#galaxies far far away may be closer than they appear

[dapurinthos]

this is completely rael, constantly banished to helping in the crèche every time yoda catches him doing an impression. has taken dooku's habit of just moving shorter people out of the way to the extreme and now just picks up the children to move them (because they're the only ones shorter than him. this man is, like, 165cm tall since he only goes up to qui-gon's shoulder). still refusing to take on another padawan after nim but is basically the t.a. for tera sinube's youngling self-defence class.

unfortunately tineye and google image search failed me so i have no idea where this came from, other than pinterest.

[freesia-writes]

Chapter 25: Repentance

During the Clone Wars, the Bad Batch is tasked with a variety of missions across the galaxy. An unexpected addition to their team throws a wrench in the mix, particularly for Tech, who finds a particular connection with this disillusioned Padawan-turned-mechanic named Vel throughout the events in this action-adventure romance. COVER ART BY @zaana!!

Master List of Chapters

The surface of the dark water bubbled lazily as Vel relaxed back in the spring. The moonlight filtered through the glass roof, bathing the room in a peaceful glow. Stately vines wrapped around the pillars that were peppered throughout the recovery wing, and although that was its official title, it felt more like a garden retreat than any sort of medical structure. 

"I didn't think you meant right away, and I didn't think you meant to come along, but I'm glad we got that all sorted out," Vel said, smiling blearily at Tech, who was perched on a bench across from her, his helmet at his feet. They had been chatting for what felt like a few minutes, but judging by the moon's journey across the sky, it had been significantly longer. 

"I intend to ensure your safety and comfort for the duration of our stay," Tech responded. "And for the duration of any future endeavors we may share. Romantically or otherwise."

Vel laughed, feeling the delight wash over her as she grew reaccustomed to his mannerisms. "Look at you, a regular Lasa Nova all of a sudden. What happened?"

"I assume you refer to the infamous literary figure of Ryloth, with whom I share very little in common, but if your intent is to question my more forward nature since our reunion, it is simply because I realized, after time away filled with deep thought, that every potential scenario I can envision for my future appears more desirable with you in it. My only option was to pursue you, in the hopes of your agreement."

"And what am I agreeing to?"

"Rejoining our crew as the ship's assigned mechanic, employed by the Machinist's Guild of the Galactic Republic, for as long as you consent. And... considering my attempts at affection."

Vel sat up, nearly forgetting her nakedness, concealed only by the dark green waters of the hot springs. She dipped back down, still processing the offer. "But I still have to complete my service here to pay for all the treatment I received," she said. 

"Actually, that has been taken care of by Senator Bail Organa," Tech informed her, "After we shared about your involvement in some of our missions together."

"Everything is changing so fast," Vel said, head spinning. Her hair was piled messily on top of her head, tied up with a spare strap, and she brought a hand to it as if to calm the storm within. 

"Indeed. It has been a tumultuous evening for you," he agreed, rising to his feet with a large towel in his hands. He stood at the end of the steps, holding the towel open invitingly, and turned his head as far away as he could, "You may be assured of your privacy."

Vel smiled, taking a moment to be grateful for his respect and kindness, and got up out of the hot spring with only a few jerky movements. She wrapped herself in the towel he held, tucking it snugly under her armpits, before turning around to him. "I'll see you at the door?"

But Tech remained in front of her, arms moving from his sides to loosely clasp together in front of him. He looked at her intently, with his signature head tilt, his eyes dark pools of emotion and warmth in the soft light. "Yes, but... May I try something?" he asked.

Her stomach lurched and her chest tingled, and Vel couldn't remember a time that she had felt safer or more comfortable. How was she back here so suddenly? She thought the months apart had buried it all deeply, but all of it had erupted back to the surface in a mere week. "Yes," she said, almost breathlessly. 

Tech took a step closer, unclasping his hands to reach for hers. He gave them both a gentle squeeze, moving to leave only a few inches between them, before gliding his hands up the outsides of her arms, coming to rest on her shoulders. One hand remained there while the other moved toward her face, caressing her cheek with the backs of two fingers and tracing their tips down the side of her neck. 

She closed her eyes, taking a slow, deep breath in, savoring the moment fully. His fingers traveled across the top of her shoulder and came to the end, dropping off her arm as light as a feather but meaningfully enough that she wanted to preserve that sensation forever.

"Thank you," Tech said quietly, and Vel could swear she heard a husky tone to his voice. "I shall see you at the door," he finished, picking up his helmet and quietly walking to the exit, leaving her there in a blazing wildfire of tingly bliss.

* * * 

Vel couldn't believe her eyes as she lowered her bag onto the cot in the corner of the hold of the Marauder. It was if she had been here yesterday, both in its appearance and in the way it made her feel. The only reminder of the whole ordeal on Alderaan was the tingly weakness that surfaced occasionally.

She had reveled in the reunion with the squad, arm still smarting from where Wrecker squeezed her too hard in a massive hug, and remained overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement as she pondered what lay ahead for them. Tech's injection into the unconscious Arthen apparently served as some sort of selective short term memory loss; Vel had been surprised at the repertoire of tricks up his sleeve and had also made a mental note to look into the legality of it.

She had always been the type to want to have a solid plan for her life, reaching far into the future, but if the last few years had taught her anything, it was the total unpredictability of it all, especially around this team. She took a deep breath, aligning her shoulders with a new sense of resolve, and turned to the lift, to see what the Force had in store.

***

A couple months' worth of missions had been punctuated by Tech's absolutely adorable attempts at romance, and Vel's heart had truly found its home in his. They had fitted various opportunities into their free time, ranging from blurrg jousting on Ryloth to the reenactment of the civil war of Florrum. The latest had been an art class on Bimmisaari, where she had been thoroughly embarrassed to turn her canvas around at the end, revealing a primitive rendition of the sunset, while Tech had produced a breathtakingly detailed portrait of her. She gasped as he showed it to her, his lips pursed as he continued to scrutinize the finished product.

"I didn't know you could paint!" Vel said breathlessly, a million other things fighting to be said next.

"I simply applied a variety of artistic principles common in dramatic realism," Tech said matter-of-factly, as if anyone could have done it.

"Naturally," Vel replied, laughing quietly, "But how did you choose that moment to capture?" She was flattered by his creation, but she found a part of herself wishing it had been an image of her in some heroic pose during one of her few but notable accomplishments on a mission. Instead, he had opted to recreate their exploration on Kashyyyk, specifically her rather dorky-looking delight in a close inspection of a tree trunk.

The image was as colorful as it was moving: wisps of her brown hair fluttered in a light breeze as she bent close to examine a tree trunk with no bark. Tech had preserved the exact pattern that she remembered marveling at: lines swirling around knots, sprinkled with reddish brown dogs that looked like an entire galaxy. She was enthralled by the expression on her face, which she didn't think she'd ever worn before: it was unbridled curiosity and childlike fascination, and it made her feel a need to smile as she looked at it.

"My mind seems to return to that experience more frequently than any other," Tech replied, eyes moving from his painting to her, "And upon further reflection, I believe that may have been the moment that I first..." He drifted off without finishing, tilting his head, eyes flitting back and forth as if searching for the answer in the air. Vel waited patiently, for what seemed like an agonizingly long time, before he finished: "I am unable to accurately put it into words. I will ponder this further."

She laughed again, reaching up to tenderly touch his cheek. She yearned to embrace him, to show him how deeply she had come to feel for him, but while he had been clear in taking the lead in his pursuit of her, he had been notably reserved in physical affection. She didn't want to push him further than he was comfortable, still enjoying the waves of ecstasy that washed over her at a single touch and trusting him to explore at his own pace. He was receptive to her touch, although it always caught him off guard, and his surprised reactions always brought a smile to her face. 

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[thepastisalreadywritten]

By Allie Yang

10 August 2023

Two of our galaxy’s most famous stars were recently photobombed by what appears to be a celestial question mark.

The symbol was spotted in a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the forming stars Herbig-Haro 46/47, which are well-known and have been frequently observed by astronomers.

These two stars can provide clues about how our own sun may have formed.

They’re relatively close to Earth, about 1,400 light-years, and relatively young, only a few thousand years old.

In fact, they’re still in gestation and have not technically been “born” yet, which is marked when the stars start shining from their own nuclear fusion.

The image is the first of the twin protostars from the NIRCam instrument on JWST.

It was captured using infrared light, which penetrates space dust more easily than visual light, and it is the highest resolution image of the objects ever seen at these wavelengths.

The telescope’s astonishing sensitivity allowed the glowing red question mark to be captured in the lower center of the image.

The object is far outside our galactic neighborhood, possibly billions of light-years away, says Christopher Britt, an education and outreach scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute who helped plan these observations.

His best guess is that the question mark is actually two galaxies merging.

“That's something that's seen fairly frequently, and it happens to galaxies many times over the course of their lives,” he says.

“That includes our own galaxy, the Milky Way … [it] will merge with Andromeda in about four billion years or so.”

The hints pointing to two galaxies are found in the question mark’s strange shape.

There are two brighter spots, one in the curve and the other in the dot, which could be the galactic nuclei, or the centers of the galaxies, Britt says.

The curve of the question mark might be the “tails” being stripped off as the two galaxies spiral toward each other.

“It's very cute. It's a question mark … But you can find the colons and semicolons, and any other punctuation mark, because you have 10,000 little smudges of light in each image taken every half hour,” says David Helfand, an astronomer at Columbia University.

The sheer number of shining objects we find are bound to create some serendipitous images, and our brains have evolved to find those patterns, he says.

Astronomers have seen similar objects closer to home.

Two merging galaxies captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2008 also look like a question mark, just turned 90 degrees.

Helfand says the question mark seems to be two objects, the curve and the dot, but could be more that just happened to line up.

They could also be completely unrelated objects, he says, if one is much closer to Earth than the other.

Britt warns that estimating distance based only on colors in the image can be tricky.

The red of the question mark could mean it’s very far away (light waves stretch as they travel through the expanding universe, shifting to redder wavelengths) or that it’s closer and obscured by dust near the object.

It would take more investigation to identify exactly how far away the question mark is.

This could be done by measuring photometric redshifts, determined by the brightness observed through different filters, but this would only provide an estimate for the distance, Britt says.

Spectroscopy, which analyzes light from the source to determine its elemental makeup, could provide a more exact distance but requires a separate instrument to measure.

Given the number of intriguing targets spotted by JWST, the question mark may never receive this treatment.

For now, the source of this symbol in the sky remains a cosmic mystery.

[spaceexp]

Galaxy Cluster SMACS 0723, Webb Spectra Identify Galaxies in the Very Early Universe; NIRCam Imaging and NIRSpec Microshutter Array Spectroscopy.

At left is a NIRCam image of the field, which is filled with galaxies of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Four galaxies from this image are highlighted, and labeled: 11.3 billion years, 12.6 billion years, 13.0 billion years, 13.1 billion years to indicate when the observed light was emitted. In inset images, these galaxies appear blurry and have red areas. To the right are four line graphs corresponding to the four highlighted galaxies. These are labeled NIRSpec Microshutter Array Spectroscopy. They show the shift in the position of hydrogen and oxygen emission lines to longer wavelengths as age of the light increases.

NASA’s Webb Telescope has yet another discovery machine aboard – the Near-Infrared Spectrograph’s (NIRSpec’s) microshutter array. This instrument has more than 248,000 tiny doors that can be individually opened to gather spectra (light) of up to approximately 150 individual objects simultaneously.

Of the thousands of distant galaxies behind galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, NIRSpec observed 48 individually – all at the same time – in a field that is approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length. Quick analysis made it immediately clear that several of these galaxies were observed as they existed at very early periods in the history of the universe, which is estimated to be 13.8 billion years old.

Look for the same feature highlighted in each spectrum. Three lines appear in the same order every time – one hydrogen line followed by two ionized oxygen lines. Where this pattern falls on each spectrum tells researchers the redshift of individual galaxies, revealing how long ago their light was emitted.

Light from the farthest galaxy shown traveled 13.1 billion years before Webb’s mirrors captured it. These observations mark the first time these particular emission lines have been seen at such immense distances – and these are only Webb’s initial observations. There may be even more distant galaxies in this image!

In these spectra, Webb has also shown us the chemical composition of galaxies in the very early universe for the first time. This was made possible by the telescope’s position in space – far away from Earth’s atmosphere, which filters out some infrared light – and its specialization in gathering high-resolution near-infrared light.

And since similar spectra from galaxies at closer distances have long been studied by other space- and ground-based observatories, astronomers already know a lot about the properties of nearby galaxies. Now, astronomers will be able to study and compare spectra from Webb to determine how galaxies have changed over billions of years, dating back to the early universe.

With Webb’s data, researchers can now measure each galaxy’s distance, temperature, gas density, and chemical composition. We will soon learn an incredible amount about galaxies that existed all across cosmic time!

Want to capture your own spectra with Webb’s microshutter array? Learn how scientists use the instrument by “taking” your own observations with this interactive and analyze the spectra it returns.

For a full array of Webb’s first images and spectra, including downloadable files, please visit: webbtelescope.org/news/first-images

NIRSpec was built for the European Space Agency (ESA) by a consortium of European companies led by Airbus Defence and Space (ADS) with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center providing its detector and micro-shutter subsystems.

Credits:

IMAGE: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

[kempbell]

Find the word tag!

Thanks for the tag @quinnharperwrites. For those that don't know, if challenged you have to find a set of words from any of your WIP(s) and then challenge people with a different set. 

My words were: issue, location, way, glasses, and bed

This was actually really fun, and surprisingly challenging considering I couldn’t find about half of them.

Bed- Estrella Solitaria  Reaching the top of the hill, Ophellia smiled, sighed and slowly turned to admire the path she had walked and how different the world looked under the light of the two moons. Before her crops and farmland stretched as far as her eye could see and further still, their embrace seemingly blanketing the entire world like a planet sized bed. Her eyes tilted upwards and her gaze turned to the stars. There’s a certain beauty in the unknown, she thought to herself, dreaming. Dreaming of what, if anything lied beyond the plantation- of what distant worlds her parents may have called home. As she gazed towards the stars, she wondered how many millions of sunsets she was watching from this hill, and wondered if her parents were watching them with her.

Glasses (glass(?))- Estrella Solitaria  Hours felt like minutes as Ophellia sat by the window, watching awestruck as entire solar systems streaked across the inky darkness like raindrops on glass. The galaxy was a lot larger than just Hephaestus. An uncomfortable feeling of insignificance formed a pit in her gut and in an attempt to distract herself she turned her focus towards the Emissaries.

Way- Despair The commissar shook his head, unconvinced. Perhaps the Negotiator was unconvinced too. He was good at his job and had a supernatural knack for knitting sentences in such a way that he usually got what he wanted before they were through. Even so, he doubted his abilities would at all be effective towards a god.

Issue  N/A

Location nope.

I decided to include “way” twice to make up for all of the missing words.

Way- Despair Above, scores of trenches scarred the soil like stretch marks on skin and each day, the frontlines inched closer and closer to friendly lands. He closed his eyes, trying to push away the unbearable feeling of grief, gripping at throat and as he did so he realized he was crying. It's just in your head, you need to appear in control, he reminded himself, lying, as he pushed himself upwards, half expecting his legs to melt under him on his way up.

I challenge @shellyscribbles ,@caffeine-bee, @yvesdot and anyone else that wants to join.

Your words are: Life, why, pretty, sad, and star

[rebelsofshield]

Star Wars: Andor ”Kassa,” “That Would Be Me,” and “Reckoning”-Review

Star Wars television reaches new heights in this grimy, personal story of the first days of revolution.

(Review contains spoilers and plot points for the first three episodes of Andor)

Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is on the run. When a lead on his missing sister goes sour and leaves two dead Pre-Mor Security officers in its wake, Cassian desperately searches for a way to cover his tracks and get off planet before things get worse. Luckily his friend and ex-lover, Bix (Adria Arjona) has a contact that might be interested in buying a valuable piece of stolen technology. However, this man (Stellan Skarsgård) has machinations of his own and very soon Cassian finds himself drawn into an intergalactic game of cat and mouse that is way bigger than he ever imagined.

Rogue One is a strange film. In some ways it is the most personal and lived in installment in the Star Wars franchise. Its main characters aren’t Jedi, but disparate and diverse freedom fighters fighting against a tyrannical empire. Its alien environments feel populated by organic, multispecies crowds of civilians, criminals, fascists, and rebels. At its best, Rogue One makes the Galaxy Far, Far Away feel much closer. Where the 2016 film struggles though, is in giving its central cast of characters the emotional and personal depth that their design and presence might suggest. We have an idea of who these characters are but not why they behave the way the do or what their wants or desires might be.

Its for this reason that the announcement of Andor was both something exciting but also confusing. Diego Luna is an undeniably talented actor and he made the most out of a stoic and sometimes cold character, but was there really a story to tell about rebel assassin and spy, Cassian Andor? Especially considering the fiery end of his story serves as the climax of the first film he appeared in?

The short answer is that yes, Andor, absolutely has a story to tell. The long answer is that showrunner and head writer Tony Gilroy, who served as a co-writer and co-director for Rogue One, has crafted a show that not only is compelling and exciting in its own right, but retroactively makes its source material better and may just be the best live action Star Wars product produced in at least five years.

Much of what makes Andor such a success is how it takes the every man aesthetic of Rogue One and makes it into the modus operandi of the series. Despite how often Star Wars has gestured at producing narratives about the galactic every man, Andor, is the closest the franchise has ever gotten to showing us the day to day lives and effects of those living under the long arm of the Galactic Empire. It takes the crowded streets and grimy settings of Rogue One and finds a way to populate them with characters that almost instantly feel real, emotionally accessible, and psychologically complicated. Its fantastic production design does environmental storytelling with ease and confidence. Toby Hayne’s direction feels intimate and personal without being afraid to pull us back into moments of grandeur and spectacle.

But, of course, Andor, despite its eventual galactic stakes, is really the story of a man. And that man is way more complex and messy than we may have ever believed. Over its first three episodes Andor paints Cassian Andor as a person whose life has routinely been upended by galactic forces beyond his control and whose own personal decision making is flawed and sometimes disastrous. When we first meet Cassian, he’s wandering down a rain soaked Blade Runner-esque redlight district in search of a sister that he hasn’t seen for decades. And mirroring his first appearance in Rogue One, this stop for information ends up with Andor gunning down a man in a dark alley. But unlike the cold detachment we are used to, Andor’s act of violence is one of desperation and panic. He doesn’t necessarily feel bad about shooting down a corrupt cop, but it’s not something he’s used to and it’s definitely not something he can brush off. Cassian knows that the instant he pulls that trigger that his life is not going to be the same and it’s a very smart narrative move that the rest of this three episode arc spills out of the consequences of this one split second moment of violence.

Back on his current homeworld of Ferrix, Cassian ends up having to pull in favors and grifts from the various members of his community. There are dock workers and scrappers that know his name and whom Cassian owes money. There’s his ex Bix and her new current boyfriend Timm Karlo (James McArdle) who become entangled in Andor’s attempt to cover his tracks both due to lingering emotions and also Bix’s connections to a mysterious benefactor. There’s the adorably affectionate droid B2EMO (Dave Chapman) who looks at Cassian as both an owner/caretaker but also something of a wayward younger brother. And finally there’s Fiona Shaw’s Maarva Andor, Cassian’s adoptive mother. Andor effortlessly builds this ensemble of characters and not only succeeds in contextualizing them within Andor’s own social and emotional circle, but also gives them own rich and layered personal lives. These are characters that feel human in flawed and shockingly normal ways. They get jealous, they have sex, they can be friendly and mad with one another at the same time. For a franchise that has so long now been concerned with the metaphysical and larger mythological storytelling, there’s something undeniably refreshing about seeing a complicated conversation between two maybe friends, maybe enemies, maybe lovers that feels layered in the personal and not the galactic. Tony Gilroy’s dialogue is effective and natural and draws us further into the universe and that’s not just because we get our first in-canon use of the word “shit.”

In a smart move though, this isn’t the only family of Cassian’s that we meet. In delightfully designed and wonderfully understated flashback sequences, we meet Cassian, or Kassa, in his early years on the abandoned mining world of Kenari. There is something idyllic in how Toby Haynes directs these sequences, showcasing a tribe of children wearing patched together clothing and eking out a life in a tropical rain forest. But of course, even here, the larger galaxy finds a way to come crashing in. When a fiery craft comes tumbling out of the sky, Cassian and his fellow tribe members travel to the wreckage and uncover visitors from another world that violently upend their understanding of the universe. But in an even smarter storytelling move, its not these strange visitors that end up taking Kassa off world and separating him from his younger sister, Kerri. Instead, it’s thief Maarva Andor, who sees this young boy angrily striking at a spaceship that has changed his world, and takes pity on him. It’s an act of kindness that ends up being a disastrous misunderstanding. It speaks smartly on how even benevolent intentions of colonial behavior can often do damage that isn’t immediately apparent, on the personal and macro level.

This theme of colonialism, empire, and the specter of authoritarianism of course plays into the series villains. And what delightfully malevolent and pathetic bunch they are. In an inspired move, Tony Gilroy doesn’t start us off with the Empire as our big bad. Instead, the force of tyranny are a corporate security entity hired out by the central planets to police the areas of the galaxy that are either too far away or too insignificant to warrant their full attention. It’s a creative bit of world building and effortlessly helps create a feeling of scale that is often easy to forget in the casual planet hopping of Star Wars media. And the face that Andor gives to this threat is the wonderfully portrayed Syril Karn (Kyle Soller). Karn is the kind of middle management fascist that makes the banal evil of Empire feel all the more accessible. He’s a man that believes just a little too hard in his job and the modicum of power it gives him. His ambitions shoot higher than his ability, and his actual experience in the field is woefully inadequate. Karn begins as a character that is joyfully fun to hate and slowly transforms into an understandable representation of every day evil and oppression. I’m already invested in his journey and the messy winding route its likely to take. He’s the perfect kind of antagonist for this sort of narrative.

And of course, finally getting to see Cassian and the members of Ferrix fight back is a gratifying moment of small scale rebellion that hints at much larger, much more dramatic things to come.

If there’s anything that Andor is really struggling with so far, it’s a matter of pacing. While I’ve seen some fans and critics describe the series as slow or even boring (I disagree on both accounts), the real issue is that each episode, or at least the ones that we have seen so far, fails to feel like its own unique chapter of a narrative. The endings of the first two episodes, “Kassa” and “That Would Be Me,” just sort of happen upon the viewer abruptly. There aren’t clear episodic arcs or plots, but rather just stopping points. It makes sense in this regard why Lucasfilm and Disney+ would decide to release this first batch of episodes in one three episode chunk. By the end of “Reckoning” we do feel like we’ve reached some form of temporary conclusion, a satisfying one at that, but had we watched the the prior two episodes on their own before that, I wouldn’t blame viewers for being a little confused and let down. The heavily serialized nature of Andor so far is definitely one of its strengths, but it would do well to learn that installments of a whole can still feel complete in their own right. If Andor ends up being 10 week movie broken up into awkwardly sliced bits, many of its many, many strengths may end up being undercut.

Even with this, it’s hard to describe the sheer joy I felt watching Andor. It may be a dark and sometimes ponderous show, but it’s so refreshing to see Star Wars made with such obvious craft and care again. If The Mandalorian succeeds despite its underwritten characters and Obi-Wan at its best told emotional stories in a bland and under realized production, Andor somehow manages to succeed across the board. It makes a Star Wars show that is thrilling to look at and personally engaging. It proves that the franchise can in fact work on this smaller scale without giving up much of what makes it feel like itself. It may need to settle into its groove a bit more as the season progresses, but I haven’t been this eager to see new Star Wars in quite a while.

“Kassa” Score: A- “That Would Be Me” Score: B+ “Reckoning” Score: A-

[xtruss]

This glowing red question mark was captured in the background of a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope. Photograph By NASA, ESA, CSA

NASA Just Found a Question Mark in Space. What Exactly is It?

The object is far outside our galactic neighborhood, possibly billions of light-years away. But astronomers have seen similar objects closer to home.

— By Allie Yang | August 9, 2023

Two of our galaxy’s most famous stars were recently photobombed by what appears to be a celestial question mark.

The symbol was spotted in a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the forming stars Herbig-Haro 46/47, which are well-known and have been frequently observed by astronomers. These two stars can provide clues about how our own sun may have formed. They’re relatively close to Earth, about 1,400 light-years, and relatively young, only a few thousand years old. In fact, they’re still in gestation and have not technically been “born” yet, which is marked when the stars start shining from their own nuclear fusion.

The image is the first of the twin protostars from the NIRCam instrument on JWST. It was captured using infrared light, which penetrates space dust more easily than visual light, and it is the highest resolution image of the objects ever seen at these wavelengths.

The two protostars are buried deep in the gas and dust that are being drawn in to add to their mass—look for them at the center of the red diffraction spikes. These stars are only a few thousand years old, and stars take millions of years to fully form. Photograph By NASA, ESA, CSA

The telescope’s astonishing sensitivity allowed the glowing red question mark to be captured in the lower center of the image. The object is far outside our galactic neighborhood, possibly billions of light-years away, says Christopher Britt, an education and outreach scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute who helped plan these observations.

His best guess is that the question mark is actually two galaxies merging.

“That's something that's seen fairly frequently, and it happens to galaxies many times over the course of their lives,” he says. “That includes our own galaxy, the Milky Way … [it] will merge with Andromeda in about four billion years or so.”

The hints pointing to two galaxies are found in the question mark’s strange shape. There are two brighter spots, one in the curve and the other in the dot, which could be the galactic nuclei, or the centers of the galaxies, Britt says. The curve of the question mark might be the “tails” being stripped off as the two galaxies spiral toward each other.

“It's very cute. It's a question mark … But you can find the colons and semicolons, and any other punctuation mark, because you have 10,000 little smudges of light in each image taken every half hour,” says David Helfand, an astronomer at Columbia University. The sheer number of shining objects we find are bound to create some serendipitous images, and our brains have evolved to find those patterns, he says.

Astronomers have seen similar objects closer to home. Two merging galaxies captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2008 also look like a question mark, just turned 90 degrees.

Merging galaxies can take on many mesmerizing shapes. These merging galaxies, known as II Zw 096, are the site of a spectacular burst of star formation that is hinted at in the red speckles near the middle of the image. Photograph By NASA, Caltech, H. Inami (Hiroshima University)

This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows two spiral galaxies (Collectively Identified as Arp 256) in the early stages of merging. Notice its question mark-like shape. Photograph By NASA, ESA, The Hubble Heritage Team (STSCI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottsville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Helfand says the question mark seems to be two objects, the curve and the dot, but could be more that just happened to line up. They could also be completely unrelated objects, he says, if one is much closer to Earth than the other.

Britt warns that estimating distance based only on colors in the image can be tricky. The red of the question mark could mean it’s very far away (light waves stretch as they travel through the expanding universe, shifting to redder wavelengths) or that it’s closer and obscured by dust near the object.

It would take more investigation to identify exactly how far away the question mark is. This could be done by measuring photometric redshifts, determined by the brightness observed through different filters, but this would only provide an estimate for the distance, Britt says. Spectroscopy, which analyzes light from the source to determine its elemental makeup, could provide a more exact distance but requires a separate instrument to measure.

Given the number of intriguing targets spotted by JWST, the question mark may never receive this treatment. For now the source of this symbol in the sky remains a cosmic mystery.

[disneyspeedstormfans]

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[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA scientists discover a novel galactic ‘fossil’

Researchers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have discovered X-ray activity that sheds light on the evolution of galaxies.

The X-rays outline giant clouds of cold gas in the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 4945. The gas appears to have blasted through the galaxy after its central supermassive black hole erupted some 5 million years ago.

“There’s ongoing debate in the scientific community about how galaxies evolve,” said Kimberly Weaver, an astrophysicist at Goddard who led the work. “We find supermassive black holes in the centers of nearly all Milky Way-sized galaxies, and an open question is how much influence they have compared to the effects of star formation. Studying nearby galaxies like NGC 4945, which we think we’re seeing in a transition period, helps us build better models of how stars and black holes produce galactic changes.”

Weaver presented the results on behalf of her team at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in New Orleans on Jan. 11. A paper about the finding is now under review by The Astrophysical Journal. The work was made possible thanks to data collected by the ESA (European Space Agency) satellite XMM-Newton (X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission) with help from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.

NGC 4945 is an active galaxy about 13 million light-years away in the southern constellation Centaurus.

An active galaxy has an unusually bright and variable center powered by a supermassive black hole that heats a surrounding disk of gas and dust through gravitational and frictional forces. The black hole slowly consumes the material around it, which creates random fluctuations in the disk’s emitted light. As with most active galaxies, NGC 4945’s black hole and disk are shrouded by a dense cloud of dust called a torus, which blocks some of that light.

The cores of active galaxies can also drive jets of high-speed particles and generate strong winds containing gas and dust.

NGC 4945 is also a starburst galaxy, which means it forms stars at a much higher rate than our own. Scientists estimate it produces the equivalent mass of 18 stars like our Sun every year, or nearly three times the rate of the Milky Way. Almost all the star formation is concentrated in the galaxy’s center. A starburst event lasts between 10 and 100 million years, ending only when the raw material to make new stars is depleted.

Weaver, NASA’s project scientist for XMM-Newton, and her team looked at NGC 4945 with the satellite. In their data, they saw what scientists call the iron K-alpha line. This feature occurs when very energetic X-ray light from the black hole’s disk meets cold gas elsewhere. (The gas measures around minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 200 Celsius.) The iron line is common in active galaxies, but until these observations, scientists previously thought it occurred on scales much closer to the black hole.

“Chandra has mapped iron K-alpha in other galaxies. In this one, it helped us study individual bright X-ray sources in the cloud to help us rule out other potential origins besides the black hole,” said Jenna Cann, a co-author and postdoctoral researcher at Goddard. “But NGC 4945’s line extends so far from its center that we needed XMM-Newton’s wide field of view to see all of it.”

Because NGC 4945 is tilted nearly edge-on from our point of view, XMM-Newton was able to map the extent of its iron line both along and above the galaxy’s plane, tracing it out to 32,000 and 16,000 light-years, respectively – an order of magnitude farther than previously observed iron lines.

The science team thinks the cold gas highlighted by the line is a relic of a particle jet erupting from the galaxy’s central black hole about 5 million years ago. The jet was likely angled into the galaxy rather than pointing into space, driving a superpowered wind that’s still pushing cold gas through the galaxy. It may even have triggered the current starburst event.

Weaver and her colleagues will continue to observe NGC 4945 to see if they can discover other ways the black hole is affecting the galaxy’s evolution. The same X-rays from the disk that are currently highlighting the cold gas may also begin to dissipate it. Since stars would need that gas to form, scientists might be able to measure how activity around a galaxy’s black hole can quench its starburst phase.

“There are a number of lines of evidence that indicate black holes play important roles in some galaxies in determining their star formation histories and their destinies,” said co-author Edmund Hodges-Kluck, an astrophysicist at Goddard. “We study a lot of galaxies, like NGC 4945, because while the physics is pretty much the same from black hole to black hole, the impact they have on their galaxies varies widely. XMM-Newton helped us discover a galactic fossil we didn’t know to look for – but it’s likely just the first of many.” ESA’s XMM-Newton observatory was launched in December 1999 from Kourou, French Guiana. NASA funded elements of the XMM-Newton instrument package and provides the NASA Guest Observer Facility at Goddard, which supports use of the observatory by U.S.

[dapurinthos]

i need to stop looking at star wars scripts because i'm starting to read them as warped versions of linear a syllables. it is NOT HELPED by ralph mcquarrie straight-up putting a linear a A (AB08) in the massassi letters. look. it's right there.

i feel like this:

there is also AB27, 31, & 55 in here. why does ur-kittât have a sideways A164 for an o? why is there a AB68 in the protobesh/coremaic alphabet. why is it an l?

why did i decide i needed to take the aurebesh, the domabesh, the protobesh, and the ur-kittât to try and trace some semblance of an evolution in the letters like actual abjads/alphabets go through?

(and this is even without factoring in the peridea script which is the ur-kittât script just without the lines around it, and with different logograms meaning different letters)

i just wanted to follow through the fun 'aurebesh is a descendant from rakata hieroglyphs' but NO ONE IN THIS WAR IN OUR STARS HAS ANY IDEA HOW TO ALPHABET. OR HIEROGLYPH. OR SYLLABOGRAM.

[nasa]

The Stellar Buddy System

Our Sun has an entourage of planets, moons, and smaller objects to keep it company as it traverses the galaxy. But it’s still lonely compared to many of the other stars out there, which often come in pairs. These cosmic couples, called binary stars, are very important in astronomy because they can easily reveal things that are much harder to learn from stars that are on their own. And some of them could even host habitable planets!

The birth of a stellar duo

New stars emerge from swirling clouds of gas and dust that are peppered throughout the galaxy. Scientists still aren’t sure about all the details, but turbulence deep within these clouds may give rise to knots that are denser than their surroundings. The knots have stronger gravity, so they can pull in more material and the cloud may begin to collapse.

The material at the center heats up. Known as a protostar, it is this hot core that will one day become a star. Sometimes these spinning clouds of collapsing gas and dust may break up into two, three, or even more blobs that eventually become stars. That would explain why the majority of the stars in the Milky Way are born with at least one sibling.

Seeing stars

We can’t always tell if we’re looking at binary stars using just our eyes. They’re often so close together in the sky that we see them as a single star. For example, Sirius, the brightest star we can see at night, is actually a binary system (see if you can spot both stars in the photo above). But no one knew that until the 1800s.

Precise observations showed that Sirius was swaying back and forth like it was at a middle school dance. In 1862, astronomer Alvan Graham Clark used a telescope to see that Sirius is actually two stars that orbit each other.

But even through our most powerful telescopes, some binary systems still masquerade as a single star. Fortunately there are a couple of tricks we can use to spot these pairs too.

Since binary stars orbit each other, there’s a chance that we’ll see some stars moving toward and away from us as they go around each other. We just need to have an edge-on view of their orbits. Astronomers can detect this movement because it changes the color of the star’s light – a phenomenon known as the Doppler effect.

Stars we can find this way are called spectroscopic binaries because we have to look at their spectra, which are basically charts or graphs that show the intensity of light being emitted over a range of energies. We can spot these star pairs because light travels in waves. When a star moves toward us, the waves of its light arrive closer together, which makes its light bluer. When a star moves away, the waves are lengthened, reddening its light.

Sometimes we can see binary stars when one of the stars moves in front of the other. Astronomers find these systems, called eclipsing binaries, by measuring the amount of light coming from stars over time. We receive less light than usual when the stars pass in front of each other, because the one in front will block some of the farther star’s light.

Sibling rivalry

Twin stars don’t always get along with each other – their relationship may be explosive! Type Ia supernovae happen in some binary systems in which a white dwarf – the small, hot core left over when a Sun-like star runs out of fuel and ejects its outer layers – is stealing material away from its companion star. This results in a runaway reaction that ultimately detonates the thieving star. The same type of explosion may also happen when two white dwarfs spiral toward each other and collide. Yikes!

Scientists know how to determine how bright these explosions should truly be at their peak, making Type Ia supernovae so-called standard candles. That means astronomers can determine how far away they are by seeing how bright they look from Earth. The farther they are, the dimmer they appear. Astronomers can also look at the wavelengths of light coming from the supernovae to find out how fast the dying stars are moving away from us.

Studying these supernovae led to the discovery that the expansion of the universe is speeding up. Our Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will scan the skies for these exploding stars when it launches in the mid-2020s to help us figure out what’s causing the expansion to accelerate – a mystery known as dark energy.

Spilling stellar secrets

Astronomers like finding binary systems because it’s a lot easier to learn more about stars that are in pairs than ones that are on their own. That’s because the stars affect each other in ways we can measure. For example, by paying attention to how the stars orbit each other, we can determine how massive they are. Since heavier stars burn hotter and use up their fuel more quickly than lighter ones, knowing a star’s mass reveals other interesting things too.

By studying how the light changes in eclipsing binaries when the stars cross in front of each other, we can learn even more! We can figure out their sizes, masses, how fast they’re each spinning, how hot they are, and even how far away they are. All of that helps us understand more about the universe.

Tatooine worlds

Thanks to observatories such as our Kepler Space Telescope, we know that worlds like Luke Skywalker’s home planet Tatooine in “Star Wars” exist in real life. And if a planet orbits at the right distance from the two stars, it could even be habitable (and stay that way for a long time).

In 2019, our Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) found a planet, known as TOI-1338 b, orbiting a pair of stars. These worlds are tricker to find than planets with only one host star, but TESS is expected to find several more!

Want to learn more about the relationships between stellar couples? Check out this Tumblr post: https://nasa.tumblr.com/post/190824389279/cosmic-couples-and-devastating-breakups

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Draw your swords, pt. 2

Summary: While marriage was the last thing he’d want, especially with his enemies’ daughter, the Darkling isn’t above playing dirty to get what he wants. But his wish for a wedding night turns sour once he realizes his bride is anything but a weak human.

Warnings: angst, swearing, sexual references

Part one   

===========================

Walking down a hall, Y/N felt her heart drop as they neared a room meant for them. Glancing over her shoulder, she realized Darkling’s faithful Grisha followed them every step of the way.

Stopping moments before she walked into her now husband, Y/N turned on her heel. With a smile believable to anyone with an outsider’s perspective, she folded her hands before her abdomen.

“Did you guys enjoy the wedding?” Her voice is light, cheerful even. It felt odd, enough for Kirigan’s eyes to narrow at Ivan and Fedyor who replied simultaneously.

“Yes.” “No.”

Chuckling, she raised her eyebrows, “Well, did you both attend the same wedding?”

Swallowing thickly, Fedyor decided to speak for Ivan who was still disgruntled nearly as much as Kirigan.

“The wedding was perfect and you were a vision.”

Humming, she nods, “I’m glad it wasn’t a waste of time for you as it was for me. Good evening.” Turning her back on their flabbergasted faces, Y/N lifted her chin before entering the room on her own.

She could hear Kirigan’s annoyed sigh as he dismissed his Grisha, but the sound of the doors closing truly rattled her insides. Looking to him, she held her breath to stop a shuddered one from escaping her.

"I understand it's not what you expected", he smiled frostily. "I had plans that didn't include you either. But I suppose we'll both have to make do."

She scoffed, narrowing her eyes, "Make do?"

It was their wedding night, doors shut with no witnesses and the marriage arranged for the two of them felt like a noose tied around her neck. She swallows thickly, hyper aware of the bed dominating the room behind her and her hands, wrapped in each other behind her back have begun to tremble.

The general she married leaned back against the door, looking her up and down with a smile of slow appreciation. "Well, you are mine now."

"I may be tied to you by state laws, but I am not yours", she spat.

"No", he smirked, "Not yet." He peels away from the doors, stepping closer. He takes off his black kefta, draping it on a chair. Beginning to unbutton his black, silk shirt, the General looked at her as if she were a caged bird meant for his amusement.

"There are some traditions for tonight", he took one step toward her as he hummed.

"Are you familiar with the word defenestration?" She raised her voice ever so slightly, refusing to step back in fright. He does not get to challenge her and win. Not now, not ever. She does not draw back in a fight, her father taught her so.

"No", he raised an eyebrow, unsure what she means.

"If you come anywhere close to me", she growled out, "I will make sure you find out first hand."

"Don't be so quick to dismiss a good time", he purred, coming closer.

"Oh please, my heel is bigger than your dick."

Raising his eyebrows, the Darkling nearly scoffed at her confidence in this matter. "How can you be so sure when you've never even seen it?"

"No man with anger like yours could ever have something in his pants worth my time."

"You are my wife, are you not?" He narrowed his eyes at her and she rolled hers in contempt.

"Unfortunately."

"Glad you're aware of it", he licks his lips, "Means we're on the same page."

"Same page? We're not even in the same book!"

Those eyes of hers, as fierce and unperturbed by anything he did, could swallow stars and galaxies and universes. As far as he's concerned, she did for he could see them all mirrored in the defiance she locked her gaze onto his with.

"This", he whispers aggressively. "You", he presses closer until his lips are but a faint inhale away from hers, "Are mine. He gazes down at her, gauging her reaction, his eyes burning.

"You're a demon", she speaks through gritted teeth. "I don't trust demons, I don't lay with demons", she pushed against his chest with both her hands, "All you do is destroy."

"I’d say the same thing about you, human."

Rolling her eyes at him, she refuses to relent. Her body is tense, her neck aching from looking up at his dark presence she would not bend before. She isn’t a horse to be broken, she’s a soldier, her father’s daughter.

“Why are you glaring at me?” He grumbled, his lips nearly brushing against hers and she noticed.

Her heart skipped a beat once she realized just how close he is, “I’m hoping you’ll combust spontaneously.”

Raising an eyebrow, a cold smile forms on his lips, “Ah, how cute. But you’re no Inferni.”

“I’m better”, she brought her knee up so swiftly he didn’t see it coming. As her knee collided right between his legs, Kirigan bent over, bellowing in pain.

“Don’t you know who I am?!” He growled with fury, struggling to straighten up. Forced to look up at the smug smile upon her lush, rosy lips, Kirigan never felt more enraged by a woman before.

“I do.” Shrugging, she sat at the bottom of the bed. “I just don’t fucking care. You don’t scare me.”

His gaze felt like fire, setting every inch of her skin aflame and she couldn’t help but wonder if it was hate or lust that burned so bright within him….within her. Either way, she knew she’d be teasing him like this every day if it meant he’d look at her like that. She always did like playing with fire, Inferni or not, and Kirigan just made himself an easy target.

On one knee, he gripped the sheets in an attempt to pull himself up, yet all he could do is groan and clutch his groin.

Gripping his chin, she locked her gaze on him with an unforgivable disobedience. “I wasn’t born to be soft and quiet. I’m not a dutiful wife who desperately seeks your attention. I’m a general’s daughter. I was born to make the world shatter and shake at my fingertips.” Turning his head to the door, she leans in and whispers in his ear. “And now you can leave while your manhood is still relatively untouched.”

“I could kill you for this”, the Darkling threatens, wishing he could wrap his hands around her pretty little neck and squeeze the resistance out of her along with her life.

“I’d like to see you try”, she sneered. Standing abruptly, she turned her back on him.

Sitting with his back against the doorframe, Darkling glared at her with burning passion – for vengeance, of course. While he assumed she’d be difficult, he didn’t presume her to be as strong-willed. A part of him was certain she’d cave once he turned on his charm, but she never allowed him to.

Noticing her hand movement, he quickly realized she’s unbuttoning her kefta as well. In seconds, his eyes widen as she slips the kefta off her shoulders and it falls to the floor. Nothing but a sheer gown hugs her body so tightly, the Darkling felt his breath stop in his throat.

Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes fixed on him, “Do you have no manners?”

She kept her eyes locked on his as she turned, opened her gown and slipped it from her shoulders, exposing her body to him. In his eyes appeared a mix of hunger and desire in such intensity that she was both excited and frightened.

“I’m the only one allowed to look at you, that’s a right you can’t strip me of.”

In time it takes for a heartbeat to echo in her ears, the Darkling stood before her. She took a shuddering breath as he gathered her into his embrace.

“Are you planning on forcing yourself onto me?” Y/N’s jaw clenched as her nostrils flare.

Pressing his lips together, his dark eyes narrow in disbelief, “Do you honestly believe me to be so evil?”

Speaking through gritted teeth, she remarks, “Yes.”

Nodding, her purses his lips. Raising his hands in mock surrender, Kirigan moves away from her. He straightens his back, finishing unbuttoning his shirt until the end – just before he lets it fall to the ground.

She swallows thickly, refusing to look anywhere below his chin. For a moment, she could have sworn a flash of hurt crossed his eyes, but she blamed the candlelight for the deceit. There is nothing good, nothing human in general Kirigan. He cannot feel hurt and she refused to let him past her defenses. She will not feel for him, she will not fall for him. He’s a task she had to manage, nothing more.

Unzipping his pants, he took the rest of his clothes off.

Her eyes flicker to his middle as he heads to the bed, realizing he’s wearing undergarments.

Relieved, Y/N opened the drawers, finding herself a proper nightgown to cover herself with. Once her body was no longer open to his view, she looked to him with pursed lips.

“I will not touch you”, he rolls his eyes, “But we are married. Might as well make the rest of the world believe the arrangement is somewhat functional.”

Looking at the door, she contemplated leaving. Sharing a bed with someone, anyone, was intimate. It required trust, love, a sense of safety and loyalty she certainly didn’t share with Kirigan.

“If you choose to leave, it will be all they talk about it the morning”, Darkling warns her and she huffs.

“If you lay a hand on me, I’ll be seeing you at the end of the altar once more. But in a casket during your funeral”, she glares at him and he can’t help but chuckle at her words.

He watched her settle in the bed, beside him. Placing a pillow between them seemed rather odd, but he didn’t mind it. In fact, he half expected her to make an attempt on his life on their wedding night. He still wasn’t sure she wouldn’t. He wasn’t sure he wouldn’t do the same.

“Sweet dreams, wife”, he smiled as she blew out the candle and the darkness settled in. He always felt comfortable in the dark.

She never felt comfortable in darkness, but he’d never know. She would be brave from now on – she wouldn’t bend, break or bow to anyone.

“I hope your dreams are filled with Volcra”, she snapped before turning on her side, further away from him.

Eventually, despite her initial distrust for the man, Y/N fell into a deep, exhausted sleep. She shifted in her sleep, throwing her leg over Kirigan’s, her hair twisting round and round his arm.

But the Darkling did not fall asleep immediately. She moved against him and snuggled closer. Even though she wouldn’t come close to him awake, she reached for him in her sleep. She wanted him nearby and it drew a smile to his lips. Catching himself smiling, the Darkling sat up in distress.

She may be appealing, but he cannot get attached to her. Ever.

His heart beats loudly, deafening so, his mind unable to slow down even for a moment. How could he fall asleep when he knew this angel beside him was simply a devil in disguise?

She’s a human – daughter of his enemy. Once she serves her purpose, the Darkling knew what he had to do. Turning her back on her side, he fixes the pillow in the middle. She’s a human, fleeting, he’s eternal and he will not allow himself the weakness of caring for someone like her.

Just as his mind drifts, he feels an arm wrap around him and he tenses up, eyes opening wide. “Fuck.”

Tags: @kaqua​ @savannah-elliott​ @all-art-is-quite-useless​

PART 3

[golden-wingseos]

from him, the sun - baizhu

featuring —

✧ baizhu x gn!reader

warnings ―

✧ written before baizhu's release (is he ever going to get released??)

notes ―

✧ e

synopsis ―

✧ for a seasoned adventurer like you, getting injured was a phenomenon all-too common. determined to escape from bubu pharmacy, it seems things didn't go as planned... because you were caught.

“Today, I will escape.” You thought with a determined expression, fists clenched as you peeked out the door of your confinement room.

Baizhu—the head of Bubu Pharmacy—was very used to your visits. So much so, that he had a day in the week reserved for you solely because you had managed to get injured so much.

Was it a skill? Definitely. For a high-caliber adventurer like you, getting injured so often was only a trademark of how cool you were.

Was it an opportunity to get to know the handsome-yet-mysterious owner of the Pharmacy? Yes. Though, you had made no advances.

But now! Now, you’ve had enough! Baizhu had told you to stay put in your room so you could ‘heal’ or whatever— but that’s lame!

Hearing no footsteps and seeing no people, you had concluded: Wow. They’re finally gone. Even Qiqi had remembered enough to not let you worsen your leg injury, so she was definitely off limits.

Taking a single step out into the lobby, you glanced around once more, the sharp smell of herbs stinging your nose and lungs as they seemed to pierce your dull senses.

“I’m free!” You exclaimed, speedwalking (so your leg wouldn’t act up) straight out of the pharmacy. You may not be from Mondstadt— but damn! Bless Barbatos! Let the Wind Lead!

“Is that so?”

You ignored that voice. Nope! You were most definitely free!

Of course, that was until a hand reached out— grabbing the back of your collar and refraining you from taking any more steps out and towards the light.

Holding you firmly like a dog by a collar, you didn’t bother to turn around to see who your captor was. Seriously, even though the man holding you like an animal was supposed to be ‘fragile’ and ‘frail’, there was absolutely nothing frail about him!

“Ah hah… ayeee…” Averting your eyes from his own golden ones, the kind smile on the male’s face indicated that he had already anticipated your sudden patriotic ‘escape’ before you had even thought of it.

Damn intelligent men.

“Is your leg feeling better?” Baizhu settled you lightly on the floor, side-eyeing you just in case you’d decide to make a break for it again.

“Yes, very much so. It’s so much better that I feel like I can go outside and ru—”

“Hm… it seems to still be swelling. Hold on for a moment, I’ll get you some ointment.” Not falling for your obvious lie, Baizhu began sorting through some bottles on the counter behind the reception desk, complicated names and texts scribbled across their lids.

“Here, hold still,” Gesturing for you to sit atop the desk, Baizhu began to roll the hem of your pants up, taking the ointment across his fingertips and smearing it on the swell of your shin.

“Oh, it feels better!” You exclaimed in awe, about to flail your leg around if it weren’t for the warm hand resting on your knee, signaling you to stop whatever dumb move you were about to do.

“Now, you should go back to your room. We wouldn’t want you getting more injured in futile attempts to run off into the sunset.” Smiling innocently, you swore there was a hint of cheekiness in that delicate face of his.

“Eh?” You gasped, stumbling once Baizhu ushered you back into the treatment room, your figure visibly deflating as you tried convincing the pharmacist otherwise.

“Please? Please? Can I just watch you play with your drugs or something? WHY? I don’t want to go back! It’s boring!” Whining like a toddler, Baizhu could merely sigh at your antics before abruptly stopping, pausing you alongside him.

“Okay. Just make sure not to strain yourself, alright?”

“HUH? Baizhu caring about me?! Since when?!”

“. . . I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

[❦]

It seems that fateful interaction was what led you to be sitting in the very corner of Baizhu’s herb room, watching him sort through different kinds of leaves as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

I think I’ll get intoxicated by just sitting in here, covering your nose in an attempt to shield yourself from the pungent smell of just vegetation and weird materials. It was no surprise that the ever-observant Baizhu noticed your change in posture.

“You don’t have to sit here and watch, go get some rest.” The male turned over to you, hands dusted with all shades of colors thanks to the items he was handling just earlier.

“No, it’s okay. What you’re doing looks interesting.” Overcoming the smell, you quickly stood up, shuffling over to the empty spot beside the pharmacist.

“Would you like to learn about the different kinds of remedial herbs?” He queried nonchalantly. Yet at that moment, you swore Baizhu was one of the prettiest— if not the prettiest thing you have ever seen.

His pale green hair reflected in the light like a mirror, rays of pinks and yellows appearing in his hair as if pixie dust had been sprinkled all over it. Then your eyes trailed down to his neck, which did not host the pearl white snake you had grown so accustomed to.

Strange, yet gorgeous. Baizhu was perhaps a specimen, an enigma in the galaxy that you have yet to figure out. Like Venus, all you could do was admire from afar, hoping that he’d notice you in the sea of millions.

And perhaps in this moment, he did. He gazed at you generously, fondly, even. Like a moonflower untouched by mankind, you quickly averted your eyes from that same generous gaze— worried that your heart may explode at this rate.

Maybe, Baizhu was like the sun. Untouchable and bright, a being you saw every day yet hardly knew much about you. And you— you were the sunflower. Prospering under his care and touch, this brief interaction of silent observation would certainly be one that’d remain timeless.

“... Sure.” Snapping out of your trance, you quickly turned away from him. Your ears felt hot, heart thumping in your chest so fast you were worried your rib cage couldn’t contain the organ anymore.

Feigning obliviousness to your dazed expression, Baizhu began picking up different types of herbs, listing their names so fluently you wondered if it was another language you were yet to learn.

Foreign names like chamomile and feverfew popped up, ginseng and ginger being familiar to your ears because Mr. Zhongli from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor oftentimes made tea out of such herbs. Perhaps you should thank the amber-eyed man later for being so knowledgeable in teas.

“[Name]?” The pharmacist paused, using this brief moment to look at you, “are you okay? You don’t have to listen, you can even go walk around the harbor if you want.”

The idea was tempting, like a dream turning into a reality. Yet something was pulling you back, like the Earth and the Sun. Maybe, just maybe you were Icarus. Baizhu was so close yet so far, and you only wanted to inch higher and higher, burning those wings made of wax in the process.

No. A more ideal comparison would be of the rainbow bird— or was it? You couldn’t tell. Tempting like a golden apple during a race for love, tantalizing like wafting food in front of a starving man.

But today. Today, you will take your chance.

“It’s alright. I’d rather be here with you anyways,” your voice dipped into a whisper, like a river running dry or a bird’s call being silenced mid-scream.

Was this alright? Was it alright to backpedal on an opportunity you had yearned for for so long?

You swore you caught the faintest of red tipped onto Baizhu’s ears. Yes, he was definitely still the ever-enigmatic sun you had assumed of him originally,

But now— maybe you were just a little bit closer than before, though unlike Icarus— you had already fallen long before the sun could burn your wings.

[forever-rogue]

Stutter Something Profound

A/N: Y’all wanted part 2, so you get part 2 with some sub!Din! It did get a little soft, I might add, but enjoy! Happy Valentine’s Day from me to you! As always, comments and feedback are welcomed! xx

Pairing: Din Djarin x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 6k

Warnings: SMUT (18+ only) -  oral (m and f receiving, unprotected sex, etc...)

DOUSE THE LIGHTS (PART 1)

THE MANDALORIAN MASTERLIST

MAIN MASTERLIST

»»————-　♡　————-««

“Quiet down,” Din’s voice was sharp and biting as your brow furrowed and you turned to him with a look of confusion marring your features.

“I didn’t say a word,” you huffed in response as you turned your attention back to the little bean sitting across the cold, metallic floor from you. His favorite little ball was in his tiny hands as the two of you rolled it back and forth to each other. You’d been stuck in hyperspace for some time, and there really wasn’t much else to do. It was like the Mandalorian - Din,  you reminded yourself - refused to have even a modicum of fun. He’d been even more quiet and stoic than normal recently. 

Ever since - 

“Yes, you did,” he turned his head sharply, surely almost breaking his neck as he turned to look at the two of you from the captain’s seat. You quirked a brow in question before gesturing between yourself and the small child. He huffed sharply through his nose, the sound a loud, bitter thing as it reverberated off the walls, “keep it down.”

“That’s what I thought we were doing,” you snapped back before rolling your eyes and turning back to your small compatriot. He cooed gently before smiling and taking the ball as you rolled it back to him. You couldn’t help but smile at the little one; he always had the best and most calming aura about him. Before you could stop yourself, under your breath you murmured, “maybe you just need to calm down a little.”

"Excuse me?" oh. You just knew there was a scowl on his face, those plush lips pulled in a frown. Maker, those lips, delicious and soft, has been all over your body, mapping and marking almost every single inch of skin. You'd been thinking about them ever since that night - his touch, his taste, his feel. All of it.

Nothing had been the same since. 

And yet nothing had changed.

"You heard me, Din," it was the first time you'd used his name since that night. It was a challenge as much as a question. It was silent, almost dead silent, as he slowly rose to his full height. He presented an impressive sight, covered in gleaming beskar, as his chest rose and fell steadily. Slowly, ever so slowly, he stepped closer, each footfall loud and purposeful. Shit, shit, shit. You’d fucked up and this was it. You were always pushing and pushing and pushing, and you’d finally pushed enough. Maybe he’d reached his limit. 

He came over to you and slowly crouched down, predatory in every way, reaching over and taking your chin in his gloved hand as you turned your face up to meet his own. You were left breathless as you stared back into the black T of his visor, wishing you could see the expression in his eyes, “are you telling me what to do?”

Part of you wanted to remain small and shrink away, but another part of you, this one was feeling particularly strong in the moment and there was no holding it down, “yes.”

“Uh huh honey,” he dragged his thumb across your bottom lip causing you to part them slightly, “you sure about that?”

“Y-yes,” your head was already spinning with all sorts of thoughts and fantasies. He dipped his finger slightly into your mouth and you had to resist the urge to suck on it.  But then you remembered - you remembered what you had told him last time. As you laid in his arms and made a promise that you planned on making good on, “yes. I am, Din.”

“Hmmm,” it was a soft gentle growl as he released your chin and stepped back, standing up again. Your heart was fluttering wildly as he walked towards the ladder, to head down, “we’ll be on Sorgan soon. Keep him with you.”

You waited until he was gone and thoroughly disappeared before hanging your head and sighing shakily. Before you could get too caught up in your head, a small bit of laughter and gentle cooing captured your attention. You looked up and found your little friend grinning at you, his little teeth on display as he made grabby hands for the small metal ball. 

“Of course, my sweet bean,” you smiled fondly at him, giving him what he wanted, “anything for you. At least one of my boys isn’t being a Mr. Grumpy Boots!”

»»————-　♡　————-««

“This is Sorgan?” you asked softly as you held the little one in your arms, already falling behind Din as made it a point to stop and study your surroundings. It was a beautiful place, lush and green and teaming with the sounds of all sorts of animals in the distance. He made a small noncommittal sound without so much as looking back at you. You rolled your eyes at him before sticking out your tongue and blowing a quiet raspberry, causing the little one to giggle. It appeared that he still wasn’t over being grumpy, and you were sure that he was still sour over your little outburst. 

You remained quiet as you followed after him, deciding that it was best not to push his buttons. Although you weren’t so concerned with the possibility of what he would do. You knew that he wasn’t going to abandon you in some remote part of the galaxy as you once had feared; no, perhaps he’d even give you another...punishment like he had previously.

But you weren’t sure he ever would mention again. You’d wanted to bring it up, desperately so, but you just...didn’t quite know how. The morning after you’d woken up a few times only to find yourself still wrapped up in his arms, resting your head on his chest as he snored lightly. When you’d gone to get up for the day at hand, he was long gone, already dressed and going about business as usual.

You'd tried not to be upset, not to let it get it to you...but kriff. It was a one time deal but Maker, you wished it weren't. But who were you to question and interrogate him on the matter? Besides the words that needed to be exchanged, or your little altercation earlier, he'd avoided you like the plague. It was even worse than being stranded in the most desolate desert in the outer rim.

"Keep up," he called over your shoulder as you realized you'd been caught up on your myriad of daydreams and fallen far behind. You huffed as you picked up the pace to keep up with his long strides, "we're almost there."

»»————-　♡　————-««

Almost there ended up being another half hour of trekking through the woods until you reached the small village that served as your destination. Part of you had been tempted to complain, but the other half was thrilled to be able to get out and stretch your legs and see something other than metallic walls or dirt and decay. The air was fresh and light, doing wonders for your spirit and lungs. The little one seemed to be enjoying everything as much as you were - his eyes were wide and curious and as he studied the new surroundings. At the sight of a few butterflies, he reached out to try and capture one, almost tumbling out of your arms at one point. Giggling, you slowed your pace and set him on the forest floor, letting him follow behind the two of you all while keeping a close eye on him.

Eventually, the sounds of life - children’s laughter, animals, and animated chatter met your ears and you found yourself in a picturesque, small village. You look at everything in awe as your green bean toddled over to the nearest group of children. Instinct took over and you moved over to grab him, but Din grabbed your arm and shook his head, as you frowned at him, “he’s fine. He knows them.”

“Okay,” you nodded, but nonetheless your guard was up. You were more protective over Din and the little one than anything else. If something happened to either one of them you didn’t know what you’d do. Din must have sensed your hesitation as he lightly put his hand on your arm and pulled you along with him. Nodding, you silently acquiesced to his request.

It was another short walk to the center of the town, where you spied a small group of people milling about, almost as if they were expecting them. Din gave them a nod, but kept you close at his side. 

“Mandalorian,” a beautiful woman with long hair walked over to the two of you as Din held his hand out to her but you stepped slightly behind him. She had a kind face and eyes, and you could tell she meant no ill will, "you've returned."

"As I said I would," he insisted as he shook her hand. Turning her attention to you, she looked you up and down, observing you with intense scrutiny, and yet you did not feel afraid. Whatever had happened between the two of them, you could tell she was looking out for him.

Holding out your own hand, you steeled yourself as you offered it to her and gave a kind smile accompanied by your name. 

"Omera," she had deemed you worthy of her name and seemingly her approval, "you're…"

"She's mine," he insisted sharply, causing both you and Omera to look at him in surprise. Inside, you were beaming and bursting with joy and pride at the surprising revelation. You weren't sure if it was purely situational or he had meant it as more - as what it was, but Maker - your face felt hot and knees weak. 

"She's your…"

"Mine," he repeated simply with a curt nod and an air of finality. His hand found the small of your back as you raised your eyebrows at the woman in shock, practically glowing from inside.

"Very well Mandalorian," the woman turned on her heel and motioned for the two of you to follow, "we're pleased to see you and the little one again. You may stay as long as you'd like; let me show your quarters."

Hesitating for a moment, you watched as the two of them started to walk away, leaving you behind. All of this seemed so surreal - domestic, uncomplicated, and...free. It almost felt surreal and you were afraid it would all end up being a dream. Too good to be true - a taste of what your life could be. Maybe...maybe one.

"Sweet girl," perking up at the use of the almost sacred nickname you caught his gaze. Holding out his hand to you, it wasn't but a mere moment before you took it, nervously - tentatively - and let him pull you towards his body. And then softly, almost as if it was just the two of you and not a whole gaggle of people around you, Din leaned in, "keep up."

What was even going on anymore? Surely this had to be a dream...but then again the warmth of his hand in yours was tangibly real. This was actually happening.

»»————-　♡　————-««

"This is it, huh?" looking around the small cabin, you quickly decided that you liked it. It was quaint and cozy and warm - everything that the Crest wasn't. Definitely something you would appreciate for a week or two and definitely something you would miss as soon as you left. The little one had been busy with his old friends, and Omera had graciously offered to take him for the night. As much as you both loved him, it was nice to have a little bit of time to yourselves.

"Not to your liking, princess?" his hands were on his hips as he watched you closely. It was teasing - lilting and with a small tone of amusement. Shaking your head you turned to him and offered a small smile, "you'll be comfortable here. Better than the ship and it'll give you an opportunity to stretch your legs."

"I like it," you agreed, "its nice to slow down for a change. Who knew you had a heart and a brain after all, Din?"

"Very funny, brat," the way you tingled at his use of the word was enough to render you speechless. He paused for a moment, thoughtful and quiet, "I don’t hate you, you know."

"Huh?" your eyes widened in surprise at the sudden declaration and the doe eyed look on your face enough to make his own cheeks tinge with a pink flush. Once again he was eternally thankful for the beskar helmet. He slowly reached up and grabbed your chin between his fingers as you swallowed the lump in your throat.

"I know I'm not always...the easiest to get along with," he all but whispered, "but I do appreciate you more than you know."

"Hmmm," your body was electric as his touch sent sparks down your spine, "I know, Din. I...fuck. I appreciate you too. I've been...thinking about you."

"Have you, naughty little thing?"

"Mhmm," you closed your eyes and keened into its touch, "ever since that night…"

"Then what do you want?" his voice was low - dangerous - as his hand tightened around your throat, squeezing ever so slightly. Your pupils were dilated, eyes practically black with lust as a small sound escaped your lips. How easy it would have been to give in and let him have his way with you, "tell me little brat. Use your words."

"You," it was almost a whimper as the heat pooled low in your belly and the delicious, tingling ache between your legs started. How easy that would be to let him use your for his (and your pleasure). Even within the thick haze of arousal, you reminded yourself of your promise.

He would be your good boy.

Almost out of nowhere, your hand was on his wrist, delicate compared to his large gloved one, and pulling him away from you. 

"What are you-"

"I'm in charge, Din Djarin," you reminded him, a surge of confidence running through your blood as desire seeped into every fiber of your beating. Your heart was beating wildly as you anticipated his reaction, treading carefully to make sure you didn't overstep any boundaries, "I made a promise last time and I don't break promises."

He chuckled - a dark, delicious sound that sparked pure fire in your bones. Instead of a smart remark for once he...acquiesced.

"Tell me what you do want."

"Strip," you echoed his words from the last time you'd found yourself in this position, "and get on your knees."

"As you wish,” he pulled back and started to slowly peel off his gloves, his gaze trained on you the entire time. You felt like a shy maiden, rather than a woman about to make a grown man cry, as a flush rose up in your neck and face; but you didn’t shift your gaze away.

Din made a show of pulling off each piece of armor, bit by Beskar bit, in painfully slow manner. The cocky Mandalorian knew exactly what he was doing. As soon as he was left in his underclothes, you could see that his cock was already painfully hard and straining at his trousers. A sense of pride welled up in your chest as you realized you were the cause of it all. Keeping the helmet on for the moment, his large hands skimmed the hem of his shirt as you almost lost your patience and tore it off for him. Languidly, methodically, he left the shirt up and tugged it over his head, letting it fall with an unceremonious small sound to the floor. 

He was beautiful - even more in the fading light of day than he had been in the dark. Tan, golden skin littered with freckles and scars came into view as your breath hitched in your throat. Maker. You bit your lip as he tilted his head to the side to gauge your reaction. Trying to play it cool, you motioned for him to continue his fingers trailed over the waistband of his pants. The dusting of dark hair that disappeared into his pants was enough to make your mouth water as you remembered the promise it held. 

Din popped open the button and slowly unzipped his pants before tugging his pants down his legs and kicked them off along with his boots. Apparently you weren’t the only one getting impatient. Making a small, musing sound in the back of your throat you walked over to him, admiring his beauty - and his hard cock that was already leaking fat beads of pre-cum. Smirking, you trailed a hand down his warm skin, raking your nails over it as you pressed a few lazy kisses along his broad shoulders. You were almost positive that you could hear a small sigh leave his lips. 

“You are beautiful, Din Djarin,” you murmured as you pressed featherlight kisses to his neck, noting that he swallowed thickly, “it’s a shame no one sees - but a privilege to have you at my mercy.”

Before letting him get a word in edgewise, you went over to the windows and made sure everything was tightly closed and curtains were drawn before turning off the bedside lamps. There was almost no light left in the small room, save for the candle near the door; just enough to get by but not enough to actually see anything. Flouncing back over to Din, his large, warm hands found purchase on your waist as you reached up and tentatively rested your hands on the side of his helmet. 

“Do you trust me, Din?” you whispered, a far cry from how domineering you intended on being. His hands circled around your wrist as he offered you a soft nod. You lifted your hands up, along with his as you pulled off the beskar and gently set it down along with the rest of his armor. 

When he was fully stripped, a sharp contrast to you being fully clothed, he immediately tried to crash his lips onto yours to kiss you; a hungry, feverish thing. You smirked against his lips before quickly pulling away and placing a finger on his lips and shaking your head, “no, no, no honey. Not yet.”

“Brat-”

“Hmmm,” your hands went to his shoulders as you pushed him down and onto his knees, “it seems to me like you’re the one not listening. Won’t you be a good boy, Din?” 

Knowing what you wanted immediately, his hands went to your waist as he undid your pants and pushed them to the ground, helping you to step out of them. You knew normally he would have argued with you or something but today something was different; almost like you had him under some sort of spell. 

“So beautiful,” he murmured as his hands ran up your thighs, stopping to paw at your bum and giving it a good squeeze, pulling a squeal of delight from your lips. He chuckled against your skin, placing kisses along your thighs and hips before working over to your mound. Running a finger through your already soaked folds, he gathered some of the your arousal before it in his mouth and sucking it clean, “like fucking candy.”

“Din,” it was a herculean task not to completely surrender control to him and have his face. He hummed in content as he nudged your legs further apart and you could feel his breath fanning against your warm, wet center. Carding a hand through his dark locks, you gently yanked his head away, “we don’t have to do this…”

“Tell me what you want, sweet girl,” he rasped as you nodded slowly, “I can handle it  - whatever you want.”

His gentle reassurance was enough to get you back on your game as you brought his face to your core, where you were getting desperate for his touch, “eat it.”

Warm hands anchored themselves to your hips as he buried his face in between your thighs, licking up your soaked folds like a starving man. It was such an unexpected, pleasant rush that you almost lost your balance as you braced yourself against the wall. A small whimper escaped your lips as Din continued to lap at you, his aquiline nose nudged against your clit. For all the talents this man had, eating pussy was definitely one of them. 

“Kriff,” it wasn’t long before your legs started to shake as the pleasure in your belly grew and grew and threatened to snap. He was not shy or soft spoken as he murmured filthy praises against your heat as he licked and suckled on your clit and folders before plunging his tongue into your velvety walls. He was quick to balance you as you almost staggered forward, “Din…”

“So good,” he praised as he reached up and added two thick fingers to his ministrations, curling them in a come hither motion as he quickly found your sweet - the one that made you see absolute stars. Your eyes squeezed shut as you felt nothing but warmth radiate throughout your body and pressed his face firmly against you. You felt the vibrations of his chuckle as he continued on, just a little further and harder until you were over the edge. A large hand had snaked up your body to cup and squeeze your breasts through your shirt as you keened into him.

This time you didn’t even bother to hold back your mewls and moan as you came all over his tongue and fingers. Making a sound of approval, he worked you through your orgasm until you were a shaking, whining mess above him. His name came off your tongue in reverence as he stabilized you and lapped up every last bit of your arousal. 

“Maker,” you finally managed to catch your breath after a few minutes as you pulled out of his grasp and helped him to his feet. In the soft candlelight you could see your juices glistening on his face. Unable to stop yourself, you threw your arms around his neck and crashed your lips onto his, kissing him in a fervent tangle of tongue and teeth. He responded eagerly, taking his time to taste you and explore your mouth as your wicked hands roamed his body. Din almost choked on a moan as you grabbed his weeping cock in your hand, coating it in the reminder of your wetness. A smile grew on your face as you pulled back and looked at him innocently, “good boy, Din. It must be painful, huh? To be this hard and have no relief? Do you want me to make it better?”

“Mouth,” it was a soft whisper -  a plea, “use your mouth.”

“Hmm,” you mused as you continued to stroke his length, noting how he seemed to thrust into your hand more with each passing second, “I don’t know if you’ve earned that yet.”

A mess of sounds, guttural and visceral, met your arms as you played with him before massaging his balls just to push him as far as he could go. It wasn’t only before you felt him twitch in your hand and could hear the struggle as he tried not to come in your hand.

“Sweet girl,” he stammered out as he closed his eyes in bliss; but you beat him to the punch and pulled your hand away, creating a painstaking distance between your bodies. He hissed at the loss of contact and his orgasm as you ripped your shirt and bra off, letting the offending articles join the heap of his clothing, “fuck!”

“I told you that you hadn’t earned it yet,” you reminded him with a saccharine smile, “only good boys get to cum.”

“I am going to-”

“Get on the bed and lie on your back,” you insisted sharply. He huffed sharply before marching over and getting on top of the plush blankets. Looking around for a moment, you knew exactly what you were searching for, hoping you hadn’t misplaced the crimson silk fabric. After a few moments of digging, you made a small noise of triumph as you found the object of your affection. Walking back over with a sway of your lips, you displayed the fabric to him, “hands up and behind your head.”

“What are you doing?” it was a tone of wonder and amusement as you raised an eyebrow and hoped he was able to see it.

“You’re not allowed to use your hands,” you grinned as you stole a kiss before grabbing his wrists in your hands, “no touching, Din. Not until I say so.”

The Mandalorian  - your Mandalorian - grunted as you threaded the fabric through the headboard and secured his wrists. It wasn’t necessarily a strong, tight hold, but it was enough to get your point across. No touching. Din could have easily broken through the thin fabric, but he wasn’t going to try again - he was going to be a good boy.

"What are you going to do sweet girl?" he asked as you spread your legs on either side of his hips, your wetness brushing the soft curls of his pubic hair. Grinning almost sinfully, you grabbed his jaw and turned his face towards, only making out the highs and lows of his features. Leaning down you kissed him, chasing after his lips with your own.

"Have my way with you," you whispered as you kissed the shell of his ear before working along his jaw and neck, making it a point to nip and suck at the delicate skin. And then, as you reached the hollow of his throat and placed a chaste kiss there, he practically whimpered, "oh, my sweet boy."

Din tugged lightly on the restraints, enough to shake the headboard slightly, but not enough to do anything. Shimmying down his body you tenderly touched and kissed every part of his body making sure each little freckle and mark and scar were given attention. The man practically melted under your touch; no one had ever given him this type of love and attention before. In the past it had all been either sloppy blowjobs or quick fucks; it had never mattered about him or the other person before, the only end game was release. But this...this was different. Delicate, gentle - caring.

Kissing along the V of his abdomen before nosing along his soft pubic hair, your raked your nails up and down his legs.

"When's the last time someone loved you, Din Djarin?" it was a hushed whisper, one you really expected an answer to you, but Din had almost inhumanly adept hearing - perks of a lifetime as a bounty hunter.

"Never."

"Well I do," it was an easy confession that startled both of you. You had meant it as both a I'm going to love you just now and I'm in love with you all at once. But that was something to be delved further into another time, "I do very much."

Before he could say anything else, you licked a long stripe up his shaft. His reaction was immediate as he bucked his hips up causing you to just push them back down. Laughing lightly, you tutted at him before taking him in your mouth - as much as you anyway. He was big and it did take some effort to get as much of him as possible. 

It wasn't long before he was writhing under you as you licked and sucked him to an inch of his life. Making a point to hollow your cheeks and be noisy, you played with balls as you pushed him closer and closer to his release. Your mouth was already costing with your spit and his salty pre-cum and his cock twitched in your mouth. Just before he came, you pulled off of him and say back on your haunches watching his chest rise and fall rapidly.

"I was almost-"

"I know," it was a sticky sweet answer as you ghosted a hand over his body. Your hand found its way around his throat as you squeezed; more intensity than he had applied to you, but not enough to hurt, "tell me, sweet boy, are you going to let me sit on your face?”

“Use me,” he insisted as you kissed your way up his body and stopped at his lips and captured them in a searing kiss. His were perfect against yours - soft, full, and plush. Before getting too lost in his kiss, you positioned yourself over his face, and his eager hands tried to reach for you, only to find out that he couldn’t. A small groan of frustration left his lips as you grinned and ran a hand through his dark curls, “sweet girl.”

“Use your mouth, Din,” you braced yourself on the headboard as you lowered yourself down to meet his mouth. If you had thought he was eager before, you were sorely mistaken. The man in question lapped at your freshly soaked folds like it was the last thing he would ever do. His nose was perfect against your sensitive bundle of nerves as his tongue delved into you and caused you to cry out in pleasure. Seeming satisfied with his work, you felt him grin against you, his beard tickled you in all the best ways, “fuck. So good - so, so good.”

“Sweet girl,” he murmured against your skin as you felt yourself melt into a puddle of jelly. His praise along with this ministrations was enough to have you seeing stars as you closed your eyes and felt that familiar coil start to snap in your belly. Rocking against his face, he picked up his pace until you were just about to cum again, but instead of letting your orgasm fully wash over you, you pulled back and moved off of your face, “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you shock your head before kissing him, tasting yourself on his tongue, “you’re perfect. Want to cum on all over your cock, Din. Feel you inside of me.”

“Please,” he was practically beginning at this point; he was harder than he ever been and needed to be inside of you, “come on, sweet girl.”

Swinging a leg over his hips, you grabbed his hard cock and pumped him a few times before lining himself up at your entrance. Slowly sinking down on him, the two of you moaned in unison, as he stretched you fully and completely.

“Din,” his name was but a soft, reverent whisper off your lips as you put your hands on his chest and started to bounce at a slow pace up and down his cock. He felt perfect inside of you, hitting all the right spots as your clit rubbed against his pubic hair. He thrust his hips up to meet each of your bounces, pulling harder and harder at the bindings. You leaned down and wrapped your arms around his neck as you pressed your chest against his and kissed every part of him that your lips found, “so close - sweet boy.”

“Me too,” he agreed, his voice crackling and rough, “gonna cum inside you.”

“Yes,” you breathed as your warms started to contract around him and you felt him twitch within you. Squeezing your eyes shut, you buried your face into his neck, whimpering against his skin, “Din.”

“Sweet girl,” he so desperately whispered he could wrap his arms around but instead kept his hips as close to yours as possible, “so good - so perfect.”

You all but collapsed in his arms as you laid on top of him, the two of you working to catch your breath. Once you came down from your high, you kissed his nose, and slowly moved to undo the bindings and free him from his confines. As soon as his arms and wrists were free, he wrapped his arms around you and traced his fingers up and down your back in soft patterns. Relaxing into his arms, you sighed contentedly, “you can be a good boy, Din.”

“Only for you,” he whispered softly, pressing a chaste kiss to your cheek, “I...I love you, sweet girl.”

“Yeah?” you asked as you rolled over and next to him. He hesitated for a moment but then slowly confirmed with a soft nod, “good. I...I love you, Din Djarin. I have for a while.” 

“I never...would have thought,” he murmured as he pulled into you his arms without even thinking - so easy and effortless. You eagerly complied, letting him pull you tightly against his chest as you tangled your legs with his. You weren’t sure what this all meant, or would lead to, but it was definitely something you could get used to. 

“Really?” you laughed lightly, a musical wonderful sound that he adored, even on his grumpiest days, as you took his hand and brought it to your lips, and placed a tender kiss to his knuckles. How he hadn’t known was beyond you - it all seemed so obvious. Din made a small sound, “I thought it was so obvious. It was to me at least, honey.  Even when we’re at each other’s throats - it was with love. Besides, I like when you get mad. It’s sexy.”

“You’re such a brat - my brat,” he buried his face into the pillow, but not before pressing a kiss to the side of your head, “you’re amazing.” 

“You’re just saying that because I finally let you cum,” you teased as you felt your eyes getting heavy, “worth it.”

“Yeah,” he agreed with a yawn, “but I’m getting you back for that next time. No hands? That’s just cruel.”

“Hmm,” you mused, “are we just going to keep taking turns? I could get used to that, Din.”

“I hope you do, sweet girl,” he murmured, “I hope you do.”

»»————-　♡　————-««

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[janghoefett]

THE CUSTOMER (Boba Fett x F!Reader)

This is another overhaul and rework of one of my fics previously posted on AO3. It’s beefier now ✨

Rating: Explicit (18+) Pairing: F/M Word Count: 1.5k Warnings: Virgin reader(!!!) being scared of Boba Fett (?), reader is a bartender, mild smut, Boba Fett is soft, Boba attacking a customer who doesn’t pay you.

Summary: Boba Fett takes a liking to the reader, and you can mark her down as scared and horny.

Tagging: @fettsvette @amidalaholdo @escapedthesarlacc @thundersheild​ @onabouteverything​ @fiend-friend​ @angryares​

The most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy had taken interest in you. And you were terrified.

You would pour Boba Fett’s drinks nightly, bartending at a cantina in some backwater town in some backwater place. The bounty hunter would pick a seat for the evening and attend to his seedy visitors, whoever they may be. You wouldn’t notice when he would come in; usually he’d appear lounging in a booth at some point in the evening, giving you a faceless nod as a greeting.

The helmet was a terrifying concept, shrouded in mystery and rumors that sent a chill up your spine, and when you’d feel the visor of that helmet watching you for just a moment longer than it should you felt yourself becoming his prey — of which kind, you did not know.

“Care to have a drink with me, princess?” 

Everyone had cleared out and the voice makes your breath stop, but you turn around to find Boba Fett standing there with his helmet tucked under his arm. His face ruggedly handsome with dark features and he was older than you, significantly. You could see the wear of war on his skin.

You accepted his invitation, but your heart pounded no less.

Boba had one hell of a reputation and he sensed your hesitation around him. As you spent the evening together, however, you came to realize he was the epitome of loneliness; was there any bigger giveaway than asking your bartender for company?

“Why do you do your job?” he asked at one point that night.

“Because…” you start, swirling around your drink as you think about the answer, “I don’t know, it pays well and it’s something easy for me.”

“As is mine,” he replies with a smirk. “A job is a job.”

You began to understand him after that night.

———————————————————

Boba kept coming back night after night and it scared the hell out of you.

You found yourself dreaming about him, waking up only to find a familiar wetness between your legs. Yet despite your desire, you’d deflect his advances — you couldn’t help it. His reputation was off-putting and you never wanted to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

You saw his his anger once. When a customer had stiffed you on the bill one night, Boba was on him, slamming his head down hard on the bar. “Pay the young lady what you owe,” he demanded. The man’s hands fumbled for his pocket like a scared fool and he tipped you triple.

The possibility that Boba was only friendly so that you would sleep with him made you anxious. You knew he had been with several women and your inexperience made you shy away from him. Perhaps it was embarrassment, as fucked up as it was. Or perhaps you didn’t want to be just another quick fuck for him.

Of course Boba wanted a night with you; he was almost obsessed. A beautiful girl had given him a glimpse into a world that was not his own. You didn’t bow down to him and you didn’t fling yourself into his lap whispering what your rates were like the women he often found himself in bed with.

All the same, he never insisted and you established what felt like a friendship. Boba would lean on the bar as you worked, listening to you tell stories about the various characters of the cantina. He would come back with the strangest remarks, using that dry sense of humor that made you grin from ear to ear.

You’d drink a bit, flirt a bit. But night after night, you’d dismiss yourself early — and Boba agreed that you should.

——————————————————

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” Boba announces gruffly one night after everyone had cleared out.

You exhale sharply, setting down the towel you were using to wipe the counter. The news carries more weight than it should; you don’t know what you were waiting for, or what you thought would have happened. “I’ll miss seeing you around,” is all you muster up the courage to say.

Boba approaches you slowly — you can feel your breath catch in your throat — and he covers your hand with his larger one.

You stand just inches from each other and cautiously, you rest a hand on his chest plate. Boba’s arm pulls your waist in and, before you can think, Boba catches your lips in his. You moan slightly, a pathetic little noise, as he presses you against his armor, working his strong lips against yours.

“Boba…” you breathe, breaking off as a familiar ache forms between your legs.

You stumble into a booth, sitting on his lap as your hands explore each other. When Boba's lips come to your neck, however, you grow skittish. You can feel his cock pressed against your center and it’s big; dank ferrik, of course it is, he was ready you to bend you over this table right now.

Despite how much you wanted him, despite how much you actually lead yourself to this moment, there is genuine fear in your heart. “Boba,” you say again, steadying his face in your hands. His skin is hot and flushed. “I… I can’t do this. I’m sorry.”

Boba searches your face, breathing heavily. “Have you been with a man before, mesh’la?” he asks.

You feel the embarrassed heat rush into your face and stand up, reaching for your bag to leave. You hated the question. But after all, Boba wasn’t one to be indirect. And he was right.

“You must think something’s wrong with me,” you say quietly, unable to look him in the eye.

“No,” he says sternly. “No, I can see there’s nothing wrong with you, girl. Come here.”

After taking a deep breath you walk back to Boba tentatively. He props you up on a barstool, standing between your legs.

The bounty hunter takes your hand and places it under his shirt and armor, over his beating heart. It’s a strong, steady rhythm. His large hand keeps yours still against his warm bare chest.

“Do you feel that?” he asks.

“Yes…”

“I’m a man made of flesh and bone. That is nothing to fear, mesh’la.”

Boba’s brown eyes are honest and patient. Your hand comes up to his cheek, pulling his lips back into a tentative kiss.

“Take me back to your ship?” you ask softly.

———————————————————————

Boba snapped his hips into yours just right. He marveled at the way you hung on to him so tightly, as if you would drown otherwise. The bounty hunter understood the trust you placed in him — and he wasn’t going to make you regret it.

Your kisses were the sweetest the bounty hunter had ever felt. You would turn your head to plant a trail down his jaw and his neck, and it only made Boba hold you closer, fuck you deeper. Boba wasn’t rough exactly; he was red-blooded while remaining mindful of your limits… and you loved it. “Shh, mesh'la, that’s it,” he’d whisper as you mewled and cried beneath him at the stretch of his cock, both of you slowing down to gentler motions. “Good girl, there you go.”

Boba knew exactly how to get you off, and it turned him on being the one to guide you. To Boba you were an angel, too soft for the filth of the galaxy and too innocent for him to mark. He was older; a hardened warrior with more blood on his hands than you would ever know. But with every thrust you take, and with every time you cry his name, the bounty hunter’s sins feel washed away as your pleasure becomes his own.

You are left a heaving mess, lying on Boba’s chest as he runs his fingers lightly over the skin of your back. “Did that feel good, little one?” he mumbles, pressing a kiss to your temple. “D’you feel okay?”

“Yes,” you respond, catching his lips with your own. “Thank you.”

It was perfect.

The first rays of the morning sun peak over the horizon. You had stayed in bed speaking softly, running your hands lazily over each other’s bodies as you asked him about the far-off places he’s gone and the bounties he’s caught. So much time had been spent keeping Boba away, and now that you saw him as a man — a man who made you feel safe — you didn’t want to let him go.

You kiss each other drowsily on the boarding ramp, whispering sincere, lighthearted goodbyes before you turn to leave.

“Mesh’la,” he calls, pulling you back in close to him with an arm around your waist.

“What?” you giggle softly.

Boba searches your face for a moment and the giddy grin fades from your lips. Saying goodbye to a man you barely knew shouldn’t be hard, yet here you were, looking into his eyes as if you’ve known him forever.

Boba’s arms wrap tightly around your waist in silence as you kiss one last time, slowly, neither of you daring to let go. “Bye, Boba,” you whisper against his lips, stroking his cheek.

He watches until you’re no longer in his sight.

[mlm-writer]

The Rest of Our Lives (Leonard McCoy x GN!Reader)

GIF Source

Pairing: Dr. Leonard Horatio McCoy x Gender Neutral Reader Rating: Teen and Up Words: 1551 Summary: The Enterprise is on a terminal course with a black hole. There is not much time left, so now is as good time as any to confess the feelings you have kept to yourself until now. Note: This is for fluffgust, but this piece is defo angstgust... Reader is part of the Enterprise and it is lightly implied they are a red shirt, but they could be anything. The prompt was ‘rejecting sexual advances and it ends fluffy’ and it is there if you squint.  Tags: ANGST, dash of fluff because I had to, bad speech by Kirk because I could not write a better one, kissing, cuddling, making out, rejected sexual advances, implied major character death and no beta we die like everyone in this fic.

The vastness of space stretched before you as you peered into the sea of stars from one of the smaller observation decks. Normally the sight could always put a smile on your face, but not today. You swallowed the lump in your throat as you tried to find the beauty of outer space, only to find darkness and death in an ocean of coldness. 

“Always knew I would die on this ship,” a familiar voice came from the door. You hummed in agreement. “Just always thought it would be being sucked through an airlock, an explosion or being shot at by aliens the captain pissed off.” You shifted and twisted your head to catch sight of the CMO. 

“I take it Scotty has not found a way to start up the engines…” You stared back through the glass, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Appears it is death by black hole for all of us then.” Dr. McCoy hummed in reply, confirming your fears. This was torture, waiting for death, helpless. “Doc, what do you think we should do with the time we have left?”

You turned away from the window, facing the Southern man full-on. He stared at you with an unreadable expression. Dr. McCoy licked his dry lips before speaking. “Try to die without regrets,” he answered. You took a deep breath as you crossed your arms. 

“Was afraid you’d say that.” “Why? Have a lot of things you left for later?”

You chuckled and shook your head. “No, just one…” You dropped your arms, only to fidget with your own fingers, eyes trained on where you were pinching the skin. “You know me, unafraid and lunging head-first into everything, following whims…” You turned your head to stare at the stars again, afraid of meeting the eyes of the man in front of you. “But feelings scare me, to be honest. If I break every bone in my body, I know I can count on you to put me back in working order, but if my heart gets broken…”

A hand took a gentle hold of your harm, just above the elbow. “I’d gladly meld that too.” You looked up at him, eyes finally meeting. His eyes held a beauty that made the universe pale in comparison. “I did not come here to look at the stars,” he added, half a confession hidden in those words. 

“Doc… Leonard… I need you to be straight with me.” You did not like how vulnerable those words sounded, how vulnerable they made you. He pulled you close, closer. You found yourself in his arms, head resting against his solid body. 

“I like you. I don’t wanna die knowing I never said it,” he murmured. His voice rumbled through your body. You wrapped your arms around him, holding him tightly. You assured him the feeling was mutual, before your hands started roaming along his back, shoulders and arms, memorising the feel of his body. 

“Leonard Horatio McCoy, would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?” He let out a scoff and agreed, both of you aware that the rest of your life was unlikely to be longer than 2 hours. You spent a good few minutes just holding one another. A little later you found yourselves sitting against the glass and snuggling. You raised your head from his shoulder and put a hand on his cheek. “May I?” 

His eyes met yours as he nodded. “All yours,” he muttered, before you both leaned in. His lips were a little chapped, but felt warm against yours. When you parted, there were a few seconds of just blinking at each other, before you both leaned in for more. 

Lips danced together in slow, sweet kisses. It took a while, before you felt his tongue make an appearance. You were all too eager to take this further. It felt like heaven and the ship disappeared around you. There was no hopeless Enterprise. There was no black hole sucking you to the next life. There was just you and him on this carpeted floor under dim lights. 

You swung a leg over him and straddled his lap. You held his face close with one hand on each cheek as you made out. There was no helping it. There was just too much you had held back and too little time. You got a little teeth involved as you grinded down on him, indicating you were ready to go all the way. Your lips did not leave his until you felt both of his hands on your underarms, pulling your hands away from his face. “Hmm?” you questioned as you finally opened your eyes, immediately noticing his rosy lips. 

“Hey, I know we don’t have much time, but… I don’t think we should go so fast.” You blinked at him, trying to clear your head from the fog of desire for the man before you. “Please say something.”

You cleared your throat and tried to get off his lap, but he held you in place, tilting his head at you. “I’m sorry”, you whispered as you averted your eyes to the crease between his brows. You wanted to explain yourself, but the right words were not coming to you. Leonard seemed to understand anyway. He pulled your head towards his until your foreheads were touching. 

“Let’s not ruin this with doing things we are not ready for yet. Even if there is no later for us, I can die a happy man just having this… Can you?” You casted your eyes up, staring into his. It was mesmerising, almost dizzying to see someone look at you like he was looking at you. You nodded with an affirming hum. He smiled in relief. You sat there for a while, on your knees with his legs between yours and your foreheads touching. 

“Enterprise crew this is the captain speaking,” Captain Kirk’s voice spoke gently over the intercom, “as you know, we are on a terminal course with a black hole. In about fifteen minutes the Enterprise will be submitted to gravitational forces that will make survival for us impossible aboard the ship.” You sighed and tried to pull away, so you could focus on whatever the captain had to say more, but Leonard kept you in place.

“I won’t take up all of that time. I just wanted to thank all of you for joining this voyage. This ship has always had the finest crew, with the most admirable people in the galaxy. It has been an honour and if by any chance black holes lead to another universe, I hope I get to serve with all of you again.” You leaned against Leonard, closing your eyes so you could focus on Kirk’s voice and the feel of being held. 

“Even out here, far away from any civilised place, we are not alone. Look around. You’ll find people who will stay by your side until the end. You’ll find colleagues, friends, perhaps lovers.” You opened your eyes to find Leonard look at you like you put even the most breathtaking views of this galaxy to shame. “I look around and I find family; family I’ll happily die with. We did good out here. Each and every one of you has earned a place in the history records. This may be the end, but none of you will ever be forgotten. We’ll live forth in the work we’ve done and the stories they’ll tell about us.” You could hear the blond man’s voice crack. “May history be kind on us all. Kirk out.”

Silence fell over you. It hung thick in the air. There was not a word said, until Leonard guided you off him. “Captain will want me on the bridge. Coming with?” You moved off him and helped him off the floor. 

“Of course. We were going to spend the rest of our lives together, remember?” He let out a bitter chuckle. You held hands as you walked to the elevator. You passed by many people you have worked with during your long service on the Enterprise. There was crying, desperate hugging. Some were so calm it must have been a defence mechanism. 

There was no comment on your closeness when you entered the bridge with Leonard’s arm around you. Captain Kirk held out an arm and Leonard joined him by his left side, putting his other arm around one of his best friends. You soon found Chekhov by your side and you offered him a smile as you linked arms with him. 

The space in front of you was void of stars. There was nothing but the endless void and a small timer in the corner of the front screen. No one really said anything. You felt a kiss against your head from Leonard. You felt like you should be singing or something, a final song to unite each other before death, but this was not a heartfelt movie. This was real life. This was the end. 

You took a deep breath as the timer neared its end. Grips tightened. You took one last look at Leonard, a dark expression on his face. You closed your eyes and leaned your head against him. He was the last thing your eyes ever got to witness.