Skywalker Apartment [early afternoon, GFFA time]

[momslilassassin]

The nice thing about the time difference between home and Fandom was that Ben had time to run a few errands for his father (the reason he'd come back home), pick up a package of comfort food for Tahiri and still have time to meet up with Ender and Karla for lunch before they headed back.

"So, any particular food requests today?" he asked them. "Dad said he might be able to swing by if we pick somewhere close to the Temple."

[OOC: For Ender and Karla!]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Which naturally was when Luke arrived. He arched up his eyebrows at the pair of them and waited for an explanation.

[glacial_queen]

Karla stopped flouncing, looking more than a bit embarrassed to be caught acting so young.

...Embarrassed, but also still really amused.

[momslilassassin]

"Hi, Dad," Ben said, cheeks going bright red. "We were just about to go for Ithorian."

[glacial_queen]

"I'm told I should try the starfruit," Karla said lamely. "It sounds really tasty?"

She glanced at Luke, then to Ben, then back to Luke. And started giggling. She couldn't help it. But the image of both of them, looking like kids caught in cookie jars, was a bit too much.

[momslilassassin]

Luke smiled at both of them, more amused than anything that his son had finally chosen to be a teenager rather than the solemn little adult he'd been for so long.

"It is," he said. "How have you enjoyed your time on Coruscant, Karla?"

[glacial_queen]

"I have, and I greatly appreciate the invitation, Lor--Jedi Skywalker, sir," Karla replied immediately. "I thought Fandom was the furthest thing I could imagine from my own home, but now I have found something even stranger. I love it."

She smiled at Luke. "We barely scandalized any of the merchants in town, I promise."

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, it would take years of concentrated effort to really scandalize anyone," Luke replied. "You three haven't even made the holonets."

[glacial_queen]

"We could always try harder?" Karla offered, darting an amused look at Ben. "I'm sure between the three of us, we probably could."

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, I'm sure you could," Luke said, blue eyes twinkling, "but don't go to any trouble on my account. I enjoy turning on the news and not seeing my family on it. It happens so rarely."

[glacial_queen]

"We could wear disguises?" Karla was just a bundle of good ideas today. "It could be an exciting mystery for everyone involved."

She paused, and gave him an impish grin. "We'd even let you come along if you wanted..."

That's right, Karla. Try to lure the Head of the Jedi Order into mischief in the marketplace.

[momslilassassin]

Luke chuckled. "Thank you, but I think I'll pass. I have enough to keep me in trouble as it is."

[glacial_queen]

"Well, I hope you'll at least be able to join us for lunch then," Karla asked. "Ender and I have been looking forward to hearing all the embarrassing stories from Ben's childhood."

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, he was a pretty good kid," Luke said, reaching out to ruffle Ben's hair. "Strange taste in pets, but that wasn't entirely his fault."

"Daaaaad," Ben whined in the intergalactic whine of teenagers.

[glacial_queen]

"Did you keep a baby rancor?" Karla teased. "Because I can see you trying, you know."

[momslilassassin]

Ben shook his head. "A Gorog assassin," he muttered, cheeks going red.

[glacial_queen]

"I'm not sure what a Gorog is," Karla said, rubbing her temples, "but I'm hoping assassin is one of those terms that doesn't quite mean the same thing I think it does?"

[momslilassassin]

"Sentient bug species," Luke answered before Ben could. "It tried to kill Mara."

He laughed. "Ben didn't get to have pets after that."

[glacial_queen]

Karla just kept looking from Luke to Ben and back. "You don't get to have pets back in Fandom, either," she decided. "Only you would cradle assassin bugs to your bosom."

Okay, him and Ender but that was really just par for the course by now.

[momslilassassin]

"He didn't tell me he was an assassin," Ben said sulkily.

Luke just grinned.

[glacial_queen]

"That would kind of ruin the surprise, don't you think?" Karla said, rolling her eyes.

[momslilassassin]

"It's not like he really had a chance against Mom anyway," Ben replied. "And he wasn't really...cuddly...to start with."

[glacial_queen]

"Giant. Bug." Karla shook her head, surprised and yet, not at all, they were having this conversation. "I doubted the cuddly from the moment you mentioned it."

Not that Karla had to ask why Ben would take such a creature as a pet. Loneliness was a powerful motivator.

She gave him a fond smile. "Next time, stick to baby rancors."

[momslilassassin]

Luke gave Ben a quick look and grinned. "No mentioning that idea to Amelia, got it? Han might have to follow through on it."

[glacial_queen]

"Amelia?" Karla asked. "Does she look at life like it's a dare, too?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "Uncle Han and Aunt Leia adopted a war orphan about a year back. She...keeps them busy."