Starks [at least for now], Friday, September 24

[momslilassassin]

Ben was hardly a stranger to how Stark's was set up, but it was the first time he'd been in the shop unsupervised, which was why he might look like most kids would in a candy store.

...no one ever accused him of being all that normal.

He was behind the counter bright and early that morning, fiddling around with a mouse droid and eager to earn his paycheck so he could get rid of that damn arm tattoo help the community with their technology woes.

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"It's only because you're incapable of containing all of the astral-ness that is me," he replied.

[glacial_queen]

"Well, when you make comments like that, the reasons behind all the smothering become abundantly clear," Karla agreed.

[momslilassassin]

He stuck his tongue out at her again.

[glacial_queen]

They were so mature for their age!

"Have I ever pointed out that if we ever did make some kind of alliance between the Jedi and the Blood, anytime your Council had to deal with Kaeleer, everyone would get to deal with me?"

Happy thoughts!

[momslilassassin]

"Why would we possibly agree to that?" he asked, laughing.

[glacial_queen]

"What, you don't think it wouldn't be useful--" and fun "--to have diplomatic ties with Kaeleer?"

[momslilassassin]

"I think that there's not enough universe in the universe if other Jedi try to learn cradle," he said.

[glacial_queen]

"Your female Jedi will love it," Karla retorted smugly.

[momslilassassin]

"That's what I'm afraid of," he laughed. "Aunt Leia and Jaina should not learn this."

[glacial_queen]

"I don't have to wait for diplomatic ties to teach either of them," Karla pointed out. "In fact, I share several classes with Leia."

It wasn't his Leia, but that was okay.

"And Parent's Weekend is coming up. You never know who might visit."

[momslilassassin]

"Dad," Ben said immediately, beaming.

[glacial_queen]

Karla stopped teasing and gave Ben a happy smile. "That explains the radio reports about your grandfather, anyway."

[momslilassassin]

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah," he said. "Granddad thinks he has a chance of beating Dad this year. I think he's out of his mind."

[glacial_queen]

"Your father's that much better than your grandfather?" Karla asked in surprise. "Impressive."

[momslilassassin]

"Dad's been fighting almost continuously since he was my age, or near enough," Ben said. "Granddad's good, but he's had to relearn a lot of stuff and it's not exactly a challenge to spar against me weekly."

Ben was selling himself a little short there.

[glacial_queen]

"So says you, but I've watched those spars of yours. You're much improved even in the last year," Karla retorted. No one got to disregard Ben's skills. Not even Ben. "You haven't noticed how much longer your spars last now?"

[momslilassassin]

"Not in the last few weeks," Ben said a little dryly. "Granddad's been pushing himself, which means that I'm learning I'm not as good as I thought I was."

[glacial_queen]

"Or that your grandfather's insane when it comes to competition," Karla pointed out. One of those two. "Though...how long are you lasting now, even with him pushing?"

[momslilassassin]

"About seven minutes," Ben said, smiling, "which isn't bad."

It was really, really good.

[glacial_queen]

"And when I watched you for the first time last year, how long could you last with him not pushing?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben thought about it. "About three minutes," he said. "Five on a really good day."

[glacial_queen]

"I rest my case," Karla said, grinning.

Alex would have been so proud.