Chapter Title: An Evening at the Cafe
Series Title: Unlikely Brothers
Ages in this chapter: Tanner (31), Dashen (37), River (7)
POV: Dashen
Chapter Summary: Dashen readies for an overnight shift at the diner he manages for Colton - Cayne's Cafe.
"I'm gonna have a family one day, Dashen. I'll get married and have two kids and a house too."
"Two kids? River, you are seven years old, and you're already counting future kids?"
"Yes. And they'll be loved forever and I'll never get angry with them. Not ever."
"Well, you will. You won't intend to, but you will. That just means they're real family. When you can get angry with someone and then the next day or the next week, everything is better… that's real family. It's okay to get angry with family as long as you don't let those emotions consume you. You'll get mad at Tanner and me some days. I know it. Probably when you're a crazy, hormone-driven teenager." I felt my shoulder shrug involuntary. "It's what happens. Well, it didn't happen as often with Tanner because he had that creepy magic stuff to work with and keep him all weirdly calm."
"I have that too."
The Force magic he meant.
I lowered my voice and indicated River should do the same. "You have something. We don't know exactly what it is just yet. Tanner says you are Force sensitive and you are, but what that means for your abilities in life, it's too early to tell. But trust me, the minute you start throwing things at me with your mind, that's when I get angry."
I winked at my smallest of brothers. Almost twelve months out of slavery. Seven years old. Feeling his oats, finally. And apparently claiming his future. I mean, a wife and kids and a house? Seriously. Seven. Who thinks of that stuff at that age? I didn't. Tanner certainly didn't. At seven, he was busy sucking down lightsaber drills at the Jedi temple. At seven, I was probably being a pain in the ass to my folks. This kid? He was ready. And I'd not put that reality past him either, despite my jokes to the contrary.
His mouth made that little kid giggling sound that I loved so much. He didn't take me seriously sometimes. I was okay with that. Little brothers. But he knew what he wanted. I just needed to make sure he wasn't getting ahead of himself with dreams of perfection later in life. No life is ever prefect or ever will be prefect. He was already well aware of that and because of his past, it was part of why he would be so determined to have that married-with-kids life. His childhood prior to the age of six was the stuff of nightmares. Sold to slavers by the very people who brought him to life. Treated like an animal for two years by a monster. No one would bat an eye if he said he never wanted to be part of that traditional family deal. Hell, I'd not blame him if he stood on a mountaintop and proclaimed it.
But nope, this kid was going in the opposite direction. Not to repeat the sins of the past, but to better them.
How could anyone not love this kid?
I wasn't wrong though. Whatever future wife and kids awaited him, there would be times that tried them and brought them to odds. It's just the way of true family. As long as he understood that, he'd be fine.
"Dashen, I'll never throw things at you with my mind."
"Yeah, where have I heard that before? Oh right, Tanner. I survived one crazy-magic kid, I suppose I can survive another."
We walked into the diner - Cayne's Cafe. Named in honor of Colton's father years back. My managing shift was about to start (I was working late) and Tanner was due by soon to grab River on his way home from teaching. With a heave, I lifted my baby brother and set him on the end barstool, the tallest of the row. Easy for him to see everything and easy for me to keep an eye on him.
"Pup, you want food to go or is Tanner creating this evening?"
Tanner was the culinary wiz in our family. I could make toast. But the cooks here at our diner made some killer bantha burgers and bacon. River had my appetite for the good stuff when it came to the fatty, juicy ecstasy that was bantha bacon.
"Can Lasker make bacon for me?"
Lasker was my top line cook. Not a clue what species he was; he had four arms, six eyes, and green scales all over his face. One of the most unattractive beings in the galaxy, but he could make magic in the kitchen like it was nobody's business.
"I'm sure I can convince him to make up a batch just for you."
River smiled big, teeth and all. "I like that."
"Hang out here for a few, stay put. Watch for your brother, he'll be along soon. I'll put your order in with Lasker. It's busy this evening, I'm sure Lasker's got all four arms flying in eight different directions. He does enjoy a challenge."
"He's funny."
"Oh yeah, he's a laugh a minute." I said blankly. Lasker was his own man, thing, creature. Whatever. I couldn't understand a word he said, he yelled a lot, and he didn't keep the cleanest kitchen. (I actually had to lease a clean-up droid for the specific purpose of fixing the kitchen after each of Lasker's shifts.) Lasker was unique to himself. River adored him. Of course he did. "Stay put and watch for your brother." I repeated.
I escaped to the kitchen and averted Lasker's temper with a mention River's name and that the expedited bacon order was for him. The messy cook waved a right hand from behind the half-wall and muttered something in his native language, to which River grinned and nodded. Great, they were pals and the kid spoke gibberish now. This little brother was getting more and more like Tanner every day.
Speaking of, former Jedi boy strolled into the diner a few minutes later, looking way too happy after long hours of dealing with packs of young kids in school. That would drive me insane. Tanner thrived on it. Bounce in his step and a sparkle in his eye, must've been a good day. I watched from a short distance as Tanner tossed an arm around River in a snug half-hug.
"Hi Tanner."
"Hey, Riv. How was your day?"
"It was good. Dashen had me read some and I did my studies. I have my work at home for you to check."
Hair ruffle time. Tanner used to hate it (a least that was his side of the story). River craved it.
"Lasker's making bacon, isn't he? I can smell it." Tanner said.
"He likes me."
"Everyone likes you, Riv."
With a hot stove, the burgers and bacon fried up fast. Lasker sent the box out with extra slices included. River waved a hand and yelled thank you to the kitchen area. To which Lasker grinned, grunted and went back to work.
I handed the box to River and motioned to my brothers. "Look at that, my two favorite people in one spot."
"You're working overnight then?" Tanner asked me.
"All night. So, drop him off with Fen tomorrow? I won't be home until you're already gone to the school. My overnight manager is on sabbatical with her kids."
"Aldra? She has kids?"
"Apparently so. Who knew? Her kind are nocturnal, right? She makes the prefect night manager. I guess everyone needs time off. Still wonder when she had time to pop out two kids though. Or hatch them? Mitosis? No idea. None of my business anyway, except that I need to cover some of her shifts. So, you two can go stuff yourselves silly with burgers and bacon. I'll be here babysitting the always-entertaining late-night clientele."
"Dashen, I like the stories you tell me about them."
"Yup, and I'm sure I'll have more soon. I need to get to work. Until tomorrow. Night, Pup."
He'd have hugged me if we weren't in a public place. As comfortable as River had gotten with hugs from his brothers at home, there was still a bit of awareness about initiating it in other settings. I shot him my famous annoying hair ruffle instead, mussing his longish dark hair so that it looked like a baby bantha had exploded on his head. He laughed. One day he'd get his revenge for that. Tanner had, many, many times over. For every hair ruffle, he hurled a pillow at my head. And once he got strong enough to throw those things at full tilt, they hurt! I'd probably regret treating River the same way, but technically he was my little brother, and it's one of the things they were forced to suffer through as they grew up under my charge. I was okay with it. Gave me something to enjoy and look forward to.
"Dashen!" That was his weak attempt at a protest, the whiny version of my name.
Meanwhile, Tanner had just caught up with my other comments. "Mitosis? Really, Dash? Aldra is Kiffarian. That's basically human. And Kiffarians are not nocturnal. That's just the story she told you so that you'd stay out of her way during the night shift. Naturally, you fell for it. You do enjoy being an idiot, don't you?"
River giggled at the exchange. Damn kid.
And while I'm at it, Tanner. Damn Jedi.
I waved the vexatious pair away from the bar. "Both of you, go home and pester each other for a while. I've got… ah, crap. Qu'lar and Paan."
"Oh," Tanner nodded, glancing over at the incoming problem children. Well, not children, but they were irritating enough. "The Taung and the N'gai. They don't much like each other, do they? I thought you said they stopped coming to the diner."
"They stopped coming together. And they stopped coming during my normal day shifts. My life was so peaceful then."
"Your life has never been peaceful, big brother."
"Right. Thanks, Mouse." I said flatly. "How about you use some of your hocus-pocus on them."
"Yeah, I think not. There may not be much bounty on us now as a general rule, but no chances. You know the rule. Dash, you made the rule!"
"I did, didn't I?" I had. Tanner was right, Jedi had dropped a long way down the ladder of bounty hunter targets, but why put yourself out there if there was no need. Thankfully, Qu'lar and Paan were not hunters. Last time I checked, Qu'lar was a renowned freighter pilot and Paan as working spice-mine raids. Good times, I was certain.
Apart, they were no problem. Together, they argued and fought and competed and… they were just too damned loud. This was supposed to be a more family oriented place, which it was most of the time. Daylight hours. Who the hell knows what happens to Kaolin after dark.
But, this was the city I loved and the diner I was proud of. Dealing with Qu'lar and Paan… I suppose it kept me busy and entertained during the never-ending overnight hours.
Bottom line for now though, I'd no idea if either of them ever had any connection to or knowledge of past slavers. I didn't want River anywhere near these guys. Like with Tanner and his Jedi history, for now, River had to hide his enslaved past - even if he was only a seven year old boy.
I motioned to Tanner. "It's good. I'll just have one of my migraines when I get home in the morning. Leave me one of those weird tumer-tea concoctions that Fen prescribed, will you?" Some type of special drink that tended to help my head not explode. I wasn't completely sure of the make up of the thing and it tasted like swamp mud, however, it did help. I'd need it tomorrow.
"You got it, Dash."
"Thanks. Now scoot him out outta here, little brother." I gave Tanner a light push. "Those guys get one drink into them and they turn into rancor's. River, mind your brother, okay?"
The smallest of us agreed readily, innocent blue eyes smiled up at me. "I will."
"Good kid. Love you, Pup."
"Love you back, Dash."
Tanner and I grasped quick hands before they finally headed out. He set a guarded arm around River's slight shoulders, guiding the boy's every step. Yes, nightlife in Kaolin was not quite fit for River Salvus. Even Tanner stayed a distance from it. Not their game and that was fine with me. The safer they stayed, the happier I was.
Brothers on their way, bantha burgers and bacon in hand, I turned my attention back to my irritate-me-by-the-minute customers.
"Lesedi!" Qu'lar the large Taung growled as he pounded me on the back. Hard. I gasped for a deep breath as he removed his three inches claw-like nails from my tunic and stared at me with his freakish yellow eyes. "I brought Paan. Been too long, my friend. Serve us up the top-shelf ale. And there's my favorite Kiffarian, Aldra these days?"
Yup, the pair had indeed come here together. On purpose. Hell. Maybe I'd comm Tanner and have him leave me three of those turmer-tea things. This had the makings of a very, very long evening.
"Great, Qu'lar. Always… thrilling to see you. Aldra is not here. You've got me and I'm not in the mood."
"You see, Paan? Same ole Lesedi. Top shelf ale or we get rowdy!"
This was my life now. I could only shake my head. So far removed from my traumatic days of the past. I was an adult. I had brothers. I had a career. I had insane customers. Qu'lar knew the rules here, he was more irksome than anything. Colton had rancor-sized bouncer-security assigned to this place all day, all night. They'd not hesitate to literally hurl people out of doors and windows if needed. Qu'lar would dance around the limits, but he'd not completely cross them. Paan was much the same, just a more compact version. But honestly, those two were really a story for another time.
I caught one last glimpse of my brothers just outside the door of the diner. They'd stayed momentarily to watch Qu'lar annoy me. Much like they as little brothers annoyed me.
Qu'lar and Paan. Tanner and River.
My work clientele exasperated me.
My brothers loved me.
There was something. That last bit.
It was the something that kept me going these days…
In fact, it was the only something that kept me going my entire life.
END
