valeriansunset

[valeriansunset]

i can stay, if you'd like?

James Potter x Howell!OC

SUMMARY: A series of times that James Potter wanted Annie Howell to stay, the times Annie Howell wanted James Potter to stay, and the time that neither of them could stay

WARNINGS: Angst, Character Injury, Nightmares, Hurt/Comfort, Character Death

WORD COUNT: 3k

It happened slowly, but fast. Just like their relationship.

James was always watching her. Watching her walk around, arm in arm with Lily Evans and Marlene Mckinnon. Watching her laughing with Sirius Black, as he wore his tie around his head instead of his neck. Watching her do homework with Peter Pettigrew, sitting and explaining everything he didn't understand, sometimes doing elaborate demonstrations until he felt secure enough for the lessons the next day. Watching her nudging food over to Remus Lupin, after a particularly bad moon, always fretting over the wellbeing of her cousin. James watched Annie Howell as she continued to give and give.

He'd watched her, that very first day, on the Hogwarts Express. Sitting next to Remus, a head on his shoulder, as he read. James wondered that day why she seemed so tired on a day as exciting as their first trip to Hogwarts. She'd sat up a little, after he and Sirius had come blundering in, chatting to each other about Hogwarts and what it would be like.

"It will feel like a dream. Or as if we've woken up from a dream and we've woken up at home for the first time." She'd said that day, at eleven years old. Even then, James had wondered what she meant by that, staring at the blonde haired girl in confusion. His confused stare had turned into an infatuated stare as the train took its long route to Hogwarts. She always spoke in a low voice, as if she was afraid of being heard. But James didn't miss the way that her eyes sparkled everytime she smiled, however small the smile was. She was constantly moving her hair out of her eyes, behind her ear, but it always fell back. She'd only laughed once on that journey, when Remus had made a comment about wanting to eat all of the chocolate from the trolley. It was a laugh he'd never forget, even if that was the only time he'd ever get the privilege to hear it. That was when he'd spontaneously bought up half of the chocolate supply on the train.

He hadn't quite realised it then, but he'd fallen in love.

She was sorted first, of course. When Professor McGonagall called for Anabel Howell, James hadn't even realised the way his ears pricked up. At the moment all he could think about is that he wanted to be in any house that she was sorted into. When the hat called for Gryffindor, James felt heavy adrenaline run through his veins. The quiet girl with the broken smile; valiant and benevolent. Red and gold. It was fitting. When his own name was called, he found himself hoping for Gryfindor for completely different reasons than before he'd boarded the train.

"An eager one, that's for sure." The sorting hat had commented, and James had assumed it was because Gryfindor was the house that he had always wanted to be part of. But the sorting hat knew.

James watched Annie in class, the way she concentrated by squinting her eyebrows. She sat next to Remus in every class, seemingly comforted by the fact that she had someone familiar with her in an unfamiliar place. He watched as she excelled in Charms and Transfiguration, but struggled in Potions. It was that day that James decided Charms and Transfiguration were his favourite subjects, because it was most likely that Annie would smile in those classes.

James watched Annie as the group of first-year Gryfindors collected in the Common Room. Amongst the loudest in the group, including himself, chattering away and getting to know their new classmates, James noticed that Annie only participated a few times, but was listening vigorously to everyone's words. In a conversation where everyone was talking over each other and loudly discussing several different things at once, James made sure he really listened when Annie talked. Was he even aware he was doing it?

James had picked up a lot of information that day, information about classes, about his new friends, about the school himself. But that very first night, as he slept in his new dorm with his new roommates, he'd realised. Had he been watching Annie Howell all day?

James watched Annie from a distance, until they had their first real conversation. It was still their first week at Hogwarts, and James was sitting alone in the attempt to complete his Charms homework. He hadn't noticed how his eyes had lit up when she walked in the Common Room, blonde hair bouncing and fidgeting with her hands. When he called her over, he hadn't noticed how his voice would soften whenever he talked to her. She'd noticed James sitting on the floor by the table, and jumped a little as if she wasn't expecting anyone there.

"Are you okay?" She'd asked, and James took note that she was genuinely interested and concerned.

James had pondered what to say. He didn't feel like admitting that he was struggling in Charms, seeing that he grew up around magical parents, hearing spells all the time. He'd joked around with Remus, Sirius and Peter, telling them that he was figuring out the best way to frustrate Professor Flitwick with his answers. He was insecure, back then, but refused to let it show. Little did he know that the people in his dorm would be his friends for life, and he never had to feel bad about his struggles. Still, with Annie's big doe eyes staring at him, he found he couldn't lie.

"Charms is turning out a little harder than I thought." James had sighed, putting a hand through his hair.

Annie hadn't stopped for a moment before she sat, cross-legged, on the floor next to him. "I can help."

"You can?" He'd asked, watching her with intense eyes.

"I'll show you my trick." She'd said, a small smile beginning to form as her eyes glistened.

"We're wizards, isn't everything we do a trick?" He had joked, putting a hand through his messy, untamed hair.

She laughed, that mesmerising laugh that James was determined to hear everyday. "Study Latin. Most of our spell names come from Latin. Here."

She had pulled out a book from a pocket that had been handed down into her robes. "I already know it, so I don't need this anymore."

It was a loved book, wrinkled and ripped at the cover, and dog-eared on almost every page. Most pages had Annie's neat scrawl on the sides, annotating different ways of learning and remembering words. "Wow. Thank you."

James would always treasure that book.

James hadn't started to learn more about Annie until their second year. He had gotten incredibly close to his roommates, dubbed The Marauders, and had made great friends with the other Gryfindors, but Annie was always closed off and quiet, present but not participating. He'd even spent some of the summer with her, a week at the Lupins and a week at his own house.

He'd woken up in the middle of the night, for reasons he wasn't quite sure of. He couldn't hear a noise, there was no light that would have woken him up. Yet he had this feeling gnawing at him, telling him to go downstairs.

When James had made his way down the stairs and to the common room, Annie was sitting, face down on the table, asleep. She was making little whimpering sounds in her sleep, fretting and moving slightly every few seconds. James hovered for a while, unsure whether or not he should wake her up.

Annie let out another whimper and it kickstarted James into action. He moved closer, at first whispering her name and then speaking it in a louder voice. She didn't stir.

James crouched down, sat in the same place they had in first year when Annie had given him the book on Latin. The book was still on his bedside, and he had read it from cover to cover over the last year. He softly put a hand on her shoulder. "Annie."

She gasped, sitting up rapidly. Her limbs flung around, her hand grabbing onto James' arm in fear as she hyperventilated. James' heart had broken that day, wishing more than anything that he could destroy what was hurting her but he couldn't destroy what was invisible.

"Hey. Hey, hey. It's okay. It's okay." He had said, whispering softly until she had calmed down. They stayed like that, as frozen as statues, for a while.

"I'm so sorry." Annie had said, suddenly and with a few tears in her eyes. "I should go up to bed. I'm sorry."

"I can stay, if you want?" James had replied, naturally. He didn't want to leave her in that state. He'd rather sleep a little uncomfortably in The Common Room than have Annie upstairs, alone and awake.

But she'd shaken her head, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ears. "It's okay. Thank you."

And with that she was gone.

It was the next morning that Remus told James of his cousin's nightmares, how they'd started when she was a kid and had never gone away. It was then that James started to notice the way that Annie's eyes always held a heavy tiredness, even if they sparkled from happiness.

In third year, James had gotten a Quidditch injury. Fell right off of his broom after being hit by a rogue bludger. He had broken his leg; the memory of the pain of the break was still etched into James' soul. Madame Pomfrey had suggested he stay overnight, while the Skele-gro worked its magic and healed James' broken bone.

Annie had been in the stands, cheering him on with a Gryfindor scarf and his spare Quidditch jumper, as it was November and freezing cold. He remembered her loud scream, screaming his name, as he fell. He didn't remember much else.

She was there when he woke up, half-blind and confused. She'd carefully placed his glasses back onto his face, which had been repaired, she'd explained. The world came back into focus, and she came back into focus.

"How long have I been out?" He'd asked her.

"A few hours. Sirius, Remus and Peter were here but Pomfrey kicked them out for being too loud. It's almost dinner."

"Whoa. You've been here this whole time?"

She'd nodded, and James still remembered the way she hugged her arms around herself, still wearing his jumper with his surname printed in big letters on the back. "I wanted to see if you were okay."

James' heart was beating so fast he thought that it might explode.

It wasn't long before Madame Pomfrey came about, letting Annie know that dinner had started and that visiting hours were over.

When Madame Pomfrey walked out of view, Annie turned to James. "I can stay, if you want?" She opened her school bookbag, revealing the invisibility cloak in her hands with a bright smile. "Sirius gave it to me."

Her smile subconsciously made James smile. "S'okay. You need to eat and rest. I'll probably be zonked out from the pain in no time anyway."

The truth is, James wanted nothing more than for Annie to stay. To sit with him, to talk to him, all through the night. He wanted her to be taken care of more. He hadn't failed to notice that her eyes had only gotten heavier in the past months, winter was hitting hard. She deserved to eat until she couldn't eat any more and then sleep the most peaceful sleep known to man.

She did, slowly, get better. By fourth year, she was sleeping more, for longer and more frequently. In fact, she'd started falling asleep anywhere, like a loving cat.

They were in The Common Room one night, talking. Just talking. Before they'd realised it, night had fallen and they were the last two students awake. Eventually, Annie's eyes had drooped, and her head lay on James' chest as her breath steadily evened out.

James had smiled, taking in the picture before him. She was finally sleeping, peacefully without any sign of nightmares.

Wanting her to be more comfortable, James had shuffled around a little, moving his arms to fit under her as he picked her up bridal style. Looking up the stairs to the girls dormitories, he had quickly realised that he couldn't get up there without being blasted down the stairs. Which was how he ended up staring up the stairs of the boys dormitories in heavy debate. Remus was her cousin, and he'd be up there. And so he'd taken her up to his own dorm room, and laid her carefully on his bed. The other Marauders were all fast asleep, Sirius on the end of Remus' bed transformed as Padfoot, as was the norm for the two. Annie didn't stir, and so James took a step back, ready to sleep in Sirius' empty bed for the night.

"James?"

Annie's voice sounded half-asleep, and confused. She wasn't quite sitting up, but she wasn't lying down either. James quietly crouched down next to her, whispering in a low voice.

"It's okay. You fell asleep, I didn't want you to be uncomfortable. I'll be sleeping on the bed over there, just opposite of you."

"Stay with me." She'd mumbled, eyes closing.

"What?"

"Stay with me. Please."

And so he'd stayed.

That night, Remus had told James that Annie only ever slept peacefully when he was around. So he made sure he was around.

The threats surrounding the Wizarding World had only begun to get stronger by their fifth year. Instead of worrying about OWLS and schoolwork, the students at Hogwarts were focusing on the constant loss of life that seemed to be reported in The Daily Prophet, as well as the fear of losing their own life to Voldemort's deadly crusades.

It was why James had ended up in the house of Malfoy one weekend, stood with all of his friends, wand out and shooting spells at Death Eaters, when he should've been safe at school, planning pranks and doing his homework.

Spells had been thrown, in every direction. Chaos was everywhere. James had looked around, watching for any of his friends. He'd hoped that they weren't in any trouble. His head had whipped around, after hearing the familiar sound of Remus Lupin as he shouted spells against Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Protego!" James shouted, and an array of light shot out from his wand, covering Remus in a strong protective Shield.

"James! No!"

He'd looked around, hearing Annie yell for him. Before he knew it, she was running in front of him. Falling into him.

"No! No. No. No." James had fallen over too, catching Annie as she was hit from behind, protecting him. She was unconscious, and bleeding a little on the side of her head.

"Annie. Annie? Anabel? Wake up. Wake up." He'd pleaded, trying to shake her awake. He carefully moved her hair from her face, examining her wound.

"Annie, please. Stay with me. Okay? Wake up. Wake up."

She had woken up, hours later, in the medical wing, after they'd been rescued. She'd been okay, but James would never forget the fear he'd felt when he thought she wouldn't be okay.

It was that day that he knew he'd marry this girl.

The war with Voldemort had only gotten more grave as they'd entered their sixth year at Hogwarts. More and more resistance members had been picked off. Hope was starting to be lost.

James had just left McGonagall's office, everything he had known had been crushed in a matter of seconds. Mcgonagall was in tears herself, dabbing her eyes with a cloth and unable to even make a pot of tea.

When James had given the password and entered The Common Room, it was empty but one person. James had stumbled into her. "Annie."

"Jamie?" She'd said, stroking his hair in comfort. "What's happened?"

"They're gone. They're gone. They're dead. He's killed them. Voldemort's murdered my parents." Hot tears were streaming down his face then, his world torn apart.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Come on, sit with me." She'd guided him to the sofa of The Common Room, and he fell onto it, breathing heavily.

"Stay with me, Anabel. Stay with me."

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

That was the second moment in his life where he knew he was going to marry Anabel Howell.

He'd proposed to her during their last term at Hogwarts, before they took their NEWTS. She'd accepted with a firm "absolutely" and all of the Gryfindors in The Common Room cheered at the joy of good news amongst all of the pain and suffering of the war they'd been subjected to.

They'd gotten married the year after they'd left school, on the lovely spring date of April 5th, 1979. It was one of the happiest days that James had ever experienced, surrounded by his friends, with the promise of a loving future.

Annie had worn his Mother's wedding dress, which had fitted perfectly. James had thanked the beauty of fate that day.

There was but one day that was happier; July 31st 1980. Not even Voldemort could ruin that day.

The deaths of Marlene Mckinnon and Dorcas Meadows had changed everything. The Marauders; ripped apart. Forced into hiding. Forced to grieve and to accept losses. James had cursed the cruelty of fate that day.

And now, it was October 31st, 1981. The gate creaked open, softly, as if the wind had taken it. When the door burst open, James had shot up, ready to storm down the stairs. His wand, abandoned on the table, unreachable.

"James." Annie called. "Jamie."

James looked at her face. Took in her features for the last time. Watched the way one single tear had begun to fall down her cheek.

"I want you to stay."

"I know, love. But I have to go."

And that was the end.

The deaths of Anabel Howell and James Potter happened slowly, but fast.

[valeriansunset]

the tragedy of susan pevensie. susan pevensie, the girl who holds everything at arms length. susan pevensie, the girl who doesn't want to be hurt. to be exposed to the wonders of narnia, for her to fall in love with the beautiful country, to rule with her siblings, to have everything only for it to be ripped away. to have to return to a life where she felt like she was nothing, to be forced to be young again. susan pevensie, who watches the looks on the faces of her brothers and sister, at the awe of being back in narnia. susan pevensie, who can't be happy about returning to narnia because she knows that it will just be ripped away. from queen susan the gentle to just... susan. she isn't suprised when aslan takes her and peter away from the celebration. she isn't suprised when she's told that she can never return to the place of her dreams. all she feels is regret that she let herself fall again, by the wonders of narnia and who she is in narnia. cast out. her last connection to narnia, severed completely. she was forced to return to the other life, to be a schoolgirl instead of a queen. she pushed it all away, refused to feel the pain, refused to accept that she could never go back. thus she refused to believe that narnia was real. too good to be true.

susan pevensie was alone when she got the news of the train crash. and so she was alone forever; until the very day that she died.

and narnia became real then.

[valeriansunset]

HAUNTED .ೃ࿐ THE BAD BATCH

extended summary

tech x oc, crosshair x oc

with two different ocs (no love triangle here)

coming soon!!

ORDER 66 effected many people in many different ways. For LYRA ETHELIA, former Jedi Padawan, she was forced into a life on the run, living in only fragments of her old life, relying on all of the training she had. For TIALI RAHN, former Jedi Padawan turned Inquistor, she was pushed into becoming a pawn to the Empire, hunting those she used to call friends.

Neither Lyra nor Tiali expected to run into The Bad Batch or it's fallen members and become something else entirely.

When Lyra stumbles to Selucami, she is met by a band of clones who she need not fear. They offer her everything, a place on their ship, a home, a chance at family. Everything she'd ever known was gone, but now Lyra had the chance to find love with TECH, the resident genius of The Bad Batch.

When Tiali is given the assignment to hunt down the rogue group of clones and their Jedi companion, she is forced into relucant cooperation with CROSSHAIR, formely of The Bad Batch. Together, they discover the realities of the Empire they'd sworn to serve.

Paths cross in a cruel twist of fate, danger is ever lurking as the Empire looms and The Bad Batch do everything they can to stop it.

CASTLIST

ADELINE RUDOLPH as LYRA ETHELIA

PARIS BERLEC as TIALI RAHN

DEE BRADLEY BAKER as THE BAD BATCH

MICHELLE ANG as OMEGA

NATASHA LIU BORDIZZO as ARYA "SKY" WREN

Keep an eye out for Haunted on Ao3!! (I'll post a link on here too)

This fic links directly to my Anakin Fic, Archangel, which is also coming soon! I'm hoping to post Haunted after Archangel has it's entire Act One posted!

I just wanted to introduce Lyra and Tiali now, as well as their faceclaims!!

The OC Sky belongs to my good friend, @saturnsokas, who is very kindly letting me use Sky in Haunted!! I can't wait for her to be besties with Lyra 🫶🫶. Make sure to check out her Tumblr for all of her amazing fics!!

[valeriansunset]

Archangel .ೃ࿐ Anakin Skywalker

extended summary

anakin skywalker x oc

coming soon!!

AURORA DELESTE is sunshine, the rising sun, the setting sun, the sunlight that shines through curtains in the morning, the bright shimmer of daylight that nurtures every living being and the bright heat that warms the air like a hug.

ANAKIN SKYWALKER is a fallen angel, desperate for love and for light, clinging onto every piece of hope he can find so that he doesn't fall desperately into dark, terrified of ghosts and what lurks in the darkness if he ventures in alone.

Anakin Skywalker finds his light in Aurora Deleste, his fellow Padawan in the order, his lifeline in a person.

Aurora Desleste finds her heart in Anakin Skywalker, her fellow Padawan in the order, her lifeline in a person.

So soon after they were knighted, war tears through their peaceful serenity, pushing children to become warriors and testing every warrior who steps on the front lines. Anakin and Aurora fight for themselves, for their Padawans, for their soldiers, for their love. New discoveries about themselves, new powers unlocked, and a future that seems set in stone.

Why does it seem the universe is hellbent on destroying everything they held dear?

CASTLIST

FLORENCE PUGH as AURORA DELESTE

HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN as ANAKIN SKYWALKER

EWAN MCGREGOR as OBI-WAN KENOBI

NATALIE PORTMAN as PADMÉ AMIDALA

KRISTEN DUNST as DOROTHEA XANTHOS

SAMUEL L JACKSON as MACE WINDU

ASHLEY ECKSTEIN as AHSOKA TANO

FREDDIE PRINZIE JR as CALEB DUME

ADELINE RUDOLPH as LYRA ETHELIA

Keep a lookout for Archangel on Ao3 (I'll also post links here)!!

I'm still in the process of writing, once I finish my Attack of The Clones plot, I will start to post weekly as I work on my Clone Wars plot!

I just wanted to post this summary to introduce Aurora and this fic!

[valeriansunset]

if i had a nickel for every time Deke Shaw was thrown into a time period he knew very little about and took a year long hiatus from regular SHIELD activity to start a fun successful business built on plagiarism, i’d have two nickels. which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.

[valeriansunset]

It was night when you died, my firefly.

Satine Kryze & son!oc

(Implied) Obi-Wan Kenobi x Satine Kryze

SUMMARY: A’den Achilles-Kryze’s childhood ended the day he watched his mother die.

WARNINGS: Major Character Death, Angst, Violence & Injury.

WORD COUNT: 1.2k

A/N: I posted A’den’s fic on ao3 and wanted to share this future scene as it lives rent free in my head and I’m actually proud of it. I hope you enjoy 🤍 More on A’den and his background at the end!

Inspired by Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens.

⠀⁺ 　　 ˚

⠀⠀⠀⠀. * 　.　　 ✦ ⠀ . 　⁺ ⠀.　⁺ 　　 ˚

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀. * 　　.　⠀⠀⠀ ✦ ⠀ . 　⁺

Sundari was in chaos and A’den didn’t know what to do.

They had nearly escaped — they were so close — but Maul had trapped them again. Maul. With his haunting amber gaze and towering metal legs, the former Sith would follow A’den in his sleep for years to come. A’den wasn’t even sure where Talya was anymore (she was with Auntie Bo when they broke him and Satine out of their prison cell, but they were separated after Satine sent her message to Master Kenobi) — was she safe?

Violet was clinging to A’den’s hand like she would never let him go. She wouldn’t lose him. Not now, not ever. It had been months since A’den had last seen his big sister and he knew a lot had changed — the spark that lived in Violet’s bright eyes, the spark that gave him hope, had been extinguished.

Maul’s loyalists had tried to separate the siblings (the young Jedi General and the little Prince of Mandalore), but they stuck together. Bound like beskar. Violet had valiantly fought back against anyone who tried to take her brother away, until the Mandalorians in their fierce red armour ceded. Now they walked behind Obi-Wan as they were dragged back to the palace. Back home. A’den’s life had been spent running through these halls, and now Maul had taken it away. Anger boiled in A’den’s starbright veins. But what could he do? He was a twelve year old boy who hadn’t even held a blaster before. He was powerless and he hated it.

Obi-Wan and Violet were kicked to their knees when they were brought before Maul. The red Zabrak sat across the throne, flanked by his brother who was even more formidable and terrifying. Newly reinstated Prime Minister Almec stood by the throne. He was surrounded by traitors. A’den hated them all.

A’den watched his mother. He had never seen her more despondent. Satine had been forced to the ground by Maul’s feet, her blonde hair curled in front of her eyes making her look even more vulnerable. A’den wanted to call out to her, wanted her to look at him and promise everything was going to be okay. Violet read his emotions and squeezed his hand a little tighter.

“Your noble flaw is a weakness shared by you and your Duchess,” Maul taunted as he watched Obi-Wan directly. He raised a hand to use the Force to constrict the air around Satine’s throat.

Satine gasped for breath, clawing at the invisible hand around her neck. “Mom!” A’den called out to her, he tried to reach out to her but one of Maul’s loyalists dragged him back and forced him closer to the ground.

“I had hoped your old friend would be here,” Maul continued, rising to his feet. “Ilara, was it?” (Violet clenched her hand tightly around A’den’s and gritted her teeth. That wound was still fresh too.) “She was there at the beginning, it would have made sense for her to join her at the end. A pity that you couldn’t save her either.”

A’den peered at Obi-Wan. He looked empty, unable to meet Maul’s gaze.

“You should have joined the dark side, Master Jedi.” Maul walked further, tugging Satine through the air after him. “Your emotions betray you. Your fear, and, yes, your anger. Let your anger deepen your hatred.”

Maul’s words met A’den like fuel on a flame. He moved to try and fight, but the same one of the loyalists (or traitors, as A’den would have rather called them) gripped onto him between his shoulder and the back of his neck to restrain him better.

Satine could see her son struggling, the fear in his eyes. “A’den, i-it’s okay. Don’t fight—”

Maul tightened his grip and growled at her to be quiet.

“You can kill me, but you will never destroy me,” Obi-Wan stated. His voice was level and calm. “It takes strength to resist the dark side. Only the weak embrace it.”

For the first time, Maul’s gaze lingered on the siblings before snapping back to Obi-Wan. “It is more powerful than you know.”

“And those who oppose it are more powerful than you’ll ever be. I know where you’re from, I’ve been to your village,” Obi-Wan continued. “I know the decision to join the dark side wasn’t yours.”

“And what about the decisions made for them?” Maul snarled and pointed at Violet and A’den. “You are the reason they are here now. What happens next is on you. It is your burden to carry. You think you know me? It was I who languished for years thinking of nothing but my revenge. On you and all those who came between me. I never planned on killing you, Kenobi. But I will make you share my pain.”

What happened next came almost too quickly for A’den to comprehend. He noticed the Darksaber in Maul’s hand too late. Maul pulled Satine forwards and impaled her on the midnight blade. He let her body fall to the ground, tiny trails of smoke leaving her gaping wound. A’den screamed.

He lurched forward, tearing through everyone trying to hold him back, and fell by his mother’s side. Obi-Wan was a split second behind him and drew Satine into his arms. When she saw her son, Satine raised her hands to cup his face.

“Ad’ika,” she whispered. Satine coughed, lips bloody and trembling for breath. “Be strong. Be brave.”

A’den’s body shook, emotion tearing him apart. His eyes were glassy, sobs threatening to escape him. Violet came to him, pulling his small frame into her arms to cradle him.

“Do something!” he cried to the Jedi beside him. “Help her! Please.”

“Obi-Wan, look after him. Promise me you’ll keep him safe.” Satine found the strength to hold A’den in one hand and Obi-Wan in the other as she let tears escape her.

Obi-Wan nodded. “I promise.”

Satine’s lips moved to the words “I love you” before her body fell limp in Obi-Wan’s arms and she exhaled one last time.

A’den felt like he could tear the world apart. He slipped through Violet’s grasp and clung to his mother, sobbing and begging for her to come back. He wanted to scream until his throat was raw, until the stars sent his mother back home.

It took three of Maul’s loyalists to drag him away from his mother’s body, and he still did not go quietly. Maul ordered for them to be taken back to the prison but A’den couldn’t leave.

Who would tuck him into bed even though he was too old for it? Who would sit with him when he was sick and couldn’t get out of bed? Who would love him in the middle of the night when the world was asleep he was scared? Who would teach him everything he didn’t yet know about the world? Who would he go to when he had an achievement to share? Who would sit with him and ask how his day was?

(A part of A’den died with his mother that day. Childhood innocence burned away, leaving behind embers struck for revenge. How many more people would he lose before his love burns him alive?)

More about A’den:

Introduction.

DIES IRAE. (Multichapter, long fic)

Playlist.

[valeriansunset]

when she was young, daisy johnson was alone. found on a doorstep, had a name randomly chosen for her. she flitted from orphanage to orphanage, city to city. she was never good at making friends. matt was the closest to a friend she had, when she was 9 and he was 11. he had gone blind trying to save someone, he had told her. ever since that day, she had been obsessed with heroes. he helped her choose the name skye. skye was more personal, it was more her than mary-sue ever was. like everyone else, matt had been taken away from her. adopted. she was alone again. she went from family to family, foster home to foster home. she was never the right fit. the ache she felt in her very bones was never taken away, her longing for a home never left. she began to skip school, her grades slipping but her brain sharpening: using every resource around her to teach herself how to hack, how to find her parents. her family. and yet, her parents were just another disappointment. taken away from her because of their own choices. the only thing they'd left in their path of heartbreak was a name. daisy johnson. still, her heart ached for a home, for family, for belonging.

and then, one day, it clicked. sitting with her teammates, sharing drinks and stories, she realised. her family had been all around her. she had just needed to find it. and she had found the best of the bunch.

daisy smiled.

[valeriansunset]

The Unforgiving Waves

Nora Reid x Reader

SUMMARY: Nora Reid leaves behind a great love when she disappears into the waters.

WORD COUNT: 952

It was fast, but slow at the same time.

Rachel had wanted to just… think. In the water, away from everyone. In peace and tranquillity.

Martha saw it first.

When she screamed it was like I had lost my hearing.

There was something in the water.

Rachel couldn’t see it. Couldn’t hear it.

Leah was screaming too, but it wasn’t about the shark.

She was shouting Nora’s name. It felt vindictive, it sounded hurt. It sounded angry.

Nora wasn’t listening. She was breaking out into a run. She was going after her sister.

I let her name explode from my lungs. It was too dangerous. Leah was breaking out into a run towards the camp.

I screamed Nora’s name again. She didn’t hesitate, she just threw herself into the water. She didn’t care about the danger. She only cared about Rachel.

I tried to move my feet, to run after Nora. To run after the girl who was a stranger to me three weeks ago. The girl who brightened up my life. Things were so much less bleak when she was there, beside me. Always drawing, writing, keeping up with the dates and tracking our time on the island. She drew me and she made me love myself. She took so much care with it, drawing all of my features with such love I couldn’t help but think of them differently. Better. I tried to move my feet. She had already gotten to Rachel, pulling and tugging at her sister.

Instead, I collapsed. I couldn’t help her, she was too far out. I couldn’t see. The water was moving in calculated waves, selfish and unmerciful. I didn’t feel myself hit the ground. Dot already had her arms around me, trying to hold me up. I couldn’t move. I screamed for Nora again, hot tears falling as Fatin dropped in place at my side, holding her hands on my arms. I struggled in my grip. I had to get myself up, I had to get into the water. I could hear her struggling. I couldn’t tell if it was Rachel or Nora screaming.

Toni and Shelby had made it to shore, pulling one of them out of the water. Dot carefully let me go to help them. Fatin still held a steady grip on me, as I sobbed in fear and desperation and pain and out of the unfulfilled desire to just get off this fucking island. I couldn’t breathe. I called out for Nora again. I needed to see her smile again, her true smile that she had when she was making a joke, or drawing pictures of me. I needed to hear her laugh again, like when I attempted to draw her and it failed astronomically. Fatin was stroking my hair, whispering something to me. I couldn’t hear.

It was Rachel. They had pulled Rachel out of the water.

I wriggled out of Fatin’s grip and stumbled over to the shore.

I screamed for Nora. Once. Twice. Three times. Four times.

Martha pulled me into a hug, tears streaming out of her own eyes.

Behind me, I could hear screaming. I could hear Dot scrambling around for something. I could hear Shelby reciting comforting words. I could hear Fatin gasping. Martha still had a grip on me, stopping me from doing anything drastic. I could hear Toni swearing, her breath shaky. I could even hear Leah running over. I could hear Rachel screaming in pain.

But I couldn’t hear Nora.

Heavy sobs took over, and my whole body shook as I turned. The water was still again.

Rachel had lost a hand.

And Nora was gone.

Her smile was gone, her laugh. Her artistic talent. Her ability to diffuse a situation with an unfunny joke that still managed to make everyone laugh. Her fierce protectiveness. The water had taken her. The water had taken, with no remorse. Her curly hair, with red ends that I had loved so much. Her eyes, and how they were always observing and taking in information at a million miles a minute. The water had taken her hopes, her dreams. How she wanted to be something one day. The water had taken her memories, the games she used to play with her parents, the books she used to read. All of the information that she had stored in her head, information that I was fascinated with. Information she used to tell me, sitting in the dark for hours and hours talking about anything that came across their minds. The water had taken her fears. That she’d never repair her relationship with Rachel.

The water had stolen Nora Reid from me.

It was days later, and nothing had been the same. Rachel didn’t move from her spot at camp, staring into the blank horizon. The rest of the girls were trying to stick to some kind of normality.

It was Fatin, who suggested I write it all down in this book. She thought it would help me let go, help me move on.

I just feel more lost.

Without her, this notebook is just a notebook. It wasn’t magical anymore. It had no spirit, no personality.

I flipped back to Nora’s first drawing of me. Back then. It wasn’t that long ago, not really. It felt like years ago. It was the drawing that made me fall in love with her. Not the sappy, teenage faux love. I could see her, the true her. And she could see me.

The tears fell again. They hadn’t really stopped.

I brushed my hand over the drawing and closed my eyes.

Little did I know, Nora Reids was watching me. Through a little screen. Tears trickled out of her own eyes.

[valeriansunset]

The Training Facility

Luke Skywalker x Ezra Bridger

SUMMARY: Luke Skywalker has never been good at making friends. Until he meets Ezra Bridger.

WORD COUNT: 1.07k

Luke swung his padawan braid behind him, still getting used to the odd feeling of the tail-like braid against his neck. Today was finally the day that his parents let him and his sister take the next step in force training. Not that Anakin needed as much convincing then Padme, forever concerned about the well-being of her reckless children - and husband. In Luke’s defence, Leia was more the type to go ahead and do something rash, but his sister had the impressive ability to manage to drag Luke into trouble.

Speaking of Leia, she was striving ahead, ready to meet up with her new Master and the twin's toygrota Aunt, Ahsoka Tano, for her first taste of training. Ahsoka was the perfect master for Leia, both similar in personality and lightsaber formations. The council was wary, at first, of having people close to the twins become their mentors. The idea that the Jedi were now allowed to have attachments - healthy attachments - was still new, only changing once Luke’s father managed to get the upper hand on the hidden Sith Lord, Palpatine, and revealed his secret relationship with Luke’s mother, Senator Padme Amidala. However, the council eventually caved, not allowing Anakin to train his children but the two Jedi closest to him. Aunt Ahsoka and Uncle Obi-Wan. The latter decided to take things slower with Luke than Ahsoka is with Leia, tasking him with the difficulty of getting to know the other Padawans in the order.

It’s not that Luke didn’t necessarily know the other Jedi his age. He often prefered to spend his time in the library or fixing droids with his father or shadowing his mother as newly-elected Chancellor. It was much easier than making new friends for himself - most people he knew were through his sister, always the opposite. Thus here he was, in the midst of the training room. No library, no father, no mother, no master, no sister to help him break the ice.

Fifteen years old and absolutely no socialising skills. Luke was sure that Jedi needed to know how to talk to the general public during missions.

Luckily for Luke, he didn’t have to make much of an effort. The slow buzz of the safety-first training lightsabers provided a nice amount of background noise that Luke didn't have to zone in on any particular conversation. Luke settled on watching a battle between two Padawans he was sure he vaguely recognized.

The fight didn’t last long, one of the two boys clearly had the upper hand, his blueberry-like hair matching those from the planet Lothal. Luke remembered a trip there he had taken with his mother a few years ago - a diplomatic mission that the council had approved the twins to go on. A learning experience, as Padme so kindly put it. Luke was lucky his mother was so skilled at debate.

The boy had a green lightsaber, the same colour as Luke’s own weapon. He used a skilled strategy to gain the upper hand, tripping the other boy over, lightsaber discarded. Luke couldn’t help but wonder which Jedi Knight was this Padawan’s master. If anyone, Luke assumed they would be friends with Luke’s father - the strategy displayed seemed like something that would appeal to Anakin Skywalker. It was especially similar to Luke and Leia’s secret sessions with him - yet another secret from the council, of course.

‘’Like what you see?’’

Luke looked up, startled at being interrupted from his thoughts. It was the boy with the blueberry hair, who sat facing him. A small smirk was building on his face.

‘’I was only trying to figure out where I’ve seen that fighting style before. I can’t place it’’ Luke replied, trying not to make eye contact. He almost wished he spent more time around his peers. He couldn’t imagine Leia ever slipping up on a face. She had this uncanny ability to remember obscure details about people. However annoying it seemed to Luke over the years, it felt very useful now.

‘’Probably from my master. Caleb Dume.’’ The boy said, spinning his deactivated lightsaber around his fingers and tossing it in the air. Luke was glad for something to focus on other than the boys piercing eyes. ‘’I know you.’’

‘’Everyone seems to, unfortunately’’. Being the son of the famed star-crossed lovers of the republic came with a lot of unprecedented recognition. It’s not that Luke hated it, but it always seemed to be the case that a lot more people knew Luke than Luke knew them. He was always afraid of accidentally forgetting the name of some senator who knew his mother and making a fool of himself. ‘’Caleb Dume? I know him, he is friends with my Aunt- well, my sister's master, Ahsoka Tano. You know, that makes a lot of sense. I think I remember Leia mentioning you, you're-’

‘Ezra Bridger’

‘‘Right.’’ Luke didn’t think he should mention that Leia had once gone on a rant to him about Ezra’s fighting style - ‘unpredictable and absolutely no formation’. Luke also didn’t think he should tell Ezra that he had defended him to his sister - ‘But isn’t that a smart move, enemies can pick up the Jedi moves. Somehow, Luke didn’t think that was a good conversation starter.

‘’Your sister? Leia Skywalker right?’’ Ezra continued. ‘’How come I never see you around? I almost thought Leia was completely making up this twin brother of hers.’’

Luke smiled at the idea of Leia telling stories about her and Luke. Hopefully, it’ll make it easier to bridge the gap between himself and the other kids here.

‘’I guess I don’t get out too much.’’ Luke chuckled. ‘’I am not very good at making friends without Leia around.’’

Ezra raised his eyebrows, standing up with another spin of his lightsaber. ‘’Oh really, what do you think just happened? Come on, lets duel.’’ He held out his hand expectantly.

Luke frowned. That was… surprisingly easy? Ezra seemed to easy going, ready to talk to anyone. It was almost comical, the way he was the exact opposite of Luke. Then, the feeling of relief washed over him. Luke could tell Uncle Obi-Wan all about this encounter. His careful Uncle may let him take further steps in his training now. Well, what was even better than pleasing Obi-Wan was having someone to talk to in the training room. Luke may even end up enjoying going down to the recreational Padawan areas.

Luke took Ezra’s hand.

[valeriansunset]

masterlist

fics, oneshots and essays

currently for: star wars, modern family, agents of shield and other unspecified fandoms

star wars

oneshots

the training facility; skybridger (ao3) (tumblr)

luke skywalker has never been good at making friends. until he meets ezra bridger.

multi-part fics

archangel; anakin skywalker x oc

extended summary

haunted; tech x oc, crosshair x oc

extended summary

agents of shield

multi-part fics

battle scars (ao3) (wattpad)

rory micheals is a special case shield agent, taken in as a baby, specially trained by agents may and coulson, after an accident that killed her parents. she begins to uncover secrets and lies hidden within shield. secrets that would undo everything any shield agent had ever worked on. as the years go on, more secrets are uncovered and the world that shield is fighting to protect only grows wider.

modern family

essays

luke dunphy: a character study

alex dunphy: a character study

lily tucker-pritchett: a character study

other fandoms

the wilds

the unforgiving waves: nora reid x reader (ao3) (tumblr)

Nora Reid leaves behind a great love when she disappears into the waters.

the marauders

i can stay, if you'd like; james potter x oc (ao3) (tumblr)

A series of times that James Potter wanted Annie Howell to stay, the times Annie Howell wanted James Potter to stay, and the time that neither of them could stay