Matchmaker

Matchmaker

↬ fem! jedi! reader x Nightsister Merrin ♥

✧ Genre: fluff

✧ Warnings: none flirty merrin

<3 author’s note: I love Merrin sm and wanted to make something for her as I don't see much out there for her :)

✧ Summary: You had joined the Mantis Crew a month or so before Cal, prevously hiding after Order 66 as a worker on Coruscant where you studied Dathomir. Now, as Cal finishes his quest from Dathomir, he heads back to the ship with Merrin, where you await them…

The door to the Mantis slid open, two pairs of feet echoing like alarms on the hard ramp. You startled from your seat on the peach toned couch as Cal came into view, holding the object you were hoping he would, the Astrium.

“You found it.” Cere said softly, a hopeful tone in her voice. 

“We can open the tomb on Bogano.” Your voice came out like a breath of release, astonishment and possibility swimming through your eyes and in your head. 

“Oh, well who's this?” Greeze questioned grumpily, glaring up at the figure dressed in red stood next to Cal. You hadn’t even noticed her at first, her presence startling you and the rest of the crew. Your focus had been too strong on the small, dainty object in Cal’s hands. He was holding it like it was all the galaxy, like it was a fragile star. 

You finally took your eyes from the object to see…she had white hair tied in a relaxed bun on the back of her head, a loose strand at the front hanging from her head. Her skin was a cool, light gray, complimenting her dark lips. Tattoos, or markings of some sort framed her face like a painting. 

Beep! BD-1 chirped. 

She’s coming along… 

“What's that supposed to mean?” Greez asked, crossing his arms.

It means I’ll be joining you,” the figure spoke, with a deadpan voice. It was the first time you noticed the darker shades of gray painted in shapes on her and hands that matched the ones on her face. It was quite pretty, you had to admit, and definitely intriguing. 

You were livid with anger when Cere advised Cal go on this mission on his own. You had been studying Dathomir and the Nightsisters (and brothers) for years. But of course, the Mantis was out of rations. It had been a miserable day without food until you landed on the red, hazy planet. 

You knew of every plant, creature, what to eat, what not to, where to step…so you stayed near the ship, gathering supplies and guiding Cal over your comms through the dark corners and paths of Dathomir. 

But now, a living Nightsister stood, in the flesh, in front of you. 

“Cere, Greez, Y/N, this is Merrin.”

“She's a witch, isn't she?” Greez spoke, words shaky. Before you could correct him, the newcomer beat you to it. 

“A Nightsister. Your fear is unnecessary.” Her voice was calm and stable, like each word she said was a fact. 

“I couldn't have gotten the Astrium without her. We fought Malicos together,” Cal explained. “I trust her.”

“And we trust you,” Cere spoke. “You,” she looked at Merrin, caution in her eyes, “will have to earn it.”

“Okay…fine.” Greez grumbled. “Grab some seat! as long as she doesn't try anything funny.”

“Welcome aboard.” Cere said in a more approving voice, walking past Merrin. 

Cal tilted his head to the side, hands on his hips as he turned to the Nightsister. He seemed to pick up on your lingering eyes on the girl, looking at you once before turning back to Merrin. “I think they like you.”

You turned your head quickly to the droid sitting next to you, Cal smirking at you as Merrin sat on the couch not too far from yourself. “Be-be-beep!”

Her forehead scrunched as she leaned down towards the droid. “I don't know what you're saying.”

Cal laughed, strutting to the front of the ship where your crewmates sat. Of course he would leave you with her.

You sat for a moment, trying to build up some confidence to talk to Merrin. You had so many questions for her. What was it like living on Dathomir? How did her magick work, exactly? How did it work off-world? How was she still—

BD-1 bumped your arm with his small head, repeating what he had just asked Merrin, signaling you to translate. 

“He says he likes your tattoos.”

She looked at you, squinting her eyes in confusion. He beeped again. You couldn't help yourself, and you laughed.

“What is funny?”

“He said you guys are matching.” Merrin peered down at her crimson clothing and white skin, before deciding to say, “I guess we are. Your name is…”

“Y/N.” She nodded once. “Merrin.”

“Um… have you ever been off-world?”

“Off of Dathomir? No. I stayed with my people all my life.” You weren’t sure what to say.

“I’m sorry about what happened.”

“Don’t be. The Jedi are not responsible.” 

“I lost all my friends and family too. Well…except for Cal, I guess. But I didn’t meet him until after…

“The Jedi purge.”

You looked at her with crinkled brows and almost spoke when she continued, “Yes, Cal Kestis told me all about what happened. I…understand what you went through.” 

You nodded, a smile finding its way to your lips.

“You learn to make a new family when you lose your first one,” you said. “Everyone here is pretty great. Well, Greez not all the time, but…he’ll warm up.

She nodded, peering over you. 

“Cal tells me you were studying Dathomir’s culture and the planet.” 

Of-kriffing-course he did.

“Oh, yes…I um, did for a few years on Coruscant, helping mainly with writing about the culture and the Nightsisters.”

“Well I would like to read your work and see if it is true.”

“I don’t have any of the writings with me…”

“Oh. Of course,” Merrin whispered.

You looked at your lap, a blush crawling over your cheeks and you second guessed your past job on Coruscant. Maker, you hoped for your sake that it was all factual.

“Why does your face look like that?”

“What?” You gasped.

“It seems you have something you want to ask…am I wrong?”

“No, I just…I didn’t study Dathomir for more than four years and I…

“Would you like to learn more?” She looked at you accusingly, but almost playful. You nodded, not trusting your voice. 

Merrin took the lead, pulling out a sharp, jagged glossy half sphere. It looked like a piece out of the moon.

“I’m sure you understand that Nightsisters use magick and the NIghtbrothers do not, and that we rule over them.”

You nodded again, BD nodding as well as he watched the green glow from Merrin’s spherical object.

“Our magick uses the force but is different from Jedi. I can disappear and reappear at will, move objects, and can even reanimate—

“The dead,” you finished. “Sorry.”

“Do not apologize. You know a lot about Nightsisters. I’m impressed.” Merrin stood up, walking over leisurely yet swiftly up a few steps to the Mantis’ terrarium. She moved like smoke, graceful and satisfying. 

“Hm. You found bleeding gut and mushlings.”

“Yeah, Greez likes to keep the plants behind the glass but I’m hoping, since we left Dathomir, that he’ll let me sneak my hand in there every now and them for mushlings to use with our meals.”

 Merrin leaned in closer to the terrarium over your shoulder. She stood a few inches taller than you, her face closer to yours than almost anyone’s had ever been. 

“Hey you two! We’re landing soon, grab some seat.” Greez’s voice nearly made you jump, Merrin having no reaction. She stepped back to the couch, this time the one closer to the cockpit where the rest of the crew sat. 

You sat next to her, BD jumping over the holotable to join Cal in the front.

“This ship possesses fascinating technology,” Merrin stated.

“The Mantis is…” you leaned over to peer into the pilot area, your heart warming for your now family. “Wonderful.”

The ship jolted as you went through some turbulence, Greez muttering an apology as Cere teased his flying skills. 

Both your hands flew to the seat below you, preparing to hold on, when your right one caught a cold hand, the woman attached to it looked at you through long, pretty, dark lashes.

You let go, muttering an apology. You were sure your face was as deeply red as her clothing.

Merrin tilted her head, squinting her eyes as she studied you. 

“You are quite easy to startle, Y/N.” Your name rolled off her tongue through her accent like the ocean’s on Kamino. It made your face flush. And you breathed out a shaky breath. The ship landed, and the shaking stopped, the clicking of seatbelts letting you know it was okay to stand up. 

“I…”

“It is alright. It has been a long time since I’ve had a…”

Merrin’s entrancing brown eyes fluttered down to her hand, which ghosted over yours. 

You kept it in place, as her black painted nails led her soft fingers to interlance with yours. 

Cal came from the cockpit, the same look of excitement plastered on his face before he went on any adventure - but it was swiftly replaced with a smug one. His eyes darted over your hands once as he lifted his eyebrows at you as he smirked, jogging past you and through the ships doors with his small droid on his back.

Your comm sounded as his complacent voice came through your ear, “I knew you two would get along.”

Practice

↬ Luke Skywalker x reader ♥

anon: hello 👋🏼 may i request a luke skywalker x fem!reader with fluff? could it be about luke showing the reader how to use his lightsaber and while training, reader accidentally trips and falls into luke’s arms and they share a kiss? tysm ♥️”

✧ Genre: fluff!!!

✧ Warnings: none

✧ Word Count: >1k

↬ intended for fem! reader (but could also be read as gender neutral)

<3 author’s note: im finally getting through most of my asks! if you havent seen yours yet, anon or not, it will be out soon :)

“I believe you’re ready.”

“To try with the…” Your eyes trailed up the emerald beam of light the Jedi stood in front of you held. Each time he’d shown you how to use the weapon, you’d been extremely eager to get your hands on the real thing. You were sick of using a beat-up old staff as a replacement. But the moment he offered you the item he wielded so graceful and effortlessly, you couldn't believe what you were hearing.

“Luke, I can’t—”

“Come here.” 

He moved your hands towards his saber, his fingers carefully ghosting over your arms. “See? It’s not that heavy.” You could feel the energy from his teasing smile behind you.

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” You said laughing. 

“I know.” He gave you a warm, comforting gaze as you looked to his eyes for guidance the Jedi was certain you didn’t need.

“You’ve got it. Just,” he stepped close again, “feel it in your hand, try waving it around.”

He backed away this time, hands intertwined behind his back as he focused on you.

The pressure on your shoulders felt like two Hutts sat on them, though you knew Luke didn’t care what the outcome was, or at least wouldn’t judge you.

You began oscillating it around silly, getting a feel for the weight of it in your hands. You gripped it harshly with your dominant hand, waving the saber around like a child admiring their new toy on Christmas. 

You could almost feel Luke’s eyes burning holes into you as they pondered over your movements. You froze, words stumbling out of your trembling lips as you stuttered, “I’m not a Jedi, Luke, are you sure this is okay?”

He laughed lightly, backing away further as he allowed you to try what you have been practicing. 

“Just don’t chop your hand off, please.”

You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help the smile on your face.

You began twirling the saber and dragging it down every now and then, as if you were really striking something.Once you felt comfortable, you let the blade drop to your right side, then your left, your grip on the hilt never waving as glowing green spun through the air around you. 

You almost were starting to get cocky, but were more concerned with the extremely dangerous object in your hand than impressing Luke.

But you were doing quite well, that was until a small dent in the floor disrupted your flow…and balance. 

Luke’s gloved hand reached out directly for the saber. It flew towards him and he gripped it steadily, turning it off as you fell. You would’ve fallen straight onto the saber like a piece of meat on a barbeque skewer if it wasn’t for his quick reflexes and use of the Force. He even had time to grab your waist with his other hand, neither yourself or the saber touching the ground. 

His face hovered over yours, closer than it had ever been. The only thing that separated your faces was the thick air that was making your face feel hot. 

You expected the Jedi to be scowling, or most likely to have a knowing look of disapproval on his face - one that said, “Don’t try to prove yourself to me again or something like that will happen next time, too.” And similar words were on the edge of his tongue. But you were so close…

He could smell the perfume on your neck and could feel your breath tickling his face. From your position, the sounds of others training and the rushing of waterfalls in the temple were fading like the twin suns on Tatooine at night. All you could focus on were his bright, stone colored eyes. The ones that told you a thousand words and seemed to hold all the light in the galaxy inside. 

His eyes danced over your face and landed on your lips. He blinked a few times before you did the same, closing the gap between you both.

It was sudden yet the timing felt perfect. Your eyes both shut as your senses focused elsewhere. His mouth was velvety, and you both felt like your lips were burning. It was warm like a fire, and soft like the jedi robes you were now clinging to. 

Luke pulled away as air was pulling in through his nose, you breathing with an open mouth. You stood up right and cleared your throat.

“So,” your breath was uneven, your fingers finding the edge of your shirt very interesting as you continued, “if I fall again like that, will I get the same treatment, Skywalker?”

He rolled his eyes as you let out a shaky laugh, like he had been holding his breath, or composure - you weren't sure. 

He clipped his saber onto his belt, peering up at you through his eyelashes, a smug look on his face as he spoke. “Until next time.”

Calentines Day ♡

 ↬ Cal Kestis x Fem!Reader

✧ Genre: FLUFF

✧ Word count: 1.1k

✧ Warnings: None! just cute stuff :)

<3 author’s note: this is something I just whipped up really fast last night for Valentine’s day, so there many be a couple spelling errors. Hope you enjoy regardless! Have a wonderful monday ❀ :)

✧ Summary: You told your Jedi boyfriend what Valentine's Day was. He doesn’t really understand. Or so you thought...

"What's it called again? Valley time...day?"

You scrunch your nose. "Valentine's day?"

"Yes! That. So...what does that have to do with me again?"

You were walking slowly behind Cal, holding his shoulders as you guided him forward on the Mantis' cold steel floor, hoping he didn't trip on the way. He was blind folded, a small maroon peice of fabric obscuring his vision. All he could make out was a deep shade of red whenever he tried opening his eyes.

You had just landed on Bogano - which Cal was still unaware of. He breathed in as you two stepped off the Mantis.

"Hm. It smells like...am I allowed to guess?"

You smacked his shoulder lightly. He laughed.

"I'll take that as a no."

-♡-

"Okay. Just, stay right there," you said, fixing your hair and playing with your fingers. You wanted everything to be perfect for the boy that had seemed to bring you endless and loyal joy like the sun itself. You shuffled around a bit longer as Cal's hands went on his hips. BD was back on the ship, though you swear you could hear his beeping from the door at the sight you created.

You stepped lightly so you were right in front of Cal, peeking behind your shoulder one last time to make sure everything looked okay. Not okay. Perfect.

You smiled lightly as you reached behind his soft head of hair, untying the burgany cloth from his face.

His eyes opened delicately, blinking a few times as they adjusted to the orange hues of the sun setting on Bogano.

Long, thin green plants and grass seemed to sorround the soft, white blanket on the ground, a bottle of Cal's favorite drink from back home sat on the dirt beside it, and a woven picnic basket sat overflowing on the blanket. Inside were his favorite candies, snacks, and some gorgeous purple flowers You'd brought back from Zeffo. They were his favorite.

His eyes opened wide at the sight, floating from his favorite items to a small pink box on the left, tied nicely with a bow - then to the right, candles of all sizes flickering in the still, warm, air, letting go of a soft scent that smelled like you.

His eyes were wide, as was his mouth. He walked over carefully as he took it in.

"Y/N...This is wonderful."

You blushed, and he turned around to face you, nothing how you stood still in place, looking at him sweetly as your fingers fiddled with each other.

"Well c'mon you gotta join me!" He reached for your hands and led you to the blanket, giggling, causing you to do the same.

You both sat and ate, drank, and laughed, Cal inching closer to you each moment if it was even possible. You leaned on his shoulder, gazing at the sun as the sky turned to pinks and deep purples.

'Oh, before I forget." You reached for the pink box, handing it to Cal.

"What's this?"

You watched giddily as he rotated the present, staring at you as if he was trying to read your mind. Oh Maker. Maybe he really was.

"Don't do that thing, Cal, or I'll take the present back!"

He laughed again, focusing all of his senses on a rose pink colored box in his hands.

He unraveled the white ribbon tying it together and lifted the lid.

"You're kidding."

He lifted up a piece of pink fabric that would so well drape over his shoulders as did the other god-knows-how-many ponchos in his closet.

The next thing you knew you were getting tackled to the ground in a bone crushing hug.

"I love it."

Cal lifted himself off of you after awhile, taking off the red poncho he wore before. It was his effort of committing to this 'Valentines' holiday you seemed so excited about. He hoped you liked it, but he was even more happy to be wearing one you got him.

"Did you make this?"

You nodded shyly, proud of your work but hoping he enjoyed it as much as you did.

He gave you a single heartfelt smile before leaning into you.

"I love it, sweet girl."

He planted a kiss on your lips with his soft ones, holding you like he never wanted to let go.

He pulled away slowly as you two savored the heartfelt moment. You swear you could see hearts in the clouds along the deep-pink skyline as your cheeks matched the lovely color.

"I got you something too. BD!"

The small droid came scurrying down to the two of you, two small hearts on both wires pointing up from his head.

"Aw, he looks adorable," you cooed, as the droid booped cutely at you.

"Well..." Cal spoke, looking at his small friend.

"Open up."

A small container on the side of BD-1's head slid out, a tiny red box inside.

Cal picked it up gently, closing the compartment and handing it to you.

"Cal...you didn't have to..."

"Oh don't be ridiculous. You really think I wouldn't get you anything."

"I mean you don't know too much about 'Valley time day."

The jedi scoffed, before saying, "I'm a fast learner."

"That you a..." You'd opened the box. inside, a small, beautiful ring sat delicately in the black velvet. It was silver and spotless, cold to the touch. But the best part about it was the sparkling piece of light blue that sat in the center of it. It was gorgeous - shimmering in your eyes as you twisted it back and forth, it's small, jagged edges dancing in what was left of the light.

Cal reached for your hands slowly, taking the box out of it as he slid the ring on your pointer finger.

"When I was on Ilum trying to find my next Kyber Crystal I...a piece of the one in my saber," he looked down to his belt, "chipped off. I thought it would make a pretty piece of something for you."

"Oh, Cal..."

You started the at ring, eyes flickering to his lightsaber ever now and then. You could feel his warm, loving gaze on you, and the heartfelt gift was too overwhelming - you began to cry.

"Hey...wha-what's wrong?" Cal asked you softly, his hands instinctively driftng to your legs.

You let out one small laugh at his gesture, gazing up into his eyes. His eyes were worried, his forehead creased as his mouth hung slight open, as if he was afraid to speak.

Meanwhile - Cal was freaking out in his head. Did he do something wrong? Do you not like it? Is this too soon?

"I didn't mean to— "

"Cal. I love it." The tears from your eyes slowed, a few still dripping down your face as you smiled at the ring. You could hear him let out a huge sign.

Your eyes floated back up to his, your smile growing wider as you put your arms around him, laughing.

"I love you, Cal."

"I love you too."

bestie i just read some of your cal stuff and i- 😀 you're making me BLUSH please never stop writing for him

WHAT fdnisfjlvfnidjolfjid thank you so so much!!! as a writer this is the best thing i can hear :') i love cal sm i hope to never run out of ideas LOL

hi i just wanted to let you know that i love your blog !! <3

whatt thank you so much! it seriously means so much as a writer & fan <3 :')

A Candle in the Dark - 1

↬ fem!reader x cal kestis 

Chapter 1: Crash 🕯︎

Once a padawan before the tragic events of Order 66, you crash on Bracca, thanks to a broken ship piece and the bounty on your head. Pain and suffering were all you knew. You didn’t think Bracca could change that, but the galaxy works in peculiar ways...

✧ Genre: ANGST this chapter is sad (i promise fluff later on)

✧ Media: chapter series

✧ Word Count: 1.9k

!!! Warning tags: star wars stuff - death, violence, blood, swearing. reader deals with ptsd and reader wants to die lowkey - basically reader is going through it. reader gets hurt, details of ship crashing.

 If you aren’t sure you can read this based on these tags - no worries! I have plenty other flufflier works on my masterlist :) <3 Take care, and enjoy ! 

Air filled your lungs in one sweeping motion like a cold, swift river. Your vision lit up with sparks as icy air encompassed your body like a rough blanket. You were alive. You could feel your head recalling the events that led you to where you were as each second passed. Mist sat delicately over your messy hair and bruised, cut body. Your arms and legs shook with shock as the adrenaline slowly left you like a broken faucet.

It felt as though you had woken up from a dream, regaining consciousness and countless thoughts each moment. You turned your head once your body allowed, eyes raking over your legs. Pain shot through your right foot to your head, exploding in your brain at the sight. A massive, oozing red gash adorned your leg, water and blood pooling on the crumpled metal that was once your ship beneath you. 

You could've sworn you could hear the words in your head out loud from how loud your head was pounding. You lifted a timid, shaking hand to your temple, just to make sure this was all real, to ground yourself. You were not ready to touch your leg, but your head felt much worse than you’d imagined and your instincts were begging you to do so. A cold shock seared through you as you felt liquid on your fingers, a viscous crimson sticking to your hair and dripping down my face. You’d hit your head, and hard. The crash had shaken your whole being, and you were in shock you weren't dead. Though you were relieved to keep living, a small part of you didn’t want to. How easy it would've been to let death pick you gracefully from the fallen ship in mangled pieces scattered all over Bracca - to be lifted from the burden of being Force sensitive. 

But that was not your reality. Rather, you were laying uncomfortably; cold, wet, and bleeding out in the pieces of your destroyed cruiser. You had an odd feeling you’d never make it off of Bracca. At least, not easily. You would leave in a similar manner to how you came in. Chaotic, fire-filled, and with destruction…

As you sat, trying your hardest to gain some sense of balance and strength to finally lift yourself, your mind drifted to the actions that resulted in your condition. A broken fucking baffle of all things. You should’ve known repairing one would’ve cost you an arm and a leg. 

Spies, fugitives, scavengers, and scum alike on the run had been using baffles for as long as you knew. It was the oldest trick in the book. Didn’t want your energy signature seen? An engine baffle would make it invisible to others in the galaxy. Yours had been your saving grace until it broke. Which is how you were found, how you were mercilessly shot down, and the reason you found yourself in the middle of a large strip of hard ground on Bracca surrounded by other wrecks and pinces of ships. You nearly blended right in.

You then thought about how you really ended up here. From the beginning. Blasters firing red shots of light held by your once friends, being shot at your other friends. Padawans and Masters both fell, a forceful headache enclosing your body as you tried to take yourself out of the moment. No more.  

You counted in your head, hoping by a miracle you could walk alright, let alone stand. Your hands gripped a piece of steel stuck out to your left, your right hand placed firmly as if the mucky, wet weather of Bracca would allow it. One, two, three. With tense arms you pushed as firmly as your enervated body allowed, groaning in pain as you felt the full force of your bleeding leg try to stand. You braced yourself on a piece of wall, if you could even call it such, leaning against it like you were a small child holding onto your parents legs. Kriff. Your leg hurt. God, did it hurt. Each time you thought the pain would subside, it got worse. The panic of not being able to do anything set hard and fast, as tears dripped from your eyes. You didn’t try to stop them or wipe them away. You just let them fall. You wished you’d fallen like them, from the air, hit the ground…and just disappear. 

The wind nipped your face as you grew colder. Night was approaching as the light grey skies faded to a blueish, darker gray, large packs of clouds dotting over the sky.

It was time to find shelter. You had to move, walk, something. You moved your good leg first, groaning again as you stood straight up. The junkyard in front of you looked like a graveyard. Dark, still, and sad. There was an odd aura in the air that made your stomach swirl. You gulped and took another step, this time on your bad leg, which was not the greatest idea. 

You fell hard on Bracca’s surface, mud squelching as you made a rough impact with the ground. 

“Fuck,” you muttered. You thought it couldn’t get any worse than that when you heard a pair of footsteps that moved to ring throughout your skull. They were heavy but quick, pounding the mud deeper into the ground. You whipped your head around, pushing through the dull, constant pain in your head, and searing one in your leg, holding yourself up pitifully on the wet ground. 

Your eyes met a tall, rust-colored man who was of the Abednedo species. He had beedy eyes that were set far apart on his big face, his nostrils below his small eyes. The dark navy color of his suit nearly made him blend in with what seemed to be the single color of Bracca, if not for his large stature and orange vest. 

His brow bone furrowed as he took in your pathetic position. Legs tangled in the mud, torso twisted towards him with warm blood coating the left side of your face, as it dripped like melted ice cream. You weren't sure if it was the angle you were staring at him, or the way everything around you was spinning, but he looked like his first goal wasn’t to outright kill you. 

Instinct and memories of the last five years flooded your head as you told yourself he would. You were a stranger, no use to him: so you would die. But instead, a look of terror flooded his face as he began his plod to your crumpled body. 

“Hey, you okay?” He spoke timidly, almost as if he was afraid of scaring you. 

You grunted, trying to sit up to ready yourself for god knows what was about to happen to you, when this thick arms shot out as a maneuver to prove himself as an ally. 

“Woah, I don’t wanna hurt you, kid.” You relaxed, or more like slumped out of tenseness from exhaustion, though he didn’t seem to come with ill intent. He bent down next to your sprawled body in the mud, small eyes darting over your form. 

“Geez, you got busted up pretty bad, huh? Let me help you up.” He stood firm and tall, though his gaze didn’t seem the slightest intimidating as he held out a hand to you.

You stared at him for a while, lips in a flat line and eyebrows low, with eyes larger than you meant them to be. You unwillingly reached for his arm and he pulled you up. 

You did not in any way shape or form trust him. You’d meet creatures who’d play nice then turned their back on you after minutes, or even months. You’d met species who embraced their knack for blood, attempting to strike you down right away. You knew he was bad, everyone in the galaxy seemed to be today. But the bliss idea of death cradling you fighting with your aching knee and body caused your shaking arm to reach as pathetically as it could. He would not help you. That was just how it worked after you were forced from Coruscant. But you couldn’t find it in your tired heart or head to care. 

Your forehead tensed horrifically as your whole upper body followed, from your fingernails to your core. Fuck, it hurt to stand, even with a considerable amount of your weight leaning on the Abednedo. He seemed to have no words; yet behind his eyes you could tell how he was truly seeing you in that moment. Pathetic. To him you looked like a sad, injured kitten who needed help. 

In a flash you pushed off him to stand, wanting to do this shit on your own, but your flicker of confidence was doused the second you were straight up, eyes nearly meeting the ground before the man grabbed you with his large arms. 

“Kid, you can’t stand.”

“Stop calling me that,” you snapped. You barely recognised your own coarse, venom-filled voice. 

“Then what should I be calling you?”

Silence.

He sighed as he began walking, your body still leaning into his arm.

“I’m Prauf. This is Bracca, if you didn’t know. I’ve been uh…been working here for a while.” He took your silence as a chance to continue speaking to you, in hopes to distract the searing pain in your body. 

“We uh, used to rebuild these things.” He gestured out to the hundreds of shipwrecks and crashed parts surrounding your small path up the large, dark hill of dirt and scrap

“Now we just take 'em even more apart.” Your feet dragged on the gravelly ground, shoes sopping with mud. It felt like you were dragging bricks for feet. 

“I have to tell you, it’s not too exciting here, there’s, uh…not much to do. But you’ll get used to it.” Even the man you’d met less than an hour ago knew you were not getting off this trash planet anytime soon. 

“I need to learn more about you, kid, before the boss comes around. He’s not too fond of newcomers, especially those off-system by the looks of your cruiser.” You gave him a quizzical look, which he understood only half of when he spoke. 

“That’s what happens when you’ve been here for as long as me. I know every ship, cruiser, fighter, and piece that comes in and out of this place. You’ll learn if you haven’t got a knack already.”

“What makes you think I’ll work?” 

You'd expected the man to make a quip at you for finally speaking. Something like, “Ah, she speaks.” But you were learning that wasn’t that kind of person. Instead, he laughed lightly, air pushing from his far set nostrils. 

“Well that’s all there is to do here. You wanna fix that nasty gash on your head, you're gonna need some medical supplies and a place to stay. They won’t hand it to you without something in return.”

“I’m not stupid.”

“And I don’t think you are. You seem like one tough kid.”

“Y/N.” Your name escaped from your lips in a mumbled, but Prauf’s acute senses picked up on your single word.

He smiled slightly, slowing his pace as he gazed down at you. 

“Nice to meet you, Y/N.”