SEEING SPIDER MAN NO WAY HOME TOMORROW NIGHT BESTIES WHOJOSJSJSNSK

—

"You're going to wear that?" Ayra asks, stark white markings above her eyes shooting up.

Ahsoka almost glares at her but is able to restrain herself as she pulls the sweatshirt more tightly around herself, cuffs hanging over her hands. Anakin had used to roll them up for her when she'd worn his clothes to school, but now she likes them like this.

"Yes," she says blankly, squatting down to tie her shoe. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"No," Ayra replies with a forced laugh, "I just... thought you might wear something a bit more formal. It's a more expensive place and, though I know you like to wear your dad's clothes, they're just..."

Ahsoka narrows her eyes.

"Just what?"

"Well," Ayra steps forward to brush her hands over the girl's shoulders, picking off pill balls in the process. She holds them in front of her daughter's face. "Cheap."

Ahsoka's blood boils.

"Who cares if you're richer than him?"

"That's not what I—"

"Mom, that's the definition of cheap. Don't talk about him like he's... inferior to you."

"Ahsoka—"

"I'll be in the speeder," she mutters, storming out of the apartment and slamming the door behind herself.

Ayra sighs and deposits the pill balls into the garbage can in the closet at the end of the hall.

There's tension throughout the entirety of the lunch date. Ahsoka can feel it. She knows that her mother can too because she hasn't stopped trying to impress her since they'd sat down. It's her way of trying to win her over when she knows that Ahsoka absolutely prefers Anakin to her right now. And most of the time.

Ayra clears her throat, preparing to make herself louder than the squeak of Ahsoka's fork against her plate.

"I have a surprise for you," she says.

Ahsoka drums her fingers on the clear, glass table.

"What is it?"

Ayra clasps her hands together, resting her elbows on the table before propping her chin up on her knuckles. She leans forward, waggling her eyebrow markings excitedly.

"Your dad told me about the bike race you wanted to see for your birthday." She reaches into her pocket. Ahsoka's eyes follow her red hand until it's holding three pieces of paper out in front of her. "And he said that he was planning on getting you something else, so I got you the tickets. Surprise!"

"Holy..." Ahsoka whistles gently pulling the tickets from her mother's hand. "Three? Thank you!" she cries, standing up from her seat and running around the outside of the table to crush her mom in a hug. "Dad can come too," she exclaims as she pulls back.

The grin that had graced Ayra's face just moments before falters slightly.

"Well, I got an extra because I figured that you would want to bring a friend with you," she laughs nervously.

"Oh, well, that's okay; I'd like to bring dad instead."

"But it's for your birthday," Ayra begins to argue. "You should invite someone who you want to go with you, not just your dad because he's family. I don't want you to feel obligated—"

"I do not feel obligated," Ahsoka interrupts through gritted teeth. "You're right—it's my birthday. And the person who I want to spend my day with is Dad."

"I understand that, honey, but can't you see how that might be a little bit... difficult if he and I are both there with you?"

Ahsoka scoffs, rolling her eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Ahsoka—"

"Okay, well did you get me tickets for my birthday, for me to use because you know how much I would enjoy seeing a race, or did you get them to show your ex-boyfriend up?"

Ayra narrows her eyes, shaking her head. Just as she opens her mouth to retort, Ahsoka beats her to it.

"I didn't ask to be in the middle of all this. Dad makes sure that I don't feel like I am. He encourages me to spend equal amounts of time with you both, but then there's you who just wants me all to yourself and to make him look bad to me."

By now, Ayra's glare has gone from frustrated to angry. She holds up a finger before Ahsoka can continue, expression hard as stone.

"You have no right to talk to me that way," she says, absolutely livid. "I love you. I only want what's best for you, and you know that—"

"I'm done," Ahsoka mutters, shaking her head. She's out of the restaurant in less than a minute.

—

"Hey."

"Hey?"

"Are you busy?" Ahsoka asks.

"Uh, not really. I was just on my way home from the gas station. Is something wrong?"

She shrugs her shoulders, then chokes on a laugh at her own stupidity—he can't see her.

"Not really. My mom and I are just fighting again and I thought maybe you could pick me up and bring me back to her apartment? I just need some space from her right now. Figured I could just lock myself in my room all day once she gets back."

"You're back on topside?"

"Yes," she says blankly. "Did you not notice that I was gone all last week? You know I'm here every other."

"Yes, you're very forgettable," her friend replies dryly. "I just didn't know when you got here."

"Last night. Now, can I please get a yes or no on the driving situation? She's gonna come looking for me soon and you're my only friend who—"

"I'm your only friend?" he teases. She can practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"—can drive."

"Well, I'll come pick you up if you tell me where you are, idiot."

"That... glassy... diner... place thing by the salon."

"Sorry, that address didn't come up on my chart."

She rolls her eyes at the sound of his muffled laughter.

"The fancy, rich people place. You know what I mean."

"Sure. Be there in five."

She turns off the comm, crossing her arms over her chest as her lekku swing in the breeze. She hopes Ayra leaves her be for a little while. Sometimes she does, when she knows that she needs to cool off. Usually she doesn't.

Soon enough, a familiar voice is calling,

"I heard someone needed a ride? Specifically one with a very good looking driver?"

"Yeah, well, let me know when he gets here," she sighs as she hoists herself up into the speeder, her friend's hand hovering over her arm in case she needs help.

"So... just to your mom's place?" he asks. "Or do you want to do something else to take your mind off of what happened—which you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, of course."

She smiles.

"I like the way you're thinking. Got any places in mind?"

"Ice cream. My treat. What do you say?"

"Well, seeing as you still owe your parents about four-hundred credits for that crash you got into last month, I'll pay," she replies with a smirk.

"You know that that wasn't my fault," he says, rolling his eyes, one of them still black and blue from the accident. "But I think it's probably better if you pay too."

Ahsoka shakes her head, biting back a grin. She doesn't know why she keeps him around.

"Alright, Nyx," she laughs, putting her feet up on the dashboard. He pushes them off with an offended yelp. "Let's go."

—

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