Beyond - Legends "Wait" - K/J AU

"Wait"
Timeframe: ...it's almost not even relevant. Way future, way AU post-Dark Nest.
Characters: Jaina, Kyp
Genre: Angst, romance (haha BIG SURPRISE)
Keywords: K/J, vignette
Summary: He'd given in long ago to the knowledge that he would always be waiting for her.
Notes: Crazy futurefic with a backstory that is explained only to a limited degree, um, so it's a little odd. Or a lot.
Disclaimer: Yay Lucasfilm.

Aaand on an utterly unrelated note, my other straight K/J story "Five First Kisses" has qualified for the WFFA in two categories (short story AND series, mysteriously), so much thanks to everybody who nominated it (or the couple other things that also got a nom or two...and to the two crazies who nominated me for best author ) It made me squee, and improved a fairly lousy week So thanks!

* * *

At first, he had come to Abregado-Rae once a month, at the most, and each time only for a weekend. Just to make sure she was doing all right: that work was going well, that she didn't need any money, that she hadn't been making any inquiries about flights back to the Corporate Sector.

Really, that was all.

Though every time he came, he spent the night in her bed: holding her, and that was all, and only because she always said (in the cool, damp mornings, in the pre-dawn when he habitually woke) that she only slept well when she was in his arms.

That was the only reason.

But when his visits became more frequent, he didn't have to look closely to see the humor in Mirynda's eyes, humor that told him, "I know, I've always known," humor that worried him. Surely Jaina looked different enough now: she'd been out of the HoloNet's view for a dozen years, presumed dead for five of those.

So perhaps Mirynda didn't know--didn't know exactly who her boarder was, at least.

There were other things, he admitted to himself, that Mirynda might know. Like the fact that he never took out a hotel room, like the fact that he hadn't missed a single opportunity to visit in the eight months Jaina had been on the planet.

And frankly, if Mirynda had gotten that far, she wouldn't have to go much further at all to determine the small brunette's identity.

He knew all of these things, but he ignored them. He had to--as had happened too often in his life, there was a severe dearth of alternatives.

Namely: If he acknowledged the possibility that Mirynda knew who Jaina was, she would have to be uprooted again. Find a new job, a new home, an employer who asked fewer questions. Worse, he would have to stop visiting her, because he was still well-known enough to arouse curious glances in most civilized places.

These were not compromises he was willing to make. Not after all this time, not after all of the compromises that had left them in such an unenviable position.

He wished sometimes that he could just spirit her away to some place small and quiet and backwards. They would live in a house on the shore of a clean lake, grow their own food, laugh and kiss and maybe have their own dark-haired children, want for nothing.

He wished this, but only sometimes. Most times he recognized it for what it was: an idle daydream, a future made impossible not only by circumstance, but by the very fact of who they were. They were not people who could live quietly, and he was not a man who could afford idle daydreams, or daydreams of any sort at all.

There could be no easy life, not for him, but he would die with a lifetime's worth of stolen moments. Usually, that felt like enough.

Her smile was as broad and warm as the afternoon sunlight when she came out to greet him: today was a good day, he realized with some relief. Jaina's bad days were painful, all nightmares and tears and insults that crawled under his skin. Three months ago he had visited on a bad day: so bad she'd hardly recognized him. After that visit, Mirynda said she hadn't expected to see him again.

But he couldn't stay away. She could tear lesions in his skin with her fingernails and he'd still come back, begging for her to pour salt in his wou

 

It's certainly odd...but in a good way. I'd really liked to have had more backstory and explanation as to what exactly happened to Jaina, but that's alright. I like your prose and I think your characterization of Kyp is wonderful.

Marvelous!

 

Last time I checked, I was still sane. On here, anyway.
Awwww, how sad!

This fic is ringing with something, I can't quite tell what it is yet...couple more readings.

Love the regret pushed aside, though. Poor crackwhore Jaina. That's a scary thought.

Good stuff.

 

Wow. I absolutely loved this. Kyp was so adorable coming back to see her so often.


Wonderful job!

~Jen~

 

This was very touching. I found it both very sad and yet happy. I love the way you write and the depth of emotion you put in the charaters.

Great Job and congrats on the noms

FL

 

Awwww! That was sweet, in a sad, angsty sort of way. I like it. Excellent job!

 

I've not read any of the post ROTJ books, so I can only go on exactly what you have. However, very nice dialog. Shows character and motivation well.

Marc

 

Deneveon - Heh, I was tempted to put in more backstory, but a combination of laziness and wanting to keep this story short made that idea kind of go away. Thanks for reading!

Tris - Sane? Hehe. I don't even know what sane is anymore.
Awwww, how sad!
::hides:: I always promised myself I would not allow any emotion bleed from life into fanfic. I was SO WRONG. Heh. I was like, "Oh, I hate everything. Fic!" Yikes. So bad.

And, um, PSA: I totally lifted Crackwhore!Jaina from Trepidation's fic "Revival." Which y'all should go read. (And, Tris, it's a scary thought indeed. Though kind of a weirdly fun one.)

Jen - Eee, Kyp Thanks!

Flowerlady - Thanks Yes, kinda bittersweet--there are good things even in crappy situations, as Star Wars often points out.

Jenth_Zero - Hi! And, yes, sad and angsty tends to be my exclusive domain. Heh heh. One day I'll branch out...Glad you liked it

Darth_Tequila - Oh no tequila in my thread please! Tequila + stickster = very bad things.
Ummm, yes.
Anyway, thanks very much! If you liked it even without having post-ROTJ stuff, I'm quite honored (It also means that you can't think they're out of character, I suppose, which is kind of nice, because they might be in this fic. I'm not sure. Heh.)

Thanks for the replies, guys

 

This is really good, hope to see more!

 

Astounding!!!

 

This was wow to the hundreth power. As always, I love your writing style. It's evocative and has this dream-like aspect that I've come to associate with your stories. It's not just the description that's so great in this fic. It's what the descriptions contextualize for me, like translating emotions into something with substance.

It doesn't matter what kind of Jaina 'shipper I am because you convince me everytime I read your fics that Kyp is right for her. And that's how stories should be. Not about what readers want to see written, but all the possibilities that should be explored.

I also like that you don't answer any questions in this story. There isn't any resolution, well, not the standard kind, but I was left with the sense that whatever happened with Kyp and Jaina, whether they did find that quiet life and had some kids on a backwater planet, or if they went out in a blaze of glory, they would be doing what they were meant to.

Which is the sad part because for Kyp and Jaina, it's never what they want. Their lives are so intertwined with what's required of them, by what their destinies hold, that they've come to accept that they need to find their own happiness when they can.

 

Looks like I missed a few replies over here, too ::shakes head:: not to mention those seven unread PMs. I am so not on top of things. But here we go!

Alishu - Thanks!

CloneCommanderCody - Glad you liked it

Inara - Eee. Thank you so much.

Not about what readers want to see written, but all the possibilities that should be explored.
Oh, the glories of fanfic. One of the great things about writing SW fanfic is that there is a ton of room to maneuver. There are enough stories and characters that there are substantial gaps in everyone's stories, and of course the gaping expanse of their futures, which is fun. There's so many options for all of the characters that still keep them in character.

I also like that you don't answer any questions in this story.
You mean I didn't just seem lazy? Hehe.
But--yes. Just like you say, it doesn't matter so much what they're doing, because there is at some point a particular thing that they must be doing, and they'll do it, or they wouldn't be who they are.

Which is the sad part because for Kyp and Jaina, it's never what they want. Their lives are so intertwined with what's required of them, by what their destinies hold, that they've come to accept that they need to find their own happiness when they can.
That's another one of my favorite things about the SW 'verse in general. These characters are all totally defined by the roles they have to play, and what's interesting is the ways they work within those roles to find the happiness and normalcy they can. Mmm Star Wars.