One step back from perdition

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Avalore Eden"]
[member="The Revenant"]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“I’ll be honest,” Jacen said as he dished up breakfast, “I haven't heard much on Mirialans in infancy! I can’t remember when it's safe to start, but we had a good time going straight to finger food with Malik. Kept him on the milk and skipped the mashed stuff and baby food, just let him try stuff out with his hands. My mate Dhaled had to wait a lot longer to give his lad solids. Had to do the whole ‘open wide, here comes the Millennium Falcon!’ thing. Each kid is different, but I’d say don’t wait too long to let them start exploring solids themselves.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]He shrugged nonchalantly as he carried three plates of food through. Yet one corner of his mouth twitched downwards. Who was he to be giving [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]any [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]kind of advice on parenting exactly? His estranged son wouldn’t speak to him. Feth but they’d lost Dhaled at Coruscant too. He smiled again as he headed out onto the porch with breakfast, putting two plates down on the table, before seating himself with his own plate on his lap. Jacen was about to talk through a mouthful of food, before remembering his manners. He looked down both sides of his chair before spotting the box of beers. He twisted the metal cap off with his bare hands before washing down some breakfast. It was the evening somewhere anyway. He made sure to nod and wink in Gabriel's direction as he placed the bottle down on the decking. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“So that one’s a bit of a grizzler?” he asked to no one in particular, nodding towards Destin. [/SIZE]

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

He gave a yawn and covered his mouth. Teary eyed, he wave good morning to the children as they passed by. Fear of the equipment or his injury, he silently agreed with the woman as he fidgeted. Reaching for his walker, he smiled at the offer being pulled over and waved it away. "I'll make it, I'm sure..." Using it to stand, he slowly made his way over to the table. As he sat, he waved at Armaud and Destin. But he simply got the look from them as they gave wondering eyes back to their Mother. Squinting, he took a bite of the breakfast sausage and narrowed even more so towards the beer case.

He lifted the juice to his lips and mentally sighed.

Destin was already starting to tear up before his mouth was filled with orange pudding. Probably sweet potatoes by the looks of things, Gabriel nodded to Jacen as he chewed on some eggs. "Its the damnedest thing. It was the same way with Tormund and Samson. They weren't twins but one was an angel, one was a hellion." He exhaled, never before being able to really talk about them in such a way. He loved Samson, but that child had some of the worst fits. Tormund was the sort to find some way to make mom or dad happy, just looking for constant recognition. Both were perfect.

"I'm sure with time, he'll grow out of it..." He made smacky lips at Armaud, who gave a giggle and a smack of his high seat. Gabriel laughed and cut another piece from the sausage. "So how was the deployment? Was it everything you were expecting?"

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Avalore Eden"]​

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="The Revenant"] [member="Avalore Eden"]

OOC / you're probably both still asleep so breaking order.

“Yeah I'm sure he'll grow out of it,” Jacen agreed. “Though I bet if he keeps getting up and winging he's pretty good at winding his brother up too,” he added, throwing Avalore an exaggerated look of pity.

“It's been hard work out there,” he answered. “Hounds have been working more with the relief effort recently. We're still trying to keep them guessing by striking back when we can, but most of our resources are being devoted to the humanitarian work really. So many people are trying to leave the worlds the Republic lost as quickly as they can. Especially once word broke that the Sith carried out genocide on Amar.”

He didn't say any more than that. Despite being a remote location it wasn't like Gabe’s porch was approved for discussing classified operational information. Instead he put his plate to one side and walked up to Destin’s chair. Again he went down onto his haunches to eye level.

“Good grub little man? I'm sure you're not too bad when you've got a nice full tummy,” he said. Destin looked at him for a moment before looking to Avalore with a gaze that said and what is this exactly?

As Jacen picked up the spoon to try and encourage Destin he talked to Avalore and Gabe, but he kept looking at the infant. It wasn't like they had any comprehension at this stage, but they still listened and learned. He imagined Avalore being so isolated and spending all her time holding one-way conversations with the twins that she was probably a little short on grown up conversation. He felt a twinge of guilt for having sent Stali off to his current location.

“So I think I did mention this to Gabe before, but I don't mind watching the twins for an evening or so. Not sure what entertainment they have on this moon, but when he's up and about in a few days you two could go see a film or to the theatre and grab some food. Normally I'm on the same deployment cycle as Stali so the offer extends for when you two want to get a break together. You'll need to stock up on some caf for me though!”

“Brada ga...duh,” Destin replied for them. Jacen found himself grinning at the very serious expression on the infant's face as he spoke, as if what he had to say was of grave importance. At least he took another spoon of sweet potatoes without complaint.

 

[Avalore Eden]

"Oh he gets him going alright," Avalore commented, patiently feeding a very content looking Armaud who lazily took a spoonfull of peach mush and gummed it with a gurgle. She managed a bite between tiny helpings, listening to Jacen speak of the work of the Hounds. Sounded much the same of the reports Stali brought back with him, though mostly Avalore didn't ask too much about it. Gabriel was the one who held such rapt attention for those things.

For the Healer, the sense of missed duty and the confusion of her own desires was a very real thing. She was here, for the most part, at Katarn Homestead raising the twins. It was a new duty she'd willingly taken on knowing that it meant giving up the time she would otherwise be spending on missions with NJO. She did not resent this - Avalore wanted to be here with the children. She was happy here. But she also wished she could be of more help.

Wasn't that the whole reason she joined the Alliance?

She smiled at the glance from Destin who seemed so affronted at the prospect of anyone but herself, Stali or Gabe doing this dirty work. "Mr. Jacen has some pretty good sweet potato there, McGuff, I'd take him up on it if I were you."

Armaud, meanwhile, burbled for more. Ava wiped at his cheek with his bib before serving up another spoonful.

"Thanks, Jace, that sounds great. Gabe could use a night off the homestead I think," a curved smirk hooked the older man's gaze, "what do you say, Gabe? Dinner and a movie?"

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]
[member="The Revenant"]

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

"Dinner?!?" He feigned insult. "Are you trying to say that you preferred takeout to what I cook?"

He scooped up some eggs and nodded to Jacen. "Yeah, humanitarian work is just as important as anything else. Reminds them that there are people still fighting, without having to do something dramatic like...I don't know..." He thought. "Jumping off a tower?"

He tapped the fork on the plate, smiling at Destin. The child returned the expression, somewhat pleased by the offerings of the Jedi Marshall. "Oh I don't know Ava. Don't know if I can trust a man who can't properly put a counter top together in the kitchen."

He squinted, watching her feed Armaud. It was interesting how different the children were, even this early in life. Not even taking into account their physical differences, though you could tell they were brothers, it was hard to contemplate just how different they were. One silent, thoughtful, and expressive. The other was just as expressive, but it normally came in the form of finickiness or wailing. Destin was definitely the more picky of the two.

He cut another piece of the breakfast sausage, doing his best to leave his left arm at his side. "Dinner and a movie does sound nice though." Or anything related to not fighting. He wondered if they served beer at the movies.

[member="Avalore Eden"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"]​

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Avalore Eden"]
[member="The Revenant"]

Destin seemed to give Jacen a look at said 'try me' after finishing that mouthful. However the infant seemed to underestimate the Jedi Master and father's patience for holding a spoon in the air. Eventually the six month old decided he had lost this particular battle of wills and relented.

"At least he doesn't seem to like squishing the stuff between his fingers. Malik used to spend ages doing that. Before trying to rub it into your hair when you got too close, naturally.

"Anyway, happy to oblige whenever I'm around. You'll need to write down formula quantities for me. Malik never took to a bottle so I haven't a clue! As I said I'm about for a fair amount of time now. Going to get some training done. Might even bite the bullet and take on a Padawan," he said, continuing to feed Destin who appeared to have given up the battle for now. “Right little man, let's get you cleaned up.”

A few minutes later and Jacen was leant back in his chair, having just finished his slightly cold dinner. The flipside of missing meals when they were younger was the leftovers that came when they were older. He'd nearly drained his bottle of beer, which elicited a mild but pleasant buzz.

The boys were now on a play mat, getting some exercise by moving around and being stimulated by toys. Armaud was on all fours, lifting his head up to look around. He was looking intently at Jacen's feet.

“What are you looking at little man?” Jacen asked, looking down. The shiny bottle top from his beer had fallen to the floor. Good job that had been spotted before he'd trodden it into the decking. There was a grunt and Armaud rolled onto his back. He lifted his head to check where he was and wriggled around to align himself slightly. Then of course he rolled back onto his front, bringing him closer to the glittering treasure.

“Ahh, I see what we're doing here,” Jacen said with a grin. He reached down and scooped up the cap and put it up out of reach. “Not for you I'm afraid!”

Seeing the look in the infant's eye Jacen got down on the play may next to him and found something noisy and colourful to try and placate him before any possible meltdown.

“Do you get many visitors up here? Does Adele come up?” Jacen asked Avalore. Well, it was more subtle than saying ‘must get lonely as kriff out here on your own while I take your man on adventures.’

 

[Avalore Eden]

"We get some visitors from time to time," Avalore said from the table where she sat finishing her own meal, "Haven't seen Adele, but Chevu comes to see the twins every now and then. There's another young woman, Spark, she's in and out. Helping Gabe with security set up for the Homestead. And the locals, they stop by to trade for vegetables or come asking for Gabe for help with one thing or another. Strange customs of values out here though. Never thought I'd get an antique grandfather clock out of two bags of potatoes and a packet of seeds."

She actually felt a bit bad about that particular trade, but the man had been insistent it was fair. Of course, Avalore wasn't aware how extensive the repair work on it was - she'd left that to Gabe. It'd kept him busy down in his workshop for a few days, at least.

"What did-" she chewed thoughtfully for a moment, "what did we trade for Dick, Gabe?"

Speaking of Dick, where was that droid?

[member="The Revenant"] [member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Jacen's ears almost visibly pricked up at that last question. His head turned towards Avalore incredibly slowly. His eyebrows were almost retreating behind his hairline as he asked: "I'm sorry... what?"

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

"You just had to bring him up, didn't you?" He narrowed his eyes to the woman, obviously pleased with herself. Just then, he heard it. The god awful sound, the harbinger of annoyance. The click and clank of metal against tile. Gabriel almost flung his plate, if not for the fact that he was utterly broken. He merely narrowed his eyes to the kitchen doorway. Darkness, nothing but darkness. Until it was filled with the irritating drawl of rust and gold, trying its best to be something other than an pain in the arse. Too bad it was so clearly successful at that role.

"Jacen, meet D-3PO..." Gabriel nearly spit, waving his hand towards the monstrosity.
"I'm sorry sir, is there a problem..." Dick moved like a robot would, clank and with a boxy feel.
"I've told you not to walk in the kitchen..." The wounded man spoke sternly. "Yet here we are, you strolling through the kitchen like..."
"Oh? Was that the kitchen?" He turned his whole body, flickering eyes looking back to the doorway, before looking back to the group. "Terribly sorry, I hadn't noticed."

Gabriel ripped the toast apart, as he looked to Jacen. "My sanity. That's what I traded for Dick...my sanity."

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Avalore Eden"]​