"Jacen, where's your sister?" Leia asked her eldest son as he wandered into the kitchen. He shrugged and stuck his finger in the soup she'd gotten from the food processor. He grinned cheekily as she gently whacked his hand before sticking said finger into his mouth and tasting the soup.
"Don't know. Yum, creamy jark-root. Again." He replied, raising one brown brow at her and she rolled her brown eyes.
"Really, where's Jaina?" She asked again and he shook his head in response, his shaggy brown hair flying around his head a little.
"I saw her at Kyp's last Mom. But I really don't know." He replied more seriously, seating himself on a bar stool across the counter from her. Anakin came striding in, wiping grease off his face with a rag that he stuffed into his pocket as soon as he was marginally clean.
"Hey Mom, Jace. Jark-root again? Really Mom, there's more in processor than that." He said with a smirk, shoving his older brother's shoulder as he sat next to him. They all sat there for a moment, a rather comfortable silence covering them as they each pulled out something to entertain themselves with. Jace let his crystal snake run over his hands, though Force knew where he'd gotten it seeing as he hadn't moved an inch. Anakin pulled a sensor of some sort from his pocket and began tinkering with it while Leia read through something on her datapad. Han sauntered into the kitchen after a day's work on the Falcon with Chewie trailing along behind him. They looked at the soup and made to turn around. But Leia's hand shot out and grabbed the shoulder of Han's vest without even looking.
"Oh no you don't nerf-herder. You are eating dinner with us tonight." She said, looking up at him with the imperious expression he'd fallen in love with all those years ago. He laughed and gave her a light kiss before turning back to the boys.
"Jaina hasn't decided to grace us with her presence yet, eh boys?" He asked with a chuckle. They grinned and shook their heads at him. Just then the young woman in question calmly walked into the room.
"Good evening wonderful family of mine." She said in a sing-song voice as she slid into her seat beside Anakin. She leaned over and kissed her father on the cheek and even tapped the head of Jacen's snake with a single finger. Everyone but Jace looked at her like something was wrong.
"I got her a good gig." He explained after a moment of questioning silence.
"That explains it." Anakin replied and reached for a bowl so that they could start eating. Everyone then relaxed into chatter as they began to eat, talking about everything but Jaina's music. It wasn't something often spoken of, since it usually sparked one argument or another.
"School starts tomorrow. Have you all finished your summer assignments?" Leia asked after they'd all finished eating. Jacen nodded, once again playing with his snake. Anakin thought for a moment before nodding as well, having to think back a bit to remember if he'd finished his paper or not. Her gaze then turned to her only daughter, who was humming some tune or another under her breath as she drummed out the rhythm on the counter with her long fingers.
"Hmm? Oh, yes. I've finished it, more or less." She replied before standing and stretching her slim arms over her head. Before anyone could say anything she strolled off to her room. Jacen chuckled and stood as well, grinning at his mother.
"I didn't let her use mine this time Mom, don't worry. Night." He said, kissing his mother on the cheek and ruffling his brother's hair before he too ambled up the stairs and to his room. Anakin shrugged and followed his siblings with an absent wave towards his parents. Han lounged against the counter next to his wife, a small smirk on his face as he watched his children head to bed.
"Han, what are we going to do with her?" Leia asked, holding her head in her hands. Han gently rubbed her back with one calloused hand.
"Nothing Princess. She's too much like us to take direction. She has to find her own way." He replied, lifting her head to face him with a lop-sided smile. He kissed her, his actions softer than most would imagine the scoundrel capable of. When he pulled back Leia smiled up at him, leaning against his lean chest.
"I guess you're right Han. I just worry about her." He chuckled and brushed his hand over her brown hair.
"Of course I am Princess. Now c'mon. Let's go to bed." He tugged her towards the stairs and the two of them followed their children into sleep.