Inquisitor would reach out in the Force, poking at you ever so slightly, just as a reminder that he’s still there. 

You’re exhausted.

People who aren’t Force-sensitive emit a certain aura, while those who are able to tap into and manipulate it, manifest in different ways. Most seem to have an extra set of long, immaterial limbs, able to scan their surroundings. Sometimes it’s like a flowy cape, fluttering around the person with grace; sometimes it’s more like thick and heavy vines, dragging themselves around and scratching everything with their thorns. 

Inquisitors have a very strong and rather aggressive presence in the Force, but you’ve never quite felt a signature as distinctly intense as the one currently hunting you. His whole essence feels like an icy mist, spreading quickly around him and seeping into every corner, looking for his victims. It starts out slow, unnoticeable at first, but by the time you realise what’s surrounding you, it’s too late. Once the victim is found, the mist solidifies into ice, sticking their feet to the ground, rendering them unable to move. The Inquisitor stretches out his arm in their direction, and the mist becomes more dense, constricting their airways, squeezing out every last drop of oxygen agonisingly slowly. 

At some point, his presence starts haunting you at night. In the few hours of restless sleep you allow yourself while on the run, you find him to be there more and more often. Worn down by how long the chase has been going on, your guard starts to fall. Suddenly you don’t dread it anymore, the cold shudders as you walk through a market, and the icy mist following you into your dreams. Not just his Force signature but his whole presence as a whole, it’s so strong, it’s almost intoxicating. The more he keeps finding you, the more you keep catching yourself almost looking for his presence.

Much to your surprise and not delight, you realise his manipulation game is working.

It doesn’t take much longer until you finally come face to face with the Inquisitor. You know it’s too late to escape him, and you don’t know if you can hold your own against him in your current state, but you have no choice.

As if the exhaustion wasn’t enough, you’re currently stuck in a tropical forest, and you can feel the dirt and debris after running through the thick vegetation sticking to you, a thin sheen of sweat on your skin. The only sound you hear is your ragged breathing and the sounds of the jungle. You know the Inquisitor is not far behind you, but he’s been moving surprisingly silently given his armour. More than ever, he feels like a predator. 

Arriving at a clearing in the forest, you stop. Deep in your gut you can feel it: it’s time. Whatever happens, only one of you will walk out of here. So, after taking a deep breath and wiping off your face with the back of your sleeve, you turn around. 

All this time, you’ve tried not to imagine what he looked like underneath his helmet, as you knew it would only humanise him and make it harder for you to fight the man. So when you’re met with a face instead of a red visor, you’re surprised. Whatever mental image you might have had of him, you were not expecting him to look as handsome and young as he did. There’s also a strange air of familiarity which you can’t place, but decide to ignore for the time being.

Sizing each other up from either side of the clearing, you merely stand there, looking at each other. He moves his hand and you instinctively reach for your sabre, but he casually adjusts his gloves, weapon stil sheathed.

“You know,” he says with a slight chuckle. “I only ever came after you because I recognised your name. I personally requested to pick up where the Eleventh Sister left off.” 

Your brows furrow at his confession, which feels very much misplaced. He talks like he’s expecting you to be flattered or honoured at his words.

You deny ever having seen him, and he seems a little dejected at that. Kneeling down, he picks a little blue flower from the shrubs, and takes a couple steps in your direction. Offering it to you, he calls you by a nickname that you haven’t heard in what feels like several lifetimes. 

That’s when you suddenly remember: you had met him once, on Coruscant, when Padawans from all over the galaxy would go to the temple and be shown the archives. You were from two different home planets, there was no reason for you to have ever crossed paths, yet fate would have you attending the tour through the archives on the same day. All Padawans got to spend some time together, mainly to train and spar with each other. You can’t really remember anyone else you met that day, and the events are pretty blurry as is, but you do distinctly remember a Padawan with wild copper hair and freckles that looked like the constellations the Jedi taught you about. You and him would steal glances at each other the whole day, until finally he approached you, offering you a little white flower he picked somewhere. Where exactly, you had no idea, given the lack of green spaces on the planet. 

“Cal. Cal Kestis,” you say as his name comes back to you, like it’s always been on the tip of your tongue, dormant. 

“Ah, so you do remember,” he smiles a little at that. You don’t take the flower from his hand though, so he flicks it away without a second thought.

”What did they do to you…” You shake your head in disbelief.

You mentally compare the sweet little boy with fiery hair that you had met that day, and try to superpose that image with the man now standing before you, and it’s just not possible. It’s not the same person any more. His eyes, once the colour of oceans and clear skies, now glow an angry yellow, his gaze piercing right through your soul.

Since coming face to face in the clearing, Cal’s presence in the Force has been as unmovable and strong as ever, so you had no choice but to mentally and emotionally shield yourself, like hiding behind a rock in a snowstorm, trying to avoid the relentless icy wind clawing at your exposed skin. But now that you know who he is, you’re certain there has to be something left, even if very deep within him. So you dig deep in your own heart for that short connection you had felt with him that day on Coruscant, and bring it back to the surface, holding onto it for dear life. You dig out the warmth, the safety, the certainty that those days used to have, using them as a shield to part the cold wind as you take step after step in the metaphorical snow towards Cal. 

Feeling the shift, Cal straightens up.

“What are you doing?” he questions.

You don’t answer immediately, holding his harsh gaze the best you can.

“I’m reaching out to you,” you say after a moment, the light of your Force finally strong enough to allow you to approach him without being knocked back by his icy aura. The dry leaves crunch under your feet as you take a step towards the Inquisitor.

To an outsider, this interaction would have looked like an intense staring contest. But if you allowed your dynamics in the Force to have an impact on the physical world, you two would have flattened the terrain around you both in an instant. 

During this battle of will and determination, which seems to go on forever, you shorten what little distance separates you from Cal. His whole body is tense, trying to keep his wits as you’re blinding him with your light. You wonder if there is a part in him that wants to give in, and that’s exactly what you’re trying to find within him. Stretching out your hand, you carefully cup his face. He flinches slightly in surprise, but doesn’t pull away.

“It’s not too late, Cal,” you say. Your voice is soft, contrasting the intensity in both your gazes. “Please come back.”

Now that you’re so close, you decide to drop the metaphorical shield you were holding up, exposing the warmth and joy from before to him. His icy wind almost knocks you back a couple of steps, but you let it wash over you. You inhale sharply as you let everything he’s throwing at you bounce off; his hate, his  anger, his pain. 

“Stop,” he demands almost breathlessly.

But you bring your other hand to his face too, holding him, as you cling onto the memory of your first meeting with him and try to emanate that light through his own shield wherever you find cracks. And you succeed, feeling how, for a split second, all his walls come crumbling down and all you’re left with is just a boy, scared and alone.

“Stop!” he yells, as his own hand reaches out this time, swatting yours away and harshly grabbing you by the throat. Pushing you back several steps until your back hits a tree, he holds you there, your own hands clawing at his wrists in an attempt to ease the pressure of his grip.

“Stop,” he repeats, much more collected this time. 

“You’re so deep in that dark cave, you forgot there’s an exit at all,” you say. “You don’t have to stay there, you know. Let me help you get back to the light.”

“Why would I want to leave?” He chuckles darkly. “Let me show you the way into the dark instead. There’s more here than you could ever know, so much power to be tapped into that you’re missing.”

He takes a moment to study your face, loosening his grip on you ever so slightly, which allows you to take a gulp of air. 

“Come with me,” he offers. ”You’ve already proven how powerful you are. Imagine how much more we could both accomplish if we joined forces.” 

“Me? Become like you?” You scoff. “I’d rather you kill me now.”

Cal hums, as if considering your suggestion for a moment. But he remains silent, with you still pinned to the tree. He doesn’t let go of you nor does he tighten his grip, leaving the next move to you instead. Your head spins, trying to figure out what to do.

He raises a brow at you, urging you to do or say something. You frown, conflicted.

“All this time I thought you were just playing a twisted game, coming after me until you got bored. And then you’d kill me. Now you’re trying to recruit me?”

“If I wanted you dead, you never would have even seen me coming,” he retorts with a bit of a snarl.  

Then he reaches out for the lightsabre at your belt, and one of your hands protectively grabs onto it before he can. Cal gives you a smug look as that’s exactly what he wanted, and placing his hand over yours, he guides your weapon up, pressing the unignited end into his ribcage. He’s essentially saying, ‘if you don’t want to come with me, you’ll have to kill me right now, right here.’

“Quite the conundrum we find ourselves in, huh,” he says after a moment, giving your hand a squeeze. “What’s stopping you?” 

“…Hope,” you answer rather unconvincingly, cringing at how corny it sounds.

He scoffs and lets go of your hand, which falls to your side still holding onto your weapon.

“Don’t worry, I can fix that.” 

Cal suddenly leans in, placing a lingering kiss on your cheek. 

“I’m looking forward to our next encounter,” he whispers into your ear, and a shudder runs down your spine. 

He lets go suddenly, your legs giving in, and you fall to the ground with a grunt as you take a couple deep breaths now that your airways aren’t constricted anymore.

As he walks away, Cal doesn’t turn back once. He picks up his helmet where he discarded it earlier, putting it on and disappearing amongst the trees.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

A/N2: part 2 anyone? 👀 let me know how you’d like the story to unfold!

A/N3: the amount of times i’ve written reader getting choked by inq!cal…….. i think i need to unpack something there

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🐥 taglist: [link to join in my pinned post!] @dybynyght, @galaxtic-writings, @kalea-bane, @soka-writes-things, @padawancat97, @ivelostmyabilitytoeven, @alternatescififandomelover, @riddikulus-obsessions, @optimisticprime3, @starilicious, @lovelyygirl8, @cathyket, @wildefire, @ghostkestis, @reckoning-star

[blxkstar]

I made a playlist for using the Light Side of the Force.

Using inspiration of the feeling of tapping into the light side, and feeling the Force flow through you. Please check it out!!

"The Force. What does it feel like?" "Have you ever been afraid of the dark? How does it feel when you turn on the light?” “I feel safe,” “Yes, it feels like that.”

[callsign-rogueone]

love - fix

Cal Kestis x reader!!

words: 2.4k

🏷️: JFO spoilers I guess??, set on the Ilum trip post-Dathomir, I still haven’t played Survivor and it’s been a year since I’ve played JFO so if I remembered stuff wrong just shhhh, force sensitive former princess reader from a planet I made up who now hangs out with the Mantis crew, it’s a long story that I didn’t write out in detail but I think you can gather most of it, cheeky references to Anakin and Padmé before that went south, psychometry is a bitch sometimes, you almost drown, Cal coming to terms with the fact that he has a crush on you, I see your one bed trope and raise you bunk beds in his tiny room on the Mantis, Cal’s love language is fixing things (wbk), ok byeee! back to our irregularly scheduled programming after this :)

“Next stop, frozen wasteland!” Greez calls in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Grab some seat, kids.”

You stand, extending a hand down to Cal to pull him to his feet. “I don’t know if you’d like company,” you begin quietly. “But I just hate the idea of anyone going in there alone.” Anyone, but especially you.

He smiles for the first time today, taking your hand. “I’d like that.”

You like Cal, a lot. But it kinda freaks you out whenever he has one of these… visions. That’s probably the best descriptor. He’s definitely seeing something, even with his eyes closed.

You’ve gotten the impression that other Jedi can’t do this, that this is just a Cal thing, because in the six standard months you’ve spent traveling with Cere, she has never done anything like it.

This is the fifth time you’ve seen Cal do this in the last few days. Whenever he leans down to touch something, for an echo, he calls them, you always hold your breath, readying yourself to do… something. You don’t really know what to do, even now.

The first time was a complete and total shock. He’d been tidying up your shared room, clearly the neater of the two of you, and picked up one of the few things that you’d brought with you on your escape from Kaldea — a necklace with no material value, just sentimental — but it still took his legs out from underneath him.

The thud of his knees hitting the floor had you tossing aside your holonovel, scrambling out of your bunk and right to his side, but putting your hand on his shoulder and repeating his name didn’t rouse him from… whatever this was.

You pried the string from his grip, the cord snapping — sending beads flying across the floor. The clattering sound it made, or the removal of the cord from his hand was enough to pull him out.

In all of your research about the Jedi, you’d never encountered any mention of anything like this. “What… What the kark was that?”

He’d been panting like he’d just run three klicks, looking like he’d seen a ghost. “That happens to me, sometimes,” he managed. “I can see strong memories attached to material objects.”

You’d realized immediately what he’d seen; there could only have been one thing that could have been that bad, to have him so rattled.

“I’m sorry,” he’d said quietly, after a moment. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

You just swallowed. “I am, too.”

You don’t have to pull him out this time — he heaves a few breaths, looking up at you with wide eyes. “I... I saw my younger self, from when we were kids getting our first crystals. He told me where to find it.”

You won’t question it; he’s had one hell of a day, and just being in this place, even without psychometric ability or past memories, is overwhelming.

“Lead the way, then.”

———

After what has to be at least an hour, he’s found your way to his crystal. How you’re going to get back up to the surface after sliding down all that ice is another discussion entirely, but that can wait until he’s done whatever he needs to do here.

He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and reaches forward.

Just a second after he pulls the crystal from the ice, it breaks in half.

The wave of disappointment from him is strong enough to make you feel unsteady on your feet, the weak rasp of his voice pulling your heartstrings. “I thought… I thought this was the one.”

“Oh, Cal,” you whisper, “I’m so sorry…”

BD chirps.

“Two pieces?” You echo. “For two blades?”

Cal blinks, quickly grabbing both of them from his belt and laying them on the workbench.

You still haven’t told him about the call you feel, like something is physically tugging you away. You kept quiet all the way down here, dug your heels into the ice and followed Cal, knowing that whatever he needed was far more important.

But he’ll be busy for a while, tinkering with his lightsaber. There’s no imperial presence this deep in the caves, and the thing you need feels close enough…

“I’m gonna go check something out,” you call over your shoulder, and he hums in reply, not really listening: he’s entirely absorbed in the circuitry.

BD hops off the workbench and follows you, not wanting you to wander off alone without a map. He perches on your shoulder, tucking its feet into the leather rig Cal had made you to match his own.

What doing?

“I just have this feeling,” you explain, looking up. “Above that ledge, there’s something I’m meant to find.”

He clings to you for dear life as you begin to scale the wall, grateful that you found those climbing gloves on Dathomir.

“There,” you announce. A few feet above you lies a shimmering yellow crystal the size of your thumb. BD emits a string of panicked beeps that you can only partially interpret. “It’s okay, buddy. I just have to get a bit higher.” You can feel the warmth of it now, just inches from your fingertips. If you stretch a liiiittle more…

Your grip on the craggy ice falters, sending you and BD plummeting back down with a shriek and a splash.

The temperature change is shocking, enough that it takes several seconds for you to process what’s happening and start to react. You fight to keep your lips closed, to keep from inhaling like you so desperately want to, need to — you hadn’t had time to take a deep breath, and every second that passes makes your lungs burn and your heart pound harder, enough to hear it in your ears under the woosh of the water moving.

Just swim toward the light… up, up… Thank the stars that the water down here is clear — you can see the blurred shape of Cal above the surface. He plunges a hand down into the water, not minding the freezing temperature as he interlocks your fingers with his, yanking you up onto the surface.

You lay flat on your back for a moment, just drinking in the oxygen and being grateful to be alive, but Cal has other plans.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? Why did you even want to get up there?”

You’re too exhausted to speak, still panting for air, but you can answer his second question by simply lifting your arm and uncurling your fingers. A brilliant yellow crystal sits in the palm of your hand, bathing your face in golden light.

You’re soaking wet, your hair sticking to your forehead, eyes a little swollen from crying with him earlier, but you’re laughing, the loveliest sound he’s ever heard, and stars, you’re beautiful — every bit the princess you were supposed to be, and would have been had the cards fallen differently.

But would your paths ever have crossed in that reality? Maybe they would, on Coruscant, when you were there to deliver some whip-smart speech to the senate floor, dressed in Kaldean regalia that would be a stark contrast to the roughspun beige tones of the Jedi robes; pastel silk and beads and silver jewelry, but nothing crass or gaudy. You’d stand out enough on your own, with your beauty and your calmly stated words — the result of your years of training for this position, mixed with the almost intoxicating quality of your voice that he’d instantly recognize to be the Force at work.

He’d linger in some quiet corner until your speech had concluded with a gracious thank you to your galactic neighbors, and that would be the end of it. He’d never be able to hold on to you — a full-fledged Jedi Knight would never let himself become attached to anyone, let alone a woman of your status.

But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t see you in dreams for the rest of his days.

You’ve gotten to your feet by now, and can form words. “It started calling to me earlier. I thought it was yours, until you found one yourself and the feeling was still there. I don’t know what I’ll do with it, but…”

“I have an idea.”

It aches a little to hand it over, but you know it’s in good care.

BD beeps quietly enough for only you to hear, but Cal’s too laser-focused on whatever he’s doing anyway.

You’re not sure what the exact translation is, but you catch love, fix. You want to ask the droid to repeat it, but Cal’s already spinning around to show you what he’s done. The crystal now dangles from the end of a long leather cord — long enough to disappear beneath a shirt collar, well out of sight.

“So you can keep close to you, always. And if you ever want to, I’d be happy to rig it up into a saber for you.”

Your eyes catch on his own — he’s somehow made them into a staff that he can split into two, beautifully fusing both of his masters’ blades into one. It’s poetic, almost.

He turns them off, clipping each back into his belt. “Thank you,” you both say at once, and you stifle a laugh, gesturing for him to go first.

“Thank you for coming with me.”

“Thank you for fixing this up for me,” you reply, a hand still holding the crystal to your heart.

Cal’s eyes finally pull away from yours, widening. You follow his gaze to the sleeve of your jacket, which has nearly frozen solid. And without the soft yellow illuminating your face, it becomes clear that you’re definitely feeling the effects of being down here, and still soaking wet from your fall — you never learned to warm yourself with the Force, like he did. And if you don’t get out of those wet clothes fast enough, and dry off your hair, you’ll freeze to death.

That is simply not an option.

“Ready to get out of here?”

You offer him a weak smile, teeth chattering. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask.”

———

There are perks to sleeping in the room right next to the hyperdrive. It’s normally quite stuffy in here, but after spending the last two hours surrounded by ice, the heat is a welcome reprieve.

Cal had turned the loveliest shade of pink when you’d returned from the ‘fresher in your pajamas, which are really just a tunic a few sizes too big, and a pair of shorts that weren’t visible underneath it — until you’d started rooting around in the compartment under your bunk to find what you needed to fix up your hair.

You don’t own much, but it’s still more than he’d ever had in his days of living in the temple; attachment to material objects other than your lightsaber was considered almost as bad as attachment to people.

It must have been hard for you to abandon your comfortable life as a member of the royal family, but you seem to be taking to the physical aspects of life on the run quite well.

The realization hits him like a punch: you still have a family. A mother and father on Kaldea, probably siblings, too, all of whom you should never contact again, for their own safety and yours. Do they think you’re dead? Did you ever say goodbye? Maybe they faked your death, buried a body that wasn’t yours, or maybe they just let you disappear, claiming you were kidnapped, or studying off-world somewhere.

He mumbles something about getting a meditation in before he hits the shower himself, and settles onto his knees on the tiny strip of floor between your bed and his, closing his eyes.

You’d tried meditating a few times as a kid, after hearing that the Jedi did it a lot, but it never really worked. You’d always be too distracted by the world around you, the warm glow surrounding every living being and the song that you now recognize as the Force itself, the balance between all things. Maybe that’s what you were supposed to be focusing on. But even after hours of sitting down with your eyes closed, you never felt whatever clarity or purpose or whatever you were supposed to feel.

Cere knocks on the doorframe. She’s carrying what must be the ship’s entire supply of spare blankets in one hand, two steaming cups of… something in the other. “We’re going back to Bogano, for now. We’ll be safe there overnight, and be able to rethink our next steps.”

You nod, quietly accepting the cup and sighing in appreciation at the warmth of the ceramic between your hands, and taking Cal’s as well, setting it on the workbench for once he’s done meditating.

BD is still watching him, waiting patiently. They’ve developed an unspoken routine, the little droid knowing when to hop down and give him some space.

Meditation seems to be comforting to Cal, to ease the anxiety that you’ve felt radiating from him every day since you met — two standard weeks ago, now? You could use some of that relief yourself. Maybe Cere can teach you later, or Cal, once he figures things out for himself a bit more.

Your heart twists at the thought. You have some idea of what he faced in the temple this morning — you’d heard the name of his former master amidst his screams — and he’ll have to do it all over again tomorrow. Or maybe it would be your turn. But instead of a dead Jedi Master, who would you have to face? Your father, berating you for abandoning your duty to Kaldea, or your mother, wishing you had been born anyone else but yourself, that she’d had a normal child, without your… abilities?

Your little companion has noticed your worry, hopping up beside you on the bunk and nudging your arm. “I’m okay, buddy. Just worried about tomorrow. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

He trills softly, looking at you, then back down at Cal, and you think you finally understand his earlier remark: love - fix.

The both of you have been wounded by all of this, physically and otherwise, but it might be the one thing that had been forbidden to him that starts to stitch you both back together.

[harbours-lighthouse]

SHATTERED STARLIGHT

— PAIRING: Cal Kestis x F!Reader

— SUMMARY: It's difficult to say the words that you know can ruin everything, but you're hanging by a thread. You need Cal to hear you, but will he listen?

— A/N: I'm just feeding you guys my old drafts that I'm going through and finishing...anyway. I love Cal, but if you've played the games...then you'll also know he's a bit of an emotional guy that shuts down around others when he's stuck inside his head - or lashes out (especially is Jedi: Survivor). So, I wanted to play around with the idea of Reader running out of patience and willpower to keep up with Cal's depressive state, and the argument that transpires between them because of it. Hope you enjoy! (I listened to Searows the entire time I wrote this, so that definitely amped up the angst for me lol).

content tags: angst, arguments, no use of y/n, just overall...sadness, minute amounts of comfort :)) wc: 2.4k

Rain taps against your scalp, the sky spitting sharp rain that leaves you shivering beneath the layers of wool and leather you’re wearing. Thunder rolls in the distance, but it’s not lightning that charges the air around you. Instead, it’s the pair of expectant green eyes trained on you as Cal stands at the top of the Mantis’ ramp with BD-1 sitting on his shoulder, and the stifling silence between the two of you.

You’re standing on the landing pad, feet rooted to the ground. Your fingers are shaking at your sides, and you know that’s not because of the cold.

The silence stretches, painful and slow like putty, and you know you’re the one who will have to say the first word. Otherwise you’ll both stand here in silence. Unmoving. Falling apart without saying anything.

“Cal,” you swallow thickly, fingers flexing at your sides. “I know you don’t want me to go, but...I can’t stay here.” 

With you, is what you want to tack on, but you know that’ll be a nail in a coffin, something that will sear itself into Cal’s memory as something unforgivable. You wait, hoping he’ll say something. BD-1 trills quietly, obsidian-glass eyes zipping between you and the red-head. 

Cal looks at you with flickering eyes, seafoam irises wandering across your face rapidly. You have the sinking feeling in your chest that he’s trying not to stare at one thing, because that just might let the burn settle in and the tears start gathering.

You breathe out a trembling sigh, keeping your chin up despite yourself.

Cal shifts, brows flinching inward. You watch as his Adam’s Apple bobs, hands moving to sit heavily on his hips. His gaze slides to the floor, before he shrugs his shoulders. You don’t expect the way his voice cuts out. 

“I—I don’t understand why.” 

You bite back the immediate retort that forms on your tongue. 

You should know. You should understand. 

Instead, you settle with something quieter.

“Maybe you won’t understand—not yet anyway—but I have to do this.” 

Cal scoffs harshly, and you wince knowing that it wasn’t the right thing to say—not to Cal. He wants answers. He always has. To deny him that is to wake up the injustice that burns inside his chest. The betrayal that’s been sitting with him since the Order fell. 

You open your mouth, hoping you might smooth out the ripple you’ve caused, but Cal beats you to it.

“It’s not that hard to tell me why you want to leave. You know? You’re leaving behind the crew, leaving behind—” 

He cuts himself off, jaw clenching as he looks away from you quickly. BD-1 whines, and you see the way Cal briefly glances at the droid with something that could be called reassuring, but it’s overshadowed by something else that has your gut knotting itself. 

“What is it, Cal?” You ask softly, hoping he’ll talk to you like he used to—without anything barring him from telling you what’s sitting on his mind so heavily. But that hope has long since buried itself. You and Cal haven’t talked to each other like you used to in months. There’s no honesty. No transparency. No desire to have someone—even just one singular person—know everything that’s going on inside your head. 

No, somewhere along the line, Cal has severed that sort of communication between the two of you. You know it’s because of what he does—his fight against the Empire. You know that it’s slowly consuming him, and that it’s torn him away from you. 

You’ve wanted to help him—so much so that you’ve been running yourself into the ground. But there’s only so much you can do when someone doesn’t want to let you in—doesn’t want to give you a glimpse of the tempest raging inside of themselves. 

“Forget it,” Cal mutters, his voice strained. His face is tense, brows furrowed deeply.

“No,” you say, stepping forward. You don’t mean to—in fact, you want to run. “I don’t want to just ‘forget it’. I want to know what you’re thinking, Cal. I always do—” 

“Then why are you leaving?!” Cal hisses through gritted teeth, and you nearly mistake it for anger. It isn’t, and that realisation hits you like a rampaging bantha.

It’s grief. 

“Because you don’t tell me!” You cry. “I ask you what’s wrong and all I get is this cold front. I don’t need the Force to feel you shutting me out—which is pretty kriffin’ cruel after all that we’ve gone through together—” 

“Like what?” Cal scoffs, palms outstretched. “We’ve gone through as much as the next person. Everyone who’s fighting in the Rebellion goes through the same thing—” 

You point a finger at him, “That’s bantha fodder and you know it.” 

The red-head’s jaw clenches, eyes snapping away from you like you’re blinding him. Something that burns. Inside, you can hear yourself screaming.

This isn’t how it was supposed to go! It wasn’t supposed to be like this! 

You trade weight on your hips, fidgeting as the lump in your throat aches, feeling like a pebble lodged inside your esophagus. It’s getting harder and harder to keep yourself together. 

“I’m sorry,” you whisper. “I didn’t mean to curse—I shouldn’t, I just—” 

“Just what?” Cal asks, and you hate how his voice wavers, only a breath away from a whisper that you might not have caught. But you’re attuned to Cal like a pilot is to a plane. A jedi to a lightsaber. 

You inhale sharply. Rain slaps against your cheeks.

“I can’t do this,” you murmur, waving a weak hand between you and Cal. It’s not just physical space, anymore. It’s everything in between, and it’s leaving you cold. 

“Do what?” 

“This,” you stress, “this whole thing where I try to talk to you and you won’t let me. This wall you’ve built—” 

“I haven’t built any walls,” Cal says softly.

You might’ve scoffed if it didn’t feel like your lungs were collapsing in on themselves. It feels harder to breathe with the weight that’s sitting on your chest, and you wonder if maybe it really would have been a better idea to have just left without saying anything. Maybe leave a note behind, but other than that? You could’ve left without a word. No argument. No tears.

Nothing. 

But you’re not that kind of person, and no matter how much this hurts, you know you have to tell Cal. You can’t up and leave and not give the one person that’s been with you since the beginning a head’s up. That’s even more cruel than the torture you’ve been put through for the last few months.

Your attention is grabbed by BD-1 as he tilts his head between the two of you, and you inwardly shrivel at the low, saddened beep he whines, before settling closer to Cal’s nape. 

Cal shakes his head, feet shifting.  “I’m not shutting you out. I talk to you—” 

“No, you don’t,” you refute, and the back of your eyes are burning. Your voice wobbles; you’re tearing yourself apart from the inside, but the strings that link you to Cal means he’s feeling the same shred of flesh and sinew. Bile rises up the back of your throat, hot and gross, and you glance away briefly, sucking down air that feels sharp. 

“You don’t,” you struggle to speak, the words small as they seemingly fall to the floor. “You’ve entirely closed yourself off from me…me, Cal.”

“So leaving is going to fix this?” 

“Yes.”

It’s as if your words echoed inside a large cave, silencing everything else. But it had only been a desperate murmur, something said quietly with far too much emotion behind it. 

You hate how Cal sucks in a trembling breath, and how BD-1 hides his glass eyes into Cal’s copper hair. Resignation falls over the two of you, and you wish you could shoo it away as easily as a flock of birds. But it sits heavily, weighing down the air, and you can almost swear that it’s pulling the rain down faster too, stabbing into your skin like cold shards of ice.

This might just be the end of it.

“I—” you swallow, chest shivering as you inhale, “I think I need to leave for a bit. Just get some…space. Do my own thing for a bit.” 

Cal’s eyes find yours, seafoam quivering like a still pond that’s been disturbed by a rock—one that you’ve thrown…though maybe it’s because you needed something to happen. Movement. A response.

Anything. 

You watch as Cal blinks rapidly, fists clenched by his sides. You can’t tell through the rain if he’s crying, but the way he can barely look at you for a second confirms it all for you, anyway.

“Okay,” he whispers, and that singular word steals all the air from your lungs. 

“O-Okay?” You parrot, voice catching on the word like you can’t fathom how easy that was. You thought he’d argue more, maybe yell—though when you think about it, he doesn’t yell at you. He never has, and you can’t truly see him doing that.

Not even now. 

Cal swallows hard, nodding his head shortly. “Yeah, okay. I…if you need to go, then...” 

Your throat throbs, and your heart is punching against your ribs. BD-1 perks up, large head balanced on his thin metal neck as he looks quickly between you and Cal.

You can’t stop the way your vision blurs with tears as BD-1 trills sadly, body sagging as he realises what’s happened. Cal gives the droid a weak smile, murmuring, ‘it’s okay, buddy.’ 

You quickly swipe away the tear that drops down your cheek, but it doesn’t matter anyway with the rain. A chill slithers up your spine, and you shake even harder.

“Where are you gonna go?” Cal asks, and you can tell that it pains him to say it. 

“I don’t know yet,” you admit. “Probably catch a ride to Naboo.” 

“There’s a lot of Imperial activity there—” 

“I know,” you sigh, blinking away tears as your chin dips down. “I know. There’s something I need to do there.” 

“Like what?” 

You lift your head, fighting the quiver in your chin, and give Cal a strained smile. 

“Nothing important. Not yet anyway.”

Silence follows, broken only by the sound of rain slapping against the Mantis, and your heavy, sob-choked breaths. 

Cal shifts on his feet again, a restless habit you know he has when he’s upset.

“You’ll still stay in contact, right?” He asks, and there’s a glimmer of hope seeping into his voice that you don’t dare stomp out. 

“Yeah,” you nod. “I’ll keep in contact as much as I can.” 

Cal’s chest visibly deflates, though his stance remains tense, rigid.

There’s more that you want to say. A thousand words, really, but they stay unsaid, and your chest is aching as if your heart has imploded inside your ribs. Maybe if your stomach lurches again and you vomit up the turmoil wrestling inside you—you might taste shattered starlight on your tongue. 

What terrifies you the most is the three words that sit the heaviest on your mind, and if you say them out loud, you’ll gladly walk off the landing pad and plummet down the cliffs into the awaiting sea where the waves might swaddle you and hide you forever. 

“You don’t have to leave…” 

Cal’s murmur has a fresh wave of tears flooding your vision, and you instantly shake your head while your chin quivers. 

“N-no,” you argue quietly, “I have to. I-I definitely have to.” 

Cal’s eyes sweep across your face, and you know that he can see right through you. He can see the way you’re barely holding yourself together, feet aching to spin around and run. 

Run to a place where Cal can’t find you, not even in your dreams. 

His jaw clenches, fingers flexing like he wants to reach for you. Maybe if he touches you, he might bring you back—gather up the parts of you that are cracking like marble. You look cold, and it hurts that you’re not running to him, arms engulfing him in a hug that he would have expected from you months ago.  

“I’m gonna—” you sniffle, jabbing a thumb behind your shoulder, “I’m gonna go.” 

There’s a terrible wail from BD-1, muffled against Cal’s head, and your knees nearly give out. 

“Yeah, I’m gonna go,” you say again, like you need to repeat it in order to make it true. Make it real. You can barely see through the rain and your tears, and you glance behind you to make out where the path to the town is, but you’re immediately ripped back to Cal when something warm curls around your wrist. 

With wide eyes, you stare up at Cal as his fingers tighten around your wrist, thumb pressing against your pulse. It’s gentle, almost delicate. You can't believe how quickly and silently he'd descended the ramp, how he practically materialised in front of you.

Cal looks at you with eyes that bore straight through you, and you’re like a sandcastle crumbling. A sob hitches inside your throat before tumbling past your lips. Tears flood your eyes, and they mix with the rain as a trembling hand reaches for the back of your head, pulling you closer.

Your forehead bumps against his chest, and your fingers latch onto his vest. You’re shaking, and you know this is the worst thing he could have done because now you can’t leave. 

How can you when he’s this warm?

“I have to leave,” you hiccup, and Cal only breathes against your wet scalp. 

“I-I have to go—because it hurts, Cal…more than anything.” 

BD-1 skitters out from Cal’s nape and perches himself on top of your shoulder, metal feet gripping onto your clothes gently. The weight of him is grounding, just as Cal’s thumb brushes against your wet hair.

BD-1 trills, head tilting, before he nuzzles closer to the crook of your neck. His beeps and trills have your choked sobs filling up your throat, and you bury your face further into Cal’s neck. 

“I’m sorry,” Cal murmurs, his own voice thick with tears.

You know it’s hard for him to say the things that he wants—that’s why you’re here in the first place—so something cracks deeper inside of you when he speaks, knowing he’s desperate to fix things. 

“We’ll figure this out, okay? I promise.” 

You grapple Cal closer, and BD-1 presses his cold, rain-slick head against your cheek. 

“Promise, okay?” You gasp. 

Cal’s lips brush against your hair. “I promise, starlight.”

Thank you for reading, God bless!

© harbours-lighthouse 2025 / i do not give permission for my work to be reposted, translated, or fed into ai. all works belong to me unless stated otherwise.

[hxney-lemcn]

Reunions and Resolved Misunderstandings — Cal Kestis x gn! reader

summery: feeling like an outcast, you're the first one to leave the Mantis' crew. years later, you stumble across Cal once again and old feelings end up bursting to light in the worst of ways. At the very least, misunderstandings are finally cleared.

tw: mentions of killing/assassination (readers past), hurt/comfort, slight spoilers for the beginning of Jedi Survivor.

a/n: I got to the kiss in Jedi Survivor and inspiration struck. I can see how every Cal fic is about 4k words long, its hard not to write so much for him lmao.

wc: 3.1k

Master List

It had been as clear as day. The connection between Cal and Merrin was undeniable. It made your stomach churn. You were with Cere and Greez when you saved him from Bracca and had been glued to his side ever since…that was until Merrin joined. Don’t get me wrong, you loved her and was glad to offer her a new home…but every time your eyes landed on the two you felt your heart twist. In response to this new development you distanced yourself. Tried to smile past the ache in your heart and enjoy what you had. But it was hard, and it didn’t help that Cere and Greez seemed to know of your predicament. 

It hurts, seeing the man you loved, who came to you for medical treatment, or would count on you to watch his back, to slowly slip through your fingers. His green eyes that used to sparkle when landing on you had now turned to look at Merrin. How his lingering touches had all but vanished, leaving your skin feeling colder than normal. What made you feel even worse were your thoughts of leaving. Cal wasn’t your only priority, you had Cere, Greez, Merrin…but everytime you found yourself forgetting about the pain it seemed to always hit once more full force. 

This is how you found yourself packing your things…not that you had much. Just some extra clothes, some photos of your crew, and some gifts that BD-1 and Cal had given you. Double checking your blaster, daggers, knives, and the case that held your sniper, you found yourself contemplating if you really wanted to go through with this. That was when you realized you couldn’t handle watching the one you love end up in someone else’s arms, it was easier to leave altogether. As quietly as you could, you made your way through the Mantis, memories of your friends, almost family popped up every so often. 

With the ship lights off, you couldn’t be more thankful for your specialized contact lenses. Everyone was sleeping in their quarters…or at least they were supposed to be. You froze as you ran into Greez, and as his gaze landed on you he seemed to deflate. 

“You’re really just gonna leave like that?” He asked, his voice low to keep from accidentally waking anyone up. 

“I’m sorry,” You murmured, not able to look in his direction. “I just…”

“I get it kid,” He sighed. “The others won’t be so happy, but I’m glad I caught you on the way out.”

“I’m glad to have met you all,” You tried to console, but you weren’t sure if you were trying to console Greez or yourself. “I’ll be forever grateful to you and Cere for saving me. Here,” Taking out a piece of paper, you handed it to the Latero. “It's a note, I know the way I’m leaving is shitty, but I couldn’t leave without letting you guys know it was voluntary.”

With that, you disappeared into the night, trying your hardest not to look back.

~~~

You were the first one to leave, and soon Cal found himself watching his crew leave him one by one. He was heartbroken when Greez read aloud the note you left behind, wishing them all the best, and how you were going to a rebel base not too far from where they were. He didn’t understand why you left, or how everyone had accepted it so easily. He wished he could’ve seen you one last time, to ask you why, to plead for you to stay. When Greez finally bought Pyloon Saloon, Cal found himself resenting you slightly. You seemed to be the catalyst for everyone's departure. You were all so happy, why did you have to leave them? Why did you have to leave him? 

When he thought back of his time with you, he felt like he was choking. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw you, or what you last spoke about. Had you scolded him for getting injured? Did you laugh with him over a silly scenario with BD? Or was it that lonely gaze you sent him as he joked with Merrin, not paying any mind to you. Are you happy now? Have you made new friends? Have you found someone to confide in? Cal’s heart hurt no matter how he spun his head around you. Don’t get him wrong, he missed the entire crew. He missed Greez’s cooking, Merrin’s dry humor, Cere…but somehow he found himself missing you the most. How you cared for him so gently after he’d get hurt, how you’d listen to his problems and give advice that seemed far beyond your years. How even if you weren’t used to touch, you’d still allow him to hug you after a long, stressful mission.  Even with his new crew, he still felt that hollow void that the old crew left in him. No matter how lovely they were, how deeply he cared about them, he couldn’t help but reminisce of the good old days. Trapped in the past that seemed golden. Cal thought that he had been imagining you at first. Depressed after a harsh mission on Coruscant that wiped out his entire crew, seeking solace at Pyloon Saloon with Greez, he hadn’t thought he’d find you here. He felt like he’d stumbled upon an oasis after stumbling through the desert. Have you always looked so ethereal? Smiling so sweetly as you talked with Greez. You looked different, hair a new length, more mature, happier…have you always looked this happy?

Cal was snapped out of his stupor as both you and Greez turned to face the jedi. He almost got lost once more, wanting to drown in your gaze. He missed the soft way you’d look at him, how he felt cared for and loved with your eyes alone. Instead of that sweet look he was used to, your eyes filled with panic, your posture awkward as you curled in on yourself. The same way you’d react to a stranger. It felt like the dagger you’d always hide in your boot had managed to pierce through his heart. As Greez greeted Cal, you watched on the sidelines, sipping your drink as you tried to hide from Cal’s piercing gaze. 

How long has it been since you last saw Cal? It’s been quite a while. You had only planned on catching up with Greez, as you both left on the best of terms, and although Greez tried to assure you that Cal and the others still cared about you and weren’t angry, he seemed a bit hesitant. So essentially you were scared, scared of the repercussions of your own actions. Running away could only take you so far, and if you ran enough you’d end up right where you started. And you ended up running straight back to the problem of why you left. Your body tensed as Cal took a seat beside you, not aware he had already finished talking with Greez. Anxiously, you peered up at the red haired man through your eyelashes, unsure how to take his blank gaze, or the way your name gently fell past his lips.

“How have you been?” Cal asked. He couldn’t wrap his head around the various emotions you managed to stir up. Sadness, bitterness, longing, anger, regret. 

You shrugged, looking down at your drink as you stirred it, “I’ve been alright. Doing runs for the rebellion and all that. Thought I’d take a short break to check in on the old geezer.” Cal chuckled slightly, wishing for the awkwardness to dissipate, wishing for what you had to come back. “How about you?” 

“Could be better,” He hums, eyes never leaving the side of your face. Drinking in your profile as you shied away. You could tell something had happened, there was a darkness in his eyes, that shine you remember had dulled and you felt your heart break. He didn’t elaborate past that, and you knew better than to pry. A short silence washed over you, awkward, but Cal felt his heart thrum steadily. “I missed you.” You couldn’t stop yourself from looking up to him in shock, mouth slightly agape as you struggled to wrap your head around the vulnerable moment.Pushing past the way you wanted to run, having closed yourself off once again after you left the Mantis, you once again found yourself struggling to let yourself be vulnerable. But the sad puppy-like eyes Cal was sending you made you push past that, mumbling that you missed him in return.

“Why did you leave?” He asked the question you hoped to never go over. 

Once again you found yourself battling the raised walls you put up, unsure if you wanted to actually confess the true reason. Instead, you settled for a watered down version. “I guess I felt a bit left out. Like an outsider I suppose. So I decided it was best for me to leave…” 

“Left out…?” Cal couldn’t help but repeat in a whisper. Guilt suddenly consumed him, his brain finding every time he remembered seeing you on the sidelines, smiling at the moment you had witnessed. Or how you’d slink away, no one trying to stop you as they all laughed about something he couldn’t even remember. It…it was his fault.

“It’s none of your guy’s fault,” You consoled, a bitter smile lining your lips. “I should’ve spoken up about how I felt, instead I ran away like a coward.”

“But I should’ve noticed-” You quickly shut him up with a swift kick to the shin and a lighthearted glare. He gave an overdramatic wince as your kick could barely be described as a kick, more of a light tap. But he felt his heart warm as you were once again slowly opening up to him. 

“Not. Your. Fault.” You spoke sternly. “You always were so quick to take the blame.”

“Wanna help me find a gyro module for old times sake?”

~~~~

You forgot how easy it was to love Cal Kestis. That night when you left, you knew you’d always love him, he has his own special spot in your heart. But over the years those feelings were buried under layers, like sediment. Whether it be adrenaline from missions, celebration with new friends, or the death of a crew member, you find yourself focusing on other aspects of life. You hadn’t planned on running into the now infamous jedi, but even so, you hadn’t expected those old feelings to rupture forth like an exploding volcano. His boyish smile sends shockwaves to your heart. His gentle touch helping you drop down a small cliff makes you yearn to give him a hug and melt in his arms. His compliments on your skills making you puff your chest a little. It's scary how one person has so much control over your feelings, but you also miss the feeling. 

It all comes hurtling down at once when he starts going on a tangent about Merrin. It started with you asking about her and Cere, and now he won’t shut up about her growth in the time you left. You felt stupid, stupid that your heart still managed to cling to the hope that he’d felt more for you in some way. Of course he only loved you as a friend, and you were grateful, but also downtrodden. Though this time Cal seemed to pick up on your spaced out look, gently calling your name.

“What’s wrong?” Cal asked like the caring person he was.

You snapped out of your little bubble you didn’t even realize you put yourself in, bringing your gaze to the concerned one of your friend. “Nothing, I’m glad she’s doing well,” You said with a strained smile. It was left at that as both you and Cal explored Koboh, avoiding raiders to the best of your ability. Exploring the Basalt Forest, you found yourself looking at your surroundings in awe. You loved exploring different planets, watching the flora and fauna interact, from ice planets that had plants still managing to cling to life to desert planets that had a variety of animals that had adapted to the harsh climate. If you hadn’t been taught to kill from a young age and forced to be an assassin, you would’ve loved to have been a researcher. 

Unbeknownst to you, Cal was silently watching you fawn over every little thing you stumbled upon. Pointing out a bug you’ve never seen before or trying to pet those birdlike creatures that would try to charge at you. He could only watch in awe, seeing you in a completely new light. He never fully comprehended that you had a love for wildlife, or just anything that wasn’t human at that. You had always fawned over BD, leaving him feeling a bit left out, but happy the little droid made you happy. And now seeing you do the same for any animal, plant, and even some bugs…he never knew the extent of your love. Making him realize that this entire time, he only knew you through the lens he set for you. A very Cal centric lens. 

Has he ever really known you? All of you? There’s only one way to find out, and that was to get to know you. All of you. From your best aspects to your worst flaws. And as you both sat on the edge of a cliff, Cal couldn’t stop himself from watching you. The way the sun shone down on you, from your hair shining brilliantly to the way the sun made your eyes pop, he couldn’t get enough of you. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and Cal couldn’t agree more. His eyes followed as a small gust of wind blew your hair out of place, and without a second thought, he gently brushed your hair back in place, admiring your startled look. 

So many emotions overtook him. There was a warmth to your presence, whether that be through the force or not. In fact, he didn’t really care, he just wished he’d never have to be devoid of the feeling again. And as you looked at him, neither of you backing down from your little stare off, Cal felt something selfish grow within him. He wanted you to join him again, he wanted you to be there to patch him up like before, to fight by his side, to hold you close for comfort. In fact, he can’t remember why he stopped doing that, why he let you both get distant. As these selfish thoughts and desires grew, he couldn’t stop his eyes from dropping to look at your lips, they looked oh so inviting. 

You felt your heart skip a beat as Cal’s eyes dropped for a few seconds. No, no this wasn’t right. He clearly loved Merrin, so why was he staring at you like you had hung the stars and moon? Why was he leaning in closer? Why could you feel his breath hit your face, why is he closing his eyes? This is what you’ve always wanted, so why were you panicking? Why did you push him away, causing him to give a hurt and concerned look. 

“I-I’m sorry,” Cal stuttered. “I…I should’ve asked.”

“No, its, I,” You stumbled, trying to put together a sentence with your currently scrambled mind. “What about Merrin?”

“What?” He asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “What about her?”

Now you were the one giving him a confused look, “You clearly love her.”

“What?” Cal could hardly believe his ears. His heart dropped when your face crumbled into a tired look, releasing a long sigh as your eyes trailed back to the beautiful scenery around you.

“The way you talk about her, look at her, interact with her…it's obvious how much you care for her,” You explained. 

“Because she’s my friend,” He countered, grabbing your hand that lay on your lap. The anger you had always felt about the situation started bubbling up, your eyes squinting into a sharp glare as you grip on his hand tightened into an almost bruising grip. Your frustration made clear in the tears that started to well up.

“So then why did you forget about me!” You snarled, letting go of his calloused hand and putting some distance between you both. Your vicious look dissolved as tears rolled down your cheeks, pulling your knees up to your chest and buried your face, not wanting to see Cal’s hurt look. “We were so close, but then all you paid attention to was Merrin and I felt like an outcast. Like I didn’t belong with the crew anymore.”

You tensed when he put a hand on your back, trying to comfort you, but instead of pulling away, he pulled your curled up form into his side, holding you as you cried. “I’m sorry,” He whispered into your hair, holding you tighter. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“I-its not y-your fault,” You stuttered through tears. “Instead of telling you I just left.”

“You should’ve never felt like that to begin with,” He murmured, his own eyes watering at the thought of you feeling alone like that…all because of him. 

“It's not like you can read minds,” You grumbled, sniffling as the tears slowly started to end. 

“Well…” 

You elbowed his side while trying to stifle a laugh, “Shut up, you know what I mean. It’s not your job to keep tabs on how everyones feeling at all times.”

“But I care about you,” Cal stated, pulling away enough to face you. He finds himself brushing your last few tears away, his palm resting against your cheek. “If I knew you felt like that I would’ve done something.”

“I know,” You murmured. “But we can’t change the past. What’s happened, happened.”

Resting his forehead on yours, you felt your breath hitch as Cal let out a frustrated sigh, “I’ll make it up to you.” You felt your heart stutter when he opened his eyes, determination shining clearly. “I promise.”

“I’m sure you will,” You replied, a small smile forming. Getting to finally vent out your problems seemed to have lifted a weight on your heart you didn’t realize was there the entire time. Leaning in, your heart jumped as Cal placed a sweet kiss to your cheek, standing up quickly and holding his hand out towards you. You found yourself pouting inadvertently, but taking his hand nonetheless. As he pulled you up with ease, a mischievous smirk tugged at his lips.

“How about we start tonight?” Cal asks. “I have an idea of where to start.”

“Okay,” You agreed. “Lead the way.”

Things might not have been perfect, and soon Cal will continue his journey, but for now, in this moment, everything finally fell into place.

[chloe-skywalker]

Uncovered Feelings - Cal Kestis

Cal x Fem!reader (daughter of Vader)

Warnings: none

Word count: 1,410

Summary: Cal senses Y/n’s feelings change when confronted by Vader.

Masterlist

STARWARS Masterlist

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“So, where are we headed?” Cal asked as he headed to the front of the mantis.

“Back to Coruscant. There’s something we need to pick up.” Greez told the young red headed man as he put the ship into hyperdrive.

“You know there’s a grand senate meeting happening tomorrow. Right?” Y/n walked over urgently as she heard their destination. There was a sense of worry in her eyes. Maybe even fear?

“No. but what's it matter anyway.” Greez shrugged his arms, waving off Y/n’s concern.

“You don’t think…” Cal turned to follow Y/n out of the cockpit. He was starting to realize why she was concerned about being there during the grand senate meeting.

“I know.” Y/n states as fact. She knows who will be there, no question about it. “A grand senate meeting requires the Emperor and Vader’s presence.” 

“We have to get what we need, kid.” Greez call’s out to them.

“I am not a kid.” Y/n grumbled looking towards their pilot with a playful glare.

“Fine Miss jedi, but we need to land there and get what we need to get. No matter what.” Greez joked and then got serious, they had to land no matter what was going on.

“It’ll be fine. We probably won’t even run into them.” Cal tries to ease her mind about their possible encounter but there’s not much he could say to ease her mind.

Y/n nodded but she wasn’t convinced. She had a feeling that something was gonna happen. She just knew it.

^     ^     ^

“Relax, we've been here for a day and we haven’t run into anyone.” Cal smiled nudging Y/n trying to get her to be less jumpy. They had been in Coruscant now for a day, almost two and they haven’t run into anyone. Cal figured Y/n could drop her guard a little.

“Doesn’t mean we won’t.” Y/n spoke looking around for anyone of suspension or etc…

“Please try to relax.” Cal grabbed her by  the shoulders and turned her around to face him. “For me.” He pleaded.

Y/n sighed and nodded. “I’ll try.”

And she did for the most part but not for long, as she was right in her feelings of knowing they’d run into someone.

“Do you feel that?” Cal asked, ducking his head down so the hood of his cloak would cover his face more.

 Y/n nodded. “We’re being watched.”

She had felt it for a while now, and Y/n was glad she wasn’t the only one.

“Stay close together.” Cal pulled her closer to him as they walked a little faster, shoving through the crowd.

“There’s an empty room up ahead, turn into there. We’ll have the advantage.” Y/n nodded her head towards the dark building a block away.

“Maybe we can hide.” Cal led them to the building and as soon as they entered Y/n and Cal ran to hide behind the leftover furniture and crates.

It wasn’t even 3 minutes later that they heard the doors to the building open with force and you could hear all the clone troopers enter, but it was the voice that spoke that put them on edge.

“You really thought you could hide from me?” Vader spoke out to Cal and Y/n who he could sense through the force the whole time they’ve been on the planet.

“Was kinda hoping.” Y/n mumbled, this is exactly what she was afraid would happen.

“I can sense you through the force. Both of you.” Vader states almost like he was taunting them.

With his words Y/n turned, her body language changed all over once Vader spoke those words after entering the room. And Cal noticed.

“Are you okay?” he asked, looking at her concerned.

“Hmm Hmm. We need to leave. Now.” Y/n gulped anxiously, not wanting her reaction to Vader’s presence to out her history of before she met Cal. She wanted to tell him herself. So they needed to get out there before Vader says anything.

“Yeah, okay.” Cal nodded, did he believe her? No. But he could ask her about it later, when they're safe n sound.

So the couple got up hand in hand dodging from blaster shots, staying close to wall’s and crates for cover. They quickly ran out the back door to the alley. They could hear the clones following them so they ran.

Y/n and Cal eventually got back to the mantis and luckily everything was loaded and ready to go. So once the young jedi’s were on they took off, as they were up in the air they could see out the cockpit. Vader and his inquisitors and clones were standing there on the platform they had just been on. Y/n could see Vader looking up at the ship they were in and to be honest she was shocked that he wasn’t sending anyone after them.

Once they were in the clear and in hyperspace getting for away from the Empire. Cal decided it was time to talk to Y/n about earlier. He was sure she had been held up in her room on the ship. Cal was sure she was still shaken up by Vader’s presence, and he’d like to know why.

“Y/n. You okay?” Cal asked as he entered her room. Watching her sit on her bed looking off towards desk, where Cal noticed her lightsaber was.

“Yeah, yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” Y/n turned her attention to Cal giving him an obviously fake smile.

“Y/n/n it’s me.” Cal moved to sit down next to her on her bed. He needed to know why she was so anxious they’d run into Darth Vader and why she stiffened up when he was near. “I could feel your feelings change when Vader was around. It’s not the first time and you're always off for a while after. You feel things- emotions that I can’t place when he’s around.”

Y/n let out a sigh before thinking how she wanted to word this to him. “There’s something very few people know and it’s the reason for my change around Vader.”

“You can tell me anything.” He reassured her hoping it’d make it easier for her to tell him.

Y/n took a deep breath before stating. “Darth Vader is my father.”

It took Cal a minute to digest what y/n had said before he asked. “What?”

“Darth Vader is my father.” Y/n stated again slowly to let him know what he heard was correct.

“How’s that possible?” Cal thought the man was almost all machinery, how could she be his daughter?

“He wasn’t always Darth vader. He was a man once. A good man at one time, and I honestly don’t believe that is truly gone.” Y/n told him, hoping on the inside that he wouldn’t hate her.

“You knew him before the Empire.” Even though it sounded like a question, Y/n knew Cal was just speaking his mind's thoughts out loud.

“Yeah.” She confirmed his thoughts. “I was with him during order 66, and when my mother was killed he took me with him.”

Cal ran his hands down his face. “You grew up practically in the clutches of the Empire.”

Y/n nodded as he looked at her. It wasn’t an easy life or place to grown up in. “I couldn’t take it anymore. The things they do, I-I just couldn’t do it anymore. So I left or I guess you could say I escaped. And I met you a year later.”

Cal nodded understanding what she meant and what she saw and went through. Cal reached for her hand, holding it in his, looking her in the eyes.

“I’m sorry you went through that.” There was a part of him that wished he could have protected her from all that, but they didn’t know each other yet. “Are you scared of how I’d feel when you told me your connection to Vader? Or are you scared he wants to get you back?”

“Both.” Y/n told him honestly, biting her lip.

“Well, I don’t see you differently. You're still my Y/n. And I love you. And as for him trying to get you back. I won’t let him.” Cal stated pulling her into his embrace, which made Y/n feel alot better. He knows now and it didn’t change anything.

Taglist: @gruffle1 @padawancat97 @phantomalex14

[kindasleepywriter]

The way to a droid's heart (Cal Kestis x BountyHunter!Reader)

Based on this wonderful request. Always open to hearing more ideas!

Summary: Cal demonstrates what happens to those who mess with you. Warnings: Implied and explicit threats, that's about it Word count: 2.9k

In all the years you’d known him, you’d never understood how Cal Kestis was still alive. When you had met him 6 years ago, you’d been just as idealistic and adventure-seeking as he was. The years that followed, however, had changed you and shaped you for survival. Dreams didn’t get you very far, not in the galaxy like this one.

You’d quickly lost hope of ever becoming a fighter pilot when you’d realized the few rebel cells were dropping like flies, all at the Empire’s hand. One lone pilot wouldn’t make a difference out there, you’d concluded, and from that moment you’d just tried not to end up as space rubble like your parents. You’d ended up as a bounty hunter instead, a damned-good one, and you took what joy you could while chasing bounties all over space.

Cal, on the other hand, never seemed to lose his ambition of defeating the Empire. Not that he’d ever told you that’s what he was doing, of course, but only a space slug could’ve been so blind as to not see it. He wasn’t exactly being subtle, making no effort to conceal the weapon at his side and giving his real name to anyone who might have asked. His ever-growing collection of scars didn’t portray him as a man who sat around waiting for change, either.

Perhaps you’d ask about them, one day.

--

You watched from the far end of a bar you’d never tried learning the name of, as a stoned-faced Pantoran you didn’t recognize spoke with Cal. You couldn’t quite hear their conversation but, with the way BD-1 had whizzed in boredom for a good 10 minutes before scurrying off to scan whatever he could find, you could deduce they weren’t exactly talking about their latest game of holo-chess.

You turned back to your drink, flipping up your hood and shaking your head softly at the man’s persistence. On the move, as always.

You were starting to come to terms with the fact that your contact wouldn’t be showing up. You’d already sighed watching your watch more times than you could count, annoyed at the inconvenience of flying so far into the outer rim for nothing. It had been a pain negotiating your meeting too, the contact insisting on you being alone with no weapons. You’d eventually faked giving in, choosing to keep your rifle and pistol on board your currently broken down S40K and instead hiding vibro-blades inside your boots.

The ship was already on its last legs when you got it, the only reason why you’d been able to pay, but the years had caught up with it in the last two months. You spent almost all of your money on maintaining it in the air, and you were running out of funds fast.  The anticipated need to buy another cheap but more reliable hunk of metal was what had caused you to pick up another bounty only a few days after your last.

Normally, you liked to spread out jobs over a few weeks to enjoy the credits you made, but the sputtering of your engines when you’d crash landed into this city’s landing dock had made clear you couldn’t afford the luxury this time.

You were nearing the bottom of your drink, trying to plan a way off this planet without mounting any more personal debts to anyone, when you felt a small nudge at your right foot. You looked down, expecting to see some rodent or pest trying to eat through your sole, but were instead met with a little red and white hyperactive droid.

You scanned the room quickly to make sure no one was looking, and stretched a hand in his direction so he could haul himself up onto the cushioned booth. He didn’t hesitate to scramble up your arm, emitting a few whizzes and beeps of thanks on the way.

“Hey, beedee,” you greeted him flatly. “Thought I finally managed to evade your scans this time; guess I was wrong.”

A low whistle and a trill.

“I know, I know, you see everything. It’s hard to forget when you always choose to remind me at least twenty times every time you find me.”

He emitted a series of approving noises, and you rolled your eyes at his cockiness. Where he’d gotten that attitude wasn’t a great mystery. He jumped on one foot, nudging at your coat’s pockets with the other, his eyes going in and out of focus audibly as he searched for god-knows-what.

You tsked. “Will you stop that!” you chided and swatted him away like you would a cat. “Yes, I brought you something from my last job, stop assaulting me for a minute and let me find the damn thing. And you better not tell your dad, I’m not letting him think I’m a softie just because I keep entertaining your crow tendencies.”

Suddenly the picture of good manners, the droid sat and wiggled his legs as he sent you a sweet melody. Manipulative little shit, you thought affectionately. He was annoying as could be, but the little guy was cute.

You fished out a shiny piece of silver metal from your breast pocket. You had made sure not to lose the small leaf-shaped brooch, the perfect gift for BD-1. Your last bounty had necessitated infiltrating an Imperial event, and you’d found the piece while snooping through an officer’s desk. You’d never been so happy to have preemptively messed with the camera feeds.

The droid whistled in excitement and bathed your hand in a green light. You tried and failed to fight the smile that braced your lips as you watched him dance around your palm. He scanned the object from every angle he could find.

Too focused on his reaction, you failed to notice the individual looking over your shoulder until his shadow dimmed the wall you were facing. Too late to react properly, you shut your hand as quick as you could and turned to look at the man. Kin Fobam. Another bounty hunter, a Pau’an, one that always found a new way to piss you off. Today would apparently be no exception. BD beeped in annoyance at your movement before noticing you had company.

“Well, well. It would seem our little bounty hunter has a penchant for jewels after all.” the man sneered at you.

You rolled your eyes and did your best not to flinch at the lack of personal space, his two-meter height trapping you without much breathing room. You could smell the alcohol he had consumed, but you didn’t need it to know he was intoxicated. At this time of night, he always was. You were already almost pressed to the wall of your booth with only enough space to keep BD behind you, so you stood your ground and straightened up as best you could. You kept the droid in place as he spat angry threats at Kin, unwilling to let him make the situation worse.

“Kin, don’t you know women love shiny things?” you mocked with an arched brow, “Maybe if you’d known that earlier, that lovely Iridonian wouldn’t have spat at you again for your advances last week. How’s your attempt at courting her going, by the way?”

You subtly held the metal pin in pinched fingers behind your back as his white face somehow turned even paler in anger, desperately hoping BD-1 would understand what you were trying to tell him. You almost sighed in relief when you felt him swiftly slide it out of your hands into his stim container.

Kin moved even closer to you, forcing you to lean over BD in a desperate attempt to gain some personal space. Your free hand instinctively reached for your hip but only found the weathered leather of your empty holster. Shit, you’d left your guns on the ship! You didn’t have the space to reach for your blades either, so you had no choice but to do it the old way.

You tensed, ready to headbutt the towering Pau’an out of your space, but you stilled when you felt cold metal brush against your skin in the small gap where your shirt and pants met. A blaster. Fuck. This is why you never left without a firearm.

“I wonder, if that piece of metal is worth so much to someone like you,” he growled, “then maybe you’d accept payment in other forms… as thanks for sparing your life today, hm?”

You cringed at the implication of his words but took a steadying breath. You’d insulted this guy in more ways than you could count over the years and you knew he could pull that trigger without a second thought, but you’d fought bounties that were bigger, angrier, and certainly more skilled. He wasn’t the first to try and extort sexual favors from you, nor would he be the last.

Your brain spun in circles, trying to come up with a plan that didn’t involve blaster fire passing through your right kidney and BD-1 in one fell swoop. You didn’t have to think for long, though.

Before you could make a move, a blinding orange light flashed between you and Kin, floating just underneath his chin. You could feel the heat from where you were, could imagine the pain its power wielded. The way the man’s white flesh turned pink at its proximity didn’t go unnoticed.

“How about I gift her with the loss of your life as an apology for letting her endure your dirty ass, Kin?” a smooth voice drawled, the speaker invisible to you with your still-focusing eyes, but you didn’t need to see him to know who it was. As if the lightsaber wasn’t already enough to identify him, but you’d know that voice anywhere too. You weren’t the only one, if the cheering beeps you heard behind you were any indications.

A smirk braced your features as the Pau’an gritted his sharp teeth, hesitating a second before raising his hands in a defeated manner. He demonstratively holstered his pistol to make sure his head wasn’t cut off at the movement and he slowly stepped back a few feet away. The lightsaber didn’t stray a single millimeter from him. His brows pinched in anger, and he looked expectantly towards you. “It was just a little bit of fun, right?” he said as he hissed in pain. “Nothing to get upset about.”

You chuckled at the attempt. “I don’t know, I’m thinking your head on a platter sounds pretty great right about now. Maybe I can find someone out here who’d enjoy some barbecued Pau’an. What do you think, Cal?”

Your heart skipped a beat when your gaze met amused grey eyes over Kin’s hunched shoulders. He winked at you, and you couldn’t help but bite your lower lip.

“I’m pretty sure that violates too many health codes,” he said, “you know, quality standards and such.”

BD whistled in agreement, scampering up onto your back and nudging the side of your head when you got up to lean against the side of your table.

“Too bad,” you sighed, crossing your arms, “maybe it could’ve bought me some new earrings.”

Cal laughed loudly, warmth spreading through your chest at the lovely sound before he closed a hand on the sweaty neck before him and brought his blade even closer to his chin. “The next time you even come within 20 feet of her,” he stated casually, loudly enough for the entire bar to hear and turn the heads of the few who weren’t already watching, “you won’t live long enough to say ‘womp rat’. Are we clear?”

Well, if your heart hadn’t been beating fast before, it sure was now. Never had a threat sounded so attractive before. You diverted your gaze. Get a grip, you reprimanded yourself.

BD-1 only encouraged him, a crackling sound buzzing entirely too close to your ear for your liking. When did he get a taser? You didn’t even want to know what he used it for, finding trouble with his new gadgets was a special talent of his.

Kin, now wide eyed, muttered an affirmative and a long line of fearful apologies, eager to escape the Jedi. Cal flicked off his saber and forcefully shoved him away. The Pau’an bolted out the door of the bar, running for his life, and you couldn’t help but laugh at his fear. BD reprimanded Cal for acting so late, beeps and squeals echoing through the room after the patrons returned to their usual business, but the red-haired man was only focused on you. Your skin heated at the attention.

“I could’ve dealt with him myself.”

He gave you a wide smile and stepped closer, no Pau’an separating you anymore. “Oh, I know. Wasn’t this much more fun though?”

The corner of your lips twitched, and you shrugged, softly shaking your head at his ever-lasting upbeat attitude. You uncrossed your arms, placing them behind you on the rusty table to comfortably lean back. “Still could’ve knocked him out faster without alerting every possible person of a Jedi’s presence here.”

“Give me a break,” he said almost sheepishly, reaching up a hand to scratch the back of his neck, “is a guy not allowed to show off to a pretty girl every once in a while?”

Your breath hitched on a single breath, caught off-guard. Sure, the two of you joked around all the time, but he’d never gone so far as to straight up flirt with you. You tried not to react, probably failing miserably at doing so.

“Smooth.”

He threw his head back in laughter, his reddened freckled cheeks showing more embarrassment that he let on. “I try.”

“Next time,” you said, striding past him, “if you really want to show off, perhaps you shouldn’t wait until there’s a blaster pointed at me before making your move.”  You had no idea how you kept your voice steady, and you couldn’t help but hear the rare softness of it. You were thankful that he couldn’t see how wide of a smile you currently wore.

He jogged to catch up, keeping pace with you as you headed for the docking bay. “I’ll keep that in mind” he chuckled.

You glanced back at the bar over your shoulder, and BD started emitting alarm noises from your other side, indignant at still being ignored. You patted his head, quieting him for a moment. “Where did your informant go?” you asked Cal. “Wouldn’t want to hinder your next side quest.”

“That was anything but a quest,” he said, “Just a boring old trade. Wouldn’t be so boring if you were there, though.”

A loud whistle of approval sounded above your shoulder.

“Hey, calm it, up there!” you exclaimed, using another opportunity to escape from answering. “I’ve only got two eardrums, let’s not break one of them.”

BD whistled again at a lower volume, followed by a barely audible series of sounds.

“Yeah, weak organics my ass,” you muttered. “We’ll talk about how great being a droid is the next time you bend your antennas and come running to me.”

Cal’s soft laugh caught your attention once more. He was watching you both with such a fond smile... Your heart squeezed at how soft he looked, for once not rushing towards something and instead enjoying the moment.

As you neared your ship, small tendrils of smoke still escaping the upper vents, he looked at his watch when it suddenly started beeping, and he made a face. “I’d love to hear the rest of your arguing, but we have to go. A revolution doesn’t fund itself.” he said. He looked up at the droid sitting on your shoulders. “Yes, beedee, that means you. Hop on.”

Cal held out an arm, BD begrudgingly taking his usual spot on his shoulders, spitting menacing sparks at the jedi along the way. The latter looked towards you with a flicker of hope as he stepped backwards towards the back of the hangar where the Mantis stood. “Can I convince you to join me this time? Still got an extra bunk if you want.”

“I don’t think you want me and beedee on the same ship 24/7, Cal. Anyways, I’ve told you before, I can’t just discard my old one.”

He stared at your smoking Hawk-Class before he turned to you unimpressed. “That thing can’t even fly.”

“It can! I just need to fix the cooling mechanism and-”

“And the hull, the reactors, the hyperdrive, the-” he continued, amused at your stubbornness.

“Okay, okay,” you scoffed, “you’ve made your point. Might as well drop it here, I guess. I could hitch a ride, if you’re heading towards the inner rim, but I’ve got approximately nothing to give in payment for the fuel.”

BD startled you with a burst of binary, so fast you couldn’t hear him. Cal looked at you sharply.

“You’ve been giftinghim things?” he exclaimed.

“You utter snitch, beedee!”

The droid whistled at you disapprovingly and loudly shot the brooch from his stim compartment right into Cal’s hands.

“I can’t believe you,” you continued, “the one thing I told you-”

You fell right back into your argument with the droid.

Cal tilted his head back in loud laughter and threw an arm around your shoulders as you whisper-yelled at BD-1, leading you towards the Mantis. “We’re going to have so much fun.”

Getting side-tracked by BD1? In my supposedly Cal-centered fic? It's more likely than you think.

This was pre-realtionship like my last Cal fic because tbh i have trouble setting up the change from friends to lovers without writing a whole novel, but I have some ideas roaming around my head I'd like to write. We'll see how that turns out!

Tell me what you think, and check out my masterlist!

[hereforthefanficsandromance]

Daily Cal Headcanon

Jedi!Cal is definitely the type to finally get in your pants them make innuendos about it in front of everyone the next day. Like no chill, just the Mantis crew eating breakfast the next morning and smiling so much that Greez asks if really likes the food or something. Cal looking at you and saying it's great but he recently tried a new flavor that he can't stop thinking about.

Greez, of course, asking about the flavor and Cal telling him it's hard to come by, then winking at you. Cal only shutting up when you give him a swift kick under the table.

[weevil-wallflower]

A Jedi & A Droid

Cal Kestis x Jedi!Reader

Summary: Your life was never the same after You stumbled upon another Jedi and a droid.

Warnings/Tags: No warnings, SFW, hurt/comfort, minor angst, fluff, mutual pining, no use of Y/N, no pronouns used, pre/during Jedi: Survivor, minor spoilers for Jedi: Survivor.

A.N.: My third entry for Cal Kestis Week 2024! Prompts: Day 3 - Droid & Day 4 - "We shouldn't be doing this".

I am so late but responsibilities called! Also, this story, initially meant to be simple, got wayyy out of hand and turned into a combination of little snippets. So a bit of a wordy one but I am so happy to finally write this, as the idea had been sitting in my drafts for so long plus I really enjoyed writing it! I think this is one of my best stories yet :3 Gif by me!

Also on AO3!

Word Count: ~6,800

After the crew of the Mantis had split apart, Cal found himself adrift in the galaxy with only BD-1 by his side, spending years drifting between missions and without a crew—a family. While working for Saw Gerrera, he had formed strong friendships with fellow rebels; Gabs, the Klatooinian twins Koob and Lizz, and Bravo. However, it never felt quite the same. He longed for the camaraderie and companionship he had once known, yearning for a friend, a family and perhaps even a partner, to share in their journey’s hardships and victories.

Then, one fateful day, while Cal and BD-1 were navigating through a crowded spaceport, they came across You—running desperately from a squad of unrelenting stormtroopers. Cal's sharp senses detected the hurry in your movements and the terror in your expression as You ran through the packed streets, desperately trying to evade capture.

Without hesitation, Cal leapt into action, his instincts kicking into overdrive as he made his way through the chaotic crowds, dodging blaster fire and weaving through narrow alleyways in pursuit of You. Out of breath, he finally caught up to You, halting You in your tracks and reached out a hand to offer his help.

“Come with us!” The redhead urged, his voice firm yet reassuring as he glanced back at the approaching stormtroopers. “We have a ship. We can help you escape.”

Despite the opportunity presented before You, You hesitated, your eyes wide with fear and uncertainty as You weight your options.

“I’m not getting in a stranger’s ship!” You protested, your voice trembling with apprehension.

Cal’s gaze softened, understanding the gravity of your situation as he met your gaze with unwavering determination.

“You have a better idea?” He asked, his tone gentle yet firm as he kept his hand extended towards You.

You still appeared hesitant but the thunderous footsteps of the approaching stormtroopers and the urgent “Beep-bo-beep!” from the droid perched on the redhead’s back sealed the deal, making You choose the lesser of two evils. With a slight nod, You reached out to take the redhead’s hand, feeling a sense of trust and reassurance wash over You like a wave. Was it the Force trying to tell You something? You had no time to dwell on it, however, as Cal led You to his ship.

As the three of you boarded the Mantis, Cal’s eyes widened with excitement when they fell on the lightsaber strapped to your side, realisation dawning on him.

“You’re a Jedi!” He exclaimed, surprise apparent in his voice. “That’s why those Imps were after you.”

The knowledge brought him some hope, knowing that he had finally found another Jedi besides Cere, after all these years.

You simply nodded and hesitantly took the offered co-pilot seat as the ship soared through the vast outer space. You were unable to shake the feeling of apprehension that gripped You. The knowledge that Cal now knew You were a Jedi filled You with a sense of unease, knowing all too well the dangers that come with being hunted throughout the Galaxy. The thought of bounty hunters and Imperial forces closing in on You sent a shiver down your spine, and You couldn’t help but wonder if trusting Cal was a mistake.

However, as You stole a glance at him while he piloted the ship, You noticed something that caught You off guard—a lightsaber attached to his belt, just like yours. Your eyes widened in surprise as You turned to face him, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Are you… are you also a Jedi?” You asked, your voice full of uncertainty.

Cal’s face lit up with a smile, his green eyes sparkling with excitement and happiness.

“Yes, I am!” He exclaimed, voice full of joy. “I can’t believe I’ve finally found another Jedi!”

“Me too…” You whispered as the revelation sent a wave of relief washing over You. And sure enough, You felt his Force signature resonate around You, feeling his resilience, determination and a strong connection to the Light Side of the Force. However, while the signature carried traces of sorrow and grief, You were surprised by how warm and comforting it felt, enveloping You like a protective blanket. You were unable to remember the last time You felt someone’s Force signature—much less one as soothing. The feeling replaced your earlier apprehension with a sense of solidarity and companionship, relieved to know that You were not alone.

However, it still took time for You to feel comfortable around Cal, despite his warm demeanor and infectious enthusiasm. But slowly over time, You found yourself gradually opening up to the redhead, sharing stories of your past and your hopes for the future. Yet, a lingering sense of caution remained, a barrier that felt insurmountable at times.

But BD-1, Cal’s loyal droid friend, proved to be a source of comfort and solace during those moments of uncertainty. Seeing how happy Cal was once more, all because of your presence on board, BD-1 went out of his way to make You feel welcome with his cheerful chirps and friendly demeanour, offering You small gifts and gestures of kindness that never failed to bring a smile to your face.

And as You watched the little droid trot around the ship, trilling with excitement, You couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude towards him. His efforts to make You feel comfortable and at ease did not go unnoticed, and You found yourself growing fond of BD-1 in return.

Cal, too, noticed the bond that was forming between the both of you, and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his droid friend bringing joy and laughter into your life like he did for him. Seeing You happy lifted Cal’s spirits in ways he couldn’t fully explain, and he found himself opening up to You even more, sharing his hopes and fears with a newfound sense of trust and vulnerability.

Overall, BD-1’s efforts to make You feel comfortable and welcome were essential in helping You overcome your initial apprehension and form strong bonds of friendship with Cal and the droid. There were numerous instances which contributed to strengthening your bond with both of them.

One day, Cal and BD-1 ventured out on a mission while You agreed to stay behind on the Mantis to look after it and to provide backup support if needed. But when the duo failed to return when they should have, a sense of worry began to settle deep in your mind. Especially when You were unable to contact them via the comms. Time appeared to stretch on endlessly as You waited for their return, each minute that passed only made your concern grow. Feeling restless, You paced the length of the ship, your footsteps echoing in the empty corridors as You anxiously awaited their safe return.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, just when You contemplated going out to search for them, You heard footsteps and beeping sounds. You quickly rushed down the ramp to be greeted by the sight of Cal, looking a little worse for wear but otherwise unharmed. Your worries melted away in an instant as You ran over to greet him.

“Cal, you’re back!” You exclaimed, relief evident in your voice.

The redhead grinned wearily, his expression softened by your sight. “Hey…” He greeted, his voice tinged with exhaustion. “Sorry for the delay. We ran into a bit of trouble out there.”

Before You could respond, BD-1 chirped excitedly, leaping down from Cal's back and presented You with a tiny gift he ejected from his stim dispenser. With a delighted giggle, You accepted the gift, a simple trinket made from scavenged materials—a token of BD-1's affection and friendship.

As You thanked the little droid for the thoughtful gesture, Cal couldn't help but chuckle at the scene unfolding before him.

"Well, it looks like BeeDee gets all the attention," he quipped, his tone light-hearted as he approached you. "No warm welcome for a valiant hero like me, huh?"

You grinned at his playful remark, thankful that despite the dangers they faced on their mission, Cal and BD-1 had returned safely, and that was all that mattered in the end.

As you all walked back inside the Mantis together, Cal's arm draped casually over your shoulder, You couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging wash over You. And when BD-1 chirped happily beside You, You knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you would face them together as a team.

Another day, You remember sitting alone in the quiet solitude of your quarters at the back of the Mantis. With the weight of loneliness and longing pressing heavy on your heart, You couldn't help but feel the ache of missing your long-gone family and friends. Memories of happier times filled your mind, each recollection a bittersweet reminder of the bonds You had lost to the war of the Galaxy.

Meanwhile, out in the common area of the ship, Cal paced back and forth with furrowed brows, his concern for You evident in the worried lines etched upon his face. He had sensed your melancholy from the moment You had withdrawn to your quarters, and despite his best efforts to coax You out of your seclusion, You had insisted that You were fine, not wanting to burden him with your troubles.

But BD-1, after sensing your distress, took it upon himself to cheer You up. With a soft chirp, the little droid scuttled into your quarters, carrying an assortment of gifts and trinkets.

You looked up when BD-1 dropped the presents at your feet, startled by the unexpected intrusion. But when You gazed into the droid’s photoreceptor lenses, You noticed something—empathy, compassion and a silent invitation to share in his company.

With a small smile, you reached out to accept the gifts that BD-1 had brought for You, each one a small token of friendship and comfort in the midst of your loneliness. A handcrafted charm bracelet, a bundle of aromatic herbs, and a holorecording of soothing music—all thoughtfully chosen to lift your spirits and ease the ache in your heart.

As You held the gifts close to your heart, a wave of gratitude washed over You, grateful for the droid’s unwavering support and companionship.

When Cal noticed BD-1 entering your quarters, he longed to join in as well, wanting to do everything he could to make You feel better and suddenly, an idea came to him. Quickly, he brewed a cup of your favorite caf, its rich aroma filling the air. With each measured step, he poured his heart into the simple act of preparing the beverage, hoping that it will bring You some solace in the midst of your turmoil.

As the redhead slowly walked into your quarters with the steaming cup in hand, he felt a sense of relief wash over him at the sight of the little droid’s offerings laid out before You on your bed. He was grateful for BD-1’s presence, knowing that the little droid was looking after You in his own unique way, offering You comfort when You needed it the most.

When You saw Cal enter your quarters with hesitant steps, You couldn’t help but feel a surge of warmth in your chest at the sight of him. The small, sympathetic smile he wore tugged at your heartstrings, and as You watched him walk closer, your lips curved into a small smile of your own.

Slowly, Cal extended the cup towards You, his gesture a silent offering of support and understanding. And as You accepted the cup of caf, You felt a sense of gratitude, knowing that with Cal and BD-1 present, You were never truly alone, even in your moments of solitude. Their presence and unwavering support filled the room with a comforting sense of companionship that eased the ache in your heart.

When Cal moved to leave You to your thoughts, as You had requested earlier, a sudden impulse seized You. “ Cal, wait!” You called out, surprising yourself with the words.

Turning back to face You, the redhead’s expression was one of curiosity, his eyes searching yours.

“Would you… would you mind staying here for a while?” You asked, your voice soft with uncertainty. “I could use the company…”

A flicker of emotion passed through Cal’s eyes; a mixture of surprise, gratitude and something deeper You couldn’t quite recognise. With a small nod, he settled into the seat opposite You, his presence along with BD-1’s providing reassurance amidst your troubled thoughts.

And as you all sat together in the comfort of your quarters, the warmth of the caf and the gentle hum of conversation filled the air, slowly dissipating the tension from earlier. With each passing moment, You found yourself drawn deeper into the warmth of Cal’s presence, the sound of his deep voice soothing your worries.

As You listened to him speak, your gaze wandered, taking in the details of his appearance with a newfound appreciation. His fiery red hair, the brightest You had ever seen, seemed to glow in the soft light of the room.

His green eyes, so vibrant and full of life, sparkled with intelligence and kindness, drawing You in with their magnetic charm. And as You met his gaze, You found yourself captivated by the depth and warmth that lay within them, a reflection of the soul that resided behind those beautiful emerald orbs.

His freckles, scattered like constellations across his sun-kissed skin, added to his charm, giving him an air of boyish innocence that belied the immense strength and resilience he possessed. And though his face carried the marks of battles fought and hardships endured, each scar only served to enhance his rugged allure, a testament to the trials and tribulations he had overcome over the years.

While You took in the sight of him, bathed in the soft glow of the room, You couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and admiration wash over You. In that moment, surrounded by the comforting embrace of his presence, You knew that You were in the presence of someone truly special—a friend, a confidant, and perhaps something more.

As time went on and the bond between You and the duo deepened, You developed a deep, almost parental affection for the little droid, despite not understanding what he said half the time. Often, in moments of excitement or tenderness, You found yourself affectionately calling BD-1 "Beebee" or "BB-1," much to Cal’s amusement.

During one particularly heartwarming moment by the campfire during a stop on Bogano, as Cal's hand brushed against yours and the stars twinkled overhead, You couldn't resist reaching out to BD-1 with a soft smile.

"Come here, Beebee," You cooed, beckoning the droid closer.

BD-1 chirped happily, nuzzling against your side with a warmth that made your heart swell.

Cal chuckled at the endearing nickname, his eyes crinkling with affection as he observed the exchange.

"You're my little bebe!" You exclaimed, unable to contain your adoration for the droid, causing Cal's laughter to fill the air, a melodic sound that echoed through the night.

"You're going to spoil him with all that love," he teased, his playful tone only adding to the warmth of the moment.

You grinned, feeling a sense of contentment wash over You. "Well, he deserves it," You replied, reaching out to pat BD-1's head affectionately.

Another one of your adventures led you all to an enchanting night market, where the dim glow of colourful lanterns illuminated the bustling streets. Cloaked in hooded robes that disguised your identities, You and Cal strolled through the bustling streets and crowds of people. The outer rim planet that you all had landed on was far from the watchful eyes of the Empire, but the threat of being hunted down as Jedi still lingered, necessitating caution in your movements.

As you both moved through the sea of sellers and stalls, You couldn't help but steal glances at Cal, admiring how handsome and mysterious he looked in his black cloak.

Cal too stole glances at You from beneath his hood, unable to contain his admiration. The way your eyes sparkled with curiosity as You took in the sights and sounds around You, the delicate curve of your smile as You marveled at the many stalls— it all filled him with a warmth that he couldn't quite explain.

His thoughts drifted to uncharted territory as he found himself yearning for more than just companionship with You. The urge to reach out and hold You close, to feel the warmth of your embrace and the softness of your touch, tugged at his heartstrings with an intensity he hadn't anticipated.

But the redhead knew better than to act on such impulses, especially in the midst of such a perilous situation. The threat of danger loomed overhead, reminding him of the risks involved in allowing his emotions to take control. And yet, despite the rational voice of caution in his mind, he couldn't shake the longing that stirred within him whenever he looked at You.

And as You turned to face him with a curious expression, he felt a rush of warmth fill his chest, the desire to protect and cherish You overwhelming any doubts or fears that lingered within him. In that moment, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the night market, Cal knew one thing for certain; he would do anything to keep You safe.

The redhead’s thoughts were interrupted when You suddenly rushed inside a bookstore with shelves full of interesting titles. Among them, a book on how to learn Binary stuck out, with a cover full of symbols and characters that attracted your interest.

"Hey, Cal, check this out!" You exclaimed, excitedly holding up the book after he caught up to You. "I've always wanted to learn Binary, especially now so I can understand Beebee better. What do you think?"

Cal glanced at the book, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I think that's a great idea," he replied, his voice warm with encouragement. "Learning Binary could definitely help you and Beedee communicate more effectively."

Turning to BD-1, who was perched on Cal's shoulder, You addressed the droid with a playful grin. "What do you think, Beebee? You think I can learn Binary? Then you and I can gossip like schoolgirls, won't that be fun?"

Cal chuckled at your remark, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I definitely think Beedee will have some juicy gossip to tell you," he quipped, eliciting a series of excited beeps from the droid. "But yeah, learning Binary sounds like a fantastic idea. Just promise me one thing: as long as you both don't gossip about me, I'm all for it."

You giggled in response before purchasing the book and tucking it safely into your robes. For some reason, You hadn’t thought to ask Cal for lessons, thinking You could learn on your own and not wanting to trouble him as he already had too much on his plate. But now, with the book in hand, You were eager to begin learning.

After weeks turned to months aboard the Mantis, You received communication from a distant friend from within the rebellion You worked for, presenting You with a difficult choice. The holographic image flickered to life from within your now fixed comms unit, revealing the face of a trusted ally, their voice filled with urgency and determination as they extended an invitation for You to return to the rebellion.

For a moment, You felt torn, the call to duty and the desire to make a difference in the Galaxy making You feel conflicted. The rebellion was your way of fighting for freedom and justice alongside allies who shared your ideals and convictions.

But as You glanced around the familiar surroundings of the Mantis, the faces of Cal and BD-1 staring back at You with concern and uncertainty, You realised that this ship had become more than just a travelling vessel—it was your sanctuary, your home.

Cal, ever perceptive to the turmoil raging within You, approached with a gentle hand resting on your shoulder, his eyes filled with understanding and empathy. “Whatever you decide, know that we’re here for you,” he said, his voice soft and reassuring. “You’re a part of this crew, a part of this family, and we’ll support you no matter what.”

With a heavy heart, You weighed your options, torn between the duty to your cause and the love for your newfound family.

In the end, You made your decision, lead on by your stubborn sense of duty to the cause. The call to serve the rebellion beckoned with an undeniable urgency. In a way, You and Cal were very similar, feeling like you both needed to keep fighting, unable to shake the sense of duty that weight heavily on both of you.

Cal accepted your decision with great reluctance, having half a mind to join You but he had his own duty to fulfill for Saw Gerrera’s rebellion.

When the moment of your departure drew closer, Cal and BD-1 stood beside You as You gathered your meagre belongings, their expressions a mirror of your own conflicted emotions, as You prepared to leave. The duo knew that your absence would leave a void aboard the Mantis that would be difficult to fill.

Cal, ever stoic and composed, held his emotions in check, offering You a reassuring smile as he bid You farewell. His words of encouragement and support echoed in your ears, reminding You that You were not alone in your decision, no matter how difficult it may be.

BD-1 on the other hand, unable to contain his emotions, wailed and cried, clinging to your legs desperately as You attempted to walk down the ramp of the Mantis and onto the planet. The little droid’s cries of distress tore at your heartstrings, filling You with a sense of guilt and anguish as You struggled to pull away.

“Beebee, it’s okay,” You whispered, calling him with that endearing nickname, your voice thick with emotions as You tried to soothe the distraught droid. “I’ll come back, I promise. We’ll see eachother again soon.”

But BD-1’s cries only grew louder, his little legs clinging to You in a desperate embrace, refusing to let go. Tears welled in your eyes as You looked into the droid’s photoreceptors, seeing the depth of his sorrow reflected back at You.

As he watched BD-1 cling to You with such desperation, witnessing the droid’s anguish and your distress, Cal felt a pang of sorrow and longing grip his heart as well. He slowly approached you both, gently reaching out to the droid. “’We shouldn’t be doing this’,” he murmured softly, his voice laced with sorrow as he pried BD-1 away from You. “We must respect others’ decisions…”

The redhead wanted nothing more than to embrace You, to hold You close and offer You comfort in this difficult moment. But he knew that if he allowed himself to give in to that temptation, he would break down completely. With a heavy heart, Cal settled for a handshake instead, his touch gentle yet firm as he bid You farewell. He knew that letting You go was the right thing to do, even if it tore him apart inside.

With a heavy heart, your touch lingered on Cal’s hand before You gave BD-1 one last reassuring pat before finally stepping away and descending down the ramp. And as You walked away, the echoes of BD-1's cries followed You, a haunting reminder of the sacrifice You had made in the name of duty.

As your silhouette faded into the horizon, Cal couldn’t shake the weight of grief that settled in his chest. Watching you leave, he couldn't help but reflect on the bond that had formed between You, him and BD-1, realizing how much he and the little droid had come to cherish You.

In the short time You had been aboard the Mantis, You had become like family to them. And now, just as they had grown accustomed to your presence, You were leaving them, all too soon, like so many others before You.

The thought of saying goodbye was nearly unbearable, a painful reminder of the transience of life and the fleeting nature of companionship in a Galaxy ripped apart by conflict and suffering. But even as the pain of loss threatened to overwhelm him, Cal knew that he couldn't hold You back, knowing all too well that your duty to the rebellion was a call You could not ignore.

As Cal returned inside the Mantis, a heaviness settled upon him, weighing down his spirit with the burden of your departure. Unable to muster the resolve to fly the ship just yet, he found himself sinking into melancholy, the empty space around him echoing with the absence of your presence.

Sitting in the cockpit, Cal held BD-1 close to him, the little droid providing what comfort it could with its mechanical chirps and beeps. But even as he clung to BD-1, a sense of loneliness overcame him, a stark reminder of the void left behind by your absence.

"BeeDee," Cal murmured softly, his voice tinged with sadness. "We... We both really did come to love our new friend, didn't we?"

"Boo-woo..." BD-1 beeped in response, his photoreceptors dimming with sorrow as he nestled closer to the redhead. In that moment, as they sat together in the silent cockpit, Cal sought solace in the presence of his loyal droid.

BD-1 then emitted a flurry of hurried beeps, crying out to Cal with urgency, telling—demanding him to bring You back right this instant. Cal felt a pang of sadness grip his heart as the desperation in BD-1's cries mirrored his own inner turmoil, reminding him of the depth of the bond that had formed between him and You.

"We shouldn't be doing something like this..." Cal repeated solemnly, shaking his head as he recalled his earlier words when BD had clung to You. "We can't force someone like that..."

His voice was heavy with resignation, a reflection of the harsh reality they faced. Despite their wishes and desires, they couldn't force You to stay, no matter how much they wanted to. The decision was yours alone to make, and they had to respect that, no matter how difficult it may be.

BD-1 emitted a series of mournful beeps in response, his sorrow palpable as he nestled closer to Cal, seeking solace in his presence. Together, they sat in the quiet confines of the cockpit, grappling with the emptiness left behind by your departure, silently hoping that You will return to them one day.

Meanwhile, as the evening turned into night, You found yourself immersed in the routine of life within the rebellion's base once more, but the memory of leaving your newfound family behind weighed heavily on your mind. Amidst the chatter and activity of your fellow rebels, a sense of longing gnawed at your heart, aching for the companionship and camaraderie You had experienced aboard the Mantis.

In the quiet solitude of your old quarters, You unpacked your belongings, the Binary language book You had purchased a few weeks earlier catching your eye. The sight of it brought back precious memories, reminding You of the laughter, the warmth, and the sense of belonging You had felt with Cal and BD-1. In that moment, You realised with a pang of regret how big of a mistake You had made in leaving them behind.

With resolution burning within You, You made a spur-of-the-moment decision to return to the Mantis, hoping against hope that it wasn't too late. Racing through the dimly lit corridors of the rebellion's base, your heart pounded with anticipation as You hurried towards the landing pad where the ship was stationed.

As You approached, the silhouette of the Mantis came into view, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. Relief washed over You as You realised despite the few hours that had passed since You had left, the ship was still there, almost as if waiting patiently for your return.

You ran up the ramp and inside the ship, your breath coming in ragged gasps as your gaze fell on the solemn figures of Cal and BD-1. For a brief moment, confusion flickered across their faces, but it quickly gave way to surprise and joy as they realised that You had returned.

BD-1 was the first to react, emitting a series of excited beeps as he rushed towards You. Tears welled up in your eyes as You knelt down to greet the little droid, wrapping your arms around his small frame in a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry," You whispered tearfully. "I didn't mean to leave you. I didn't realise how much you both meant to me until I was gone."

BD-1 chirped softly in response, his photoreceptors gleaming with happiness as he nuzzled against You. Meanwhile, Cal approached slowly, his expression a mixture of relief and concern as he watched the emotional reunion unfold before him.

"Welcome back," he said softly, his voice tinged with emotion.

With BD-1 by your side as a reassuring presence, You rose from your embrace with the droid and turned to face Cal, the weight of your emotions spilling over as You threw your arms around him in a tight hug.

As You hugged Cal, your heart overflowing with emotion, he returned the embrace just as fervently, his strong arms enveloping You in a comforting hold.

"I'm so sorry, Cal," You whispered once more, your voice trembling. "I didn't mean to leave you both..."

Cal held You at arm's length, his gaze meeting yours with a mixture of relief and sincerity. "You mean a lot to us, you know," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of his feelings. "We've come to rely on you, to count on you. And when you left..."

His voice trailed off, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. But before You could respond, BD-1 let out a series of joyful beeps, trotting over to nuzzle against You in his own display of affection.

The redhead grinned fondly at the droid before turning his attention back to You. "Beedee's right. You're not just a member of the crew," he continued, his words filled with warmth. "You're family. And we're just grateful to have you back where you belong."

Tears of gratitude flowed down your cheeks as You gazed at Cal, feeling the weight of his words sink in. In that moment, surrounded by the love and acceptance of your chosen family, You knew that You were exactly where You were meant to be.

Your adventures continued, roaming the Galaxy with Cal and BD-1. Despite using your book to teach yourself Binary and spending more time with BD-1, your grasp of the language remained shaky at best, leading to frequent misunderstandings with your droid friend that often led to comical yet occasionally embarrassing moments.

During one very tense mission on a remote planet, BD-1 emitted a series of urgent beeps, which You interpreted as a call for action. Without hesitation, You activated the nearest control panel, thinking You were helping to disable a security system. But your actions did the opposite instead, triggering a blaring alarm and alerting nearby guards.

Cal chuckled softly at your mistake, but his amusement turned to concern when You misinterpreted BD-1's attempts at giving directions using the help of his holomap. Confused by the droid's beeps, You accidentally led the way into a dead-end corridor, much to Cal's bemusement.

"Oh, wrong turn…" You mumbled sheepishly, earning a sympathetic pat on the back from Cal.

As the mission progressed, so did your series of misunderstandings. At one point, BD-1 signaled for a left turn, but You mistook it for a right, resulting on a wild goose chase through a maze of corridors. Cal laughed good-naturedly as You backtracked, feeling slightly embarrassed but grateful— and very surprised—for his immense patience.

Later, during a small respite from missions, BD-1 chirped happily and nudged You, prompting You to offer the droid a sandwich You had just made.

Cal chuckled again, gently correcting your mistake. "He's asking for a power recharge, not a snack," he explained, suppressing a grin.

Blushing, You quickly helped BD-1 into the charging station, feeling a bit silly but grateful for the opportunity to learn.

As you three continued your journey, your misunderstandings with BD-1 became both more frequent and more amusing. One memorable incident during a mission on a remote outpost, BD-1 quickly warned You about a slippery surface ahead. However, You misinterpreted the droid's chirps as encouragement for a fun slide.

With a playful grin, You ran and launched yourself onto the surface, expecting a thrilling ride. Instead, your feet flew out from under You, and You landed with a loud thud that sent a cloud of dust into the air.

Cal rushed over, concern etched on his face, but as he helped You up and noticed You were fine except a few scrapes, his expression softened into a grin.

"You really need to work on your Binary," he teased, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

Blushing furiously, You burst out into laughter along with him, grateful for his good humor and unwavering support.

One evening, as the three of you sat around a campfire beneath a blanket of stars, the flames casting flickering shadows across the campsite, You couldn't help but steal glances at Cal when he wasn't looking. His red hair, illuminated by the warm glow of the fire, appeared to shimmer like molten copper, framing his face in a halo of fiery strands.

His freckled cheeks, kissed by the suns of countless worlds, added a touch of youthful charm to his rugged features. And when he laughed, his eyes sparkled like twin galaxies, filled with a light that seemed to chase away the darkness.

But it wasn't just his appearance that captivated You—it was the effortless grace with which he moved, the strength and agility evident in every fluid motion. His muscular yet lithe physique reflected countless hours spent honing his skills, preparing for the challenges that lay ahead.

Lost in admiration, You found yourself drawn to him in ways You couldn't quite explain, feeling a sense of déjà vu during that moment as You admired him. And as You watched him tend to the fire, his movements sure and purposeful, You couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest.

While the flames danced and crackled, Cal couldn't help but steal a glance at You as well when he thought You weren't looking. He felt a surge of gratitude and relief to have You there with him, especially after the rest of the Mantis crew had split, each going their separate ways.

In those quiet moments by the campfire, Cal's thoughts drifted to the challenges you had faced together so far—the battles fought and the bonds forged in the crucible of adversity. And through it all, You had stood by his side, a constant companion whose presence filled him with a sense of hope and purpose.

He also admired your determination to learn binary, your willingness to laugh at your own mistakes, and the genuine warmth and affection You showed towards BD-1. In your company, he found a sense of peace and belonging, something he hadn't felt since the fall of the Jedi Order.

Lost in his thoughts, the redhead couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for You, grateful for your unwavering support and companionship. And as he watched You, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Cal's gaze remained on You longer than usual, a hint of something more lingering in his eyes. As the crackling of the fire filled the silence, he reached out to gently brush a stray strand of hair from your face, his touch sending a shiver down your spine.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze, You nodded, unable to tear your eyes away from his.

"I... I think so," You stuttered, your heart racing in your chest.

In that moment, the world around You seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in the soft glow of the campfire. Without another word, Cal leaned in closer, his lips brushing against yours in a tender, hesitant kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as You melted into his embrace, the warmth of his touch sending sparks of electricity dancing across your skin. In that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of you, lost in the embrace of the night.

As You pulled away, breathless and flushed, Cal's eyes sparkled in their intensity, his calloused hand reaching out to intertwine with yours.

"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," he admitted, his voice filled with a mixture of longing and relief.

With a smile, You squeezed his hand, feeling a sense of peace settle over You. "Me too," You whispered, knowing that in that moment, You had found something worth fighting for amidst the chaos of the Galaxy.

As You and Cal continued to lovingly gaze into each other's eyes, soft little footsteps filled the air, accompanied by the joyous chirps of BD-1. However, in your post-kiss daze, You misinterpreted the droid's enthusiastic speech, thinking he was teasing You for being all googly-eyed over Cal.

"Beebee, not now," You whispered nervously, blushing furiously as You tried to compose yourself.

Cal laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he gently nudged You. "I think BeeDee is just happy for us," he teased, his tone laced with affectionate amusement.

You shot him a sheepish grin, realising You mistook the little droid once again. "I guess I still have a lot to learn," You admitted.

Cal's teasing grin softened into a warm smile as he squeezed your hand. "Well, lucky for you, I'm an excellent teacher," he replied, his teasing tone hinting at something more than just language lessons.

You couldn't help but blush at the underlying implication of his words, a flutter of excitement dancing in your chest. You leaned in to kiss him once more and as the tender moment between You and Cal lingered, bathed in the soft glow of the campfire, BD-1’s lenses suddenly whirred to life, capturing the scene in a flash of light. Startled, You pulled away from the kiss, blinking in surprise as You turned to see the droid standing nearby, his photoreceptors zooming in and out as they focused on You and Cal with mechanical precision.

“BeeBee, what are you doing?” You asked, a mixture of amusement and curiosity apparent in your voice.

Cal chuckled softly, his arm still wrapped around You as he glanced at the small droid with a playful grin. “I think BeeDee wanted to capture the moment,” he explained, his eyes alight with amusement.

You couldn’t help but laugh at the unexpected gesture, feeling a rush of warmth fill your chest at the thought of having a memento of this special moment.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to thank BeeBee for the souvenir,” You replied, leaning into Cal’s embrace with a contented sigh, giggling when You heard the little droid let out an excited “Whoop!” in response.

You, Cal and BD-1 settled back into the quiet comfort of the night, the image captured by BD’s lenses served as a reminder of the bond You shared with the other Jedi—a bond formed from friendship and love.

As silence once again fell upon the campsite, You found yourself lost in a moment of quiet reflection. The memory of how Cal and BD-1 had found You, helping You escape from the stormtroopers, flooded your mind with a wave of gratitude. If it hadn't been for them, You might not be here, nestled in Cal's arms, sharing laughter and companionship under the starry sky.

With a sweet smile, You turned to Cal, the flickering flames casting shadows across his features. "You know," You began softly, "I often find myself thinking about that day when a Jedi and a droid came into my life. If it weren't for you, I don't know where I'd be now. Thank you, Cal, for everything."

Cal's gaze met yours, his expression tender and sincere. "You don't have to thank me," he replied gently. "I'm just grateful that we found each other. You've become a part of our family, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

His words warmed your heart, filling You with a sense of belonging that You had never known before. With a grateful nod, You leaned even further into his embrace, savoring the comfort and reassurance of his presence. In that moment, surrounded by the silence of the night, the warmth of Cal's love and the joyous chatter of BD-1, You knew that You were exactly where You were meant to be.

[xd-m1a]

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU GANGYY🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥‼️‼️‼️🤑🤑🤑

[januaryembrs]

congrats on 3k!!!!! That’s such an amazing achievement!!

Also you write for Cal????? I love you

Mayhaps a coffee? With cal if you have a wip for him? If not that’s fine lol

FAMILIAR FACE | Cal Kestis x Sith!Reader

description: Cal wasn't the only survivor of Order 66

length: 0.6k

warnings: violence

It was him. You hadn’t heard that voice in years, hadn’t seen that auburn hair, those eyes greener than the blooms of foliage that surrounded you. 

“I’m not afraid of you,” He snarled, igniting his lightsaber and standing on the defence, “You can’t be the indomitable Sith they say you are if you’re too afraid to remove your mask,” 

Your jaw clenched beneath your helmet, your head turning to the side as you eyed up your prey. Five years. It had been five years since you’d been left in the temple to face off Vader alone, a thirteen year old padawan lost and vulnerable, left to care for the ones younger than yourself. You’d thought he had been slaughtered just like the rest of them, thought maybe if he had survived then he would come back for you. You were supposed to be his best friend. 

But he had left you there. Left you at the hands of Darth Vader, the only one who showed you mercy. Who trained you as his own, who crafted the force wielder you were today from the ground up. 

He cared for you. He had faith in you. He would never leave you defenceless; it was why he’d spent so much time and effort guiding you in the ways of the Sith. 

Vader allowed you to feel, the one thing the Jedi always forbid. And for that you owed him your life. 

“You’re a coward,” He spat, yet you spotted the limp in his leg where you had kicked him yelling and thrashing into the cavern the two of you stood in. He must have retained some of his training at least to have caught himself before the damage would be too severe. 

You smiled, something crazed and manic, because despite his brave words and seething expression, you smelled his fear on the breeze, and that was what made you lunge for him. 

Within a flash your sabre was ignited, a cardinal red crackle of light and you cleared the fifty yards in seconds, the hum of your training hot under your skin, and he had only a single blink to bring his weapon up to block his face as your sliced through the air, hurtling towards his neck where his head would have been scorched clean off had he not been quick enough. 

His eyes were wide, his breath crawling up his throat in a halted scream as he tried to save face and show no fear, but you could feel it pumping through his veins with every heartbeat. 

“Play nice now, Cal,” You purred, your smirk only widening when his face morphed into confusion, “That’s no way to speak to a woman, now is it?” 

“Who are you?” He asked, horror spreading over his expression as you lamented, taking a single step back yet keeping your artillery murmuring hungrily in your palm. 

You left me, Cal Kestis. You left me to die like a dog and never once looked back. 

You raised a hand up to your helm, yanking it up and over your face as you revelled in every second of his distress, the pools of emerald in his hues whirling with shock and something distraught. 

“I think you already know,” You said with a smirk, tossing your armour to the ground with a thud as it rolled over the Kashyyyk ferns that littered the floor. 

And you dived for him again while he was distracted, your sabre heading straight for his heart.

[goosewriting]

Pitter-patter 🌧

summary: blurb of reader and Cal waking up on a rainy day, cuddling in bed

relationship: Inquisitor!Cal Kestis x gn!reader

warnings: none

word count: 1k

A/N: inspired by waking up to the sound of rain hitting my window the other day and thinking how nice it would be to cuddle cal in bed :’) this can be read as a stand-alone blurb, but in my mind this takes place shortly after warmth. kind of like a 2.5 chapter. the third and final part of that series is coming soon~

[all masterlists] 🪶 [star wars masterlist] 🪶 [ao3]

(english is not my first language. constructive criticism and grammar corrections are very appreciated!)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

You stir awake to the sound of soft rain hitting the transparisteel.

It’s rare for you to wake up before your alarms and before Cal. Usually by the time you get up, he’s already gone or about to leave. You take a deep breath, considering going back to sleep. But you fight the fog in your mind momentarily to turn and look at the man beside you. For once, he’s not being plagued by nightmares.

Cal lies on his side right next to you, one of his arms slung over you. You take your time studying his face, so relaxed, he looks younger. Despite the dark clouds outside, a slight sliver of light peeks through the curtains, momentarily making Cal’s freckled skin shine. Your hand comes up out of its own volition, and you trace your fingertips over his cheek ever so gently. 

His eyes flutter, his brows scrunching together, and his hold on you tightens. He nuzzles his face into the pillow, then blinks a couple of times to look at you. His irises glow in the darkness of the room like puddles of molten gold. You smile at him as you cup his cheek.

“Sorry,” you whisper. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“What time is it?” he grumbles, sleep laced in his voice. 

“Still early.”

Cal scoots closer, burying his face into the crook of your neck and hugging you fully into him. Your arm goes around his shoulders, and one of your hands softly runs through his hair. The other, Cal takes into his own, caressing your knuckles.

For a moment, neither of you speaks, not wanting to ruin this rare and tender moment. The only thing you can hear is the soft rain and Cal’s rhythmic breaths. 

“This is nice,” he says after a while.

“It is…” you agree, and an idea pops up in your mind. “Do you think they’ll approve a vacation for us if we apply? We could sleep in like this every day.”

Cal chuckles, and the sounds reverberates through your whole body.

“You might be able to apply, but I don’t think I get one of those,” he mumbles, placing a lazy kiss on your jaw. 

You hum, thinking of an alternative.

“Maybe we can get deployed together somewhere. A planet with nice beaches,” you start fantasising, freeing your hand from his to trace figures on his bare shoulder. “After the job gets done, we don’t report back just yet, telling them we’ll need one more day. And we can stay at a nice hotel with a view. We’ll order room service, have a nice dinner. Sleep in the next morning.”

Cal leans back a bit to look at you and props up his head on his hand, amusement etched into his face at your plan, but you can still see the slight pain around the edges, as you both know it’s a nice “what if” scenario that will never happen. 

“And then we go to the beach and play in the water, build a sand castle, look for pretty seashells,” you continue your fantasy. 

Cal sighs, one of his rare genuine smiles spreading on his lips as he closes his eyes. He can see it so clearly: your sun-kissed skin glistening in the turquoise waters as you playfully splash water at him, he hugs you from behind and your laugh fills his ears and heart. He can hear the waves, feel the warmth of the sun and your body pressed to his, feel the silky sheets against his skin as he shows you how much you mean to him, loving you with such intensity that for one night, you’d both forget about the Fortress entirely. 

Letting out a shuddering breath at that last thought, Cal’s eyes open again, and his gaze finds yours, watching him closely. 

“What were you thinking about?” you whisper, a playful smile tugging at your lips.

He shakes his head slightly with a half shrug, his free hand coming to your face, softly running his knuckles over your cheek.

“Just trying to imagine what a vacation with you would be like,” he says, and you lean into his touch.

“And what’s the verdict?”

His smile saddens visibly.

“If only.” 

“Maybe we can figure something out,” you prop yourself up on your side as well as you mentally start to trace out a plan of action. “I could fake a report of an anonymous tip, saying there’s been a Jedi sighting on some obscure planet and I’ll volunteer to interrogate the locals and–”

He softly calls your name to stop your rambling, gently pushing you back onto the bed, and you let yourself plop back down with a pout. 

“There’s no way that’ll work and you know that.”

“I know but… When I try to think of a way to make it work, it makes me feel like it could actually be a possibility at all, you know.”

“I know…” he sighs and rolls onto his back, pulling you with him to lie on his chest, hugging you tightly. “We’ll have to get up soon, let’s just stay here while we can.”

You pull back to look down at him, eyes glimmering with resolution.

“I promise I’ll make it happen somehow, Cal,” you assure him. And for some reason, he believes you.

“Okay,” he breathes.

You snuggle back into him, and Cal’s thoughts start racing. After a moment, his hold around you tightens and his heart rate picks up. You want to tease him about it as you feel his racing pulse underneath you, but he speaks first. 

“Thank you,” he says as he kisses your temple.

“For what?” you ask, confused.

He doesn’t answer immediately.

“For loving me.”

You lift your head to look at him, a warm smile on your face. 

“Well, I’m glad you know you’re loved,” you say and lean in to kiss his lips. “Because you are.”

Burying your face back into his chest, you take a deep breath, inhaling the scent that is so distinctly Cal, and you start drifting off to the sounds of rain outside and his soft breaths, wishing that every morning could be like this. 

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