#last chapter!!!!

Just like life to come and teach me a lesson every time I swear I forget it

A New Direction?

Best known for his childhood roles in Superboy and the Newsies Legion and Paradise High — or, more recently, for showing up in TMZ in compromising positions — it seems Conner Kent has turned over a new leaf. Kent was recently announced as the lead of Rita Farr’s upcoming boardroom drama, joining previously announced cast members Basil Karlo (The Man with a Thousand Faces; Multiplicity) and Jennifer-Lynn Hayden (The CW’s Infinity, Inc.).

Kent’s casting is a departure for Farr, whose previous film projects have centred Garfield Logan (Space Trek 2022). Speculation has been rampant that Logan’s snub is due to his recent marriage and the rumours of Satanic rituals and occultism that surround his new wife, social media influencer Rachel Roth.

“Okay, Gar didn’t even audition, and it had nothing to do with his marriage,” Kon says, rolling his eyes at the tabloid post he’s just read aloud to Tim while they drive down to Metropolis. It’s not like Kon to go around reading his own media coverage, but he’s been particularly anxious this morning.

Tim is happy to play along if he needs a distraction. “Also, I know Rachel Roth, because WE has donated a bunch of money to her foundation. She’s a social media ‘influencer’ in that she’s providing an outreach program to help kids escape abusive biological families. She’s, like, Miss Honey from Matilda except she’s also goth,” he supplies. 

“Yeah, pretty sure most of the ‘rampant speculation’ about occultism has come from this exact gossip magazine.”

Dead to You (Are You at the Wake?) - Chapter 4: You Had to Kill Me but It Killed You Just the Same

“Luke Skywalker, in the flesh.” says Luthen Rael, who if all goes according to plan, will be Luke's new boss. “-delighted to meet you.”

Luke laughs and shakes his hand.

“You sound surprised.”

“Well, my boy.” He says, “-look at it from my perspective. A young, extremely qualified and experienced Mortician calls me, an aging one man show, to tell me he's moving to the middle of nowhere, would I have a job for him? Sounds too good to be true. You can never tell with the internet.”

“I suppose you have a point.” Luke says, as they walk through the tiny funeral home.

“Tell me son,” Luthen says, “-why did you become a mortician?”

Luke gives him the same spiel he gave Din, about being eminently qualified, tells him about Wedge. He knows that Wedge would never tell anyone about the inquiry unless Luke told him to, so he's not too worried that this guy would dig.

He also leaves out the bit about the pull toward death he’s felt his whole life, as he's really only coming to terms with it now.

“I see.” Luthen says, “-why move all the way out here?”

Luke puts on a sheepish grin.

“Ah, well, I… followed my boyfriend.” He says, “-I know how that sounds, but-”

Luthen laughs.

“-and you're not even married? He’d better put a ring on it soon.”

Luke snorts but his stomach twists.

Him and Din are bound together now, in arguably a more permanent way than a marriage vow. But.

Luke pushes that thought aside.

-

Din’s son is dead: To begin with, there's no doubt whatsoever about that.

What there is doubt about, however, is how Din can possibly go on; having loved and lost in a way he never expected he would.

The only thing keeping him moving is the thought that Grogu would want him to. So, he soldiers forth, through the numbing pain and the aching grief; just trying to get through one day at a time.

Until he meets Luke.

Luke, who refuses to leave Din’s loneliness unbroken and makes him feel like, maybe, he could live again.

It's only fitting, then, when Luke reveals that he is a Mortician. It's his life’s mission to help distraught families send off their loved ones to whatever awaits in the undiscovered country from which no traveller returns.

Din thinks that being surrounded by death must be his life’s new purpose.

Din is more right than he knows.

2/2 chapters || T || maiko || modern au

“Can we—” Zuko breaks off, swallowing. “Can we go somewhere?”

“Sure,” says Mai. “Where?”

“Anywhere.”