The Perk, Monday Morning

[suitably_heroic]

All the refueling and retooling of the Ebon Hawk was done - that wasn't the problem. The problem was Meetra, who'd insisted on hanging around Nar Shaddaa a little longer to fix a few more problems she'd spotted while being chased around by mercs. Which, y'know, fine by Atton, it wasn't anything explicitly dangerous, but it left him with a patch of time where he had nothing to do but play pazaak with himself.

And so, after a grueling morning session of 'learn how not to slice your arm off with a lightsaber', he'd announced he'd be out for the day and snuck off.

Now he was nursing a cup of coffee at the Perk, a lightsaber hilt clipped to his belt. His foot would tap the floor periodically with restrained anxiety; he wasn't sure why he'd come here, and he was sure that coming here was a terrible idea.

He let out a sigh and reached into his pocket for his phone. Maybe Sparks would be up for karaoke tonight, or something. At least that would kind of justify the trip.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[myownface]

Okay, bags packed? Check. Cat fed? Check. Sparkle would be moving the few things he needed to over the course of the week, and his first session at summer camp started today.

He was going to need coffee for thi--

"Atton!"

Forget getting a chance to make the phone call. Sparkle, all of two steps through the door, was going in for a tackle now.

[suitably_heroic]

"What the-- Woah!"

Even newly-awakened Force senses couldn't anticipate that kind of a cannonball, apparently.

[myownface]

Hey, Sparkle was the sneakiest sneak who ever did tackle a Jedi. Take that.

"Shit, man, your timing! You just here for a visit, or are you sticking around? Why the hell would you even want to be around this hole? Get kicked out of any good cantinas lately? How are you doing? What's this?"

From clinging to leaning over to inspect the lightsaber in about two seconds flat.

Sparkle was antsy today, and it was manifesting in interesting ways.

[suitably_heroic]

"I'm here for a visit, and I actually like this place, if you remember," Atton said. He held his hand in front of the hilt. "And be careful with that, all right? You press the wrong button, the least that's going to happen is we burn a hole in this table."

[myownface]

"Your visit has the best timing," Sparkle decided, and then scooted away a half step. He probably didn't actually need any coffee, considering how much of a buzz he was riding just by virtue of seeing Atton around here. "Is that a lightsaber? Shit, how did you get a lightsaber?"

He really didn't seem like the lightsaber sort to Sparkle, was the thing. Today was full of surprises.

[suitably_heroic]

"Built one based on stuff we gathered up," Atton said, sounding casual. He didn't feel casual, mind you. "Takes a while to figure out how to keep it from slicing your arm off."

[myownface]

Please pardon Sparkle, Atton. How he had to lean forward and poke at your arms to make sure they were both still actually your arms.

"It's kind of kickass," he decided. "Just... you know. New."

For Atton in particular.

[suitably_heroic]

"Hey, hey, hey," Atton said, holding up his hands. "No poking, all right?" A pause. "And yeah. It's new. There's been a couple of changes lately."

[myownface]

Sparkle took himself a seat and sat on his hands.

"Changes, huh?" He tilted his head at Atton thoughtfully. Somehow, he wasn't really surprised. "Like, big ones? Even since the last time we talked?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin came in for a coffee and stopped when he saw who was there already. "Master Rand?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Did you just call me 'Master Rand'?" Atton said, glancing over his shoulder. "I'm putting that one in my scrapbook."

[sith_happened]

"As the happiest day ever," Anakin said dryly. "What are you doing back?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Just dropping by to get a cup of coffee before Her Jediness drags us off to Onderon," Atton said, demonstrating this by taking a sip. "Can't keep her from running around doing good while the rest of us hang around the ship, so..."

[sith_happened]

"This is on the way to Onderon?" Anakin replied, quirking up an eyebrow. "Really."

[suitably_heroic]

"Really," Atton said, eyeballing him. "You got something to share?"

[sith_happened]

"Mostly that I'm an excellent pilot and navigator and Fandom is not on the way from one place to another in our galaxy unless you got lost or really pissed off Portalocity," Anakin said, smirking slightly.

[suitably_heroic]

"We're not on the way yet, smartass," Atton told him, sitting back in his chair. "Like I said, she's wrapping up some Jedi business."

[notconflicted]

Sia had come in for a drink after training, and she'd thought she'd be in here just long enough to get that and get out.

And since she'd heard absolutely nothing about Atton since he'd left, she just stared for a moment.

[suitably_heroic]

That was the downside of being twigged into the Force: Atton couldn't not notice that.

He thought about ignoring her, but... he was turning around in his seat before he could finish that thought.

[notconflicted]

"This is the absolute last place I expected to see you," she said, because that was literally the only way she could figure to start.

[suitably_heroic]

"Well, it was a little early to hit Caritas," Atton said, after a short pause. "I'm saving that for later."

[notconflicted]

"Right," she said, coming closer. "I can't help but notice that you're not in some prison right now."

[suitably_heroic]

"It's been a lot longer for me than it's been for you," Atton said.

Space, had she always looked that young? "Five years, maybe six."

[notconflicted]

"Still would have figured prison would be a factor here," she admitted. "What happened?"

[suitably_heroic]

"The war happened," Atton said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Not much left of the Republic right now."