oratorical | IC Contact

I have no doubt of your ability to handle yourself, Leia.

[She’s proven herself a million times over, after all. Qui-Gon can’t and won’t seek to rob her of that. But the fact of the matter is that nobody, no matter how strong, can endure that much without another person by their side to help shoulder the burden.]

But have you taken the time to truly process your emotions?

There's not much to process.

[Well that's a lie, but it's a lie Leia has thoroughly convinced herself of. They're gone, she's not, and that's that. She has other things to do besides mope about Han, Luke, and her father no longer being here. Other people need her to do things other than mope.]

[Not even the icy wisps coming from Leia can keep the tiny, concerned begonias from sprouting around Qui-Gon's feet as he takes in her words.]

Just because you're not acknowledging your emotions doesn't mean there is a lack of them.

[Qui-Gon sighs.]

I won't tell you that there is a correct way to mourn, but I cannot stand idly by and watch you push yourself to actively avoid it.

[He's not wrong, and Leia knows that much. The fact that she doesn't even comment on a lack of emotions is indication enough of that. Because as much as she wants to pretend otherwise and as much as she wants to put that sort of face forward, she knows full well exactly what her feelings are on everyone leaving.]

Do you plan to put me in time-out?

[Her tone is incredibly dry, and Qui-Gon may not be here for Attitude, but on the other hand, it's a display of some sort of emotion.]

As if you would stay in time-out.

[Qui-Gon matches dry with dry, but doesn't back down with his empathy. He's in it for the long haul, here!]

My only plan is to help.

[No time-out could hold Leia when she was a five year old, they couldn't hold her from taking missions in the Alliance, and they sure won't hold her now.]

Then what is it you plan on doing?

What, indeed.

[Qui-Gon tends to have an airy nature with the way he talks, never betraying his true intentions or any plans he may have unless absolutely necessary. It's a trait that drives people--friend and enemy alike--absolutely mad, but one that he never has and never will break.]

[He steps further into Leia's home and takes a seat, leisurely crossing one leg over the other. Because. You know. He can't get any more infuriating.]

I've decided that I'm not going to do anything. At least, not until you start speaking to me about your emotions.

[Of all the methods people have tried to get Leia to talk about her personal feelings, this is not one of them. And as a result it's not one she expected to hear from Qui-Gon.

She furrows her brow, not quite sure she actually heard him properly.]

I'm sorry?

[Stupid stuff like this is why the Jedi Council hated him, Leia.]

[He calls it being creative with problem-solving and listening to the Living Force, everyone else calls it him being an asshole.]

The longer you don't talk with me-- or with anyone else for that matter--about your feelings, the longer I'll stay here.

[stupid stuff like this is why Qui-Gon should be glad Leia isn't a fan of learning how to use the Force. Instead of being Force shoved out of the house, he's instead subjected to Leia raising her chin, her lips pressed tightly together and her eyes slightly narrowed in a very obvious display of annoyance.]

Does Ezra know you're planning on staying here?

[At any other point in their friend-slash-family??-ship, Qui-Gon would have taken the threat as it was presented. Even now he can fully comprehend that he's managed to worm his way under Leia's skin and knows better than to treat it lightly.]

[But that's what he wants. He wants to get an emotional rise out of Leia. That's how they're going to make progress. Or at least that's what he's telling himself.]

Not yet, no.

But if it looks like I'll be staying a while, then I can inform him. That won't be a problem.

[He's succeeding in getting some sort of emotional rise out of Leia, at least, even if it may not be a positive one for now.]

There are spare blankets in the closet down the hall.

[There's your answer, Qui-Gon.]

I thank you for your hospitality.

[It sounds like something that could be said sarcastically, and seeing that this is Qui-Gon speaking, there’s always that chance. The guy is a master at passive aggressive ploys.]

[But it isn’t. Just like everything else, outside of the one or two bits of dry commentary from earlier, Qui-Gon’s words are sincere.]

[That being said, he’s pretty sure he’s in this one for the long haul. Hoo boy.]

[He absolutely is. Because if Leia is two things, those things are stubborn and reluctant to talk about her own personal feelings, and both of those combine into probably the worst disaster for Qui-Gon to deal with.

And while it's not as if Leia ignores him while he's camping out in her living room, she doesn't give in and talk about her feelings just yet. If it were up to her, she just. Wouldn't. It's up to Qui-Gon to give her a nudge or a heavy shove if he wants that to happen.]

[Qui-Gon likes to consider himself a pretty good judge of little things like character, intentions, and when it's a good time to metaphorically shove a stubborn space princess into discussing her feelings. After these past few days of camping out (literally, if the tiny little sprouts he's brought along are anything to go by), it's become even clearer than before that Leia Organa is made of emotional durasteel. Which is far from a bad thing, but also far from the healthiest.]

Good afternoon.

[He's perfectly pleasant when he greets Leia, a gentleman in every single way... if we don't count the hostile takeover of his friend's living room.]

[Leia absolutely counts the hostile takeover of her living room. You know, just for the record. As fond as she may be of Qui-Gon, she's not so fond of living with him for this long of an extended period of time, especially when she didn't exactly invite him in the first place.]

Are you planning to leave the couch today?

[Why wouldn’t she be okay with him dropping by for this long? It’s a totally normal thing to do, invading someone’s house and making camp in the living room until they share their feelings.]

I’d considered it.

Perhaps after this morning’s meditation.

[No one can ever say the Jedi weren't creative with their problem solving.]

Perhaps it would be more effective if you meditated elsewhere. A change of space could be nice.

[Which, in itself, is a creative way to say they’re a bunch of buttholes]

I agree that it would.

Unfortunately, I cannot leave until we have our chat.

Then we can start with annoyance.

[Which is a not so subtle hint that she's annoyed with Qui-Gon's Jedi nest he's built on the sofa.]

At least it is a start.

[Qui-Gon motions to a nearby chair... as if this is his actual living room and his actual right to give permission to use it.]

[She's not sitting just yet, she's too annoyed and stubborn to sit. Instead, she just raises an eyebrow as Qui-Gon goes around acting like he owns the living room housing his jedi nest.]

[It’s totally cool and 100% expected, considering the circumstances and the giant Jedi nest.]

[There may or may not be a couple of birds and/or squirrels hopping around said nest. No promises either way.]

This room is still yours. If you want to sit, you may.

[How the heck can you say a place belongs to somebody and then give them permission to use it, dude?]

I'll stand.

[For now, at least. She wants to retain some level of control over the situation here, no matter what Qui-Gon intends for this conversation.]

You can continue.

Leia.

[Qui-Gon’s tone isn’t stern, per se, but it does take on a little more of a serious tone. There is a serious reason behind his overly drastic measures after all.]

We need to talk about your emotions. Even if we just start with how you’re feeling now.

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[PROBABLY LIKE A WEEK LATER]

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