WHO: Padmé Amidala & Louie Duck WHEN: While on Naboo WHERE: One of the Restaurants on Atomica WHAT: Padmé catches Louie on his way out to City Bigspace. Louie decides to invite Padmé to join. TRIGGERS: Nah
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If this weren't the home planet of one of the people Louie cared about the most, he'd have likely stuck to the ship after the first or second day. He still had hours upon hours of shows downloaded on his tablet to make his way through and contrary to what the Portal may have thought? An ideal vacation was sitting on a couch for hours, tablet in hand, with any food his heart could desire just a few decks away. That? That was heaven.
However, this was Padmé's homeworld, and while he hadn't spent time with her yet on the planet, he didn't want to miss the chance to see everything. He was pretty sure her feelings would have been incredibly hurt if he told her he'd opted against exploring the aforementioned planet just so he could watch season 3 episode 4 of Ottoman Empire. And so he was up fairly early, green hoodie yanked over his head, and dashing through the restaurant he'd identified as his personal favorite. Quickly rushing through the other patrons, he ducked underneath someone's arm, so he could quickly get in line.
He just needed to snag himself a donut or three and then it was off to Otoh Gunga for day three. Sabé had been right. He did like it there. City Bigspace in particular? Yeah, that place got him. Snatching up a handful of pastries, he moved to rush for the door, immediately stuffing one in his mouth for good measure.
Padmé supposed she should eat. It was strange. The food on this Naboo tasted like it should and yet Padmé could not feel it was anything but ash in her mouth. A bitter reminder of what was gone and yet something she desperately wanted to take part in again. Naboo was home, it was the water that flowed through her, and no matter how much she belonged to the Galaxy she would always truly belong to Naboo.
And so going to get food on the ship felt like a betrayal of that, and yet here she was. Or at least here she was being run into by a young duck. Her smile was put gently into place. "What's the rush?" She asked affectionately.
He'd not been looking. His focus was on the sugary, powdered donut. His attention was pulled from it, quickly, however and his eyes snapped up. A huge grin widened, even though his face was covered with the powdered sugar. Quickly he dropped the hand that had been holding the donut up to his mouth and wiped at his face with the sleeve of his other arm. "Hey!"
Then there was a slight grin. "I want to get back to City Bigspace. That place is so cool, Padmé." Of course, he wasn't going to rush now. He'd wanted to reach out to check on Padmé earlier, but had held back after speaking with Sabé.
"It is very cool." She agreed easily. Pulling a sleeve up to her hand, she reached up to touch his chin. "Hold still so I can wipe your face." She teased. "You almost look like you've got the Queens makeup on, and it is very taboo to do that."
Instinctively, he slunk down some, as his face scrunched up in protest. But he didn't pull from her and instead let he proceed. "I wouldn't want to do that," he agreed once, opening one eye to look at her as he said it. "I like the shops. It's cool like the space mall was but better because, well, you know. It's here. And underwater."
She hummed in soft approval as she wiped his face clean. Satisfied, she let go of him and straightened up. "Have you met any Gungans?" She asked easily, knowing in her heart that none of the ones she had held so dear were there in this world. "They are an amazing people."
"Yeah." He straightened up once she let go of his face, though he didn't stop from quickly rubbing his face once more with his sleeve, before shifting to hold out the bag he'd stuffed his rushed breakfast in. A silent offering for her to have one of the remaining donuts if she wanted. "I've mostly talked to the shop keepers. I was thinking of going to one of the venues today." He hesitated for a moment before, "Would...you want to come?"
Padmé hesitated only a breath of a moment before reaching for one of the donuts. "Thank you, Louie." She answered as she considered his question. "Do you want me to come with you?" She asked honestly, her smile sad. "I am not the best company these days it seems."
He hesitated once again, unsure of how to answer that. He had taken Sabe's words to heart and was trying to give Padmé all the space she wanted. But the truth was that he had wanted to explore Naboo by her side. "Only if you want to," he answered after some thought. "And it is okay of you aren't. I don't like that the money bin and the mansion are missing people. So I think it would be even harder if it was Duckberg, so… I mean. You don't have to be good company. We can just walk together quietly and we can talk of you want and if not, we can find sweets and at least that'll have to be good?"
Her smile felt softer listening to the young duck. He truly was a wise young man. Padmé believed that he was going to do many great things throughout his life. "Louie, I'd be honored to spend the day with you."
He watched her for a moment, as though trying to discern if that was truth or if she was simply saying so for his own benefit. But it didn't feel like that to him and slowly his smile grew. "Is City Bigspace where you'd like to go?"
Padmé reached out her donut free hand towards him. "Lead the way, my good man."