#opalknight

[calebdumes]

Prompt: Kanan and Hera have an argument.

thanks for the prompt anon! I hope you don't mind, I added a heaping portion of angst to go with this!

fandom: star wars rebels

relationship: kanan jarrus/hera syndulla

word count: 1.2k

rating: t

~

“No.” Kanan said, folding his arms over his chest, his chin jutting out defiantly. Hera felt her chest tighten with irritation but bit down on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from responding with something she might regret. She didn’t have to be a Jedi to know how angry Kanan was, she could practically feel it roll off of him in hot, sticky waves that make her skin itch and the tips of her lekku curl inwards. 

The rest of her crew scattered around the lounge seemed unaware of his building fury so she used their blissful ignorance to center herself. There was no need for her to throw her own emotions into the mix when Kanan was like this. Hera breathed deeply through her nose and set her shoulders. 

Kanan may have made up his mind but Hera wasn’t the type to give up so easily.

She could be stubborn too. 

“Kanan,” she said in a calm, even tone, hoping that her gentle approach would soften the ice that had settled in his gaze.  “He has to sleep somewhere.”

“Not here.” 

“It’s not like you even use your cabin anyways.” Sabine pipped up unhelpfully from the acceleration couch. “We all know you sleep with Hera.”

Hera winced internally. Maybe having this discussion out in the open wasn’t the best idea she had. 

“Or,” Ezra interjected. “I could take your cabin and he could bunk with Zeb.”

“If anybody is getting Kanan’s cabin, it’s gonna be me.” Zeb growled. 

“No one is getting my cabin.” Kanan snapped. “That’s the point.”

“Kanan, please.” Hera sighed, some of her frustrations slipping out. “Be reasonable.”

“This is me being reasonable.” he hissed. 

The atmosphere in the lounge shifted in an instant, reacting to the venom in Kanan’s voice. Wide eyes were locked on this towering form, the chilling air of confusion and disbelief filling the sudden silence. Hera stood, stunned by the harshness in his words before she snapped back to herself, anger heating her blood.

She latched onto his arm and pulled him from the room, dragging him down the short hallway to her cabin. She wasted no time pushing him inside when the doors began to part, following him in and slapping the locking mechanism, sealing them in. Kanan’s brows pulled together in a scowl, his jaw muscles working furiously as he stared her down. 

“Unlock the door,” he said. 

“No.” Hera responded, planting her hands on her hips. “Not until you stop acting like a kriffing asshole.”

“Hera, unlock the door.” Kanan repeated, his voice low and threatening. Hera’s lekku tightened at the warning but she pressed on. This had gone on long enough. She could understand that Kanan was upset but she needed him to see how ridiculous he was being. He was letting himself get all worked up over nothing and he needed to let it go. 

“It’s just for a few nights until Ahsoka gets back.” she replied, digging her heels in.

“Then he can stay on the Liberator.”

“You know we can’t dock with the Liberator while it’s in orbit.”

“Then Sato can send a shuttle to pick him up.” Kanan snapped. “Or he can rent out a room in the spaceport, I don’t kriffing care but he’s not staying here. That’s final.”

“That’s final?” she arched a brow. “Last time I checked, this was my ship. I’m the one who gets to make the call on who stays and who goes. I don’t see the issue in letting him spend a few nights here.”

“Of course you don’t.” Kanan huffed. He turned on his heel and began pulling clothes out from the storage compartment, tossing them onto the bed with force. 

“What is that supposed to mean? What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving.” Kanan replied flatly. The words hit Hera like a wall of ice, old fears racing to the surface of her mind, her heart racing in her chest.

“You’re what?” she whispered. 

“If he’s staying here then I’m leaving. I’ll find somewhere else to bunk down until Ahsoka gets back. I’m not staying here.”  he said, shoving clothes into a bag.   

“You can’t be serious!” she cried. “Kanan, it’s just for a few nights! What is the big deal?”

“He’s a clone!” Kanan yelled, spinning around to face her with a wild look in his eyes. “That’s what the big deal is!” 

Hera blinked. “But everything on Seelos, I thought…”

“What? You thought I’d suddenly be okay with clones just because they helped us out in a pinch?”

“No! I just thought that maybe…”

“I’m not like you, Hera.” Kanan continued on, his chest heaving. “The clones didn’t swoop in and save my planet. They murdered my master in front of me. They tried to kill me. So forgive me if I’m not so trusting of our new guest.”

Hera’s eyes slipped closed. Of course. She restrained the urge to smack her forehead. She should have known it would take more than one mission to rebuild Kanan’s trust in the clones. She should have known this was the reason behind his attitude. Hera bit the inside of her cheek again and mentally kicked herself. 

It was different for her. When looked at Rex’s face she saw Howzer. She saw countless soldiers that had risked their lives to free her planet from the separatists control. When Kanan looked at Rex, he was haunted by the memory of the Purge, his friends turned against him, his family slaughtered. Of course he wouldn’t be comfortable with a clone living on the ship. She could hardly blame him.

Still, she couldn’t push past her guilt.

She should have known. 

When she opened her eyes she saw Kanan, really saw him. Under his dark expression she could see the shadows clinging to the corners of his eyes, the fragile state of his shoulders, tensed and ready for a fight, seconds away from shattering. He was barely holding himself together. And she had, once again, allowed herself to get caught up in the excitement of growing the rebellion to notice. So blinded by her eagerness to fly that she didn’t account for the weather. 

Hera’s hand dropped from her hips, falling limply by her sides. “I’m sorry, love.” she said, taking a slow step towards him. Kanan tensed but didn’t move away. She placed her hands on his shoulders, carefully working her fingers into the tense muscles before sliding one hand behind his neck. Gently she pulled him down, until his head was resting on her shoulder, his body trembling in her arms. “I’m sorry.”

Kanan shook, his breathing sharp and ragged as Hera swayed back and forth. She hummed a gentle lullaby while her fingers slowly undid the straps of his shoulder armor, letting the heavy material fall to the floor. When Kanan’s breathing slowed, Hera led them over to her bed, tossing his bag aside and laid down beside him.

“I just,” Kanan said in a broken whisper that made Hera’s heart ache. “I’m trying. I just need time.”

Hera kissed his forehead and pulled him in close as if she could protect him from the nightmares of the past. “I know love.” she told him. “I’m sorry I pushed so hard. I’ll have Zeb relay a message to Rex about finding a room at the spaceport.”

“‘M sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize, love. It’s not your fault.” Hera squeezed her eyes close, fighting back a wave of tears. “You just need time.”

She felt Kanan shutter, his choked off whimper muffled by her chest. 

“Take all the time you need.” 

[legacy-rebelsfanzine]

Hi! When can we expect the orders to arrive in Europe?

We'll be making a proper announcement in the new year (mods are out of town for the holidays) but everything is ready to go except for the enamel pins which are taking a little longer to arrive. Once we have everything, it'll ship from North America. From personal experience that takes around 4 weeks to reach Western Europe, so probably a little longer if you're more Central/Eastern.

We'll have more info after the current holiday period so just hold on a little longer! We won't ship without announcing it here and the zine bundles are very close to being finished.

[pretchatta]

Well it was difficult to choose, but could you give us a hint about: Reflections in a Broken Mirror?

Absolutely! This one I'm writing for the Star Wars Rebels Minibang (which means it's going to have ART) and here's an excerpt which should tell you a lot about what it's about...

ask me about my wips!

A figure had appeared. It took her brain a few moments to process it; a man, dressed in plain, nondescript robes, short hair neatly trimmed, clean shaven face casting about his surroundings as he took in his new location with bright, blue-green eyes.

Hera could only stare in shock. It was ridiculous to think that the desperate longing she had felt had caused this, but she was struggling to come to terms with how the man she had just been thinking about was suddenly standing in front of her. It couldn’t be anyone other than Kanan – that was his face with its strong jawline, framed with close-cropped hair just like the last time she’d seen him along with a clean-shaven chin and his eyes… the blue-green eyes she’d seen only once in the last two years. The last time.

Those eyes landed on her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. How was he here? Was this even real?

"General?" 

Her heart clenched. Why was his tone so formal?

He took an uncertain step towards her, his eyes darting down to her belly and back up to her face. "Are you alright?"

This is wrong, a voice in her head told her. Those eyes she loved so much were missing the angry burn scar that should be running over them from temple to temple. Other scars replaced it, unfamiliar ones: a thick white line that ran from his forehead through an eyebrow to his cheekbone and a thin red one on the other side just above his jawline. His physique was subtly different too; her Kanan was lean and toned but the man before her was heavyset and muscular. It also looked as though he’d never known a food shortage, though maybe it was merely an effect of the several layers of fabric that concealed his body. 

"You're not Kanan…" she said slightly unsteadily.

"No…" he said slowly, like it was obvious. He looked just as lost as she felt as one hand came up to tug at the neck of his robes. "I'm Caleb."

Her breath hitched in her throat. "Caleb Dume."

[anoray]

Reunion

OMG, what an inspirational gift of artwork from my dear mutual, @opalknight, that I couldn't wait to share with everyone because it is sooooo incredibly precious!!!

Thank you with all my heart, dear friend, for always supporting me and my WIP Spectre One Rises with so much thoughtfulness and generosity. You filled me to the brim with joy today!

And a huge shout out to the artist who @opalknight commissioned, Uzari, for creating such a heartwarming reunion between Kanan and Jacen. This beautiful scene between father and son brought me to happy tears and will remain in my mind as I wrap up the story!!!!

[engagemythrusters]

SHIT WHOEVER JUST FOLLOWED ME IM SORRH I ACCIDENTALLY BLOCKED YOU CAUSE I GOT SO USED TO PORN BOTS I’m so sorry pls come back 😭

[enetriss]

Kanan Jarrus ⭐ Gift for @iknowwhattosaynow from @opalknight :3

[kanerallels]

For @monthly-challenge day 14: "I love you", I'm finally updating the Steve Miller Au!! But this one can be read as a standalone as well

Full fic under the cut, but you can also read it on AO3 here!!

Taglist: @day-to-day-thots @auroramagpie @laughingphoenixleader @accidental-spice @heckin-music-dork @opalknight @seleneisrising @cassie-fanfics (DM me if you want to me added or removed to the tag list!)

More and more in life, Kanan found his days full. Namely, full of missions and reports and maintenance and training and working. There were so many things to do, people to help, and between training Ezra, working with Hera and the rest of the crew, and still managing his network of spies, Kanan was busier than he would have liked.

Obviously he delegated, and he wasn’t busy constantly. But no matter how hard he worked, it seemed so rare that he had any real free time. Or in reality, he supposed, it was rare he had any real free time when Hera did, too.

That was why Kanan treasured the times they did have even more.

It was late, and the two of them were sitting up in the Ghost’s kitchen. Hera had just gotten back from a recon mission with her new squadron, and Kanan had stayed up to greet her.

“You look tired,” he told her as she dropped onto a supply crate with a sigh. Glancing up, Hera snorted.

“That’s charming,” she said dryly.

“It in no way detracts from your beauty,” Kanan assured her, and she laughed.

“You’re so full of it sometimes.”

Shooting her a wink, Kanan said, “You like me that way, and you know it. Can I make you something to eat? There are some leftovers I can heat up.”

“Yes, please,” she said. “Although I can take care of it—”

As she started to rise, Kanan gently pushed her back into a sitting position. “Uh-uh. We learned our lesson on that one when you nearly set the kitchen on fire last week. Besides, I don’t mind. You sit and tell me about your mission.”

Giving him a grateful smile, Hera leaned back with a sigh. “It was a pretty routine op. I’m still getting used to working with a larger team like this, but after working with you and the others for so long, it’s not too hard. And they seem to accept me as their leader.”

“Of course they do,” Kanan said, opening the Tupperware container he’d pulled out of the fridge. “Why wouldn’t they? You are the incredible Captain Hera Syndulla— and they’ve seen you risk your life time after time for this rebellion.”

“Hmm. You know, I’m still trying to decide if I should thank you for this recommendation.”

Switching on the stove, Kanan started scooping out the contents of the container— a meat and vegetable stir fry he’d made for dinner a few hours earlier. “It wasn’t me who got you the job, you know. I made the suggestion, but Sato’s the one who chose you. Past that, it’s entirely your own fault.”

Hera scoffed. “You’re the one who put it in motion. You realize this means I’ll be even busier now?”

Grimacing, Kanan said, “I didn’t really connect those dots until after I told Sato. But, unfortunately, I stand by it. You’re the best person for the job. We don’t have another pilot like you.”

“Thanks, love.”

“You’re welcome, Captain Hera.”

The two of them stayed in the kitchen together as Kanan heated up the leftovers and Hera talked about her new squadron, telling him about the ones that caused trouble and the others that were excited to have her. “I’ll have to introduce them to you and the others properly,” she said. “I think you’ll get along with them.”

“Anyone who likes you, I usually like,” Kanan said, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard.

He dished up the stirfry and passed the bowl to Hera, who accepted it with a laugh. “I think if we test that, it’ll be disproved pretty quickly,” she said.

“Probably,” Kanan said, pulling open a drawer. “Where in the name of the Force are all of our forks? I thought I told Ezra to put them away in here.”

“Jyn rearranged the drawers the other day,” Hera said. “She said the way we had things organized was driving her insane and she couldn’t live like this any longer. I assume she didn’t inherit this from you?”

Checking a few more drawers, Kanan said, “Not likely. Aha!” Grabbing a fork, he passed it to Hera. “Mission accomplished. Meet you in the lounge? I want to find something to snack on.”

“See you there,” Hera agreed, sticking the fork into her bowl before heading into the lounge. Kanan remained behind only for a minute. Digging through the cupboards, he located a half-empty bag of chips and headed out to join her.

They sat on the couch, side-by-side. Hera devouring her dinner, Kanan at her side, they settled into a comfortable silence for a little while. Kanan didn’t mind it, much though he loved Hera’s voice. Any time he was with her was time well spent.

Finally, Hera pushed aside her empty bowl and sat back with a sigh, letting her head drop against Kanan’s shoulder. He offered her the bag of chips, and she took a few. “Force, I’m glad to be home,” she mumbled.

“Must have been a long trip,” Kanan commented as she munched on her snack. “You tired?”

“A little,” Hera said. “But I can’t sleep just yet— I was wanting to run some maintenance checks on my A-wing before our next mission.”

“Ah, yes,” Kanan said, feeling a small grin cross his face. “Your A-wing. Did I see Sabine did a, uh, a little work on it? I like it.”

Hera elbowed him in the ribs. “Don’t you start.”

“What? I said that I like it!”

“We’re not discussing this.” Glancing down at her, Kanan saw Hera flushing slightly. “Besides,” she said, “it was Sabine’s idea.”

Chuckling, Kanan said, “I had a feeling. Doesn’t really seem like your thing.”

“No,” Hera said decisively. “But it’s Sabine’s art, so I’m not going to get rid of it.”

“Mm-hmm. Is that the only reaso— ow!” Kanan let out a yelp as Hera walloped him in the arm. “Okay, okay, dropping it.”

Resettling against him, Hera muttered, “You’d better.” Despite her words, a hint of humor colored her tone, and Kanan couldn’t hold back his grin.

He slipped an arm around her, pulling her a little closer. “You know, the A-wing can probably wait until tomorrow. You need some rest.”

Hera let out a sigh. “Don’t tempt me, dear. I should be setting a good example for the others.”

“Including a terrible sleep schedule?” Kanan said, and Hera snorted.

“It’s not that bad of a sleep schedule.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I respect your commitment.” 

As she sat up slowly, Hera raised an eyebrow at him. “You’d better not be teasing me again.”

“I’m not, I promise,” Kanan promised her. “You stick with your principles, you always have. And you follow through. It’s one of the many things I love about you.”

He only realized what he’d said when Hera went rigid next to him, shock flashing across her face. Pulling away from him a little, she stared at him. And then it hit Kanan.

He had just told Hera that he loved her for the first time.

“Ah,” he said, wincing. “That— I’m sorry. I mean, no, I’m not, but I didn’t mean to push you, and if you’re not ready for it— I just—”

Holding up a hand, Hera said, “Kanan. Stop.”

He stopped.

Hera took a deep breath, her skin darkening with a blush. “Force. This is— I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Kanan said quietly. “You don’t need to feel like you should—”

Shaking her head, Hera said, “No, not for that. I— okay, I need you to listen and not interrupt so I can explain this. It’s a little… complicated.”

Complicated was, generally speaking, not good. But Kanan just nodded. “Okay. I’ll listen.”

Gratitude crossing her face, Hera said, “Thank you.” Rubbing her forehead, she was quiet for a minute, her expression thoughtful. Finally, she said, “I don’t know how much you know about Twi’lek culture— I’m assuming not much.”

“You would be right,” Kanan said slowly. Okay, there’s definitely something I’m missing here.

Nodding, Hera said, “I thought so. Part of it— something I was taught growing up— is that saying… what you said… well, it’s more serious than it is for other cultures. Most Twi’leks at home wouldn’t tell someone that until… until they were married.”

“Oh,” Kanan said, his eyes widening. 

“Yes,” Hera said. “It’s treated as something very personal, even for family members. It’s not just words, it’s the beginning of a promise. A promise for a future. And you don’t just say it, especially not out in the open—”

“Like I just did,” Kanan finished. Wincing, he said, “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

Shaking her head, Hera said, “It’s fine. I should have explained it to you earlier. It’s—” she let out a half-laugh, her smile more like a grimace. “There’s a lot of my home that I’ve left behind. But this is one of the things I’ve held onto, at least unconsciously. It’s what I always believed.”

Slowly, Kanan said, “Okay— that makes sense. First of all, I will absolutely respect this. If you don’t want me to say anything like that, I won’t. And Force knows you don’t have to say anything.”

But Hera was already shaking her head. “No. No, you’re— you’re fine, actually. We do technically say it, we just don’t… say it. Verbally, that is. There are a lot of parts of the Ryl language that aren’t communicated out loud, but with the lekku. Hence why there aren’t many non Twi’leks who can speak it well.”

“Makes sense,” Kanan said with a nod. “So you’re saying—”

“I’m saying that… I’m fine with it if you say it. And…” Kanan saw her blush again as she seemed to gather herself. “I feel the same way. I’m just not going to say it out loud, and I’m sorry—”

Catching hold of her hand, Kanan said, “Don’t apologize. This one’s on me— and I understand.” His mind flashed to the way she’d hugged him when they’d rescued him from the Empire. To the way her eyes glowed when she smiled at him, when she kissed him. To the fact that she’d come home, exhausted, and chosen to spend her time with him. To the way she called him “love”.

She was saying that she loved him, too, even if it wasn’t out loud.

“I won’t say it too often,” he promised her. “But I am going to say it, because Force only knows I was bad enough at disguising my feelings before. And it’s only going to get worse from here.”

Hera let out a slightly breathless laugh. “I’m okay with that.”

“Good.” Bending down, Kanan kissed her gently, holding her close for a long moment. When he finally pulled away, a slight movement caught his eye. Her lekku were twisting together behind her, in a spiral shape. He’d seen them do that before, but only now had he realized what it might mean.

“That’s what that means, doesn’t it?” he asked softly, brushing a thumb along her temple near the base of her lekku. 

Her blush was answer enough, as was the small, secretive smile she gave him. Kanan made a mental note to properly learn more Ryl, and leaned in to kiss the woman he loved again.

[strige-art]

Inspired by the story I'll never let you go by Chaotic_Dumbass-Rogue

Commissioned by @opalknight

[flying-kanery]

WIP Game!!!

Rules: in a new post, show the last line you wrote and tag as many people as there are words.

art, headcanons, etc. are more than welcome if you’re not a writer!!!<3 or even if you are! Whatever you're feelin'😎

tagged by @ellsheartofkyber (thank you for the tag!!!<3)

“Let me show you how it’s done, kid,” Kanan said. Hera laughed and Ezra couldn’t help but smile. She patted the ground next to her and Ezra came to sit, resting his head on her shoulder. She placed her head on top of his and wrapped her arm around him.

Some mother-son times for y'all🥰

I think that's literally 61 words lmao😂so I'm just gonna tag as many as I can and it probably won't even be close haha

no pressure tags: @kanerallels @xxxcertifiednerdxxx @rebels828 @ladywren7 @laughingphoenixleader @accidental-spice @opalknight @singswan-springswan and anyone else who would like to participate! :D

[bedlamsbard]

No actual apprentice, large number of Inquisitors! Closest EU parallel would be Darth Krayt’s One Sith in the Star Wars Legacy comics.  (There’s something similar elsewhere in another AU of mine, but not exactly the same.)  I’m not sure on the details of how this all shook out.

Maul wouldn’t have been able to do it to Ezra -- Sith master/apprentice relationships are so different from Jedi ones that it would never occur to a Sith (or at least one who hadn’t started as a Jedi) to do anything along those lines, nor would they be able to.  The only reason it worked with the Hunter and Kanan (Caleb here) is because they were both Jedi.  (And honestly, gods know what Palpatine thought when the Hunter was like “okay I will commit treason but ONLY if you let me torture this random but specific padawan into becoming my apprentice” because it’s so alien to the Sith way of thinking that Palps was probably just like “...okay?”  Like, Palps wanted Anakin because what a catch, not because he was particularly wedded to Anakin in particular.)  (I should note that Backbone!Hunter did something very similar but not identical to Kanan -- it shows up in one of the other side AU dream sequences -- but it was less dramatic because Depa had been dead for longer and, uh, also he wasn’t supposed to do it.)

This is probably one of the cases where Anakin is the chill one of the two, like the whole Zillo Beast thing!  Though I don’t know the exact dynamics or whatever is like...going on.  (Because I don’t know.)  They were together when they got to the Temple soon after the Purge initially went down, but both survived it; Mace is essentially running the remnants of the Jedi Order now.

[wondersmithofastronautalis]

What you are known for? Great world building without losing the individuality and feelings of your characters.

Thank you! I do try and make sure people don’t react to the same events in the same way.

[calebdumes]

forcing myself out of my creative rut by writing from the pov of a new character (also i’ve had this idea since star wars day and given what coming up this month, it makes sense tbd)

fandom: star wars rebels

relationship: kanan jarrus/hera syndulla

rating: g

word count: 1.4k

~

He wasn’t sure what possessed him to traverse the blinding heat of the desert to wander the congested streets of Ancorhead but he found himself in the spaceport city all the same. Rugged off worlders and weary townsfolk passed by him as he walked with no real destination, the twin suns of Tatoonie blazing brightly in the cloudless sky overhead. 

His feet took him to a small cantina, not far from the bustling spaceport. The tea was sour and tepid but his seat on the outdoor patio gave him a full view of the dusty city and the millions of lives that called the desolate planet home. He often wondered what it would have been like to grow up on a planet like this, nothing but sand in every direction. He suspected his life would have been very different; slow, borderline monotonous but simple, carefree in a way that was so foreign to him that it seemed like an impossible ideal. Tatoonie was a steady, solid planet where nothing ever happened. 

Then again, it was this very planet where everything had changed.

Obi Wan Kenobi looked down at this tea, letting his thoughts blended into the murky brown liquid. How many hours he had wasted, thinking of a different life, one that didn’t revolve around this particular planet? Too many to count, it seemed and he saw many more wasted days in his future but what was a Jedi to do in a galaxy that had no want for one?

The familiar ache in his chest throbbed, his throat growing tight with emotion. Obi Wan closed his eyes against the bright landscape and took a deep breath, letting the pain he felt dim as he opened himself up to the comfort of the living Force. 

Then, he felt it. 

It was like a whisper brushing up against his mind, subtle and unmistakable. 

There was a Force wielder on Tatoonie.

No - not just any Force wielder, it was a Force wielder he recognized.

Obi Wan’s first instinct was to run. His objective was to remain hidden, lest his true intentions be discovered. But an abrupt exit, even on such a place as this, would only draw more attention to himself, so he reached for his tea and brought it to his lips, focusing on the bitter liquid as it spilled down his suddenly parched throat. 

He let his conscience spread outwards, searching for the being that had sparked the awakening in the Force. He was careful not to draw too heavily on the Force as he looked, he had heard the stories of the Empire’s agents that hunted beings like him. It was only a small fraction of what he was capable of but it was more than enough to find what he was seeking. 

His eyes dragged over to a food stall on the opposite side of the wide street. Two beings stood propped up against the furrocrete walls of a building, a young, green skinned Twi’lek woman and a young Human male, both somewhere in their early twenties. While more than one eye fell on the Twi’lek woman, Obi Wan’s attention zeroed in on the man. 

He was the Force wielder. 

Careful not to reveal himself, Obi Wan studied the Force signature of the man while using his physical senses to discover more about him. He was tall and lean with dark chestnut hair tied back into a tail at the base of his skull. Like nearly everyone on Tatoonie he was armed with a blaster and while he seemed to be deep in conversation with the Twi’lek woman, Obi Wan could tell from the tense line of his broad shoulders that he was completely aware of his surroundings. 

His Force signature was much harder to read. It was clouded, hard for Obi Wan to decipher, a twisting maze of traps and durasteel walls. It was a mark of someone who knew the dangers of being a Force user in the age of the Empire. It also spoke of his strength. He was trained enough to know how to hide in plain sight but not enough to remain completely hidden.

Obi Wan pressed harder, diving past the initial defense the man had constructed around himself and couldn’t suppress the gasp of surprise when recognition took hold. 

It couldn’t be…

But it was. The Force never lied. 

It was Depa Billaba’s inquisitive padawan, Caleb Dume.

Obi Wan let go of his hold on the Force and sat back in his chair, at a loss.

Caleb was certainly much taller than he had been when Obi Wan last saw him, a small little boy with more questions than sense and a voracious hunger for knowledge. Depa had had her hands full with him, his boundless curiosity had led to more than one reckless situation that rivaled the messes his own padawan tended to land in. But looking at him now, Obi Wan could see that wild streak had been tempered, his curiosity hardened into caution that spoke of a life of hardship and survival. 

But it hadn’t warped him into something worse. Obi Wan could sense his pain, a dark hole deep in his soul but it was contained. Instead of constant fear, Obi Wan could feel the comforting heat of life surrounding him, it was different from when he was a boy but familiar all the same. Caleb was alive and happy and…in love. 

Obi Wan didn’t need the Force to see it. Even from across the street he could see how Caleb leaned in towards the young Twi’lek. How his eyes never left her face as she spoke. His expression was soft and he burned with such adoration that Obi Wan was surprised he didn’t sense it sooner. 

Whoever that young woman was, Caleb was deeply in love with her. 

There was a sour taste on the back of Obi Wan’s tongue that had nothing to do with the tea. He had seen this before and he had seen where it led. But unlike the tight possessiveness that had leached from Anakin, Obi Wan felt nothing but pure light. Caleb’s love for this woman was unconditional but even still, it couldn’t beat back the cold fingers of fear that creeped up Obi Wan’s spine. 

Do you trust him so little? A long forgotten voice echoed faintly in his mind. 

It wasn’t about trust, he wanted to say. He had trusted Anakin with his life and look at what had happened in return. A Jedi’s purpose was to love but from his point of view, this type of love would only end in heartbreak.

In the heart of a Jedi, lies their strength. The voice replied softly, fading back into his memories. 

Obi Wan glanced over at the two again, the playful smile on Caleb’s lips making the woman’s cheeks flush with color. There was no darkness hiding in the corners of their minds. Despite the pain and horrors Caleb had suffered he was still a beacon of the light, a Jedi, even in hiding. 

He wasn’t Anakin.

Caleb kissed the side of the Twi’lek’s cheek, the tips of her lekku curling pleasantly. She wrapped a gloved hand around his and pulled him away from the wall. They walked together towards the spaceport, huddled close as if existing in their own personal universe.

Obi Wan closed his eyes, fighting back the urge to follow after them. It had been so long, so long, since he had seen another Jedi. He had spent too many nights lying awake and thinking he was the only survivor, he was willing to bet Caleb had as well. He longed for the connection all Jedi felt, the familiarity that came with being with ones people. He walked to talk to Caleb, to learn what Depa’s curious padawan was doing, how he survived, if he had come across any other surviving Jedi. He wanted Caleb to feel the sense of warmth he was feeling now, knowing that he wasn’t the only Jedi left in this harsh galaxy.

But he couldn’t risk it, no matter how badly he wanted to. He was placed on Tatoonie for a reason and he could not put that in jeopardy. He could only watch as they disappeared into the spaceport.

Still, Caleb’s presence filled Obi Wan with hope. If he survived, then others could have too. 

A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips.

Caleb was alive. 

Obi Wan was not alone.

[independence1776]

Caleb on Alderaan ? 😊

This is a darkfic-- or at least dark in setting. Due to an alteration during RotS, Anakin doesn’t fall and Order 66 doesn’t happen, but the Jedi are enslaved in service to the Empire. Depa and Caleb end up with a senator allied with Palpatine, who (obviously) doesn’t treat them well. Bail Organa rescues Caleb from being beaten to death and that senator gives Caleb to Bail because Caleb is more trouble than he’s worth (but Depa remains with that senator per Palpatine’s orders). Bail takes Caleb to Alderaan to give him a place to heal. Until this incident, Bail was not allowed a Jedi because he’s too sympathetic to the Order and Palpatine is hoping to use Bail owning Caleb to destabilize Alderaan’s political structure because slavery is anathema to Alderaanians.

It’s also an excuse for me to write Bail/Breha/Obi-Wan.

[pretchatta]

Hi! Care to comment on 11 & 16? 😁

With pleasure!!

11. 🛳️ A fic that brought you aboard a new ship

Sky Blue, White Gold was the fic (series) that brought me around to Blyla. I'd always been kinda neutral about the ship but subtropicalStenella is one of my favourite authors so I knew I'd enjoy it (and that's not the only ship her fics brought me aboard...)

16. 💞 A fic that led to you making friends with the author

Both gather ye rosebuds by @calebdumes and Exploration by @iknowwhattosaynow were fics that I couldn't stop thinking about after I first read them! and that led to commenting on updates which led to offering to beta read and before you know it you're staying up late to talk to someone in a different timezone about your shared love of fictional characters... and I regret nothing.

[anoray]

Hello Exceedingly Patient Readers of Spectre One Rises,

I hope you will enjoy this latest section of the story (AO3 account needed to access) and feel it was worth the wait! This is not officially part of Kanera Week 2023, but I'm posting now in honor of this special time and all the fabulous writers and artists contributing to the celebration!

Many thanks go out to @spectre83, @opalknight, @aaftergloweeye, @pretchatta, @iknowwhattosaynow, and @veritascara for all their time, encouragement and support during the beta process!

And a huge shout out to @jun-c for the absolutely amazing artwork commission below :))))

[communistkenobi-archive]

Hi! I'd like to have your PoV on F, L, S, W 😊

from this ask game

F.  Favorite Sith?

answered here!

L.  Underrated Character?

shaak ti............ she is wife supreme

S.  Best Moment?

all the times when rex gets whipped around by jedi

W. Favorite Rebels Arc?

SCREAMS ok................................ i binged all of this show in like forty eight hours so my memory of it is very blurry but the episodes in s1 where zeb and ezra steal a tie fighter and argue with each other the entire time is PEAK fucking comedy