Chapter Text
Ari was, frankly speaking, unimpressed.
Not by the surprisingly delightful and rich ne’tra gal in front of her. No, that bit of wonder and love was perfectly nice and, she felt, a well deserved treat.
No, what she was distinctly unimpressed with was the antics of her soulmate of all things, or beings, she supposed. She’d shaken his hand automatically, falling back on the cultural quirks of her … home world… without a thought for how not normal the act was. But she sure as hell wasn’t going to bang her fist to her chest in some strange display of loyalty, like Cirn had. Nor was she going to bow in some semblance of subservience. Jaster was an equal as far as she was concerned, although, in reality, they were passing acquaintances at best. Going for a handshake had simply felt natural.
The moment of pure… something they’d had when their fingers had touched had been … thoroughly unexpected, to say the least. She honestly didn’t have words for the entirely new sensation of … completeness, of … finding home that had overtaken her, shocking her into a silence filled with both wonder and confusion as she understandably held onto his hand a little longer than strictly necessary.
Cirn’s unmitigated, and unasked for, bark of delighted laughter several seconds in was entirely uncalled for. River’s need to take a protective stance even closer to her being, folding his arms in a most annoyed fashion, was equally uncalled for. The other ringing to a tune like wedding bells was absolutely uncalled for!
She’d pass, thank you.
She just wasn’t the type.
Besides, nowhere was it written soulmates had to be romantic.
Hard pass.
Still, that little bit of annoyance had been overrun by a sudden sense of feeling so in tune with the being in front of her. And were these emotions she was feeling? Wonder? Curiosity? They sure as hell weren’t her feelings! She just didn’t emote like this – holy hell! The stories about soulmates were true?!
Ok, maybe she’d begun to panic a bit.
Only a bit.
Jaster squeezing her hand and quietly asking if they could talk in private – and perhaps get to know each other – had been the distraction she’d needed to refocus her attention enough to let go of his hand – and instantly miss the warmth of it – to suggest she’d only do so if that conversation happened in a semi-public place with alcohol that wasn’t tihaar.
Again, Cirn’s laughter and River’s actual growl were Uncalled For!
Well, Jaster supposed he finally had the answer to all his wondering. Now… how did he convince this woman to stay and deal with all that being riduur be mand’alor entailed?
But maybe he was getting ahead of himself.
Ari’s response, for all that he could tell she wasn’t entirely indifferent to the solidifying of their soul bond thanks to said soul bond, hadn’t exactly been encouraging either. He’d quietly nodded to her request, reluctantly lowered his hand at the growl her supposedly human second let out, ignored his shebs of a cousin’s laughing, and led the small party past Jango’s stunned and rigid form, silently dismissing his guards.
His gut led him to the smaller kitchen near the center of Keldabe’s central morut, the one primarily used by the mand’alor’s clan and closest supporters. For all that he should probably be taking this slow, considering Ari was an auretii on top of it all, he was mando’ad and no mando’ad worth their salt would ever truly take meeting and settling their runi within the protection of their clan slow.
So, what did he have to offer for this joyful occasion besides tihaar? Perhaps shig? But shig wasn’t exactly celebratory…
“Offer her that bottle of ne’tra gal I know you’ve got stashed cousin,” came Cirn’s amused voice over his internal comms. “The good stuff.” He sensed there was a story there…
Still, as much as Jaster currently wanted to beat his cousin into submission on the mats for kaysh tone, he wasn’t above cheating in this particular situation.
He went hunting for that bottle.
Cirn was having an excellent day. As such, kaysh had no problem sharing what kaysh knew with others, especially family, so freely.
“For future reference, Ari,” kaysh said through external speakers in Basic, barely containing his laughter, “mando’ade generally prefer to spar to get to know each other, then drink.”
The woman barely acknowledged him – a slight head tilt to indicate she’d heard – as she took a seat on the end stool around the kitchen island. As River stiffly but pointedly took the seat to her right, which kept the door in plain view to them both, kaysh removed their helmet and looked pointedly at Jango until he dazedly did the same.
Poor kid. Probably still shocked.
Naturally, kaysh had gleefully told the young man what had happened as Jaster awkwardly gripped Ari’s hand like some core-worlder. Without a glove or gauntlet. As soon as she’d gotten off the ship nonetheless!
Equally naturally, kaysh hadn’t answered any further questions, intent on seeing how Jaster handled leaving them all in the dark for so long, as was kaysh right as Jaster’s long suffering cousin.
“It’s usually not safe,” kaysh continued, completely ignoring the look River was giving kaysh.
Kaysh and Jaster would have to watch their backs if that expression, and the growling, was anything to go by.
Kaysh couldn’t stop smiling.
Ari made a considering noise before deciding to focus on kaysh. “The ‘get to know you part’ usually occurs over coffee in my experience but the closest I’ve been able to find is Caff and I can’t really say I’m a fan.”
Kaysh didn’t know what two of those words meant but he took it as a good sign that she was talking again. It had been a very silent walk from the landing pad to the family kitchen.
Her and Jaster’s hands twitching toward the other’s every fifth step without fail too!
Kaysh considered it a further sign of the ka’ra watching over them when Ari took a sip of the gal Jaster had poured for her and River and nearly sighed with happiness. After obviously savoring her first sip, she looked up and zeroed in on Jango, who was still standing near the entrance to the relatively small kitchen.
“And who are you?” she asked.
Jango, still frozen, and, kaysh suspected, still a bit shy about using his Basic where it could be judged, merely blinked.
Cirn’s smile grew wider as kaysh went and clapped Jango on the back, propelling the teen further into the room. “This is Jango – Jaster’s son.”
Ari’s eyes went wide, and slightly unfocused, as River tensed and Jaster froze in pouring his own glass of gal. When nothing else happened, River sighed, clearly reconsidering his involvement in the whole affair.
Today, was truly a wonderful day.
For her part, Ari wasn’t really into the awkward Meet the Family that was unfolding. She could’ve definitely skipped the name association nonsense she’d gotten when Cirn did introductions. And really, how did Cirn fit in all of this? Was he - they? shit - Jaster’s brother - sibling - or something?
… which made her wonder which one had been adopted. Was it rude to ask?
… She really just wanted the comfort of her backwater bar back. Sure, she hadn’t started, or gone through, life ever expecting to own or run or even work at a bar but – wait…
… did mandos do bars?
… surely if they made ale this heavenly, they did, right?
… right?
“River –“