InsaneJournal

After Han's departure, Anakin Solo had decided that he was going to get more serious about actually staying in contact with the family he did have here. And while he'd allowed himself to get sort of busy with things at Tony's and just generally taking his X-wing up, and all that, he'd stopped this week to reach out to Padmé and see if she wanted to get waffles with him. Plus with all the weirdness that had been afoot, he supposed it was good to check in and make certain everything was alright with her.

Which was how he found himself standing outside the diner waiting for his grandmother to join him there. His typical outfit channeled his Dad more frequently than it channeled the Jedi robes he loved. But in Tumbleweed, dark jeans, a linen shirt, and a leather jacket thrown over it, definitely blended more readily than Jedi robes did. That didn't mean he didn't still have his lightsaber with him, tucked inside a messenger bag over his shoulder. He shifted the strap on this and caught sight of his Grandmother and greeted her with a wave and a smile. "They've got this raspberries and white chocolate waffles thing - and I've already decided that I'm going for that," he grinned. "How are you?"

Padmé was... Perhaps not blending in as much as she could. The manner of dress in Tumbleweed was certainly less involved than even her calmer Senate wardrobe. But clothing told so much on Naboo. So even though her white sundress was deceptively simple, she'd spent a fair amount of time on the embroidery. If only Verse could see it, the twists and turns reflected in her braided hair.

She smiled brightly at her grandson, greeting him by going in for a hug to squeeze him close. "I'm always better when I get to see one of you." She mused happily as she left go, the solid reminder of the family that at least here she could indulge in.

Anakin’s response to this was to return the hug and then offer a quick grin and then he turned to open the door so they could enter the diner. When it came to family, he didn’t have so much here. The last time he’d seen a member of his own immediate family had been on the cruise last year, and he supposed there was no way of knowing if Padmé was his grandmother specifically or maybe, she was both? But that part mattered less when you’d never known any grandmother.

“How have you been? Work still good?”

“It’s still not as much as I’m used to.” she mused playfully as she stepped into the diner. It was a slow part of the day and they found themselves in a booth relatively easily. “Are you doing well?”

"Hey Galactic Senate is a lot," Anakin shrugged with a grin. "I remember Mom doing all of that. It's not quite the same when the government or the town is Tumbleweed, and not like, hundred of planets in the central core alone."

He ordered coffee and the waffles he'd mentioned earlier before he nodded. "Yeah, I'm still working with Tony. Nico's boyfriend from home showed up, so that was… awkward for a bit? But he's really nice. I can see why Nico likes him at home."

A small smile played at the corner of Padme’s mouth as she thought of her daughter unknowingly following in her footsteps. Knowingly following in Bail’s more than likely, and yet it still felt like a connection that she could grasp onto.

Placing her own order, she folded her hands up to prop her chin on them. “How are you handling that?” she asked honestly, the smile turning playful. “Not that I’m the best there is for romantic advice.”

Anakin raised his eyebrows in a 'help' sort of way, but then he grinned. "I mean, it's weird. Also Will's younger than Nico, which they're the same age at home, so in some ways that helps? But also I'm sure that makes it more weird for Nico. But - I think it's been okay? We've talked some. He seems like a really great person - like all the Demigods I've met are, really. There have been a lot of them here, and we have a lot in common? Like, we both have had to fight in our home worlds. So we have common areas of interest that way too. I don't know - is there a good way to give advice on 'so your boyfriend is dating someone at home, but they've been away from home for five years or whatever'?" Anakin grinned. "Cause I kinda want to hear that."

"Your grandfather and I have mostly handled it by using Artoo and Threepio as intermediaries as needed and very sternly set boundaries." Padmé mused, her voice trained calm even at the slight ache of her heart. It was so strange, the jealousy that could spring up even as it always came with the accompanying fear that could never quite be turned away. "But I'm glad Will's a good man, even if it may be uncomfortable for now. Perhaps you'll find something new about yourselves and your relationship through this."

Anakin had kinda forgotten about the fact that his grandmother had specific experience with this, if not exactly in the same way and there was a momentary feeling of awkward that he'd brought it up at all, and then he reminded himself that she had offered advice. "It's probably a little different having been married as opposed to just dating as teenagers, too," he was quiet for a moment. "And I have some experience on the other side with Tahiri being here. We… were almost at home. And Nico and I were together when she came. I don't think Will would mind if I sent Fiver between us, but so far it's not been necessary which seems good.

"Guess it's good too that you have Artoo and Threepio here," he added. "I kinda miss seeing both of them more regularly," he smiled with a quick shrug. "You have Threepio right?"

Her smile was a trained one, for the moment. It was hard, especially when her family, their family, seemed close to Anakin in so many ways. As if the danger was so easily forgotten. As if she didn’t understand that compulsion to do so, to forgive, but knowing it would only harm them both more.

“Relationships are complicated. And if it’s good between you all right now, then I sincerely hope it continues.” the smile became a bit more natural. “I do have Threepio. Though I see Artoo on occasion as well. I’m not sure what I’d do without either of them, really.”

"I should come over and bother him sometimes," Anakin gave her a quick grin. "Just for old times sake. I could bring Fiver. He misses other droid company some I think. And he's finally getting a bit of a personality since I haven't wiped him for years and years. Plus," he glanced over. "It'd just be nice to get together some?"

"It would be." And she meant that with her whole heart. "Before here... It'd been a very long time since I had just gotten to be with family. It's important and I'd like to do it more."

Anakin nodded. "My family, I mean the one I knew from home, it's been a really long time since they've been here. More than a year. When my mom was here last she was very young - before she remembered having me or Jaina or Jacen. And when my siblings were here it was even before that. For a while when I was first here, the whole family was here, but I was like 15 then. It's… been a while. And we never get to know you at home," maybe he shouldn't have said that he realized with a pang after he did. "So it's nice to be able to spend time here," he hurried on. "Why don't you come over next weekend. We can order in food and we'll teach you how to build spaceships with legos. It's a thing Nico and I do."

The sadness was something she felt through her entire being. She was nothing but an echo in their galaxy, a ghost that was lost to history that was rewritten. Naboo remembered her, Alderaan did, but was Amidala simply just an echo elsewhere? Even among her own family, Anakin’s name continued and her own lost and forgotten.

“We’re given this chance now.” she reached out gently to take his hand across the table. “It’s a gift. And one I don’t wish to waste. I would love to help you and Nico build starships.”

"Me either," Anakin agreed, squeezing his grandmother's hand as he gave her a lopsided grin. "There are some benefits to being here," like living, really. "And we should take advantage of them. So hey," he pulled his hand back and reached for the fork to attack the waffles that had just arrived. "Do you prefer X-wings, or shall we go straight for the Falcon?"