toschestation | Empatheias Inbox

[Since the disappearance of Padme, Luke had taken to spending a lot of time out in the back garden despite the heat of the day because it was quiet, and gave him a convenient excuse to say he didn't hear Han's bellowing for him (which was almost daily, and normally Luke didn't even mind) He'd sensed Leia come outside before he saw or heard her, and had already squared his shoulders as he sat up before she even spoke.]

[was he alright? Luke looks up at Leia quietly, his expression somber but at least he wasn't doing anything outright silly like shed tears. He does however give Leia a half assed smile as he scoots over to make room for her to sit down with him on the bench he's currently occupying.]

I've been thinking. [about a lot of things, specifically trying to ignore the fact that Padme left here to basically return to the death she'd already suffered.]

Edited (im stupid and forget to edit the subject) 2016-08-21 04:27 (UTC)

[She takes her hand off his shoulder, scooting over and turning toward Luke so she can look at him more comfortably while they talk. His response, as far as she's concerned, isn't exactly an answer to her question, but for now she'll humor it and see where he's going with this.]

Thinking about what? Talk to me.

[Luke presses his lips together, his gaze shifting out into the distance behind their weird little house. He knows Leia feels entirely differently about Anakin and Padme than he does, because of the interactions with Vader, the fact that she had people she could call parents— a whole host of things. But at the same time, he's uncertain about unloading his feelings on her.]

If it weren't for this place I never would have gotten to meet her. [There's an unsaid "but" and a very solid, hurt emotion in his eyes that he's not doing the best at expressing.] I should be thankful for that.

[That emotion isn't unexpected--it's honestly what she expected to see before coming out here to check on him--but actually seeing that hurt in his eyes causes a pang of that same emotion to well up in Leia. Not entirely because of Padme's departure, but because their family, and Luke especially, really deserved a break every once in a while. She returns his hurt look with one full of compassion and understanding, and once again places her hand on his arm.]

That doesn't mean you can't be upset she left. Did you get to spend much time with her while she was here?

Not enough. There was so much more I could have asked her. [Time he could have tried to make up for... but was that selfish? It almost feels that way. When Leia's hand touches his arm again, he lifts his other and settles it on top of her own.]

She and father were getting a second chance here. [His shoulders slump slightly.] Her "going home" meant the end of that. [Because there was no future for her back in their world, her life was already over.]

[Leia glances away briefly at the mention of Anakin also getting a second chance, but she doesn't say anything about it because she knows full well now isn't the time. It'a not exactly a secret that she doesn't think Anakin deserves a second chance anyway, so it's mostly rehashing old arguments.]

I feel the same. I didn't get the chance to know her well as a person. [which is a big part of how conflicted she's feeling about everything. If she didn't know Padme that well at all, did she even have a right to be upset that she's gone? Especially knowing their last real conversation was an argument that was mostly her fault.]

She was a close friend of my father's, you know. There's a lot I wanted to ask her about. [she might not want to start fights about Anakin deserving second chances again, but she's not going to clarify who she means by "father," because in her eyes, there's really one choice and it's not Anakin.]

[It's definitely not the time for that particular conversation, or revisit to an already hashed out argument. Luke respects Leia's feelings, even if his own are different. But, the part about her father having known Padme gets his attention.]

Did he? [It's a reminder that Leia's lost parentage too, more than Luke has himself and he briefly feels guilty for emotionally leaning on Leia as hard as he is right now. Perhaps it's a burden that she shouldn't have to carry, considering what she's already been through herself.] I guess there's a lot the both of us missed. I'm sorry, Leia.

[Leia, on the other hand, doesn't mind Luke leaning on her this way. Luke clearly needs someone to talk to, and she doesn't like seeing him upset, so she wants to help. It also has the added bonus of letting her ignore her own feelings as she focuses on him to try and help, which is something she prefers. So, she ignores his condolences (because she's not even sure how to respond to that, whether he means about Padme or Bail, and doesn't want to dwell on it and risk losing her own composure) and continues her explanation, since he seemed interested.]

They were colleagues in the Senate, and he looked out for and helped her during her time in office. That part, at least, I wasn't surprised to hear.

[the specifics about Padme, yes, but not about Bail being the sort of person that would take a newly elected younger senator under his wing]

[The condolences had been meant for both, perhaps. Though he wasn't going to bring it up, it occurred to him that he'd never really seen Leia grieve for her parents. He squeezes her hand gently, but listens when she talks. When—or if Leia wanted to talk about it, he would let her bring it up.]

He seems like he was a good man then, to do something like that. I'm sure she appreciated it a lot. [Perhaps it was thanks to their connection that Leia found herself with the Organas as a baby.]

Edited 2016-08-26 22:44 (UTC)

He was. I wish you could have met him.

[It's something that still hurts whenever she thinks about it, the fact that Bail Organa would never have the chance to meet the people who had become the most important to her, or even her own son. But they were here to talk about Luke and his feelings, not her own. Talking about her own is uncomfortable, and she can't see how it would help more than letting Luke himself talk.]

She mentioned she knew your aunt and uncle, as well. Or that she'd met them, at least. [She's not sure if Luke knew, but she assumes it must have come up between them at some point. Regardless, it's a way to shift the conversation back onto Luke.]

I do too.

[There's a lot that Luke could wish for, all things considered. He wished he had known Leia for more of her life, that they hadn't had to have been separated for so long. He wished that he'd been able to save his father, or been able to prevent the deaths of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru... At the mention of them in particular Luke sits up with something of a vaguely sad smile on his face. That was true, it had come up once before—the connection had felt good, to finally put more pieces of the family tree together.]

Yes, she'd mentioned it. They never really talked about it to me before... but it was nice to know they got to meet her. [He exhales, and then takes one of Leia's hands in both of his.]

I'm glad we all managed to wind up in this strange place together. We're lucky we got to meet at all. [Here, in Verens and the strange almost destined way that Leia, Han and Luke all met up together. He may have lost a lot, but at the same time Luke knows he's gained a lot too.]

[A wide, fond smile makes its way across her face as Luke takes her hand in his. She doesn't like thinking about how impossible the odds of her original meeting with Han and Luke were, and how they could have easily missed each other and how easily everything could have gone wrong then. Everything she'd lost couldn't be replaced, but having Luke and Han (and Chewie, too) around helps make things better, regardless of whether they were here or at home.]

I'm glad, too. Having you and Han here makes all this easier.

[She may not talk much about all of her issues related to Verens and everything else, but being able to be around the people that mean the most to her and not have to worry about getting shot at or anything else they would have to worry about at home is a big help.]

It does. I don't know what I would have done winding up in all of this if the two of you weren't here.

[He manages a laugh, leaning over just in case Han is within earshot.]

I think the living room has been cleaner since you got here. [Just a little, maybe. Or Luke could be completely mistaken and making shit up, who knows.] Han certainly seems Happier. I am too.

[That gets a laugh out of Leia, one that she feels is maybe a bit too loud because she quickly stifles it by covering her mouth.]

That's because you're too lenient with him. [and Leia, on the other hand, has no qualms about doing things that could potentially lead to fights. (Well now she's a bit more careful, since they agreed to fight less, but that hasn't stopped the war against junk). Besides, he had said it was okay for her to touch his stuff, which, while intended as an innuendo, she decided to take as permission to wage war against his pile of who even knows what.]

I don't think we've spent enough time together here, you and I. I miss that.

[which is to say, hang out with her more instead of doing Jedi things or whatever it is you do, Luke]

[Too lenient? Luke can't help but laugh. They may not have discussed a lot about Padme and her disappearance from Empatheias, but sometimes it just helps to laugh. Luke still misses Padme and regrets a lot about her leaving but Leia's company and their quiet discussion has helped.

Not to mention it's helped Luke learn more about the sister he's only known a few short years of his life. When Leia speaks again, his lips quirk up into a genuine smile.]

Let's do something together then. Just the two of us. I'm sure there's plenty we can do in this place. Even if it's just one planet.

[dont knock the jedi stuff, though. That's important. But not as important as Leia, so he'll gladly put it aside to spend time with her.]

[They may not have discussed Luke's feelings about Padme as much as Leia would have wanted, but if Luke is laughing instead of moping, she will take that as a win. At his suggestion, Leia mimics his own smile, clearly appreciative of his suggestion.]

On most planets, there's plenty you can do without leaving the atmosphere, you know.

[Most planets have things you can do that are more fun than going to go buy power converters, after all.]

Empatheias Inbox

that's fine!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

leia they can talk about ur feelings too.

no, they must be bottled and aged like a fine wine

o right

That is the healthy way to deal with feelings. 100% Leia approved

no subject

no subject