Private Breaking The Silence

[Lief]

Iris,​

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I'm sorry you've been talking to the void these past months. If you're out near Prosperity I'd love to see you. Could really use a familiar face right about now.​

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- the jerk who left you on unread.​

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He hit send before he could even reread what he'd written, then tossed the datapad to one side afraid of what her response might be. It wasn't as though he'd even given her a reason for his silence, for all she knew he'd just been ignoring her for months. Still it felt wrong to burden her with the truth like that, he'd wait until they were in person again.​

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If that ever happened.​

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It had taken him several days to pluck up the courage to respond. He'd read through her messages, and those sent by Starlin, and the few other individuals who'd tried to contact him (admittedly few and far between) shortly after waking up, but processing everything had taken priority.​

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Besides, the guilt gnawing in his stomach had stayed his hand initially.​

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But now his reply was out there in the Galaxy for her to read, and he could only hope she'd at least come looking for answers if nothing else.​

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He didn't have too much time to dwell on it though, his days had been rather busy since he'd awoken between physical therapy and getting him up to date on recent events, not to mention all the rest and recovery he had to go through. He'd know soon enough.​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

The beep came in on her wrist. The comlink Eliphas had given her. She checked it as she always did, glancing to her wrist to see if someone was asking for her help. After Tython, she'd been on the Prosperity not as a Jedi, but a medic. Running from room to room to help the injured. She didn't really ever stop to think about her friends, where they were. What they were doing.

That changed though as she glanced through Eli's message.

Iris stared, reading through it once more. He was a jerk? Why? Wasn't he busy too? But, well. It'd be great to see him again! A bright smile formed as she started to run, eager to see her friend.

Only to stop and rather embarrassingly start to send her own message.

Where? I'm on the Prosperity.

Lief

 

[Lief]

The response came through almost immediately, starling him. He stared at the datapad for a moment, before finally reaching out to pick it up. Then he braced for the worst, and with a shaky exhale he turned on the screen.​

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No anger, no resentment, just a simple question.​

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He blinked, swallowed down some of his doubt, and then paused. Where was he? He propped himself up in the bed as best he could, muscles still suffering from atrophy. It was no easy feat, but the excess of pillows helped and soon he was leaning back into them with laboured breath. One hand reached out, and though it was fairly difficult to take the reins where the Force was concerned these days he managed to tug open the door.​

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The room across from him showed the number 254.​

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Medical Wing. The room across from 254.​

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Hopefully she'd be able to find it. He didn't have much to go off, after all.​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Medical wing?

Iris took off in a sprint this time, not bothering to slow as she passed by her fellow medics and patients. Ironical that her fleeing from the Sith had taught her the art of movement through crowds. Why was Eliphas here? Was he hurt? Did something happen to someone else?

She practically threw open his door once she arrived. She could see him in the colors. Faint, mute. He was injured. Something had happened, but what she wasn't even sure. All she knew was that as soon as she saw him, he looked gaunt. Tired.

Coma? That was the only explanation she could figure out from her studies. Studies that she continued even between the wars and being a Jedi and everything. She looked exhausted as ever, but she did offer a smile.

".. You okay? You look.. What happened to you?"

Lief

 

[Lief]

And then she was there. She looked tired, as though she'd run here; given how quickly she'd arrived, that wasn't out of the realm of possibility. He waited for her question to be asked, and for her to catch her breath again, before leaning just a touch more up in bed. Eliphas tried to appear stronger than he was, forcing a gentle smile to take over his expression.​

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Of course it was a fruitless endeavor, given that Iris could see the truth in her colours.​

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"Copero happened" he replied, the smile turning wry. "I uh... I'm sorry I didn't message you sooner."​

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His eyes closed, and he settled back against the pillows, no longer able to keep up the facade of being able to sit upright for an extended period of time. "How have you been?"​

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Iris Arani ​

 

[Iris Arani]

Corpero? He'd been like this since Corpero?

Iris didn't know. Why didn't she think to ask around? She just assumed he was fine and focused elsewhere. She should've realized something was off when she didn't hear from him after Teta. Her breathing calmed, but she didn't move to the doorway. Couldn't keep looking at him. "You've been a coma, haven't you? I.. I'm sorry. I should've come visited you or even just.. I didn't even know. .. I'm a terrible friend, huh?"

Lief

 

[Lief]

Her response shocked him.​

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"What?" he said, when she claimed to have been a terrible friend. His brows furrowed, and as much as it hurt to do so he shook his head quite incessantly. "No, not at all... Starlin mentioned something about Tython, and other invasions, and well... From the sounds of it things have been chaotic."​

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It wasn't her place to monitor his comings and goings. Theirs was a rather transient, hectic life. It wasn't unheard of for people to disappear on missions for months at a time.​

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"I mean, you sent messages..." It wasn't as though she'd completely forgotten him.​

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Patting the bed, he let out a soft breath as he tried to regain control over his breathing. "How have you been..?"​

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Iris Arani ​