Beyond - Legends Irrational Anger-- Luke/Mara (for MMM Interpersonal Conflict Challenge)

Title: Irrational Anger
Author: mavjade
Characters: Luke/Mara
Timeline: AU. Ben is a toddler, there was no Yuzhan Vong.
Authors Note: This is for the http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/26891244/p1]Monday[/url] Mush Mania Challenge VII
Write a story in which there is some sort of inter-personal conflict...and then an appropriately mushy resolution! NOTE: Please notice the "interpersonal" part! This is not a detonators-exploding, blasters-shooting conflict, its an argument/fight/conflict. The conflict can be about anything (serious or silly--your choice!) but it must be fixed with a kiss!!!

I'm not real sure about this one... don't know if it is mushy enough but my muse has been stuck on angst!

5/10/15 - Truncation fix
~*~*~

Mara walked over to get Ben something to eat from a nearby vendor stand to avoid having a grumpy toddler on her hands. This was a rare day; they hardly ever got do things as a family and she didn't want to ruin it over something as little as hunger. They had come to Corellia so Luke could test a group of children that were suspected to have Force abilites, and while most of the time parents came to Ossus to have their children tested, Luke did sometimes go to them when it would be a financial strain on the family. He had spent several days testing many children, some who were Force sensitive and would be returning with them to Ossus, and many who were not. Mara suspected that many of the parents just wanted a better life for their children and would do anything to get it for them, and being a parent herself she knew how they felt.


Before going back to Ossus, Luke and Mara decided to take a day for themselves, and to take Ben to the Coronet City Zoo.


As Mara walked back over to her husband and son, she saw something that sent her heart racing. Luke was watching some strange animal that Mara couldn't make out from her distance and Ben was trying to climb in with it. He was about three quarters of the way up the fence and still climbing.


"Luke!" Mara yelled as she dropped the food she was carrying and ran toward her family. Hearing her voice Luke turned toward his wife, wondering what had the usually unflappable Mara Jade so upset. Reaching out with the Force he felt no danger or ominous presences; he had no idea what was wrong.


As Mara approached them, she reached up and grabbed the red-headed toddler off of the fence he had very nearly climbed over, then she turned to her husband with a look he had not seen since they first met on the Wild Karrde all those years ago: pure anger.


"Just what do you think you were doing?" Mara hissed. Her heart was still racing. Her face was red and her pupils were completely dilated, turning her otherwise emerald eyes black. In a word--she was furious.


"He was fine..."


"He was climbing into the cage! He could have fallen in and gotten hurt!" Mara barely took a breath in her tirade. She was upset and she was going to make sure Luke knew it. "What were you thinking, Luke?"


"There are safety barriers..." Every time Luke started to say something, Mara interrupted him.


"I don't care, you are his father and should have been watching him."


At hearing his parents argue, little Ben began to cry.


Luke began once more, attempting to be heard above his son's wails, "I had a hold--"


"This conversation is over. You've made Ben cry." Mara started to walk away from Luke, "Come on, we're leaving."


Luke didn't think he was the one that had made Ben cry, after all, Mara was the one yelling, but he knew better than to tell her that. He just quietly followed his wife as she tried to console their son on the way out of the Zoo. He figured this argument was going to be all over the holonet in the next few hours and he was racking his brain trying to think of a way to keep it from happening. All he needed now was for Mara to see it replayed on the 'net and find some way to blame him.


His wife was usually very rational and would know something like that would not be Luke's fault, just a byproduct of their fame, but when it came to matters of Ben, Mara's irrational side tended to come out and rear its ugly head.


~*~*~*~*~*~


Later on that evening Mara was still upset and barely speaking to Luke. She would answer important questions with a nod or a clipped yes or no. She was still very much angry with Luke and he knew he had to do something or she would continue to stew in her anger.


She had just put Ben to bed and was now standing looking out at the night life of Coronet City. Luke placed his hand on her shoulder and turned her around. Her posture was guarded and stiff, but her eyes lacked the anger from earlier in the day.


"Luke," she spoke softly.


He placed a finger over her lips. "No, let me speak." He was speaking very softly, as he usually did. "I know you were caught off gaurd and it scared you, but I had the situation under control. I had a hold of him with the Force, and even if I didn't, the Zoo has safety measures to keep anyone out. He was perfectly safe, I would never put him in danger."


Mara sighed. She knew he was right, but she still felt that it was something he shouldn't have done. "I know, Luke, and I'll admit I over-reacted."


Luke raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often that Mara admitted she was wrong, but he let her continue to speak as she had let him moments before.


"What do you think it looked like to other people? You have to remember we are in the public light and everything we do gets seen and examined. Even though I know you would never do anything to let him get hurt, others might not see it that way. They would just see it as being neglectful."


The sad, almost hurt look on her face made Luke realize just how much this worried her. Being the former Emperor's Hand, many still thought her undeserving of the life she had and they scrutinized everything she did. While she did not care what they thought of her as a woman or as a Jedi, she did very much care what people thought of her as a mother.


He pulled her into a warm embrace and spoke softly into her ear. "I'm so sorry, Mara. I wasn't thinking of that, and like normal you have to talk some sense into me." He pulled back slightly so that he could see her eyes, but his arms stayed wrapped around her, "Can you forgive me?"


Mara closed the gap and placed a kiss on his lips. "Of course," she said, followed by another kiss. "I forgive you." This time her kiss lingered a little longer. "Just don't do it again."


She started to walk away from a stunned Luke, when she turned back to him with a coy smile. "Time for bed?"


Luke simply smiled and followed his wife.

 

Lovely! And realistic.

Mara closed the gap and placed a kiss on his lips. "Of course," she said, followed by another kiss. "I forgive you." This time her kiss lingered a little longer. "Just don't do it again."


She started to walk away from a stunned Luke, when she turned back to him with a coy smile. "Time for bed?"


Luke simply smiled and followed his wife.

 

Lovely vignette and so describing the way of life of celebrities.

 

Awwww

so sweet

i loved it

MJR

 

Awww, this was lovely mavjade! And I agree with VaderLVR64, very realistic. A wonderful response to the challenge! I loved it!!

 

Yummy!!!!!! Mav, you know how to do it gal!!!!!

Positively scrumptious!!

Hugggles!
Irish

 

That was realistic and quite sweet in the mush department. I liked that they eventually both listened to the other--that's the hallmark of a really strong relationship. Mara's irrational anger is a sign of how much she cares, which I always love to see. And it's good that she didn't "stew" too long LOL and

 

Wonderful vig! I love your characterizations - Luke having everything under control, but Mara being aware of all the factors.

 

So cute, and I can totally see this happening! Luke and Mara, heroes of the galaxy have to deal with this trivial stuff too Love the ending too

Great job mav

 

I expected nothing less from you. As stated before, realistic and insightful with Mara's questioning her new motherhood and Luke's ignorance of it. But, bonus points for adding a very Earth-like event I haven't seen yet in Star Wars - a trip to the zoo. Wonder if there was a Wampa there with one arm? Or a ranchor with a vendetta.

 

VaderLVR64:
Lovely! And realistic.
Thank you so much! I wanted to show that they are 'real' people too!
Thanks for reading!


earlybird-obi-wan:
Lovely vignette and so describing the way of life of celebrities.
Thank you! I've always felt sorry for celebrities and all the things they go though and I figure Luk and Mara would get it ten times worse!
Thanks for reading!!

mara_jade_rox:
Awwww so sweet
i loved it
Thanks so much!!


dancing_star:
Awww, this was lovely mavjade!
Thanks star!!

And I agree with VaderLVR64, very realistic. A wonderful response to the challenge! I loved it!!
Thank you! I figured Mara would have the same fears as any mother and I wanted to show that! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!!


Irish_Jedi_Jade:
Yummy!!!!!! Mav, you know how to do it gal!!!!!
Awww.... thanks Irish!!

Positively scrumptious!!
Thanks!!


Jade_eyes:
That was realistic and quite sweet in the mush department.
Thanks! I was worried it wasn't mushy enough! My angst muscle didn't want to stop working!

I liked that they eventually both listened to the other--that's the hallmark of a really strong relationship.
It really is.. my fiance and I say that is why we are so good together! We never stay mad, we always talk things through!

Mara's irrational anger is a sign of how much she cares, which I always love to see. And it's good that she didn't "stew" too long
It really does! We all get that way sometimes! And I couldn't let her stew too long or the angst would have never stopped!
Thanks for reading girl!


path-seeker:
Wonderful vig! I love your characterizations - Luke having everything under control, but Mara being aware of all the factors.
Thank you! Mara is always the one to look at the whole picture... well usually at least!
Thanks for reading!!


Myriad_Daydreams:
So cute, and I can totally see this happening! Luke and Mara, heroes of the galaxy have to deal with this trivial stuff too
Thanks girl! Yep! They have to deal with all the same stuff on top of saving the galaxy! I wanted to show the normal, little things that Mara could get upset about, she is still human after all!

Love the ending too
Hee hee...

Great job mav
Thanks Myriad!!


madman007:
I expected nothing less from you. As stated before, realistic and insightful with Mara's questioning her new motherhood and Luke's ignorance of it.
Wow! Thank you! I figured if anyone would freak out over being a mother, it would be Mara... I've always pictured Luke as a more natural parent so he doesn't see the things that scare her!

But, bonus points for adding a very Earth-like event I haven't seen yet in Star Wars - a trip to the zoo.
LOL! My fiance who beta's for me started to read it and said "A Zoo???" which made me a little nervous about it... that it might be too earthy!

Wonder if there was a Wampa there with one arm? Or a ranchor with a vendetta.
ROFLOL!! Could be!
Thanks for reading!! *hugs*

 

Mara getting mad at Luke for Ben nearly getting hurt? Yep. Could so see that. (All kids can fit through safety barriers! Or find a way around 'em...)


Well done.

 

I'm with Mara...sometimes the dads just don't get it!

Well done!

 

DaenaBenjen42:
Mara getting mad at Luke for Ben nearly getting hurt? Yep. Could so see that.
I've always thought of her as the over protective type! (As we saw in Sacrifice! )

(All kids can fit through safety barriers! Or find a way around 'em...)
Very true! No matter how 'safe' they are they aren't! Kids are just too creative!

Well done.
Thank you!


Jade_Pilot:
I'm with Mara...sometimes the dads just don't get it!
LOL! They really don't!

Well done!
Thank you so much!