Private Evolution

[Marus Saretti]

"Nervous. Nervous, why am I nervous? I shouldn't be nervous. This is ridiculous."

Marus was awfully nervous.

He'd just landed his new ship a few moments ago, he'd already sent a message ahead of time, he'd been cleared to land, everything was good there. He'd also made sure to get a message sent back to the temple on Kashyyyk, with the information he'd gotten from the ship he stole from the Maw. The ship itself had already been completely written off, so he was able to get it sold away, and he took the credits to get himself something nicer. A little bit slower, but he could probably tune the hyperdrive up to a proper class one. None of that was really the problem.

The problem was who he'd sent the message to.

Thankfully, unlike not long before, he'd been able to get it sent straight to her—she'd managed to get her own commlink and datapad and such, rather than having to borrow her he-didn't-even-know-what's commlink to talk. That Cotan guy. It had been a bit odd talking for a bit knowing that the guy who ran the station, the guy who ran the Judges, might be listening in. Not any more odd or awkward than when they'd separated, though. That hadn't been easy to navigate through at all.

And now what? Now it was just about two months later and he was already back. He hadn't even made it back to Kashyyyk like he planned. No, now he was in a hangar bay, the docking ramp for his ship extended ready for him to exit, and he had a small box with six small bottles inside of it. "Oh, this is dumb. What am I doing? Just turn around and come right back? I'm ridiculous. I'm the ridiculous part of this." Still muttering under his breath, he grabbed the small box, with a card that had the words "For Rhia Kesyk " written on its face, and descended the ramp.

Now, just to wait for the girl to show up, and hopefully she wouldn't just laugh at him.

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

The message had perhaps been one of the least expected she'd ever received.

He was supposed to be headed back to Kashyyyk, and from what Cotan had explained that was a hefty trip back in the opposite direction from where they were now. She had expected him to return to the cult as he so endearingly referred to it. So when he messaged and explained that he was back within the vicinity of the Station? Well...

She'd been confused. A little overwhelmed, in truth. She and Ideon had more or less settled in now, they'd begun to find their flow. A sense of normalcy. This was, well, anything but. It was out of the ordinary. Extraordinary. Was she making too big of a thing out of this? Maybe.

But Force, she couldn't help herself.

What in the Galaxy was he doing back this way?

Of course when the time came she ventured toward the hangar bay all the same, a multitude of questions having been saved to ask in person rather than via message. Things got so easily lost in translation, after all, and it wasn't as though they could just sit on call for ages chatting. Well, maybe he had the time for that... But she didn't. She had trials to prepare for.

All the more reason to be confused by his sudden arrival.

Nerves coursed through her as she waited outside the hangar bay door for the ship's arrival, it was cold inside and she didn't want to linger too long and risk a repeat of their first morning with each other. Not that she wasn't wearing shoes now, but still.

Suffice to say she was a few seconds late reaching his ship once the ramp had lowered. Enough that he'd see her walking over. Not so late that he had to wait though.

"As I live and breathe," she muttered, with a gentle shake of her head, trying for a stern approach that no doubt missed its mark. She was doing the whole red-green blush thing already, it was such a tattle tail. "I didn't expect to see your face again. Not least so soon..."

She stopped at the foot of the ramp, and glanced up at him. Her arms crossed over her chest, and then she beamed a bright smile.

"How was the ride in, Maru?"

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

Evidently he didn't have to wait much at all, as when he started to descend the ramp she was already making her way up towards it. She seemed to be in good spirits, too, which was nice to see. Better than when he'd first picked her up out in space. The stern act had him fooled, however, for a moment. A little dumbfounded, even, until he noticed the way she was blushing.

Then, moments later, the bright grin on her face, and...Maru?

I've graduated to pet name status now?

He held the box nonchalantly off to one side, not acknowledging it for the moment. "Well, it was, uh..." Lonely, boring, long. "It wasn't bad, I guess? Space is space, I suppose." Why was he so nervous? He'd spent over a month with her on a single ship, day in and day out, and hadn't really had any trouble that entire time. Of course, she'd even called him out for having turned around and come back so quickly.

Although, the fact that she had to add the 'not least so soon' part to the end of the 'I didn't expect to see your face again' was almost a little hurtful. Did she really think he'd never drop by to visit, or even have a proper holocall? Did she just expect him to disappear back into the forests on Kashyyyk and never talk again? He certainly didn't like that thought at all.

Evidently she was at least happy that wasn't the case, though. That was good.

He made his way down the ramp, hopefully not giving away any of the thoughts that had just run through his head fast enough to almost make his brain hurt, and gestured back at the Sanctuary.

"I, uh, I got a new ship. I think it's a lot nicer than the last one, yeah? Kinda retro, but..." But what? But it didn't have the negative memories attached, of running from the Maw, picking up her and Ideon right after their master sacrificed himself to save all three? "I dunno. I kinda like it."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Wait, wait, wait...

Was Marus nervous too?

He certainly seemed a little disjointed, sticking to the top of the ramp as he did. She tilted her head a little to one side. Maybe her joke hadn't landed well? She swallowed nervously. "I was joking, Marus" she quickly stated, nerves and natural worrier mode taking over and forcing her to make sure he understood as much. Surely he knew? But if there was any uncertainty... Nope. Couldn't handle that, not Rhia. "It's really good to see you."

Though it had taken him a little while, soon enough he was down at the bottom of the ramp alongside her.

"I can't imagine making the journey you did alone. I'd have been bored out of my mind. Are you hungry? Do you wanna maybe go grab something to eat while we catch up?"

Before they could do any of that though, he'd made comment about his ship. She glanced past him toward it, grinned and whistled appreciatively. "YT... Very nice. A classic design. Suits you, man. And hey, even better, it's actually yours this time." Grin disintegrated into something of a smirk, a callback to one of their very first exchanges.

"Does it have a name?"

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

"The Sanctuary," he replied almost instantly. Had he not said it to start with? That didn't bode well. "Came with the name. It even turns invisible!" That had been a fun one to find out. About as nice as to find out she'd just been joking with the way she came at him to start with. That was good. Food...he tried to ignore the growling in his stomach. Food would be nice, but not yet. Sithspit, she was already asking him so many questions, and he hadn't even asked her anything. That wouldn't do. Not at all.

"Hey, how've you been?" he asked, before she had the opportunity to start firing any more questions off. "Just a couple months, sure, but you're the one who's been somewhere to do stuff, rather than just...floating." That probably sounded a bit too depressing. Made it sound like he was completely lost, without an idea of what to do or where to go. Clearly, he'd had an idea of where to go, if he'd ended up here.

Food would be nice. And probably sound less depressing.

He fidgeted with the box a bit, though he was careful not to allow it to tilt too much, or gods forbid, drop it. "I wouldn't mind catching lunch, but, uh, but first..." He glanced down at the box, and the card. More of a label, really, and he hadn't thought of anything he could actually write on it. Not that it was entirely necessary to do so, given that he was giving it to her directly, but it was a nice box and a nice looking card, from the perfume lady.

He probably should've written something.

"Well, I found something I thought you might like, and, I'd only just gotten out of the outback, so, I figured..." That wasn't much reasoning, was it? She probably already thought it was as ridiculous as he thought it was and thought he was being. But it was too late now. He held he box forward, giving her a smile. Hopefully one that didn't look as self-judgemental as he felt.

"It made just as much sense to bring it right back, I guess, rather than hand it off to some local mail service."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

"Sanctuary" she mirrored, with a thoughtful expression. After a long second she nodded her head. "Yep. That's fitting. A ship with that name suits you. Sanctuary indeed." He'd been something of a sanctuary for her and Ideon during their time together, especially those first few days which had been particularly painful to exist within. Eased her worries, provided her with a means to get back on her feet without drowning beneath it all.

Yeah. It fit.

Talks of it turning invisible had her glancing at it under a new light. She grinned. "Oh, now that sounds like fun." A stealth ship? "Maybe it'll help you avoid any more of those Mawites. Force knows it'll ease my worries to know you're not just a sitting duck out there."

That... Maybe hadn't come out right. Was it condescending? She hoped it wasn't condescending. Further colour in her cheeks, man why was she always blushing as of late? She needed to get that under wraps!

Mostly, she just wanted to know that he made it back home in one piece. Wherever home was.

Next he turned the questions on her, but before she could respond he said something that had her frowning, her heart seemed to drop in response to it too. "I wish you didn't have to travel alone" she responded, chewing on the inside of her lip in the silence which followed. "You can always call me, if you get bored out there. I know it's not the same as having someone there, but... Well, I mean, it's always nice to hear from you, and maybe it'll help pass the time?"

The reality of just how much he'd sacrificed to get her here dawned on her in that moment. Sure they'd shared the journey into the Station together, but back out? And then he'd come back in? No... She couldn't imagine it. Yet here he was, having made the journey twice.

She realized she hadn't actually answered his question.

"But uh, yeah... We've been good. Settling. It's a big change, there's a lot more people here than we're used to. But I think it's doing Ideon some good. And well, it's nice to be back with Cotan and Asha. I just... I guess I wish the circumstances were different, you know?" He knew, he'd been there in the immediate aftermath of Vero's sacrifice, he'd seen all the ups and downs she'd lived through in that first month.

Rhia glanced at him from the corner of her eye, preparing to turn and head away so that they could eat. But he halted her before she could.

But first..?

She turned back toward him, and gave him a curious expression. It took her a little while longer than she'd ever admit to realize what he was saying, and her gaze drifted between Marus and the giftbox, then back up to him again. He'd... He'd come all this way to give her a gift..?

Her heart skipped a few beats, though her breath hitched in her throat. It was a strange sensation to experience both at once, and for a moment she worried she wasn't going to be able to catch her breath at all. Of course the sensation didn't last.

Oh, if she'd been blushing before...

She took the box gingerly, as though afraid to damage even a millimeter of it, and again glanced between him and it. Disbelief was wrought upon her expression, but not of the negative kind. Mostly Rhia didn't know what to say.

"I... You..." She tried, but even therein she failed. "Should I, uh... Open it?" It might have been a silly question, but he already seemed as nervous as she was, and that was saying something. Would he be embarrassed if she opened it in front of him? Oh, Force, there she went overthinking everything again.

Before he could answer she stepped closer and wrapped an arm around him, the one not holding the box for fear of crushing it.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

"Open—"

Oh. She was hugging him. That was nice. He hugged her back.

"Open iiiiiiit."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Oh, chit, he wanted her to open it. But he also hugged her back, so that made things a little more difficult to comply with. She savoured it for a moment longer, hoping that it could convey the gratitude that she was verbally incapable of in that moment, before pulling back and peering down at the box.

She inhaled slowly... And then lifted the lid.

Inside lay 6 vials; at first glance they all appeared to be the same, but further scrutiny revealed that two of them were marked as being for men. An oversight, perhaps? Or intentional? Either way she grinned when she realized what they were - well, she realized they were perfumes, not what they did - and she peered up at him with excitement in her eyes.

"Oh, Marus!" Having lost pretty much every single one of her belongings, barring their alchemized swords, the gift inherently meant a lot to her. But that he'd seen it and obviously thought of her, and then made the journey back to the Station? Well, it was hard not to feel something akin to adoration in the face of all that.

"Thank you, they're beautiful vials," she stated in sincerity. Then she slipped one of them out of the box, and lifted the stopper to take a sniff. It was delightful. She settled it back into place, before cheekily lifting up one of the vials labeled for men and unstoppering it too.

Surprisingly the scent was different. In fact, she felt certain she preferred it to the other scent. Without giving it much thought, she sprayed it on Marus with a teasing grin.

"Looks like these two are for you" she stated, revealing to him the label which stated they were for men. Of course she couldn't spray one and not the other, so just as soon as he'd been sprayed she returned the vial and took up one of the feminine ones and sprayed that on herself too. You know, to be fair.

All in all, both scents mixed had her blushing considerably more than before, and she felt flushed too.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

Marus blinked when she spritzed a bit of it on him, although he certainly couldn't complain seeing her in this more playful state. The scent certainly wasn't terrible, although certainly not the same as what initially drew him to buy the set of perfumes.

"Wait, huh?" Two of them were for men? Sithspit, he should've paid more attention when he grabbed them, now that meant that the six for her were only four—

Marus blinked again when she sprayed herself. There was that scent. That sort of overpowering scent that just took over every neuron in the frontal lobes, setting them firing in unison and all focused on the same thing. His thoughts drew back, just for a moment, to some of the things she'd been saying to him in the last minute, the words that had splashed over his mind suddenly taking root.

Cotan and Asha. He'd figured out who Cotan was, somewhat, the Grand Marshal of the Judges, although he wasn't entirely clear on the relationship between him and Rhia. Asha, Asha he didn't know. Probably one of her friends, among all those many people that she and Ideon were getting used to. Force, it was Rhia. She probably had a lot of friends. How could somebody like her not have a lot of friends?

The thought sent a small pang of jealousy through his heart, knowing that he'd have to leave again soon, but she'd still be surrounded by friends. Sure, it was a good thing, for her to have friends around, he was glad she wasn't lonely, but not being around himself...

Of course, even after two months, she hadn't forgotten about him. Sure, they'd spoken a few times, traded some messages back and forth, but for an itinerant person like him, that was a long time. He couldn't remember any time he'd gone two months without seeing somebody that he ever saw them again before he got dragged off to that cult on Kashyyyk. And she remembered him! And was happy to see him! That was a good thing. That helped replace the jealousy with something heartwarming.

He definitely wished he didn't have to travel alone either. It had been nice having her around. Sure, it wouldn't be so bad once he was back out of the outback and on his way to Kashyyyk, things would go a lot faster, but it didn't make it any less lonely, even being able to talk to her. Her thoughts on the name of the ship didn't exactly make that easier, either. Even if she did say it with such a genuine expression.

"Force, Rhia—"

Sanctuary. Saying the name fit him. Maybe he had been that, but she and Ideon had done just as much to help keep him sane. He'd been running from the Maw himself, after all. But if that was how she thought of him, and he had to up and leave so soon, that was positively heartbreaking. Especially with some of the looks she'd been giving him. Or even how she hugged him.

She hugged him! She, Rhia Kesyk, had deigned to hug Marus Saretti. It was almost unbelievable.

She'd even seemed to love the gift. Clearly, it must not have been as ridiculous of him to do as he'd been worried about, if she was so glad to receive such a thing. Surprised, too, by the look on her face as soon as he'd handed over the box. Oddly surprised, even. Did she not get gifts very often? That would have to change.

He would have to get her all the gifts.

But for now, the perfumes would have to suffice, mingling in the air between them.

Marus's eyes caught Rhia's. How long had it been? Surely no more than a moment, right? His brain felt like it was on overdrive. Or had everything else slowed down? Or had he slowed down? Surely not, if he had, she would've said something, or done something. No, she was right where he'd left her when his brain started replaying the last few moments of their conversation and picking it apart. Looking at him, nearly breathless, blushing. He hadn't seen her blush quite like that yet.

Force, she was beautiful.

"—You smell divine."

He clearly meant it.

When did he start saying and thinking 'Force' so often? That was new. It must've been her influence, having travelled with her for a month, and she was already back on it herself. Was she? Maybe she wasn't. Maybe he'd just picked it up that easily.

What was it that he heard people say sometimes? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

"Look it, too, but that's nothing new."

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

By the time that she'd replaced the vials to the box she realized that she was feeling a little weird. Not bad weird just, different. Maybe the scents were just a little more intense than she was used to, after all when was the last time she'd even had perfume? Come to think of it, had she ever..? Probably. At some point in time. Surely. Right?

Right.

Then she made the mistake of looking up at Marus as he said her name. Even stole her verbiage. She narrowed her eyes at him playfully, "I thought you didn't even like the Force" she mumbled before she could stop herself, time seeming to stretch and float indiscernibly in the interim. He was staring at her. Why was he staring at her? She was staring back.

That blush deepened further. She felt as though she might spontaneously combust if her cheeks burned any more than they were. Rhia went so far as to lift a hand to touch her cheek, yep red hot. He was still staring at her. She couldn't find the words to form and break the silence, nor did she feel any urgency toward doing so.

Had his eyes always been so blue? Like an ocean ripe for losing oneself in...

He broke the silence before she did, and the words themselves had her hiding her face behind her one free hand. Compliments, now? Force, Rhia didn't know how to handle compliments. Especially not that kind of compliment. Good parry, sure, Nice work, yes, but... This? And then something else.

Oh boy, she was burning up good. Almost wished she'd combust too; Rhia had never felt so embarrassed before in her entire life, not even when Cotan Sar'andor had been teasing her about this self same goofball she was stood before.

What did she even say in response?

How the feth did she speak again?

"I... Uh..."

She peeked out from between her fingertips. Caught his scent once more. It wasn't just the perfume she was smelling either, she knew his scent by now after spending so long stuck on a ship with him.

"You too..."

You too?

Oh, My, Force, Kill me now.

You too...

Ugh she'd never live it down.

"I mean, uh... You uh... Smell good, too.... Real good..."

Flustered as she was, she turned back toward the hangar door and made to walk away. She needed air, air that wasn't so tainted by ungodly scents. After taking a few steps though she realized she'd never actually vocalized any of that. So she turned, looked at him, looked at the door, then huffed in an attempt at breathing.

"You uh... Wanna see somewhere cool?"

Girl was red all over by now, not a hint of green to be seen. Air, she desperately needed air.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

Marus blinked again, his brow furrowing in a bit of confusion as Rhia hid her face. "Wait, Rhia," he started, lifting up one hand before she began to speak again. He smelled good too? That was good. Clearly, the perfume worked well. Or was the one for him supposed to be called cologne? He didn't really know. Didn't care much, either. Clearly, he must have done something right, with how much she seemed to enjoy the scent. Or seeing her nearly as flustered as he had been a few moments ago.

Still somewhat distracted by the blush across her features, Marus's hand came all the way up, catching her own to pull it back away from her face. Before he could say much of anything more, however, she turned and started making her way off to the door, nearly pulling him off of his feet in her haste. He caught himself and kept up, though, barely avoiding slamming into her when she stopped and turned to look at him again.

Somewhere cool? The entire space station looked cool from outside, so he wasn't sure what specifically she was referring to. Rather than voice that confusion, however, he smiled, giving her hand a small, unconscious squeeze.

"Sure!"

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

"Wait?" she mirrored.

What was she waiting for?

Ahh why was everything warranting so much extra consideration? Each breath she took only seemed to make matters worse. No, forget that, when she felt his hand dragging hers down from her face, when he held it even after that, made it all the worse. Was her heart still beating? Were her lungs still functioning? Truly Rhia wasn't sure of either answer. It certainly didn't feel like she was breathing very much at all.

Nope.

Not even a little bit.

Her wide eyes just stared at him. Uncertain. Shocked.

It was then that she turned to leave, very much in need of air, very much forgetting his hand held hers, very much unaware of the fact that she was dragging him along with her. So much so that when she turned to beckon him along he turned out to already be right there in front of her. She walked right into his chest.

"Oof." That knocked the air out of her lungs, but at the very least she was breathing again. So close, she was just breathing in more of his scent though. She sort of just stared up at him, sheepishly like a deer in headlights, and then when his response came she swallowed and nodded her head.

No more words, she turned and led him out of the hangar, her hand firmly within his once he'd squeezed it. Not uncomfortably firm, but not willing to let go unless he wanted her to sort of thing. Whatever, Rhia didn't know what the heck she was even really doing. She just led him on, excited to show him the true wonder of the Station.

And so she led him through to the Je'daii corner, wherein - after punching in a couple of codes - she revealed to him the entrance room through which the true majesty of the gardens could be viewed via panes of glass.

She might have paused there, let him gather his thoughts in the foyer, after all it was a lot to take in when one was imagining themselves in the depths of space, but nope.

Rhia carried on, leading him right out into the greenery beyond. A huge grin had formed upon her lips, as though she was revealing to him some great secret.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

It was almost intoxicating being so close to Rhia.

Almost?

It was intoxicating being so close to Rhia. Before he could manage to wrap an arm back around her and fervently repeat his thoughts on just how divine she seemed at that moment, however, she quickly—excitedly—and silently started to pull him along through the station. Hand still grasping his, as well; he was almost amazed by that fact. Of course, even in the first couple of days knowing her he hadn't missed how she blushed or laughed at him holding her hand or carrying her, so he wasn't entirely surprised by it.

They rounded one corner—two—five—twenty—he quickly lost count. The station looked like a cool sort of hodgepodge from the outside, but inside it was a maze, and with all his thoughts currently focused on the girl holding his hand, dragging him around, and looking impossibly beautiful while doing so, he couldn't manage to keep track of the directions. Eventually, however, they were on a long straightaway, and he was able to stop trying to figure out where they were long enough to just appreciate her.

Pulling him along, dark hair bobbing with every step, the way her clothes hugged her frame, the bit of sway to her hips...

Then they passed a threshold, and all the scenery changed. Gone was the inside of a space station, and now they were in...it almost reminded him of Kashyyyk. Peaceful, relaxing, with...greenery outside? It almost looked like they'd suddenly teleported to a planet. Some amazing sort of sorcery. But she didn't pause, she kept pulling him along, only stopping long enough to set the box full of perfume down on a table without sending it flying off the other side and breaking everything within.

And then she pulled him out into what looked, for all that he could see, like the surroundings around the temple on Kashyyyk. The plants were different, of course, although it looked like at least one of the trees was a very carefully-pruned and growth-controlled wroshyr. The grass was cool beneath his feet, and it looked like they were out in open air. In fact, if it weren't for the extremely minute hum of high-quality atmospheric recyclers, he might have believed they were.

But the fact that it was more art than magic did nothing to diminish his true amazement, before Rhia turned around. Grinning brightly, her face still as red as could be, emerald green eyes sparkling with excitement and joy. He couldn't tell if his heart was swelling or melting. "Rhia, this is amazing!" he exclaimed. He didn't have many words to work with to describe it beyond that, so he might as well get it out of the way.

But his eyes were still drawn to hers.

He shifted his grip on her hand to something more comfortable, now that they were facing each other again, still momentarily lost in her eyes like she had been in his back in the hangar. "Rhia," he started, utterly unaware that there might be anybody else waiting nearby in the garden for them, a warning from an at-times overly permissive station master having gone completely misunderstood, "Could I...may I..."

Force, her eyes were distracting. He almost couldn't figure out the words he wanted to say.

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

Force, had this place always been so unbearably winding? She was feeling dizzy just making her way through to the Gardens, which was something she'd done countless times since coming here. Granted, she stuck pretty close by it. Her and Ideon's apartment was over that way, as was the canteen they frequented when neither wanted to cook, and the training rooms, and...

Okay, so maybe she hadn't made the journey from the Hangar in quite some time. But even so, it felt extra long due to her excitement. She wanted it to be over and done with already, gorramit!

This way, that way, leading him along as she was, she almost felt bad. Maybe she should have offered him something to eat first, there was a cantina closer to the bay that they could have stopped by. But nope, she'd rushed headlong in, and now it was too late to turn back. Every now and then she glanced over her shoulder at him when she thought he wouldn't be watching, stealing a glance, and every time she was surprised to see he was looking at her too.

Each time she blushed and looked away again.

It was like she was being caught; only she wasn't doing anything wrong.

Finally, eventually, they came upon the atrium and she set down the perfumes, pausing only long enough to ensure they didn't slip off the table, then out into the garden they wandered.

She rounded on him, eyeing him eagerly to see what he made of it all. Green eyes seeking out his blue. And boy was his response worth it. That grin broadened, and she nodded her head eagerly.

"Right?" she said, practically bouncing in place. There was so much energy coiled up within her that it surprised even Rhia. "Isn't it great? And look, there's water features, and trees, and so many plants, and, and..."

He was staring at her again.

She shifted back to face him, having been gesturing this way and that as she spoke. Then she stared back.

His hand shifted in hers, and she became all the more aware of its presence there, of how close they were. She gulped, and lost herself in his eyes as he fumbled around a question he wasn't quite able to ask. Somehow though she seemed to instinctively understand, and subtly found herself leaning up on her toes toward him...

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

His heart was pounding. Why was his heart pounding?

Oh, right, Rhia. She was why his heart was pounding. And the way the perfume smelled on her. And the way she looked. The way she blushed, the everything—

His free hand came up to settle on her waist as she stepped in closer, rising up on her toes. His other hand shifted up her arm, resting just above her elbow. They paused for a moment like that, nearly nose to nose, just staring into each other's eyes, breathing deeply. Somewhere, his brain found the words he intended to say. "May I kiss—"

He wasn't exactly sure if she made the final movement or he did, but his eyes closed as he pulled her in close, savouring the feeling of her lips on his, her body against his, the scent of the perfume mixing with the flowers and trees and water around them.

It was perfect.

Rhia Kesyk

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

It was such a lovely day out in the garden.

Bright, not a cloud in the sky despite the fact it had rained the night prior - something she had sat and watched from within the shelter of the observation deck - and the little flock of songbirds Cotan had so graciously procured for her whistled away happily within the treetops.

The sort of day where she didn't even need to use her imbued teapot in order to feel utterly at peace. Not that she wasn't busy brewing some tea all the same, it was something of a morning tradition these days. To take her tea and breakfast out into the garden when she was home. Some days Cotan would join her, but he'd been busy this morning so it was just Asha.

Or at least it was going to be just Asha, but she'd received a call not too long ago that Rhia and a friend of hers were headed this way. Her heart soared with the promise of company, Rhia's no less, and so she hurried up with eating her jam-smothered slice of toast and got to brewing more tea than initially anticipated.

She heard them enter but wasn't quite ready for them so she took a minute or so extra to finish up the tea, pouring them each a nice cup where they could sit in the grass and catch up, make introductions, that sort of thing.

Rising up, Asha glanced over the small spread - there were more slices of toast with preserves present - and nodded her head. Then she went to approach the pair of them.

"Hey Rhia, sweetheart," she began, as she stepped around some sort of shrub and spotted them in the not so distance, "I made some tea if you---- oh...."

As red as Rhia was, Asha soon became. She'd walked right in on them kissing. Cotan had said Rhia and her friend... Emphasis on Friend... would be joining her.

She hadn't been warned that they were hoping to use the garden as a make out zone!

Asha took a couple of steps back, no doubt watching as Rhia pulled herself away from the boy and turned in surprise.

Marus Saretti

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

As their lips met, all that Rhia could think about was how he'd asked - actually asked! - if he could kiss her. That thought enveloped her, and she lifted one hand up to gently touch his cheek; stubbly and rugged but not unpleasant beneath her palm. This close he smelled even better too, positively delicious. Of course tasting his lips helped with that, too.

His presence became all-consuming, the rest of the garden faded away into nothingness. Force, was this what she'd been avoiding for the latter half of their journey together? Ignoring and pretending as though there wasn't something there? Because right now she felt very foolish indeed. Not that she'd confess as much. How could she? He'd probably think she was crazy for that, so soon after they'd met. Right?

Yet here he was...

And here they were...

And---

Asha's voice called out. For a moment it seemed almost like an echo, not even from the woman herself. But then they cut through the kiss, and Rhia pulled back and dropped back down onto her feet. Her eyes were wide, cheeks flushed red-green again, and she turned to face the woman who had for a time helped raise her.

"Oh..."

Rhia hadn't expected anyone else to be here. Much less Asha!

She shifted, glancing between Asha and Marus and back again. The woman was already retreating from them, looking just as flustered as they were. Her mind whirred a mile a minute, and she took just one teeny tiny step away from Marus as though reluctant to do so at all even with how embarrassed she was feeling. Somehow she had to salvage it, some way...

"Y-Yes... Tea... We'll, we'll be over there in a minute, Asha..."

Just as quickly as the woman approached them she was hurrying back the way she'd come, and Rhia felt certain she'd seen her remove a comlink from her pocket. Oh chit. Oh chit, no. Did that mean what she thought it meant?

She turned back to Marus, and despite how good he still smelled, and how much she'd enjoyed the feel of his lips on her own, she tried to force the sense to remain within her previously hazy mind.

"Uh... That... That was Asha..." She explained, swallowing.

Marus Saretti

 

[Marus Saretti]

Marus pulled her in closer, enjoying having her in his arms, her tiny hand stroking along the side of his scruffy face. Force, how he'd missed her while he was travelling in the outback; even when she went back into having to try and argue, almost bossy, neither of them able to just let things be, she filled the day with something interesting and entertaining, not just books or sleep. And now, having her beautiful face right up against his, smelling her, the perfume, whatever she used to clean her hair, beneath the perfume it smelled a little sweet, maybe a little spicy, something that fit her personality—

Was that firebuds he smelled?

—and tasting her lips against his own, there was almost nothing else in the entire gala—

Rhia abruptly ended the kiss, pulling away, even breaking out of the embrace. He was confused, for a moment, before seeing how she'd gone from a happy, excited blush to a more confused and embarrassed sort of blush. He followed her gaze as she started to speak, spotting the equally-embarrassed looking redhead a little ways away. He half-heartedly raised one hand, giving the woman a small wave before she turned and retreated back among the trees.

So that was Asha? Maybe not just a friend, then, maybe more of an...older sister? Maybe a sort of pseudo-parent?

"She seems nice," he mused, cocking his head off to one side. "Surprised, but, she called you a sweetheart, which you are, so..." And he poked her cheek for good measure, trying to get her to smile again, or at least swat him off, shock her back out of her embarrassment for at least a moment. Seeing her distressed was not exactly something he enjoyed; even if her blush was cute, this level of being flustered was a bit too far, and he'd far rather see her relaxed and happy again.

"Should we go have tea with her?" he held out a hand for Rhia to take, still grinning goofily. "It would be rude to leave her waiting, right?"

Rhia Kesyk Asha Hex

 

[Rhia Kesyk]

How was he so calm?

He was so calm!

When Asha had walked away Rhia turned, finding her cheek poked, and peered up at him. At first her expression was still a little shocked, dumbfounded even, but then she cracked a smile. Began to laugh a little. "Oh my Force, I didn't expect her to be here" she said, some of the stress waning almost immediately. Perhaps because of how cool he was being about it.

Cool as a cucumber. As a sea cucumber. As a sea cucumber on some frozen world like---

Tea. Yeah. Tea was good.

He offered her a hand, and she stared at it for a moment before consciously deciding to take it, the other times they'd held hands she hadn't really made the connection or the decision, but this time... Yeah. This time it felt right.

"If she tells Cotan, I am never gonna live this down" she muttered, visibly shrinking for a moment as though she could hide within the neckline of her shirt. Of course, she couldn't. But if she could...

Either way, she walked with Marus toward the trees that Asha usually had her tea in. Whatever the woman had been saying into the comms was ended just as they arrived, and Rhia dipped her head into a brief bow before moving to sit in the grass, tugging Marus with if he wasn't doing so already.

Seeing the spread, she felt a little pang of guilt worm its way through her stomach. "Thank you for tea, Asha," she muttered, biting the inside of her lip; then she remembered - introductions! She'd been so flustered that she'd never given a proper introduction. "Um... This is Marus; Marus, this is Asha." No relationship titles or the like either way.

What could Rhia even say? Both were complicated, much like her life.

Marus Saretti

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

She'd barely taken two steps past the bush when she pulled out the comlink from her belt and immediately dialed up Cotan. There was something of a back and forth between the two of them, culminating in the realization that there'd been a huge misunderstanding in the phrasing the man had used when explaining that the awkward kid and her friend were coming to the garden.

Apparently, he'd meant that she might want to vacate.

Asha had taken it as an offer for company.

Welp. You live and you learn.

While she waited to see if Rhia would in fact join her for tea, Asha fussed over the remnants of breakfast. With enough time she was even able to get the embarrassment to wane, though the realization that the little girl she'd once helped raise was now old enough to be kissing boys with beards was horrifying to say the least.

Where had the time gone?

Where had the tiny Zelosian girl gone?

Lamenting the passage of time, Asha watched as the pair of them approached. Rhia bowed, then sat down - tugging the boy down with her. Asha passed along a mug, first to Marus as a guest to the Station, and then to Rhia, as she made the introductions for them.

"Welcome to Tribunal Station, Marus," she said, her voice still holding its usual warmth despite how awkward their first encounter had been. "It's nice to meet you." She gave Rhia a look, something along the lines of I just wish it had been under different circumstances punctuating the air between them. Still Asha didn't really mind. It was just a shock to the system more than anything else.

Force, where did the time go?

It was around this time, with them both seated before her and at so close a proximity, that she began to add two and two together. There was a strong scent in the air, undercut by --- were those pheromones? Her eyes narrowed, first at Rhia, then at Marus, present only for a second.

"Whose perfume is that?" This time her tone was a little more serious than before... What were two relative kids doing with pheromone laced perfume?!

Marus Saretti