Cyare
Chapter 2
She hadn’t expected her father to get up and hug her. He had been affectionate with them when they were kids, but after decades of separation it felt weird. Like hugging a ghost. A ghost wearing higher quality beskar’gam than even the Mand’alor himself.
“You are so grown up, adi’ka. You look so much like your mother,” there is a hint of sadness in his voice when he says it. “How did you find me?”
“I’d rather not say, I just wanted to give you this in person.” Ruu gives him the wedding invitation and looks for an opportunity to run. She had not been as prepared to deal with his clone ‘sons’ before clearing the air with her dad.
“You’re getting married, that’s wonderful, Ruu.”
Ruu waited for him to ask if the Pantoran fellow in the black three-piece suit was her fiancée or look shocked when he saw Harry’s last name.
He doesn’t look that shocked, Ruu assumes its because of the two Jedi who are also calling him dad. One jedi who is obviously screwing a clone, if Gara’s security cam footage is right.
“I would like to clarify that I am not the groom, the bride just happens to be working today.” Aspen said causally before ordering himself a drink and taking a seat with the two clones drinking with their dads.
“And who might you be?” Walon Vau looked amused, no doubt identifying the son he only bothered to recognize in name.
“I am Aspen Ordo-Vau, gay lawyer extraordinaire and civil rights activist at your service.” Aspen offered his hand, his golden eyes bright and smiling smugly with knowing he caught them off guard.
“Can I speak to you privately buir?” She asks before they start airing their dirty laundry in public or Aspen starts taking over the conversation.
“Sure thing, adi’ka. Let’s go up to my room, so you can tell who’s the lovely dala you’re going to marry.” He emphasizes dala letting everyone know he isn’t as tolerant as he looks about his darling little girl being gay.
The hotel room is just as Ruu remembered it from that time early in her career and where she first kissed Harry. It feels strange seeing her buir’s things where Laseema patched up Aspen who had gotten involved with the wrong intern.
“I want you to be at my wedding even after everything that happened. I really think we can bury the hatchet since you aren’t dead after all.” Ruu told her father, looking him in the eye as she does. She knows Kal blames them and their Corellian mother for cutting off ties with him when he was the one who didn’t even show up to the custody hearing.
“Will Tor and Ijaat be there?” he asked, casually, but not able to hide the tension that told people he wasn’t on good terms with them.
“Yes, why wouldn’t they be? They won’t be happy to see you, but I am hoping we can at least tolerate each other by then.” Her brothers had publicly disowned Kal’buir while she could not even say the words. He had neglected them, imposed his own brand of racist Mando bantha-shit and didn’t even bother sticking around after the divorce.
“Tolerate me.” Kal answers as if he was the victim of his own shitty parenting.
“Don’t be like that. You were the one who abandoned us.” Ruu answers wondering to herself why she bothered coming here in the first place.
Kal sighs and doesn’t voice out the body language that says I am sorry. It would make her feel better for him to admit he was a bad father and ask her to forgive him, but all nine Corellian hells are likely to freeze over before it happens.
“So, what have you been up to, Ruu?” He asked as if he genuinely cared. He most likely did, but it just didn’t feel right. Just more things to tell her therapist.
“Currently, I am one of Senator Thembeka Ordo’s bodyguards. It pays good and that was how I met Aspen who introduced me to Harriet. I occasionally do some bounty hunting for the Guild, but its more of a hobby and never anything that could get me put in prison. Harry and I just bought an apartment near the Harlem District. Sorry if I ramble on, I just have no idea how to summarize two decades without leaving the important bits out.” Ruu feels like the little girl in training armor fighting for Kal’buir’s attention.
“Take your time, Ruu. You always loved to wait for me to come home just so you could tell me what I missed.” He smiles thoughtfully. Of course, he would miss that too.
“I missed you, buir,” Ruu said softly. Because even if he had been ---and remains--- an overly emotional and manipulative chakaar with a drinking problem, Ruu still loved her father. Which was why she couldn’t bring herself to disown him as her brothers had done.
“Tell me about Harriet, is she force sensitive like her father?” Ruusaan had expected this from him. At least he got to the point.
“No. Force sensitivity is a very recessive trait and Harry isn’t strong enough to be even considered for training at the temple. I am hoping to introduce her to you and invite you to have dinner with us once your mission is over.” Ruusaan searched for a clear no, but he wants to at least pretend he has changed.
The sigh of relief escapes his lips and Ruu raises an eyebrow. She would fight anyone who still believed Jedi are their enemy. They stay quiet for what feels like eternity, there is so much she wants to say, but she can’t muster the courage to say it. Ruu has never liked her own cowardice, the same cowardice that stopped her from disowning her father.
“I guess this is the part where I tell you that I consider most of the men downstairs my sons and formally introduce you to them.” He smiles the same smile he had when he brought her a bounty tracking chip on her seventh life day, a strange mixture of familial pride and hopefulness. Just like then, she feels conflicted about saying yes.
“Well, I hope you haven’t said anything bad about me, Kal’buir.”
