Private Attractive

[Fred Gred]

Fred walked down the halls of Adara’s palace on Vena. He’d been there for a while now, but he was honestly on the moon. He and Amma.... Fred finally admitted he like her, and Amma... she liked him back. It was... it was great! He smiled and whistled as he walked down the hall, hoping that Stabby didn’t have some new prank planned. She’d been hiding electromagnets in the workshop he often used.

He was hoping to get to see Amma though, and had got something for her. It was just a holopic Eya had caught of her sparks flying around them, but he thought she’d like it. He had also noticed Rhae was... less then happy. That was just gonna be interesting to deal with. Either way, he was ready to give Amma herthe simple gift.

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

Another loose sigh echoed out of Amma’s burbling lips. Fredgred admitted, under no fault of his own, that... he...

Liked her.

There she was, upside down, belly up, bleeding from the nose after a terrible series of errors. She’d kissed one of her best friends on the cheek. Not just one of. The boy. The. Boy.

Tabitha Solus tried helping, which ended up being why Amma Dib was belly up, soaking wet, bleeding from a broken nose on the floor of Fredgred’s room in Adara’s Palace.

But somehow? After even more foibles, an angry storm away, and a terribly scrawled flimsi letter, it worked. Ginnie & Rhaegar Dib’s Sparky ended up with her chin on Fredgred’s shoulder, their arms closer and closer until they hugged it out.

Dressed in legging trousers and a short shirt, Amma flopped upside down on her bed in her room in Vena listening to music in gigantic green and black headphones.

Fred. The pilot engineer of the Troublesomes. Clumsy guy she tinkered around with in the smithy. Hopefully it wasn’t a mistake on his part. Maybe it was!

Her feet stopped tapping to the music. She sat up, as sparks flew across her fingers.

“Oh gosh! Freaking.... me! RRRGGGHHH!” Amma flopped back down on her bed, and covered her head with her fire blanket.

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred finally made it to the door of Amma’s room again looking at the picture before getting ready to knock, and forget the Tabitha had been putting him through in the shop for a little while. Then he heard the talented smithy, his girl (that was still crazy to him), yell about something.

He sighed a little, having some idea of what she was talking about. She mentioned explosions before. He still decided to knock though, calling inside. “Amma? You ok?”

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“Life is meaningless and I suck!” Amma yelled back from beyond the door. A puff of smoke rose from the blanket, and Amma madly patted at a spot on her shirt before it became an inferno on the borrowed Venan Historical Ladies Auxillary Society’s Historical Four Poster Bed from the Supish Regency Period.

The old wood bed.

Adara gave Amma a room with an old, expensive sounding wood bed. She groaned and flumped her feet to the floor, patted the bedspread down with her utilitarian fire blanket.

“Coming to end my misery, c-c’yare?” Her hands madly patted at her flame retardant clothing, up to the wild curls of hair which refused to be tamed. Scowling at herself, Amma rushed to the door and opened it with a shrug, the neutral calm-and-steady Amma expression on her face.

“Sup?”

Fred Gred

 

[Fred Gred]

That definitely wasn't what he expected to hear when he knocked. Another round of uncontrolled sparks probably. He still waited though, holding a bag with tools in his left hand, and the holoprojector with the picture in his right. He wasn't going to rush her. Then she spoke up again, asking if he was there to end her misery. Fred chuckled a bit, rolling his eyes.

"If I can end it by being here with you, then yes cyar'ika." He smiled when finally saw her open the door, not so surprised that she was trying to keep neutral faced. He lifted up his right hand, showing the projector. "Other than Stabs driving me crazy with a prank in the workshop, I thought you'd like this. Apparently Eya caught a picture without saying, and I thought you'd like it. Plus... wanted to see if you wanted to hang out."

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“Stabs pranked you? Again?” Amma screwed up her lips, stepping backward into her bedroom until her backside leaned against the bed. “Yeah… We can hang.”

She tilted her head away, brushing her hand along her frizzed curls to hide the grin threatening to burst across her face. Calm and steady, like Uncle Derek and he never smiled. Maybe if she kept some of that Dib calm, the krayt dragons in her stomach would stop trying to make her light the room on fire in… excitement.

Mashing her lips together, Amma tried to think calm, steady thoughts. Like a pond. With fish. Swimming fish, who could be tasty if they went fishing and caught one and then cooked it on a…. nope!

Ocean. Like a calm, smooth ocean… rocking waves because of a moon, which was once a comet and… nope!

Around her shoulders and near her hair, tiny spark-images of Amma’s subconscious struggle for calm played out, a fish splashing in the water, then caught in a net, combusting in a burst of fire that may had singed the curtain on the bedframe. Amma patted at her hair, and by the time a moon-comet flew past Fred’s nose on an orbital vector, Amma gurgled, grabbed her fire blanket, and plunked down on the bed to cover herself up.

“Like a picture? Eya took a picture? What kind of picture?” Came the slightly muffled voice. One green eye peeked out from under the fire suppression blanket. A puff of black curls.

Fred Gred

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred sighed a little, nodding. "Yeah. She found these dang electromagnets and put them on timers. I managed to find one of Kad knows how many." He then smiled a bit as a show of sparks that flew around, acting out the scenes that he guessed was in Amma's mind. It was fun to watch, but he could tell she was spooked by it. But maybe the picture could help? He sat next to her on the bed, turning on the small projector to show the picture. He gave her another smile, and waited for her reaction.

"So? What do ya think?"

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“Electromagnets, you say?” Amma peeked a bit more to the edge of the blanket, both eyes now peering out from between the alchemized, protective sheet. Tabitha Solus may have meant it as a prank, but gosh was the idea of keeping Fred Gred in one place for a while… intriguing. She could make him watch anything on the holo-projector and he couldn’t leave! “On timers? So you’re… stuck for… time.”

A snorting giggle bubbled from under the blanket, chased quickly by Amma’s hand slapping her own mouth to stop her most embarrassing trait ever. Not… the snort-giggle! Not the sniggle!

Any thought to sniggles faded when the holo-image projected in the room. Casts of green and yellow sparks arranged around her hair, not burning but peppered in like stars at night.

“Aaaaaaand now I’m getting why Dad calls me Sparky.” A shift in the blanket-nest. Amma sat up, eyeing the image cautiously, as if even now it could combust. The blanket slid down from her head to her shoulders, and with one leg dangling off the bed and the other crossed over her lap, Amma set her hands on her calf.

“They… kinda don’t look like…. lil death nuggets.” Despite herself, Amma’s lips tilted up in a timid sort of smile, “Or flaming bullets of doom.”

Shifting a bit on the bed, Amma pressed her shoulder against Fred’s.

“I like it.”

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred chuckled, not noticing the look Amma was giving. “Yeah. Had them set for to hold me there for thirty minutes, they were set for one to go off.... I’ve been a ready to get Stabby today.” He honestly did feel better now that he was with Amma, even if she was hiding under a fireproof blanket. Her little snort also made him smile, chuckling a little with it.

He was more excited when Amma finally pokes out of her blanket though, and looked at the picture. Apparently her dad called her Sparky, and he could see why. As she pressed up against him, the techie went a little red, but smiled, and went it slip is arm around her.

“I’m glad you do.”

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“And there’s more? In... in the lab?” Amma bit her lip, trying to halt the hearty chuckle about to give herself away. “Sure, we can... get back at... You were stuck in your lab for half an hour and didn’t call me? Babe. Call me next time.”

Her fingers hesitated before she stroked his cheek, skin hot in comparison to his - human normal. Amma smirked and settled closer as he put his arm around her. How... how did she score even one second of this with the best, nerdiest boy in all of Manda?

“I’ve never seen my sparks as anything but a firestarter and the reason my mom had to rebuild our house every couple weeks. She... never said she minded but... I... know how hard she had to work to constantly get us new furniture. Try and recreate favourite things. All cause I couldn’t stay calm and steady. Guess... wow.

They look kinda... pretty. Sort of... is that weird to say?”

Fred Gred

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his head when Amma said he should’ve called her, and to be sure to call her next time. He looked over at the cybernetic, chuckling a little.

“Well, if it doesn’t pin my comm to the wall next time I will.” He chuckled a bit, then listened to Amma as she stroked his cheek. It was warm. Nice. Kad was definitely on his side it seemed, cause he didn’t know how in the Galaxy he’d gotten Amma.

She then mentioned her past as she looked at the photo, making Fred a weird combination of happy and sad all at the same time. He was sad about everything she’d gone through, but he was happy to see her actually see the beauty in her powers. He smiled, thinking back to when he first really saw Amma’s sparks.

“Yeah. They’re pretty, and so are you.”

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“Deal. Cause you with nothing to do for half an hour? Maybe pry off your arm...” she low whistled, hiding a blush under her massive amount of tight, frizzy curls. “Wanna glue her to the wall again?”

Fred Gred wasn’t usually a smooth talker, even if he was her friend... his words... were... geekward. But somehow Amma didn’t mind, as she watched her own sparks through his eyes.

“Pfft. Girls with abs like Stabs’ are pretty. I’m clumsy and awkward and can kill everyone I love with one bad emotional day.” She tucked her head into Fred’s shoulder, arms hugged around his waist. “Don’t know what you see. But I’m glad you see it.”

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred's cheeks went a little red, though he did chuckle when Amma questioned whether he wanted to glue Stabs to a wall again. He thought for a moment, looking at her with a smile.

"Could be fun, but I feel like she'd counter a bit more if we do it again. Might glue us to something this time. She's down one magnet though." He was then surprised by Amma saying she wasn't pretty. The teen noted she was clumsy, a bit awkward, and could kill everyone on a bad day. Fred just smiled though, hugging Amma back at talking.

"I mean, we're both... kinda awkward. And a get tripped up on my own words... uh.... Case and point. I'm glad you see something in me too."

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

Fred Gred could smile sprocket grease out of a war droid. Amma’s heart flipped in her chest, mini spark krayt dragons circling her head with bursts of fluttering hearts. Nibbling on her bottom lip, Amma ducked her chin down, muttering ‘calm and steady calm and steady’ under her breath.

“Wonder if I could… nevermind.” Burn the glue? Use her powers to do something useful? Dad would tell her she could control anything, that all this was a fiction built by a childish mind. “Maybe we can throw some dye into the wash the next time she gives her laundry to the butlers? Stabby would look so cute in pink.”

How did a hug feel as amazing as this hug felt? Amma didn’t know the secret to a good non-combustible life was hugs from her Dad and her … b… buh…. boyfriend. Boy. Friend. Tucking her arms around him, Amma couldn’t help but let out a little flurry of sparks, that danced through the air like birds crackle-pop chirping.

“Kinda awkward? We’re the geekiest, weirdest kids that’ve ever kidded.” Cheek tucked onto his shoulder, Amma felt her stomach flop completely over as she… she… tried a cuddle.

Aaaah! Abort! Abort! He’d hate it! He’d think she was childish and and and and… gee. It felt… kind of nice.

“What wouldn’t I see? You’re fun, you pilot things, you build cool stuff and… and I really like your hair. I like you a lot, Fred. You’ve been my best friend for years, since our Verd’goten when we met… screaming in the forest of Vanquo which I then lit on fire, and you and Adara swooped down on that dragon of hers… didn’t Stabby stab my brother at one point?”

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred smiled as he looked at Amma, and chuckled at her plan. “Oh! She’d love that.” He also smiled, and blushed, as she tucked up to him, pointing out that they were both awkward geeks. He... couldn’t disagree there. Which either made it a miracle that they got together, or meant to be.

She then reminded him of there Verd’goten, and the “fun” of riding that dragon. She also asked if Stabby had stabbed her brother then. “Yeah. Never mess with her food. That three years sure went by. I had an arm, but I got... something... better....” Gah! Stupid old habits. He chuckled more, smiling as Amma cuddled up.

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“Bright. Freaking. Pink. We can do it, I know where Adara’s tailors dye the cloth. Mwahaha. Ahaaah. Haaaah.” Amma leaned forward and kissed Fred Gred ‘s cheek with a wild smirk.

“Is it? Better?” Then he mentioned losing his arm.

“I wish I’d been near you, maybe. If I hadn’t gone off. Maybe... maybe you wouldn’t have...” Amma pursed her lips, hugging him tighter. He’d been brave. A warrior the way her mother was, her father before he died. And where was Amma? As far away as Clan Farr could shill her, under protection and guard.

Babysat while her friend nearly died.

Some Mandalorian she turned out to be. More of a detriment in any battle she tried to enter, than a help.

“... three years. And huge battles, so much craziness it felt like I was gonna explode.”

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred smiled, laughing along with Amma as she described everything. Bright pink. It’d be perfect. He ended up blushing again as she kissed him on the cheek, but it soon became a bit more solemn.

Amma notes how she wished she’d been closer, so she could help. He couldn’t help but feel for her. He lightly leaned his head against hers, smiling a little.

“There’s no way you could’ve known what was going to happen. Far as I know no one did. At least not soon enough to do anything.” He then kissed the top of Amma’s head, trying to calm her down.

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“Adara did. Don’t you remember? Carnifex warned her. They had enough time to get Adara and her siblings off the planet, why couldn’t they have gotten you? Your Alor’s wife is Adara’s aunt isn’t she? Wasn’t she rushed away? Why did the rest of us have to suffer?” Why did Fred Gred have to lose his arm? The inequity of the recent wars struck across Amma’s cheeks with a flush. Cannon fire sparks purging the space around her shoulders.

“Sorry! Sorry... Kad, sorry.” Amma buried her head in Fred’s shoulder, clinging into his chest to avoid a conflagration. Calm and steady. Her Uncle’s beloved mantra since she was a girl.

“Your... your new arm does cool things... and... I’m glad you made it. Guess that’s why Adara’s been trying so hard to give us all this? Thank Kad you made it. I’d never forgive her if you... but you’re alive and here and... and we’re gonna go dye Stabby’s clothes.”

 

[Fred Gred]

Fred kept hold Amma close, doing his best to comfort her. “I know, but there was no way to evac two planets in time. Not with that little warning, especially without allies. And as far as I know, Tamar was already off-world.” Fred then watched as the Amma’s sparks danced around more, looking like a cannon, before hearing her say sorry. He sighed a little.

“Cyar’ika.... You don’t have to be sorry. You have to let yourself feel sometimes. He would then smile as she explained a little more. How she would’ve felt if he’d been killed, and how Adara was probably doing all this because of it. She then noted that they were there, and about to die all of Tabitha’s cloths. He chuckled nodding. “Yes we will. Ready?”

It would be then that he noticed a washer that had seemed to firmly clung to his left arm. The cybernetic one. He shook his head, going to pull it off, though any metal had probably decided to stick to the arm now. Thanks Stabby.....

Amma Dib

 

[Amma Dib]

“Still sucks.” Fred Gred set his arms around Amma. The sparks crackled out, fizzled and hummed. Became nothing but a series of bright and harmless lights. The heat gone, Amma let out a held breath.

“Bah. Feelings are overrated. They all get complicated and then things turn into cinders.” Head on his shoulder, Amma let her mind drift. Fred was cool to her inner fire. Settling.

“Right. No allies and... It sucks you lost your arm. But... I’ll help make new ones. Always better and better.” She watched the washer stick and covered her mouth as a raucous snort billowed out. “Maybe some electromag shielding?”

Tapping at his prosthetic, Amma attempted to yank the washer off.

“Oh gosh! She got you good, c’yare! Hah! Hahaha!!” Amma pushed his shoulder and trotted to her feet. “C’mon good looking. S’go.”