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[oratorical]

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[lothrat]

Oh.

[Well, so much for a potential explanation. Canon needs to cough up the deets so we can stop skirting around it.]

What's his name? He didn't tell me.

[Because Kylo Ren's still rude that way.]

[oratorical]

His name is Ben.

[Because she can't and won't call him Kylo Ren. At least in this case, it helps keep his identity secret here if he doesn't want it entirely known.]

[lothrat]

Ben...

[Ben... Ben... Ezra can't recall anyone he's met named Ben. He'll have to keep an ear out for that name.]

Well, you still want to be part of Ben's life even though he's not happy about it, right? That's a little bit the same.

[oratorical]

It's not the same.

[For a number of reasons, if you ask Leia, depending on which birth parent you're comparing here.]

Ben wasn't adopted by anyone else. The only people he has that he can call parents are me and Han.

[lothrat]

Maybe not the circumstances, but the emotions are. Right?

[A hint of uncertainty, because after all, he's never heard Padme's thoughts on this.

This isn't going to go much of anywhere, though, so he finally just sighs, backing off.]

If your birth mom ever comes back here, would you be willing to introduce me to her?

[oratorical]

I can't say I knew what she felt. She was hardly very impressed with me when she was here.

[Because Padme wanted them to be a happy family, and Leia couldn't give her that. She couldn't accept or forgive Anakin, and couldn't get past her own issues about considering Padme like a mother.]

Her name was Padme. If she comes back, I'll introduce you, but it's unlikely she'd even recognize me.

[well it was possible, but Anakin left and came back with no memories, after all.]

[lothrat]

What? Why not? What's not to be impressed with you about?

[Ezra takes immediate offense with the idea that Leia's not impressive. She's been impressive since they day he met her!]

[oratorical]

[Ezra is such a good friend, she needs more friends like Ezra.]

I'm sure you can guess. She wasn't a fan of my viewpoint on certain people, and I couldn't give her what she wanted from me.

[lothrat]

So?

[He can see what she's getting at, but the answer doesn't help him feel any less rankled at all.]

That doesn't make you worth anything less!

[oratorical]

[There's a mixed feeling of fondness and amusement at Ezra's response.]

That's kind of you. She thought I was selfish, I suppose, for not considering his feelings and desires.

[Which well. Leia has considered them, and her consideration led to her deciding she doesn't care about Anakin's feelings. She doesn't place her own needs and feelings above most things--a bad habit of hers--but this is one area where she won't compromise on that.]

[lothrat]

What about your feelings? I mean yeah, maybe I think there's still a chance with him, but whether or not you give him one should be your decision, and it's not selfish of you at all if you don't! Not after what he's done- what he will do- [Ezra cuts off with a huff. Tenses are pain in situations like this.] If she knew how much he hurt you, then she should respect that.

[oratorical]

[Ezra's feelings are the same as her feelings on the matter, as well as Han's, she's sure. But it's nice to hear a third party confirm her feelings, in a way.]

She knew, but she was of the mindset that since he hadn't done them yet, I shouldn't hold that against him.

[lothrat]

It hasn't happened for him yet, but it's happened for you, and you can't change how that affected you. Maybe in the future, if he did change, and you saw him do things that were different from before, or maybe if things happen to change your feelings- But those are maybes. Future maybes. Right now, you don't owe him anything.

[oratorical]

[Well, Leia would argue that she doesn't owe Anakin anything ever, but that's a different story, and not one she wants to fight about. She gets what Ezra's intentions are by saying this.]

Thank you, Ezra.

[lothrat]

[None of them know what the future has in store for them anyway, and that's just as well.

He shakes his head to himself, finally just letting the matter go. Padme isn't even here right now to tell all of this to.]

You're welcome. Wish I could do more.

[oratorical]

You do more than enough.

[And her tone is clear that she genuinely means it, not that she's just saying it to make Ezra feel better.]

I'm glad you're here and that I can talk with you like this.

[lothrat]

[That earns a flicker of a smile that, while unseen, might still be heard in his voice.]

You know you can talk to me anytime, right? You're my friend.

[oratorical]

[That same flicker of a smile is noticeable in Leia's voice as she replies.]

The same for you, Ezra. You can talk to me whenever about things that are bothering you.

[lothrat]

Thanks.

[His smile is much more genuine now.]

I'll let you get back to what you were doing. I should probably go do other things now, too. I'll talk to you later?

[oratorical]

Of course.

[lothrat]

Alright. Bye, Leia.

[He lets the connection cut out there.]