Supernova || Luke Skywalker

Nine

Lian watched Luke and the other man stared back. The stare not challenging or uncomfortable. Just curious and calm. Both watching the other in soft silence. Luke not filling the quiet with stories but instead was still and quiet. Lian finally broke the stare and glanced around. Bodhi's absence leaving him feeling abit out of his depth. Around them, through the open hull doors was the echoing chatter of people working in the flight bay. It bounced back to them distantly.

Lian sighed and Luke tilted his head. He wanted to give something back in return for the story but he still couldn't get the words out. He furrowed his brow and huffed, frustration pouring into the force. Luke felt it. "You don't need to return it", he reassured. "Really. Don't feel like you now have to share something with me just because I told you about my past". Lian scowled at him. The blonde didn't get it. Jedha had always been a trade city. Trade was a social custom there as much as a physical one. Luke had shared, so bodhi had shared. Lian felt at odds with his part left unspoken. It felt rude. A barter that he had not upheld. Chirrut had always said that he was a strange child.

He bunched the soft fabric of his scarf in his fists then paused. The scarf over his face was not because of his insecurity over his scars, it was just a comfort action. An idea hit him and he began pulling the fabric. Luke watched with slight confusion but didn't speak up as the long red fabric slowly unwound. Lian pulled it off and turned to face the blonde fully for the first time. His entire face exposed, scars a dark red against his gold toned skin. Luke paused and Lian smiled at him. The blue eyes widened. "Oh", he muttered. Lian stuck out his hand and Luke took it. The blonde grinning back. "Nice to meet you Lian". They shook and Lian beamed. Luke's hands were rough with clauses in his. The palms similar sizes and the skin warm.

Nice to meet you, the words were in his mouth but they still wouldn't come out. Lian just smiled shyly as Luke took in his full face. The bubbling burns covering the left side of his face. They crawled up his shoulder, back and neck over his jawline and almost up to his nose. His other cheek carrying the savage red line of a blaster line. Almost from over the bridge of his nose, near his eye, down his cheek to a few centimetres from his jawline. When he smiled, it pulled and warped at his face but it didn't diminish the boyish beauty of his grin.

"Did you get these at scarif?" The question was hesitant. Luke unsure if he could ask it. Lian nodded. He mimed a gun with his hand then traced the blaster mark on his cheek, then the line on his thigh that was hidden by his clothes. "Blaster", Luke muttered. Lian then mimed an explosion with his hands and Luke's gaze turned glassy. "An explosion?" He asked. Lian gestured with a wave of his hand to the burns. Luke took a breath and Lian tilted his head curiously. His scars didn't hurt him, nor did the memories of how he got them hurt. What did hurt was remembering Jedha, remembering how his friends had died on scarif. How they had to be left behind.

"Thank you", Luke muttered. He smiled and Lian smiled back. "For showing me. You're very brave".

Lian felt a flush rise on his face and immediately raised his scarf to hide behind it, turning away and wrapping the scarf back around his neck. He didn't pull it up over his face this time though. Just looped it around his neck. When he turned back, flush fading, Luke was grinning. Blue eyes bright. "You know you're not bad looking", the blonde remarked. Lian flushed again and buried his face in his scarf. Luke chuckled.

When Bodhi returned, it was to see Lian's ears bright red and Luke beaming at him. Lian looked up and gave him a pleading look. Luke was too bright and too much to deal with on his own. Lian flapped a hand at the slightly smug blonde. Bodhi smiled in amusement and handed over the boxes of Caf. "What have you two been up to?" He eyed them both.

Luke turned to him. "Me? Nothing". He put on a innocent look. Lian gave him a huff and Bodhi snorted.

"Did you compliment him? He's terrible at taking compliments".

"He showed me his face. It's a nice face", Luke grinned guiltily. They both turned to Lian. Bodhi sniggered at the red ears.

"Told you. Terrible at taking compliments". Lian swatted at him and turned to put the Caf away. Bodhi dodged the half hearted swat with a laugh.

Luke watched the interaction with a slight smile. "How did you meet?"

"Huh?" Bodhi had picked up his tools and was back at the wiring. "Oh, we met when I was ten. Lian had gotten separated from Sami and had gotten lost. I found him and helped take him back to the temple. He didn't talk to me at all, just held my hand. The only reason I knew to take him back to the temple was that he was in tiny monk robes". Bodhi turned and mimed a height references. Lian scowled at him from where he was making the spiced caf. "He's like my baby brother".

"So you've been a monk since you were a child?" Luke asked. Lian nodded but neither Bodhi elaborated. It was Lian's story to tell. Luke didn't push but there was interest in his eyes. Lian looked up over the bubbling pot and met his gaze. Brown against blue. Lian narrowed his gaze and Luke smirked. The blonde taking a seat on one of the cushions. Lian rolled his eyes and began pouring out mugs. He didn't know when he would find his words. But he hoped they could come soon. He wanted to speak with Luke.

Unedited.

Softness chapter. Please comment, vote or follow. Just so I know that you are enjoying this book.