Walking the Sky – Skywalker One-shots (L/M/B)
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A/N1: This is an on-going series of Luke, Mara and Ben one-shots. (These stories will not be in any specific or chronological order)
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A/N 2: I do not own Star Wars
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Boys and Their Forts:
Luke Skywalker set down the datapad, and leaned back in his chair, trying to stretch sore muscles. His eyes were tired from hours of reading reports, and he could feel a headache starting to blossom.
Luke closed his eyes and breathed deeply, releasing tension with the breath. He heard a scuffle at the door to his office, and opened his eyes to find a blue-eyed, red haired boy looking in on him.
"Hello Ben." Luke greeted his son with a smile. "What have you been up to?"
The four-year-old grinned, and hustled forward, holding aloft a toy X-wing with its matching pilot.
"I'm playing with my ships." He informed his father gleefully. "Wanna play with me Daddy?"
Luke glanced at his desk, which was still littered with un-read reports. Deciding that he could certainly use a break, and that his son was far more important, Luke ruffled Ben's hair.
"Sure, let me just run to the refresher." Luke stood, feeling his legs protest.
"Okay!" Ben quipped.
Luke chuckled as the child scurried off toward his bedroom. Luke stopped by the refresher, and breathed a sigh of relief. After washing his hands, Luke splashed cool water on his face, and cupped some in his palm for a quick drink.
When he entered Ben's room, Luke stopped short. Ben was nowhere in sight, but he could be heard… underneath a bed-sheet held up by the one chair in the boy's room, and the headboard of his bed.
Ben suddenly leapt from the covering, his X-wing still in hand, and he made the toy fly about before he realized he had company.
"Oh!" Ben jumped. "Hi Dad!"
"What is this?" Luke asked with a smirk, indicating the sheet.
"Oh! It's my hangar-bay!" Ben informed his father.
"Hangar-bay?" Luke repeated, his smile growing.
Ben nodded emphatically. "Yup! I couldn't fit under my bed."
Luke chuckled, stepping into the room. Then an idea struck him, and he motioned or Ben to follow him.
"Come on, Son."
Ben followed curiously, still clutching his toy.
Luke went to the linen closet and pulled out several more sheets and blankets. Luke took them to the living room, and the proceeded to bring in the chairs from their kitchen table.
"What are you doing?" Ben asked, his eyes bright with interest.
"We are going to build a fort." Luke informed his child. "Or call it a hangar-bay, if you want."
"Really?!" Ben squeaked as Luke placed the dining room chairs in strategic places.
"Of course. I used to make forts in my room on Tatooine when I had extra time to play." Luke said. "Why don't you grab one of those sheets, and we will get started."
Ben leapt for the pile of bedding, and then paused on his way back to his father.
"What about Mom?"
Luke paused too, and then smirked. "Leave her to me, Son."
"Yes sir!" Ben agreed eagerly, eliciting a chuckle from Luke.
Together they placed their sheets and blankets over the furniture, and Luke found some of Mara's hair-clips of to help hold them in place. After they finished, father and son stood back to survey their handiwork.
"So, what do you think?" Luke asked, looking down to his son. "Is it Rogue Squadron worthy?"
Ben's face split into a huge grin, and he dove under the 'roof' of their 'hangar-bay'.
"It's great!" Ben cheered, his voice somewhat muffled from being under the bedding.
Luke fed off of Ban's enthusiasm, and ducked under the sheets to join Ben.
"Why don't you go get your ships and we can play?" Luke offered.
Ben crowed with delight, and rushed off. Seconds later he reappeared, his little arms laden with toy ships and pilots. He unceremoniously dumped them into a pile on the floor, and then plopped down.
"Can I be the Rebels?" Ben asked.
"Sure, who will I play?" Luke inquired.
"Mm... you can play the Empire!" Ben offered.
Luke nodded, and they separated the toys accordingly. Next they moved to separate ends of their hangar-bay to set up the ships on the floor.
Luke arranged his in neat rows, wondering idly just how the Empire set up their ships in the real world. When Luke finished, he glanced up to find Ben biting his lip in frustration.
"What's wrong, Ben?"
His son looked up. "I can't get this pilot into the ship."
The boy lifted an A-wing and the matching pilot.
"I can't get the cockpit to close!"
Luke crawled over, and held out his hand. "May I see it?"
Ben immediately offered the toy, and Luke examined the parts. He spotted the problem after only a short time.
"Ah. I see what's wrong." Luke pointed to the edge to the toy cockpit, making sure Ben could see. "The edge of the canopy is bent."
"Can you fix it please?" Ben inquired.
"I should be able to." Luke carefully bent the plastic of the cockpit canopy and then closed the toy's feature. It clicked soundly into place.
"Yay!" Ben cheered. "Thanks Daddy!"
"Alright, Rogue Leader, you ready for battle?" Luke saluted his son.
"Yes sir!" Ben returned the salute and they once again retreated to their respective corners.
Luke selected two TIE fighters, and turned to see Ben shuffling two X-wings. He smiled as the child made all the proper sound effects, from the ships taking off to the control tower. Luke mimicked his son, sending his own craft soaring.
Luke crawled over toward Ben, who met him halfway.
"Rogue Leader, I have two TIES coming in!" Ben impersonated the tinny voice of a comlink message.
"Copy! I'm going in!"
Their ships met with laser sounds and battle cries, until Ben shot down one of Luke's TIES.
"Oh no!" Luke cried theatrically. "I'm hit!"
Just before his TIE hit the ground, Luke made an explosion sound, and sent his TIE scurrying off. Ben smiled triumphantly and sent his two X-wings in to finish off the second TIE fighter.
"Hey, no fair ganging up on me!" Luke stated mock-angrily.
Ben only giggled, and they met in a twisting of arms and toys as Ben tried to hit Luke's ship. Luke flipped his TIE at the last second, and managed to clip one of the S-foils of Ben's starboard X-wing.
Ben shrieked playfully and made the craft spin on its way to the floor, where it 'exploded'.
"Ha!" Luke crowed. "One-on-one now!"
"You won't win!" Ben shot back. "The Alliance will get you!"
"Not today!" Luke intoned, just as Ben scored a hit on Luke's last TIE fighter.
"This is Empire Two, I need reinforcements!" Luke cried, and then pitched his voice lower. "'Copy Empire Two, reinforcements are on their way!'"
00000
Mara Jade Skywalker breathed a sigh of relief as she entered the turbolift, and it ascended the building to her floor. After exiting, she noticed a strange sensation of giddy bliss emanating in steady waves from her home. The closer she came to her front door, the stronger it became, until it nearly overwhelmed her.
Mara opened the door cautiously, and stepped through, only to freeze just after turning from closing it behind her.
Her sitting room was a mess of sheets and blankets, all hung haphazardly from chairs and other pieces of furniture. She scanned the area in confusion for a moment until she heard muffled sounds coming from underneath the linens.
"Ah! You got my last ship!" Luke's voice sounded, eliciting a boyish giggle from someone.
"Down with the Empire!"
That was Ben, Mara decided.
"Oh! Not so fast Rebel scum!" Luke again.
Mara only then noted the random vehicle parts strewn at random about the room. Suddenly a low playful growl came from under the blankets, and Ben shrieked, laughing raucously.
Luke's voice continued to growl and make munching noises, to which Ben pleaded for him to stop amid chorus of laughter. The sheets rustled as the two male Skywalkers shuffled about.
With a suddenness that startled her, Ben shot out from under the sheets, squealing in delight. Seconds later her husband also burst forth, stumbling about as he caught his balance. He thumped theatrically after his son, who disappeared into his room.
Mara shook her head, a smile lighting up her features despite her earlier shock. Peals of laughter sang forth from the room, as Luke undoubtedly caught up with his son. Feet thundered back toward the room, and upon seeing his mother, Ben halted just outside the hallway.
The move was so sudden and unexpected that Luke was forced to do a pretty fancy side-step in order to avoid barreling into his son. Luke caught his balance, chest heaving with exertion, and only then noticed his wife.
"Oh." Luke puffed, laughing despite himself, still caught up in the moment. "Hey Mara."
Ben caught Luke's infectious laughter, and tackled his father. Luke gamely rolled to the floor, allowing Ben to rough-house and tickle him.
"Oh no!" Luke yelped playfully, extending a hand toward Mara. "Help me Mommy!"
Mara lifted an eyebrow, but was unable to resist standing on the sidelines any longer. She made her way over to her boys, and smirked at Luke.
"No, help me Mommy!" Ben insisted, still attacking Luke.
Luke laughed, and squirmed, unabashedly allowing his only child to rough him up. Mara found it touching that Luke was willing to play on Ben's level; and without any shred of embarrassment.
Luke again lifted his hand to her, a pleading look on his face. "Help! He's getting me!"
Mara could contain her laughter no longer, and she dropped down… and helped Ben rough up his father.
Ben laughed with delight that Mara took his side, while Luke mock-pouted.
"Hey! No fair teaming up on me!"
"Admit it!" Mara told him with an infectious smile. "The Alliance will always win!"
"Yeah!" Ben seconded. "Surrender to us!"
"Never!" Luke stuck his nose in the air. "I will never break!"
Mara and Ben intensified their efforts, and it wasn't until Ben accidentally kneed Luke in the groin that he held up his hands in defeat.
"Whoa! Okay okay!" Luke protested, trying to hold back a cough as he struggled to breathe properly. "I give up! You win!"
Mara felt sorry for Luke, who was still trying to breathe suitably, and pulled Ben off of his father.
"Alright Ben." Mara said firmly. "Let him catch his breath."
Ben looked confused, and even a little worried. "What's wrong? Did I hurt him?"
Mara bit her lip. "You will understand some day, Ben." she finally allowed.
Ben turned to Luke, who was lying still, but breathing much easier. "Daddy?"
"I'm okay Ben, it was an accident." Luke sat up, and placed a hand on Ben's shoulder. "Let's get something to eat, I don't know about you, but all that hard work has made me hungry. What do you say Rogue Leader?"
Ben grinned at Luke's assurance.
"To the mess hall!" he ordered, jumping up and running to the kitchen.
He was back just as quickly. "Um, Dad?"
"Yes Ben?"
"Where are we going to eat at?" Ben asked.
Luke glanced at the sitting room, still set up from earlier. "Oh, yeah."
Mara shook her head and stood, offering Luke a hand. "Why don't we take our fearless leader to Dex's Diner?"
Ben's face lit up. "Yeah! Can we, Daddy?"
Luke threw a wry glance at his wife, and then addressed his son. "If Mommy says we can then it sounds good to me."
"Go get your shoes and jacket." Mara instructed Ben.
The boy saluted and raced off to do her bidding. Mara turned to Luke, smirking.
"And how is the Empire faring after that final defeat?" She asked sympathetically.
Luke shook his head, but the gesture was devoid of any ill-will. "I'm fine. He's going to be a strong one."
Mara snorted with laughter, but was saved making a comeback when Ben burst back into the room.
"I'm ready!" he announced loudly.
The family shared a laugh and left the 'hangar-bay' as it was as they left for dinner.
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A few hours later, Luke carried an exhausted Ben through the door, Mara close on his heels. Luke took Ben straight to his room, and placed him in his bed. The child immediately curled up and fell asleep, while Luke covered him with the blanket from his original fort and kissed his head.
"Goodnight, Ben." Luke murmured. "I love you."
Luke shut the door behind him, and stretched. He went back to the sitting area, and glanced about for Mara. He felt her in the refresher, and relaxed. He entered his and Mara's room, and gratefully took off his boots and tunic; lastly changing into a pair of sleep-trousers.
Luke then decided to go for a glass of water, and walked around his and Ben's creation to enter the kitchen.
As soon as the cool liquid touched his lips, Luke realized he was much more thirsty than he'd thought, and he gulped it down eagerly. When he returned to the sitting area, and Mara was still not back, he shrugged and bent under the sheets to begin collecting the toys.
Luke made a pile, and was about to back out to find a bucket to put them into when warm, soft hands encircled his waist from behind.
"Hey there." Luke greeted Mara.
Luke maneuvered around so he was sitting and facing Mara. He smiled approvingly when he saw what she was wearing. She sported a soft-looking babydoll in a lovely shade of red. When he spotted two pillows beside her, he cocked a curious brow.
"Do I get my turn in the hangar-bay?" Mara asked suggestively.
Luke grinned. "I like the way you think."
She punched him softly in the arm before retrieving their pillows. Settling down comfortably, Luke and Mara snuggled together, simply enjoying being close.
"So, what brought all this on?" Mara asked finally, gesturing to the fort about them.
Luke sighed contentedly. "Ben had a small fort- er, hangar-bay- set up in his room. I used to do that when I was little, despite Aunt Beru's protests." Luke shrugged. "I just wanted to share a little of my past with him, is all."
Mara smiled against his chest. "Well, I think it was sweet." She admitted. "I was surprised at first, and seeing you two suddenly appear out from under here…" Mara laughed. "Was quite a sight."
"I'll bet." Luke joined in her laughter. "How was your day, by the way?"
"Fine." Mara stretched languidly.
The movement of her body against his ignited little sparks all along Luke's frame, and he nuzzled her hair. She smelled of lilies, courtesy of her shampoo, and her hair was still tantalizingly damp.
Mara lifted her head, and touched her lips to his chest, allowing her hand to trail down the hard panes of his torso. Luke sighed contentedly, reveling in her feather-light touch.
"What you did for Ben today was really sweet." Mara murmured, bringing her hand up to caress his cheek.
Luke leaned into her touch, eyes closed. "It was a nice break from the monotony of my office-work." He said softly. "I love playing with him."
Mara nodded, even though he couldn't see it. "I know, and he loves you all the more for it."
Luke peeked his blue eyes open. "And his Mother?"
"Is blessed with such a wonderful family." she answered unabashedly.
Luke smiled. "As are we to have you in it."
She moved up enough to bring their faces close, and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. Luke brought his hand to her back and drew her closer, deepening the kiss.
Mara rolled to lie atop him, and he caressed her with his hands. Mara allowed her hands to wander too, and reached below his waist to tug his sleep-pants off. Luke responded by slipping her shift over her head.
Mara moaned as he showered her with kisses, and allowed herself to drift into bliss with her husband.