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tungtung-thanawat · 2 years

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I’ve been prompted by @kittyann to give my opinion on the KanThua relationship but little did she know that she’ll hearing from the ‘Thua has never done any wrong’ club vice president (the president being one Sir Kanlong who’s been nothing but whipped boyfriend for the last 10 episodes). So consider this your warning lol.

But here is why I think Thua and Kanlong have been set up by the narrative to act/react in exactly the way they did. Let’s start with the easy bit: Kanlong accepting Thua for all that he did and proudly declaring them as boyfriends.

Kanlong and Thua have a special bond, it’s been established multiple times in the show. Their friendship isn’t particularly physical or suspicious so the narrative implies that all the teasing they face from the very get go comes particularly from this close bond they already share that everyone is aware of from before the show starts.

Kanlong next sets himself up as Thua’s caretaker by becoming Bruce Wayne [almost directly as a result of realizing that Ayan was starting to take that place when he spies on them at the Cafe For All] and his primary concern with this curse coming back has always been the way it will affect Thua. He is seen on multiple occasions to warn Thua against gaining the wrath of the curse [don’t hang out with Ayan, don’t go to the protests! Don’t join World Remembers!].

And then there is:

1) Kanlong has once already chosen Thua over everyone else. He says fuck it to BOTH the Prefect Club who were collecting names of protesters AND to the curse which we know he genuinely believed in and chooses to stand by Thua.

2) The way he inadvertently sets up this challenge for himself by saying this and Thua’s realization that Kanlong will one day find out Thua's true nature and will have to ask himself the exact same question:

So, I feel like going into Ep.11 we know that Kanlong’s love for Thua would be tested and STRONG evidence suggesting that Kanlong’s love will prevail, that he will see Thua for all he is and still find someone worth loving.

But what about Thua? How could he betray his friends? How could he out Akk so publicly while knowing what that struggle is like, while being bullied for it himself. [Thua defense squad firing away under the cut]

Well I think we should take his words for face value in this and if you sit with a little, in a way that the editing for ep.11 didn’t allow then you can realize two things:

1) He was betrayed first. Can you believe the audacity of this bitch to come out here and threaten Thua like this? Ayan knows what he's doing here. He's telling Thua that he won't stand by him if Thua continues with this line of questioning. He's telling Thua he's choosing Akk.

AYAN - the boy who lives in light, who is passionate and believes in justice in such a compelling way that has stirred even Thua who believes in keeping his head down, the boy Thua let in, the boy he confided in about his mental health - is saying this to him.

Thua was second to shout 'release the students', Ayan was the first - Thua is following Ayan, Ayan is the reason he cares so much, that he feels so much responsibility. All that whispering they did in the beginning was more than just posturing for Akk and Kanlong to feel jealous over. They're partners and exposing the crimes of the prefect club was their shared goal.

How is he supposed to take this?

Thua KNEW that Kanlong was Bruce Wayne and STILL gives Kanlong that ultimatum - come to the protest to see me (or don't and stick with the prefect club). I repeat Thua was ready to sacrifice his ride or die, the guy who helped him get through his father’s death, the guy he was in love with over the protest.

And Ayan has the audacity to choose Akk.

[Who is Akk even to Ayan? Is there any evidence that Thua has seen that suggests that Akk is anything but a hot piece of ass to Ayan?]

How is he supposed to interpret Ayan holding his pin in support of Akk while Akk was getting the award other than as a betrayal to their cause? How is he supposed to interpret Ayan falling for Akk as anything but his moral demise?

[And isn't Thua right? Hasn't Akk corrupted Ayan? Hasn't Ayan given up on making Akk tell the truth the second they become boyfriends?]

And it's powerful that he doesn't hold himself to a different standard than he does Akk and Ayan. In fact, he insists that Kanlong should abandon him because it's what he believes Ayan should have done to Akk.

2) Outing Akk was not on his agenda and Akk’s sexuality and his crisis over it came second to Thua’s real agenda: protecting The World Remembers gang. He says as much and I have no reason not to believe him

People who say Akk and Thua had stooped to the same levels has really lost sight of the fact that Akk almost runs the protestors over with a car. He endangers their lives time and time again and suggesting that Head Boy Thua did the same thing is an insult to everyone's intelligence.

Thua has thrown red ink over their heads and a sinister looking banner. He has taken their doll outside and lit it on fire. Thua is flashy for sure and he’s so good at it that he’s managed to scare the gang more than Akk ever has.

[Which is I think why he was so shaken up after lighting the dolls on fire – I don’t think up until that point he’d realized that there are unintended negative consequences to his actions. I think he’s had to contend with the fact that the things he’s doing is compromising him and his own values and he still chooses to go through with it because it was the only path he saw to justice]

But my dudes, Thua lit a bonfire while Akk was about to commit arson [lighting a HUGE fire INSIDE an occupied building?? He was endangering himself, Ayan, the guards, TEACHER SANI]. Thua’s actions by design came with 0 chances of bodily harm to the gang or anybody else.

Is it possible now to understand the righteous anger that Thua must have felt when he had his little outburst? They were going to end the day with the protesters being silence AGAIN, with Akk who’s avoided being charged with voluntary manslaughter by the skin of his teeth being rewarded by not JUST the corrupt system BUT ALSO the one who was supposed to fight against it.

Does his hostility towards Akk not make sense? Does his bitterness towards Akk and Ayan's relationship not make sense? When Akk can look so determined and shamelessly ask him this question - do you not feel Thua's anger a little bit?

[Answer: It's YOU! and your stupid BOYFRIEND! That's why Head Boy Thuaphu is in this mess!]

How does he NOT bring up Akk and Ayan’s relationship? When it’s the direct cause of Thua losing his biggest ally. When it’s the reason why he’s hurting, why he was abandoned, why justice was abandoned. How can Thua see Akk as anything but a cunning siren, not worthy of sympathy?

I'm glad everyone sees that it was wrong of Thua to forcefully out Akk but what about the other gay dudes? The visible ones that were being bullied and targetted BY Akk and the administration. Or have we forgotten WHY he outs them:

But here’s the thing, he does see Akk’s pain and even as he’s ready to metaphorically set everything on fire he takes the out Wat gives him and he backs down.

Thua was never out to get revenge on Akk even though he had every right to do so – we really need to keep in perspective that Akk almost ran over the protesters with a car and no amount of mental breakdowns and being repressed will change the absolute horror of those series of actions. So when Wat appeals to that side of him: let Akk go and we’ll back you up on helping the protestors - a particularly skillful negotiation that Wat does in the fly of the moment - Thua takes it and leaves.

Thua to me is an incredibly compassionate individual, wicked smart and a very effective activist and his dedication to the cause transcends personal desire and gain. Thua put his ideals, his own view of himself, his position at the school, his love - everything - on the line to protect the World Remembers Gang. This is how strongly he believed in the protestor’s rights and their cause. Ayan wishes he could be half the revolutionary that Thuaphu is.

At the end of ep.11 we as the audience are posed with the same conundrum that the narrative poses to Sir Kanlong: Can you really see Thua for all he is and still not find someone worth loving?

#the eclipse series #the eclipse meta #thuaphu #kanthua #when i tell you i was overcome with such a strong urge to slap akk #when he dared to ask thua what changed him #head boy thuaphu is the best boy #come fight me about it #this took me so long to put together #so give me some notes #or anon hate if you disagree #i think ignoring me would make me the most sad

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dropthedemiurge · 2 years

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Wat pushed the button on his new brand camera, and the shutter clicks, capturing two people in front of the lens in its memory.

The camera wasn't extremely professional, it was still low-budget but it satisfied his amateurish passionate needs. Wat lovingly stroked the camera's side with his thumb and let out a long sigh while no one was looking at him. He just got the results of the psychological-career-orienting test today. As if he couldn't let go of his violent perfectionism here too, the personal test showed exactly what he was afraid of.

Meticulous, hard-working, observant, high logical and creative abilities. All-around yet in-depth knowledge of various topics.

Recommended professions: Law, Engineering, Business, IT.

The system saw him as valuable and smart. He got high marks, he got a brilliant future ahead of him, what else could he wish for?

However, Wat said not a word to a teacher who asked him with a worrying gaze why did he look unhappy. Well, she probably would've also called him crazy for desperately wishing to not pursue any of these professions. His passion for movies and film-making was foolish and it would never make him rich. It was such an idiotic thing to occupy his time with, such a silly hobby, all his tickets to his favourite indie movies probably belong in a trash can as his mom said once as she threw his carefully gained for few years collection away—

No.

Wat shook his head, furrowing eyebrows and biting lips. He has a right to make himself happy. He will think about his future university later, probably when the decision become impossible to push away. Today he finally got his new camera and it makes his heart all warm inside, as he's thinking about showing it off to his friends, who are currently eating noodles and chatting about everything that is happening in Suppalo. Ayan just told a joke, waving his chopsticks animatedly, and Akk was laughing wholeheartedly, although his pained expression showed he's also thinking about the broth ending up somewhere on his bed sheets or the floor.

He pointed the camera to Akk. After changing from his main prefect uniform to the casual clothes, his friend looked much more gentle, he spoke softer and a bit more awkward, all his bravado and commanding voice gone. He was sharing his worries with them, confiding in their friendship, seeking some kind of a shelter from his enormous responsibilities in their dormitory room. Wat thought his smile was much brighter in these walls, when they were together, than when he's in the classroom among other students. He captures it.

Wat knew the new kid was giving Akk so much trouble, but somehow when Akk spoke about him, there isn't much annoyance as he wanted them all to believe. It's like he was intrigued by Ayan, and Akk couldn't believe it himself. There were times when Akk returned from his watching duty after a break – and his eyes were shifting, fingers grabbing their school Sun pin as if it could calm his heartbeat. It usually took him a couple of minutes to regain his control over how he presents himself, and he thought nobody noticed this glitch in Akk's system. This curse to Akk's prefect life.

Wat did. He wasn't described as observant for nothing, after all. He didn't think Ayan was so dangerous as his friends apparently did, so he tried to push them to talk to him. Maybe if they got to hang out with Ayan somewhere after school, just them guys, maybe he wouldn't stay so rebellious, wouldn't think everyone is against him, wouldn't sit lonely in the cafeteria with Akk staring daggers in his back from their own table. Which was also: seriously, Akk?

Wat chuckled, clicking the button again and moving the lens towards Kan, who was currently fighting with a slippery wonton in his bowl. The dude never had enough patience to just slow down and be accurate, one day Akk was going to have a stroke from both of them for sure.

With mouth full of food, Kan started talking about how their juniors were 'freaking disrespectful towards seniors but we in their age would never!'. He mentioned that he went to the male bathroom once and overheard that... Wat raised his eyes up from the camera screen, just in time to notice Kan swallowing his own words together with a wonton he finally managed to catch. Akk nudged him with his knee to continue speaking, but Kan smiled like a thousand of blinding suns and confidently told him that it doesn't matter, he taught them a lesson of respect so Akk should be proud of him. Akk handed him a napkin with a fond smile.

Wat was the one who rubbed the balm on his bruised knuckles, who gave his promise not to tell anyone about his fight with some other guys. Kan refused to elaborate why did he end up in a fight, evading the reason as gracefully as an elephant in a china shop, but Wat saw the unusual flames of anger in the depth of his stare. Kan wasn't violent much but he was usually the one to pursue action before words out of them. He was always protecting any of his friends, but neither Wat nor Akk needed his protection recently.

He got his answer, though, when Kan said he'll go study in the library after classes and that no, their help isn't needed. Thua is a guy that Kan would definitely want to protect. Wat didn't know whether it was coming from guilt (because Thua certainly had a crush on his friend, that wasn't a secret to anyone in their class) or something more. He wouldn't meddle in, although he'd certainly keep an eye out on Thua too and defend Kan in front of the teacher just to win him some time when he was being late after buying those macaroons the guy loved so much.

Wat can't stand for his own life like that, he isn't brave enough like Kan or determined like Akk, so he would just be content with them three finding some time to just hang out and breathe, forgetting all of their problems. He let Kan feed him another wonton because his hands are busy with the camera, and he even got Akk to do a cute pose in his cozy wornout t-shirt.

When Kan suggested to play some music, and Akk eagerly pushed away the small table, Wat set up his camera on a recording mode right in the corner, so the device could capture the whole room, filming every small details that their little best friends world consisted of, for a future vlog. The guitar strumming, the awkwardly bad dancing moves, the horrible high notes and passionate husky karaoke, the laughs and smiles and hugs – and everything in their lives felt, indeed, bearable.

Wat didn't regret cutting on his meals and spending all his money for this camera.

Every moment of their lives together was worth capturing.

#the eclipse #eclipse the series #thai #thai bl #my works #my fics #drabble for friends xD #sorry it turned out not so happy and joyful #lets call it a character study tbh #fanfic #they were studying and not eating but thats a nod to bbs #also ew studying

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swbumblebee · 3 years

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“Please don’t make me do this”

Large pleading blue eyes met his, the young man’s lips a thin line and brows meeting in the middle. It was a textbook akk-puppy look that his Padawan wielded as powerfully and as skillfully as Master Drallig wielded a lightsaber, and wrought just as much carnage.

But, immune after so many years, Qui-Gon Jinn remained unmoved.

“Padawan” he huffed “You are behaving as if I’m asking you to face down hoards of pirates, or whining politicians.”

His apprentice frowned unhappily when he realised his strategy hadn’t worked.

“That would be preferable” he grumbled.

Qui-Gon sighed. They’d been having this argument for some time now and if they hadn’t been in public he would’ve given his stubborn apprentice a whack upside the head.

“Oh for the God’s sake Obi-Wan, they’re younglings! I don’t know why you’re being so difficult about this, you’re an excellent teacher and this is an-“

“-integral part of being a Jedi, I know” the young man interrupted and finished for him, rather bitterly, before his face became animated once more.

“But Master it’s not the same! Why can’t I just keep tutoring small groups? I can be much more effective that way and you know” the young man was clearly warming up to what he seemed to think was some kind of negotiation “studies have shown that younglings learn much faster in a smaller setting where they can get bespoke tuition.”

Unfortunately for Obi-Wan, this was not a negotiation.

“Oh how interesting. Well you can continue to regale me in the latest pedagogical thinking with an essay” the master replied smartly. “After, you have given these thirty initiates their history lesson.”

He watched the frown on his Padawan’s face deepen, and a particular nibble of his bottom lip that gave away his nervousness.

Qui-Gon sighed and pulled Obi-Wan to the side of the creche corridor. He placed his hands on his boys shoulders and tried not to look down at him too much from his height.

“Padawan I know you have an aversion to attention-“

“-I just don’t like being starred at!”

Qui-Gon ignored the interruption.

“But” he continued loudly “I’m afraid it is something you are going to have to get used to, and this is an excellent way to start.”

He shook his head at his student. Obi-Wan’s skill lay in diplomacy; he had an innate ability to draw others in and when he was passionate about something it was impossible not to notice him the moment he walked into a room. An effect that Qui-Gon was sure would only increase as he grew in wisdom and experience.

There was simply no way Obi-Wan was going to progress in his career in the order without being able to speak in public.

“It is my job to prepare you for Knighthood. A Jedi Knight will be called upon to represent the order across the galaxy. At feasts, festivals, parades and celebrations.” Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak but Qui-Gon carried on quickly. “Your very presence will insight attention and deference. You will need to impart information to rabbles and hoards, and to step into the role of leader at a moments notice.”

Obi-Wan’s mouth turned down at the edges, but he said nothing.

“That is all for later” Qui-Gon assured him, afraid he had laid it on a little too thick. “For now, you will use your considerable natural talent to go in there and teach these harmless, well behaved younglings, all about the Ruusan Reformation.”

Obi-Wan looked at him, slightly more resigned but no less anxious. Qui-Gon wasted no time gesturing towards the open door of the classroom.

They stood on the threshold.

Qui-Gon had invested a lot in this moment. Having drawn his conclusion a while ago, he’d been gradually building up his shy Padawan’s confidence with small tutoring groups and higher profile missions. After several conversations just like this one (which the clever Senior Padawan had apparently forgotten) Obi-Wan had, of course, shone.

Just as he would now.

Creche Master Toll was waiting for them both. Well used to nervous, first time teachers, he greeted them with a wide smile and a welcoming gesture, pushing enthusiasm and support towards them in the Force.

Qui-Gon smiled reassuringly as his apprentice cast him one more nervous look.

“You’re going to be brilliant.”

#qui-gon jinn #obi-wan kenobi #obi-wan fanfic #padawan kenobi #master & padawan #learning & growth #kind of fluff?#snippet of nothing

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palepinkycat · 4 years

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Me: I'll post the 2nd part tomorrow!

Also me: *posts it 4 days later*

The 2nd part of the Love Quiz post, tagged by @sleepswithvillains @hothian-snow @a-muirehen and @pauletta-00. Thank you once again!

✨ click for better quality ✨

The "Quizzes are stupid and I can't even read, I'm just gonna aim an arrow at those funky little signs to get a random result" Rhaqela

Carefully, like a gentle rain on dry Earth

You've been left beaten down and by someone you really trusted and loved, so now love doesn't come easy for you. You want it to. You want to love and be loved, but you're not sure you remember how. So you need someone else to take the lead. They have to be gentle and sweet and patient. They have to watch out for you, and make sure youre doing okay, because most days you feel a little fragile, if not totslly shattered. But someone will come along who will put those pieces back together again.

This outcome was a little tricky, definitely not what I'd have thought about in the first place. I don't usually think of her relationship with Izatt in terms of love. They've been through a lot together, they've watched each other grow up, they're literally inseparable. Rhaqela realises how much she cares about him right after Ziost. She wants to save him. She's terrified but ready to do whatever it takes. Watching him only speak to Cithar is painful, almost as much as watching her best friend, her love turn to this. The battle of Voss is a breaking point for her. She leaves the Alliance for good. A part of her wants to stay but she's not sure whether she can handle much more of this. She's sacrificed everything she had, there's nothing left for her in this place. She's no hero. She just wants to feel like home again.

Keeva

She totally didn't take that quiz doing paperwork. Forget the akk dog mug.

Casually, the same way you love to breathe

"You want someone who will see your favorite flower and will give it to you, without even thinking about it. You want someone who will remember all the little details about you, the things so seemingly unimportant but that matter more than you thought they did."

Over the years, Keeva became a very reserved person. She's always been aware of the Imperial Court schemes but witnessing them first-hand completely changed her perspective. She's lost her loved ones to those intrigues. She's been abandoned and betrayed, she's watched them burn and sacrifice their lives. Her position required caution, it still does, and after years of living in such chaos, she's adapted to it perfectly. However, if you pay enough attention, you may spot a set of decorative teaspoons on her desk. She's polishing them with great care while struggling to decide which one she's going to use today. If you're brave enough, you can try to take a peek at her notebooks. They're all filled with reports but you could have sworn you saw some akk dog doodles too. She'd love to get some one day. You've probably seen her drinking the blackest coffee on Odessen. She adds enormous amounts of sugar to it to make it more tolerable. These little things are hard to notice and if you do, she'll admire you even more.

"You want someone who will still be there, thirty years down the line, holding your hand while the two of you do two separate things. You want the intimacy of being known by someone who makes you feel safe. You don't want expensive dinners or grand proposals. You want someone who will love you consistently."

This! If there's anything she wants in her life at the moment, it's loyalty. She couldn't care less about "expensive dinners and grand proposals", she's had her share of it. She doesn't want another passionate relationship, no emotional rollercoasters, no dramas, no Quinncidents, no Therons blowing up a train - just two people caring and trusting each other. A person she can feel safe and grow old with. Someone who loves her despite the things she's done and will do to ensure the Alliance's safety.

I've already tagged people in the previous post but if you feel like taking the quiz feel free to do it!

Link

#bragging about my ocs without properly introducing them first 🤡#i'll do that tho #someday #swtor #swtor oc #tagged #love quiz #oc:rhaqela #oc:keeva #oc:izatt #theron shan #star wars the old republic #my art #star wars art #swtor art

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cavalier-life · 7 years

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Day 22 - I Love You

Prompts are here.

Two of the characters are briefly featured in Collateral Damages, in an incident on Dromund Kaas (and a few other planets) involving Theron. Cynera and Seryan are both Sith that have a short arc. (Seryan’s appearance is very brief) Kylena is new to this story.

Okay. I warn you now, this is long. I did not intend it to be long. That is often a refrain you will hear when reading my writing. (See also: 104ish chapter fic that was supposed to be like 20) I got this idea when I woke up this morning, and wrote it between my Thanksgiving cooking, cleaning, straightening, doing all the work duties that make me hate holidays with a fiery passion. Anyway. I’m sorry.

It’s long.

They had been children together on the massive Dromund Kaas estate that belonged to his family. She remembered him, tall and dark-haired, with bright green eyes. He'd pulled her into a game one day with his sister and some of the servants' children, and she'd never forgotten the sensation of his hand around hers, or the way he looked to her senses. As they'd grown up together, they'd grown closer, even become a strange sort of friends.

She was not like him. He was the eldest child in a powerful Sith family, and his life's trajectory was laid out neatly before him. Wealth, education, influence – his estate was staffed heavily with slaves and servants, soldiers for defense, the best in technology and luxury. She was just one of their many possessions. She was an alien. A Miraluka in the heart of the Empire, and a slave, and of negligible value. Easily replaced.

He'd never been cruel to her, despite her status and her race. Curious, yes, about how she saw without eyes, and what she saw, and what it was like to see through the force. His sister had no such compunction, though, and Kylena learned quickly to avoid her whenever she could. It started small, with pushes, shoves. Then her behavior became more vicious. Caught alone one day on the stairs, she felt his sister's hand on the small of her back, giving a violent shove. She fell, her arms full of linens that she was delivering to the housekeeping staff, and tumbled to the bottom of the stairs. His sister laughed, but when he found her a few moments later, he helped her up and checked her for injuries, then insisted on carrying the linens for her.

Kylena knew he was not necessarily kind, not to everyone. She'd seen him lose his temper, seen his banked rage flare to life, and had witnessed the effects of it on other servants and tutors. With her, however, he was always gentle. He began to watch out for her after the incident on the stairs, protecting for her, making certain his sister wasn't tormenting her or singling her out for abuse. She felt ashamed that she was glad of it; others were not so lucky to have drawn his interest, and they lacked the protection that she had. Her mother seemed worried about his interest, ascribing a darker motive to his attention, but she was powerless to deny him. A slave could not say no to their master's son or tell him to stay away from her daughter; it would have been a death sentence.

Some days, though, Kylena would catch his sister watching them together, and she felt the malice and hatred of the other girl like a miasma. It made her afraid.

He brought her a lovely draped silk mask, replacing the dirty, torn one she had been using as a mask. They sat together outside on one of the few days where it wasn't raining, under the trees, and he fastened it carefully around her head, arranging her ebony hair so that the mask did not pull at the strands or hurt her. “Better?” he asked, his tone gentle, and she smiled, touching it shyly. The fabric was so soft and rich. She had never had anything so expensive against her skin, and it felt so delicate.

“Thank you. You shouldn't have, though.. your sister..”

His jaw tensed, and he looked away from her for a moment. She watched him silently, wishing she was different. More like him. He would go away soon, to the Academy on Korriban, and he would forget about the slave girl from his childhood. His sister would follow, most likely, a short time later. Both of them had already shown some aptitude in the force, and the only reason they had not been instantly swept away was due to their family name and the fact that it was a given that they would attend. But every day that time grew closer, and she clutched these moments to herself like jewels, jealously hoarding every second she was alone with him.

“I'm sorry. I know how she is. But when I'm gone, she won't have a reason to hate you so much. She doesn't like it that I talk to you, spend time with you. Perhaps I shouldn't. It might be better if I just ignored you, avoided you.” He turned towards her again, and she gazed at him, feeling something deep in her soul reach out, starving for the emotion she could see swirling inside him. “I can't make myself do it, even though I know I should.”

She was not a child anymore. Not really. Slaves did not hold on to their childish innocence for long, and she had been lucky so far, sheltered from many of the horrors that they faced. But she was young, and he was young, and neither of them knew how to articulate clearly what they felt. Her attachment to him felt so strong, and she could see that he felt it too. “I wish you weren't leaving.”

“It's an honor, going to Korriban to train. Bloodline, family.. it's very important. I must go. My father and mother are counting on me, and on my sister. We must excel. There's no other option.” He sounded apologetic, even disappointed, and he took one of her hands in his, lifting it, examining her slender fingers. She knew the nails were chipped and dirty, that she had healing scabs and bruises, that it was not a lady's hand. Not like the women he would be introduced to, the women he'd be expected to choose from to continue his family's dynasty. She was nothing, a slave. But he looked at her hand like it was elegant, perfect, and he smiled at her over it, holding her hand so lightly in his. “I'll be back. I'll be strong then, and Sith. I'll be able to protect you.”

Kylena felt her heart stumble, aglow in the light of his regard. Some part of her didn't believe him. She knew he would leave, and he would never think of her again. She would be a memory that would fade in the glitter of his life beyond the walls. But her heart ignored her common sense, leaping anyway. “You will forget me, Sery. You'll be Sith, and I'll just be a slave girl. I doubt we'll ever speak again.”

“Yes we will, Ky. I won't forget you. I never could.”

His father called for him a few minutes later, and he left her under the trees. As she headed back inside more slowly, holding the memory of his words, his sister broke into her reverie, meeting her at the door. “When he's gone, there won't be anyone to protect you from me,” she whispered, her voice dripping with venom. “He will never know, and he won't care. He'll never come looking for you again. You're nothing to him, and nothing to me, slave.”

Kylena sidestepped around the other girl, careful not to meet her eyes. Her shoulder blades itched with the desire to run, to escape, but like any wise prey animal, she knew better than to attract the predator by sudden movement. She walked away, expecting an attack at any moment, but it never came.

She thought the time before he left would be quiet, devoid of incident. It frightened her, because she believed his sister meant what she'd said. If she held her temper, he would go, and Kylena knew she would be trapped then, with no one to protect her from his sister's anger. The family held several large-scale social parties leading up to the day of his departure, and one of them ran very late into the early hours of the morning. Trudging back to her room, exhausted and half-asleep, Kylena didn't notice that she was not alone in the dark hallway until the smaller girl hurtled into her from a shadowed alcove, slamming her against the wall and knocking the air out of her lungs.

She gasped for breath, trying to shout for help, but his sister only smiled at her. She lifted her hand, and Kylena felt an unseen power lift her off her feet, like a hand was wrapped around her throat. Choking, she kicked her feet, her lips parted on a silent cry for mercy. “This is for him, you know,” his sister told her coldly, her eyes fixed, like a maddened animal, sick and vicious. “He needs to learn. You are less than nothing compared to him. He should not care about you. Your life is meaningless. Less than mother's akk dogs. I could feed you to them and no one would care. No one but Seryan, and he will learn quickly not to show such a weakness to anyone at the Academy. I am his sister,” she continued conversationally, her fingers tightening, gaze avid on the frantically kicking Miraluka's thrashing body. “I must protect him from anyone who would bring him down. Make him less than what he should be.”

Kylena could barely hear her voice over the pounding of the blood in her ears. The panic spun through her body, terror telling her that she was going to die if she didn't get free. She felt herself sinking inside her mind, drawing in, pulling everything that was part of her into a compressed ball, and then she pushed as hard as she could. She heard the other girl hit the wall, and the sound of footsteps running, skidding to a stop beside her. A hand touched her, and she flinched away in fear, and something from within her pushed the hand away, a barrier springing up around her. It only lasted a moment before it flickered out and left her undefended, but as she turned and saw Seryan looking down at her, she could see the shock in his face and feel it in his surface thoughts. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice faltering, breaking between his usual, higher voice, and the lower timbre that prefaced the man he would become. “Ky.. did she hurt you?”

She could see his sister crumpled on the far side of the hallway, unconscious, and knew she had to get out before Cynera woke up and came to find her again. “Sery, take me with you, take me to the Academy. I can take care of you, serve you there. I can cook, clean, please.. don't leave me here. She'll kill me, you know she will!” The hysteria in her voice rang in the hallway, and he reached for her again, pulling her into his arms, his hands smoothing her tangled dark hair, soothing her. “Please don't leave me here!”

“I can't take you.. they would never let me bring you there. And you would be in danger there, far more than even here,” he whispered, his cheek brushing against her hair. She could feel his regret, his fear for her, and he glanced at his sister worriedly. “Listen, Ky. I'm going to get you out. I'll put you on a flight out. I'll send you off planet. You'll be free.”

“You can't do that.. your father would never allow it,” Kylara protested, shocked even as the thrill of the idea of freedom sang to her mind. Freedom.. belonging only to herself. But he would be gone, lost to her. She would never see him again.

“Let's go. Get your things. I'll take you to the spaceport. I'll get you out of here. Meet me at the speeders in fifteen minutes. Hurry, Ky. Pack lightly.”

“My mother..” she began, but she could feel him balking at the idea, worried that they would be caught. Her heart sank. “I can't leave her.”

“She'll be safe. I'll free her when I come home again. It's you that has to get out of here. Cyn is going to kill you, you're right.. I see that now. I'm sorry I didn't see it before.” He lifted her to her feet, his fingers gently checking her throat, a frown on his face. “I'm so sorry. She could have killed you. I should have been here. Now go, I'll take Cyn to her room and meet you out there. Go!”

She ran towards her room without looking behind herself, but she could feel his eyes on her back as she fled down the hallway.

He didn't tell her what he had to do to find the records of her purchase as a slave, or how he'd changed them. But he was waiting for her with all the documents she needed, and she held his waist tightly as they flew on the speeder through the jungle, racing to the spaceport. Her mother had grieved, clinging to Kylena for long moments before she'd allowed her to leave, but she had agreed to the plan.

They barely made the shuttle going off world, and she flung her arms around him, her heart breaking at the reality that she might never see her mother again, that she'd have to hope that he would keep his promise to free her someday when he returned after his training. And him.. Seryan. “Thank you for helping me. For freeing me. I wish you'd come with me. You can't really want to go to Korriban, to be a Sith?”

Seryan smiled sadly at her. “I will be Sith, Ky. I was always going to be Sith. I know you think they're all like Cynera, but they're not. Someday I'll find you again, you'll see. We'll see each other again. This isn't goodbye forever.” He pulled her closer, his arms strong as he lifted her to his eye level, knowing that the way she saw him was completely different from what he saw when he looked at her. Bruised and scared though she was, she was strong, and he knew she would be safe as long as she was far away from his sister. “You have two trips.. one to Nar Shaddaa, and from there, to Coruscant. Find some Jedi.. tell them that you need to be trained. They will see.. what I see. They'll know what to do.”

She nodded, overwhelmed, her arms twined around his shoulders, fingers sliding into his dark hair at the nape of his neck. “Find the Jedi. But if I'm a Jedi, and you're a Sith.. we can't find each other again. We'd be enemies,” she realized.

“I'll find you. I will.” He rested his forehead against hers, feeling the sleek touch of the silk mask he'd given her. “I would never hurt you, Jedi or not. I love you.”

Kylena bit her lip, afraid to answer. What good would it do to tell him? He was going to be a Sith, and regardless of what happened to her, she would never be like him, never be someone who could be with him. She could practically hear her mother's voice in her mind, telling her they were just children, that they had a lot of growing up to do. That things change when you grow up. “Don't say that. We'll probably never see each other again, and I don't want you to think you have made some kind of foolish promise to a slave girl that you’ll probably have no desire to keep.”

“A free girl. You are free, Ky. Not a slave. And I mean it. I love you, and I'll free your mother, and find you. Now get on board before they leave without you.” Seryan bundled her onto the shuttle, pressing some credits into her hands, his lips brushing her forehead and then briefly pressing against her lips in a farewell kiss that tingled on her skin.

He was the last thing she saw of Dromund Kaas, as the shuttle lifted away from the landing pad and rose into the atmosphere, and she stayed at the window, her hands pressed to the glass until long after he was gone from view.

“I love you, too.”

#day 22 #30 day prompts #oc: seryan #oc: cynera #oc: kylena #miraluka #sith warrior #jedi consular #former slave #star wars #swtor #I'm long-winded

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