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[Leon Baudelaire]

Baudelaire cocked an interested eyebrow at Dash, “Spill it, dude,” he said with a smile. Dash explained meeting a young padawan and Leon laughed, “I can’t wait to see you two in action.”

Once the drinks were delivered, he’d cheers Dash then take a sip. The Rhinnalian turned the question back on him and Leon smiled, “Peetwo was the first being I considered before taking on a Padawan,” he teased, “But, Koemi seems to have won the little droid over, so I guess I’m stuck with her.”

Leon eased back into their booth, “We met a while back before she joined the Order, I actually helped her discover her connection to the force, she’s awesome,” then an idea occurred, “Oh, we need to take them to Kashyyyk!” he said, a mischievous smile spreading. “I mean can you believe they let us take Padawans?” He laughed, “Dark times for the Jedi indeed.”

Baudelaire leaned back in the seat eyeing Dash, “Alright, what aren’t you saying?” he asked.

“Anything we discuss from this moment forward stays between us, you have my word as a son of Adumar.”

@Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash was thrilled to hear about Koemi, even if it was a little disconcerting that they were both now old enough to have understudies. "Why am I already feeling a little competitive about this?". Maybe Ez and Jayna were not the only kind of double date they could fix up. The thought of introducing their respective padawans to the trials and tribulations of Kashyyyk made him laugh out loud.

"Oh..." Dash said, caught off guard that Leon saw through him after all. "Yeah well, I did want to ask you something". He swilled his beer, eyes on the table. "You and Ez hang out a lot. Has he ever said anything about, like, us getting married?".

There it was, he had said it. The word did not frighten him per se, far from it, but it was so important to him he was anxious as hell how to approach it. He thought he knew what Ez would think, but he did not know for sure. It was a long shot thinking anyone else would, his man was incredibly tight-lipped about deep issues, but if he let slip any thoughts to anyone it would be Leon.

@Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon scoffed, “Because my padawan is better, duh!” Leon laughed and took another swig of his beer.

Baudelaire’s warm smile settled on his lips as he watched Dash wrestle with a thought. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Zero could have prepared him for what The Rhinnalian finally asked.

Leon’s eyes went saucer wide, his mouth gaped like a fish on dry land, and his whole brain shut down. Luckily, this whole reaction only happened over a second or so before Baudelaire managed to lock it up. He shook his head, “Sorry, you caught me off guard,” he laughed, “I thought this was gonna be some Jedi shit.”

Leon thought about Dash’s question, there was no doubt in the Adumarian’s mind that Ezra was head over heels for Dash. He recalled nights where Ezra fussed over the stupid little things Dash “Needed.” The memory was just the inspiration Baudelaire needed.

“I’m sorry, he hasn’t, but—” Leon’s smile widened as he put a hand on Dash’s shoulder, “Lemme ask you something, when was the last time you ran out of your favorite pomade?” He let Dash think about it for a moment, “When’s the last time you just casually mentioned liking something and then it just appeared at your dorm or in your new place?” Then to drive the point home, “For Force sake, when’s the last time you had to get your ship serviced?” he chuckled, “Last I heard, Ole Jabs dotes over you my dude.”

“So, no. He’s never mentioned marriage, but the last time he and I spoke he didn’t call you his boyfriend, he called you his partner,” Leon shrugged, “Don’t forget behind the massive force power and literal presidential parentage, he’s still a nineteen year old college student.” he said with a smile.

 

[Dash Pavan]

The air went out of Dash when he heard Ezra had not said anything useful. He was back where he started. But then Leon took him on an unexpected journey.

His first instinct was to protest, but Leon was so earnest he couldn't cut him off. The Rhinnalian's mouth slowly fell open as he pondered when exactly he had run out of anything on Ez's watch, if ever. Life with his man was, well, pretty perfect most of the time.

In the beginning, Dash had noticed ever little difference between Ezra's life and his own, but somewhere along the way he had got a little too used to his needs always being met. He had assumed it was the fantastic Thorne infrastructure swirling around them, but now he realised what an active effort it must take on Ezra's part. Dash knew he was an unpredictable nightmare at times, no schedule or subroutine could keep him happy. It was Ez, and Leon was right; he did it all without saying a thing.

A nineteen year old college student. It was absolutely true and yet a million miles from how Dash saw his man. Ezra might be nineteen, but he had seemed on top of his life since they first met. Maybe Dash did put him on too high a pedestal. Maybe he could just ask him about this after all.

"I guess you're right" Dash said slowly, still processing the image of his man in a slightly different light. "You're a good friend to him you know, to us both". He put his own hand on top of Leon's own on his shoulder. "Just promise me you remind him how awesome I am too yeah?"

@Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon laughed, playfully pulling out his phone saying “Can you say that again, I wanna record someone telling me I’m right.”

Leon’s expression softened as Dash’s hand landed on his shoulder, Baudelaire looked away suddenly feeling his face flush as he picked at the scar on his cheek while he struggled with Dash’s complement. After a moment he just scoffed, “Well, yeah… Duh,” he said with a shrug.

Dash’s last comment brought Leon’s attention back to him. A frown settled on the Adumarian’s features, “You think I don’t already?” Leon laughed, “I’m a little hurt by that,” he said with a pout and a playful shove, before downing the rest of his beer.

“I’ll be honest, if I have another, I’ll become a problem,” he laughed, feeling his own swelling emotions amplified by the alcohol. Baudelaire put out a hand to Dash to shake, “Let’s do this again sometime, huh? I missed hanging with you, dude.”

Leon would lean in and give Dash a hug. Baudelaire wasn't overly affectionate, but when he got a couple drinks in him he was suddenly a hugger.

Once outside he'd turn to Dash and say, "I expect a key the net time we see each other!" before laughing and slipping into the shadows of Starlight's simulated night.

End.​

@Alhon