#☼*・ﾟ Verse — ↳ star wars

[feuerwizard]

@alootus asked: "i didn't mean to scare you." // prompts from bones and all;; open

The  human’s  gaze  drifted  down  to  the  chaotic  pile  of  books  and  papers  at  his  booted  feet.  He  reached  down  to  collect  them,  briefly  pausing  to  look  up  at  the  woman  who  he  had  unintentionally  collided  with.  It  was  impossible  not  to  recognize  her  in  these  tumultuous  times  of  war,  a  well-known  figure  in  the  political  arena,  and  Caleb,  well,  he  paid  attention.  The  esteemed  Senator  stood  before  him,  a  sharp  contrast  to  his  disheveled  appearance  as  he  frantically  gathered  his  scattered  possessions.  Usually  nestled  among  the  bustling  lower  levels  of  Coruscant,  he  stood  out  like  a  sore  thumb  in  the  refined  atmosphere  of  the  upper  level  library.  His  ginger  hair  a  wild  tangle  and  his  coat  bore  several  visible  patches  that  were  barely  holding  on.  It  was  clear  to  anyone  who  saw  him  that  he  did  not  belong  here,  let  alone  near  a  Senator.

He  took  a  cautious  step  back,  body  tensing  like  a  skittish  cat.  Quiet  curses  in  Zemnain  slipped  from  his  lips  as  he  shook  his  head,  “You  didn’t.  I  am  sorry,  I  should  have  been  watching  where  I  walked.”  Before  allowing  her  to  respond,  Caleb  bent  back  down  with  a  sense  of  urgency  to  finish  collecting  the  scattered  pile  of  books.  He  carefully  arranged  them  on  the  closest  table,  his  hands  gloved  shaking  ever  so  slightly  as  he  tried  to  hide  his  nervousness.

From  under  the  table,  a  faint  sound  emerged—a  small,  muffled  meow  that  could  only  have  come  from  Caleb's  orange  tooka  cat.  Caleb  shot  a  quick  warning  glance  towards  his  furry  companion  who  was  not  supposed  to  be  inside  the  quiet  walls  of  the  library  in  the  first  place.  With  subtle  hand  gestures,  he  urged  his  pet  to  hide  further  under  the  table,  but  it  was  no  use.  The  unmistakable  meow  and  pair  of  large,  bright  orange  ears  gave  away  the  cat's  location  almost  immediately.

[feuerwizard]

@lightfaithed asked: "you can always ask me for help if you need it." // caring prompts;; open

Caleb could not quite comprehend how he ended up befriending a Jedi. Though "befriend" might be too strong a word to describe their relationship. It was more like a chance encounter in the lower levels of Coruscant that led to their unexpected series of events and Kenobi’s aid against a group of thugs. Now cumulating in a visit to what the Jedi had repeatedly claimed was his favorite diner.

Do Jedi always sneak off to the lower levels for a drink?

The human’s body filled with nerves as he sat near the Jedi, his usual skittishness amplified tenfold in his presence. Oh, scheiẞe, he was not used to spending time near any Jedi for that matter, but circumstances had brought him here. Eyeing Kenobi, he could not help wondering if the Jedi could sense the remnants of darkness that still plagued him. Maybe that was why he lingered, silently observing Caleb. The air around them hummed with unspoken tension like a gathering storm waiting to be unleashed—or perhaps such tension was entirely in Caleb’s head.

"Noted," he responded curtly, not outright dismissing the offer of aid, but remaining cautious nonetheless. "I appreciate your help this evening, however chance the encounter. But why do you, ah, assume I would require more of it?"

[feuerwizard]

Caleb  blinked  in  surprise  at  the  Senator’s  words,  his  posture  relaxing  ever-so-slightly.  "I…  ja,  okay,  of  course  you  can  hold  him,"  he  replied,  a  hint  of  bewilderment  in  his  tone.  "He  seems  quite  taken  with  you.  He  is  a  good  cat."  Indeed,  Frumpkin  looked  perfectly  at  ease  in  the  brunette’s  arms,  his  fluffy  tail  swishing  contentedly.  It  was  a  sight  Caleb  never  expected  to  see—his  scruffy  tooka  being  cradled  by  one  of  the  most  influential  figures  in  the  galaxy.  As  Senator  Amidala’s  gaze  shifted  to  the  scattered  books  and  notes  on  the  nearby  table,  the  human  felt  a  flicker  of  self-consciousness,  perhaps  nervousness.  His  research  a  haphazard  creation,  filled  with  fragments  of  thoughts  and  ideas  that  he  struggled  to  connect  into  a  cohesive  whole.  Despite  his  efforts,  lacking  any  significant  insight  or  useful  information  thus  far.  "Ah,  well,"  he  began,  rubbing  the  back  of  his  neck.  "I  am  not  necessarily  looking  for  anything  in  particular,"  he  lied.  "I’ve  always  been  a  big  learner,  very  curious.  Unfortunately,  the  selection  in  the  lower  levels  of  Coruscant  is  practically  nonexistent."

He  paused,  clearing  his  throat,  trying  to  steer  the  conversation  to  safer  waters.  "And  what  brings  you  to  the  library,  Senator  Amidala?  You  must  have  access  to  far  more  extensive  archives  in  the  Senate  building,  no?"  Engaging  in  casual  small  talk  has  never  come  easily  to  him,  especially  in  recent  years  and  particularly  around  someone  so  polished  and  refined.  For  lack  of  a  better  description  of  the  Senator.  But  Frumpkin,  his  usually  aloof  cat,  seemed  completely  at  ease  as  he  snuggled  into  the  woman's  attention  with  a  sense  of  belonging.  The  way  she  petted  his  fur  with  gentle  strokes  made  it  seem  as  if  they  were  long-time  companions  rather  than  strangers  meeting  for  the  first  time.  Despite  being  a  cat,  Frumpkin's  effortless  charm  and  comfort  in  social  situations  almost  made  him  a  bit  envious?

straightforwardness, even with linings that'd likely stemmed from a level of unexpected social discomfort, was surely something the senator experienced refreshing and therefore more than welcome. after he briefly introduced not only himself but the 𝐜𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 feline too, padmé nodded her head in acknowledgement and followed how caleb's thoughts of causing disturbance determined the unfolding of the following scene; his furry companion decided that dragging the meeting longer would be a much desired outcome to pursue, and a chase through the written knowledge towering all around them ended with the tooka cat finding a way in padmé's arms, purring contently as his owner was once again faced with the young politician. the situation as a whole was somewhat absurd, but it'd made her feel both amused and empathetic. caleb might need a good night's sleep in order to recharge his social batteries after the action-packed trip to the library, she thought to herself.

supporting the fine creature with one arm, free hand's fingertips carefully touching the soft fur, she hummed, ❝ it appears your friend senses no danger nor wrongdoing in being here, mister caleb. i don't have any reason to think otherwise either. don't let my presence drive you away from here. ❞ by stating so she further emphasized the disinterest in making a number out of him being in the library with the tooka cat. doe eyes 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 from frumpkin back to the troubled soul, ❝ may i hold him a little longer, please ? ❞ it felt oddly good to hold another living being in her arms like this.

from him her gaze traveled to the piles of books, notes and other signs of an ongoing 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡. ❝ have you found what you came looking for ? ❞ she asked in a more friendly, informal manner. ❝ the selection here is quite extensive, i've learned. ❞

[feuerwizard]

The  human’s  gaze  darted  between  the  Senator  and  his  mischievous  cat,  heart  pounding  in  his  chest.  He  knew  it  was  only  a  matter  of  time  before  someone  else  noticed  the  orange  ball  of  fluff  hiding  under  the  table.  With  a  deep  breath,  he  resisted  the  urge  to  step  forward,  positioning  himself  between  Padmé  and  his  furry  companion.  “I  know  who  you  are.  I  have  seen  your  face  before,”  he  noted.  Ach,  his  own  name,  that’s  right.  "Caleb,"  he  replied  tersely,  offering  no  other  details  upfront.  His  name  hung  in  the  air  for  a  moment  before  he  added,  "And  this  is  Frumpkin."  He  added,  a  hint  of  exasperation  in  his  tone  as  he  gestured  towards  the  tooka.  “He  is  not  supposed  to  be  here,  but  he  has  a  habit  of  following  me  everywhere  I  go.”

And  now  he  had  just  admitted  to  the  Senator  that  he  was  breaking  the  library's  rules  by  having  his  pet  inside.  Lovely.  He  quickly  glanced  around  to  see  if  anyone  else  had  overheard  their  exchange,  Caleb  knew  he  had  no  place  up  here  in  the  higher  levels  of  Coruscant  in  the  first  place.  "I  apologize,  I  should  not  have  brought  him.  We  will  leave  at  once  and  not  cause  any  more  disturbance."  He  reached  down  to  scoop  up  Frumpkin,  but  the  tooka  darted  out  of  his  grasp,  scampering  further  into  the  library  stacks  with  a  playful  meow.  Caleb  let  out  a  frustrated  sigh,  running  a  hand  through  his  disheveled  ginger  hair.

“Frumpkin,"  he  hissed  under  his  breath,  but  the  cat  paid  him  no  heed.  With  an  apologetic  look  to  the  woman,  Caleb  hurried  after  his  furry  friend,  weaving  through  the  towering  shelves  lined  with  ancient  tomes  and  data  tablets.  As  he  searched  for  the  wayward  feline,  Caleb's  mind  raced  with  anxious  thoughts.  What  must  the  Senator  think  of  him  now?  A  scruffy,  lower-level  nobody  who  couldn't  even  control  his  own  pet.  Rounding  a  corner,  he  nearly  collided  with  the  Senator  again.  In  her  arms,  she  cradled  a  purring  Frumpkin,  who  looked  quite  content  with  himself.

an embodiment of a warm autumn's afternoon was the first thing coming to her mind once she'd had a proper look at the person who'd likely been enjoying the vast collection of galaxy's gathered knowledge before their auras had quite literally collided. the social tension had 𝐬𝐤𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝, and such shift in the atmosphere of the library quickly calmed her suddenly fastened heartbeats back to the normal pace, replacing all other emotions with sympathy. gathering the long sleeves of her gown, she too reached out to pick up a handwritten note that'd slipped through the books he'd gathered and set aside on the closest table. his nervousness could almost be felt in one's fingertips and her brows arched, a polite smile forming on cherry mouth, ❝ oh, how could one's undivided attention be earned by just another wanderer when we're among endless sources of knowledge ? ❞ a pause. ❝ no harm has been done. ❞

holding a piece of paper in her hand felt quite strange. how long had it been, the senator wondered, since she'd last touched this kind of texture ? it was a humbling moment, almost enough to take her back home in her thoughts — just almost, as her focus was in taking a step to the side and placing the note on top of his hastily assembled pile of books. under normal circumstances padmé would've offered it to the man directly, but the chance for a physical touch hadn't seemed 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 considering the tension that clearly was holding his body as captive. then, just as her lips had parted in an attempt to introduce herself properly, a someone who was far less cautious made themselves known; a soft creature with a fluffy tail and a pair of orange ears.

❝ good day to you too, gorgeous ❞, rolled softly from her lips, followed by a chuckle as her attention shifted from the tooka cat to the more nervous one again. could it be the sudden encounter hadn't caused him as much unease as the potential of someone not so understanding noticing his 𝐩𝐚𝐰𝐞𝐝 companion had ? to finally introduce herself, she nodded her head, ❝ senator amidala. and who might you be ? ❞

[feuerwizard]

The human shifted uneasily in his seat, the Jedi's words striking a nerve. Was his inner turmoil that obvious? He had spent years honing his ability to conceal his emotions, to bury the darkness deep within and simply survive however he could. Yet somehow, this man seemed to see right through him.

"Troubled? I suppose that is one way to put it," Caleb muttered, picking at his food without much appetite. The greasy diner fare paled in comparison to the churning in his gut. "But isn't everyone to some degree?"

Caleb felt uncomfortably exposed under the Jedi's perceptive gaze. He knew he should be grateful for Kenobi's assistance and the unexpected camaraderie, but a part of him couldn't help but wonder about the Jedi's true motivations. Were Jedi always this attentive to random strangers they encountered? Or was there something more to Kenobi's interest in him?

"Intriguing?" Caleb repeated, unable to keep the skepticism from his voice. "I am not sure what you find so intriguing about me. I'm just a regular guy trying to get by in this place."

"I don't believe in chance," Obi-Wan chuckled. "The Force clearly wanted us to meet." Could it have been less turbulent? Absolutely, but if Obi-Wan learned anything so far, it was that the will of the Force was sometimes hard to understand.

His company was clearly on edge and Obi-Wan believed that it was more than just the lingering effects of their wild day. Obi-Wan tried not to be nosy and to give Caleb privacy, but he projected so wildly by trying to keep everything inside.

To suppress an emotion was never wise and it was also impossible. "Well..I can tell that you may be a little troubled." He caught a whiff of the dark side around Caleb but that could mean a variety of things. Each and everyone had a light and a dark side and fearing the latter was also unwise.

Obi-Wan decided that honesty was the best course of action in this case and after Dex arrived to bring them their food (and got rewarded for it with a beaming grin from Obi-Wan) he chewed on deliciously greasy fries and said "If I make you too uncomfortable then I won't force you to spend time with me, but I feel like we were a great team and I find you very intriguing."