Steps of the Jedi Temple, Saturday

[suitably_heroic]

Finally, finally, the last of Gaunt's influence had ebbed out of Atton's system. No more thunder, no more death, nothing but the sky and the sense of billions of lives milling around him. It was nice, a relief, a giant weight off his back: almost as nice as Dxun had been, after he'd led that successful mission into the jungle.

He kind of wanted to chase that line of thought, nail it down. After Dxun, for this short window of time, he'd felt... okay. Like maybe after years of being this poisoned thing, and years of trying to get lost, he was actually capable of being useful. Helping someone good. That his decision to embrace the Force hadn't been the wrong one, and having this awareness in his mind was a boon, not another way to make him vulnerable.

He really wished he could feel exactly that way again. As far as he could tell, though, this feeling - relief - was as close as he was going to get.

He stretched his legs out across the steps. There was a reason the Jedi Temple had been established in the middle of Coruscant, he realized that much now. How much more plugged-in to life could you get, short of Nar Shaddaa? Sitting here, outside on the steps, the sun on his face and all of Coruscant thrumming through his bones, it was like plugging yourself into a live wire. A good one. A living one.

He hadn't bothered texting Sparkle or reminding him of their training sessions or anything. He figured the kid wasn't up for it, anyway. And if Sparks chose to show anyway, then he chose to show, and they'd figure it out from there.

As it stood, he was content sitting on the steps in the sun, a single figure surrounded by marble, and beyond that, the life of Coruscant.

[[ open for calls/visits/what have you, yes. ]]

Comments

[myownface]

I THINK WE ESTABLISHED THAT I WAS, MAN.

[suitably_heroic]

Right, I am never, ever letting you near a Coruscant pet shop. If it's not gizka, you'll probably wind up befriending like a nexu or something, and I'm not carrying you to the clinic.

He probably would.

[myownface]

Nexu are like the freaky grinning cat things, right? Like, I know you think I have weird taste in pets, but even I'm gonna have to say no to bringing home something with THAT MANY TEETH.

[suitably_heroic]

You like cats. Why don't you like cats who look like the actual evil that cats are?

HE GOT YOU THERE, SPARKS.

[myownface]

Because my actual evil cat IS MUCH SMALLER THAN I AM.

Which Sparkle figured was as good a reason as any.

Velcro is FUN-SIZED and only WISHES he could maul people.

[suitably_heroic]

INSTEAD HE MAULS PEOPLE'S CLOTHES.

Running joke or actual epic grudge spanning eight years? WHO KNEW.

[myownface]

IT'S HOW HE SHOWS AFFECTION.

Whatever the case was, Sparkle was willing to roll with it. Forever.

[suitably_heroic]

THAT'S NOT AFFECTIONATE BEHAVIOR. THAT'S DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. BATTERY OF MY JACKET. YOUR CAT NEEDS A SHRINK.

[myownface]

YOUR JACKET HAS SEEN WAY WORSE THAN A FEW TINY LITTLE CLAWS.

[suitably_heroic]

AND MOST OF THAT WORSE HAD SERIOUS ISSUES AND WOUND UP DEAD!

Just FYI.

[myownface]

YEAH, 'WORSE' WAS PROBABLY NOT TRYING TO CUDDLE YOU AT THE TIME.

For the record.

[suitably_heroic]

I LIKE CUDDLING ALMOST AS LITTLE AS I DO BEING SHOT AT. TELL YOUR CAT THAT.

[myownface]

I'LL JUST LET HIM USE MY SHOULDER INSTEAD. ALL GOOD. MORE FOR ME.

Considering it was coming up on that time when Sparkle was going to have to figure out what to do with Velcro, because he couldn't exactly take a cat with him back to a group home, he was probably going to be clinging to the little guy a lot for the next little while, anyway.

[suitably_heroic]

Yeah, well. Don't expect Atton to volunteer for that one. He could barely even tolerate Sia's dog.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO THE CAT. MORE THAN WELCOME.

Atton got up off the steps at last. Time to head back inside, before people started wondering why there was a Jedi pulling faces at a communications device.

[myownface]

SCORE. NO SHARING.

Sparkle was considering this to be a victory, yes. Was that wrong?

[suitably_heroic]

It was more like a draw. They both came out happy!

Don't celebrate too hard. You're still the one stuck in the back end of nowhere.

Had Atton mentioned lately he was glad they were off of Dantooine?

[myownface]

Not for too much longer. When we get back to the island, I'm going to find my way into a restaurant or an arcade or something and refuse to move until I've either eaten like three steaks or beaten some little kid's high score.

[suitably_heroic]

Do me a favor and at LEAST make the little kid cry, Atton wrote, as he wandered back into the main hall.

[myownface]

There will be a taunting singsong and probably some kind of victory dance, just to make sure, Sparkle promised. He was nothing if not accommodating.

[suitably_heroic]

You're a champ, Atton texted. Anyway, I should go see whose asses Mical wants me to kick next. If the Republic isn't trying to stick me with diplomatic meetings again, anyway.

Atton was not the diplomatic meetings guy.

[myownface]

And I should... probably skewer a hot dog on a stick and hold it over a fire or something if I want to eat today. Go kick ass, man. See you when I see you.

[suitably_heroic]

Don't let a bear maul you.

Yes, that was going to be his sign-off.