Ask Learn Me Right

[Shaw Amaris]

Today was the day. Prani and Shaw's first date. They were supposed to meet outside in one of the courtyards of the Takodana temple at 4:00 sharp. The same courtyard Shaw had seen Prani sitting underneath a tree strumming her hallikset early one morning. The teenager arrived a little bit early, paced around a little while and tried out a few different benches, and then decided that it was silly to meet up with Prani. Why didn't he just go pick her up?

The night before Master Valtiere had received a frantic string of text messages asking for all sorts of advice on dating and girls, but the sephi had been out of pocket as usual. He was probably out there slaying a dragon or leading a rebellion or blowing up a Sith destroyer or something insanely cool like that. No response meant Shaw was all on his own on this one. That was the only thing that had him rattled. That he might mess this all up. He had a bad habit of doing stupid stuff like that. Prani was way out of his league, in every definition of the word. To put it a better way? Prani was really something special. He didn't want to mess this up. He couldn't mess it up.

Shaw might have been a bundle of nerves, but he had to try and play it cool. He had told Prani that this could just be casual. Laid back. He had promised her that she would have a good time. He just had to relax and be himself. He just hoped that that would be enough. They had always had fun before. Why should this be any different?

Outside Prani's dorm room door, Shaw stood there in a pair of his best cargo pants and an orange tshirt with an unbuttoned button up thrown over it that he had borrowed from Caul because none of his shirts seemed nice enough. In his hand he clutched a bouquet of wild flowers, the same bloom he had picked up that day and put in her hair after the canoe had capsized.

Practically bouncing from foot to foot with excitement, Shaw swallowed hard and reached out and knocked on the door. He was already grinning from ear to ear before she could even open the door. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Master Valtiere may not have responded to memes and random questions, but he would respond to this. However, because there was a galaxy between them, it took a bit for the messages to finally come through. There was a beep on Shaw’s dataphone right as he arrived at Prani’s door before knocking, and he would finally see a response from the Sephi. Sevrin didn't have a chance to type it out so there was a message voice clip for Shaw. The distant sound of blasterfire was abundantly clear in the background, but the Sephi’s voice was steady, calm, and even as always.

"Consider your lessons thus far: Form X taught you to adapt and shift based on the variables you are presented. So too applies when you face a situation like this. Do not go in with a perfectly prescriptive outcome and sequence of events. Instead, adapt and adjust, let the changes in moments drive the outcomes without you racing to a manufactured goal. Consider how you obtained your kyber. Have patience and trust but be open to scenarios that you may not have predicted. If things are meant to align, they will.

Most importantly, do not listen to what she says just to retort with your own response. Listen to understand before you respond. She is not looking for you to fail, so make sure you do not become your own spectating critic.

Do tell me how it goes and may the Force be with you, apprentice."

--------​

Prani was in full-on anxiety mode, pacing all around her room for the past week in anticipation of their date. She had never gone on a date before but she was far too embarrassed to admit that. Back with the caravans they simply had some matchmaking festivals and people married young. Dating and ‘booing up’ were entirely new concepts to her. She only had her endless starcrossed novels or movies as a reference.

She had spent hours getting ready, trying on a million different outfits and combinations, and wondering which Shaw would like. It was the first time she had a bit of anxiety about dressing like she was from ‘the Old Republic’ as Stacy so eloquently put it. Prani agonized in front of the mirror, not the type to really wear makeup. However, for today she enlisted the help of one of the kinder padawans to help her put some eyeliner on. Prani wasn’t keen on wearing much more on her face so she left it at that.

Did Shaw like her hair down or up? Prani never cared about this before but it was eating away at her till she finally decided to wear her hair up. After all, she always had it down, so why not change it up? She complemented it with some hoop earrings.

“Y’all hung out many times before, knock it off, Prani!” She told herself in the mirror, “Ain’t no Jedi-” Prani paused and smiled, “Ain’t no Jeedai trial yer doin’ right now. He wouldn’t have asked ya out if he didn’t already like ya,” She repeated a few times, nodding at herself in the mirror.

There was a knock on her door and her heart jumped to her throat. She took some calming breaths and nodded to herself before turning to answer the door. By the time she opened the door, there was no evidence of her pacing or going through a complete panic theater moments prior. She smiled brightly at Shaw, wearing one of her nicest outfits with her wrists accessorized with several handmade bracelets.

“Hey Shaw!” Prani said, noticing the flowers in his hands and how he dressed differently than usual. The attire fit his athletic frame far better than his baggy clothes and she caught herself staring. She quickly looked instead to the flowers, her face flushing and excitement clear, “Aww look at these!” This was like out of a fairytale already! Prani looked at him, “You look real nice.. And I’ve been lookin’ forward to this,” She said, her face still red. Once he gave her the flowers, she took a quick moment to dip into her room and place them in a nice vase with water. Prani returned with a single flower, smiling as she silently offered it to him before turning her head to let him place it in her hair just like that day.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

The door flung open, and Prani Shalrazi stood there like a manifestation of summer itself. Shaw had had something clever prepared, locked and loaded and ready to spring on her as soon as she opened the door, but the second he saw her it slipped his mind and all he could blurt out was a very enthusiastic, "Prani!" He never would remember what it was he was going to say.

Prani was wearing an outfit he had never seen her wear before. Her long curls were pulled up off her neck, which he had never seen before either. She had always worn her hair down before. He swallowed. "You might want to put those in water!" he said, handing her the bouquet of flowers. He had been up early this morning, down by the lake where they had walked that day they had toured the museum. It was no trouble to add a detour on his morning run, and it was no trouble to search through the reeds and the grass along the lakeshore for the perfect blooms when he knew it would make Prani happy. "Place we're going they might get ea—" but Prani was already putting them in water. Shaw just smiled to himself and dug his hands into the pockets of his cargo pants. Of course Prani already knew what to do.

Brown eyes followed her the whole way, over to the vase as she arranged the flowers in the water, and then back again. Shaw knew he should have been polite like his mother had always taught him and not stare after Prani like he was some lonely puppy on the doorstep waiting to be let in, like he was a guy that had never seen a girl a day in his life, but it was hard not to stare when she looked so beautiful. He felt like a guy that had never seen a girl a day in his life.

Whenever she returned to the doorway he was patiently waiting. Shaw was in no hurry. He wanted to enjoy every minute of this, the big ones and the little ones alike. So far everything had felt like big moments. "I've been looking forward to this too," he replied, taking the bloom she offered and stepping closer. She hadn't forgotten. "It's all I've been able to think about all week." Should he have said that out loud? Probably not, but it was the truth.

Shaw tucked the bloom behind her left ear, this time taking the time to arrange it perfectly, saying in a voice a little lower than he even realized, "You look..." He might have been tempted to use some slang that he knew by heart, like looking like a snack or looking on fleek, but those sounded so flippant. He remembered the way she had screeched at him back in the bell tower and asked him to speak plainly. How could he ever forget it? He had never seen her so annoyed, not since Shaw had tried to talk her into hiding in the back of Chaz's trunk.

Prani didn't want to hear stuff like that. Listen to understand, Master Valtiere had said. Shaw had only replayed the recording five or six times standing outside of her door. Shaw couldn't believe—still couldn't believe that the sephi had taken the time to give Shaw some much needed advice when he was obviously in the middle of something really important. It had brought a smile to Shaw's face and given him the extra boost of confidence he needed to stand tall and knock.

"You look..." Just speak from the heart. Just speak from the heart. "You look like summer. Like the sun's shining from you from the inside out. And summer is my favorite season." He cringed on the inside. His heart might need a little training. That was lame, wasn't it? Too late to take it back now. Hopefully Prani would make allowances for a boy that had never done anything like this before. He knew she would. She didn't want to see him fail.

Stepping aside to let her out and close the door behind her if she said yes, he would ask, "You ready to go? Sorry I'm a little early. I just couldn't wait to see you." @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

There was a pause before he gave his thoughts on her appearance and she glanced down at her dress. Did she look okay? Was he going to tell her she was from the Old Republic? Or Clone Wars? Prani opened her mouth to ask but he started to talk again. When he finally spoke, she stared at him in stunned silence. She had never heard herself described that way and it was just the kind of language she read and adored in her novels.

“Golly Shaw, you sure know how to make a girl melt,” Prani said, blushing furiously as she lingered on what he said. It was beautiful, and she could tell it wasn’t something he practiced. There was no slang, no script. Prani couldn’t stop smiling, nodding as he asked if they could go. She was just as eager and it was part of why she didn’t waste time inviting him in and hanging out in her boring room. Prani quickly locked the door and fell into step beside Shaw.

“Hey um..” She began, slightly nervous, “What’s different ‘bout a date than how we been hangin’ out already?” Prani asked. She had felt comfortable asking him just about anything up until this point, so she finally got over her nervousness to inquire about this, “I..I ain’t ever done this before,” Prani admitted shyly. She was certain Shaw had gone on countless dates before - every girl seemed to vy for his attention!

As if on cue, at least a few girls were poking their heads out from their rooms as the two passed. Prani didn’t know how to react so she kept her gaze trained forward, trying not to let her palms get sweaty. Unlike before, there were no agonizing jitters, but she didn’t want to be too overtly excited.

“So where are we goin’?”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Really? She had liked that? It didn't sound too corny or something? Shaw scratched the back of his head, delightfully surprised. Maybe he needed to speak from the heart more often. Usually it got him into trouble, sometimes with both feet in this mouth. This time it had actually worked out.

Prani and Shaw walked side by side through the dorm room hallways, Shaw giving a little wave to some of the familiar faces that poked out to stare. He really didn't think about why they might be staring. His thoughts were all on Prani and the evening he had planned, though Master Valtiere's advice to not rely on one certain outcome or sequence of events was in the back of his mind. Shaw felt like a million credits with Prani by his side, which was really saying something because he had just spent his last credit earlier that day arranging their date. He really had to find a way to start making some credits.

One of the faces that popped out but not to stare belonged to a girl Shaw didn't recognize. Prani would know her though. She swept past them in the opposite direction, in a hurry to get somewhere, but not before giving Prani a thumb's up to let her know she looked gorgeous and mouthing through a sincere smile meant just for Prani, Good luck. Shaw was totally oblivious and didn't notice. He was trying to figure out how to answer Prani's question.

"Uhhh," he bought himself some time, rubbing a hand nervously on his pant leg. "A date is different because it's like... well, it's like us saying we're interested in each other, you know?" He gestured a hand lamely between the two of them. A prickling sensation crept up the back of his neck, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "Romantically interested. It means maybe we'll want to go on more dates and maybe exclusively—you know, with just each other." He felt like he was right back up on that bell tower, trying to explain to her why he was asking her if she was single. Now he was explaining to her why he would ask her on a date. She really liked to lob the hard questions at him, didn't she? He gave her a serious look, quickly adding, "But don't worry! You don't have to decide anything like that tonight. We're just going to have fun, okay?"

As for what they were going to do, "There's a petting zoo in town this weekend!" He watched her face to see if she approved of the choice. Prani had probably already heard about it, but on the off chance that she hadn't he hoped it would be a nice surprise. "I thought we would go and pet all the little animals." That was what you did at a petting zoo, right? It was in the name after all. He had never been to one since there really wasn't a high demand for petting zoos on Coruscant. "Then I got a surprise lined up for us after that."

They made their way toward the shuttle that was the go between between the temple and the town. That was when he remembered what Master Valtiere had said about listening to understand. Summed up Shaw took that to mean learning what Prani liked and wanted rather than always giving her what Shaw thought she liked or wanted. And how could he learn what she liked and wanted if he didn't listen? "Or would you rather know now?" Maybe Prani didn't like surprises. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani smiled brightly when she saw her friend Alina, a twi’lek who was very kind and friendly. They met when Alina collected and brought Prani’s belongings back to her after they were hidden around the temple as a practical joke. Naturally, Alina made Prani promise to share every detail after the date.

She listened as Shaw explained the concept of a date, flushing as he clarified romantic interest, “I guess I been interested in you for a while then..” Prani mumbled to herself, but quickly realized she had said the words aloud. She fidgeted with a strand of her hair as they walked, avoiding toying with the flower. Prani almost stopped walking when he finished his explanation, brows furrowing, “What do you mean 'maybe just with each other'? Are you…uhh going on dates with other girls before you only go on more of ‘em with just one?” Prani asked, her heart sinking a little. She thought back to all the commentary from Regina and others about Shaw and always having girls fawning over him, “Should..should I be goin’ on dates with other guys before decidin’?” She muttered. All of this was strange to her, but in the end, she trusted Shaw until he gave her a reason not to.

Regardless of how he answered, she practically jumped up in delight at the idea of a petting zoo, “I LOVE THOSE!” She squealed before clearing her throat and calming down. Prani had a pep to her step after that, “Oh I wonder what animals they’ll have there! Ooh maybe they’ll have bantha, eopie, etobie, fambaa-” She rattled off animals the entire walk to the shuttle, excitedly chatting about which ones she wanted to pet the most.

It was once they stepped into the shuttle that she glanced over at Shaw, realizing something. Shaw was a city boy in every sense of the word. She imagined half the animals she listed off licking his entire face or chewing on his sleeve or…chasing him. Prani almost wondered if this was a good idea for him, but maybe it would be fine!

“I like surprises,” Prani said cheerfully as she took a seat on the shuttle. Unlike the last time they were on the transport, she didn’t have any doubts about him sitting next to her. After a moment, she even felt brave enough to reach over and gingerly grasp his hand, her face growing hot. It was okay to do this since they were on a date..right?

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw wasn't sure he understood Prani's question at first. Something about one date and something else about multiple dates. He was trying to sort it all out in his head and figure out exactly what she was getting at when she asked a second question—if she should be going out with other guys. That he understood.

"No," was his knee jerk reaction, but he immediately looked away and pressed his eyes shut for a second or two. Who was he to tell her no? Sucking in a breath and mustering up as much sincerity as possible, he said, "I mean—if you want to." That was what he should have said from the start, wasn't it? But wow did it take a lot out of him. "If you wanna go out on dates with other... other guys then... then you should. You take all the time you need to decide, alright Prani?"

Would he hold it against her if she started going out with other guys? No. Did he want her to go out with other guys? Also no. The thought of some other guy making her laugh or tucking flowers in her hair or holding her hand made him feel nauseous. But that was her choice. What was it Master Valtiere had said? If things are meant to align, they will. He had to trust the process, no matter how long it took. If he and Prani were meant to be together, it would work out. Stealing a glance her direction, he already knew what he wanted. Now he had to be patient and learn what she wanted.

Now that he understood the first question and had amended his knee jerk response to the second, he could answer her initial question. And answer it quickly. "No. No, I haven't been going on other dates." Shaw's last relationship had been in fifth grade and had ended in a very public and, at the time, ugly breakup on the playground following a dodge ball game gone wrong. But that was just kid stuff. He had never really been on a real date before. Not one that actually meant anything to either of them. It had all been very casual stuff back on Coruscant. Kid stuff.

Shaw didn't know half the animals Prani rattled off off the top of her head, but he grinned the whole time just getting to listen to her and see how excited she got. When she reached for his hand on the shuttle it took him by surprise. He thought he would be working up the nerve all evening to do that. and she just... did it! He let her know real quick that he had no problem holding hands with her. Quite the opposite, wrapping his hand around hers and gently squeezing. He grinned down at their hands, resisting the urge to stroke her skin with his thumb or intertwine their fingers. Two things he'd been longing to do ever since she had taught him those chords on the hallikset. Gotta move slow. Can't mess it up and scare her off. "You sure do have small hands!" he grinned at her. Soft too, apart from all the callouses she had built up from playing the hallisket.

Outside of the shuttle Shaw didn't let go of her hand until he absolutely had to. He knew that she was gonna want to love all over the animals with both hands. Plus they had picked up some feed. "So!" he smiled down at her. "Which animal you wanna visit first?" @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

None of his explanations made sense. Prani already knew she liked Shaw and that was that. What was this odd ritual of testing things out before ‘deciding’? Oh well, she would entertain the strange city-folk practice, “Uh I don’t wanna go on dates with anyone else,” Prani said, “I ain’t needin’ validation for my choice,” She added casually as if it was the most obvious thing to state ever.

The shuttle journey felt very different from their last one. He was and wasn’t the same guy from back then, and she felt liberated from acting on how she began to feel even back then. There was a sense of relief from not constantly having to wonder whether he saw her as something different than just a friend. When he held and squeezed her hand, she felt that rush again, giggling at his comment, “Well you’re growin’ like a weed!” She quipped back. Prani was always a little self-conscious about her hands because of the callouses both from working outside and her hallikset. Yet somehow, around Shaw, she managed to stop caring about little details like that because he never did.

Once they arrived, Prani eagerly took some feed, pointing to a pasture, “Let’s go in there! They can free roam there!” She said happily as she walked over. It was a pen with an assortment of animals, a few of which she rattled off earlier, “That one’s an eopie!” She pointed, beckoning Shaw over, “They’re real friendly. You can ride ‘em to do chores. I had one named Boots and he was a real menace!” She said with a fond smile. Prani was already petting the eopie and glanced over at Shaw.

“Oh goodness, Shaw, watch where you’re walkin’!” Prani called out, glancing down at his shoe which stepped right into a pile of dung. She couldn’t keep a straight face, starting to giggle at Shaw not even managing to take five steps without finding an isolated pile of poodoo.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Eyes shining and locked on Prani, Shaw just stared at her. How could she drop absolute revelations like that and be so chill about it? State it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and that Shaw was just thick for not picking up on it before? The teenager smiled down at her and held her hand a little tighter. "You really mean it?" Of course she did. Since when did Prani say something she didn't mean? "You'll be—" He cleared his throat and told himself that there was no need to be nervous now that it was all out in the open. Master Valtiere had said to be open to scenarios that you might not have predicted. This was certainly one of those. "You'll be my girlfriend then?" More like I get to be your boyfriend?

At the petting zoo, Shaw stuck his head in the bag of feed he held and took a big whiff. He promptly coughed. "This stuff really stinks, doesn't it?" Prani took the lead, which was exactly what Shaw had planned on. He didn't think twice about it until she opened one of the pens to go inside. Inside the pen? Shaw looked around. He thought there would be a fence between him and each of the animals at all times until his surprise later.

He lingered in the gate, scratching the back of his head. "Uhhh you sure this is a good idea?" he asked Prani just to make sure. That was rich coming from the same guy that had talked Prani into going down into the restricted catacombs and climbing a locked bell tower, but recent experiences since joining the order had taught him that he and animals didn't always mix. It wasn't that he didn't want to like them, it was that they didn't like him.

Anything for Prani he told himself and followed her inside. The teenager didn't make it three feet before stepping in a massive pile of dung. Shaw had managed to find the one pile of excrement in the entire pasture. "You gotta be kidding me," he muttered to himself, pulling his shoe free with a squelch and attempting to wipe it clean on some grass. It didn't really work. The only saving grace was the sound of Prani's giggle, which made Shaw chuckle even if he couldn't find quite as much amusement in the situation as she did.

Shaw planned to stay back, but Prani beckoned him closer so he couldn't really say no. This was a date after all, and he wanted to make her happy. "Boots, huh?" he asked. He always enjoyed getting to hear more about her home life. It was so different from his own childhood. "Did it have white feet or something?"

That was when Shaw spotted a stick lying in the grass. Maybe his shoe could be saved after all. He could use the stick to flick off the remaining poo without having to get his hands dirty. He reached down to pick it up just as the eopie let one rip. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Why did that question strike her like thunder? Prani’s face turned bright red. She knew she liked him, and yet hearing him ask her that made her feel as if she was on top of the galaxy, “I..yeah..” She mumbled, eyes wide, “I mean are…you really wanna be…my.... boyfriend?” Prani was screaming internally, shifting side to side, “You know ya want that? I mean you got like..so many girls wantin’ to be with ya and I’m..” She nervously chewed on her lip, “I mean..I know I like ya but..if you need..more dates..” She trailed off awkwardly, suddenly fidgeting.

Back at the pen, Prani simply shook her head at Shaw agonizing over his shoe. She knew he obsessed over his sneakers and other brand-name products, a sentiment she didn’t understand but wouldn’t knock either.

“My little sister named him ‘cause we found him eatin’ my pa’s boot,” She said, “He wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed if ya know what I mean. Might give Stacy a run for her credits,” Prani blurted out without thinking before she gasped, “Oh gosh, that was rude..” She said, suddenly feeling terrible. Fortunately, Shaw had his own ways of being distracting.

As he leaned down to pick up a stick, the eopie let out an impressive toot that was akin to an explosion of noxious fumes right on Shaw.

By now, Prani was doubled over laughing, tears forming in her eyes. She ran over to frantically grab Shaw by the wrist and drag him out of the line of fire before the eopie unleashed napalm, “Goodness, do you and nature ever get along?” Prani asked, exasperated as she dragged him out of the free roam pen, “Let’s start small with them bunnies,” She said as she finally calmed down from laughing.

They walked over to where children and toddlers were petting the rabbits. Surely Shaw couldn’t manage any drama with these, right? They were in their own little pen looking cute and cuddly, “Go on, give one a pet,” Prani encouraged Shaw, “They look friendly!”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Now it was Prani's turn to ramble. Shaw would let her finish, admittedly a little relieved that it wasn't him on the hot seat for a change. Still, he didn't like to see her comparing herself to other girls and automatically assuming that it was her that came up short. Always assuming that they were better than her just because she was different. Shaw would prove to her just how incredible she was, no matter how long it took. Then he would say I told you so.

"Prani," he grinned, ducking down to catch her eye because she kept fidgeting all over the place. "I don't need any more dates." He wasn't convinced that she completely understood the nuances of dating, but that was okay. He knew what she meant. "I'm sure—I'm positive that I want to date you." He pulled her into am embrace just like she had pulled him into one back on Lothal, whispering in a low tone, "Summer's my favorite season, remember?"

Meanwhile...

Shaw heard a terrible bubbling sound and then felt a strong gust of wind on his face. It only took seconds for the teenager to realize that that had not been a strong gust of wind. The gas mixed with the absurd amount of Hatchet Body Spray Shaw had applied earlier that day in preparation for this date, and it was a horrendous combination. It seemed to just float there, suspended in an invisible cloud that enveloped Shaw until Prani pulled him free.

The teenager coughed and spluttered, clutching at his throat as his eyes started to water and turn red. Shaw still hadn't recovered by the time they reached the rabbits, and he thought he saw a few of the older children give him a weird look but maybe he was just hallucinating. Prani suggested Shaw give one of the rabbits a pet, and he gave her a look, but eventually relented. They were pretty cute...

At least their eyes weren't glowing like those mutated squirrels back on the jungle planet with Nash. That was a good sign. Shaw knelt down and stuck a hand through the wire, allowing one of the rabbits to give him a good sniff. "Kinda tickles!" he grinned up at Prani. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani dragged her traumatized boyfriend - wow still felt wild to say that - through the petting zoo to get to the rabbits. His bloodshot eyes had some parents whispering and pointing with concern as they wondered if Shaw did copious lines of spice before arriving at a family-friendly event. Prani smiled reassuringly, trying to ignore the stench radiating off Shaw that seared the insides of her nostrils.

Shaw was doing okay with the rabbits and she heaved a sigh of relief. The other kids grimaced at the eopie smell and moved away from Shaw. One kid outright accused Shaw of having an accident and ran away crying. Prani sighed and shook her head, “Look it’ll wear off soon, I promise,” She said, “I been on the wrong end of an eopie more times than I can count,” Prani said, probably the only one in Shaw’s entire social sphere that could claim so. To be honest, there was no right end on an eopie, but she wasn't going to deflate Shaw any further.

“You ever have any pets growin’ up?” Prani asked as she fed some of the bunnies. They took to her right away, several of them clamoring for her attention.

“We have this ancient cat called Bugsy,” She said, “He hopped into a caravan one day and ain’t ever left, so we kept him. He’s got one eye and looks like he’d kill ya in your sleep, mind, but we love him to bits,” Prani frowned slightly, “Hope he’s doin’ okay..I ain’t talked to my parents in a few weeks..”

That was when Shaw’s rabbit, while he was distracted by Prani talking to him, decided to chomp hard on his fingers. (roll: 5/20)

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

The bunnies were one of the main attractions, with animated children crowded around the rabbit pens with their parents right up until the moment Shaw and Prani walked up. Who was he kidding? Until Shaw walked up. He was the one that smelled like eopie exhaust. Everyone promptly vacated the rabbit pens, several of the parents shooting the teenager ugly looks that very clearly said you should be ashamed of yourself!

"At least we have these cute little guys all to ourselves now," Shaw said, trying to have a good attitude for Prani's sake. No sense in sulking, even if he did keep catching a whiff of himself. It made him want to gag, but so long as Prani didn't mind being around him... that was all that mattered. Besides, these little bunnies were pretty cute he had to admit. What harm could something so little do?

Bugsy and Boots. Shaw was beginning to notice a pattern. He didn't miss the way Prani's lips tugged downward into a frown. "I thought your parents went to the library every week to holocall you?" he asked trying to sound nonchalant about it but hoping that nothing was wrong.

That was when something hard and sharp chomped down on his fingers. "Ouch!" the teenager yelped, tugging his hand back and jumping to his feet. He held his hand to his chest, blood trickling down one finger. "I think it bit me!" he explained as if that wasn't already obvious. It didn't hurt that bad, but it had taken him by surprise while he had been distracted. Embarrassed by his reaction he tried to move the conversation along.

"What's this?" he asked, stopping in front of a pen that housed a particularly ugly looking animal off sulking in the corner. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

“They do but…they ain’t shown up the last two times,” Prani said as she chewed on her lip and fidgeted, “I’m sure it’s fine! We’re always on the move, ya know, caravan and all..” She muttered, refusing to dampen the mood. In the back of her mind, she thought back to that day on Genassa. It was the day everyone stopped believing nothing bad could happen on that forgotten planet.

Shaw’s yelp of pain yanked her thoughts back to the present. She gasped, quickly grasping his hand to take a look. Prani looked around herself before layering her palm over the injury, closing her eyes as she channeled the Force. She was as discreet as possible, applying her healing abilities to soothe the pain and mend the wound as best she could. Prani opened up her bag and brought out some wipes to clean off the blood. Almost as if she had anticipated petting zoo mishaps with Shaw..

As he started to walk to the Blurrg pen, Prani caught him by the wrist and tugged him back to look at her, “Shaw,” She said with a smile, “You’re an absolute peach for bringin’ me here, but you and animals get on ‘bout as well as Regina and texbooks,” She said, this time unafraid to take a jab at a mean girl, “We’re leavin’ and goin’ to whatever you had planned next, okay? I ain’t gonna watch you get wrecked by another farm animal,” Prani said the words with a lot of conviction and intensity. However, after she considered what she just said, she couldn’t keep a straight face, looking away to giggle uncontrollably. She had never seen anyone struggle this hard with animals and nature and, of course, it had to be the guy she was dating.

“I had a lotta fun here, but let’s go,” Prani said with a cheerful smile, grabbing him by the hand to take him towards the exit.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Yeah..." Shaw agreed, chewing on it. "I'm sure they're just really busy. Business is probably booming or something," he tried to reassure her, remembering that she had said her family traveled from town to town and set up stalls but adding, "Let me know when you hear from them, okay?"

Before Shaw could finish reading the little informational plaque on the pen, Prani caught ahold of his wrist and tugged him back. His heart skipped a beat. Would he ever get used to that? He hoped he would and he hoped that he wouldn't all at the same time. "You sure?" he hesitated, trying to read her face to make sure she really meant it and she wasn't just trying to be nice. "I don't mind..." There was an intensity in her brown eyes that was impossible not to notice, and his heart swelled at the thought that she was looking out for him. From the small things like healing a little bite on his finger to the big things, like abandoning something she really enjoyed just for his sake.

"Alright," he agreed, seeing that he wasn't going to change her mind. Prani could be really stubborn when she wanted to be. "But I'm not giving up yet." As many faults as Shaw had, he wasn't a quitter. "Next time we come maybe they'll have a nicer assortment of animals. Maybe a nexu or something." He laughed. Clasped hands swinging between them as the two teenagers left the petting zoo behind them, Shaw would ask, "Do the females really eat the males after mating?" That was what the plaque had said.

What Shaw had planned next would not take them far from the petting zoo. In fact they would just go around back. Shaw hadn't had the foresight to realize that the petting zoo would be a disaster, and he had rented a spamel for them to take out for a ride and enjoy a picnic dinner that he had packed and waiting with the spamel.

He smiled over at Prani, "Last time I rode one of these things it threw me off. I figured if anyone can put in a good word for me with these guys it's you." Now? After everything that had just happened? He was beginning to wonder if anyone could put in a good word for him with animal kind. But it was too late to go changing the plans now, and they were going to ride that spamel and have a picnic no matter what Prani said and no matter how many times Shaw might get thrown. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani chuckled at his comment about nexu, “Only if the males are small and weak,” She said, “Sometimes they fight back and the females leave ‘em alone,” Prani explained. She was pleased that Shaw had learned to tell when she was sure about something instead of doubting her choices. This time he began to ask, but ultimately knew she was not going to change her mind about leaving. For all the ways she didn’t fit in or didn’t understand the lingo, Prani usually got right to the point often.

She tried not to think about how giddy she felt just openly holding hands with Shaw and walking around in public. Prani envisioned doing the same at the temple and could already see a bunch of glaring girls. Would Shaw still be open about it around his friends or others at the temple? She was considered the ‘weirdo’ so wouldn’t dating her hurt his popular image? Prani pushed the thought aside.

Once Shaw revealed their next journey was courtesy of spamels, Prani initially chuckled. Her smile soon faded when she realized he was serious, “What in tarnation, Shaw?!” She exclaimed, actually baffled, “It threw you off, you ain’t ever had luck with animals, and you still…” Prani took a breath, pinching the bridge of her nose, “I just can’t with you,” She began to smile, shaking her head. It began to really dawn on her how much he tailored all this to her preferences.

“You’re really amazing, ya know that?” Prani said as she looked at him with an almost dazed look. The urge to do more than just hug him was almost overwhelming as she looked at his face, but a furious blush and internal panic later she just stood there staring. Prani cleared her throat and looked away.

She stepped towards the spamel that would be his, looking into its eye. Prani stroked a hand along its head, gently soothing it. With each gentle stroke, the Force wove into the gesture, connecting to the animal’s psyche to temper it, “This fella here means a lot to me, ya hear?” She spoke to the spamel, “So I’m gonna need you to take real good care of him,” Prani said as she kept calming the animal just as she had done back on Genassa. After a moment the animal’s pupils constricted.

She stepped back and nodded for Shaw to climb on. The spamel remained perfectly still while he did so. Prani climbed her own mount, tugging on the reins to get her spamel moving. Before Shaw even had to attempt to guide his spamel, Prani snapped her fingers and simply gestured ahead. Shaw’s spamel calmly began to walk and fall into step next to Prani’s without a single fuss.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Tarnation? What was that? Now Prani was the one using words that Shaw didn't know. He just gave her an unabashed grin and shrugged. "What? I thought you would want to go spamel riding. Handler told me this morning that they're real friendly!" Of course Shaw had heard that before, moments before one of those adorable and 'friendly' little bunnies had chomped down on his hand like it was a carrot.

The teenager watched as Prani approached one of the spamels. Maybe it was best if she went on ahead of him, just in case... He lingered back and to her left, observing the way she stroked the creature, soothing it with her soft voice and gentle touch. That hadn't worked for Shaw when he had tried it back on Qatamer, but he didn't have Prani's touch either. There was just something about her that set her apart from anyone else Shaw had ever known. It was a thousand little things that he knew but wouldn't know how to put into words.

"You're the amazing one," he smiled, feeling confident enough to step up beside her now. He still didn't reach out to touch the creature though. That was what had gotten him into trouble last time. He was gonna take this one step at a time. It wouldn't do to get tossed into the lake and have to explain to Caul why his button up was wrinkled and had a weird smell. "How did you do that?"

Mounted and waving to the animal handler, Shaw would grin over at Prani. "Sooooo," he teased, "I mean a lot to you, huh?" It was incredible the way she had bonded with the spamels in just a few minutes. Shaw had a feeling his mount only tolerated him for Prani's sake, but he didn't mind. The only trouble was that he couldn't direct the mount's movements—it was following Prani's lead, not his.

Shaw cleared his throat and addressed Prani again since she was gonna have to be the ones to guide these spamels. "Uhh I stumbled upon a nice little picnic spot out running the other day. It's just up that mountain trail over there!" he pointed. "Great view of the lake from up there. You can see for miles." He squirmed in the saddle. "But it's kinda secluded." And maybe Prani wasn't comfortable with that. "So there's a real pretty spot just across the lake over there!" He pointed again. "We can get right up to the edge of the water. A lot of the padawans like to hang out there, but I don't think there will be many of them around this time of day." The choice was hers. As long as they were together he didn't care where they went. They could just eat on the spamels and keep riding for all he cared, so long as he didn't have to share any of his dinner with the spamel. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani gave a vague shrug as he asked how she swayed the spamel, “I dunno..my folks all know how to do it. Bein’ on the caravans you gotta have them animals always behavin’,” She explained. Not that it worked on Boots by any means.

When Shaw teased her about her comment to the spamel, she simply grinned, a blush rising to her face, “‘Scuse me, that was a conversation between Mustache and I, thank ya,” She said matter of factly. Mustache, Shaw’s spamel, grunted in concurrence. There was no explanation for Prani’s naming convention.

As he described the picnic spot options, Prani noticed he left the choice up to her. She fidgeted a little, pondering before she finally spoke, “Let’s go to the first spot,” She said, “If other padawans are there, it’s gonna be a string of ‘em comin’ to say hi to Mr. Popular,” Prani said with a smile as she glanced back at Shaw, “I think Ruz and his buddies do their…pretend fightin’ there..” She muttered. Ruz and a few other padawans formed the Junior Crusaders Brigade. They had been hounding Shaw to join their club ever since word got out about him going abroad for his training and facing Sith. The group met once a week at various tranquil fields to terrorize the peace of unsuspecting people by training loudly with their stun sabers and re-enacting famous battles. They fancied themselves the ‘first line of padawan defense’ for the Jedi. It was LARPing with training sabers.

Once they arrived, Prani paused to admire the view. From this elevated area, there was a small waterfall that spilled into the lake below. She slid off her spamel and tied it nearby to keep it from wandering off, doing the same for Shaw's once he hopped off Mustache.

“This is real pretty,” She said with a smile, taking a moment to just listen. She often missed the sounds of nothing but nature - the rush of water, the singing of birds, the ripple of the wind through blades of grass. Prani moved away to help Shaw set up the picnic, placing a mat down and anything else he brought.

“Is it weird bein’ around all this after Coruscant?” She asked as she looked at him, “I heard Coruscant is all buildings and cities completely,” Prani couldn’t even imagine such a planet, “I heard you can’t even see the sky from there.”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Mustache? Shaw peered around, trying to catch a glimpse of the spamel's— or he guessed Mustache's—face. He didn't see a mustache or anything resembling a mustache, so he wasn't sure how Prani had come up with the name, but who was he to question the ways of the animal whisperer?

The view was just as spectacular as Shaw had remembered it. A nice little clearing with lots of green grass and a winding waterfall. You could see across the lake and the canopy of trees on the other side that stretched for miles. "Peaceful here, isn't it?" he smiled, staring out at the lake below before glancing over at her to make sure she approved. "I fell asleep over there by the waterfall the other day. Ended up late to class."

While Prani admired the view, Shaw started unloading the leather pack sack thrown across the back of Mustache. "It is," he answered her question honestly, "Especially at first. But it's a lot of fun getting to travel. I've gotten to see so many different places since joining the order. Got to sink my hands in the sand, got to see the ocean for the first time. I've climbed a tree!" And discovered that he was actually pretty great at climbing trees for a guy that had never climbed a tree a day in his life back on Coruscant.

He grinned over at her, inclining his head toward the mounts. "Nature's growing on me. Just not sure it's taken to me quite yet." He didn't know the first thing about surviving out in nature or anything like that. If it hadn't been for Master Valtiere's culinary talents Shaw probably would have starved to death on Cularin.

"Hope you're hungry! I know I threw a blanket in here," he muttered to himself, digging around in the pack for the blanket that he had accidentally left back in his mess of a dorm room. Looks like they would be eating on the grass. Shaw pulled out sandwiches stuffed with lots of meats and cheeses and a bag of trail mix and a bowl of baked beans. It was truly an odd assortment, but it was what he could get his hands on. And the pièce de résistance? A big bag of mixed veggies that he had chopped up himself, which was why none of them were even remotely the same size or evenly cut. "I know how you like your veggies!" he grinned. There were no napkins and no silverware. Shaw scratched his head, not sure how they were gonna tackle the baked beans without silverware. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani smirked, “Yeah, but I bet it was the best nap ya ever had,” She said. There was nothing better than falling asleep under the stars or to the sound of a waterfall. Prani’s mind drifted to lying on the back of a wagon and tracing constellations in the sky with her little sister. She wondered how Shaw’s sister would have enjoyed visiting sights like these but kept from asking. She knew it was a painful topic for him.

As he rattled off all the places he had traveled, Prani’s eyes widened, “You’re so lucky!” She exclaimed, “I ain’t ever seen the ocean before,” She admitted sheepishly. She had seen countless forests and lakes, but never the ocean or the beach, “It’s a dream of mine,” Prani said, “I’d love to collect shells and bring ‘em back. Make earrings or bracelets with ‘em.”

Prani wasn’t too fussed about a blanket, entirely accustomed to sitting on the grass. She looked at the assortment of food, already ruling out the meat sandwiches. The baked beans and everything else looked perfectly fine. When she spotted the bag of veggies, Prani smiled as she realized he had taken the time to cut it all, “Thanks, Shaw!” She said cheerfully, “I know me bein’ a vegetarian limits some options..” She muttered, clueless that Shaw didn’t know about her eating habits.

Prani wasn’t surprised Shaw forgot essentials like silverware, the blanket, or napkins after the barbeque. Fortunately, she was extremely easygoing. She grabbed a carrot and dipped it into the baked beans to scoop some before taking a bite, shrugging, “Now this here is a solid dip,” Prani said with a grin, solving the baked beans issue her own way.

“You really put a lot of thought into this,” She said, smiling fondly at him, “I ain’t…ever had anyone do anythin’ like this for me before,” Prani said, that familiar blush rising to her face, “I feel spoiled,” She giggled, “You know you ain’t gotta do all this for me. I always like just hangin’ out with you for you.”

Prani looked away, “While I can anyway…I know you’re gonna leave again..” She trailed off. The thought bothered her significantly more than last time.

@throwitintothefire