A Home Is A Home

[Alric Kuhn]

Something seemed to be missing.

At first he couldn't quite tell what it was, at first he was completely clueless in fact. Yet as he moved behind his desk and focused, as he looked about his office and bedroom, he realized that the thing missing was likely the most important item in here.

His couch.

For the past few months, since Silara had left him and he had returned to be with his girls, Alric had slept almost exclusively on the small plush couch that sat within his office. He had occasionally slept in a hotel when off world, yet the couch has essentially been his bed for more nights than he could possible count. The problem was that couch now seemed to be gone. Not just broken, but entirely gone.

"Alice." Alric pressed the button for his intercom, calling on one of his secretaries. He and the people working here on Byblos had an agreement, they didn't touch his office, and he provided them with excellent jobs. Apparently that agreement had been broken. "Where is my couch."

There was a brief delay.

"Miss Arceneau came by and removed it, sir."

For a moment he paused, then reached over and pressed the button again. "I see."

Alric released the button and let out a curse. Of course it was her. No one else would have dared, his daughters didn't know about his habitation and even they likely would have talked to him about it first. It could really only have been her. His lips thinned and he once again pressed the button.

"Could you please contact Miss Arceneau and get her to my office." His voice was calm, even, but there was a hint of rage to it. "Now."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Miss Arceneau?" the low and polite interruption came just to the right of Danger's seat. She was at the little corner restaurant Alric had taken her to lunch to not so long ago. Third floor, right beside the vast glassteel viewport. It was an exquisite summer day, lightly breezy, without a single cloud or smog cover in sight.

Taking a sip of tea, Danger rested the cup on her saucer. She wore a simple black dress, modest by most standards save with the way that it would hug her full curves. On her head was, yet again, another wide brimmed straw hat with a black ribbon wrapped around the base, tied in a wide bow.

What was it about women and large hats as they aged? Maybe it was because there was a distinct lack of 'I don't give a damn.'

As it was, bright red lips would curve upwards in greeting to Maidera, the waitress who had served her. She had this small thrum of worry about her that would make one wonder if there was something wrong.

"Yes?" she would ask, blinking in curiousity. The waitress would shift on her feet, "There is someone here to --"

"Miss Arceneau." a far more cultured voice would join that of Maidera, drawing Danger's attention. Swiveling her head, bright wide green eyes would pan over to the newest arrival. Ahh...

"Miz Chantai," Danger's smile grew wider in cordial pleasantry. It was the Zeltron receptionist of Vanir Technologies. The one who had issued her the key.

"A surprise to see you... take it you are here for lunch?" unlikely, but there was devilry in the Queen of Trade's eyes. A mischief that was likely to rub the Zeltron woman the wrong way.

"Cee Eee Oh Kuhn would like a word with you." Her tone was brisk, and if she didn't know better, Danger would say she practically had her feathers ruffled.

"Does he, now?" the corner of her mouth would curve up wider. She couldn't help the slight sense of smugness in her pose, her fingers delicately extending to take her cup of tea in her hand again.

"He would like you to come to his office." Chantai added, her fingers interlocking in front of her person as if she was clenching a napkin.

The delicate rim of the tea cup met Danger's smirking lips.

Oh I bet he does.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric paced around his room.

Of course he could really just get another couch. The Couch didn't matter at all in fact, but it was the principal of the thing, it was the point of the matter. She had taken his couch, and that meant that she had an agenda and a principle. Alric frowned slightly, his hand closing into a fist and cracking slightly as he pressed his fingers against the edge of his deck. He looked down at the desk another time, eyes shifting slightly as he looked out the window.

"Sir."

Alric looked back towards the intercom, pressing in the button. "Yes?"

"Sir. It doesn't seem she is coming up."

His lips thinned, and then his body shifted. No, of course she wasn't. The point of all of this was she was trying to get him out of his office, she was trying to push him into doing what she wanted. There wasn't really a surprise in that. He let out a loud sigh, then pressed in the intercom again and spoke once more. "Where is she?"

The Secretary told him, and his eyes rolled.

Without any further hesitation Alric pulled the jacket off of his chair and headed out the door.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Ten minutes. Fifteen tops.

Miz Chantai was not amused. Not amused t'all. It was clear as day that Danger wasn't getting up from her perch. She had yet to finish her tea!

The Zeltron left in a terse huff much to the apologetic murmur of Maidera, who would ask if she would like another cup of tea?

"That would be delightful, Maidera." she'd smile with a sunny disposition, as if she had not just fanned the flames of a pyre the hour prior. Oh she knew what she was doing. She also had an inkling how Alric would take it. Time may have separated them, but some instances would hold true regardless. She wouldn't have done this earlier; wasn't the right time. Yet with as many months had gone passed, it was a wonder just what the Tetan was thinking!

Ain't doing no one any good to be a hermit up in his office like so, sleeping on a couch like a man thrown out of his house and home. Oh she still didn't know the entire story; likely will never hear it unless Alric saw fit to tell her. There was still pain in his gaze, sorrow in his expression from time to time. Whatever it was hurt deep and struck true. Love, like pain, should be private unless one wants to share it.

So there she sat, poised as if without nary a care in the world -- save for that slight sense of satisfaction. Alric was becoming more and more of his old self, and in that old self there were echoes on what she figured he'd do based on the circumstances. It was a gamble, but life was a gamble. And what was life without a little risk?

Either way, a little nudge was all it was.

Though it was the first time she'd ever held a couch of all things to bait a man. Just before Maidera would depart, Danger would lift a finger to gain her attention.

"Oh, and two glasses of water please."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He didn't care anymore, or rather, he didn't really care to begin with. The couch wasn't really a breaking point, it wasn't even really half of the point. It was the principal of the matter, the fact that she came into his house and dared to take the place he was most comfortable at.

Of course, she was probably right.

Where he was living now as unhealthy and probably not entirely sanitary, but it was the place where he lived. He frowned slightly and zipped up his jacket, walking out of his building with his back stiff and his face scowling. He knew where she was, he knew where she would be. It helped of course that the secretary had told him, but even without that in the back of his head he knew exactly where she would be waiting for him. Quickly Alric stomped down the street.

Most people moved out of his way, more than a few looked at him as though he were crazy. Yet Alric quickly found himself stepping into the restaurant where a few months ago he and Danger had shared their first lunch in decades. His voice was a growl as the hostess asked him if he wanted a seat, and he quickly stomped his way up the stairs.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

A casual glance would check her chronowatch.

About nine minutes. Hmm... well it was quite a ride down the turbolift, Danger would muse with cheeky smile. And he had bad knees.

A half snort escaped, the cup of tea rising up to her mouth. Ahh, that was good.

There were two glasses of ice water on her white lace covered table. One sat opposite of her, the other was just by her teacup saucer at her right. She had also ordered some finger foods, sweet meats, and a variety of cheeses and crackers to snack on. There was also a small platter of freshly baked goods, with Alderaanian cream, jam, jellies, and savory spreads.

Really, she appeared the perfect picture of a woman enjoying a light lunch as she awaited the presence of another. When the sound of stomping footfalls foretold the arrival a rather vexed Tetan, Alric would be the first to see Danger as his line of sight would befall her.

There she was, at the far end of the room, where she sat alone facing the stairwell of course. Likely to be the first to see the results of her actions live.

And oh, would he ever be granted the perfect vision of one Miz Danger Arceneau, sipping her tea... with the most self-satisfied smile set on crimson lips.

Then came her coo.

"Ahh, Alric... hungry? I ordered us brunch."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He stared at the food on the table. "So kind of you, Danger."

For a brief moment Alric considered flipping the table over, but then he thought that might have been a tad melodramatic, especially considering that he wasn't really all that mad, yet the thought was an amusing one. Instead he simply sat himself down in front of Danger, wearing a rather grumpy face that told Danger he was none too pleased with her.

"I wish I had something comfortable to sit on while eating it." His voice was calm, but there was a bite to it. "Maybe something like a recliner, or maybe a couch."

Alric eyed the woman, then looked down at the food.

It was a proper assortment of goodies and goods that normally would have looked quite delicious, yet right now, he was simply too annoyed to eating anything or even consider doing so. Alric wanted his damn couch back.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger's brows rose innocently in mock shock, her mouth forming into an 'o' of surprise at his audacity.

"Alric!" she'd whisper over her steaming cup of tea. "You'll make Maidera feel horrible if she thought your chair wasn't comfortable enough for you to enjoy you meal."

Ohhh I'm sooo loving this. Her eyes were a vibrant green under the wide brim of her hat. They would latch upon the former Titan with devilish amusement one could just feel radiate off of her. Oh, this was good. In fact, this was better than she expected.

"Besides... one doesn't eat at the table with a couch... " she set down her tea cup upon her saucer, delicately reaching over to take a small muffin.

"Everything has their place -- and specific purpose. Like a chair for the dinner table. A teacup for tea." pause for dramatic effect.

"Or an apartment to live in."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric frowned for a moment.

"Yes, conventionally I would agree with you, Danger." Alric said in a biting tone, his voice soured as he slowly picked up a small piece of bread from the table and cut it into two slices. He gently began to scrape butter along the edge of the bread, folding it in on itself and then putting it down on the plate in front of him. "However, If you recall."

He looked up at the waitress for a moment, then shifted his gaze back towards Danger. "I don't have an apartment."

Or rather, he didn't live in one. In actual fact Alric owned many apartments, in fact he probably owned more than Danger. Not to mention that he also owned an entire construction company and could build an apartment for himself on probably every single world that he visited without having any issue at all.

"So you see my problem." Alric said in that same tone. "I need a place to eat after all."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"All the more better for you to acquire one..." she shined him such a delightful smile, but the devilry in her verdant eyes was not to be missed. "Reckon an apartment would have a dining table and seating for you to enjoy a meal in the comfort of your home and out of the office... and yes... it would even have a couch." Her attention swung over to the obviously uncomfortable waitress. Bless her, she was doing her best to keep a chin up and do her job. Wonderful customer service.

Danger gave her a genuine smile.

"Thank you, Maidera... everything is wonderful. Right, Alric?" Danger's eyes would flick over to him, knowing he wouldn't deny that Maidera was doing her best. His issues were with one particular redhead, not the restaurant staff.

The muffin came to her lips and she took a rather generous bite. Oh he was not happy. It was there painted upon his face, the irritation and vexation.

Smile!

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Indeed it is." Alric said to the waitress, his eyes shifting slightly. "Would you mind leaving us alone? This is a rather private conversation after all."

The Waitress nodded, her eyes bugged out of her head and her face still contained that odd look of curiosity but also fear. Not fear of them of course, but of the situation. The two of them were powerful business figures, and Alric came to this restaurant often, that had implications the waitress likely didn't want to think about. Slowly the woman walked away, and Alric turned his attention back to Danger.

"I don't want an Apartment." He said as if it was a finality.

The truth was, he didn't.

There was still a stigma in his mind to sleeping in a bed, a small puncture that ate away at him. The idea of living in a home...it didn't do well for him. Even during the few nights he had spent On Empress Teta with Lily, it had never been right to be there. The bed had been all wrong, and Alric had hardly ever slept. It hadn't felt right.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

So it begins...

Danger took her butterknife and scooped up a bit of mujaberry jam. Carefully, she would spread it on top of her warm muffin with practiced delicacy. This was going to be the hard part. She knew it going in. He could get difficult when he put his mind to it; more stubborn than a bantha digging their heels into the sand. But this would serve a larger purpose. A greater purpose.

He couldn't hermit himself away in his office forever. That just wasn't living.

"You need one." She said simply, glancing back at Alric with a much calmer and genuine demeanor.

"An office is not a home."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Fine." Alric said in a voice that sounded very much like that of a petulant child.

The Former Titan looked at his friend, purpose in his eyes and divine glory sparking within his very soul. He was on a mission, on a warpath, something that he had found himself on before when it came to Danger. It was when he was within this mood that he had visited Tatooine, that he had come after her with ire in his heart. He did not become this way often, but when he did, Alric didn't always carefully plan things out. Instead he simply went with the first thing that came to mind.

"Then if I need an apartment so bad I guess you won't mind if I stay with you." His voice was completely flat, neutral, and serious. "I mean, I do need a place to live after all."

No hint of amusement. "And you have many couches."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Good -- What?"

It was the later part that made Danger give an exclamation of surprise. Her muffin froze mid flight to her mouth again and she gave a double take. Danger's mouth parted slightly in shock, so much that her expression went blank. It was as if Alric had suddenly sprouted two heads.

The slight twitch of a vein by his jaw relayed a steely determination. The glint in his blue eyes revealing he was pressing the gas and accelerating at full speed.

The tables would turn.

"On Tatooine?" she would ask incredulously, setting her muffin down on her plate. She drew back, back stiffening. He couldn't be serious. There was no way he was serious.

"Don't be ridiculous, you hate Tatooine."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric shrugged.

He was on a warpath now. It was the same warpath that he had been on the first time he came to Tatooine, and apparently it would bring him right back to it. Yet in the back of his head, it didn't matter. Danger had crossed a line, so he would cross two, or three, or better yet, all of them. Likely somewhere the Titan knew that this was stupid and childish, but everyone deserved a chance to be stupid and childish every now and again, and Alric's change was now.

"Well you know what they say, beggars can't be choosers." Again, his tone was flat. "Glad we've had this talk though, I'll grab my stuff and meet you on Tatooine."

With that Alric stood from the table, gave Danger a small pat on her shoulder, and once again headed out the door. He left no time for Danger to question him further, or for her to say anything. No, this was already decided, and it was all because she took his couch.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Her jaw dropped.

Danger gave a half sputter, setting down her butterknife as [member="Alric Kuhn"] went drifting past her. Her head would follow him, gaping at him as she finally found her words.

"That ain't what I meant, and you damn well know it!" gone was the posh Miz Arceneau, her voice betraying her roots as the inflection of her voice took on a heavier twang. Not to mention the curse that followed. She had started out in control of the situation and now it was spiraling out of control.

He wouldn't dare. There was no way.

Her lips went pursing together, twisting in growing irritation at the blasted man. Down her napkin went in a crumpled ball upon the table.

"You want that blasted couch, best you find yourself a flat outside of work!" chest heaving, she was a rather amusing glorious sight, but her words were likely to fall on deaf ears.

He was gone before she even finished.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

It was a only a day later that Alric found himself sitting on his ship, a suitcase in front of him, a backpack beside him, and a desk strapped into the corner of the room.

The yacht that he sat in was the one he had always had, an ancient Lambda-Class Shuttle that had been refitted and repaired more times than he could count. It worked well and had served Alric for more than a few decades, never breaking down and never causing him any problems. Today it would deliver him to his new home. He was lucky to have an eidetic memory, being capable of remembering the smallest events from years ago at a whim. It allowed him to do what he was doing now.

The pilot sent a ping back towards him, and Alric smiled.

Slowly the former Titan reached over to his command console, a smug look on his face and righteous satisfaction burning within his heart. Without hesitation he depressed a small button on the console in front of him, dialing the holo-frequency almost immediately and calling Danger. "Ooooh Roomie, I'm here to move my stuff in."

He smirked.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

​

​

T A T O O I N E​

Jundland Wastes
Arceneau Stronghold


Danger could count on her hand just how many outside of those stationed at the Stronghold knew how to get to it. The Jundland Wastes were already a treacherous place, much the less with the natural ore that made navigation and long distance transmissions pass through. This wasn't even including the fact that her landscape was constantly changing; by the sandstorms, by the wind, and by whatever have you.

So the fact that [member="Alric Kuhn"] 's smug voice would sing from the short distance comm in Danger's living room -- well, was a rather startling discovery. Granted, Alric likely hadn't considered the fact that as one of the most heavily defended strongholds besides Arceneau Headquarters, it also meant that his abrupt visit would swivel high powered turrets ready to rip that Lamba right out of the sky.

"Gorram you.." the curse came ripping out of her mouth, savage and highly irritated at the fact that the devil had called her bluff.

"DON'T SHOOT THE KARKING BASTARD," she'd command, her brisk walk taking her straight out towards the wide balcony carved out of the cliffs.

The wind made her hair whip around her face, but there was no missing the amount of fire that rang through her body at having Alric here. She hadn't believed him. He wouldn't.

He was just out to make a point.

Her brows went furrowing into a heavy scowl, and her right hand would shove the black box of the comm right by her mouth.


"Give me one bloody good reason why I shouldn't shoot you out of the gorram karkin' sky?!"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He yawned very pointedly into the comm.

"Listen, Danger." There was no lack of smug in his tone either. "You're the one who said I needed a place to live. You're the one who took my couch. You're the one who said I should find a bed."

That was all true, though of course Danger had never meant for him to do this, had likely not expected that he would do something like this. Admittedly it was a tiny bit of an overreaction, but then again Alric had a tendency to overreact to things, something that Danger should know very well by now. "What better place to live than with you?"

More than a little amusement rang through his tone.

This was all rather comical in a way, though both of them were hardly amused right now. Alric was still on his mission of vengeance for his couch, and Danger was very quickly remembering that Alric liked pushing buttons. Especially hers.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Her eyes lanced emerald fire at the Lamda, feeling heat rush up her chest and to settle on her cheeks in increasing vexation. That glower on her face deepened and her lips drew thin. Around her, several of her employees and desert guardsmen were watching the entire scene with a mix of curious and confused expressions. There were a couple of nods over towards Danger, a few fingers gesturing up to the sky.

Ain't no on else besides the boss lady ever come up to the Stronghold; much the less another find the place. [member="Alric Kuhn"] was very lucky he did not get shot down on the spot.

"You know damn well exactly what I meant, Kuhn," she was reverting to his last name, this time with a bit more bite. One could gauge just how riled up she was based on the level of emphasis she'd drawl out a surname.

She was probably clocking in at about a seven.

"Don't give me that hogwash about setting down camp here. We both know you're talkin' out of your ass."

She said it without thinking. Challenges were .. not the best way to get Alric Kuhn to back down.