Beyond - Legends Old Traditions ~ Luke/Mara ~ Fluff

Title: Old Traditions
Author: mavjade
Characters: Luke/Mara
Genre: Fluff, A/U
Notes: My muse has been very finicky recently, she'll have some idea and then go away before the idea gets completed... very frustrating. This is really from the SJRS August Challenge (Contractually Obligated Beard Challenge), but my muse wasn't having any of it during the challenge, but now decided to have something, so I'm going to post it anyway. I'm not happy with it, but while it's really short, it's more complete than anything I've done in a long time and I'm hoping posting something will help move my muse along.
Unbeta'd... sorry for any annoying errors you may find. (Please feel free to let me know when you find them!)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~​

Mara slipped through the front door of the apartment she shared with Luke and quietly dropped her large bag to the side of the door, hoping not to make too much noise. It was early in the morning and she had just gotten back from a long mission with Karrde. She knew that it would have been safer for her to stay in the ship and come back in the day time, but she wanted nothing more than to be in a soft bed with her lover after a long trip.

Not many knew about the relationship between the Jedi Master and the now Trader, Mara Jade; a few beings knew that they were friends as it was hard to hide knowing each other, but not that they had been in a relationship for close to a year. It took more sneaking around than both of them were comfortable with, but they also knew the kind of attention it would draw -the Jedi Master and the Emperor's Hand- it was the kind of attention neither one wanted nor could afford at the moment.

Walking on her toes, making no noise, Mara snuck into the bedroom where, due to the light coming from the not quite closed curtains, she could see that Luke was laying as he always did: on his side facing away from the door, the sheet pulled up almost covering his entire face. She took a moment to admire his form as the sheet clung to his body while she slipped out of her flight suit. She gently pulled back the sheet and slid right up behind him, molding her body to his and promptly fell asleep.

Mara awoke to the sun streaming into the bedroom and a hand pushing the hair out of her face.

"Mmm… good morning," she said without opening her eyes.

"Good morning," Luke said, "Though it's almost afternoon."

"I didn't get in until morning," she said as she stretched her arms back behind her head "So I think…." Mara opened her eyes, "What is that?"

"What is what?" Luke questioned as he sat up and looked around the room to see if there was anything out of place or something unusual.

"That thing, on your face?"

"Oh," Luke said stroking the now almost full beard that lined his jaw. "I felt like I was, I guess, obligated as the Jedi Master to have a beard."

Mara looked at him with a face that was a cross between confused and stunned, "Why would you think that?"

"Every holo I've found of the old Masters they have beards. Master Yoda didn't really, but I figure that's because of his species. Why, you don't like it?"

"Well it's certainly a shock, I haven't had time to feel anything but that, so I don't know," she said as she reached out to run her hands through the long hair that lined Luke's face. "But I don't think you should feel obligated to change your appearance because some old order seemed to have strange customs."

~*~*~​

Several days passed and Mara tried to get used to the idea of Luke and a beard, but it tickled her face when they kissed and she just didn't care for the look of it. She was willing to give it time, but she didn't think she would feel any different.

Two weeks after Mara had returned from the long mission with Karrde, Luke woke to find a small wrapped box sitting on his side of the sink in the fresher.

He opened the box and found an old fashioned razor nestled in dark blue paper, and a note written on flimsy attached at the top:

Luke, ​

​

I admire you wanting to carry on traditions, but leave the old Jedi Master look for when you are old. ​

​

Love,​

​

Mara​

Luke knew that if he had truly liked having the beard, Mara would have tolerated it, but as he secretly found it somewhat annoying himself, he picked up razor and began to remove the beard. If nothing else, Mara wouldn't pull away when he tried to kiss her.


~fin

 

Fun! I love the idea of L/M in a relationship earlier, I really do. Mara's direct but tactful approach ...

 

She is right in some ways and Mace Windu didn't have a beard.

Personally I like a man more or less clean shaven or with some stubble.

 

Nice story! I can picture Mara pulling away because the beard tickles.

 

Very sweet! Secret relationship L/M is some of my favourite L/M.


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I really enjoyed her looking forward to the soft bed with her lover after a long trip and then in the next few paragraphs I loved the picture you painted for us of Luke in bed with the covers molding to his body and how she crawled in and cuddled her body to his. That was Yummy! The beard thing was an added plus of cuteness to the story. I don't mind stubble on a man as long as it's starting to get soft -- I don't like to be prickled of left with red marks.

 

I just realized I never replied to my wonderful reviewers! I'm so sorry! Thank you all for reading!

Nyota's Heart - I always love it when they get together earlier so I often find myself writing them that way. Thanks for reading!

Lady_Misty - I'm with you, I like 'em clean shaven. I like the look of stubble on a lot of guys, I just don't like the feel of it. Thank you for reading!

JediMaster_Jen - Thanks! I guess I took from my own experience on this one... I'm not a fan of beards, too scratchy!

JadeLotus - I too love secret L/M relationship, there's just something fun about it! Thanks!

Gemma - Thanks so much for the kind words! I'm glad the story painted a picture for you! Yeah, the scratchy-ness is what kills me, I can't stand that.

 

Nice story! My husband tried to grow facial hair once. Yuck! It looked like he had mange. Now, our sons have awesome mustaches and started growing them before they were even teens. That comes from my Spanish side of the family. I think my husband is jealous. Lol! Great little viggie!

 

As has become my usual, I am behind in leaving reviews. So I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get here. I love secret!relationship!L/M. And I love that Mara wasn't having it with the beard. Save it for when he's old, indeed. I love this slice of their secret life.

 

I love this!!!! Short and sweet is better than nothing at all Also, I'll be honest and tell you I like it because its the exact same feeling I had when my husband decided to grow a beard. It tickles!!!

Irish

 

Hee!!!!! Love that last detail of Mara NOT pulling away from him when he's clean-shaven.

 

Love to see Luke and Mara together. And beards are sure ticklish

 

Didn't read this the first time around, so thanks Irish for bumping it. I can tell you that facial hair is itchy for men too. Not sure why anyone would want a full beard (though shaving is annoying). Wonderful story.