"First Fight" - E/C #12 - PG
Apr. 2nd, 2012 07:46 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
jedimara77.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
lukeandmaraBecause it was bound to happen sooner or later...
FIRST FIGHT
by JediMara77
Mara sighed and tossed in bed, pounding her pillow with her fist. No matter what she tried, she couldn’t fall asleep.
She couldn’t remember the last time she and Luke had had a fight—discounting the time she tried to slice his head off, of course. Since the Battle of Endor, they’d made a concentrated effort to present a united front to the galaxy, and that meant that they never argued. Ever.
Sure, they had their share of disagreements, some of which became heated, but when that happened they would sit down in the library and discuss their problem rationally until they came up with a logical solution. It had worked so well…until now.
Perhaps it was inevitable. They were both highly passionate individuals and extremely Force sensitive. They were bound to snap eventually.
That didn’t make her feel any better about the situation.
Mara had risen from bed to pull on her robe, deciding that sleep was not going to be an option that evening, when the comm station next to her bed dinged softly. She slapped the receiver, praying that it was Luke on the other end.
It wasn’t. It was Inga, their maid. “Dear…I’ve found him.”
“What?” Mara exclaimed. Luke had been blocking her ever since he stormed out of their suite several hours ago. “Where?”
“In the hangar.”
Mara breathed a sigh of relief and wondered why the hell she hadn’t thought to look there in the first place. Of course he’d go tinker with his X-wing when he was angry. “Thank you, Inga.”
“You should go speak with him, dear. I am sure he would be willing to accept an apology.”
Mara cringed. She had hoped that Inga hadn’t been around to witness their argument, but with how loudly they’d been yelling, the entire Palace had probably heard them. Which meant they also knew how awful the Empress had treated her husband. She felt embarrassed, as Inga had become almost like a mother to her. “Okay. I will.”
With that she cut off the comm and exited the suite. Her guards fell into formation behind her and they walked to the hangar in silence. All the while, she thought about what had transpired to make Luke so angry.
In retrospect, it had been so stupid. Some high-ranking moff wanted to donate a sizable amount of his personal credits to help fund the new Jedi Temple. Mara had been ecstatic and rushed home to tell Luke. But upon hearing the news he was less than pleased. He wanted to politely decline the donation. “This is getting ridiculous,” he had said. “I’m glad people want to support the new Jedi Order, but it’s already being mostly funded by the Empire. I don’t want it to be a political organization, Mara.”
Mara had stared at him, dumbfounded. “Luke,” she spoke calmly, not wanting to get into argument—ironic, in hindsight—“this is a huge amount of money. It would be foolish to refuse it!”
“Well then I’m a fool,” Luke had replied just as calmly, as if he was baiting her. “That moff was one of Palpatine’s biggest supporters, and now he wants to donate to the Jedi Order? No, I’m not accepting that. I don’t care how much money he wants to throw at me.”
Mara couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Luke…I understand you want the Jedi Order to be an autonomous organization. I agree with you. But you’re just starting out! You can’t afford to refuse donations right now.”
“Why not? I’m the head of the Jedi Order, am I not? I can do whatever I want.”
“Yes, and as you just said the majority of your funds have come from the Empire, of which I’m the head. And I think you should suck it up and accept the donation. Or are you going to stubbornly refuse every person who ever supported Palpatine? Because if so, you’re going to have a hell of a time living on Coruscant.”
Luke had stared at her, his eyes hardening in a way Mara had never before witnessed. When he spoke, the eerie softness of his voice almost made her tremble. “So that’s it, then? Pulling rank already, Empress?”
“Luke, you know that’s not what I meant—”
“Oh, I think it’s exactly what you meant!” He shook his head. “You’re the one who wanted to use Imperial funds to help the Jedi Order, Mara. And what did you say when I said no, that it would only cause problems in the end? You said that it was your money to do with as you pleased, and you wanted to fix what Palpatine had broken. You wanted to support me in any way possible. You said you’d support anything I did with the Jedi!” He’d scoffed, eyes flashing venomously at her. “How quickly you change your tune when you might offend somebody powerful.”
She’d gaped at him. Never before had he been so harsh to her. She hadn’t thought it was possible. “Luke…I just think that you’d be making a mistake to refuse the donation. I’m just thinking of what’s best for the Order!”
“No, you’re not!” he’d hissed. “Because if you were then you’d see what this really is—a power play! Just like that moff who gave you your crown, just like the moff who offered us a stay at his exclusive resort. All they want is to buy favors, and I am not opening up the Jedi to that. The Jedi belonged to the government once before, and look what happened.”
Mara had started to get angry herself. Luke had no right to talk to her that way when she only had his best interests at heart. “Look, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you’re being a stubborn idiot. Just take the damn funds and say thank you!”
“I most certainly will not.” Luke had gathered up his belongings, making to leave the suite. “Perhaps this was a bad idea.”
Mara had frozen, unable to believe what she was hearing. “What?”
“This!” Luke waved his hand around, indicating their opulent suite. “Is all this just to buy me, too?”
“What?! Luke, you’re being ridiculous! How could you say such a thing?”
He hadn’t paid attention to her. “Just forget it.”
He’d stormed out then. Mara had tried to follow him but she was bogged down by her dress, and then he’d blocked her through the Force. In the end she’d found herself standing by herself in the hallway, staring in the direction he’d gone while servants milled about, not paying her any attention. She’d returned to her suite and thrown her crown against the wall, then went on doing her work like nothing had happened.
But when it had come time to sleep, she couldn’t. Not without Luke.
She’d been so stupid.
She stopped in her tracks when she reached the hangar and didn’t see him. Had he realized Inga’d told her where he was and left already? But then she spotted him, sitting in the cockpit. Sleeping in the cockpit.
It tore at her heart to see him like that. He had an entire suite full of extra rooms in which he could have slept comfortably, but he’d wanted to be away from her so badly that he’d decided to sleep in his X-wing. At least he was probably used to it.
He glanced up suddenly and their eyes locked from across the hangar. She froze again, unable to predict what he would do. Would he refuse to speak to her? Would he take off?
He just stared. And there was nothing else that Mara could do but mouth, “I’m sorry.”
For a moment, Luke didn’t react. Then he took down his mental shields and mouthed back, “I know you are.”
She reveled in the return of his Force presence. Even missing it for just a little while was much too long. Then she dismissed the guards and crossed the hangar to the X-wing, using the Force to close the door behind them. Luke didn’t question her as she climbed up the ladder to the X-wing and settled sideways on his lap.
“You were right.”
Luke leaned forward as if he was activating the ship’s comm system. “Say that again so I can record it.”
Mara smacked him. He was making jokes, which was a good sign. “I’m serious, Luke. You were right. I’m sorry I tried to pressure you.”
“I accept your apology.” He tightened his grip around her waist. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I’d just had a very hard day, which a bunch of ‘advisors’ telling me what I should do when they have no knowledge of the Jedi at all. It wasn’t right to take it out on you.”
Mara flashed him a grin. “Can I record that?”
Luke rolled his eyes, then placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry for what I said. I know you don’t care about all the wealth. And I know that you know I don’t care, either.”
“I don’t. I just want to be with you.”
“I know.” Luke sighed, adjusting his weight on the seat. He turned Mara around so she was sitting between his legs. It was cramped, but they could manage. “That’s all I want, too.”
After a while, it became clear that neither of wanted to move. Instead they fell asleep in each other’s arms, in the cockpit of an X-wing.
And Mara had never been so comfortable in her entire life.
by JediMara77
Mara sighed and tossed in bed, pounding her pillow with her fist. No matter what she tried, she couldn’t fall asleep.
She couldn’t remember the last time she and Luke had had a fight—discounting the time she tried to slice his head off, of course. Since the Battle of Endor, they’d made a concentrated effort to present a united front to the galaxy, and that meant that they never argued. Ever.
Sure, they had their share of disagreements, some of which became heated, but when that happened they would sit down in the library and discuss their problem rationally until they came up with a logical solution. It had worked so well…until now.
Perhaps it was inevitable. They were both highly passionate individuals and extremely Force sensitive. They were bound to snap eventually.
That didn’t make her feel any better about the situation.
Mara had risen from bed to pull on her robe, deciding that sleep was not going to be an option that evening, when the comm station next to her bed dinged softly. She slapped the receiver, praying that it was Luke on the other end.
It wasn’t. It was Inga, their maid. “Dear…I’ve found him.”
“What?” Mara exclaimed. Luke had been blocking her ever since he stormed out of their suite several hours ago. “Where?”
“In the hangar.”
Mara breathed a sigh of relief and wondered why the hell she hadn’t thought to look there in the first place. Of course he’d go tinker with his X-wing when he was angry. “Thank you, Inga.”
“You should go speak with him, dear. I am sure he would be willing to accept an apology.”
Mara cringed. She had hoped that Inga hadn’t been around to witness their argument, but with how loudly they’d been yelling, the entire Palace had probably heard them. Which meant they also knew how awful the Empress had treated her husband. She felt embarrassed, as Inga had become almost like a mother to her. “Okay. I will.”
With that she cut off the comm and exited the suite. Her guards fell into formation behind her and they walked to the hangar in silence. All the while, she thought about what had transpired to make Luke so angry.
In retrospect, it had been so stupid. Some high-ranking moff wanted to donate a sizable amount of his personal credits to help fund the new Jedi Temple. Mara had been ecstatic and rushed home to tell Luke. But upon hearing the news he was less than pleased. He wanted to politely decline the donation. “This is getting ridiculous,” he had said. “I’m glad people want to support the new Jedi Order, but it’s already being mostly funded by the Empire. I don’t want it to be a political organization, Mara.”
Mara had stared at him, dumbfounded. “Luke,” she spoke calmly, not wanting to get into argument—ironic, in hindsight—“this is a huge amount of money. It would be foolish to refuse it!”
“Well then I’m a fool,” Luke had replied just as calmly, as if he was baiting her. “That moff was one of Palpatine’s biggest supporters, and now he wants to donate to the Jedi Order? No, I’m not accepting that. I don’t care how much money he wants to throw at me.”
Mara couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Luke…I understand you want the Jedi Order to be an autonomous organization. I agree with you. But you’re just starting out! You can’t afford to refuse donations right now.”
“Why not? I’m the head of the Jedi Order, am I not? I can do whatever I want.”
“Yes, and as you just said the majority of your funds have come from the Empire, of which I’m the head. And I think you should suck it up and accept the donation. Or are you going to stubbornly refuse every person who ever supported Palpatine? Because if so, you’re going to have a hell of a time living on Coruscant.”
Luke had stared at her, his eyes hardening in a way Mara had never before witnessed. When he spoke, the eerie softness of his voice almost made her tremble. “So that’s it, then? Pulling rank already, Empress?”
“Luke, you know that’s not what I meant—”
“Oh, I think it’s exactly what you meant!” He shook his head. “You’re the one who wanted to use Imperial funds to help the Jedi Order, Mara. And what did you say when I said no, that it would only cause problems in the end? You said that it was your money to do with as you pleased, and you wanted to fix what Palpatine had broken. You wanted to support me in any way possible. You said you’d support anything I did with the Jedi!” He’d scoffed, eyes flashing venomously at her. “How quickly you change your tune when you might offend somebody powerful.”
She’d gaped at him. Never before had he been so harsh to her. She hadn’t thought it was possible. “Luke…I just think that you’d be making a mistake to refuse the donation. I’m just thinking of what’s best for the Order!”
“No, you’re not!” he’d hissed. “Because if you were then you’d see what this really is—a power play! Just like that moff who gave you your crown, just like the moff who offered us a stay at his exclusive resort. All they want is to buy favors, and I am not opening up the Jedi to that. The Jedi belonged to the government once before, and look what happened.”
Mara had started to get angry herself. Luke had no right to talk to her that way when she only had his best interests at heart. “Look, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you’re being a stubborn idiot. Just take the damn funds and say thank you!”
“I most certainly will not.” Luke had gathered up his belongings, making to leave the suite. “Perhaps this was a bad idea.”
Mara had frozen, unable to believe what she was hearing. “What?”
“This!” Luke waved his hand around, indicating their opulent suite. “Is all this just to buy me, too?”
“What?! Luke, you’re being ridiculous! How could you say such a thing?”
He hadn’t paid attention to her. “Just forget it.”
He’d stormed out then. Mara had tried to follow him but she was bogged down by her dress, and then he’d blocked her through the Force. In the end she’d found herself standing by herself in the hallway, staring in the direction he’d gone while servants milled about, not paying her any attention. She’d returned to her suite and thrown her crown against the wall, then went on doing her work like nothing had happened.
But when it had come time to sleep, she couldn’t. Not without Luke.
She’d been so stupid.
She stopped in her tracks when she reached the hangar and didn’t see him. Had he realized Inga’d told her where he was and left already? But then she spotted him, sitting in the cockpit. Sleeping in the cockpit.
It tore at her heart to see him like that. He had an entire suite full of extra rooms in which he could have slept comfortably, but he’d wanted to be away from her so badly that he’d decided to sleep in his X-wing. At least he was probably used to it.
He glanced up suddenly and their eyes locked from across the hangar. She froze again, unable to predict what he would do. Would he refuse to speak to her? Would he take off?
He just stared. And there was nothing else that Mara could do but mouth, “I’m sorry.”
For a moment, Luke didn’t react. Then he took down his mental shields and mouthed back, “I know you are.”
She reveled in the return of his Force presence. Even missing it for just a little while was much too long. Then she dismissed the guards and crossed the hangar to the X-wing, using the Force to close the door behind them. Luke didn’t question her as she climbed up the ladder to the X-wing and settled sideways on his lap.
“You were right.”
Luke leaned forward as if he was activating the ship’s comm system. “Say that again so I can record it.”
Mara smacked him. He was making jokes, which was a good sign. “I’m serious, Luke. You were right. I’m sorry I tried to pressure you.”
“I accept your apology.” He tightened his grip around her waist. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I’d just had a very hard day, which a bunch of ‘advisors’ telling me what I should do when they have no knowledge of the Jedi at all. It wasn’t right to take it out on you.”
Mara flashed him a grin. “Can I record that?”
Luke rolled his eyes, then placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry for what I said. I know you don’t care about all the wealth. And I know that you know I don’t care, either.”
“I don’t. I just want to be with you.”
“I know.” Luke sighed, adjusting his weight on the seat. He turned Mara around so she was sitting between his legs. It was cramped, but they could manage. “That’s all I want, too.”
After a while, it became clear that neither of wanted to move. Instead they fell asleep in each other’s arms, in the cockpit of an X-wing.
And Mara had never been so comfortable in her entire life.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 12:26 am (UTC)Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee/Cccccccccccccccccccc
no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 01:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 02:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 02:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 04:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 07:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 03:16 pm (UTC)“You were right.”Luke leaned forward as if he was activating the ship’s comm system. “Say that again so I can record it.”
He's adorable!!! And I can actually SEE him before me in this.
The ending was awesome - just plain them!
Oh, and Inga's a blast!
no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-03 11:35 pm (UTC)Seriously though, that's exactly the kind of fight I can see them having and probably exactly the way they'd make up. Your Mara here is unusually girlish and vulnerable; I like it!
no subject
Date: 2012-04-04 01:07 am (UTC)