lucetilogs | A short time ago, in a farm-house not so far away...

Who: The Skywalker Family, immediate and extended and any close friends.
What: An evening with the family
When: August 4th
Where: Skywalker Ranch...or...something
Summary: Luke and Ami bring everyone over for a Sunday thing.
Rating: H is for Heartwarming

It's a bit of a monthly tradition, and has been for some time. The first Sunday of every month is the day the entire family gets together for an afternoon and has a nice dinner. Some might call the family a bit old fashioned, but it's just something that they do and have for as long as any of them can recall. It's never a fancy thing, but then does it really need to be? It's about the warm, fuzzy feeling of being surrounded by relatives and friends, sitting out on the porch and watching fireflies, and relaxing.

Food's been left to the people who can actually cook, because let's face it: Luke takes after his mother and Grandma Padme was not known for her fried chicken. But there's plenty of it. Chairs are set up on the large back porch so the weather can be enjoyed and tea along with a cooler of glass-bottled Coca-Colas, a bit of a splurge for the end of summer.

Everything's set to be a fairly nice afternoon and evening, provided the mosquitoes aren't too bad anyway.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Chouji always likes having both of his siblings around for the day. He sees plenty of Luke, but never quite as much of his sister. So when he finds her working in the kitchen, Chouji grins.

"Hey, Trish! Are you all set in here, or would you like another hand or two?" Chouji is in comfortable clothes he doesn't mind getting a little bit dirty. Upstairs, his clothes for the dance are laid across the bed, but for now, he can focus on his family. And of all the ways for a family to gather, meals are always Chouji's favorite.

"If you don't mind peeling a few potatoes, I could use another hand. After that, I think we're just about set." Trisha greets her younger brother with an open smile, moving aside to clear some counter space for him. Said potatoes are a small pile near the stove, with a cutting board and peeler at the ready. Trisha herself is still stirring various pots and pans on the stove, sorting things out.

"How was school today? Learn anything exciting?" It's always strange to think of Chouji still in school; she and Luke were older when he was born, a surprise addition to the family, and it's always made Trisha a little more likely to dote on her younger brother, taking an active interest in his life.

Nodding, Chouji starts in on the potatoes immediately, moving to the counter she's cleared. "Anything to throw on the grill today, or are we sticking to the kitchen today?" The weather is nice, either way.

...And Chouji makes the usual face that comes with questions about his classwork. He sometimes feels a little bad he hasn't done better in school over the years, but at least he's made more of an effort lately. "School's going alright so far. I like my history teacher, at least." He ducks his head, knowing Trisha is involved enough to realize that said teacher is also football coach and father to Chouji's girlfriend. He'd better like Coach Rogers. Things would be a lot more complicated otherwise.

"All in the kitchen today, unless someone suddenly gets a craving for something grilled...in that case, I suppose we'd try to accommodate, of course. We are eating outside, however. It's too nice to stay cooped up, don't you think?" Besides, Luke had already set up chairs out there and everything. It's be a shame to let that hard work go to waste.

Trisha has to bite back a laugh at that expression. She admittedly was only average in her school years, as well, despite being friends with a number of prodigies. After high school, she'd planned to work on the farm until marriage - and that had been exactly how things had gone. She gave credit to Hohenheim entirely for Edward's rather precocious intelligence. "Well, that's good. Does that mean football is going well, too...?

Chouji laughs. "Well, I frequently do, but I think I'm fine with what's being made already. It all smells wonderful."

Nodding, Chouji tells her what she already knows, "That's always come easier than classwork, Trish. I've been a little more focused on football lately than class, too." Football and work on the farm just hold his interest better. As for what else he's been focused on, a very slight blush is the only hint Trisha gets about that at this point. He's looking forward to taking Prim to the dance tonight.

"Oh? Is there an important match coming up?" Trisha tries to keep up with the schedule and never misses a game, but...well, she always likes to ask, too. "Honestly, classwork never came that easily to me, either. At least...I always preferred coming back to the farm. Perhaps there's just something about the farm that's calming to Skywalkers?"

"Homecoming dances usually do come along with homecoming games. Sasuke and our coaches have been pushing the team pretty hard."

But when she moves on to musing about the farm, Chouji nods in immediate understanding. "There probably is. It's always nice to come back to the farm at the end of the day, and I don't mind the work, even when I'm out in the fields before I'd actually like to be out of bed." Shrugging, he finishes simply, "It's home."

"Are you going to be playing first off?" By which she means are you a starter for this, baby brother?

"It is. I miss it, sometimes, but...well, growing up and moving away is something that happens, I suppose." And she had a family of her own, now. Even if her brothers would always remain a part of her family, too.

Chouji knows exactly what she's getting at, and he grins as he gets to give her the good answer to this question. "Yeah, I'm starting." He may not play the position that gets the most glory on the field; that goes to the people who actually score the points, while Chouji has always rotated between offensive and defensive guard and tackle. Still, he is very firmly settled in the starting lineup this year, and it's always a nice place to be.

"It is. And you're happy where you are, right?" She'd better be. Chouji wants his sister happy. The question doesn't really need asking, though, when he can already tell she is.

"Good! We'll have to have a little celebration, don't you think?" Of course, even if he doesn't think so, it's probably happening...at the very least a nice dinner, perhaps some dessert...

"I am." Trisha half-turns, shooting a look out of the kitchen door. She can't see her husband or either of her children from here, but she can picture them easily. Hohenheim speaking to Luke about some project or another in serious tones. Edward and Artemis speaking to Arya, perhaps, teasing her or being teased in turn... "But then, you knew that."

"If the celebration involves your cooking, Trish, how could I possibly say no?" He wouldn't refuse even if it didn't, but Chouji's sister knows well enough that the way to his heart is through his stomach.

A grin spreads across his face at way her gaze immediately moves toward the door, looking for her family. More than anything she'd say, the fact that Trisha looks for her husband and children instinctively when asked if she's happy is evidence that she is. "I did. It's always nice to hear, though."

"In that case, I'll take that as a yes and start planning." Trisha grins, cheerfully.

"I'm glad. ...That all of us are happy, I mean. I'm sure our parents would be proud of us, now."

A short time ago, in a farm-house not so far away...

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