hera was happy to have jacen near, she missed him as a small child always close by. but she guessed that the next best alternative is having him as an adult, at her side. it’s exciting that he can have kanan in his life now too. she wonders what it would’ve been like if he had still be young when this had all happened. if their life would’ve been so different with kanan helping to raise him. she can’t change things now. she can only do what seems the best for all of them, and she thinks that is to try to have them all together as often as she can. she doesn’t want to mess up jacen’s life though, and if he doesn’t want to be on the ghost, or to be on the base constantly she can’t force him. she has to remind herself, often.
she watches chopper, who had been her best friend – her family – her protector as she had been for him, since she was just a young child. and knows that there is nothing surprising around how much the droid loves her son. she hears him whomp back about how he wouldn’t dare. it’s a moment so normal, and yet tears burn in her eyes. she looks away from both of them quickly. willing them tears to not come out. she doesn’t want jacen to have to deal with her like that. she smiles at him facing him again, and hoping he won’t see the shininess of her eyes. “you must be my son, to lie to me that this food is good enough, simply because i’m trying. no one else in the world would voluntarily suffer through it.”
it’ll never be enough for her, to see him. it’s similar to being around kanan, but still different. she could be with both of them always and never have spent enough time with them. she strokes a thumb on his cheek softly, and she worries she’s overstepping he’s grown up – she hadn’t gotten to this version of jacen in her timeline – she didn’t want to embarrass him with too much affection. yet, he puts his hand over hers and she feels at peace with it. she slowly takes away her hand only to look at the food again, “it’s fine, i don’t blame you for being busy. but – if you want we can redo your room, darling. it’s not a big deal – and i don’t expect you to stay all the time, but if you want to change it, you can. it’s still your room.” she tells him, and not for the first time wonders if it’s her fault they don’t see each other enough. she was so focused on the rebellion, it makes her wonder if she’s following in her fathers footsteps. “i don’t doubt that you’d be able to tell, but i also assume that you would’ve let me get away with it.” she jokes, before shaking her head slightly, “i can’t believe i actually tried that.” she admits but she can, she would’ve wanted him to have the best – and she definitely would’ve thought of it just as she had considered it now. the offer surprises her, eyes widening and the tears she’d been trying to hide come back. she nods immediately, “yes, i would really love that. i can rope your father into it too, and maybe the rest of the family too. but we can keep it just between the two or three of us.”
it’s good to have chopper tottering around, whomping and whining as he always does. something jacen takes on with all the endearment in the world, of course. chopper has always been a fixture in his life. as ridiculously protective of him as he always was of hera. wouldn’t even let jacen leave without taking the droid with him, despite having no idea where jacen was going next. it was like having a really protective older sibling who was pretty low maintenance, when it came down to it. so he doesn’t mind so much, having chopper here now - the droid might not remember all they’ve been through together, but he knows enough. and jacen’s grateful for it.
“yeah, well. you taught me a thing or two over the years, you know.” he says with a small laugh, patting chopper gently as the droid insists her cooking has always sucked and he’s being too nice about it. truth be told, jacen would take another less-than-average home cooked meal with his mother any day. it’s one of the things he didn’t think he’d miss as much as he did, but.. oh, he did. more than he could describe now, assuming he even wanted to. which he doesn’t. he’d rather just focus on the time he has with hera, on making the most of it. “it’s really not that bad, trust me. i’ve eaten in some real terrible places over the years, made me crave one of your home cooked meals.” he insists, and it’s not a lie.
as hera’s hand slips from his cheek jacen finds himself wishing it hadn’t. and he can’t really... say so, given it would likely seem overly clingy if he did and he doesn’t want to raise any red flags with hera that might make her worry, but jacen’s missed that. missed having his mother around, missed her incredibly gentle and comforting touch, the one that could always put him at ease no matter what was going on around them. it’s something he hasn’t felt in so many years, something he’s done his best not to think about but couldn’t help but miss. “oh - i don’t know if i want to mess with.. my room.” it’s not really his room anymore, and it’s strange to say that in the first place. not only because he has no idea when this is all going to wear off and he’ll have to go back home, but because he’s not sure staying on the ghost is really a good idea. “i probably won’t change too much, but.. i can probably stay over here and there.” a night or two can’t hurt, so long as jacen’s careful. and he can’t pretend that spending more time with his parents wouldn’t be amazing, while they have the chance. he can’t help but let out a soft laugh, shrugging a shoulder. “yeah, every time. i didn’t want you to think i was disappointed - which i never was, for the record - so i just pretended i had no idea.” it was like a game, really. one jacen never got tired of. though.. he never got tired of much with his mother. he doesn’t expect the tears though, and for a moment he’s worried he’s said something wrong - but when hera insists she loves the idea he breathes a sigh of relief, immediately pulling her in for another hug. “honestly? i’d kinda just figured it’d be us and maybe.. dad -” still weird to say, but jacen’s getting there - “ but some family dinners sound - amazing, too. i’d love that.”