Atton Rand & miscellaneous names (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
suitably_heroic) wrote2025-05-17 04:26 pm
suitably_heroic) wrote2025-05-17 04:26 pm
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A Hole In The Wall Coffee Place in Jersey City, Saturday Noon
Another weekend, another series of shows. Or, at least, there would be. For now, Dane had dragged Jack down to some hidden-away coffee place that probably turned into a bar at night, with the local alternative station playing just-slightly-too-loud in the background and a barista who absolutely did not want to do latte art.
Which was fine. Jack didn't drink lattes.
“I don’t know why he’s still getting to me," he muttered. “I thought I'd been therapized out of this."
Across from him, Dane looked moderately sympathetic over his own actually-a-latte, though the expression looked like it was about to tilt over into moderately exasperated with yet another round of this conversation. “What did he say again, exactly?”
“Just some puffed-up introduction bullshit about how he’s a Jedi and the Jedi believe certain things and blah blah,” Jack said, waving a hand like that explained all of it. “Like he isn’t just another retired monster, parking his ass on Earth with his family, where there’s never going to be consequences to anything Jedi he does again in his life.”
“Hmm.” Dane sipped his coffee. “So, if I get this straight, you’re pissed he’s doing what you’re doing, but he’s more high and mighty about it?”
“I bet he doesn’t get Cade turning his nose up about how he’s running away from anything,” Jack said, and damn it, he wasn't letting Cade get to him. Really, he wasn't.
And down went the coffee. Oh boy. “Do you think,” Dane said slowly, as if he was chewing on it. And then paused. And, “Okay, do you want to hear my take on it, or should I just sip my latte and nod?”
Jack let out a sigh. “Yeah,” he said. “I mean. You don’t have to. I’m seeing my therapist on Monday, he and I can hash it out. I know it’s not rational.”
“I think that letter from Mical got in your head,” Dane said.
Jack blinked. “I’m not about to take off and go back to–”
“No, I don’t mean that,” Dane said. He fixed his big brown eyes on Jack. “Mical's Super Jedi, right? And he said he believes in you, and I think--”
“He wrote that I 'would always be a Knight of the Republic'.” Aw, crap. He hadn't meant to snap like that. It wasn't the guy sitting in front of him he was mad at. Hell. He wasn't sure who he was mad at. “What does that even mean? Does he think I'm doomed to always come swinging back? Because he's full of--”
“I think it means he thinks you're a Jedi at heart, no matter where you are and what you're doing, whatever that means,” Dane said. “I think he meant it as a vote of confidence, that you're a good guy at heart, and you're historically not exactly great at accepting that kind of compliment.”
“Because it's not true,” Jack said automatically. “Sweet though,”
“And now some other ex-monster gets up there and declares that he's a Jedi, actually,” Dane said, with a little shrug. “Of course that's going to set you off.”
It was really annoying being with someone who knew you pretty well and wasn't afraid of pushing you when he felt he had to. Had Jack ever mentioned that to anyone? He kind of missed the time when everyone tiptoed around him.
Except not really.
“It was always Skywalker's most infuriating trait,” he muttered. “Whatever he believes right now, he’s one-hundred-percent sure of it. No doubts. He just rearranges his worldview when he hits a snag and that’s that. Fun little skill to have, gets you out of all kinds of trouble.”
Dane sat back in his chair, fiddling with his stupid-ass snapback cap. “Why don’t you talk to him? Maybe it’ll help you figure this out.”
Oh no. Oh, absolutely not.
“Talk to the guy who told me to just ditch you guys and walk if you became a problem? No thanks,” Jack said, staring at him. “Anakin Skywalker doesn’t know how to have an honest conversation in his life if it doesn’t involve him getting to play the guy who knows it all. And don't think I don't know you are still trying to get out of checking in on Shelley after last month, so you're being a hypoc–- wait, what are you doing with your face?”
Dane held up a finger. “Listen,” he said. “Holy shit.”
Chords, ringing through the air. A familiar energy. And-- crap. That was his own voice. Was that his own voice?
Jack blanched. “Is that what I think it is?” he said. “No. That can’t be what I think it is.”
“Oh yeah,” Dane said, grinning. “It’s ‘Still an asshole’. Holy fuck. That's my riff. Oh my god. We've made it. We’re on local alt radio!”
Oh god. Oh, they must have gotten the songs, and they were close enough to New York City, and-- Jack dropped his head forward, between his arms. “‘Look, I know I’m an asshole’,” he muttered. “I am going to be haunted by that for the rest of my life, aren’t I? Every single time I do anything remotely on the asshole spectrum, it’s just going to be there.”
“You did curse yourself,” Dane allowed. His smile just grew bigger. “But I think you’ll live.” Beat. “Without me, though. I think the Jersey hives are finally setting in, and I'm not too long for this world.”
Jack kicked him in the shin. It probably didn't land as punishingly as it could, because he was smiling, but still: it was the thought that mattered.
[[ nfb due to distance, can be open to phone calls/texts ]]
Which was fine. Jack didn't drink lattes.
“I don’t know why he’s still getting to me," he muttered. “I thought I'd been therapized out of this."
Across from him, Dane looked moderately sympathetic over his own actually-a-latte, though the expression looked like it was about to tilt over into moderately exasperated with yet another round of this conversation. “What did he say again, exactly?”
“Just some puffed-up introduction bullshit about how he’s a Jedi and the Jedi believe certain things and blah blah,” Jack said, waving a hand like that explained all of it. “Like he isn’t just another retired monster, parking his ass on Earth with his family, where there’s never going to be consequences to anything Jedi he does again in his life.”
“Hmm.” Dane sipped his coffee. “So, if I get this straight, you’re pissed he’s doing what you’re doing, but he’s more high and mighty about it?”
“I bet he doesn’t get Cade turning his nose up about how he’s running away from anything,” Jack said, and damn it, he wasn't letting Cade get to him. Really, he wasn't.
And down went the coffee. Oh boy. “Do you think,” Dane said slowly, as if he was chewing on it. And then paused. And, “Okay, do you want to hear my take on it, or should I just sip my latte and nod?”
Jack let out a sigh. “Yeah,” he said. “I mean. You don’t have to. I’m seeing my therapist on Monday, he and I can hash it out. I know it’s not rational.”
“I think that letter from Mical got in your head,” Dane said.
Jack blinked. “I’m not about to take off and go back to–”
“No, I don’t mean that,” Dane said. He fixed his big brown eyes on Jack. “Mical's Super Jedi, right? And he said he believes in you, and I think--”
“He wrote that I 'would always be a Knight of the Republic'.” Aw, crap. He hadn't meant to snap like that. It wasn't the guy sitting in front of him he was mad at. Hell. He wasn't sure who he was mad at. “What does that even mean? Does he think I'm doomed to always come swinging back? Because he's full of--”
“I think it means he thinks you're a Jedi at heart, no matter where you are and what you're doing, whatever that means,” Dane said. “I think he meant it as a vote of confidence, that you're a good guy at heart, and you're historically not exactly great at accepting that kind of compliment.”
“Because it's not true,” Jack said automatically. “Sweet though,”
“And now some other ex-monster gets up there and declares that he's a Jedi, actually,” Dane said, with a little shrug. “Of course that's going to set you off.”
It was really annoying being with someone who knew you pretty well and wasn't afraid of pushing you when he felt he had to. Had Jack ever mentioned that to anyone? He kind of missed the time when everyone tiptoed around him.
Except not really.
“It was always Skywalker's most infuriating trait,” he muttered. “Whatever he believes right now, he’s one-hundred-percent sure of it. No doubts. He just rearranges his worldview when he hits a snag and that’s that. Fun little skill to have, gets you out of all kinds of trouble.”
Dane sat back in his chair, fiddling with his stupid-ass snapback cap. “Why don’t you talk to him? Maybe it’ll help you figure this out.”
Oh no. Oh, absolutely not.
“Talk to the guy who told me to just ditch you guys and walk if you became a problem? No thanks,” Jack said, staring at him. “Anakin Skywalker doesn’t know how to have an honest conversation in his life if it doesn’t involve him getting to play the guy who knows it all. And don't think I don't know you are still trying to get out of checking in on Shelley after last month, so you're being a hypoc–- wait, what are you doing with your face?”
Dane held up a finger. “Listen,” he said. “Holy shit.”
Chords, ringing through the air. A familiar energy. And-- crap. That was his own voice. Was that his own voice?
Jack blanched. “Is that what I think it is?” he said. “No. That can’t be what I think it is.”
“Oh yeah,” Dane said, grinning. “It’s ‘Still an asshole’. Holy fuck. That's my riff. Oh my god. We've made it. We’re on local alt radio!”
Oh god. Oh, they must have gotten the songs, and they were close enough to New York City, and-- Jack dropped his head forward, between his arms. “‘Look, I know I’m an asshole’,” he muttered. “I am going to be haunted by that for the rest of my life, aren’t I? Every single time I do anything remotely on the asshole spectrum, it’s just going to be there.”
“You did curse yourself,” Dane allowed. His smile just grew bigger. “But I think you’ll live.” Beat. “Without me, though. I think the Jersey hives are finally setting in, and I'm not too long for this world.”
Jack kicked him in the shin. It probably didn't land as punishingly as it could, because he was smiling, but still: it was the thought that mattered.
[[ nfb due to distance, can be open to phone calls/texts ]]
no subject
Any ideas of places to go on Coruscant the Earthers would like and we won't get seen by senators?
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... Jack would give her an answer eventually.
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Honestly, Jack.
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Jack, come on.
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Relented somewhat.
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Yes, and?
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They wouldn't be going to the Jedi temple. Fighting rogue droids and scavengers wasn't on the syllabus.
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Probably not.
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Sorry not sorry.
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Okay, his feelings were decidedly more complicated, but he had an image to uphold.
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Sort of.