It's my first foray into the Edited Challenge! Yay!

Round 1:
A stressed-out male
A beautiful sunset
A tiny animal

* * *

Looking over the forests of Ossus, Luke Skywalker could almost forget his troubles for a moment. He'd had nothing but hard times in the months since the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War. Repairing the damage caused by the alien invaders, resettling the Jedi Order here at the Ossus temple after the destruction of the Yavin IV praxeum...it was enough to make a grown man curl up into a ball and cry.

Luke knew that he was just tired. He'd always been fairly good at managing stress, but after almost five years of fighting the Yuuzhan Vong, he was wearing out. Especially after the injuries he'd sustained from Shimrra's amphistaff.

He felt an arm curl around his waist, a head press against his shoulder. He smiled.

"Hello, Mara."

"Hey, Farmboy," she replied. "Why don't you relax? I can feel your stress all the way at the bottom of the Temple."

Luke chuckled. "This is relaxing, Mara."

Mara smiled, leaning her chin on his shoulder as she gazed out at the forest along with him. She gave a half-chuckle.

"Well, it is a gorgeous sunset."

Luke grinned wryly. "Not quite as gorgeous as some other things around here."

Mara, had she been another woman, probably would've blushed. "Aw, thanks. Why don't we go inside and you can do something restful this evening?"

Luke nodded. "Okay."

He turned and started to follow Mara back into the Temple. As he did, he nearly tripped over a white ball of fuzz sitting at the top of steps. Laughter exploded and Mara covered her grin with her mouth.

"Looks like a pittin snuck into the Temple," she said, laughing.

Luke smiled down at the baby animal, leaned down, and picked it up.

"It's so cute," he said wryly, "I can almost forgive it for trying to kill me."

 

Great and funny entry

 

Your L/M is awesome and the thing with the pittin is adorable.

 

I second that. Luke is stressed naturally and Mara is the absolute bestest way to ... unwind, etc.

 

You gotta love pittins!

 

Another pitten! I love pittens

And the Luke and Mara mush didn't hurt either

 

Thanks, guys! Glad you liked it!

Round 2:
A storm
A lost weapon
An over-eager child
Green slime

* * *

Rain came down hard against the window of the small cubicle that Luke and Mara shared. The storm had come as quite a surprise to them; the skies had been clear only hours before. There was a flash of light from outside the window and then a crash of thunder a moment later. Sitting at the dinner table, Luke speared another slice of his karkan ribenes and put it in his mouth.

"Mmm," he said with a smile. "Tastes great."

Ben, four years old, waved his fork ineffectually, but with great fervor, as he tried to spear his own ribenes. Mara smiled, took the fork from him, stabbed a slice, and handed the fork back to him. Ben giggled as he took the fork and shoved the food in his mouth, missing once or twice and getting grease on his face. Finally, he got his mouth around the slice of ribene and began chewing.

"Yummy!" he said excitedly.

Luke chuckled. After dinner, he helped Mara with the dishes and then went into the cubicle's living room. He scooted all the furniture to the wall, clearing out a space in the middle of the room, and reached for his lightsaber. Then he realized it was not on his belt. He frowned.

"Mara?" he called.

"Yeah, Skywalker?"

"Where's my lightsaber?"

Mara's head poked out of the kitchen. "You mean you don't know where it is?"

Luke planted his hands on his hips. "Would I have asked if I did?"

"Touchy, touchy," Mara muttered. "No, I haven't seen it."

Luke glanced around the living room. He didn't see it sitting on any furniture or underneath the couch. He walked down the hallway to the bedroom and quickly looked on the nightstand and under the bed. No, his lightsaber wasn't there, either. He entered Ben's bedroom–and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb.

"Ben," he said. "Why do you have my lightsaber?"

Ben, caked in green play-goo, looked up at his father. His tongue had been sticking out as he worked furiously on the inside of the lightsaber hilt. He gave his dad a guilty smile.

"Wanted to see how it worked."

Luke sighed. "Give it here."

Ben extended his hand. "Here."

Luke accepted it, wincing at the sticky play-goo that was stuck to the hilt.

"Uh....thanks."

He turned and walked to the kitchen, sticking his lightsaber in the sink to wash away the goo.

"Not one word," he said, glowering at Mara.

 

Yup, just exactly what a tot that age would do. Excellent use of the prompts.

 

They need to child proof that house or put trigger locks on those sabers. It doesnt always work though. I know I did everything in my power to child proof my house, but those teenagers still manage to get back in ( I know, that's an old joke).

 

funny entry and great use of the prompts

 

This is fun to read. I hope I find enough quality time to read all the brilliant fanfic I spotted here in the JC. Like this thread here.

 

This was really cute.

Precious I have an uncle who is known for buying a new gadget and taking it home and taking it apart to see how it works.

This last line though was the one that stood out in this piece. I look forward to more --- I really enjoy it when you write Luke/Mara.

 

**giggles** Ben is too precious

And definitely a Skywalker!

 

I'm glad you guys liked the second piece.

Round 3:A celebration
Uninvited guests
A loud proclamation
A sea creature(s)

* * *

Luke grinned as he set up the living room. Mara was out with Ben, and they'd be back soon–Mara had taken him to lunch so Luke could set their apartment up for Ben's birthday party. He finished hanging the holo-streamers and brought the cake out and set it on the table in the middle of the room. There was a knock on the door. Luke frowned. Mara and Ben shouldn't be back yet.

He reached out with the Force, probing the beings outside the door, and grinned. He walked across the room and opened the door. Han, Leia, and Jaina stood outside. Luke quickly welcomed them in.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here!" he said. "I thought you were busy scouting out planets for refugees."

Han grinned. "What, and miss my nephew's birthday? Not a chance."

"Well, I'm glad you could make it."

Leia hugged Luke. "We wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"Well, everything's ready. You can sit on the couch and make yourselves comfortable. Mara and Ben should be back in a few minutes."

Jaina hugged Luke as she walked past, and the three Solos sat down on the couch. Luke walked into the kitchen and picked up Ben's present. He brought it into the living room and sat it down on the floor. Luke sensed Mara and Ben approaching.

"They're here," he said.

Mara slid the door open and walked in. Ben, holding a fizzade in his little hands, followed her in, sipping his drink from the straw.

"Happy birthday!" the Skywalker-Solos exploded in unison.

Ben's eyes widened as he looked around the room. Jaina and Leia hopped up and crossed the room, hugging and kissing Ben. Han followed, picked the five-year-old up, and ruffled his hair.

"Surprised, kid?" he asked.

Ben smiled. "When did you get here, Uncle Han?"

"Just a few minutes ago, kid," Han replied.

"Ben, would you like to open your present?" Mara asked.

Ben nodded, wide-eyed. Han let him down and Ben scrabbled forward to the box sitting on the floor. He peeled the wrapping away and stared in shock and wonder at the item before him. It was a small cube, half a meter on each side, filled with water–and exotic fish from Mon Calamari's seas. Ben flopped down on his stomach and stared into the aquarium.

"Thanks, Mom and Dad!" he said.

Luke grinned and leaned down to hug his son. "You're welcome, Ben."

 

Awwww! Sweet family moment!

 

Nice moment for Ben and a great present for a little kid

 

I love these family moments --- they need more stuff like this in the profics.

 

Agreed with the others—so nice to see this family relax a little for some "normal," non-epic family time. Nice work.

 

Round 1:
A garden
Muddy boots
A broken toy

* * *

Mara glanced furtively out the window to make sure no one was around. This really wasn't something the Jedi Grand Master's wife should be caught doing–it would be embarrassing, for one thing, but it could also be very traumatizing for one individual in particular. She quickly pulled on her boots and walked out the door into Ossus' early-morning air. She breathed deep, enjoying the fresh scent of plants springing up everywhere. Springtime on Ossus was always enjoyable.

Unfortunately the loveliness of the weather was mitigated by the grim reality of her task. Mara went around to the back of the Grand Master's quarters, where she'd planted her garden. Luke had given her that Mara, you know good and well that you have no idea how to do that look when she'd said she was planting a garden, but she'd insisted that she wanted to try, so Luke had capitulated. Her boots squished as she stepped in the wet garden soil, muddying them instantly.

Mara dropped to her knees and reached into her belt pouch. She pulled out the small Republic-era clone trooper action figure, broken neatly in half at the waist–the victim of Mara's vibromop and lack of attention. Reaching for a spade, Mara began digging a small hole in the ground. With any luck, nobody would ever find the broken action figure. She could buy a replacement the next time she went to get supplies from one of the nearby space stations. No one had to know.

"Ahem."

Mara winced and turned around. Luke stood behind her, his arms crossed, making a failed attempt to smother a grin.

"What are you doing?"

"Um..."

"Is that Ben's favorite toy?"

"Kark it, Skywalker, keep your voice down," Mara hissed.

Luke finally stopped his vain efforts to not smile. "What did you do?"

"Okay," she muttered. "I was listening to music and mopping, and I didn't see the toy on the floor. The vibromop picked it up, spun it around a few times, and flung it into the wall at light speed."

"It 'flung it'?"

"Flung," Mara confirmed. "Forcibly. Please don't tell Ben."

Luke burst into laughter and quickly ran around the other side of the house as Mara hurled the spade in his general direction.

 

Fun and totally in-character. That is one powerful mop!

 

Aw, what fun, and yes, very in character! I can just hear the two of them. Man, I would certainly not want any of my non-nailed-down personal property within ten feet of Mara's vibromop! Still, it's sweet of her to give the favorite plaything a "proper burial," though when poor Ben finds out...

Incidentally, I find it so neat that both you and I made our "broken toys" figures or dolls of personages from past SW eras.

 

Great funny piece. You can hear the banter between Mara and Luke. And what will Ben do when he finds out one of his toys is missing?

 

Less than knowledgeable about the L/M ship, but this has me a fan! I can definitely see Luke reacting like that. Adorably, too.

 

This made me burst into laughter because it's so Mara. Also reminds me of my childhood - the broken toy part that is. My Dad loves to carve. He made me a little wooden duck when I was about 2 or 3 and I dropped it from as high as I was tall and I broke it's head off. I was in tears when I went to my Dad and he said not to worry he would fix it. He point a pin into the wood and then showed me that the duck could now turn its head back and forth - so I had an improved toy - not only repaired. Thanks for making me think of that sweet memory.

 

Gemma - thanks for sharing that warm memory with us Good writing always reminds us of sweet memories or lifts our spirits in the rougher times.