new era log iii: ben and annie

[forcelegacy]

It had been an exciting few days!

Well, not to Ben, but people seemed pretty happy. Grampa was off doing work and Sammi was uh, somewhere, the twins were doing their usual machiney stuff and.. oh yeah! Cora came to the praxeum finally.

That sure took long enough. She probably had to go into the baby level classes though, since she didn't wanna do anything with the Force. He thought about going to talk to her but she'd been sticking close to Jacen and he didn't really like him very much, so he tended to do stuff alone. Unless Annie was around! Annie always wanted to hang out and do stuff. He wasn't sure where he was right now, though.

He had intended on going to look for him, but he made the mistake of going through the kitchen on his way to searching, and had gotten very distracted by fresh blue milk and cookies. Thus, he was lingering there, stuffing his face happily.

Comments

[forcelegacy]

"I'm so happy we get to go to dinner together. Do you like being with our family? Do you miss your family?"

Ben hugged Annie's arm as they walked, happy to keep him close and chat with him. Playing and Mom always put him in a really good mood.

[soloboys]

Annie looked a little startled to be asked such direct questions. Usually, Ben was more or less self-revolving... which far from feeling put off by, he liked about his friend. Anakin was a very private person, however friendly he might strive to be. Ben had an easy, natural friendliness and openness that reminded Annie of the nature of the Force; so much energy and always so honest in its directions.

"I'm happy for it, too. Although, Ben; we did leave our clothes at the bank when you started running off..." He pointed out lightly, knowing that would be enough of a diversion from the other topic. But then, deciding after a pause that... it might be all right to talk about; but only with Ben; he went on, "I like being with your family, yes. I wouldn't like it all the time though, or not so much as you do. And I often miss my own." He didn't think the topic would be pressed; but it felt rather nice, to have been asked at all.

[forcelegacy]

"I'll tell Auntie Leia and Uncle Han they have to come see you, then."

Nodding to himself, Ben was very sure! He wanted to do something really nice and help Annie out and that sounded pretty easy, so... he would just make it happen!

"Oh, uh, we can just remember that our clothes are there and go back later. They'll be there. Unless a fish grows legs and steals them... but that's not going to happen." A pause, and he gave Annie a conspiratorial look. ".. I hope."

[soloboys]

"Oh, no." Anakin shook his head, lightly letting go of Ben's hand-- to stretch. "You don't have to do that. They're very busy. And besides-- even if they come, I'd still miss them." Possibly a very strange thing to say, so he said it under his breath before moving on. "...A fish maybe could steal our clothes. If there's a strong wind." However, more likely... "I bet Auntie Mara remembered to scoop them up and will scold us about being thoughtless later."

[forcelegacy]

"Oh. Yeah, you're right, she probably did."

Ben frowned when Annie pulled away to stretch. He went quiet for a moment, sticking his hands in his wet pockets as they meandered along toward the praxeum, nearly there. Quite suddenly, he turned, going to grab his cousin and give him a tight hug.

"... they do love you. And they'll come see you. And they miss you, so don't be sad, Annie. I don't like it when you feel sad."

Maybe Ben was a bit more perceptive than he let on.

[soloboys]

Annie went very still. His eyes had widened just faintly in surprised... and he felt only more surprised that ben had managed to surprise him.

It took a longer moment then usual for him to regain himself and when he had, he gave a warm, placid smile and went to hug the other boy in return. Ben was all sweetness, really... and would be ever so talented, one day!

"I'm not sad, Ben." He assured lightly. Maybe when he was younger he had been. But through the Force he'd learned how to combat it-- through indifference. He cared for people, but he had no real attachment to his family. He did not mind if he never saw his mother again, so long as she was happy and healthy. That he could feel in the Force and that was enough. He didn't mind if she or his father loved him less; so long as they loved, it was all right. He really didn't feel entwined, in the way he knew Ben did, with his family.

Perhaps the only person he came close to that feeling with was Ben himself. But even then, sometimes, he wondered if he wasn't trying to convince himself to feel more than he really did, or could. He knew he was connected to Ben on a deeper level-- but he also knew that connection would end prematurely, and so he did not feed into it the way he saw Cora feeding into hers with Jacen. Fully, unabashedly.

"I know that they love me and miss me and that I'll see them soon. I don't mind the wait; they're very busy. In the meanwhile, I get to have dinner with you; so I'm very, very happy." He assured, drawing back and giving another brief smile, bumping foreheads with him before backing up a bit.

[forcelegacy]

Looking skeptical, Ben gave him a light frown, but didn't argue the point, going to take Anakin's hand, swinging their hands as they entered the building and made their way toward their room.

"Okay, Annie. As long as you're happy."

... which he really didn't think his cousin was, but again, was not going to argue. He'd think of ways to make Annie even happier soon enough! He didn't like it when he felt so empty, which was more and more often these days.

[soloboys]

"I am!" He agreed again, watching their arms swing and feeling, at least, very content for the moment. He'd be even more content when he wasn't sopping and when he had something warm to eat, so...

"Let's hurry! Auntie Mara looked ready to go already."

[forcelegacy]

"Oh! You're right!"

Ben nodded and took off at a run, pulling his cousin alongside him. "Let's hurry, then! I'm hungry!"