hisfathersimage

It was two months after Endor.

A perfectly normal (for him) night's sleep was interrupted. It was like a mental hiccup, or a system reboot. He wasn't aware of anything and then-

The bond snapped into place before he gained awareness. It was old and young and familiar, a previously cautious candlelight that felt closer to a hearthfire now, tempered and warming and clear. The memories rushed back as he woke, sitting up with a choked gasp and a flare of Force awareness and anxiety bright enough that he felt Leia awaken on the otherside of the system with it.

He couldn't explain to her. To anyone. All he could do was throw on clothes as he went, grabbing the bare necessities and choking out something about 'Jedi business, another Jedi, I can feel him' before he was loading up R2 and the X-Wing.

Outer Rim.

He went to Botajef. Intersection of major hyperspace lanes. Near Dathomir, near Yavin, it felt significant and right.

And once he was there, he set himself outside of the main city and he reached out, along the bond and just in general, because he knows the bond is good, but at the same time, he isn't confident about it.

Cal Kestis. I'm here. I know you.

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"If you're sure."

Everything definitely looks okay too. That helps. Cal wills some tension out of his body, his shoulders sinking just slightly, then he holds up his bag.

"I need to wash all of this before we leave the planet."

"We can chuck it in the laundry when we get back. If there's anything you need kept more private, we can manage in the bathroom."

They're rebels, they can manage some laundry, especially if it hasn't been on fire or soaked in blood.

Luke reaches out for Cal's hand again.

"I don't think I have anything like that." He pauses for a second to think about it, as he takes Luke's hand. "I should probably check all my pockets, though."

Because, truthfully, he doesn't remember what he's left in them.

"Should always check pockets before washing, anyway. Beru was very firm on that after the time I left a charged battery in my pocket and it shorted the system. Owen was spitting nails, but it was Beru's disappointment that really stung."

Wasn't it always the way?

"A charged battery," he says with a baffled laugh, his gaze drifting up to the skies. "I can imagine that was a pretty spectacular show. And pretty scary in the moment, I bet."

"The noise was pretty startling," he agrees. "We thought it was a Tusken attack at first. Things had been better, but Owen liked to remind me that it was only a matter of time before they decided we'd overstayed our welcome."

Shmi's death had scarred all the people living there.

"Of course, we worked out pretty fast what it actually was. Beru made me help her mend all the clothes that were damaged."

"I think that was fair." He pauses for a moment in thought. "I don't think I've ever put a single battery in my pockets, charged or otherwise. Even when I was working on Bracca. Just didn't seem like the right place for them."

"Kids shove everything in their pockets. Batteries, rocks, sand mice, knick-knacks, bits of machines, sand. The sand was less intentional but it gets everywhere." He doesn't mind sand, he's used to it, but he's not going to pretend it isn't a complete pain.

"Did padawan clothes have pockets?"

That gives him pause, as he tries to rack his brain for memories from those times. It's all rather clouded at this point, but ... Does he remember himself ever putting his hands in his pockets or digging around in one for something he needed? Nothing comes to mind.

"No, I don't think they did. I guess that prevents accidents from kids not thinking things through, huh?"

"I mean... I guess so." Luke had pockets, belts with pouches, virtually a desert survival kit's worth of stuff about his person at most times. "We're letting students have pockets, though."

"Fine by me," he says, with a private smile at the 'we'.

Not like he'd forgotten their discussions about the future of Jedi. About teaching. But it's been a long time for him, and it's nice to be reminded. That's enough of that, though. For now.

"So. What should we do today? I've been here before, but only quick stops. Resupplying and the like."

Whereas for Luke, it's near as fresh in his mind, with just the slight adjustment that he doesn't have to do it alone.

Teaching. Learning. Being a Jedi. He's not going to have to do it all on his own, like he was going to have to a week ago.

"Do today... Force, I don't know. Time off is sort of, not a thing I do. Or you do. What do normal people do? Should we go on a date? I haven't done that before, not here." Here not being this planet, but this reality.

Cal has gone on dates in this reality, but it's been many years now. It was one of the few relatively ordinary experiences he'd had.

"Dates are a pretty normal people thing to do, yeah. I'd like that."

Some sort of entertainment and a nice dinner. Something simple and plain. Maybe a show of some kind where they can sit in the dark and maybe not pay all that much attention to said show. Maybe.

"Okay, we'll do that. Go on a date."

And, the time out of reality is useful again for this. Without that experience, they would have promptly been stuck with whatever Cal remembered from dates. "There'll be information back at the hotel, we can get your stuff in for washing and look up what's going on."

"After breakfast. Washing, then breakfast, then planning."

Because now that they've been up and about for a while, he can't deny how hungry he is.

For the n-th time, he's struck with the realisation that this is real. That he's currently holding Luke's hand, walking the street, planning a date. Something he almost hadn't dared to hope for anymore. He grins widely as he lets that joy fill him, and starts swinging their hands forward and back.

"Right." Proper food was a good idea with how things had been going so far.

And again, he feels that bubble of happiness and joy, tickling along his senses and making him laugh in return to Cal's grin. He tugs their joined hands to pull him close and down to steal another quick kiss.

The tug is unexpected, but gentle enough that he only nearly stumbles. He has to laugh, though, so he doesn't really manage to return the kiss with how quick it is. Which is really just a great excuse for him to go in for another one before he straightens.

"One of these days you're going to trip me."

Another kiss is always welcome. "You mean you'll fall for me?"

Yes, he went there.

"Don't worry, I'll catch you if you do."

For Cal

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Geez, time is fake.

Time IS fake

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