borntorebel | Ataraxion [IC Inbox]

Leia, where are you?

[The sound of the communicator going off is unnerving as it knocks Leia out of her thoughts. It's a text from Han and she can't help but smile just a very little as she goes to answer it.]

I'm at the new Comms Department for a shift. I get off in an hour.

[why is she in comms, come on baby ditch work. but, he knows that's not her so he'll be patient - even though all he wants to do is hold her in his arms and kiss her until she can't breathe.]

One hour. My room.

[His reply makes her quirk an eyebrow. She's surprisingly calm though. Being in love with Han Solo is never dull, no matter where they are. Besides, she now has plans in an hour, it looks like.]

Is that an order, General Solo?

Yeah, it is.

I haven't seen you in twenty minutes, I gotta keep an eye on you.

[She gives a sharp laugh, getting looks from her father and Laura Roslin. She waves them off as she replies to her favorite scoundrel.]

Twenty minutes is hardly enough time to insult someone properly in some circles. And all you're going to watch me do is sleep, since I've been here for the last twenty hours.

Unless you can make it worth my while.

Who says I'm going to insult you?

I could think of a few things that we could do instead of sleeping.

I wasn't saying that at all, but even if you did, it wouldn't be the first time, would it?

And what other things did you have in mind? Or is that a little too racy for texts that others might find?

How can you tell when a moon's had enough to eat? When it's full.

Speaking of food, have you eaten yet?

[The text is...a surprise. Pleasant, however, and keeping with her relatively lighter mood of late. The sender is the bigger surprise.]

Actually, I was just headed towards the kitchens. Care to join me, Mr Blake?

[ Expect the unexpected, as they say. ]

I thought you'd never ask! If you can come up to 10, I'm about a half hour out on what may be one of the better ad-libbed space meals I've managed so far.

[Oh, she does, especially since she's come to this ship.]

Lucky for me then.

[And in ten minutes, she's there, curious and intrigued.]

Mr Blake? It's Leia Organa.

Blake!

[ He says it a little exuberantly in response to her entrance, but soon after he's shaking his head and trying to correct himself in the middle of tossing around some distantly unidentifiable food objects inside of a pan. ]

It's just Blake. [ ... ] Well, not just Blake, but that's what everyone calls me. Or John. John, too.

~~[ And sometimes Robert for no other discernible reason than Dean Winchester's kind of a jerk. ]~~

Can call you Leia, right? Or is that a no-go?

[She watches him "cook" and nearly stumble over his words.]

Would you rather I call you Blake or John? And since I'm neither Senator nor Princess right now, just Leia is fine.

[She takes a seat at one of the few tables, interested over this all. Has she been asked out on a date? It's very strange.]

I can't tell you the last time someone besides my father actually cooked a meal for me. Do you do this often?

Dunno if I'd say often, but as often as I can. Kinda always been that way.

[ John stops and leaves the pan on the stove in favor of preemptively providing Leia a glass of water. Once it's set in front of her, he rests both hands on the counter top and smiles at her. ]

Blake's fine, by the way. Less confusion that way.

[ As far as her being asked out goes... well, Blake hadn't exactly framed it that way and it isn't what he's expecting, but don't think he wouldn't be interested. He's just not particularly great at making distinctions in that regard and generally finds a casual dinner engaging whether it's labeled as a date or otherwise. ]

[She is charmed by the service. She doesn't even have to ask, it's just there.

Part of her worries if it's just the whole "you're a famous fictional character" problem she's run into with some people on board the ship. But she thinks it's probably not. He doesn't really seem the type to dwell on that.]

So, tell me, Blake, what possessed you to text message me for dinner? Not that I'm not grateful after a long shift in Comms, but it's done so rarely by anyone other than my father or Lúthien that it's surprising.

[ Being somewhat the victim of the whole "you're ~~training to be~~ a ~~famous~~ fictional character" problem, he's absolutely respectful of most boundaries. Does that mean he didn't flail a little after that first meeting? No, way, he totally flailed. But otherwise, he gets it: everyone deserves to be treated the same. ]

Hadn't exactly had a chance to catch up since the last time we talked. [ Which, in its own way, is just Blake admitting that he wanted to check up on her. From what he can tell, she's nothing but decent, and exactly the kind of person he wants to keep an eye out for. ] An' everyone's gotta eat.

Your dad's here? [ Something about her wording has him wondering. Honestly, the ship is so big, he figures he could miss his own father living right under his nose. ]

Edited (missing word) 2015-02-21 04:44 (UTC)

[It was an interesting conversation that revealed she was an iconic fictional character on Earth. She won't forget it any time soon, but having someone not make a big deal out of it is wonderful. Yes.]

True, one must eat. Especially if you don't want a certain young doctor to give you dirty looks. [She says this jokingly, but Simon's kinda been watching her since her last exam. Don't judge.]

Yes, my father, Bail Organa, is aboard the ship as well. He's been here for a while now. I believe it's close to two years sometime soon. [She is not talking about Anakin Skywalker/Vader. Nope.]

[ Oh, he knows said doctor. And with River one his heels fairly frequently, Blake's no stranger to Simon's looks (though most of them read a bit more exasperated than angry, thankfully). ]

Two years? Wow. Does he work with you over in Comms or is he in another department?

[ Blake might have seen him around and not even recognized him, who knows. He tries to think back to all the people he's met since arriving on the ship but not one of them reminds him of Leia so it's probably safe to say they hadn't met.

He'll maintain this level of chit-chat as he works on finishing their meal. ]

[Well, Simon's look at Leia are more exasperated as well, if he catches her in unhealthy behavior. You know, living on coffee and not eating. That sort of thing.]

Yes, I believe it will be two years in April. [Not that the GFFA had a calender quite like the one on Earth or the ship used.] He is actually the reason I work in Comms. If I hadn't run into him first, I might have gone to the Shuttle Bay or Engineering. There were others from home in those departments.

[She's not saying who.]

Have you put in any thought to which department you'll join? I know we discussed the Flight Crew, but I failed to follow up with you on that.

[ Oh boy. Leia and Blake are certain to get alone. Self-abusing workaholics tend to recognize their own kind. ]

Ah, actually got accepted into Flight not long after we talked. Been trainin', but I'm a Hell of a lot better with two or four wheels on the ground.

[ In reality, John's tracking along just as well as anyone. He's quick to pick things up, and while he feels he's falling a little shy of his own expectations, Leoben hasn't yet told him he was deficient in any one area. ]

Comms was my second choice but I'm tryin' not to overload myself just yet.

[ For the time being he's content to work one official job and spend the rest of his time unofficially worrying about everyone else. ]

[Then Blake would've been right at home in Comms. It's full of people who do nothing but work and binge on coffee. Honestly. The coffee maker is one of the things they use to recruit.]

That's good to hear. I've heard the department has grown a little since then, but I'm sure they could always use more help.

As for flying, well, not everyone can be a prodigy like Luke Skywalker, can they?

[Best to get that out of the way right now.]

Comms could use more help as well, but even with the loss of one of our own, we are still one of the more heavily staffed departments. Our coffee maker is probably responsible for that.

[ He's not sure what all to say about Luke Skywalker, or Leia's obvious familial boast, but he understands it to some degree (and therefore takes no offense because 1.) prodigy and 2.) Leia's bound to be proud).

Instead he focuses on the more important aspect of this conversation. ]

If I was doin' a part-time thing in Comms, I'd have access to it? How many hours do I gotta work? How many hours we talkin' here?

[Part of it is familial boasting, but it's mostly the truth. Luke flies like he was born to be part of a the ship itself. Just like their birth father, if her dad is to be believed. And she does.

But she flies herself, just not the same way her brother does.]

Hm, not that I know of. I think the door is controlled by the nanites. However, if you wanted to help out, I can't think of anyone that would say no or refuse to let you in. And you can work as many hours as you want. Any help would be appreciated.

Yeah, well, considerin' how I am with most electronics, you might regret lettin' me in. By what the Hell, might stop by in a week or two an' check things out.

[ He tugs his pan off the heat and leaves it aside as he goes seeking out some other mystery ingredient. ]

Should I call ahead?

[As someone who doesn't do a lot of cooking, she watches him closely. She's pretty sure that her father doesn't cook that way, but neither did Han cook the same way as Bail either.]

I'm not sure there's much you can do to the machines in the Comms department that was worse than what happened when the systems were hacked a few jumps ago. [That was a bloody mess.] A simple text to anyone who works there would probably suffice to gain you entrance.

Got it. Sounds like a plan. Lookin' forward to expandin' a bit. Pretty much used to workin' non-stop so all this time to read's drivin' me mad.

[ He laughs, obviously joking. The rest's actually done Blake some good. He feels lighter, like he doesn't have a whole world on his shoulders anymore.

When he steps back up to Leia, he's got two plates of salad in hand, both of which are freshly made from stuff he picked out of the Oxygen Gardens. He sets them down, one in front of her, one aside for him. ]

You wanna start, you can. Don't gotta wait for me.

That sounds like a lot of the people who work in the department actually. I think that's why we have the coffee maker, honestly.

[And if she was still brooding over Han and her mother and the way things fell out, she'd been working herself to death right alongside with them. But after being reminded that she has to watch over her own health, she's tried to follow her doctor's advice. Hence why she only works ten hour shifts instead of sixteen, eats regular meals, gets at least six hours of sleep and doesn't drink as much coffee as she used to. It's been good for her, in a way.

The presence of the salad is welcome, since she's ravenous. ~~Funny what regular meals will do.~~]

I'd prefer to wait. It won't kill me.

[ He smiles at the accommodation and returns to the task at hand, appreciative of the sentiment. Already he finds himself liking this side of Leia, when she's not quite so serious, not quite so guarded, It makes him feel considerably more at ease. ]

Well, okay, so I know you have trouble not workin', but what d'you do to relax? When you do. [ John tosses her a smile. ] If you do.

[She's not always super serious. Sadly, she fears that's the side of her that shows the most. But, then, so few see her with Lúthien, Luke and her father when she lets down her guard. John just reminds her so much of her that it's easy to relax.]

Oh, I relax. Now. [She smiles at the insanity that was her life.] Granted, it's not all the time, but it happens.

I have a friend who lives in the Gardens. She grows flowers that we make crowns out of every jump to give to everyone. And she teaches me Sindarian while I teach her Ubese and how to shoot a blaster.

Or I read. Or exercise. I happen to be a woman of many hobbies, I suppose.

[ The list goes on and with each addition, Blake finds himself smiling all the more. He's not sure why he hadn't noticed before, but Leia's clearly a lot more similar to Blake than he originally imagined. ]

You sound like me. [ Except the woman part, obviously. ] Just about to finish this book — a kinda home-spun novel, I think — so maybe you want it when I'm done? Stories 'bout Earth, where I came from.

[She laughs brightly at his comment.]

It's funny. Most people would say that I take after my parents with my workaholic habits. [Although, she's not sure if that's the case as much as she thinks it is.]

But I wouldn't mind reading more about that planet. I've heard many things about it, but it seems that everyone comes from a different version, an alternate reality, of the same planet. It's interesting.

Yeah, it is, isn't it?

[ John finishes plating and a sad attempt at garnishing and then slides the mystery meal in front of Leia. It's actually some kind of grain, vegetable, and what very well may be some kind of fried egg-like substance.

He snaps his fingers, turns a full circle, and then places what serves as a homemade dressing down as well. ]

Think I could spend a lifetime tryin' to figure it out.

[She looks at the food curiously. Of course, she's not much of a cook herself and probably won't turn her nose up at it. It smells edible, which is more than she can say for some of the things she's eaten over the years with the Alliance.

When he joins her at the table, finally, she answers him.]

If I understand Terran literature, many have spent their lives trying to figure out your world. It seems as vast and varied as the galaxy I hail from.

[She takes the first bite of the salad and nods, pleased.]

If you have questions, Blake, I suppose you should ask them. You're feeding me, after all.

[ He actually didn't have questions — not beyond the typical ones — but since she's offering him a bit more access, he's not about to pass up on this opportunity.

Taking up a napkin, he fiddles with it briefly, just to have something to do with his hands while he considers what to ask. ]

What's your favorite color an' what's it remind you of most?

[ Is that a waste of a question. It feels silly, but John's never been great at any kind of get-to-know-you, inorganic or otherwise. ]

[She'll answer the typical ones too, Blake. But, the nervousness is endearing a bit. Not that he needs the help at this point.

She laughs, taken by surprise by the question.]

My favorite color? I've never really thought about it, but if I had to choose, it would probably be white. It reminds me of my best friend's hair. Although, lately, it's reminded me of Hoth and that's not something I'd like to relive.

[ He takes a bite of his food and chews it while he thoughtfully considers her answer. When he's no longer in danger of spitting food everywhere, he gestures with his fork. ]

White's all colors. [ You know, scientifically speaking or whatever. ] It's a good choice. Suits you, I think.

[ Honestly, he's not sure what questions wouldn't be surprising to her in this scenario; mostly because he has no idea what other people would be most curious about. These are just the questions he asks because he's a total dork. ]

I like it.

Hm, I've never really thought about it like that, but I suppose that's true. [She can't help but smile though.] It's just a shame that it's so easy to get dirty. I'm not a big fan of laundry.

[Care for a little tit-for-tat, Blake? She's never really had a chance to do the "learn all the silly things about a person" before. Except for those few, brief hours on a forest moon before coming here.]

So, what is your favorite color?

Blue, mostly.

[ He tends to stick in the blue spectrum for the accent on his clothes, too, when it comes to civilian wear, so he's probably every bit a cliche in that regard. ]

Kinda partial to yellow, too.

[ Blake shrugs as if he's given over all the answers just that easily. ]

Interestin' that we pick an' choose, though, isn't it? Wonder what makes a person like one color more. Sentiment?

Blue and yellow? Aren't those the colors associated with the Terran sky?

[She chuckles lowly, taking a sip of water before continuing.]

Between the two of us, we encompass that palette. And I believe that memories and emotions do shade our prospective, but not that it's a bad thing.

[ It's not indicative of Gotham's sky, but there's something to be said for Blake's fondness for looking up in whatever capacity. ]

They better give us perspective. Man, if I'm not learnin' lessons, I'm not growin'. Definitely need the memories an' emotions for that.

[ He doesn't make the same mistakes twice all that often, that's for sure. ]

[Well, it's indicative of something.]

It's nice to meet someone else who thinks that learning is a lifelong joy and not something one does when they have to. We are the people we are because of our memories and the emotions tied to them.

Non-structured learnin's my favorite. Ask me to sit in on class an' I'll be drownin' in a month. Gimme somethin' to learn on my own any day.

[ John hadn't been much of a fan of school, obviously. He nods to her food. ]

How is it?

Well, sadly, I had a lot of pressure to excel in school.

[That's what happens when you're the princess of an entire planet and expected to do great things with your life.]

But, I enjoyed it as well. Especially since I was allowed to attend with my best friend.

[The mention of the food brings her back to the fact that this date was supposed to be about food.]

It's delicious. I'm not sure what it is, exactly, but I like it.

[ It's more than he thought he'd ever get to know about a princess, that's for sure. And add in the fact that she's enjoying his food and Blake is feeling considerably more accomplished than he probably should. ]

Glad you like it. The comp'ny makes it, I think. Never happier'n when I'm sharin' a meal.

[ He smiles fondly. ]

Thanks for sharin' with me.

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