Beyond - Legends Surprise, It's You! L/M for Fic-Gift Exchange ~Jedi_Lover~

Title: "Surprise, It's You!"

Author: WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

Characters: Luke & Mara \ Leia

Disclaimer: Borrowing the characters & loving them more than ever.

Note: For the 13th Annual Fic-Gift Exchange

Recipient is: @Jedi_Lover
Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!

Details are under the tag.

Spoiler

Story in Beyond Legends
Three things you would like in your fic-gift: A huge surprise, embarrassment, forgiveness.
One thing you don’t want in your fic-gift: Death
The main characters you want in your fic-gift: Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade
A character you don’t want in your fic-gift: Callista

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Luke was having a hard time concentrating during his comm-call with Leia; naturally, she noticed. She had been happily regaling him with the kids' latest antics.

She concluded, "I'm glad I scaled back on my political duties, and the galaxy didn't fall apart. Luke, have you been listening?"

"Yeah, Leia, sure," Luke answered, distractedly.

Her gaze sharpened. Sibling intuition plus her own diplomatic/Force acumen told her otherwise. "What's on your mind?" She got right to the point in typical Leia-fashion.

Luke flushed. He hated to admit it, and he rarely if ever gave credence to such crazy things like HoloNet gossip. "Have you heard from Lando recently?" He asked with an attempt at offhandedness.

Leia's mind worked to find the relevance. She knew this wasn't an attempt to change the subject as it might appear, but rather the root of the disquiet.

"The last Han and I heard he was wife-hunting," Leia laughed.

Luke winced. "Oh," He said, dejectedly.

"Why should that get you all down and rattled?" Leia asked, puzzled.

Because of who his fiancee is, Luke thought but didn't say. His instant, dismayed reaction had come as a complete surprise to himself, so explaining it to Leia would be difficult since he still didn't understand it, or rather, had to absorb its implications and come to terms with the fact that the discovery was too little, too late.

Leia's compassionate nature took over. Was Luke wistful about not having a love interest of his own? She had thought he was all wrapped up in his Jedi Academy but maybe... She sifted through a list of her unattached female friends who might capture Luke's interest and decided to ask them both over, very nonchalantly, for dinner the next week.

Luke used the pause in the conversation to regain his normal composure and optimistic air. Doubtless, the rumor was nothing, he hoped, anyway.

Leia noticed his less-gloomy expression and smiled, then asked him to come by for dinner next Taungsday and signaled off when he agreed.

*

The thing that was bothering Luke so undeniably was a HoloNet clip showing a beaming Lando with a blushing Mara Jade and the reporter excitedly exclaiming: "The most eligible entrepreneur in the Core Worlds has finally found the woman of his dreams!!!"

Lando's warm, expansive grin filled the vidscreen as he said: "I'm the happiest man in all the worlds, all thanks to this woman here."

What else was Luke supposed to think?

*

Mara was oblivious to the turmoil Luke was experiencing, of course, when she contacted him to tell him she had heard of a fascinating bit of Jedi lore on a recent trading run. The world of Tython and a Jedi library and temple had been portrayed in a rare painting.

Knowing how eager Luke was for knowledge of anything to do with Jedi history, Mara knew he would be extremely happy to hear what she had found. So, Mara was totally astonished when Luke coolly told her to send him a data-disc; he was too busy to talk.

Really? Mara frowned. That wasn't like Luke, at all. Mara came by his Coruscanti office to get to the bottom of his frosty reaction.

"What's got your thrusters on such a burn, Skywalker?" She demanded, as her green eyes held his blue in a no-nonsense fashion.

Luke said, suppressing a sigh, "It's nothing." He certainly didn't want to tell Mara what was bothering him, for more than one reason!

Mara was not taken in at all. She knew Luke too well. If he didn't want to tell her, that was his business, but he didn't have to lie about it. However, he should give her the courtesy of being honest, at any rate, and she told him so flat out.

Luke felt a surge of dismay. He didn't want to lose Mara as a friend even if he had deeper feelings for her, which unfortunately he had never told her about (and even more sadly) she apparently did not return. So, he took a deep breath and said with all the well-wishing of a true friend: "I guess congratulations are in order... I saw the news flash this morning, and it took me by surprise is all."

Mara gave him a totally bewildered look. "News flash? What are you talking about? Congratulations, what for?"

"Your engagement, of course." It was Luke's turn to look confused.

"Engagement?" Mara echoed.

"Yes, I saw the reporter on GNN gushing, there's no other word for it, about Lando and ..."

Mara laughed, in sudden realization. "Oh, that! He's engaged, all right, but not to me."

Luke felt relieved and elated all at once, but he still didn't fully understand. "In the blurb, he was thanking you for ..."

"Yes," Mara interposed, "He appreciated the help I offered. He has been dating Tendra Risant from Sacorria. He wanted a lady's opinion on the best approach, and he trusted my judgment because we had worked together on business ventures in the past."

"What kind of advice did he want?" He felt free to indulge in natural curiosity since Mara wasn't the fiancee involved.

"He wanted something elegant, not too lavish, yet still romantic, so I suggested reserving a private dining room with candelight and a small piece band."

Luke smiled warmly. "That sounds fantastic! I'll have to suggest that for Han and Leia's next anniversary."

"Well, now that's cleared up," Mara said, "I hope you can find some use for the history I uncovered."

"Yes!" Luke exclaimed, "Thank you for that." His excitement was kindled belatedly.

"Why was the idea of my alleged engagement so distasteful, anyway?" Mara asked, curious as to the cause of Luke's earlier disgruntled attitude.

Luke felt an onslaught of nerves. He tried to put his muddled feelings into words--he had so recently discovered their true nature himself. "You see, it's not because I don't think you deserve to be happy or that you couldn't find someone to love. It was simply ... that the idea of that being with anyone else but me ..." He trailed off helplessly.

Mara's eyes widened. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Luke nodded mutely. He couldn't tell if Mara was pleased or not.

A long pause settled between them until ...

"Well, I'll be vaped!" Mara breathed at last. "I never knew..."

"Neither did I, until this morning. I guess I've always been attracted to you, but I never knew how deep my feelings actually ran."

Mara answered, "I don't know exactly what to say to all this."

"Oh, don't worry!" Luke hurried to reassure her. "You don't have to say or do anything, not now or ..."

Mara moved closer suddenly and kissed him soundly and thoroughly.

Luke was absolutely astounded, but he recovered quickly and returned it with ardent heat.

When they finally parted, Mara said, "I've been wondering how that would be. Every time I watched you work out, or we sparred with sabers, as a matter of fact."

"So, how'd I do?"

Her smile told Luke how satisfied she was with the entire experience.

*
When Luke asked Leia if he could bring a 'special lady', she agreed readily. Luke's brimming-over happiness was evident in his blue eyes and over their twin-bond.

"I wonder who that is?" She wondered aloud with barely contained anticipation.

Han grinned knowingly. "I don't even need more than one guess! It's Mara Jade!"

"No, it can't be!" Leia said firmly.

"Just you wait," Han smirked.

As it turned out, Han was right, and when Leia saw the mooka-eyed way Luke was looking at Mara throughout the meal, she knew any matchmaking efforts on her part were completely unnecessary.

end

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Ah thank you! I love it! Of course Han always knew Mara and Luke had eyes for each other.

Ha! I can just imagine Luke with a deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face! I'm glad Luke didn't make up some lame excuse and actually told her the truth. And good for Mara for taking the step to kiss her shy farmboy.

Thank you. It is a perfect present!

 

great to see Luke confused at the news and telling Mara the truth when he meets her

 

As sweet as a Christmas cake. You are good at this, Ny.

 

Thanks for the delicious reviews. I will love this pairing for all time.