Private Fast Track to Creds

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder
​

The pilot's lips quirked before she finished speaking. Rather than chasing the life, she was clearly running full into it. It was clear she had that trajectory for constant motion.. just like him. That kind of ambition was fast and impossible to ignore. “Sounds.. fascinating. And exhausting. Doesn’t sound like a terrible balance though. Some people like that in life.. a little calculated risk here, a little chasing things that actually.. matter.” He let the last word hang, because that was the part that pulled him in, one he didn’t have an answer for himself. Not since he strayed from the Path.

His gaze clung to Shania as her words hit him. More or less a thrill junkie’s manifesto. A little wink to fate? Of course that made his pulse tick faster.

“You make it sound poetic. Dangerous poetry, no?” He grinned, a little crooked, because damn it, the thought of someone making poetry out of chaos? That was hot. “I rarely do the same thing twice. Unless it’s sabacc or flying, of course. Boredom is death, and I’ve had enough near death to know when I’m wasting my time.”

Part of him wanted to ask about the risk in the long game. The game where someone might actually walk out of it laughing instead of twitching at the edge. Maybe another time.. should one exist.

As the query returned, she would discover no pause in the pilot. “I’ve chased things that go boom, that spit fire, that try to kill me before breakfast. I’ve danced through debris fields with my hair on fire.” Devin blinked once before his mouth twisted. “.. Okay, maybe not the hair on fire part. That was more like a warm.. breeze.. situation?"

The grin shifted. “I like seeing what happens when someone actually pushes past the redline and keeps laughing.” Or screaming. Sometimes the two were indistinguishable! Either way, totally worth it.

“But in truth.. the impossible. The things that make you question whether the galaxy ever had rules. It’s.. an appetite I’m more than willing to feed.. at any cost.”

Not his best answer, which he was consciously aware of. But no point pretending otherwise. Being away from his squadron this long.. it left his life feeling hollow, without purpose.

He didn’t even bother hiding the way his fingers drifted toward the dealer afterwards, two musical like taps before he nodded for another hit. Most of the credits he’d brought were already sitting in the pot.. a mound of them now. A final card slid his way, landing between two fingers. All the bluffing just punctured.

There would be no sigh or curse. Zero protesting. The curve on his face even stayed. Devin had experienced enough crashes to not be pulled under so easily. Well, time to deliver some news with a pretty ribbon tied on it. Yeah, he’d bombed out. Maybe he didn’t even need to say it. His eyes were already warm and unapologetic. He had a few credits back in the hotel anyway. Enough for another gamble or stupid decision with his name on it. There was always a way and always tomorrow. Devin built an entire life so far out of those he probably didn’t deserve.

A smile bloomed, softer than all the others tonight. Ridiculously tender. The kind that only showed up when he wasn’t trying to charm.

The words slipped out light and warm. “There’s absolutely no way I’m kissing your hand.”

Of course, he very deliberately left out the rest of the ‘exit’ script Red Dagger gave him because he wasn’t keen on saying it was a pleasure to meet you and walk away just yet. One last little gamble.

 

[Shani Ryder]

Attire:
Red & Black Leather Jacket, Black Pants with Red Race Stripe, White Cotton Shirt, & Black Boots​

Balance? Things that actually mattered? Shani listened to what he was saying without jumping to interject. She didn't sneer or scoff, but seemed to studying him in that moment. Something on his mind, perhaps?

"Poetry imitates life," Ryder replied casually with a smirk. That's where those fancy poets pulled all their material, right? Trying to scribble down small and large matters on a page so they were memorable, poignant, and some how got people to think about things they otherwise couldn't be bothered. Maybe how she lived was poetic. Someone else would have to do the scribbling though. Not her speed.

"Boredom is death," Devin's conversation partner agreed whole heartedly. "The worst kind of it: unending. People talk about an afterlife, worried about where they'll go and what they'll do. Nether, they should be more worried about this life. Some of them are already living in their own, personal hell; and the way out is right in front of them." She didn't mean people in war zones, or in literal bondage; but the masses that walked about freely, but felt that niggling sense of dread and malcontent. They could do something about it but chose not to. Shani had.

A twisted smirk accompanied Devin's claim of dancing through a debris field with his hair on fire. Good thing he recovered that one because it asked more questions than it answered. Though even the adjustment begged questions.

Shani leaned on the table with one arm, her russet eyes transfixed on the man as he spoke of hungering for the impossible. Those few and far between events in the galaxy that made you question your fundamental understanding of what was and should be. "Any cost?" her shoulders shook slightly with a chuckle. "Careful what you wish for." Her gaze held on him until he asked for a card.

Another slid across the table to her as well. Sure, she had a decent enough hand. Statistically probably wise to stand and in the long-run even if she lost things might pan out. But how was that fun playing it safe?

A quick flip of the card by her thumb revealed the next count, and she immediately tallied it to its conclusion. It'd all happened in the blink of an eye with her rapt attention right back with what may have been the only other person at that table still. She watched his expression evolve over the few seconds that passed as he discovered his fate. Not a sound was made to disturb the moment. Not a gesture to catch the eye. Shani simply waited until Devin was ready.

She hoped his little quip didn't mean he was intended to leave. Her 'script' was that of someone not worth a follow-up. Someone that slinked away never to be seen again. The corners of her lips twitched.

With a single flip, a cascade of cards toppled over to reveal her hand. Twenty-four. Just as busted as Devin's. Well, less so, but 'close' didn't matter in Sabacc when you were over.

It was obvious Devin didn't have a lot of credits left. Neither did Shani from those she'd bought in with. Now Ryder wanted to know what he'd do next. "What's your next play?" What she wanted was for him to ask for or do anything other than walk out the door or get a loan for more money. She wanted him to embrace life and the opportunities before him -- namely those she could open up for him, but only if he pursued them.

Devin Virell

 

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder
​

Devin fell silent for a few seconds again. Probably more than those who’d sat across from him tonight expected.. but it wasn’t necessarily from absence. No different than engines spooling before a jump. He followed the motion as she received another, studying the crash out, while ignoring the spread of cards. They were already ash. Zero emotions registered. Even his own loss didn’t sting the way it might others. And hers didn't soothe. Nothing of the like dared to cross his mind.

Her banter, however, with those verbal knives thrown across the table and a little friction.. that was the real win. Maybe those credits were just a toll to stay in the same lane with someone who was actually interesting and made the game worth playing.

Losing together.. yeah, that had its own strange poetry. Outlaw poetry. “Careful’s the word they preach,” his finger brushing the edge of a card still lingering on the table. “But you said it yourself.. life’s got its own hells. Might as well pick a fire worth burning for.”

A micro quirk flashed at the corner of his mouth that he tried to hide and failed. There was warmth in that one too.. maybe a challenge. Something in-between. Devin exhaled through his nose, a patient little sigh. “Funny thing about losing. It has a way of clearing the board. It even strips things down to what you actually want. Removes all the extra noise.. just the truth sitting right in front of you.”

His thumb brushed the remaining chips idly, not because he needed it.. but because it bought him another moment to read Shania better. The way a pilot studies the field before locking S‑foils and diving into the storm. The lifespan of an X‑wing pilot? Not much better than a TIE‑fighter’s. That only meant every glance had to count.

A soft but self-aware grin. “Ship’s gone. Flight home’s out far of reach. Credit stack’s rather thin.”

He leaned back into the chair like it was part of his own cockpit.. the same recline. One boot hooked under the rung, elbows resting loose. He didn’t give a damn if the dealer stared or if the other two players were trying to figure out why he was still present.

He’d been in her orbit the entire game. And Devin spent half of it pretending he wasn’t drifting any closer. Words were cool, sure. Banter was always better. But he wanted to see if Red Dagger might let herself enter his fully.

“You’ve got that look,” he murmured. “The one people get before they drag someone into a mess nobody walks away from clean.”

His gaze lowered to her mouth, slow enough to burn; he wasn’t bluffing, and wanted her to feel it.

"My next play is you."

 

[Shani Ryder]

Attire:
Red & Black Leather Jacket, Black Pants with Red Race Stripe, White Cotton Shirt, & Black Boots​

Shani silently gave him a one-finger gun salute as Devin said people should pick something worth burning for. Not that she had any inclination to 'burn' metaphorically for anything she did. They'd have to catch her first.

Truth, huh? She listened to Devin's rumination about loss. Thankfully he elaborated because it certainly begged that question. She couldn't agree that every loss cleared the board to help someone feel like their eyes had been opened, but the litany Devin gave fit the bill nicely. No ship. No home. No credits. A wise (albeit dense) person would recognize something had to change when nothing was left. The very sort of person Shani hoped to find in Devin; because if he'd been the extremely dense addict type... well, even a thrill seeker knew when not to try saving a drowning man.

A half-wink with a tug at the corner of the mouth as if to tell the others to keep their mouths shut and count their credits accompanied Devin making himself comfortable. There was a pit of money that could buy the man a minute of their time, then they could go back to trying to squeeze one another dry.

Then her lidded russet eyes slid back to Devin with a small smile on her lips. Her thin eyebrows arched upward just a bit as if to ask 'who me?' or 'whatever could you mean?' What mess? And who cared about being clean, really? Clean was boring. No one read Yante's Paradiso; they read Yante's Inferno because the damned were so much more interesting as characters.

Slowly, Ryder pushed her seat back and got to her feet. Her eyes never left Devin as she stepped around the other Human. A hand was extended in the direction of the man trying to make himself comfortable with the hand that'd been dealt. "What are we waiting for?" The pointy-earred woman bent over at the hips slowly to lower her head down to his level. "They're playing with all the wrong cards here."

"New game. Sky's the limit." Whether he took her hand or not, she waited until he was on his feet. "And no rules. Except one: no regrets."

By that point, provided he was standing, Shani would start to pull on his hand to lead him away from the table. "Odessa, was it? You wanna grab a drink here and tell me all about it, or check out my ship?" Either was fine, really. Reckless as she was, it probably wouldn't hurt for them to talk about where the ship really was to gather some things to help liberate it. They could always talk about it en route if he wanted to discuss or do something else, first, of course.

Devin Virell

 

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder
​

Devin didn't rise right away. He sat there a beat second or two longer. In a way he couldn't quite explain, right now, it felt like everything was happening behind transparisteel. A hand hovered before taking hers. He'd never been the hand holding type. Too many exits to monitor in most situations. But embarrassingly fast, he realized that warmth radiating between their palms felt good. His internal calculator whirred, firing faster that conscious thought. That was enough to keep his fingers gently curled around hers.

A few strides were enough to tilt the heavens; something about it felt so easy. Some instinct stirred along his spine, slowing him before he pivoted to swing and step ahead of her. That didn't mean he invaded her personal space. Devin even carried the movement a few more paces on his backfoot, steering them toward the exit.

Now he wanted to breathe life into words he never gave anyone. "I want to tell you about all of it." A glance was flicked back at the sabacc table behind her before returning to Shania.

"You want speed still?" His voice lowered into something laced with mischief. "I have a plan." The spark was undeniable.. was it the glitterstim in his bloodstream, or just more curiosity? Maybe it was trouble recognizing trouble in the mirror. And maybe.. he was also giving one last chance to walk away from him if she wanted something safer.

"I say we take the pot the others are too scared to chase, and we walk out together like it was always ours."

The following smile was an invitation and promise of a terrible idea entwined.. a dare in dressed charm and adrenaline. "Then we get off world.. find something stupid.. or something loud. Something worth all the bruises. A bounty.. or a race. I don't know Shania. And I don't care which."

Because the specifics didn't matter..

"Point is.. I'm not walking out of here to go sleep in some cheap hotel and nurse another busted up purse. I'm not looking for a quiet ending tonight. Maybe.. a new beginning."

His head tipped, tracing those little expressions that were always louder than words. "You said you're hungry for the thrill." He let that settle in the small space between them. "So am I. I say we steal the night back.. together. Are you in, Red?"

 

[Shani Ryder]

Attire:
Red & Black Leather Jacket, Black Pants with Red Race Stripe, White Cotton Shirt, & Black Boots​

Shani made a show of swaying her hips as Devin sought to lead the way, hand in hand. Looked like he wasn't one to sit around the bar talking it out. What did he have in mind then? Maybe he didn't. Hopefully he didn't think she did. Well, there was still her ship. Or the place she got for her brief stay on Nar Shaddaa; but then that would be dangerous wouldn't it?

"Never let up on the gas, Devin, that's my motto." Who cared if it was healthy? Shani wasn't terribly worried about physical matters, and mental ones, well, she'd be fine. Devin was hardly some legendary monster from myth to be worried about her mental health around him.

The metaphor she got, but her russet eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to read between the lines. "Which pot is that?" It wasn't fear, but a desire to understand. Even being a spontaneous thrill-seeker like herself Shani still knew what she was going to do a moment before she did it. And seeing as how they'd just met, it would be good to make sure they were on the same page.

Suddenly, the shorter woman shoved herself up against him in order to trap him between the door frame and her body. She'd waited for him to finish before springing the trap. A smile spread easily across her lips. "Now that's what I wanted to hear. So," she reached up with her free hand to trade the outside of his earlobe from top to bottom, "you want me in the pilot seat, or to be your navigator? Don't worry, We'll splurge, tonight." Her credits had to go somewhere and blowing them on card games wasn't her norm. Dropping them on posh accommodations on the other hand? Totally her thing. When you were living on the edge you might as well do it comfortably.

If Devin hadn't meant to insinuate anything, he'd done a poor job of it. Shani gazed up into his deep brown eyes with a smile. "Let's go steal the night back." With that she'd ease up on the pressure -- not that she could have pinned him there if she'd truly wanted -- so they could continue on their way. She was fine showing him the way, or telling him where to go.

There was something in his gaze that told her he really meant it. This wasn't one of those 'go ride a dangerous carnival ride' kind of wild plans. Whether he had a laundry list of things to do, or just a short list, it was a start. She'd toss in a few things along the way as well. Wouldn't want him to think she was only good at talking about thrills, and not doing them.

Devin Virell

 

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder
​

That motto sank into him like something he hadn’t realized he’d been craving. It was reckless, unapologetic, poetry in motion.. and it was exactly the affirmation his adrenaline chasing brain needed to hear in that moment.

When the question hung in the air, he was already a prisoner of her face, devouring its intricate contours.. every detail an invitation. The heavy bass and flashing neon lights dissolved into that narrow channel of space, where desire could manifest. And before an answer was delivered, the doorframe caught him. That little intimate scrape sent sparks down his neck. Both hands slid to the hem of her leather jacket, tugging Shania closer, letting himself feel the press of muscle beneath. Unbidden. lips parted without thought, a soft pant breaking loose. Of course, hunger was there, but perhaps it was also an echo from earlier, their exchanged words during the first game.. fuel for what burned between them now.

“That very pot we both threw our hopes into." A nod in that direction might’ve punctuated his comment, but looking away would have been sacrilege. Then, almost reverently. “I just require a navigator.” Leading came naturally, never one to mind taking charge, but what he truly needed was someone in his corner. He'd seen the difference it made in shockboxing; one voice.. just one believer at your side.. that was a superpower in its own right. The rest was negotiable..

When the tension eased, his hand enveloped hers anew, guiding upward and across his side, so that she might feel the trusty slugthrower tucked away into its holster. When his eyes finally left her, it reached to the exit; the sabacc table being nearby lent him confidence. The past few weeks here allowed enough time to collect plenty of data points.. and none of them screamed danger.

“"The Syndicate's influence isn't that deep here. Not yet at least, and security's light.” A small smirk carved across his features. “Smuggler’s Moon is trash. There's hundreds of places to disappear if things go sideways.”

What else was there to say?

A few strides later and the table came back into view.. the same players and piles of credits they’d nearly abandoned. Nobody in the galaxy was promised clean outcomes, right? Devin stopped just inside their space, enough for a shadow to roll across the chips while reaching inside his jacket. Three pairs of eyes lifted as the pistol cleared. With the safety off, he set it down on the table, firm in his grip. It was there to tell them what it could possibly mean, should one make the wrong move.

Truth was.. he’d never killed anyone.. but he’d learned how persuasive a barrel could be back on Coruscant, long before the days of residing in an X-Wing. Experience told him if anybody here was going to rat him out.. it’d be the dealer. So.. Devin tipped the muzzle a few degrees his way as a friendly reminder.

Now it was time for another bluff.. one everyone would fold to.

“Don’t,” he warned, “We’re just taking back what we lost. That’s all.”

Instead of looking around for Shania, he stepped left, opening an easy path straight to the credits. As long as things didn’t escalate, it might even be the simplest gamble of the night.

 

[Shani Ryder]

Attire: Red & Black Leather Jacket, Black Pants with a Red Race Stripe, a White Cotton Shirt, and Black Boots​

Shani's lips parted slightly when Devin pulled her close using her jacket. Russet eyes stared back at him eager to find out where the moment was headed. Her hands pressed against his chest and slid up toward his shoulders; not to push away, but to feel the man that wanted her against him.

The very pot...? The sabacc table? Shani could have stopped him. Just a few words. A laugh even. A touch. Any number of ways because to her the credits were nothing. Easily replaceable. But to him? Well, of course, but as she'd said before she hadn't 'planned' anything. She might have given him a 'treat' of credits when they parted, or maybe she wouldn't have to make up for his losses. Who knew? Certainly not the woman ruled by the moment.

And what a delightful moment they shared standing there too.

So, naturally, he took her metaphor differently. Shani had meant it by means of getting back to her place. Devin meant it as... support in something illicit, perhaps? When he had a thought of taking her hand just to show off the weapon at his side, Shani gave a deep purr of anticipation. Very illicit. Sinful even.

Was this how the night was supposed to go? Should they do this on Nar Shaddaa? Happened now and again, really; the place wasn't a bastion of civility and order. There'd be consequences. But if there weren't any consequences then there wouldn't be any thrill.

The knife-eared woman stretch up against Devin to whisper softly in his ear, "Lead the way." She'd settled back down with a shimmy of her hips and make to draw away so Devin could move again. A bold smirk was now affixed to her lips. He really was committed to this, wasn't he? Here she'd suggested stealing back his ship, and now the man was wanting to rob a place as if to get his feet wet.

Shani feigned surprise when the pistol came out though it wasn't hard; she'd know he had it, but for him to just openly slap it down on the table without a word, she hadn't expected that method. No words initially, anyway. Give them all time to marinade. Then he made it clear why they were back. That was important. Could have returned to blow them all away, but all he said they wanted were the credits.

His partner didn't even want those. Everything she wanted she was already in the midst of having. Her heart had quickened. Her senses were on alert for sudden or hostile movements. It was delicious, and she drank it all in.

When Devin stepped aside, she stepped forward with a Cheshire's Smile. Eyes positively aglow she met those of every one of them present while her hands occupied themselves with gathering up the credits. The really fun part was about to begin -- or so she hoped. Having procured a small cloth bag, Shani slid the bits out of sight and cinched it closed. With a quick glance to Devin, she turned away from the table with the bag in hand.

With her back to the table, the bag was opened slightly; she quietly gathered a small handful of the credits before she cinched it tight again.

Time to go, she imagined. Her eyes snapped from one side to the next before she started toward the door. People would part for her not certain what was going on and more enamored with her body than whatever 'discussion' Devin had been having with the table.

Shani turned her head to discretely watch Devin. It'd be when his back turned to them. Probably didn't intend to walk backwards toward the door the whole way. Most would turn around soon as they got back to the crowd near the bar thinking they had cover. Then again, sparse cover against a bunch of very angry men wouldn't mean a whole lot.

Of course she hadn't robbed a place before! Shani had been somewhere that got robbed though. That'd been a nice thrill in and of itself. Sadly, the feeling didn't last long -- downside of being a passive participant. Perhaps she should have made more of a fuss? Drawn their attention? Well, neither here nor there now.

It wouldn't do a lot to help with cover, but it would significantly slow down pursuit when Ryder threw the handful of credits into the air and shouted, "Enjoy yourselves!" People stopped to stare not sure what she meant or what the little bits in the air were. Just for a second. Then they started to drop to hands and knees taking up more floor space scrounging for the credits. Devin's navigator had already picked up the pace for the door by the time that happened; the moment she'd tossed the money she'd made a break for it and expected Devin to follow. Doubtful the man needed to be reminded where the door was after their tête a tête against the frame.

Devin Virell

 

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder
​

When Devin turned his head briefly to watch Shania, the way she gathered the credits into her hands, there was a pulse of pure adrenaline in his veins. He felt the warmth of it against his skin like electricity. The woman was bold, precise, and there was no hesitation in her. It was easy work watching everything play out, with no inference or heavy-handed intimidation necessary. The credits just rained.. and the chaos bloomed.

Then came the toss. Gold and copper disks spun through the air like a storm. Devin caught the flash of surprise in a few faces. Patrons scrambled, falling over themselves chasing a handful of coins that didn’t matter to him any longer.. it was something he’d never experienced before. She owned that moment. He mirrored that movement, hands brushing against the slugthrower, fingers flexing around the grip. The thrill wasn’t in any violence; no, it was in the choreography, those split second assessments.. the dance of controlled chaos.

Every sound of movement fed into his internal calculus.. exit route, distraction, spacing.. yeah, time to get the feth out.

When she glanced back, the heat in the shared look was tangible, sparking along his spine. If that was her definition of navigator.. then he already knew she belonged beside him.

The air changed immediately. Cooler and sharper. Neon signs flickered against the walls outside the club. Exhaling slowly, he tried to let his pulses settle, but not too much. Being outside meant a less predictable environment. Control was harder, and that was exactly what made all this fun. His focus turned to an alley. There were escape ladders, crates for cover, a few dumpsters, the edge of a neon sign advertising something. “Keep close,” he murmured. Another grin found its way home. “But.. not on me. I need you watching, seeing everything, anticipating the chaos with me.”

They reached the corner, and Devin cast a glance back.. no immediate pursuit. Perfect. The patrons at the bar were probably still distracted, clutching handfuls of credits, others still in disbelief.

“Not bad for a first heist, Red. You’re a natural.”

A laugh tore through him as he brushed past a puddle, deciding to send a small splash toward a random crate. A little something extra to make him feel alive. An arm draped over her shoulders, tracing the line of her neck and collarbone, surrendering to the warmth radiating from Shania’s body, melting into her sway so it might guide him. The leather of her jacket shifted beneath his palm, igniting a slow ripple through him that no feigned calm could ever disguise. Every step matched hers instinctively.

Tilting his head, he stole a peek at her profile. "Think we'll get away with it, or just enough to make them scream?" The pilot already knew the answer, but craved the idea of hearing it from her lips, to share more mischief in that moment. "I still want another drink too, Shania.. and I don't care what we do next."

They could've been going the wrong way too, but he looked perfectly fine with it.

​

 

[Shani Ryder]

Attire:
Red & Black Leather Jacket, Black Pants with Red Race Stripe, White Cotton Shirt, & Black Boots​

Shani laughed and danced on the tips of her toes. She twirled slowly around with her russet eyes finding Devin emerging into the neon lit streets.

The man seemed to have a direction and called upon his muse to accompany him. The knife-eared woman bound forward within range to throw her arms about him, if she chose. Even his comment to dissuade her didn't dim the smile on her hale lips. "Anticipate the chaos? Be the chaos." Who needed control? Feel the world around you and move through like you own it.

Once he seemed satisfied they weren't being followed, Shani clasped her hands together over the bag behind her back. Warmth exuded itself from the slim woman. A natural, was she? Delightful. How many times had he indulged in such complete abandon? "The way you walked up to that table and set the weapon down," she purred. "No one questioned how far you'd go." Even Shani didn't question it, but she was curious to see how far he would go in person.

Even with his arm about her shoulders, and his fingers tracing her neck, Shani's smile remain just as brilliant as the moment they'd stepped out into the streets. Devin stuck close to her, and she happily obliged him in rolling her hips against him. Well, she did like being the center of attention. Didn't matter if it was a crowd or just the eyes of one. Though she had to admit, Devin seemed a bit more... engaged than waves of people.

"Absolutely," she replied without hesitation. Why shouldn't they get away with it? Just because they were still on the moon? Shani wasn't worried. Then again, perhaps the lack of concern by an adrenaline junkie shouldn't be terribly reassuring.

A hand slipped upward to curl about his shoulder just a moment before a quick hop. Devin would feel a weight pulling him forward for half a second before Shani's legs wrapped themselves about his waist and the bag of credits was slung behind his head where her wrists locked together. "We can't go back to my place." She gaze down at him from her perch. "They know who I am. But, I do know somewhere we can go. A joint those people won't follow us."

She bent down to press her forehead to his to bring their eyes closer together. "Want to get the drink to go?" They couldn't go back to the place she was going to stay for the race. Not without getting easily ambushed. But Shani knew somewhere else they could kick back for a while safely. It wasn't far. Nothing ever was on Nar Shaddaa.

Devin Virell

 

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder​

From what Devin gathered earlier, she appeared almost too comfortable in this kind of life. The kind with sharp corners and guarantees. But it also reminded him of Coruscant.. neon and opportunities, of nights where you weren’t able to breathe unless you meant it. That part of his life had ended, sure.. but it wasn’t dead. And Shania? She moved like a woman who had never been afraid of consequences. Obviously, he had spent years pretending he wasn’t either.. but seeing it mirrored back at him.. that was like being recognized.

The way the bag was behind her had his internal beats firing hot and fast. Those snapshots from earlier, the movement, the thrill seeking. But he recognized the question behind her words. She wondered how far he might actually go, while he wanted to know if she would join should he go there.

“People only question you when they think you’re bluffing. I wasn’t.”

The pilot’s gaze darkened with invitation. “With you beside me? I might go farther than I should.”

He absolutely would too, even if it meant starting something they couldn’t walk away from.

Smuggler’s Moon seemed to tilt in a fluid sweep, drawing him forward in a pull he couldn’t resist, keeping him squarely in her orbit. Instinctively, Devin’s hands dropped to catch her, settling beneath the warm and generous shape of her curves, making it painfully clear he wasn’t shy about the closeness along his frame. He had been prepared to answer that question about the drink.. some reckless, flirt laced agreement that should have slid right off his tongue with ease. But whatever he meant to say crumbled the instant her forehead softly touched his, that gentle press of bone against bone. Why bother pretending he hadn’t been waiting for this collision since she first matched his stride just moments ago?

Their heartbeats tangled perfectly, and feeling hers press against him left him unable to resist leaning in slowly, letting his breath pass across her mouth, still unsteady from the stunt they had just pulled. Still, he let the tension linger, tasting the promise of Shania before finally erasing the last of the space that dared to separate them. Then came that dangerous sweet spot right between adrenaline and curiosity. He leaned in and tasted her first, claiming the rest second, enough to savor and deep enough to claim.

Drawing back only slightly, he caught her lower lip with a slow sensual pull, a wordless confession of everything left unsaid tonight, meant to dissolve any remaining doubt piece by piece.. because choosing her was louder than anything the sky ever offered him. Chestnut eyes hovered half opened, dazed, while the words that escaped him spilled quivering against her jaw. “Yeah.. I think we’re going to be trouble.” Barely audible and nearly undone.

“You know, Red..” he murmured, “if we keep going like this, we might need new names,” his way of telling her this wasn’t a one-night thing. “Kiss me again.. so I can step out of my old life altogether,” because in that moment, with her body held against him, Devin was ready to walk into whatever constellation she decided to chart with him.

 

[Shani Ryder]

Attire:
Red & Black Leather Jacket, Black Pants with Red Race Stripe, White Cotton Shirt, & Black Boots​

No doubt Shani knew what she was doing straddling Devin in the air. Her efforts to push boundaries didn't stop with tempting people with drinks or carrying out some unspoken, deep need to misbehave. Though, they just might misbehave together with the way he stared back at her. Wouldn't hurt to have a partner. Someone that could appreciate a night of wild abandon with no regrets.

Legs and arms alike tightened their hold about Devin as their lips met. So, he agreed. Shani pressed down and in to the embrace as he stood there with her in his grasp. What a strong and well-coordinated man he was too, not the least bit distraught with her weighing on him in the alley.

A soft, but sharp throaty moaned punctuated the moment her lower lip escaped his grasp. Shani had said never to let up on the gas in life, and that carried through to little moments like these. Devin was in the driver's seat, only he could pump the brakes even as his new companion kept trying to shove his foot down on the gas.

"Ooh, preach," she laughed quietly. Devin wasn't trying to frighten her, and if he had any sliver of hope he would to discourage her -- if anything was left wary of a thrill-drunk woman appearing in his life -- he would have to try so much harder. Consequences were life's reward for enjoying yourself.

Only the man wanted nothing of the sort. Shani's lips fastened to his as a parched man to water. Such sweet promise he had for her. Trouble? They were going to be a living catastrophe free of any restraint. Hopefully Devin could appreciate just how far she would go with him -- just how few lines she wouldn't cross.

When their lips separated, she sought to gauge from his eyes what Devin wanted. Who he meant to be. Could he last until they found the other club of a rival 'gang'? Somewhere for a drink and a little privacy? Or had he fallen prey to the moment and all of that could wait?

Devin Virell

 

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder
​

The sound she made found him before anything else. And the moment it left her throat, something in him answered, a spark traveling right up his spine. The flex bracketing his waist left zero room for misinterpretation. Naturally, she would find no hesitation in the pilot, and no room for pretending that he didn’t desire the woman, already wanting the note she would spill for him. Shania’s laugh vibrated where their lips were joined, and her words just felt like another confirmation, full of wicked confidence.. she’d been consistent with delivering those tonight. Normally, he had no need for such things, but if they fell from her, suddenly he longed for them.

Devin was half dizzy from that collision of adrenaline entwined with desire. The second her mouth met his, everything collapsed once more, because she kissed like she lived.. without hesitation. He pressed back with an intensity one might find in the cockpit, the familiar point where instinct overrides fear. His lips were still parted from chasing the last inch of contact after it was broken, an imprint of heat lingering.

Lifting his head just enough to meet her, he was flushed. Immediately he knew he wanted to kiss her again, harder, deeper.. right here where they were standing. It arrived from that sense of finding someone who moved at the same frequency as him across half the galaxy, when he hadn’t even been hunting for it. And Nar Shaddaa.. maybe an old version of Devin would’ve pulled back, but this planet whispered to him that there was no one to stop them. His hands shifted, palms spreading beneath the curve of her hips, fingers sinking into muscle as if trying to learn and understand the shape of a promise already made.

Pivoting and stepping forward, he brought her back into the duracrete wall, just enough to scrape her leather jacket, stirring another pulse of fire. “Shania..” murmured against her jaw, not even sure what he meant to say.. only that he needed her to hear his voice while memorizing all else with his touch. “You make it impossible to slow down.”

He sank to her neck, inhaling her scent, starving for it, nose gliding lightly along her warm skin. “You’re not just along for the ride. We’re steering straight into everything together... so show me where you want me. Because I’m not stopping until you tell me to..” There was no waiting for her answer.. couldn’t have, even if he tried. What passed between them next wasn't gentle; it was hungry, which was why a low molten sound slipped out.. half gasp, half prayer even, drawn from somewhere that was nearly impossible to guard.

 

[Shani Ryder]

Attire:
Red & Black Leather Jacket, Black Pants with Red Race Stripe, White Cotton Shirt, & Black Boots​

Shani's eyes shone even in the secluded alley they occupied as Devin turned and pressed her up against the wall. Her heart pounded between her breasts. There was no 'plan' but there certainly were fantasies. Thoughts of what might be. Whether they'd be as good as the fleeting image hoped she'd never know until they were indulged. And her partner in crime seemed inclined to indulge.

Russet rings rolled upward as her eyelids drifted shut as Devin sank into the side of her neck. A muffled plop of a bag full of credits followed as her grasp on the bag behind his hand evaporated, and the haul dropped to the ground. Just a little more. There was no need to stop there. "Oh, yes," she moaned as her fingers found themselves buried in Devin's hair at the back of his head.

It was pleasing that Devin didn't actually need her to respond. Show him where she wanted him? Well, they said showing was better than telling. Shani certainly made no effort to push him away, and breathe a single phrase that might be any less than encouraging. "Don't stop," the knife-earred woman breathed. Needless as it was, she wanted him to know he had her full approval. "Not ever."

What was truly amazing was how she'd found someone willing to keep up with her. Perhaps someone that might want to push the boundaries with her; and in ways she hadn't any reason to do so before. So many things were better done with people that could appreciate them. People that understood -- completely. The entire galaxy was at their finger tips and all they had to do was decide which star they'd claim every day that followed.

And if he showed as much passion and vigor as she bore witness to today, Shani couldn't see herself ever growing bored in Devin's company. Perhaps he'd think the same a woman driven not mere thrill, but to excellence. It wasn't enough to live, but live well.

Devin Virell

 

[Devin Virell]

Shani Ryder​

Devin could hardly register the decision to inhale; it only happened because Shania demanded such, because the woman’s moan was not something he couldn’t walk away from as it curled around him.. nor when she claimed more space with her fingers. The sound of credits clattering barely registered, only serving to let him know his hands carried more value than their payout from the sabacc table. Nothing could pierce the haze clouding his mind. This night was tipping into a place where momentum ruled the whole game..

Something in her words hit him with the same force as that first collision. It wasn’t the hunger or the danger that caught the pilot off guard; those were fluent languages to him. The heat which struck wasn’t entirely from the closeness of their bodies.. rather that she might actually see him, not just the pilot or the someone who laughed too loud at danger, but the part of him that had always wanted a co-conspirator rather than a passenger. Someone who wouldn’t just tolerate.. but match it, fuel it, maybe even dare to outpace it. A challenge..

And she wasn’t just trying to survive his tempo; she thrived in it. Devin’s grip tightened at her hips in answer, dragging her an inch closer, one inch higher, until her heartbeat was pressed to his chest. His mouth returned to her jaw, slower this time, tracing the line of bone with hunger that made his breath tremble. There, he lingered, savoring adrenaline and heat on her flesh, teeth grazing the spot where her pulse hammered.. only for him. The shock that traveled through him was so sharp it bordered on painful.

Shifting her weight against the wall, one hand slid to cup the warm back of her thigh. The other rose to her waist, a slow sweep brushing over her ribs, until fingertips glided higher in exploration. The length of her side was mapped, until falling into that hollow spot below the sternum. He pulled back just enough to trace the lines of her face with his gaze. Leaning in once more, his breath mingled with hers as he pressed a single, tender kiss to her parted lips. Pressed brow to brow, words spilled low. “Red, I don’t want to rush.. this. If we stay here.. I won’t stop.” Another promise.

Maybe the desire was never for permission, but for partnership in every choice, or the sweet madness of losing reason entirely. “I’m not afraid to make this alley remember the shape of us.”