Two-Bit Con Artist
AVALONIA, DOSUUM
At first, Irajah had panicked. It was a small, quiet panic, and she kept the screaming thoroughly in her head. But it was panic nonetheless.
I'm not equipped to handle this. I can't take care of a child, let alone one who needs so much rebuilding. What do I even do? Where do I begin? Let him figure out his own way? Or offer guidance? I'm not his mother. I am most certain not his master. Do.... do I hug him? Or wait for him to hug me?
Eventually though, the terror had become a low grade background noise that [member="Cait Falcor"] had assured her was a normal part of being a parent- especially an adoptive one. It was good to know she had someone she could tag in if things got too real or too overwhelming. If nothing else, the other woman, with her own adopted daughter, understood.
Oddly enough, besides the occasional very awkward conversations and the intense distrust he had of everything, [member="Boo Chiyo"] was not a difficult kid. His amphistaff, Azi, caused more trouble that he did, truth be told. But Irajah was surprised to find that she didn't mind. And that she almost wished he did cause more problems. At every turn, it was like he was waiting for the bottom to fall out from under him- for her to order him around. Or worse, she knew. For now, she did her best to be patient and kind- to answer his questions when she could, and to admit when she didn't know the answer. When he wanted to sit close enough to touch, she let him. More often he shied away, needing a certain distance. And that was okay too.
They had spent some time on Coruscant. Irajah had business and a job to finish up, something she wasn't going to abandon. They bought him clothes, a small computer, and a few other odds and ends. She knew until they got settled, that was all she could do. He still seemed vaguely bemused by three meals a day.
But she needed something more. Someplace more. She couldn't keep going as she had been, a new planet and a new job every month, always searching down the next lead. And so, after some researching and soul searching, Irajah and Boo had gone to Avalonia, on Dosuum. The First Order had (so the holonet said) some of the best education opportunities available. And she had found a job at one of their medical centers even before they'd left Coruscant.
Only a week after arriving, Irajah looked up from her caf. She sat at the small, round table in the kitchenette. The apartment was small, but clean. Neither of them had much in the way of belongings, so it was still sparse, but she intended to work on that. After all, they'd be here for some time, wouldn't they? The sound of the sleepy child bumping in to a particular corner he still wasn't used to brought a slight smile to her face.
"Morning," she said, pushing away from the table and taking the three steps it took to get over to the stove. "I've got wookiee-cakes."
Today was both of their first days- Boo at the Academy here, and Irajah at the Medical Center. She had changed jobs so many times in the last six months that she wasn't particularly nervous- Irajah liked to meet new people. But she wasn't really sure how Boo was feeling about all of it. The boy was sometimes hard to read.
At first, Irajah had panicked. It was a small, quiet panic, and she kept the screaming thoroughly in her head. But it was panic nonetheless.
I'm not equipped to handle this. I can't take care of a child, let alone one who needs so much rebuilding. What do I even do? Where do I begin? Let him figure out his own way? Or offer guidance? I'm not his mother. I am most certain not his master. Do.... do I hug him? Or wait for him to hug me?
Eventually though, the terror had become a low grade background noise that [member="Cait Falcor"] had assured her was a normal part of being a parent- especially an adoptive one. It was good to know she had someone she could tag in if things got too real or too overwhelming. If nothing else, the other woman, with her own adopted daughter, understood.
Oddly enough, besides the occasional very awkward conversations and the intense distrust he had of everything, [member="Boo Chiyo"] was not a difficult kid. His amphistaff, Azi, caused more trouble that he did, truth be told. But Irajah was surprised to find that she didn't mind. And that she almost wished he did cause more problems. At every turn, it was like he was waiting for the bottom to fall out from under him- for her to order him around. Or worse, she knew. For now, she did her best to be patient and kind- to answer his questions when she could, and to admit when she didn't know the answer. When he wanted to sit close enough to touch, she let him. More often he shied away, needing a certain distance. And that was okay too.
They had spent some time on Coruscant. Irajah had business and a job to finish up, something she wasn't going to abandon. They bought him clothes, a small computer, and a few other odds and ends. She knew until they got settled, that was all she could do. He still seemed vaguely bemused by three meals a day.
But she needed something more. Someplace more. She couldn't keep going as she had been, a new planet and a new job every month, always searching down the next lead. And so, after some researching and soul searching, Irajah and Boo had gone to Avalonia, on Dosuum. The First Order had (so the holonet said) some of the best education opportunities available. And she had found a job at one of their medical centers even before they'd left Coruscant.
Only a week after arriving, Irajah looked up from her caf. She sat at the small, round table in the kitchenette. The apartment was small, but clean. Neither of them had much in the way of belongings, so it was still sparse, but she intended to work on that. After all, they'd be here for some time, wouldn't they? The sound of the sleepy child bumping in to a particular corner he still wasn't used to brought a slight smile to her face.
"Morning," she said, pushing away from the table and taking the three steps it took to get over to the stove. "I've got wookiee-cakes."
Today was both of their first days- Boo at the Academy here, and Irajah at the Medical Center. She had changed jobs so many times in the last six months that she wasn't particularly nervous- Irajah liked to meet new people. But she wasn't really sure how Boo was feeling about all of it. The boy was sometimes hard to read.