Private Baby Don't Hurt Me

[Iris Arani]

<Iris. Wake up. Please.>

Iris shot upright at once, her eyes wide, scanning. The unfamiliar scene of the hospital room she was in filled her mind with confusion. What happened? Where was she? A numb pain tingled her chest, causing her to wince and look down. Bandages. That was.. Her whole body tensed as the memory of the shot that hit her flashed in her mind. That's right. She was shot. Wait. The others? Domxite? Arlo Renard ? She wasn't dead, so she could at least assume they escaped.

Was that Kai's voice then?

She huddled up some, bringing her knees to her chest as she tried to think it through. Too much happened while she wasn't awake.

 

[Arlo Renard]

Quite a lot had happened indeed.

The ship had reached a space station somewhere in the Mid Rim. Iris was swept away by medics, along with the wounded who could be saved. The remaining crew on board were summarily arrested by the local authorities, and the bodies of the dead were carried away.

Kai took the time to throw on a jumpsuit he scrounged from somewhere, but otherwise he spent the time running around, helping with the wounded, rounding up pirates, giving an eyewitness account to the police. As long as he kept busy, he didn’t have time to think about Iris or all that had happened to her.

At a certain point, though, there was nothing left for him to do. In a final last ditch effort to keep his mind occupied, he had actually gotten into talks with the impound team, haggling over the ship. Asking how much it would cost, despite having nowhere near enough money to purchase a ship of his own, especially not one of this caliber. And yet, something about him must have moved the customs officer to offer it to him for free. A “spoil of war” he called it. A battle prize for the noble Jedi warrior.

After all that, Kai had finally forced himself to pay Iris a visit in the hospital. While he was certain she wasn’t dead—he’d have felt it if she did pass away—he had no idea how she was doing or what the extent of her injuries were. He went in not knowing what to expect.

…and found her awake and sitting up in bed.

<Iris?> He stood in the doorway, peering in at her. Taking a cautious step forward, he approached her bedside. She looked… better. Alive. Not yet healthy, but recovering. It was a few seconds before he projected his thoughts to her again; his mind had closed off to hide the hot spike of his emotions upon seeing her. <How are you feeling?>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Cheek pressed to her knee Iris just watched the stars outside her window. A droid had already come by to check in on her, remind her not to leave the bed. Looked over her bandages and the wound beneath. Bacta did wonders, but it wasn't a cure all. If that batch of 'imitation bacta' as the droid called it hadn't been applied when it did, the shock alone would've killed her. At least she knew what it felt like to be dying.

Not a feeling she wanted to experience again.

The sound of the door hissing open caught her attention. She lifted her head, half expecting to see the droid there again to tell her to lay back down.

<Iris?>

Her eyes widened as the familiar 'voice' filled her head. It was Kai. Alive. Better than alive. The imagery of him fighting alone among the pirates flashed in her mind. The black line from the cut he'd received. She didn't know what happened after she threw her lightsaber. She didn't realize just how worried she'd been until she saw him safe.

<How are you feeling?>

Where he cut off his mind to keep his emotions hidden, Iris didn't. Or more accurately, couldn't. Her answer was less of a voice and more a wash of emotions. Anxiety, fear, sorrow, relief, joy, exhaustion. She'd speak aloud to at least get something out in response, but that didn't work either. Why couldn't she speak? A drop hit her arm, causing her to blink and glance down.

Oh.

Tear filled eyes turned back up to her friend as she nodded. It was the only answer she could give right now.

 

[Arlo Renard]

Rather than answer, Iris just started to cry.

Kai immediately closed the distance between them and gave her a hug. The gesture, while instinctive and well-intentioned, was much like the reaction of a child who sees another child crying—a catch-all attempt at comforting the person, sweet and yet somehow indelicate.

He at least realized that holding her too tightly might hurt her chest wound, and adjusted his grip accordingly.

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

She didn't want to cry again. Not after everything. All the training to be stronger, more like a Jedi, it'd be for nothing if she devolved into tears. Iris was older. Able to handle herself. It was Kai who got her out of the cage, but she didn't hold him back. Not like she'd held Valery Noble back all that time ago. Yet Arlo Renard hugged her the stubbornness faded. Tears fell freely as she wept, hugging him back just as tightly.

Her chest hurt. Why..? Oh. As he relaxed her grip she realized she wasn't helping her wound. It was the only thing keeping her from sobbing for any longer than she had. ".. I'm sorry.." She didn't pull away, instead hiding her face in his shoulder so he couldn't see her.

 

[Arlo Renard]

While he kept his hold loose, Iris hugged him tight enough to make her own chest hurt. When the pain grew to be too much, she eased back onto the bed, though with her face still buried in his shoulder.

His expression softening, Kai swept her dark hair out of her eyes with his fingers, gathering up her tears with a sweep of his thumb. She turned away from him, not wanting to be seen.

He didn’t waste time shaping his feelings into thoughts or meaningless words. Instead he sought to soothe by sending her feelings of reassurance, raw and abstract. It was okay, they were both okay. She didn’t need to cry…

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

They were okay.

That's what mattered. At some point Iris laid back on the hospital bed, finally listening to the droid's earlier orders, curled on her side to stare out the window. They'd been captured. She'd been shot. He'd been.. She blinked. After the wave of emotions from her finally subsided she remembered. Arlo Renard had lost his clothing, so it was easy to notice. The black streak across his chest after he'd been cut.

She turned her gaze back towards him, blinking. ".. Your body heals on it's own, doesn't it?"

 

[Arlo Renard]

<Yes.> He inclined his head, a little puzzled by her bringing up the topic—he’d already forgotten all about his wound. <Unless I get electrocuted, or hit by Force Light—>

Oops.

He looked away.

<...Then it takes longer. I use medicine to help speed it up...>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

That made sense. She'd seen what happened when he got electrocuted the first time they met. Though the mention of Force Light raised a brow. She wasn't too skilled in the Force, but there were things she was starting to piece together. Iris turned from the window to instead look up at Arlo Renard , watching him.

<You don't have to hide from me.> Then she smiled. She felt no need to tell him what she thought he was. It didn't matter. Kai was Kai. She just didn't want him to feel embarrassed or look away like he was because he might've said something by mistake.

 

[Arlo Renard]

He met her gaze again, his black brows furrowed.

<I’m not hiding from you. I’m hiding something that isn’t truly me. Like a mask I have to wear, or… or a straitjacket.>

Shaking his head, he tried to shift the subject back to her.

<Are you feeling any better? Do you need anything?>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

A mask? Iris blinked. She didn't understand exactly, but she nodded none the less. Still smiling. <Chest still hurts. Who'd of thought being shot would be so painful?> A poor attempt at a joke, but if Arlo Renard wanted to change the subject she was more than willing to do the same.

<.. How many of the others made it?>

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai was beginning to adore this idiot girl and her short attention span.

<They can give you medicine to help manage the pain.>

She asked how many had survived. <A few died, some were wounded. Most are alive and enjoying their newfound freedom.>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Only a few? She wasn't the best at topic hopping so already she'd moved on from talking about her chest. Instead she focused on the facts. Some did die. But not all. And.. They were free. They hadn't succeeded in their original goal on account of being captured, but they did save people. Iris learned early on that not everyone could be saved, but it still brought a sadness to her smile.

<I'm glad they're free. What about the pirates?>

Arlo Renard

 

[Arlo Renard]

He could tell Iris was upset about the deaths. There wasn’t much he could do about it except continue to send feelings of comfort her way.

<Most of them escaped. Some were stranded on the ship. The police took them to jail.> He paused. <They want to give us the pirate's ship as a reward for helping to take them down.>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Most escaped. Her lips thinned, but.. Well. The more important thing was they lived. Her and Arlo Renard . The others. They could find the pirates. No, they would. There was an oddly serious look to her eye before she turned her gaze towards the window. <You can have the ship if you want.> She wanted nothing to do with it, honestly.

<We didn't take them down. Not yet.>

 

[Arlo Renard]

<I know.>

Many of the pirates - the most notorious members of the crew - had escaped, including the captain. Kai tried not to think about them roaming freely through space. All it brought him at this point was a desire for revenge. Wounded pride made him want to pursue Captain Rhett Valentino more than justice.

<I can think of a few uses for the ship, but it being associated with pirates could cause me more trouble than it's worth.>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Right. Of course he knew. They both were there. Was he feeling just as frustrated as she was with everything that had happened? That was another thing she'd realized. The ring he had, it hid more than the darkness to her. His colors that she thought were normal, they were dimmed just the same. Her mind was flipflopping way too much. Sadness from what had happened, curiosity on more about Arlo Renard , anger at the pirates. Pain.

A frustrated sigh escaped the girl as she laid on her back, now just staring at the ceiling.

<I'm glad you're okay Kai. Really glad.> Nothing could be changed at this moment. They couldn't go hunt the pirates down, nor revive the dead. Whatever happened to the ship could be talked about later. Right now, she just wanted to talk to him about anything else.

 

[Arlo Renard]

Seeing Iris grow quiet and lay back down in bed, Kai took it as his cue to leave.

<I’m glad you’re okay too,> he said, starting to back away towards the door. <You should get some rest.>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

<Right. .. I'll see you later.> Iris forced a smile and gave Arlo Renard a wave, but no sooner did he leave then she just stared up at the ceiling. Too much to think about.