Private A Night to Linger

[Iandre Athlea]

There was nothing particularly unfamiliar about seeing Judah Dashiell dressed formally.

Iandre had seen him in settings that demanded considerably more polish than either of them normally bothered with, just as he had seen her dressed for occasions where uniforms, armor, and practical clothing were inappropriate. The difference tonight wasn't what either of them wore. It was that there was no diplomatic obligation waiting at the end of the journey, no formal gathering they happened to be attending at the same time, and no responsibility requiring either of them to maintain appearances.

They were simply going to a concert together, and she found she rather liked the difference.

Accepting Judah's offer of a room while she visited the Corporate Sector had seemed considerably more sensible than arranging accommodations elsewhere. It also meant that preparing for the evening had possessed an unexpectedly domestic quality. Her belongings had found a temporary place in his home; she'd disappeared into the guest room to get ready, and somewhere beyond the closed door was the man she was dating, doing precisely the same thing. There was nothing really too special about any of it, which perhaps explained why Iandre had noticed it at all. Nine centuries of upheaval had given ordinary moments a value she hadn't always appreciated when she was younger.

She had chosen a long gown in a deep green, elegant without being excessively elaborate, with understated gold jewelry and her dark hair arranged away from her face before falling behind her shoulders. Her lightsaber remained with the rest of her belongings in the guest room. Leaving it behind still required a conscious decision after a lifetime of carrying one, but she could think of few places where she was less likely to need it than an orchestra hall while being accompanied by Judah.

Satisfied, Iandre left the guest room and went to find him.

The smile that appeared when she did was immediate. She had seen Judah formally dressed before, but there was something subtly different about being able to appreciate the sight without a political gathering or other obligation competing for her attention. Her grey eyes passed over him for a moment before meeting his again, making little effort to disguise her approval.

"You look very handsome."

There was an ease to the compliment that hadn't existed during their earliest meetings. Iandre no longer needed to wonder whether showing her interest might be mistaken for something it wasn't, and she rather enjoyed having the freedom to simply appreciate the man standing before her. She approached him, smoothing an entirely unnecessary wrinkle from her gown before giving him another warm smile.

The concert itself had been enough to interest her without knowing precisely what they would hear. Music was one of those peculiar threads that could survive centuries while continually becoming something new, and Iandre was curious about what an orchestra in this era would sound like when she had nothing else demanding her attention. More than that, she was looking forward to spending another evening with Judah somewhere neither of them was expected to accomplish anything.

She moved to join him as they prepared to leave, her expression warming as she looked up at him.

"I'm looking forward to this." A slight smile followed. "Lead the way."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

It was odd having someone actually stay over at his home.

On property in a guest house? Relatively normal. Beyond his grandchildren no one had taken up space in any of the guest rooms since he had moved in. Even prior, it was rare to have someone in his space. Possibly due to a lack of friends but he wasn't going to examine that portion of his life too closely right now.

With three separate wings of the estate, he had drifted back to wait in the center living area, leaning against the couch. It was simpler to get dressed on his end - throw on a black tux, bowtie, and some shiny black shoes and he was ready. A little too formal if you asked him but the opera demanded it, especially on a place such as this, the Isle of N'van. A corporate retreat tucked away on a agricultural world was odd but it also made sense.

Looking up as Iandre Athlea entered, Judah laughed as her eyes raked over him. Shaking his head, he pushed off the couch to greet her. Risking messing up some of her makeup, he leaned in for a quick kiss, hoping there was no lipstick transfer.

"You look great yourself. I think green is your color. " Offering his arm, they already had a speeder waiting outside. "I still havent fully explored this island so its going to be an adventure for both of us."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre's smile lingered after the kiss, her eyes briefly following Judah as he drew away. There wasn't any lipstick for him to worry about. She had never developed much of a habit for cosmetics, and tonight hadn't seemed reason enough to begin. Beyond making certain her hair was arranged properly and choosing a few understated pieces of jewelry to complement the dark green gown, she'd largely left herself alone.

"Thank you." Her gaze dropped briefly toward the dress before returning to him. "I suppose I'll have to remember that the next time an occasion requires something considerably more formal than my usual attire."

The compliment pleased her more than she intended to analyze. Perhaps because it came from Judah, or perhaps because standing here with him felt different from the other occasions when she'd dressed this formally. Whatever the reason, there was a warmth to the moment that remained with her as he offered his arm, and Iandre slipped hers through it naturally.

She had been a little uncertain what staying beneath the same roof would feel like when he'd first offered her one of the guest rooms. Not uncomfortable, exactly, but new. Their relationship was still young enough that she remained aware of some of the little thresholds they crossed along the way, and staying at his home rather than arranging accommodations elsewhere had been one of them. There was an intimacy to sharing someone's ordinary space that had little to do with which room she slept in. She saw the places Judah settled when there was nowhere he needed to be, the rhythms of the home he'd chosen for himself, and pieces of his life that didn't ordinarily accompany him when they met somewhere else.

So far, Iandre rather liked being included in them.

His admission that he hadn't fully explored the island drew a quiet laugh from her as they started toward the waiting speeder. "Then it really will be an adventure for both of us." She glanced toward him, her smile carrying the quiet pleasure she felt at the prospect. "I like that. Neither of us knows what we're going to find."

Once outside, Iandre took in what she could see of the estate and the surrounding island. She'd seen pieces of Ban-Satir II since arriving, but there was still something appealing about knowing Judah hadn't already exhausted every corner of the place before bringing her here. Whatever they discovered beyond the parts of the island he'd already seen would become a shared experience rather than one of them simply showing the other around.

There was something rather nice about that.

Iandre stayed close beside him as they approached the speeder, her arm remaining comfortably linked with his until they needed to separate to climb inside.

"And we don't have to discover all of it tonight." The thought came with another small smile as she settled into her seat and smoothed the skirt of her gown. "It might be nice to leave ourselves a few places to explore another time."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I'm not quite sure anyone has ever considered Ban-Satir an adventure. Quiet. A getaway. Somewhere to make credits. All I'm sure have been repeated time and time again. I think the word might even be banned on the island. Too many in the old money crowd who prefer not to ruin their home values. Too much excitement."

Chuckling at his own observation, it wasn't entirely true. There was a certain retreat element to the island but there was also something more lively to attract a younger crowd. He had spotted a nightclub on the way to the grocery for example. Also an inordinate amount of day spas and med spas dotting the city.

Opening the speeder door, Judah assisted Iandre Athlea inside before joining her in the back seat. Their driver already knew their destination and began their journey after a brief hello.

"Going to the opera, is what...two and a half, three hours? We're dressed to the nines...what type of adventure do you think we are having this evening? Go ahead, I'm all ears."

Sitting next to her, arm slid around the back of the seat and gently pulled her against him. Eyebrow raised to challenge her assumption of what exploration after a long night at the opera entailed.

"Remember this has to be old man friendly. See my adventure involves going back home, falling asleep on the couch, then adventuring out for breakfast the next morning. Daylight, cause of the elderly eyes."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre smiled as Judah described Ban-Satir's apparent aversion to anything resembling adventure, accepting his hand as he helped her into the speeder and gathering the skirt of her dark green gown before settling into the back seat. "Then perhaps adventure was the wrong word." She wasn't particularly concerned with what the island called itself anyway. She had come because Judah had invited her, and the opportunity to see another part of his life had mattered considerably more than whether Ban-Satir could provide excitement.

When his arm slipped around her and drew her closer, Ian went willingly. She settled against his side, comfortable enough now that she didn't have to think about whether she ought to maintain some careful distance between them. She wanted his arm around her. She wanted the warmth of him beside her and the hours ahead when neither of them needed to be anywhere except together. Her gaze lifted toward his as he challenged her to produce some suitably elderly-friendly adventure. "I hadn't actually planned anything after the opera." Her hand settled over his. "This is my first time here. I thought we'd see how we felt afterward and decide then."

The suggestion of returning home and falling asleep on the couch didn't sound disappointing to her. Neither did breakfast the following morning. If anything, Ian found herself liking the picture Judah had unknowingly offered her. The opera was an occasion, something they'd dressed for and planned ahead of time, but there was an intimacy in the quieter hours surrounding it that she increasingly treasured. Sitting beside him on the journey there, returning to his home afterward, and waking the next morning knowing their time together hadn't ended simply because the evening had. "Your version sounds rather nice." Her expression softened. "Especially breakfast tomorrow."

She rested a little more fully against him as the lights of the island passed beyond the speeder windows. There had been enough uncertainty in her life that Ian didn't feel any need to decide what every moment with Judah meant or where their relationship was eventually taking them. She only knew that being with him had become something she wanted, and each time they were together she found herself reluctant for that time to end. "I don't need tonight to turn into anything more adventurous than this." Her fingers curled gently around his. "I wanted to spend the evening with you. If that happens to become tomorrow too, I'm not going to complain."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Maybe caf after? You've got a point. Let's see how we feel after watching the opera and go from there. I'm praying I can follow along. I've only been to the opera once. I do remember enjoying it."

Hand squeezed hers, gazing out of the viewport with her. Judah had only see small parts of the island. Enough to go to the grocery and grab a few boxes of take away dinners here and there. While he was quiet about his business dealings, he had been busy. Not so much with expansion at the moment but continuing operations in their current areas. Then the family, he remained busy there as always.

Gaze flipped back to her.

"I certainly don't plan on kicking you out this evening so I hope you'll be at the house in the morning. As for breakfast...we can go out or I can cook. I'm quite the accomplished chef. However...something sounds nice about sitting on the patio and watching the morning unfold on the city streets as we drink our caf."

Quiet. Domestic. Something that had been missing in his life for some time.

"Did I tell you I'm going to be a grandfather again? Twins."

Iandre Athlea ​

 

[Iandre Athlea]

The suggestion of caf afterward earned a small nod from Iandre. "Caf afterward sounds entirely reasonable." She wasn't particularly concerned about whether either of them understood every nuance of the opera. Judah remembered enjoying his first experience, and Ian was content to discover whether this one appealed to either of them once they were actually sitting in the audience. There was no reason to plan beyond that. His hand remained around hers, and when he assured her that he wasn't planning on removing her from his home before morning, her smile warmed, and humor filled her voice and expression. "Good. I was beginning to think I'd have to negotiate for breakfast."

His description of that breakfast appealed to her considerably more than going somewhere else. There was something peaceful about the image of sitting together outside with caf while Ban-Satir woke around them, particularly after an evening spent dressed for an opera. Ian had come to appreciate those quieter pieces of their time together. They didn't require an occasion or give her anything to analyze about where this relationship might eventually lead. They were simply hours she enjoyed sharing with him. "The patio." She made the decision without much hesitation. "If you're volunteering to cook, I'm certainly not going to stop you. You can be the chef, and I can be the pitmaster." The distinction seemed perfectly fair considering the meals she'd prepared over an open flame during considerably less civilized portions of her life.

The announcement that followed caught her completely by surprise. Iandre turned from the passing view outside the speeder and looked fully at Judah. "No, you most certainly did not tell me that." Her surprise quickly gave way to genuine happiness for him, her fingers tightening around his. "Twins? Judah, that's wonderful." She knew how much his family meant to him and how thoroughly his children and grandchildren remained woven through his life no matter how busy everything else became. Another two grandchildren seemed precisely the sort of news that deserved considerably more attention than he'd given it before casually dropping it into the conversation.

"How long have you known?" Ian asked, still smiling. "And how is everyone doing?" There would undoubtedly be plenty more to hear, and she found that she genuinely wanted to hear it. She didn't need to turn Judah's growing family into a question about her place in his life or imagine some distant version of their own. They weren't there, and she didn't need them to be. For now, she was simply happy because someone she cared about had shared good news with her, and because tomorrow morning promised breakfast, caf on the patio, and a little more time together before either of them had to decide what came next.

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Sounds like I'll be cooking tomorrow morning then." Judah chuckled at the mention of her being pitmaster. "What do you want me to cook for breakfast that involves open flames? Steak and eggs? I can put you to work on the grill after our caf then. See if you can impress me with these hidden pitmaster skills."

Morning plans were being settled to drink caf out on the patio then cook. His patio faced the ocean and the city could be seen from the shore across the way. He had already spent a few mornings out watching the sun rise, so it would prove to be a nice morning together no matter what status befell the steak.

"Not too long now, so you haven't missed much. My daughter-in-law gets horribly sick when she's pregnant, so beyond that everyone is fine. Been trying to corral the other two a little more. I enjoy spending time with the little characters so it's been a positive trade off for me."

Judah went quiet for a moment, clearly mulling something over in his head.

"I'm not sure if we are at the point where I introduce you to the boys. I'm not opposed. There's nothing to hide. I'm not sure your level of comfort with the idea."

He squeezed her hand.

"You've met Balun but not in the sense I was thinking. Maybe something for you to think over."

Iandre Athlea​

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre gave him a mildly skeptical look at the suggestion that her ability with an open flame now required proving. "Steak and eggs sound good, but I wasn't aware there was going to be an examination." The smile that followed made it clear she wasn't particularly concerned about the challenge. "Very well. You handle breakfast, I'll handle the grill, and afterward you can decide whether my pitmaster title was deserved or not." It was an unexpectedly ordinary plan for the morning, and perhaps that was part of why she liked it. Caf on the patio, breakfast together, and apparently defending her reputation before Judah could revoke a title she'd only just told him about.

Her amusement softened as he told her about the twins and his daughter-in-law. "I'm sorry she's having such a difficult time with the pregnancy, but I'm glad everyone is otherwise doing well." She'd heard enough about Judah's grandchildren by now to understand precisely what he meant by little characters, and the affection in his voice whenever he spoke about them was unmistakable. "Something tells me your definition of corralling involves considerably more encouragement than discouragement." Ian smiled, imagining Judah trying to keep up with two young children while waiting for another two to arrive. It sounded busy, but it also sounded like exactly the sort of busy he enjoyed.

The question about meeting his sons weighed more heavily on her. Iandre didn't pull away from the hand holding hers, but neither did she immediately answer. Judah hadn't asked her to. He'd offered the possibility and given her room to decide how she felt about it, and she appreciated that more than she could easily explain in the moment. Meeting Balun by chance had been one thing. Being deliberately introduced to Judah's children as the woman he was dating was something else entirely. It wasn't necessarily unwelcome, but it carried a significance she wanted to consider rather than answer on instinct.

Before that thought could travel much farther, the speeder began to slow. Ian's attention shifted toward the viewport as the theater came into view, its illuminated entrance already drawing in formally dressed patrons. For once, the interruption was conveniently timed. She squeezed Judah's hand gently, leaving the question where he'd placed it rather than forcing an answer before she had one. There would be time later to decide how she felt about meeting his sons. Tonight, Judah was beside her, an opera waited beyond those doors, and tomorrow promised caf and breakfast on the patio. Her smile returned as the speeder settled to a stop. "Well, we've made it." She glanced toward him with quiet amusement. "Now we find out whether either of us can follow the opera."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Encourage? I would never."

Perhaps a little, but Iandre Athlea didn't need to know such a thing. For the rest of the speeder ride, he was quiet, letting her mull over the idea of meeting his sons. It was a big step but one that didn't need to be rushed. For himself it was a delicate balance of not introducing her too quickly but also ensuring she was feeling included. Uncharted territory he was trying to navigate better than he previously had.

With the speeder sliding to a stop, he left the speeder first, getting the door and offering his hand out in assistance. Once Iandre was safely out of the speeder and smoothing her dress, they began the walk up the steps in to the opera house. Hand squeezed hers as they made their way up, mindful her heels made it more difficult.

"I got great seats. Private box up in the balcony. All I researched mentioned the acoustics are meant to go up, so we should get a great show. Now are we going to be able to understand it? Unsure. Not sure what language it is going to be in and I only speak basic and understand a touch of Huttese."

Shoulder nudged hers.

"Don't tell me you know ten different languages and you'll be able to translate."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre accepted Judah's hand as she stepped from the speeder, taking a moment to make certain the skirt of her gown had cleared the door before smoothing it back into place. The heels required a little more attention once they reached the steps, and she appreciated the steady hand holding hers without making anything of it. Her gaze traveled upward through the entrance as they joined the other patrons making their way inside. "A private box?" She glanced toward him with a smile. "You did get good seats." She'd attended performances before, although considerably more of them had been obligations attached to the life she'd lived than evenings she'd chosen simply because she wanted to spend them with someone.

Judah's concern about the language drew a quiet laugh from her, particularly when he nudged her shoulder and immediately placed an upper limit on how impressive her answer was permitted to be. "Not ten." Ian nudged him lightly in return. "Basic, High Galactic, Huttese, and Ryl. I understand Shyriiwook and Binary reasonably well too, although neither of those is likely to help us much at the opera." At least, she sincerely hoped nobody had brought them to hear several hours of astromech whistles. "So if it's in one of the first four, you're in luck. I'll translate."

She glanced around the foyer as they went inside, looking for anything that indicated the evening's performance or accommodations for patrons unfamiliar with its language. "Although I'd be surprised if they simply expected everyone to understand whatever language the performers happen to be singing in." A modern opera house had plenty of technological options Ian's own era had possessed in some form as well. "There may be a translation display in the box, or captions somewhere near the stage. If there are, we can both pretend my extensive Jedi education has absolutely nothing to do with getting us through the evening."

Her smile lingered as they made their way farther inside. Whatever awaited them, Ian found herself considerably less concerned about following every word than Judah seemed to be. She wanted to enjoy the music, the theater, their absurdly good seats, and his company. If they understood the story too, so much the better. "And if none of that works, we'll have caf afterward and compare what we each thought happened." She squeezed his hand. "That might actually be more entertaining."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Of course you can speak multiple languages. Watch this be a wookie opera and we will have to rely on your translation skills all evening."

Judah grinned at Iandre Athlea ,in a playful mood to give her a little teasing. Last opera he saw with Miss Liin Terallo he was distracted speaking to her about business. Given the company he was keeping tonight, he may be even further distracted.

They parted left from the crowd, a friendly usher taking them to their private box in the balcony area of the massive theater. Below, the orchestra was tuning up and preparing for the evening. A buzz was in the air. Beings from all over the corporate sector had come to see what was one of the most famous opera singers this side of the galaxy. They would come to find later the woman had fled from the Core none too recently.

Judah moved to help Iandre sit once shown their box. Comfortably appointed and just slightly off center to the left of the stage. Their views would be spectacular.

"Comparing notes over caf could be fun, but I think I'm spying a translation screen above the stage."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre gave Judah a mildly incredulous look as they followed the usher toward their private box. "Isn't it common to know multiple languages?" Growing up in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant had probably skewed her expectations somewhat, considering how many species and cultures passed through it. Her expression turned playfully serious. "But if it does turn out to be a Wookiee opera, I'll do my best to preserve all the subtleties for you."

She thanked the usher, accepted Judah's help, and settled into her seat, smoothing the skirt of her gown before looking over the theater. The box really did offer an excellent view of both the stage and the orchestra tuning below. When Judah pointed out the translation screen, Ian followed his gaze upward and smiled. "There goes my opportunity to impress you all evening." Perhaps that was for the best. She hadn't come here to spend several hours working her way through a translation anyway.

Ian reached over and slipped her hand into his as she settled back. "These really are wonderful seats." Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before returning to the stage. "I'm glad you invited me."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I mean, you have people like me who have barely mastered basic."

Education was far from vast on Saleucami growing up. Not that his parents did not value education, they did the best they could, his life had turned out more than fine. Time to learn language past basic and a minor trade language would be in short supply. There was time to learn now though, and perhaps one day he would.

"Oh, you're still impressing me. Don't worry. Just you sitting here watching opera with me is enough. Hell, you just admitted you speak all these languages. How is that not impressive? I'm impressed. You can sit over there and pretend its not a big deal."

Drinks were brought to the suite, the lights starting to dim slightly. Judah peered over the railing a little to look around, a packed house. These were good seats, given how far back the rows got. Maybe they could get used to this.

"Thank you for joining me. Didn't have to."

Iandre Athlea ​

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Ian laughed softly at his insistence, surrendering the argument with a small shake of her head. "All right. I'll sit over here and allow you to be impressed." There were probably worse things than having the man she was dating think her childhood education was remarkable. She reached for one of the drinks that had been brought into the box as the lights began to dim, her attention briefly following Judah's toward the crowded theater below.

His thanks drew her gaze back to him. Didn't have to. No, she hadn't, and perhaps that was exactly why the words settled differently than they might have several months ago. So much of Ian's life had been shaped by things she needed to do, responsibilities she had accepted, people who depended upon her, and promises she intended to keep. Tonight belonged to none of those categories. She had crossed into the Corporate Sector, was staying beneath his roof, had dressed for an opera, and was sitting beside him because she wanted to be.

Her fingers tightened gently around his. "I know I didn't." The answer was quiet but certain, accompanied by a warmth she made no effort to hide. "That's rather the point, Judah. I wanted to come." Her eyes lingered on his for another moment before a small smile appeared. "I'm finding that I want to spend time with you. The opera is a very nice addition, but it wasn't really the deciding factor."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

The opera started, lights flashing in warning as conversation settled down. Dimming of the overhead lights occurred and he leaned in closer to speak to Iandre Athlea at a lower register. Given she knew so many languages, talking and reading the translation on the floating screen above the stage should be rather easy for her. Below them, a female singer dressed like a sea witch began the show, with Judah guessing she was some how evil and trying to lure away a blonde singer on the other side of the stage. A light and dark contrast.

Free hand grabbed his whisky and he took a sip. Eyebrow raised at her answer,

"Oh, so I was the deciding factor? The main event as it were? Careful Miss Athlea, you may get attached and find yourself in a heap of trouble."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Ian's attention had settled on the stage as the performance began, trying to follow the contrast being established between the two women below while occasionally glancing toward the translation above them. When Judah leaned closer, however, the opera briefly lost the competition for her attention.

A smile slowly formed at his warning. "I seem to recall being warned that spending time with you could lead to trouble before." Her fingers remained comfortably intertwined with his. "And yet I keep accepting your invitations." There was humor in the observation, but Ian knew there was something increasingly true beneath it. She wasn't merely accepting invitations anymore. She looked forward to them. She wanted the next dinner, the next quiet morning, the next excuse to find herself beside him. That realization carried considerably more weight than she intended to examine in the middle of an opera.

"I think I'm willing to face the consequences of my choices, Judah." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, but when she should have turned her attention back toward the stage, she didn't. They were already close from speaking beneath the music, and Ian let the distance remain, her eyes lingering on his.

A little warmth entered her smile when she looked back up. "Although I'm curious." Her voice remained low, meant only for him. "Exactly how much trouble do you think I'm getting myself into?"

Judah Dashiell