#jotor

JOTURA!!! YES THATS ME!!! AHHHH YES! IM THAT GARBAGE! I am indeed writing more!! Not currently, but its coming! 

–“It’s about pride,” Lotor explained. The blade lowered, his claws finger the handle to rest at a comfortable defense position. “Brute pride, unfortunately, but the brute can be a disadvantage to those such as us.”“Us.” He repeats. Lotor smiles again. He smiles with a calculated softness that blooms something so hot in James’ throat he has to swallow. “Yes. Us.” 

He means them, human and half-Altean, lithe, smaller-statured beings with more agility than brawn in comparison to the targets they meet in the battle, the targets the training room is designed to prepare for. Galra. But James thinks of them, now, looking at each other, alone. Us. He and I.

Pairing: James/Lotor Rating: Teen and Up Word Count: 531 Summary: The last time James saw the tear in the sky, he saw the man first. Bright and glowing, like a beautiful ghost.

(AO3 Link)

A Tear in the Night Sky

When the tear in the sky first appeared, the Paladins didn’t even go near it, only watched with worry until it disappeared moments later. They remained tense and agitated for weeks after, but answered no questions.

When it appeared again, it was late, and it lasted even less time. Just a bright flash in the night sky, a long gash that closed almost as soon as it appeared.

The Paladins still wouldn’t speak of it, though they started sequestering themselves, pouring over data captured by the Garrison’s ever-running sensor array.

After the second time, it seemed like it wasn’t going to appear again, and after several months, the Paladins relaxed. They went back to meetings with allies and poured their efforts into locating the source of that Altean-powered mech.

The last time James saw the tear in the sky, he saw the man first. Bright and glowing, like a beautiful ghost. He was standing on the roof, right where James had stood and watched the first tear. He was beautiful, but gave off an air of danger. It felt like all the air was being pulled in around him. Light shimmered above his skin, broken by dark crackles of energy.

Chaotic and beautiful, it drew James in.

When the man turned at his approach, James could see a hint of purple below the glow surrounding him. He looked a lot like Allura. He even had glowing marks beneath yellow eyes.

Like the air around him, James was pulled in. Moving closer without thought or intention.

The man smiled, revealing sharp teeth and a manic glint to his eyes. But still, he was beautiful, glowing in the night.

“Not the one I was after, but you will do,” the man whispered, reaching out.

The touch of his hand was both ice cold and burning hot in turns. It scorched across James’ cheek, but was then soothed at once. It felt like it was pulling something from him, and he swayed, like he no longer had the energy to stand. The man caught him and held him to his chest.

The night sky split open behind them, the tear bright and terrifying, and moving closer.

James thought to struggle, but that scorching touch was back across his face. Burning and freezing, and then soothing. Sapping the strength from him.

“You humans almost burn the brightest of all,” the man murmured, dipping his head.

His lips were soft and painful across James’ forehead. But like his fingers, something soothed the pain right after. Warmed him, but drained the energy from him. Legs weak, he couldn’t stand, he couldn’t move.

Held up only by the arms of this stranger glowing in the night, he heard a static crackle as the sky behind the man lit up a brilliant white.

The tear was coming for them.

“I think I will keep you,” the man whispered, as the bright light surrounded them.

It burned, and James cried out but his voice was lost to a crackling static. The man held him tighter, and some of the pain eased even as he felt weaker and weaker.

“darkness perverts the area” SHE. IS. IN. PAIN. SHE IS IN AGONY SO PALPABLE IT’S SEEPING INTO THE EARTH AND YOU CAUSED THAT, ON PURPOSE.

Juhani’s “fall” is just. No, honey, you didn’t fall to the Dark Side, that’s kind of bullshit, people who embrace the Dark don’t instantly feel so guilty about it that they run off and hide in the Dantooine wilderness. She’s miserable, she’s consumed with guilt, and literally all it would have fucking taken would be to SEND HER MASTER TO TALK TO HER. She desperately wants to go home and is convinced no one will ever want her back.

Why is she convinced of this? Because as we later learn, Juhani was never fully accepted or treated well even when she was a starry-eyed idealist new to the Order. She self-flagellates and recites a maxim about “lashing out” when she gets mildly indignant about systemic racism. You assholes have NEVER had her back, you have NEVER made her feel like you were on her side, how DARE you isolate her, then taunt and goad her into lashing out ONCE in anger, and then judge her for it.

(”Juhani has been saved. But you must not forget what happened to her.” Revan: “Believe me. I won’t.”)

And then!

Ohoho. And then.

After all this, Juhani asks to come with you. Out of the goodness of her heart, with sincerity and earnest devotion shining in every fiber of her being, she asks to come with you, to help. Because she wants to repay you, wants to redeem herself, wants to make up for the harm she caused, wants to prove herself by helping to destroy the Sith. Because she trusts your judgement. Because you treated her with kindness and respect where she 100% expected to find nothing but cruelty, and why is THAT, Vrook? Why IS that, EXACTLY?

And the Council deliberates. And finally, after all that, they decide and explicitly state that despite their reservations they’ve decided it might be a good idea for Juhani to come with you...as an object lesson in failure.

When Allura first does it, it’s to pull him into a makeup store. He doesn’t really think about it. But she doesn’t let go when they cross from facial products to hair care. And she doesn’t let go when he explains the difference between shampoo or conditioner. Her fingers curl around his. Possessive. Expression indifferent. It’s ownership. It’s enforced. She turns his wrist like turning switches in her lion, left, right, this way, that way. He follows, as reactive as she likes, his own hand warm, his headlight-- it's not even so much the act of it. She feels amazing, always, sure, yes, but they're in a fucking mall, its fucking Christmas time, it's packed. Its packed and she’s got her hand on him for everyone to see. 

Claimed.When Lotor first does it, it’s out of safety. The terrain EVAC isn’t the Prince’s favorite method of transport. “Your stabilizers are broken.” The Prince informs him quietly, as they hit virgin terrain and the seats buckle on their tracks. James turns, smiling at him. “Yeah, that’s not a thing here.” He readjusts gears though, lifting a foot off the break to hit the gas and then down again to float--to glide--to help the man feel more comfortable. Lotor doesn’t relax, but he does lean into James’ turns, and James takes pride in that. When the hand comes, it’s when the wheel buckles from dirt to pavement once more. It’s jarring. And a clawed hand slides over James’ fist on the gearshift. It’s not distracting enough for him to lose his way, but he does look at it more than he has too. I mean, come on, it’s there longer than it had too. But its hot. Warm. Lotor doesn’t look at him until another 40 minutes of the drive. And when they stop, both hands click them into park, both hands pull the emergency brake, and both hands switch off the engine.And then Lotor holds his hand for both of them to see and squeezes. “Thank you.” 

Trusted.

It’s different, but it’s right. 

That you get credits in loot drops on Rakata.

But what gets me is that Bastila’s response involves asking Revan to translate a question for her.

Which means that Bastila Shan doesn’t speak Huttese.