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

[bunchofscrewups]

There's a lot to learn. Cal's gained a few new scars over the years, usually from mercenaries and bounty hunters, though as time passed people were getting less and less used to fighting a Jedi. That, and his own abilities, particularly his connection to the Force, has kept getting stronger. It's been a while since he's been hurt now. He's not sure he's much different as a person, although he probably is. Fighting the Empire almost non-stop for this long has been both tiring and rewarding, but he definitely wouldn't have done it any differently either.

Even if he was never meant to end their reign, he thinks he's helped people. That counts for a lot.

At the comment about needing a shower, he turns his head to quickly sniff his clothes. And it does smell, but it could be worse, so the way he recoils is mostly a joke.

"Yeah, it wouldn't. It's a good thing you can't smell, BD."

There's a beep if agreement, even if the droid wouldn't really know what he's lucky enough to miss out on.

[hisfathersimage]

Cal's lived a life. And Luke wants to know about it, especially since he wasn't able to share it. He wants to understand what Cal's lived and how he's lived it and who he's lived it with, because it all matters.

And it is a joke. And a little bit of a dirty suggestion. He still has his left hand splayed on Cal's back, holding them together. "Artoo's often told me that he's glad he can't smell biological stink with the places we end up going. But he also doesn't know the joy of getting clean with someone else."

[bunchofscrewups]

"That's true."

It's been a while now. He hasn't committed to abstinence or anything like that, but for the past several years he's been mostly entirely alone. Even if the opportunity had presented himself, though, he's not sure he would have been interested so close to Luke potentially remembering.

But that's enough standing around talking, if they have a room they can withdraw to. He reaches for one of Luke's hands, and takes a slight step back.

"Come on, then."

[hisfathersimage]

Luke gives him a warm smile, lacing their fingers like he remembers doing, even if the hand holding his is that touch broader now than before. He just lets the information of where they're going surface, shares it between them, over the bond and then squeezes Cal's hand again.

"There's charging stations for these two as well. And unlimited hot water."

[bunchofscrewups]

BD-1 stays put on his back as usual as they start walking.

"Wow. I can't remember the last time I had unlimited hot water."

Which is oddly similar to some of the conversations they had on Duplicity. Funny how little things have changed. Of course, it's largely self-inflicted, because he might have been able to find somewhere better if he'd really wanted to, maybe. It just wasn't an option in his mind. He never wanted to hide who he was ever again.

[hisfathersimage]

"I picked it on purpose." Somewhere a little luxurious, because he suspected Cal deserved it. Even if Cal wouldn't think to do it himself.

It's walking distance away. Luke pulls up his hood, as much out of habit as anything, but his hand stays tightly clutching Cal's. Artoo trundles alongside them, quiet for the time being.

[bunchofscrewups]

He gives the hood a cursory glance, but says nothing. Not like he doesn't understand habit. You get accustomed to behaving a certain way when you're potentially hunted, and although the Emperor might be dead, that hasn't secured their future.

But it's looking a whole lot brighter.

"Spoiling me already?" he says, gently nudging Luke's side.

Hopefully it's not actually too expensive for Luke, but he was a pretty successful rebel, to say the least. It would make sense that he had a good amount of money.

[hisfathersimage]

The Emperor might be dead, but a lot of the galaxy doesn't believe it yet and the bounties are still out there.

"Maybe." He nudges back. "I bet you haven't been, so I will."

After two years of doing his best to look after and spoil Cal, it's an easy habit to fall in to, even if it might not be so much of a habit for Cal anymore.

[bunchofscrewups]

"Not exactly, no. A lot of the Outer Rim doesn't make it easy to spoil yourself. Ever been to Xorrn?"

Everything considered, it's not a bad place. If it weren't for the war finally reaching them, it would probably have been a lot more comfortable. But it was never easy, as far as he understands it.

[hisfathersimage]

"Xorrn... I don't think I have. It does manufacturing? I think I've heard about deliveries and shipments from there." It sounds about right, but there's a lot going on everywhere and Luke's hardly kept that much attention on specifics about shipments.

The hotel isn't super fancy, it's just nice, clean looking, somewhere that middle management might stay. Luke heads in, leading Cal and the two droids, nodding at the Shistavanen on the desk as he goes through.

[bunchofscrewups]

"Yeah. It's actually pretty cool. It's rich with minerals, so it's great for mining, but the surface is really unstable. Geonosians settled it first, and they figured out that the only way to build is to do it beneath the surface. They constructed a ton of droids before the Clone Wars. But I guess they left at some point after the battle with the Republic there, because when some refugees fleeing the Empire found the planet, it was abandoned."

During his time there, he'd remembered Xorrn mentioned during the Clone Wars, all that time ago. Most of what he knows, though, he's picked up from echos and BD-1's scans.

[hisfathersimage]

The name is familiar, but he can't place where immediately. "Geonosians were involved in the clone army, weren't they?" That sounds about right. "Sounds like an interesting place, anyway. You were there recently?"

[bunchofscrewups]

"They were with the Seperatists. But, yeah, I was there just now, actually. Helping out. The Empire, uh ..." his tone shifts into something wry, "didn't appreciate their business practices."

And there's no need to elaborate on what that means.

[hisfathersimage]

Luke grins.

Jedi, sure, but there's part of him that remains that farm kid who just delights in things going 'boom' and the Empire going splat. "I hope you returned their regards."

[bunchofscrewups]

That grin is really something else, and infectuous. Cal returns it, with a bit of a laugh.

"Oh, yeah. We came to an agreement."

[hisfathersimage]

An elevator up and they're on their floor. The door opens ahead of them with a thought; Luke gestures Cal and Artoo in ahead of him. "I hope this agreement was heavily in your favour."

And then the door's shut and he's dropping his cloak to the floor and stepping in to kiss Cal again.

[bunchofscrewups]

He has manages to make a sound of confirmation of that fact. While the Empire's not completely gone, they've had a considerable setback, so he doesn't feel too bad about leaving them to take care of the rest. Talking about that is definitely less important than kissing Luke, so he's not about to complain about that.

BD-1 makes a noise behind him, something about leaving them alone, before he jumps down to probably inspect everything in this room.

Cal's hands come up to cup Luke's face, thumbs stroking over his cheeks as he draws him in just a tad closer. As memories are wont to do, everything had gotten more unclear as time went on, and he hadn't had anything to remember Luke by. Kissing him now feels like it's bringing things back into focus, conversations they've had and quiet moments they've shared, and he's so glad for that. Luke doesn't smell exactly the same, because evidently Duplicity doesn't smell the same as wherever he came from (should ask him about that), but he feels the same. It's perfect.

[hisfathersimage]

Artoo makes a rude noise at the humans and spins off to investigate, complaining to BD about humans doing ridiculous human things.

It's probably best, because Luke is pushing against Cal, urging him back towards whatever piece of furniture they encounter. It hasn't been that long, no, and yet... he's aware of the years echoing over the bond. The wash of memories coming back into focus, half forgotten moments brought back by a touch or a scent.

"You smell so different," Luke murmurs between kisses. "You feel different. But you're still so, you?"

[bunchofscrewups]

And here he thought a shower would be the first priority. Maybe it still is but, for now, he'll sit down on the couch that hits the back of his legs, hands clasping Luke's shoulders to bring him with.

"Mmph. Good."

Truth be told, that's another one of those worries that he'd sometimes think about. Mostly fleetingly, because he knew making assumptions wouldn't be fair to either of them, but it's difficult not to worry after so long. That he'd be so different, changed too much, for Luke's liking.

Now, it feels silly that he ever worried about that in the first place. Does love really go away so easily? From his experience, it's easy enough to hold onto.

[hisfathersimage]

Luke folds down into Cal's lap, straddling him so he can keep kissing him, talking, doing all the things that reestablish who they are together.

He leans back just to pull off his gloves, hands brushing over Cal's face and jaw. "You're all prickly," he murmurs fondly. Then he slides himself closer, chest to chest and tipping Cal's head back to kiss him slower and deeper than before.

[bunchofscrewups]

As soon as Luke's weight settles on him, he involuntarily lets out a pleased sigh, as he strokes his hands firmly down Luke's chest. Right now, he really is reminding himself of just what Luke feels like.

The 'prickly' comment startles a laugh out of him, as he moves his hands out of the way for Luke to come closer. It's fine by him, because this way he can refamiliarise himself with Luke's back, too, as heat and pleasure surges across his skin with the deeper kiss.

Even now, even just with this, he's convinced. No one he's ever slept with could compare to this man.

[hisfathersimage]

Luke is half distracted as they kiss so that he can pull off his boots with the Force and throw them aside before he's moaning softly into Cal's mouth, tongue chasing the taste of him. He's pressing into the bond just as much, his affection, his relief and desire and how damn good it feels to be here.

The real pity is that they can't kiss and talk at the same time, but they have time now. There's no sword hanging over them, the promise of being ripped away.

They can't take Cal away. There's no 'They' here.

[bunchofscrewups]

All of their conversations about the Force had really helped him when he returned. Without it, he's not sure he would have made the strides he has. Even so, he'd also forgotten just how readily Luke uses it for everything, and he feels the movement of it before he hears the sound of the boots hitting the floor. Again, a laugh escapes him, muffled into the kiss, as he buries his hand in Luke's hair and ... ruffles it a little.

Often enough, missing him would be like an ache. In a way, it's almost aching now too, though he can't really say why. Maybe just some remnants of the sensation.

[hisfathersimage]

In the last week, Luke's become worse than ever at casual Force use, the strength of being connected back to his home dimension coupled with the two years of learning and teaching he had done in Duplicity.

He grins at the laugh and it makes the kiss messier, messier than his hair as it gets ruffled up. The touch draws a soft sound of enjoyment that gets lost between their tongues.

[bunchofscrewups]

When he feels that grin against his mouth that he can't help but replicate, he's reminded of what he used to always marvel at in Duplicity. Being with Luke is always so easy. For someone who always finds it so difficult to trust people and who constantly meet people who are the exact same, usually for good reason, it's nice to have something like this.

He's so glad it still feels like this.

Rather than use the Force, he opts to toe his own boots off with his feet, as he settles his hand on the back of Luke's neck. Clearly, he's not going anywhere, but that still helps ensure he doesn't.