Title: You Look Tense
Rating: M
She followed her boss easily off of the Wilde Karrde, her eyes glued to a datapad looking at the contacts they needed to secure during this trip.
"Don't think that guest is for me," Karrde said to her side and Mara lifted her gaze, her emerald eyes scanning the horizon and they stilled on the one form that definitely did not belong in the docking bay. "Till tomorrow Mara," he said with a smile and she nodded at him. She let out a breath and continued forward, brown eyes meeting her own.
"Hm, not the Skywalker I was expecting to see," Mara mused and Leia Organa Solo smiled easily at her.
"Always good to see you Jade," she breathed and Mara nodded.
"What has he done?" She questioned with a small smile and Leia motioned over her shoulder.
"Can I walk you to your next destination?" Leia inquired and Mara nodded. She glanced to her left and gave a small nod to Aves as he handed her bag to her. She slipped the datapad inside then motioned with her head for the Chancellor to lead the way.
"Somehow I have a feeling it will be Farmboys apartment," she mused and Leia shrugged a bit. "Is he ok?" Mara questioned and Leia didn't respond.
"It's been awhile since I've seen you," Leia admitted glancing at her as the two women fell in step with one another.
"Did you miss me?" Mara questioned and Leia smiled a bit at her.
"I surprisingly have," she returned and Mara felt the genuineness roll off of Luke's sister. She understood her more as the years went by. She was much like her brother yet she knew how to control her emotions.
"Callista isn't a fan of me. Thought it wise to give the lovebirds some space," Mara breathed as they walked into the old Imperial Palace. She use to know these halls intimately, every entry, every passageway, each escape route.
"She left him," Leia said simply and Mara's feet halted.
"She did what?!" The Master Trader's voice had risen in anger and Leia stilled glancing at her.
"Two months ago," Leia added and Mara stilled, Leia watching her regain herself yet she knew that under the calm that Mara was trying to not show she was seething. "Left him a note. Said she couldn't be with him without the force. It was too hard and he deserved someone who could help him be better instead of pulling him down," Leia's voice was even and a bit emotionless. Leia was fiercely protective of her brother plus Mara thought she had liked Callista. They seemed to hit it off the times she had seen them together. Surely she was hurt with Callista leaving but more so angry she had left her brother.
"You haven't put a bounty on her have you?" Mara questioned and Leia smirked and let out a breath with a shake of her head. "May I?" Mara hissed and Leia's smirk softened.
"He didn't tell you did he?" She asked and Mara's gaze fell away from the Chief of State.
"I've been out of contact," Mara offered for him and Leia nodded in understanding. They started walking once more, both of their feet heading towards the man of topic.
"She unnerved me," Leia admitted and Mara didn't need to agree out loud. It was clear she wasn't a fan of Callista Ming when they had found her after the Eye of Palpatine. "She was living on borrowed time. Perhaps I would have been more understanding if I was a romantic at heart yet logically they just didn't make sense," Leia admitted and Mara was a bit stunned she was being so open.
"I never stuck around long enough to see how they were together yet he seemed happy. Carefree," Mara added with an indifferent shrug and Leia nodded once.
"In the beginning. I think that wore off quick when she tried to mold him into what she thought a Jedi should be. Towards the end he just looked tired."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Mara questioned and Leia tilted her head to the side.
"Because you missed it. For the last four years you've been a part of our lives Mara Jade. Jumping in and out when we need you most. You have an impressive track record from going to an enemy to a vital piece of our unit. My brother treasures your friendship deeply, maybe above all others and to have someone he can be himself with is indeed a treasure. It didn't take a genius to see you weren't a fan of their relationship but I doubted seriously it was because you were jealous. More so I think you left because she was."
"No one deserves to be happy. That isn't the way the world works," Mara began and Leia looked at her thoughtfully. "That doesn't mean if it could happen we should try and destroy it," she added with a shrug and Leia was struck. Mara Jade was a true friend to her brother to keep away from him to instill happiness for him.
"I'm sad for his pain but I'm glad she's gone," Leia confessed as they stilled before a set of turbolifts. "He won't speak to me about her," she continued placing her hands in her robes. "I think he needs a friend, not a mothering sister," Leia admitted and Mara pressed the lift call.
"You make meddling a bit of an art form," Mara mused as the lift doors opened.
"Very good to see you. Would it be weird of me to ask you not to disappear again for so long?" Leia questioned as the master trader stepped into the lift. Her green eyes caught the chocolate brown of the sister Skywalker and she smiled at her.
"No. Very good to see you Madam Chief of State," Mara said with a bow of her head and Leia nodded, the doors closing.
She lifted her hand to ring the chime but the door slid open before she could touch it. She stepped in easily, dropping her bag in the front entrance.
"Hey Jade, long time no see," a voice greeted her distractedly and Mara Jade nodded, a bit impressed he wasn't sitting alone in the dark drinking. "Did that the first month," he mused out loud and Mara's eyes narrowed at him.
"Did you just read my mind Skywalker?" She growled with anger and he glanced away from her back to the machine he was fiddling with.
"I don't have to read what is written on your face," he breathed and she crossed her arms across her chest and waited. She was good at waiting. Silence unnerved him more than it ever did her so as the minutes ticked by she saw his shoulders start to tighten up. "I know what you are doing," he hissed finally as he set his instruments down. She imagined the machine he was working on was irredeemable at this point anyway from the looks of it. "I'm fine. Please tell my sister I am fine since she obviously does not believe me," he said with a bit of an edge and stood.
"Why did she leave?" Mara asked gently and Luke let out a breath as he turned to her. He walked her direction towards his kitchen.
"I imagine for the same reason they all leave," he responded casually then stilled beside her, his voice lowering. "I'm not what they want," he added then continued on towards the kitchen. She followed easily.
"Why didn't you call me?" She questioned and he looked at her over his shoulder as if she had grown three heads.
"Because I wasn't in some life threatening situation. Being dumped is not a cause for an emergency," he hissed looking through his kitchen only to find it bare. He groaned. Why did getting groceries seem like such a chore?
"You've contacted me before just to," she stilled as she tried to think. Had she and Skywalker ever called each other just to 'catch up'? Even the thought made her upper lip crinkle with disgust. "Geez, we are terrible friends to each other Skywalker," she muttered stuffing her hands into her jumpsuits pockets.
"You are at least really pretty to look at," he mused off handedly as if it was a consolation they never really formed a normal friendship and she nodded.
"Your body is ridiculously wasted under those Jedi blacks," she added and he smirked a bit at her yet the smile didn't really meet his eyes.
"A year and a half is a long time to go without speaking or seeing each other. I barely recognize you," he admitted pulling out a bottle of Correllian Ale and two mismatched glasses. He sat with little grace at his kitchen table and she followed suit, his hand pouring them both a generous measure of the spirit.
"A long time for you to not get in trouble. Shall we go find some?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow and he tossed back the shot in the glass and poured another.
"Let's play a game Jade," he said pouring her another glass as she finished hers. "Use to play this one when I joined the Rebellion. I always lost. I'd never seen or experienced the world outside of my own dustball," he muttered a bit forlorn. "Never have I ever thought I'd get married," he began raising his glass and she lifted hers as well. They both knocked them back easily and she poured the next round.
"Never have I ever thought I'd have younglings," Mara breathed and Luke stared at the glass in his hand with bitter defeat. She watched him hesitate.
"Do you want them?" He asked quietly as he lifted his glass.
"Wasn't really trained to want them," Mara mused. "I wouldn't exactly know how to create an environment they would deserve," she admitted honestly and he stilled, his eyes flicking to her. He downed his drink and she frowned a bit downing hers as well. She poured them more.
"Never have I ever thought you would fail at anything you tried," he said strongly, his eyes catching hers and Mara gulped. She chugged the drink quickly and poured another.
"Never have I ever believed you were unworthy," she shot back and he shot back his drink painfully.
"Well, there is one," he mused with a sad smile, the liquor starting to have it's effect on them. "Never have I ever wanted to be the savior of the Republic," he said bitterly. "Never have I ever wanted to be the Jedi Master," he continued and she was out of her chair. "Never have I ever…" her lips cut his off and he closed his eyes, two small tears leaking out.
"Never have I ever wanted to kill someone more than I do Callista Ming," she breathed, her hands still holding his cheeks and he shook his head at her.
"I don't believe you," he sighed and she smirked sadly at him, her frame settling in his lap. "You wanted to kill me quite fiercely," he remembered and her hands slid away from his skin. "I should have let you but you jumped me and really kriffed me off," he grinned looking up at her and she smirked. "I figured staying alive would really ruin your life."
"You have no idea. Do you want revenge on me for that jungle moon Skywalker?" He took his glass and drank it slowly.
"I'm kind of offended you even said the word revenge in my presence. Do you not know who I am?" He grumbled and she laughed moving off his lap back into her own chair.
"Well, you may have some of your father in you," she said with a shrug and he pulled her chair closer to him, both just a few inches away as he poured the rest of the bottle in their glasses.
"What was he like?" He questioned honestly, placing his chin in his hand as he rested his elbow on the table.
"Terrifying," Mara remembered pulling her legs up. "Cold. Mechanical," she breathed and he watched her shiver remembering. "Loyal."
"Does loyalty go a long way with you Jade?" Luke questioned and she hummed.
"His redeeming quality. Other than you," she added and he lifted an eyebrow at her curiously. "When he discovered you he changed. Almost barely but I could tell. He would hesitate in responding sometime to old Palpy. He never did that," she mused and her eyes fluttered closed a bit when she felt his hand slid across the side of her neck, his fingers playing in her hair as his thumb ran across her jaw. She finished off her drink. "That's why he ordered me to kill you. You were messing with his plans," she mused turning her eyes to his and he could see the alcohol was affecting her as much as him. Her eyes were darker, looked a bit tired yet they still shined to him.
"She hated you," Luke breathed and Mara smirked knowingly. "Was jealous," he added, his thumb running across her lips.
"I'm sorry," Mara mumbled but he knew she didn't mean it. His hand slid away from her and he leaned back in his chair finishing off his drink.
"She had right to be jealous. You look way better naked," he said with a shrug and Mara out right laughed. Her frame tipped forward and she fell drunkenly against him.
"We need more whiskey," she laughed getting to her feet and he smirked. He watched her search his cupboards until she found his next bottle.
"I missed you," he admitted honestly and she turned to him, her fingers unscrewing the cap. "She hated that the most. That I wasn't me without you."
"What if we tried a new thing farmboy," she mused sitting sloppily back in her chair. She poured them another round. "What if we were really friends," she smiled lifting her glass. "And we called sometimes just to say hi," she breathed and he held out his glass to her.
"Hi Mara," he smiled sadly and she chinked her glass against his, sloshing it a bit.
"Hi Luke," she returned. "I put a bounty on your ex-girlfriends head," she added casually and Luke almost spit his drink out on her.
"Seriously, has my Jedi awesomeness not rubbed off on you at all!?" His voice was full of annoyance, the drink dribbling down his chin as he quickly wiped it. as he She giggled. Mara Jade giggled.
"Oh you've rubbed something off on me all these years," she taunted and he rolled his eyes.
"You are five," he hissed as she drank her drink, the two of them reaching for the bottle at the same time. "And you are sleeping on my couch you lush. I think if you stood right now you'd fall over!"
"It's ok," Mara laughed with a small slur, tears coming to her eyes from her last laughing fit. "Never have I ever thought I'd be unsafe with Luke Skywalker," she smiled setting her drink on the table. She looked up at him with a smile and he leaned forward, kissing her forehead sweetly.
"Seriously take the bounty off of her head," he demanded against her hairline and she giggled picking back up her drink.
"Oh it's just a small one. She wasn't even worth me hitting my savings for," she sighed then her eyes focused on him intently. "Skywalker, I feel this is a really good time for you to teach me about levitating things," she announced and Luke looked at her for a solid minute as he wrapped that idea around his head.
"Yep, great time," he agreed pulling her to her feet and they wobbled into each other. "Let's use the ugly china Leia stuffed in here once," he grinned wrapping an arm around her and she giggled using all her skill as a dancer to keep herself on her feet. This was one way to help him.
She heard glass crunch and immediately her reflexes kicked in and she sat up with a start rushing into defensive mode.
"Skywalker!" She yelled and as a danger sense didn't flare something else did in her skull. "Sithspit," she hissed putting a hand to her head. Luke Skywalker sat up just as roughly on an opposite couch a few feet away hearing her yell.
"Not in danger," Luke confirmed groggily and Mara rolled her eyes.
"I'm torn between if I should take a holo of this or just treasure this image in my heart forever," Han Solo's dry voice entered their ears and Luke groaned falling back on the sofa cushions. "Please tell me all these broken plates are because you were trying to levitate stuff while drunk and not because you had a fight," he grinned and Mara smirked pulling a pillow onto her face. She gave the Smuggler a thumbs up and Han let out an triumphant laugh.
"I guess that was one way for you to tell me you didn't like that china pattern," a new voice said into the conversation and Luke sat straight up again, Mara doing the same. Leia looked at them both with amusement as Mara slowly lowered the pillow off of her face.
"He's feeling better," Mara said quickly and Luke shot her a look.
"You came here because my sister made you?" He growled and she huffed.
"Please, I could snap her like a twig. She couldn't make me do anything," she hissed and Luke's eyes narrowed further in warning at her. "I was going to try and say hi. Had hopes of setting up a spar if frigi-witch would have let you play," Mara muttered darkly and Luke snorted a laugh as he shot her an amused look. Han just chuckled at them.
"Just wanted to stop by and see if you wanted to go get lunch," Leia smiled interrupting and the two disheveled force users looked at her.
"Aw, Karrde is probably livid," Mara whined as she quickly stood up. Luke fumbled after her as she stumbled looking for her bag and coat.
"Yes, lunch is fine sis," he hissed kissing her cheek and following Mara to the door.
"Mara," he called and she stopped, running a hand messily through her hair as she faced him. "It isn't the Jedi way to brag but in all honesty I must tell you that I crushed you in our game last night. It was like twenty to seven," he smiled stupidly, his head still spinning a bit and she flicked her hand out, the force pushing on his chest and he stumbled backwards, his foot catching on a stair and causing him to fall flat on his back. Leia gasped.
"Geez kid," Han hissed as they rushed to him.
"Brag on that Jedi master," Mara snarked with a smirk and Luke chuckled happily as he sat up.
"Spar later?" He called but she was already out the door and checking her chrono. She was about three hours late for her first meeting of the day. Luke sat up and Leia wrapped an arm around him, smiling at him.
"How are you feeling brother?" She asked softly and Luke let out a deep breath.
"Not alone," he responded honestly as he looked at his sister. He leaned his head against hers and hugged her. "Not alone."
"I would pay any amount of money to see you two idiots levitating stuff while drunk," Han smirked crouching down near them and Leia giggled.
"Oh my gosh me too," she agreed quickly and Luke couldn't help but laugh with them but the laughter reminded him quickly of his splitting head ache.
"Oh man… could I have a few minutes in a healing trance before lunch?" Luke asked and Han shook his head, yanking him up to his feet.
"Nope, have to be a man like the rest of us and accept it. Come on, I'm starving," Han smirked and Luke groaned wrapping an arm around his brother in law.
The door slid open to the private gym and Mara Jade walked in with purpose. She made it a few yards in and stopped before the form stretching on the padded floor.
"Impressive security," she murmured and Luke Skywalker smiled up at her.
"Perks of being the brother of the chief of state," he mused and she nodded. "Are you in trouble?" He questioned and Mara cast him a lazy look.
"I feel you forget too easily Skywalker that no one is in charge of my destiny but me. Thankfully though, my absence this morning did not hinder any deal," she replied and he nodded standing.
"Well, you did make my life a bit easier. My sister thinks I am on the mend so I'll be heading back to the Academy within the week since she has promised to give me back my transponder codes," he hissed with annoyance and Mara smirked as she dropped her bag on the ground and pulled off her over tunic.
"A man like me. One drunk night can solve anything," Mara mused as she shook out her muscles, her frame clad in workout gear. She picked up her lightsaber and enjoyed the weight in her hand as she turned to him.
"I'll add that to my Jedi Code," Luke said emotionlessly and Mara smirked activating her lightsaber.
"Hope you were done stretching," she hissed and attacked, his blade whirring to life.
"Perhaps I should have stretched more," Luke groaned. "I really liked this shirt," he sighed and pulled at it, ripping it off his shoulder the rest of the way since she had slashed the other half beyond repair.
"You look better without it," Mara mumbled, her eyes closed as she lay on the ground a few yards away from him, her body recovering from their spar. "I know it's been awhile but you've improved Skywalker. Thought you were suppose to get worse with age," Mara muttered and Luke let those words hit him. That was about as close as a compliment he would ever get from her.
"I've upped my training by about sixteen hours a week," he admitted with a breath and Mara turned her head towards him, her eyes opening curiously at him.
"Needed to work out tension farmboy?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow but he didn't rise to her baiting.
"More like trying to live up to something I could never be," he muttered a bit bitterly. Hearing a bitter edge to his words didn't amuse her as much as she thought it would over the years. Only irked her. She sat up with a sigh.
"The greatest Jedi in the galaxy went up against Palpatine. He walked among them for years unnoticed… they were too blinded by their ideals. It took a half-trained Jedi who wasn't polluted by their 'no emotion' in the force to take down a man they had elected into power then let kill them," Mara stated and Luke glanced at her. "If I would have killed you in Jabba's palace I would be sitting right here in this spot right now, yet as a slave as would the rest of the galaxy," Mara snapped and Luke bristled at that thought. "Considering I had spent years wanting to kill you, it frustrates a part of me that is proud of you and all you have done. I don't ever tell you because I don't want it to go to your head," she hissed and he smirked finally.
"I'm starting to believe the old Jedi Order did the 'no emotion' because they couldn't keep a mate," he grumbled and Mara shrugged at that one. He turned to her in the silence and marveled a bit. He knew she was exhausted but it didn't show.
"You have amazing self-control. The skill it took to come that close and not injure," Luke stilled, a bit overwhelmed by her fighting skills. "You keep me very humble," he muttered and she smirked out right.
"Now that is one of my favorite things to do," she mused.
"There is not much I don't like about you Jade," he admitted honestly and Mara slowly pushed herself to her feet.
"My smell might be one of them right now," she muttered and he stood, pulling her easily to her feet the rest of the way.
"Private gym, private showers. I'll set you up," he sighed walking towards the back and she followed slowly. They walked into a bank of steam showers, each about the size of the bedroom in her apartment. "Not really sure how they work," Luke muttered looking at the buttons on the wall and Mara set her bag down stepping into one of the stalls curiously. She hadn't seen one like this in a long time. It was three clouded glass walls with multiple spouts and steam capability. Only the best for the Imperial Palace. "Seems to be a button for everything except on," he grumbled when he hit one and then smiled with triumph hearing the water running. He turned and his eyes widened, the sprays of three shower heads converging on the still and very clothed form of Mara Jade.
"Thanks Skywalker," she muttered spitting a bit of water out and he hit the button quickly shutting them off. She wiped a bit of water off of her forehead, pushing her hair out of her face.
"I'm sorry," Luke quickly apologized.
"This will make it harder. I'm going to need your help farmboy," she sighed and he stepped towards her, his feet sloshing a bit in the leftover water. She glanced over her shoulder, her hands going at the hem of her shirt. "You may have injured my shoulder with that stupid jump move so just yank this wet shirt off will you?" She ground out and his hands grabbed the wet shirt and began to pull it up. His fingers slowed when he saw the curve of her back. Suddenly it felt very humid and he was having a bit of a hard time taking in a deep breath. He gently pulled the rest of the shirt off and stepped closer to her. "This is the one that is going to hurt," she muttered and his hand slowly slid up her back to her sports bra. His touch was light yet it still seemed to burn her skin. She lifted her arms and he pulled the wet garment off as gently as he could. She took that from him too and let it fall to the wet floor in a plop. "Thanks farmboy," she breathed over her shoulder, pulling her wet hair to one side exposing her bare back to him. He nodded but he wasn't sure if she saw it. His fingers hadn't left her skin, just slowly trailing down her backbone.
"Did I injure you?" He questioned and she glanced over her shoulder at him, her green eyes stilling him.
"I'm just out of practice. Muscles too tense," she muttered with a shrug and he gently kissed her left shoulder.
"Are you getting old on me Jade?" He asked quietly, his voice a whisper into her ear and she held her breath, her shields in place against him. Normally she would have already had him against the wall but he was hurting. Callista had damaged him and she wasn't the best at mending things that were broken.
"I can't be perfect forever," she muttered wrapping an arm around herself and turning to him. His eyes met hers and he thought back to the first time he had seen her covered in water on the jungle planet of Myrkr.
"May I ask something of you Mara?" He questioned and she tilted her head towards him curiously. "Will you let your shields down?" He asked, his eyes closing a bit defeated and confusion flashed across her face. Instinctively she wanted to tighten her shields and make sure he was locked out. Normally she held herself pretty guarded. She had interacted with a few other Jedi in her life yet none seemed to brush up against her the way Luke did. It had been a key part of their friendship over the years and as they learned to trust each other it was useful in times of crisis but also times of… understanding hit her quickly and she took a step towards him closing the gap between them. Her shields lowered and she felt his presence gently brush against hers. She pressed her forehead against his and he let out a painful sigh. His hands rose and he cupped her cheeks pressing her forehead against his own and she felt his brokenness. How he took what had happened with Callista as a personal failure. That he had not been good enough, that he would never be good enough- good enough as a man and good enough as a Jedi and she grit her teeth as that pain slammed into her. She pushed out towards him with her mind, offering him what little comfort she knew and he wrapped around her. His sense was warm and soothing and showed his relief at finally connecting once more with someone. With her specifically. She suddenly felt how her obvious distance had hurt him. How important her friendship was to him and when he had lost it he felt truly alone because she was one of the only people who saw him. Wanted to see him as he was and not glorify him or change him.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered and he shushed her. She felt his mind comfort her, tell her they weren't friends like that and it wasn't a big deal. He moved to confirm he was fine and as he opened his mouth to speak she wouldn't let him. She leaned forward, capturing his lips softly and their bodies just stilled. Their lips moved slowly over each other and she felt their shields rise around each other, not cutting the other out but cutting out the rest of the world and wrapping them together. Her concentration split from the slow ministrations he was paying to her lips to activate the panel on the side of the shower unit. A fourth wall materialized sealing them in a cloudy room and the shower water started again. He tilted her head back a bit, deepening the kiss and their hands slowly explored, riding themselves of the rest of their clothes.
It was a bit jarring and often she had to remind herself to breath. She was use to fast and furious and he was purposefully taking his time, forcing them to be in this moment. To feel everything. For once she let him lead, following his direction and responding immediately through the force and physically.
It seemed to last forever yet was over too soon. She sucked in a shallow breath, the air humid as steam floated around them. His lips kissed her pulse point as they just clung to one another as the water still flowed around them. Neither could speak and she could barely even form a thought. It would have broken the power of this moment anyway. The healing they had just done, for both of them.
Luke Skywalker walked easily up to the white cloth covered table and he eyed the two occupants wearily.
"This seems alarming and yet beautiful all at the same time," he mused reaching down to place a kiss on his sister's cheek.
"Why because your two favorite people are having lunch together?" Leia questioned and Mara Jade glanced up at the Jedi as he pulled a chair to their little table.
"And did not invite you?" Mara added with a smirk and Luke smiled boyishly at her.
"Are you going to eat that?" He asked and she let out a tolerating breath casting a glance at the Chief of State who only grinned at her.
"We were talking about you and how you wanted to go back to the Academy," Leia began with a sigh and Mara pushed her salad towards the Jedi and he took it with a grin picking up her second fork.
"Seriously, that's the most interesting thing the most powerful woman in the Republic and the most dangerous woman in the galaxy could come up with?" Luke grumbled and Mara shrugged.
"I wanted to talk about torture techniques but that isn't her thing," Mara muttered taking a sip from her water.
"Oh, like Pre-emperor or post?" Luke questioned interested and Mara leaned towards him to respond but Leia's quick clear of her throat made them still. "Should have invited me to lunch," Luke muttered at the trader taking a bite of the salad and Mara shook her head with amusement.
"Am I even at this table with you two?" Leia questioned with a sigh and they looked at her with their undivided attention. "Why is my brother only carefree around you Jade?" Leia asked with exasperation and Mara held her gaze.
"He needed to get laid. Guess Callista didn't really," she made a slight whistle noise and Luke straightened his back. "Not that I'm surprised," she continued and his eyes narrowed and he smacked her water onto the table and into her lap. She flinched once then narrowed her eyes angrily at him as it puddled onto her.
"Seriously, I am an elected official. Do not have red district conversations in front of me or make me kill you," Leia sighed quietly with annoyance and the two looked at her surprised.
"You sister doesn't approve of me buying you a good time. I'll take note," Mara smirked and Luke resisted the urge to dump her leftover lunch over her head.
"Neither do I. Take note of that as well," Luke hissed and Leia let out a breath. Luke glanced her way and then gently took her hand in his own. "She never has," he soothed and Mara smirked a little to herself. "I'm fine. I just want to go home," Luke admitted to her and Leia nodded gripping his hand.
"I have a thing for Karrde I have to do then I'll swing by the Academy in a few months and make sure he hasn't grown a giant beard or let himself go," Mara added and that seemed to take a bit of the stress out of Leia's frame.
"I love you brother," she whispered and Luke squeezed her fingers.
"I love you sister," he added kissing her forehead lovingly.
"I love you hold out blaster," Mara breathed after two minutes of silence and the twins looked at her with tolerance, Luke cracking a grin and Leia starting to smirk. "I'm afraid I have a ship to catch," she said standing and Luke smirked brightly at her wet lap and she smacked the side of his head. "Thank you for a lovely lunch. I'll let you know next time I'm in the area," Mara said with a nod to Organa-Solo and Leia nodded.
"I'd like that. It's nice to just be Leia sometimes," she mused and Luke looked lovingly at his sister.
"I'll be in touch Skywalker," Mara said in farewell. Luke looked up at her with a smile. Mara returned the smile easily as she turned over Leia's water onto his head. Leia sucked in a surprised breath and Luke blew out a breath.
"Next time I'm not taking you two to a high end restaurant," Leia sighed and Luke looked at his sister with a small smile, water dripping down his face.