[She watches as he works, interested in just how he's shaping the pieces, and how he wants them to fit together. She may have build her own lightsaber, but she's no expert. And between the two of them, even with all the problems his lightsaber may have (unknown to Leia, having only seen the more positive mental image of it), Ben is the infinitely more experiences of the two of them.
She was about to ask a question about why he chose the next piece to fit where it did, if there was something about that to make the blade more stable, but thinks better of it. Not just because the guard is still around somewhere and would be alarmed, but also because it strikes her just how exhausted he looks. So, she moves around the table to stand next to him, and gently places her hand on his wrist. He didn't react too poorly last time, so she thinks it's safe to try again.]
If you agree to relax, I'll let you have a closer look at what I've made.
[Since he's interested, and she's not above baiting him to get him to take care of himself. She might not let him hold it, but she'll allow him to get a better look at it.]
[It's good that she doesn't ask him about the parts, not only because of the guard watching, and not only because he's tired, but because the honest answer probably isn't one she wants to hear—if he were to admit he asked for Hux's advice on a few of the components, it probably wouldn't improve her impression about the two of them.
This time, he does pull his hand away, though not so suddenly as to knock any of the nearby pieces out of their place. He simply narrows his eyes at her for a moment, regarding her with suspicion.]
What sort of "closer look."
[He knows better than to expect it will be anything other than literally that—maybe her holding it closer to his face or something else equally unappealing. His curiosity about the thing isn't so strong that he's willing to drop what he's doing and make his own saber farther from becoming reality. Trying to "relax" would negate the entire principle of what he's doing right now, anyway.]
[She doesn't know what he's trying to do, beyond currently working on building a replacement saber, and she'd find how he's actually testing his limits to be absolutely stupid. So for now, it's for the best that she doesn't find out.
As much as she expected him to not allow further physical contact, Leia can't help the frown as he pulls his hand away. But at the very least he's stopped working on his saber, so she thinks maybe she has a chance to get him to move to the couch or his room or someplace he can actually rest instead of pushing through his stupid cold and stupid lack of crystal to do whatever he's trying to prove.]
That depends on you. Are you going to attempt to keep it if I let you hold it?
[She'd rather not let him hold it, not just because of that risk, but because she's not sure if he might try something when it's in his hands. But if he'll agree to return it and agree to relax, she'd debate if it's worth it or not to try.]
[Ren scowls momentarily, offended by the idea he'd do something like that when he's still technically a prisoner or criminal or whatever. He returns his attention to the task at hand and makes a few adjustments on the circuitry, answering but still seeming disinterested in her offer.]
I'm not stupid.
[He's fairly confident she'll understand his meaning, at least for the main part of it—trying to take a weapon from her would ruin the bit of good favor he's gained from the Enforcers all these months. But he thinks she may understand that he would also very much like to take it from her, permanently, but that currently making one of his own means he has no real need of it.]
[She could bring up several points that do in fact imply that her son is being stupid at the moment. But it's not the time or place, nor is it entirely appropriate to do so, especially not if she wants Ben to stop working on things and relax so he'll get over this sickness sooner.
So, she says nothing, instead reaching to grab her own lightsaber from where it's resting at her hip. She makes no move to hand it to him yet, though. Leia steps back away from Ben, tilting her head more in the direction of the couch. She assumes it's enough of a gesture that he'll understand her meaning.]
Those parts aren't going anywhere. They'll be there after you take a break.
[Pointing out his stupidity is a sure way to get him to stop listening. The fact that she hasn't will make the process a little easier, though that doesn't mean getting him to rest will actually be easy.
He's still a little annoyed, but he doesn't seem to have the energy to stay that way. He just gives her a dull stare instead of a scowl.]
[Considering Ben's usual response to her is annoyance at the best of times, she's not sure how to feel about him being unable to manage even that. It's not that she wants him to be annoyed with her--she wants the opposite, actually--but since it's his usual state, it's alarming that he's not, and just lends more credence to the idea that he really needs to go take a nap or something to relax.]
Then humor me. If it's not strenuous, you can go back to work once I'm gone, and I won't know the difference.
[Well that makes it even more pointless, doesn't it? They both know he's going to keep working, so there's absolutely no reason to stop right now. Well—it might get her to shut up about it, but that's countered by the fact that he wants to make things as aggravating as possible.
So he continues with what he's doing, not even looking at her anymore.]
If apologizing is all you came here for, you can go ahead and leave.
I'm not leaving until I see you start taking care of yourself.
[She crosses her arms and--well not quite glowers at him, but her expression is severe and also severely unamused with his behavior. Because if he's going to be stubborn, she can be even more stubborn. Not that she hasn't been stubborn already, but it's a next level stubborn, and one Kylo can easily take advantage of to make her leave if he's willing to give in.]
[This is... about as close to hospitality as Kylo has gotten in a long time. Even if it's borne out of the desire to be contrary. Somehow he thinks this is a better option than acquiescing and getting her to leave.
Kylo hunches over the table and leans his right elbow against the table, trying to gather his focus enough to actually make progress. He's been adjusting to using the Force to use his disabled arm for delicate things over the past several months, but that doesn't mean it's easy.]
[It's not so much that she's taking Ben up on his offer as it is she's making good on her promise to not leave until he takes care of himself. Either way, Leia studies Ben for just a moment, tilting her head as she watches him, before nodding and then unceremoniously taking a seat right next to him.
She tries watching what he's doing for a while, but her attention slowly drifts back to Ben himself rather than the lightsaber parts on the table. And she can't help but notice the way he leans his elbow against the table, and how it's perhaps not as precise as his other hand would be. She may be stubborn and too thick-headed to give up on getting Ben to admit he's not taking care of himself, but the main reason why she's doing this is because she's concerned about him, and Leia can't ignore something like that.]
[Ren just shoots Leia a dull glance, not understanding what she means. Other than being a bit tired and sick, he's not injured, and it doesn't really occur to him that him moving his arm the way he does is unusual.]
What? [Why does she constantly have to interrupt him with useless questions about his health?]
[Because she is your mother and she will do what she wants, thank you very much, Ben Solo.
Leia gives Ben a pointed look, not entirely sure whether he didn't understand her question or if he just doesn't want to answer. In all honesty, she leans toward the latter, just knowing how contrary Ben likes to be.]
Your arm. You're moving it more slowly than the other one. Did you hurt it?
[Because if he injured it and hasn't received medical help for it, Leia will have many a word with the enforcers and anyone else who will listen.]
[His uncomprehending scowl remains for a few moments before he finally realizes what she's referring to, and the look fades as a different confusion comes to him. He replies with almost a mumble, like he doesn't want the guard nearby from listening in.]
He didn't tell you. [That seems odd, that Han wouldn't share with her everything Kylo told him. Of course he keeps who he is vague, perhaps to be even more infuriating.]
I lost feeling in it months ago. [So it's nothing new, he's dealing with it. He's not concerned.]
[He may be attempting to be vague and infuriating, but it's not hard to tell who Ben means by "he." And she'll be mad at Han about it later, perhaps, but for now she's concerned about Ben and his arm.]
Ben, that's not something you should just accept. Have you even had it looked at?
[Because he's keeping his voice low, she does the same, but it's not hard to notice the concern in her voice despite that. The medical technology here may be centuries behind the technology in their own world, but Leia can't believe there isn't something here they could use to help restore some feeling in his arm.]
[The shadows around them darken almost to black and the air chills quickly as a tired frown comes to his face, and he can't help but take a breath that's almost like a sigh.]
Do you really think something brought on by that thing would be fixed that easily?
[He has no hope about it being fixed, at least as long as he's here. The Reaper's left a permanent mark on him in a few ways.]
[Leia turns to face him fully, reaching out to place her hand on his disabled arm, a further chill blowing in around them. She can't help it, especially after hearing him confirm that his arm's current state is a result of his ordeal with that monster. She still doesn't like his punishment initial punishment, doesn't think he deserved that, and was more than disturbed at what the reaper creature had done to him. She'd want to wrap her arms around him, but she knows that wouldn't go over well with him, and that if she's allowed to comfort him in any way, this is likely as far as he'd allow her to go.]
[If he could feel that arm, he probably would have shaken her off quickly, but as it stands he can't feel her gesture and therefore it doesn't count enough for him to bother. He just continues working.]
It's never been about "deserve."
[Nothing is fair, not in their own galaxy and certainly not here. It's part of why he's determined to work to take control of things himself, so he can make it work the right way.]
[Ren sniffs, grabbing a metal piece to fit it onto the edge of the one he was working on and a different tool to make that happen. He does, however, have an expression on his face that implies Leia has asked a stupid question.]
[If things were fair, Alderaan wouldn't have been destroyed, Ben wouldn't have killed Han, and Ben wouldn't have gone to the dark side in the first place. Not to mention everything else that happened in between all that, or the fact that she got to live on Alderaan in the first place, while Luke was stuck on Tatooine of all places.]
That doesn't mean I'm not allowed to express sympathy for you, and it doesn't mean that you deserved that barbaric punishment they put you through.
[Still frustrated, he decides to put his annoyance into completing the parts for his saber, and resolves to ignore Leia as best as he can. ... after another comment.]
And I'm telling you that "what I deserve" and your sympathy mean nothing to me.
[Or put in more simple terms, since she seems to have a hard time understanding:]
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lostapprentice) wrote2035-01-06 02:37 am
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She was about to ask a question about why he chose the next piece to fit where it did, if there was something about that to make the blade more stable, but thinks better of it. Not just because the guard is still around somewhere and would be alarmed, but also because it strikes her just how exhausted he looks. So, she moves around the table to stand next to him, and gently places her hand on his wrist. He didn't react too poorly last time, so she thinks it's safe to try again.]
If you agree to relax, I'll let you have a closer look at what I've made.
[Since he's interested, and she's not above baiting him to get him to take care of himself. She might not let him hold it, but she'll allow him to get a better look at it.]
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This time, he does pull his hand away, though not so suddenly as to knock any of the nearby pieces out of their place. He simply narrows his eyes at her for a moment, regarding her with suspicion.]
What sort of "closer look."
[He knows better than to expect it will be anything other than literally that—maybe her holding it closer to his face or something else equally unappealing. His curiosity about the thing isn't so strong that he's willing to drop what he's doing and make his own saber farther from becoming reality. Trying to "relax" would negate the entire principle of what he's doing right now, anyway.]
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As much as she expected him to not allow further physical contact, Leia can't help the frown as he pulls his hand away. But at the very least he's stopped working on his saber, so she thinks maybe she has a chance to get him to move to the couch or his room or someplace he can actually rest instead of pushing through his stupid cold and stupid lack of crystal to do whatever he's trying to prove.]
That depends on you. Are you going to attempt to keep it if I let you hold it?
[She'd rather not let him hold it, not just because of that risk, but because she's not sure if he might try something when it's in his hands. But if he'll agree to return it and agree to relax, she'd debate if it's worth it or not to try.]
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I'm not stupid.
[He's fairly confident she'll understand his meaning, at least for the main part of it—trying to take a weapon from her would ruin the bit of good favor he's gained from the Enforcers all these months. But he thinks she may understand that he would also very much like to take it from her, permanently, but that currently making one of his own means he has no real need of it.]
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So, she says nothing, instead reaching to grab her own lightsaber from where it's resting at her hip. She makes no move to hand it to him yet, though. Leia steps back away from Ben, tilting her head more in the direction of the couch. She assumes it's enough of a gesture that he'll understand her meaning.]
Those parts aren't going anywhere. They'll be there after you take a break.
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He's still a little annoyed, but he doesn't seem to have the energy to stay that way. He just gives her a dull stare instead of a scowl.]
Working on this is hardly strenuous.
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Then humor me. If it's not strenuous, you can go back to work once I'm gone, and I won't know the difference.
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So he continues with what he's doing, not even looking at her anymore.]
If apologizing is all you came here for, you can go ahead and leave.
[He's just tired of arguing at this point.]
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[She crosses her arms and--well not quite glowers at him, but her expression is severe and also severely unamused with his behavior. Because if he's going to be stubborn, she can be even more stubborn. Not that she hasn't been stubborn already, but it's a next level stubborn, and one Kylo can easily take advantage of to make her leave if he's willing to give in.]
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[This is... about as close to hospitality as Kylo has gotten in a long time. Even if it's borne out of the desire to be contrary. Somehow he thinks this is a better option than acquiescing and getting her to leave.
Kylo hunches over the table and leans his right elbow against the table, trying to gather his focus enough to actually make progress. He's been adjusting to using the Force to use his disabled arm for delicate things over the past several months, but that doesn't mean it's easy.]
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She tries watching what he's doing for a while, but her attention slowly drifts back to Ben himself rather than the lightsaber parts on the table. And she can't help but notice the way he leans his elbow against the table, and how it's perhaps not as precise as his other hand would be. She may be stubborn and too thick-headed to give up on getting Ben to admit he's not taking care of himself, but the main reason why she's doing this is because she's concerned about him, and Leia can't ignore something like that.]
Did you injure your arm, too?
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What? [Why does she constantly have to interrupt him with useless questions about his health?]
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Leia gives Ben a pointed look, not entirely sure whether he didn't understand her question or if he just doesn't want to answer. In all honesty, she leans toward the latter, just knowing how contrary Ben likes to be.]
Your arm. You're moving it more slowly than the other one. Did you hurt it?
[Because if he injured it and hasn't received medical help for it, Leia will have many a word with the enforcers and anyone else who will listen.]
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He didn't tell you. [That seems odd, that Han wouldn't share with her everything Kylo told him. Of course he keeps who he is vague, perhaps to be even more infuriating.]
I lost feeling in it months ago. [So it's nothing new, he's dealing with it. He's not concerned.]
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Ben, that's not something you should just accept. Have you even had it looked at?
[Because he's keeping his voice low, she does the same, but it's not hard to notice the concern in her voice despite that. The medical technology here may be centuries behind the technology in their own world, but Leia can't believe there isn't something here they could use to help restore some feeling in his arm.]
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Do you really think something brought on by that thing would be fixed that easily?
[He has no hope about it being fixed, at least as long as he's here. The Reaper's left a permanent mark on him in a few ways.]
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I'm sorry. You don't deserve that.
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It's never been about "deserve."
[Nothing is fair, not in their own galaxy and certainly not here. It's part of why he's determined to work to take control of things himself, so he can make it work the right way.]
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Then what is it about?
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The Force works in strange ways if left alone.
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And what do you mean by that?
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Do you want a lesson on the philosophy of the universe?
[He doesn't really want to talk about that right now. He's got something concrete in his hands and he'd like to focus on that.]
Things aren't fair. That's it.
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[If things were fair, Alderaan wouldn't have been destroyed, Ben wouldn't have killed Han, and Ben wouldn't have gone to the dark side in the first place. Not to mention everything else that happened in between all that, or the fact that she got to live on Alderaan in the first place, while Luke was stuck on Tatooine of all places.]
That doesn't mean I'm not allowed to express sympathy for you, and it doesn't mean that you deserved that barbaric punishment they put you through.
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And I'm telling you that "what I deserve" and your sympathy mean nothing to me.
[Or put in more simple terms, since she seems to have a hard time understanding:]
I don't care.