For Cal

[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.

Comments

[hisfathersimage]

Luke's body is relaxed and heavy, his awareness elsewhere entirely. Since waking up from... whatever it was they experienced, he hasn't had a chance to really stretch what he can do, how far he can reach, because he was focused on reuniting with Cal. Now, with Cal as a safe anchor, he's drifting on the ebbs and eddies of the Force.

He barely turns his attention to Cal when he feels a snuggle, checking if he's waking up or just heading back into sleep. Unseen fingers trail through Cal's hair and across his cheek.

[bunchofscrewups]

The fingers in his hair draw a quiet humming sound from him, and he draws back just enough to press a kiss to Luke's forehead. Of course, just because he might be awake, that doesn't mean they have to go anywhere. He's more than content to stay here, for now. And content to not disturb Luke's meditation.

[hisfathersimage]

Luke's hands rest against Cal's back and his fingers tighten briefly against the skin. There's no pressure to come to immediately, so he lets himself drift back bit by bit, until he's firmly back inside his own skin, warm and comfortable and settled.

He gives a soft hum at Cal and wriggles in against him. "Mornin'. Again."

[bunchofscrewups]

Cal can sense it clearly, the way Luke meanders through the Force on his way back, and he takes that moment to settle back down with his chin on top of Luke's head. And he of course knows when Luke has returned fully even before he speaks, and idly scratches his back as a sort of greeting.

"Morning. I think I actually don't have more sleep in me."

[hisfathersimage]

The scratching draws another happy, contented sound from low in Luke's throat. "Yeah. Happens, unfortunately." He rubs his cheek against Cal's collarbone and stifles a yawn. "Probably some of the best sleep either of us has had in a while."

[bunchofscrewups]

That's a very nice sound. Cal smiles to himself, and starts idly rubbing his hand up and down Luke's back.

"Definitely some of the best sleep I've had in a while." He closes his eyes again, just to relax. "And I'm still staying in bed until noon."

Sorry, I have been a bit scattered with everything going on

[hisfathersimage]

Noon... is a way off. And Luke already knows he'll want to eat before then. "Well, you're welcome to, but I was thinking about getting us breakfast."

Totally understandable! Take all the time you need, always <3

[bunchofscrewups]

"Hmmm," he says, like he's seriously considering the benefits of this. "I guess breakfast might be worth letting you go."

Though, even as he says that, he squeezes his arm a little tighter around Luke.

[hisfathersimage]

"But only 'might'," Luke comments as the arm presses him closer into Cal again. "I just want to keep your strength up."

[bunchofscrewups]

He hums quietly. Only 'might'. And, truthfully, knowing Luke intends to go get breakfast, he's tempted to actually get out of bed and join him. If only to not be away from him more than necessary.

"My strength will survive until noon."

But he eases his hold on Luke the next moment, just to make it clear that he is, obviously, free to leave.

[hisfathersimage]

Free to, but if Cal wants him to stay... Luke doesn't move for the moment and just luxuriates in being close. The bond is nice, good, but there's something about physical intimacy that just can't be beat.

"It will. But do you want it to?"

[bunchofscrewups]

"I want a lot of different things. I don't think I can have them all at once." He burrows his nose into Luke's hair with a quiet sigh. "If you're getting breakfast I'm coming with."

[hisfathersimage]

"If we get food now, we can stock up for the day and not have to get dressed or out of bed until tomorrow," he suggests.

[bunchofscrewups]

Another moment or two passes as he thinks about it, and then:

"Okay, you've convinced me."

And before he can chance his mind, he rolls over onto his back, throws the covers off himself and swings his legs over the side of the bed to sit up.

[hisfathersimage]

Luke flops to the side as Cal gets up, taking a moment to stretch again luxuriously. Then he starts making the same concerted effort to actually get up and ready to go out, even just briefly.

[bunchofscrewups]

Once they're both sitting up, Cal turns enough to be able to watch Luke. The tufts of hair sticking out behind his ears, the way his muscles move as he stretches, how his back curves in a way that makes Cal want to immediately grab him and pull him back down to lavish it with attention.

But he can do that later. With great effort, he makes himself stand up, and brushes a hand through his hair to get rid of most of the bed head.

[hisfathersimage]

It takes a few moments to pick out clothes that were somewhat scattered about, work out where his boots had ended up and then try and get his hair into some kind of order. His lightsaber is called to hand with an absent thought and hung on his belt while he looks for the identity papers he was currently using and the credit line attached to it.

And once he's found it all, he watches Cal for however long it takes him to catch up to the same state of readiness.

[bunchofscrewups]

His clothes are in about the same state, and the moment he grabs the first piece - his shirt - he thinks about the fact that they are very gross and they never sent them to get cleaned. And he badly needs a change.

So as soon as he's dressed and armed and turns to check on Luke, he says:

"I'd like to stop by my ship first."

[hisfathersimage]

They totally got distracted by more interesting things.

"Yeah. That's fair. I had a chance to move stuff in here, you didn't. Ship, food square? Then back here?" he's slready stepping forward, hands coming up to finger comb Cal's hair into something like brushed.

[bunchofscrewups]

He nods, then tilts his head down just slightly for Luke to see better.

"Sounds good."

As soon as Luke is done with his hair, he offers him a hand before stepping out of the room. BD-1 is on him in an instant, running over to clamber up his back with beeping that is somehow both excited and reproachful at once.

[hisfathersimage]

Luke gives a nod of approval at Cal's hair and twines their fingers together as they step out.

BD might be excited, but Artoo is notably ignoring Luke, grumbling to himself and refusing to look at the pair of them as he rolls over. Luke smothers his laugh at the antics and just pats the dome fondly. "Yes, I know, we're terrible biologicals, abandoning you for a whole night to ourselves."

Artoo's noise suggests that he knows full well it won't be the one night.

[bunchofscrewups]

"You're right, Artoo. It'll be as many nights to ourselves as we can steal."

BD is far from as grumbly about it, but he makes a quiet beep of protest. Cal can't blame him too much. For so long, it's only really been the two of them. Of course, there have been many others, too, but for the past decade or so, they've been the only two left at the end of the day.

[hisfathersimage]

Whereas Artoo had never really had to share Luke before. Not since Yavin. Whoever else came and went and was there or had other missions, Artoo was always attached to Luke and his X-Wing.

"You're just going to have to learn to share," Luke pointed out. "It's not like you're being replaced, but Cal's special and he's not going anywhere, okay? Not unless he wants to." His hand rubs over the dome again. "I don't get jealous of Threepio, do I?"

Artoo's sound suggested that no, Luke didn't do that.

[bunchofscrewups]

So Artoo doesn't only have Luke but Threepio too. What a greedy little droid. Cal keeps that to himself, smiling widely to himself.

"Don't worry. Me and BD understand very well."

Not everyone would.

[hisfathersimage]

"See?" Luke still sounds just fond, rather than exasperated like he very easily could be. "And you and BD can complain about how disgusting us biological creatures are."

He starts walking again, keeping hold of Cal's hand and presuming everyone will keep up with him.