dear_mun | (no subject)

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Stop that. I'm not a little kid - thirteen, mun. Thirteen. I am mostly an adult! I can think abstractly! I can know that an adult's not perfect without hating them for it! I can have responsibilities.

That is officially too old to be "cute".

[What if it's girls calling you that?] ...I... um... I'm too busy for that kind of thing. Plus it's embarrassing, especially in front of people!

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You're never too old to be cute.

I am so too old to be cute. I want to be cool.

- Um, that's Outworlder slang, kind of like cool-as-distant, but it's more... composed, and smart, and competent.

Ah, I see. [He just gives this knowing smile. Been there, done that.] Well, I'm sure you'll get there eventually, but don't try to grow up too fast. Being "cool" has more to do with the journey it takes to become that way rather than the destination itself.

[Mood-swing! Yeah being thirteen doesn't just mean some additional maturity...] But I have to grow up. I'm not much good to anyone now.

No, that's not true. [He speaks evenly, gently.] Usefulness is not measured by age, Luke. I once went on a mission where the planet was literally being torn apart by war. The adults were all fighting for causes none of them even remembered and were not willing to reason with one another. But the children, however, had rallied together and found the strength in themselves to stop a war that had been raging for many years. You see, adults can be just as - if not more - foolish. They cared only for their petty war while the children only wanted their homes and family back. It gave them purpose and a reason to fight. Most of them even fought better than the adults.

[Smile.] Don't underestimate yourself. You're only as useless as you let yourself believe.

[Luke sighs.] I don't know. That's good for them, but... There's hardly anything I can do here. I just distract people.

[She just laughs a bit. You'll always be cute to her, Luke.]

[The most mature of scowls!]

[Aw, Luke! She is still very amused, but she'll try to hide it...maybe.] What would you rather people think of you?

That I can get things done? That I... can be strong but also kind? I don't know! Just not someone who gets patted on the head and laughed at!

Cute doesn't take away from those things. It endears you to people and allows you to be seen in a favorable light. The rest can be earned in time.

[She tilts her head a bit.] Someday you'll do great things, Luke. You don't have to force it to happen too soon. Just enjoy being a reliable, strong, and cute kid now.

It's condescending. When it's used like this, I mean.

But when it happens it's going to happen very suddenly. Or that's how it'll seem, to the others.

I think moments of greatness are always sudden. That's part of what makes them great. They don't give up, and they end up surprising everyone. I know you're still unsure about him, but when I first met your father he did something similar.

[She presses her lips together; she doesn't want to push him, but she does want him to feel better.]

What exactly did they say?

Mm. I'm thinking about that... canon update thing. I don't know when it's going to happen, but... it will be sudden.

Does that mean you'll be going away for a while?

I don't know. I'll go into a coma here - in the game, I mean - and a week later I'll wake up twelve years older.

There's nothing wrong with who you are now.

[Though she doubts her words will make any difference. Luke and Anakin both seem so far out of her reach already.]

Just-- [She drops her eyes and lets out a short sigh.] I'm glad I got to meet you, like this.

[One of the main differences is that Luke doesn't shut people out as well... and he can't ignore how they react to whatever he's saying or doing. Have a gesturing attempt to explain.]

It's just that I'm so helpless. I have to always stay behind, because if I don't people will have to watch me so I don't get killed or something. I mean, I'm thirteen - I can fight some, but I know I'm not a soldier or anything.

Don't talk like that. Please. I don't even know if it's going to happen soon... my mundane just flip-flops on it so much.

Considering the number of 900-year-olds who are exceedingly cute, I will have to go with the two cuties who chimed in before me.

I would so rather be cool. Or brilliant. Or - what do they say? Baudas? ...You know, bold and tough and capable.

['Badass'. ...Luke, stop picking up Outworlder slang. It's getting weird.]

... badass.

Luke, it doesn't matter what people call you or even think of you. You can't - or, at least, you shouldn't - control what people think. You are and can be bold and capable and amazing. Be what you want to be, and let people draw the conclusions they can.

Although not turning down family affection has something to be said about it, too.

Badass. Right.

I don't know about Outworlders, but back home 'cute' also means 'clever, but not clever enough'. I think.

[He wrinkles his nose.] I'm not turning it down, I just don't want to be treated like a little kid. I am way too old to have my hair ruffled. [Luke's mun gets an indignant look.]

And I will resort back to nine hundred year olds. Whose hair I do ruffle, provided they aren't committing something silly again. Like a fez.

I think it was more cute as in adorable, rather than not clever enough. That would be rather imprecise, where you are concerned -at any age.

It's different with adults. ...Even ones who wear hats.

Even that's got this condescending feel... It's just got this different connotation, when you're older.

A little different.

But, really, it is more affection that condescension. From many people who would call you cute.

[He wrinkles his nose.] I'm not going to win this, am I?

*laughs quietly* Probably not, but then again - losing means having people you probably like smiling at you, so it isn't a complete loss, now is it?

'Probably'? River, I am hurt.

Of course you are. You'll get cookies to make up for that.

No, I won't try to bake them.

Yes, because being called cute is such a terrible thing. The cruelty in your life breaks my heart.

It's not once, it's a lot. There are plurks about it. I'm almost a man, you know. I need to have dignity.

Sorry, I didn't catch that- I was too busy being distracted by your manliness and ever increasing dignity.

[All the scoffs.]

Just let yourself be a kid, Farmboy, and enjoy it. There aren't many of us who actually had the chance.

[You're wounding him, Mara. Wounding him so bad.]

There's too much going on for me to just be carefree - and anyway, kids aren't really as happy as adults think. Everything that affects them still affects us, but we can't do as much about it.

- How'd you know I grew up on a moisture farm, anyway?

[It's what she does best?]

Such grown up words.

[A beat.]

Call it women's intuition.

I'm thirteen, not five.

...Intuition?

Well, excuse me.[Hands up.]

Y'know, that thing that makes females smarter than males.

[She's just playing with you now, Luke.]

[He's too young and teenager-y to get it.]

What? Hey! There's nothing girl-only about intuition!

They didn't call it women's intuition for nothing, think about it.

[She pauses.]

Or would it make more sense to tell you I'm from the future?

Yeah, but the way you explained it-

-Oh. ...Yeah, that... actually would. [Staaaare.]

You're not another relative I've never met, right?

Uh, no. Kriff, I hope not.

...Good. Good. 'Cause that's happened twice, and it's weird.

[His mother was reminded of young Anakin and teasingly flirted. Luke was flattered and played along.]

Well, there's no need to worry. I'm not some long lost sister, or cousin, or anything like that. You can kind of say we're friends.

[Sort of.]

...Okay. I - ['Wouldn't mind', but that suddenly seems like a kid thing to say] - hope you get there okay.

[Mostly unrelated, but have you seen this? It's going to be the cover for the Choices of One paperback.]

Thanks. I'm not too worried though.

[Eeeee I have. :3]

Okay. I'm glad.

[So awesome... Even though nothing like that happens in the story.]

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