Ren Waugh-Solo (behindthemask) wrote in thedisplaced, @ 2017-08-18 12:42:00 |
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Entry tags: | !log/thread, kylo ren / ben solo, leia organa (legends) |
Log: Kylo Ren & Leia Organa
Who: Kylo Ren & Leia Organa
When: 12 August (slightly backdated).
Where: Espresso Pump
What: Awkward Mother Son Conversations
Rating: Low-ish.
Status: COMPLETE.
The Espresso Pump had not been a place that Kylo had seen himself getting a job, however when the opportunity had presented itself, it had become almost a challenge to get it, to learn things quickly, and to perhaps become the best barista that they had. This morning's early shift meant he'd been here for several hours already. His hair was pulled back from his face in a few snug braids that kept it out of the way while he worked, and he was on his way to make up any lost time that the fifties had caused him to suffer. That entire experience had been not precisely what he'd wanted to happen with his week, and then to come back and find that unlike space - everyone knew that he'd been gone and they were ready to give his job away - had been twice as annoying. Had he used the Force to convince them to allow him to stay? Well, possibly, but who wouldn't have? And besides, he really did make an amazing cappuccino by all accounts. He might not be the friendliest of their barista's but he was the best, easily. It was nearly his break time, and he set himself on the task of the drink in front of him, thinking that he'd make himself an espresso beverage and get one of the pastries before he went on it, when he glanced up to the door and his face was drawn to a familiar face. His mother. The thing was, he'd told Eliot that he would speak with Leia after the battle and the 1950s and Eliot's emotional break-down, and Kylo hadn't yet done it. That was the sort of thing that he wouldn't have thought about at all before. He would likely have never made the promise, and if he had, he wouldn't have worried about keeping it. But he'd promised Eliot, and that did mean something to him. He glanced down to measure the espresso and then lifted his eyes only to watch her as she came into the shop. Probably she wasn't there to stay. But even if she wasn't… he should set up some time to do so, shouldn't he? Leia had hesitated outside of the coffee shop before giving herself a firm nod and walking in, the door jingling above her. She was still staying out with Poe and Rey, though she kept the apartment she and Han had shared in town, and she stopped by there that morning to pick up a few things, which was in a satchel she had slung over a shoulder. Though she passed the Espresso Pump now and again and often wondered if Kylo was working, she hadn't stopped in to see for herself yet. She glanced over at the counter and smiled when she spotted him, the smile growing a little when she caught his eye. Leia made her way up to the counter to order. "I was hoping I might catch you on your shift," she said to him. Kylo offered a smile, a faint one, but it was more of a welcome than he'd given Leia in the past, and perhaps at least part of it was framed by the guilt of realizing that he really hadn't checked in with her since Han had left. He knew she'd been staying with Rey and Poe, and that had been both a relief, if also nicely shoring up all of his own insecurities where comparing himself to Poe was concerned, but he should have checked in. Even in the cave, he supposed. He hadn't. And she was here now anyway. "You did," he replied unnecessarily. "I mean, I was about to take a break," he added. He hesitated, watching her a minute and then he shrugged his shoulders almost imperceptibly. "I could make you a drink. Do you want to talk?" Her smile grew when she caught his smile. That was a nice change, a step forward in the right direction, she thought. She glanced past him at the menu but before she could order her usual, she changed her mind. "Sure," she said, "why don't you make me something. Anything." She assumed that, somewhere in him, Kylo knew his mother's preferences. He was certainly observant enough to see them and remember them. And she didn't think she was too different than his mother was, in his timeline. "And if you don't mind spending your break with me," Leia continued, "I certainly wouldn't mind the company and opportunity to talk." "No it's fine," Kylo shrugged and turned his attention to the drink in front of him. Three shots, reduced fat milk, chocolate, no whip, but still sprinkles. He had no idea if this Leia would like this drink or not but it was worth trying it he supposed. As he handed it over to her he mixed a cappuccino of his own and after noting that he was stepping away from the counter he stepped out to glance down at his mother. He really didn't know how to start the conversation he needed to have and things were awkward, but he was determined to try at least. "Are things okay?" He asked her abruptly. Leia took the drink from him and brought it to her nose to inhale, smiling. She nodded toward an empty table out of the way from everyone else and made her way over there, sitting. She looked over at him and nodded. "Yes, they are," she said. "How are things with you? And - with Eliot?" she asked, carefully. They hadn't talked since the battle, the cave, back in the 1950s. She hoped he wouldn't be turned off by her asking that, and she glanced for a moment down at her mocha and then took a sip. The smile that came to Kylo's lips at Eliot's name was neither huge, nor long-lasting, but it was unmistakable if you were looking at the right moment to catch it. He pulled his own cup to his lips and took a sip. "Things are good. We're dating," he offered, awkward, but mostly sure of this. Technically they hadn't had so many dates outside of Eliot's bedroom, but that still had to count, right? He wasn't always certain how long they would go this well, but Eliot was making him feel things he'd never felt before and everyday still felt a sort of delightful surprise that he didn't believe he deserved. "I'm still staying at the Cottage," he added. It was likely obvious if Leia had been back to the apartment at all but if she hadn't she might not notice it. He cupped his hands around his glass and looked down. "I guess you saw Eliot after the battle." A delighted smile passed across Leia's face and she sat up a little straighter. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that," she told him. She had thought how good for Kylo Eliot was from her time with him at the cave, and she nodded. "Yes, after the battle. I - yes. Is he all right now? Back to normal?" She slipped her fingertips through the bottom of her braid, which hung over her shoulder. "I'm going to adopt a dog," she said suddenly, as though saying it out loud like this would make it actually happen. After her trip to the shelter with Charlie, she began seriously considering it, but now she was certain. Kylo's gaze shifted up, but everything he knew about his mother told him that it was a genuine gladness. Not something for politeness' sake and really what point was there in just doing something for politeness' sake in the moment? And that seemed to at least partially answer Eliot's worry, but the question came out now, despite himself, and it wasn't just for Eliot he was asking. "You like him? I mean, you think he's a good boyfriend for me?" Kylo reached for the coffee, took a sip and realized in an instantaneous burst just how odd everything about this place was. "He's all right yeah," and debated if he should offer some explanation or not. Would Eliot care if he did? Kylo was terrible at guessing on these things. "It was a side effect of the battle magic," he shrugged. That was probably as much as Leia really needed to know. "It passes. He just needed some place with fewer people to wait it out." He looked over curious despite himself. "What kind of dog?" Leia nodded. "I do like him, yes. And I think he's very good for you. You complement each other, in many ways. In the ways that matter." She sipped her mocha again and relaxed slightly. There really was no need for her to give her approval about Kylo's relationships, though she liked that he seemed to be seeking it. It warmed her to think that he might be coming around, that their relationship might get better as well. "Yes, I'm glad I was there for him as much as I could be." Though she was also equally glad that Kylo had shown up, because while Leia often knew what to do in many situations, she hadn't known what to do in that one. "I'm glad to hear he's feeling better." She tapped her fingers against the edge of her coffee mug. "I'm leaning toward one I found at the shelter," she said, and she pulled out her phone to show him the photo she had taken when she'd visited. She had put her name on a list for him, too, and the shelter said they'd call her to check in after a few days. "Here," she said, offering him her phone to take a look. That did seem to put a rest to any fears Eliot might have had in the outset of the event. Kylo could tell that Eliot did care about whether or not Leia liked him even though Kylo would say it wasn't important. Then again, there was a warmth that pushed through him with Leia's words that was unexpected, but not altogether unwelcome. "He's a good friend," Kylo all but mumbled, uncertain what else to really say. He could try to say just how much Eliot meant to him, but he was fairly certain he would fail, and he wasn't certain he wanted to say it to his mother anyway. He leaned forward to see the dog that was on the phone. He looked friendly enough, although Kylo knew nothing about dogs. Even less than he knew about cats, since Millicent had come to take up position in his house. He nodded and shrugged, and reached for the cup of coffee again. "He looks good," he offered. "I don't know what kind that is, but he looks like he'd be… friendly." Part of him did wonder if his Mom was doing all right, but then almost as soon as the question lingered in the side of his mind he reminded himself that she had Poe, and Poe was obviously there to keep her company. The scavenger too, he supposed. So probably she was fine. "When will you get him?" "He's only a friend?" Leia countered, though she hid a smile and moved on to the topic of the dog that she might adopt instead. She didn't want to do or say anything that might derail this very nice conversation the two of them were having. "I think he's a mix," Leia said, "at least that's what they told me at the shelter." She took her phone back and tucked it into her pocket with a shrug. "I have to double check with Poe and Rey, to see if they're all right with me bringing him home. Though I suppose there's nothing stopping me from returning to our apartment." Except that she didn't want to be alone (she had spent the last so many years of her life around other people, on bases, on transports, everything), and she didn't think Kylo would be returning there himself, not if he was with Eliot at the Cottage. Kylo's cheeks felt hot, but he let it to drop. He didn't really want to talk about his relationship with Eliot with anyone, honestly. Part of him half feared that if he talked about it too much he would find it disappearing somehow, and so he shrugged into the conversation of the dog. Of course Leia was still with Poe and that shouldn't bother Kylo, and it didn't, except for sometimes it did a bit. He was aware that wasn't logical because it wasn't as if he'd offered to move back in with her, nor did he really want to leave Eliot, but there was some part of him that was annoyed that Poe could so easily offer those things. "Is he friendly? Trained?" Kylo asked instead of any of the thoughts about Poe. "If they aren't trained, animals can be a nuisance. Millicent was sort of trained. But she was still a nuisance when I first got her. She's better now that we're not in space." Leia wasn't going to press the issue with Eliot, though that didn't mean she wasn't curious for more information. Hopefully he would offer it in his own time. "He's very friendly, yes, and somewhat trained. The woman at the shelter suggested additional training, and I have enough free time that I don't foresee that being a problem." "Do they have places that can help with it?" Kylo persisted. "I think dogs are more difficult than cats," he added. Then it occurred to him that probably his mother could figure this out. If she could handle senators and politics, one dog ought not to be a difficulty, so he lifted the coffee to his lips. "I mean, I'm sure it'll be fine. It's good to have a pet." "They said they could give me some recommendations, yes," Leia said. She shrugged. "I haven't had a pet since I was a young girl," she admitted. And even then, they had had trainers and other people on staff to care for it. She pressed her lips together for a moment and her palms against the warmth on the outside of her coffee cup. "Yes, it is good to have a pet. I think - it would be good for me right now." Kylo hadn't ever had a pet. Not until Millicent had adopted him, and it really felt as if she'd been determined to go home with him and wasn't going to take no for an answer. So he'd ended up with a cat and now that he had her, he couldn't imagine life without the orange tabby. It had been surprising how much he'd missed her fussing when he'd been in the past in that cave. He was just grateful they hadn't been gone longer than they had been because she'd been left alone without anyone. "I hope that you're able to get it," he said aloud. And he found that he genuinely did. She might not be his mother, but maybe that made it weirdly easier, and he was finally coming around to that. Whatever this Leia would do to her kids, it wasn't really his problem. Because he wasn't her kid. He wouldn't ever be her kid. So, whatever relationship they had, it was just two people who happened to meet in this crazy place. "Thank you," she said. She traced her finger along the edge of the coffee mug, lost in thought for a moment, before she looked over at him again. "I assume you're planning to stay with Eliot at the Cottage indefinitely, yes?" Kylo looked up quickly and then almost as quickly back down, his mind racing as to whether that was a complaint or a criticism or just a question. He wasn't certain why it was so difficult for him to tell with his mother, and his tendency was always to believe it was a criticism, but it might not be. He shrugged. "I mean, yeah. I have a room there, and it's -" he stopped. It felt traitorous to say that it was nicer than his room on the Finalizer but it was. The whole Cottage had invited him in, it felt like, even if really it had just been Eliot. But somehow it wasn't even just Eliot anymore. He liked his room there, and Millicent seemed comfortable, Petunia and even Quentin were pleasant enough to have around. "It's close to Eliot," he finished his phrase, his cheeks heating slightly as he said it. But that was the truth, and it didn't feel nearly so traitorous to say. She nodded. That's what she had assumed, but there was still a part of her that would have liked for him (or for Anakin, though she knew his home for a long time had been with Nico and the others) to return to the apartment with her. But she understood. Leia smiled, just a little, and nodded. "Of course. That makes sense. I'm sure it's become a good home for you." For a moment, Kylo felt awkward. It had been a good home, although some part of him realized that his mother had been trying to make the apartment a good home for him too. And there had been moments when he hadn't completely hated it. The fact that she'd been interested in what he had to tell her about the Force had certainly been one of those. He lifted the rest of the coffee to his lips and looked over. "You know, I mean, it has, and all, but I don't guess you've got anyone that can really help you with the Force where you are, so if you ... " he shrugged awkward. "I could help some if you need stuff." "If that's what you'd like to do," Leia said, "I'd like that." Though she didn't want to spend time with him only because of the Force. She wanted to spend time with him because he was her son. She went back to her drink and then glanced over toward the counter. "You probably need to get back to work soon, hmn?" "Yeah, okay," Kylo shrugged. He wasn't certain that was a roaring want on his mother's part, but it didn't seem to be something she was against either. And it was easier than most other things he could think of. Maybe it had gotten a little better as he'd begun to realize that she wasn't precisely his mother, but it still didn't mean things were easy. "But yeah, I do," he glanced at the clock. Technically it was over, but nobody was yelling at him yet. He stood up. "I guess good luck with the dog thing." She smiled up at him. "I'll let you know when I bring him home and you can come meet him," she said. "Thank you for the mocha. It's perfect." Leia wasn't quite ready to go yet, but she certainly wouldn't keep him from doing his job. She reached out as he stood up and touched his arm gently. "It's good to see you, Kylo," she said sincerely, meeting his gaze. The touch startled Kylo and he glanced down at his still seated mother, nodding and shrugging somewhat uncertainly. "Yeah, uh, thanks for coming." It was the sort of thing you said to customers, but it felt somehow like not quite enough when it was his mother. Then again, he half the time didn't know what to say to Leia. At least it had largely stopped being horrifically uncomfortable. "I gotta get back to work," he added pointlessly, as he picked up his own cup and headed back towards the counter. Leia nodded and then sighed a little as he walked away from her. Why did it feel, sometimes, like she was taking two steps backwards every time she thought she was taking one step forward? She sipped her mocha and then pulled some work out of her shoulder bag that she wanted to get done before she left the Espresso Pump. Hopefully it would keep her attention focused, rather than her glancing over at Kylo again and again. |