Private Lose Our Heads

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

There was something calming about the wind. It seemed like an eternity since Amea had granted herself the benefit of merely sitting down for a moment to enjoy what to many was such a small experience. For the last few months, or perhaps even the last year or more, she swore she had felt like she was in constant movement. She had seen the galaxy and even one of the satellite galaxies. There was not a single moment when she could recall having given herself the time to breathe.

The rocky cliffs before her fell for a solid fifteen feet before they gently rolled out into a hill of grass that reached into the ocean at its base. For a few moments Amea had wondered why they had chosen this particular spot, but then, maybe this was as local as it’d get. It was Evelyn that had chosen this spot after all, she must have had some form of reason for choosing this over, say, a restaurant or a bar.

But the slowly approaching sunset had helped give Amea the better idea. The calming breezes continued, the gentle noise of waves sweeping against the shore lingered. Only the whistle of the winds drowned the small area in a somewhat less desirable light. The air smelled of spring blossom. Spring blossoms and exhaust. Really, it was unfortunate that they had managed to find their spot downwind of the ship, but beyond that it was a very good spot for a one-on-one over a set of drinks and whatever food there was to get a hold of in a place such as this.

The exhaust would die off, and with time there was just the good to focus on. Well, that and the wind. That one was still just the slightest bit frustrating. Hoshi had wanted to join in, but this one wasn’t for him. It was for Amea and Evelyn, and the winds.

It was a thought that stuck to Amea’s mind as she tried not to struggle with what was going on. Calming as they were, each passing minute seemed to tangle her nerves up into something completely different. Emotions, sensations, a lot of different words that seemed to -tion, really, there were too many to count.

Evelyn sauntered over and Amea glanced over to give her a weak smile, an all too familiar one that she had shown on several occasions already in their days-long journey so far. Maybe with time it would grow into something else, but for now discomfort felt like the most honest emotion to show.

“I can see why you chose this spot.” Amea said with her legs curled up in her lap. “It’s quite a view.”

Her fingers swept through the grass to pull at the roots and let it all go. This was still weird to her, this willingness to let the guard go and merely… Exist. It would take some getting used to.

“Didn’t take you for the… Nature… Person. Kind of… People person.”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

“I’m generally not, but over the years I’ve come to appreciate places like this.” Evelyn was dressed much more casual in comparison to her previous outfit. No long coat, no leather pants, and especially no weapons on her back and waist. Hooked over her left arm was a basket, while the other hand was holding a pair of glasses.

Had the Echani essentially made a picnic? Yes, yes she had.

The journey here had taken a few days, so Evelyn used that time to make a few items of food to go along with their drinks. In between they had been occupied with just catching up, talking about what had happened during the months between their meetings.

Plus also watching the series Amea and Hoshi hadn’t finished on the HoloNet. That and they randomly stumbled across a new series: The Totally Real Adventures of Auteme . A show that was certainly all over the place, but entertaining too.

Eventually they had arrived and Evelyn ushered Amea to head out first, citing she had to make some final touches before she joined her. That included convincing Hoshi to remain on the ship, leaving the two to be alone with each other.

The planet was away from any major conflict going on in the galaxy, the furthest reach from any form of chaos that could disturb the peace.

“When I was younger I found places like these just to get away from things, then a few years ago Captain Hargrave brought me here.” Evelyn smiled at Amea, taking a seat beside and placing the basket down within both their reach. “We were passing through the sector, and he decided to show me this place. Said it was something he had found in his more troubled days, and it became a safe haven for him.”

Evelyn unclasped the basket’s lid, and opened it up, revealing its contents to be a mix between food and a few different bottles of alcohol.

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

And was that a dress? Amea gave the Echani a curious look as she approached with the basket in hand. She had heard of these things, regular people enjoyed it a lot, complete with a red-white plaid patterned blanket and everything. Wood wicker, food poking out the back like an idyllic little picture of such a set up. A lot had happened in the last few hours alone. This was just downhill from where she had been before.

Captain Hargrave, the man Evelyn had just lost when she met Amea.

“I never asked you about him.” Amea said and glanced at the basket. “I know you lost people, and-” She exhaled, nervously. “I’m sorry we couldn’t be there earlier.”

Crap, this wasn’t date-stuff, was it? That was the sappy things, the ones that provided a connection. This was to tear at wounds, wasn’t it? Oh force, Amea was doing the wrong thing already. Her thumb fidgeted against the side of the other with an anxious stir. Her eyes averted away, glanced at the thumb as the question played out again, tried to provide herself with better alternatives.

It wasn’t easy.

“I shouldn’t have brought that up.” She continued to fidget. “I, uh…”

“Was he important to you?”

That was not how you phrased that question.

Evelyn Shaw

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

She smiled at the look Amea gave her, in part wondering if it was a surprise to her that the Echani was wearing a dress. Not that she’d fault her for that line of thought, Evelyn was the type to favour trousers a vast majority of the time.

But tonight was different, it was time for talking and starting something new. Thus, Echani opted to wear something she hadn’t worn in years, not casually at least. A reminder of the good times of the past.

And no doubt a lot of the past would be brought up tonight.

“No no, it’s perfectly alright.” She reached over and grabbed Amea’s hand, fingers threading between and giving it a gentle squeeze. “This is a time to talk, to get to know each other better, right?” Evelyn offered her another smile. “So not everything is going to be lighthearted, I’m sure there will be a number that will bring down the mood.”

Evelyn let go of Amea’s hand, setting everything else up for their little picnic-of-sorts. “That’s why we have the alcohol,” she chuckled.

“Captain Sebastian Hargrave, he was important yes. I left home soon as I could, after I was both old enough and had graduated. Fulfilled my promise, and then I flew from the nest.” Evelyn’s gaze turned away, staring out at the setting sun. She had barely got talking, and already there was weight found under her words. Revealed one thing, but also highlighted more within that single sentence. “I travelled around, much like you do going from ship to ship, but if you thought I looked naive last time...oh, you’d think worse of me back then. I was truly naive, and almost walked straight into a nasty situation.” The Echani shuddered slightly at the memory. It had been years since then, but it still made her skin crawl.

“Got an offer to get a lift into the next major sector, but in hindsight the offer was too generous. I never saw the nefarious angle they were attempting to pull. But a passing Sebastian did, and he pulled my dumbass out of that before I could say another word. And that was the start really, he introduced me to this well...way of life, smuggling and the like.”

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

Their fingers interlocked, one set hooked with the other to offer a measure of peace to the clearly nervous mind of one Amea Virou. As their eyes seemed to get lost in one another Amea felt a calm wash over her followed by a mute horror at just how easily Evelyn brought it forth.

“Yeah.” She smiled before her eyes averted to look down at the basket and the rest of the setup. This was a time to get to know each other and most likely get trashed. Evelyn seemed to understand the situation as well as Amea could have hoped if not even more than what she had expected.

“Alcohol certainly helps.” She quipped and continued to listen to Evelyn talk. The guilt of not having been there earlier began to burn even brighter as the story began, hidden beneath the gentle laughter at Evelyn possibly having been even more naive. In many ways perhaps that was even the appeal, Amea thought. She reminded Amea of herself in some ways, and yet she had the qualities of someone so vastly different, that vague sense of naivete being one of them.

“I think he’d be proud of where you are now.” Amea said and gave off a gentle nod. “I’d like to think that whoever taught me these things is somewhere out there as well, being proud, but...”

Amea shook her head, eyes closing to shelter the pain. “Well.”

“... What was he like?”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

“I’d like to think so, that they would’ve done the same too.” And they had, both Rook and Anne had helped her get the bacta tank to and onto the ship, both ultimately losing their lives in the process. In a twist of bitter irony, the Captain didn’t even know why Aleksandr’s crew had started firing on them, assuming they had just decided to turn on them.

Even TC wasn’t aware, having sealed his own fate by ensuring the ship didn’t fall apart until it was found.

“I made my peace a few months back, they wouldn’t have wanted me to wallow about it, but instead focus on making up for it.” Which she was, by looking after and helping Hoshi. At least...Evelyn felt there was some truth in that. “And there’s no need for you to apologize, you’re not all knowing, you couldn’t have known what had gone down. But I’m glad you stepped in to help.”

The temptation to hug Amea was strong, seeing the pain in her eyes when mentioning her own past. But at this point they’d probably be adjoined at the hip with how much the Echani wanted to comfort her. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to know you had a whole life before, but remember none of it.

“He was nice, but also ruthless. Not in a ‘bad’ way mind you, but you could tell he had his share of years where he got burned by mistakes. He helped teach me to read situations, decide whether it was worth sticking my neck out, or walking away. I guess...I’m still a bit too kind.” Evelyn chuckled, but there was a lack of humour behind it. She had made strides in moving on from what had happened, but it still affected her.

“Enough about me for now, what about you? Anyone in your life that’s had a lasting impact?” Feeling the need for a little alcohol, Evelyn began looking through the bottles she had grabbed. “Anything you like from what I grabbed? It’s unfortunately not the greatest selection.” Though, the Echani did make a mental note to stock some more, especially if she was going to have company around for the foreseeable future.

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

Made her peace. Amea looked at Evelyn for a while longer to try and make heads or tails whether or not that was the actual truth or something she had merely told herself. The weight behind the words made her seem earnest and that was good enough for Amea. As the conversation moved on to Sebastian it started to feel like certain cords were struck and Amea felt herself pulled back for a moment.

Nice. Ruthless. Not bad. What were Amea’s descriptors, again?

“I uh,” Amea glanced away, towards the sun that still hovered above the horizon. “I have one person in all of this that I still remember. A few others that I have reconnected with since then.”

“It’s fine.” Amea mentioned off-handedly about the selection before she sighed. “First impact I can remember is Runi. Runi Verin. The former CEO of KDY, yes.” She grinned at that but it quickly faded. Her head shook before she took a sip of her drink. “We used to run jobs together. We still have some sort of bond that keeps us together but work is few and far between these days.” She glanced over at Evelyn. “And it’s nothing intimate. The woman scares me as much as he intrigues me sometimes, but she was also my only friend for a very long time.”

“Then I met Loske.” Amea sighed. “Jedi Knight.”

And that memory, more so than the one of Runi, hurt to recall. That face of disappointment and hurt had etched itself to her mind like a scar that refused to heal. There was an unshown yet not unfelt weight behind Loske was to Amea and that more than anything was the part that hurt. A connection to the past she hadn’t know before the scab was ripped from her skin.

“I uh,” Amea let out a brief laugh, a single exhale to hide the increasing burn behind her eyelids. As they peeled back to expose how her eyes had glossed over it was plain as day what was on the horizon. Amea had to look away, stare into the distance to avoid catching the way she imagined Evelyn would look upon her. “I used to make droids.” She exhaled with the first sob of many. “I used to be less of a murderous, deranged psychopath who pissed the wrong people off simply for kicks.”

“I see the way she and Allyson looked upon me and all I feel is as if they are disappointed. I am someone else, someone that even Loske herself has said is such a stark contrast to who I once was.”

It was practically spilling over at this point. A drop into a jug that wasn’t made to hold back the ocean of pent up anxiety and dread that was her last few years of isolation and growing doubts.

“I lost everything!” She exclaimed and looked over at Evelyn. “I am practically dead, yet alive, a mere mimicry of who I am supposed to be, and I…”

“I…” Her head sunk, eyes closed. “I…”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

Evelyn raised an eyebrow at the mention of Runi Verin, giving her a look that just said ‘oh, fancy.’ But she said nothing and allowed Amea to continue. Another look was shared when she mentioned a ‘bond’, and it seemed Amea knew where the Echani’s thoughts led, and dismissed them.

She wondered if it was Force-related or something. Evelyn had heard of such things before, but she hadn’t ever looked too deeply. Though it seemed such bonds remained intact even if one of the people had their mind wiped. Must have something to do with the person’s soul or-

Evelyn cut the line of thought off. Now was not the time to get lost in thought.

The Echani looked over as Amea mentioned a Jedi Knight, called Loske. Just from that sigh alone, Evelyn had a feeling this wasn’t going to be a pleasant mention. She just about caught the look in Amea’s eyes, before the woman looked away to avoid displaying it further. Tempted as she was to immediately pull her into a hug, Evelyn refrained so Amea could continue. She needed to let this all out, that was more than apparent. A floodgate had been opened, and one that wasn’t going to be easily kept closed.

Much to Amea’s annoyance, she was sure.

Evelyn looked away for a moment, imagining Amea working away at a workshop making droids. The idea brought a smile to the Echani’s face, but that was all it was. An idea. She didn’t know if Amea even wanted to return to something like that.

The sobs continued, and Amea’s voice raised higher. Evelyn immediately scooted over closer and pulled the woman into a hug, wrapping her in that warmth.

“My immediate temptation is to call this Loske and Allyson a pair of idiots, but I get the impression this is a complicated situation all around. I’m sure they don’t mean to come across like that, but it’s likely difficult for them. Yes, they have the memories of who you were before, but they need to realize something very important.” The Echani paused as she gave Amea a gentle squeeze, trying to soothe her. “They need to realize and understand that what happened, has happened. You are not the person they remember, you are Amea Virou, and you are most definitely not a mimicry.”

Evelyn broke the hug, but a hand immediately reached up and cupped Amea’s cheek. The Echani used her thumb to wipe away the tears, gently trailing her hand up to stroke a few strands of hair back.

“You are Amea Virou, that’s who you are to me.”

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation on Evelyn’s behalf. Amea stared into the other woman’s eyes and felt nothing but the warmth that she had felt the evening before. The way her thumb brushed against her cheek, the way her fingers tucked her hair back behind her ears was enough to make Amea give off yet another sob. She was Amea Virou, and that was all she needed to be. Her heart sunk for a moment at the thought before she slowly began to nod. Her lips curled into a pathetic little smile as she seemed to dive deeper into the hand that remained against her cheek, like a dog before its owner. Eyes closed the smile lingered.

“Thank you.” She exhaled and slowly separated to wipe her own cheek against her wrist. “I-” She exhaled, the air knocked from her lungs with the lingering panic. “I think they do understand, but-” She sniveled. “I can’t imagine what I am putting them through.”

“But if being Amea Virou is good enough for you, then…” She tried to chuckle, bring a smile upon her lips as she glanced into Evelyn’s eyes again. “Then that is good enough for me.”

She dove in for another hug, arms wrapped around the echani’s back for comfort. There was a deep desire to delve so much further than a hug, but it more often than not led somewhere she didn’t want this to go. Emptiness, a hollow feeling in her chest and regrets, these were not things that Amea wanted to associate Evelyn with when there were so many more that she could go for.

All she had to do was take that one step after the other.

“You are also yourself, to me.” She murmured into Evelyn’s shoulder. “This is far more than I deserve.”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

A part of Evelyn was concerned at how easily Amea seemed to melt beneath shows of affection. Not that they weren’t insincere, they truly were from the Echani. But it became more and more clear just how deprived she had been of it, through her own actions or those she encountered. She had no idea how long it had been since the mindwipe, but either way it had been far too long to go without having something like this.

“Anytime, ‘mea.” Evelyn lowered her hand, but didn’t move away as Amea wiped her cheek. “It’ll take time, but you should also speak to them about it, when you can. Time heals, but it also requires communication.” The words were spoken easily, but when was the last time the Echani had directly spoken to her grandparents?

Not recently, that was for sure.

Evelyn smiled at Amea’s comment, immediately wrapping her arms around the woman as she dived in for another. The Echani hummed quietly, rubbing her hand against Amea’s back. She was no empath, but even Evelyn could feel the emotion in the embrace. A desire to not let go, to remain like this for as long as possible. Wanting more, but restraining oneself from going too far. Evelyn felt it too, the attraction was plain as day, but she’d go only as far as Amea would.

Something told her if this had been a different time, there wouldn’t have been something stopping her. But Evelyn was glad there was, she didn’t want Amea rushing into anything.

“Nah, you deserve even more. Got to make up for all the time before now where you didn’t have this.”

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

If it could be this way now, could it remain so for the foreseeable future? This warmth that had felt so alien started to grow on Amea. Her nerves were wound up but the fallout wasn’t violence or pain. It was acceptance. Acceptance and a strange feeling of belonging. Even if it was admittedly fast to move in on the first given chance there was also some part that didn’t want to consider the alternative of living alone where no-one but Amea had herself to pick up the pieces she dropped to the ground as she shuffled through life.

Evelyn was there, and not only did she pick the pieces up but hold onto them to make it easier to carry, and it was that fact that made Amea feel the most afraid. Having someone else handle your things was the easiest way to get robbed or have them run off with it. Her mind told her it was a mistake, but her heart told her to let it go and merely ride on.

Her lips planted themselves on the Echani woman’s cheek in a quick sign of token appreciation before she rested against her shoulder again. It was hard to swallow instinct, but somehow she was managing just fine.

“I can only imagine how much that means you deserve then.” She sighed and kept the Echani woman close to watch the horizon yet again. “In- in a good way, of course.” Amea quickly clarified and let out a quick chuckle to calm herself down. “I have no idea what I am doing.”

“I care for you, and I think you care for me. Obviously.” She chuckled again between the shivers in her breath. “Well, not— Look, point is…”

“I have experienced so much in the last few days, the last few hours alone that I wouldn’t have experienced for a long while otherwise, maybe ever.” She said, this time without the chuckle. “I have your back now, Snow.”

“If you need anything at all, I’ll be there. No questions asked.”

Deep breath. “Now, what about you?”

“Do you have anything on your mind, or should I continue to dig all these holes for myself?”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

At some point they were going to part ways for a lengthy period of time. This was after all a temporary thing, to see how things played out between them. Fly around together, get dropped off somewhere, do something; likely get caught up in something, then return. Evelyn hoped that it would reach a point where Amea wouldn’t leave, but part of her felt that it was inevitable.

Did she want it to get to a point of Amea not leaving for that long? Absolutely.

But at the end of the day, Evelyn hoped that she’d at least give the woman the reassurance, the knowledge that life wasn’t just about throwing yourself headlong into something, chasing that adrenaline high.

That she had someone to come back to.

I have no idea what I am doing.

“No really? It doesn’t show.” Evelyn glanced over at Amea, a teasing grin on her face. She had learned pretty quickly to let Amea just talk when she got like this. Resulting in her either reaching her point, or just deciding to bury herself against the Echani.

“I know,” she smiled at Amea, shifting in her spot a bit to allow the woman to get comfortable at her side. Evelyn kept an arm wrapped around her.

“Well...I never did get to finish my story from before, about where my family came from.” Specifically the whole connection with mob families. “My grandma came from a pretty well known mob family on Eshan. In fact, she was the daughter of the Boss and thus heiress to the seat.” A flip to how things had been with the Corefront Mob, given the Echani were a matriarchal society.

“She already saw some writing on the wall, and wanted no part in it. So she enlisted in the military, became a medic and ended up meeting her eventual husband during that time, who was a mechanic.” Evelyn smiled at the memories of her grandparents, though it was a mix of warmth and sadness.

“After eventually being discharged, grandma returned to find her father had fallen ill, and was close to death. So...she took what she was owed; which was quite a lot, and left. If the family wasn’t already in a mess by then, it sure was after its heiress decided to split.”

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

The inexperience did show. The implication was there beneath the sarcastic glance that Evelyn kept close at hand and Amea exhaled, her teeth bared for a moment as she tried to calm the burn beneath her eyes still. She let the arm rest against her shoulders, took in the view yet again as Evelyn told her story only to slowly turn back around, mouth opening to defend herself with no words to be found. Her jaw tried to move and her tongue tried to form a sound but there was just nothing.

“Oh no.” She would eventually manage by the time Evelyn had finished her first part of the story. “If I had known, I would have—” Amea felt guilt shoot through her entire upper body, it was an unfamiliar sensation. “And what we just did…”

Her eyes set on the ground next to Evelyn. “I am so sorry.”

“... What happened then? Did she make it out of the game?”

… Was there still hope for someone like Amea that didn’t even have the familial ties to it?

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

Evelyn frowned when she felt Amea’s posture shift in response to her mood. Why was she apologizing, there was nothing to-Oh!

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for ‘mea, I made the decision to go the direction we went with that. Besides I don’t have any connection to that side of the family.”

Although...the sight and state of Orion Vane had reminded the Echani of her parents. That did sting, drawing up memories she’d much rather had kept buried.

“My grandma was very good at disappearing, so she had no issues doing that. Plus, the family has been dissolved for years now. Even my mo-”

Evelyn abruptly paused as she caught herself. Now it was her turn to stare out at the horizon, avoiding Amea’s gaze.

“I only became aware of it because my grandpa mentioned it, much to his wife’s chagrin.”

Evelyn felt a chill creep across her body, memories flooding to the surface of her parents; of her father specifically. She began to shake slightly, and in response huddled against Amea more.

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

Mother. The word were left unspoken from both Amea and Evelyn’s lips as the sentence found an abrupt end. There was no need or desire to know more. Amea felt the way the Echani began to shiver against her when the memory was brought up and it would say enough for now. As Evelyn moved in closer it became Amea’s turn to become that pillar to rely upon. It was intimidating, it was unusual, and yet she swore to do her best.

A hand gently pulled Evelyn even closer in a loose embrace, and that was where the ideas ran out. She backtracked in her mind to what Evelyn had done when she noticed Amea’s own despair. The warmth, and the way she was simply there had been enough for Amea, but Evelyn was an actual person with the whole social thing down. Amea was… Probably different.

But then, well, chet. It was all Amea could do, right?

“Hey,” Amea murmured ever so gently as she placed Evelyn’s head against her shoulder. “It’s okay, I’m here.”

Her cheek found the Echani woman’s hair, her thumb ever so gently stroking up and down along her friend’s shoulder. Although, to call her merely a friend didn’t feel appropriate anymore. Of course, not that there was a word that Amea could think of that would fit the role better.

“I am not going anywhere.”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

Internally, Evelyn let out a sorrowful chuckle. Within an instant the shoe had changed to the other foot. Now Amea was the one to comfort her, rather than how it was moments before. A single sentence and the Echani had crumbled beneath the weight of the memories. She sighed, closing her eyes as she felt the telltale signs of them growing misty with tears.

“I know...thank you.”

Evelyn melted into Amea’s embrace, slowly opening her eyes again to watch the setting sun.

There was part of the Echani that felt like she owed Amea something. She had revealed something of her past that still haunted her, and Evelyn felt it was only right she did the same. But it was more than that...she trusted Amea.

That if they were going to make something of this, between them, then she wanted her to know everything. The good, the bad and the ugly.

“My parents died when I was fairly young. Th-they decided to follow in the footsteps, so when Eshan got the call to assist in a war, they answered.”

Okay, maybe not every detail at once. She didn’t want to just overload Amea right away. Evelyn was honestly afraid she’d somehow scare her off if she did.

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

There was a slight shake as Evelyn thanked Amea, a quick shuffle to let her know in more than just words that Amea was still there to help her keep steady. The thumb that brushed against the Echani woman’s shoulder never stopped even as Amea swore she had lost all sense in the thumb that wandered up and down her friend’s shoulder. It seemed to bring some form of comfort though, Evelyn seemed to relax and fall into Amea much like Amea had fallen into her.

“Oh. Oh no, I'm so sorry.” Amea frowned and quickly gave Evelyn one more squeeze and a hug.

The embrace lingered for as long as it needed to. This was a moment that stung for the both of them, and even if none of it was Amea's fault she still felt a need to apologize for it as if it was her fault. She knew it wasn't, but that didn't make it anymore rational than the guilt from having Evelyn's crew killed any easier to cope with. A moment later Amea pulled away again to soak in the dying lights of the setting sun and to dig through the basket next to them before she moved back in again. Food in each hand she scooted back in next to Evelyn with a bite to eat before she slowly got herself reacquainted with the conversation again.

By now the subtle yellow of the sun had begun its descent into orange and the stirring ocean turned into something far more timid. As the rays of light sparkled against the surface of the water it offered an atmosphere that really didn’t match the tone of the conversation. The atmosphere was bright and colorful, and yet the topics were heavy, raw, but most of all important. A weight had dropped from Amea’s shoulders and given enough time to speak of her own worries she hoped that the same would be true for Evelyn.

“What about your grandfather?” She asked and held out one of the sandwiches from the basket for Evelyn to grab. “Is it okay to ask? Did something happen?”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

Coming here had definitely been the right choice, the right place to bring Amea to. Rather than some loud and boisterous club, instead enjoying the calm serene nature all around them. Somewhere, she knew the good captain was watching her, happy that she had been able to move on, find someone to help her and vice versa.

Their deaths still weighed on her, but more of a reminder now. Innocent acts, to save someone, were just as susceptible of falling to violence than anything else. Actions had consequences, and you have to live with them.

As Amea moved away to grab something to eat, Evelyn looked out at the ocean, as the sun began to set just right for it to start gleaming across the water.

Thank you, Sebastian. Thank you.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow in confusion, taking one of the sandwiches and biting into it. It took a moment for the Echani to realize what Amea was going on about.

“Oh no! He’s fine, I mean he took a right verbal walloping when grandma learned he had spilled the beans. But that was years and years ago, I’m sure he’s still busy building something that he’s pulled from his head.”

While she might not have directly called them in a long time, Evelyn still kept a track of them in case anything happened. Much as she had run from home, to get away from the past. She wouldn’t hesitate to return if something had happened.

Thank god they hadn’t remained on Eshan…

Amea Virou​

 

[Amea Virou]

Evelyn Shaw

It wasn’t even a bad memory. Amea let out a sigh of relief and took the first bite out of her food to stare out at the sun. For the moment things went quiet as both women seemed to fall into thought. On one end how unlikely this had all felt, and on the other how right it seemed to feel at the same time. As much as Amea had liked to read about these things when no-one was watching, to finally experience it felt almost surreal. She stole a few glances when Evelyn wasn’t watching to take in the view before she set on the sun again.

“And to think,” She exhaled with yet another laugh. “This sunset is only the second prettiest thing I’ve seen today.”

She smiled, eyes setting on the sandwich before she took a bite out of it and happily munched away at its content. There was a sensation to be had at every bite, each little squeeze of the ingredients surpassing the next one in sheer flavor that it brought about. Either Amea had been so starved of actual food that her bar had been lowered to such an extent that merely having something prepared for her was a luxury, or perhaps Evelyn was simply a really good cook. Hell, it was quite possible that it was both.

It was to act like in those books, right? To keep the less cheesed up parts from the Yon Akah movies and the gratuitous amount of gas station ‘fiction’ that Amea had consumed over the years between planets. To grow just a little more accepting of the fact that she had a right to this as much as everyone else, even if the coin seemed to be stuck at the top of the pachinko machine.

“You are so amazing. You know that, right?” Amea said and scooched in closer. “Finding this spot, going out of your way to make it special…”

“I am lucky to be here with you right now.” She smiled, fought the continued urge to push her greased lips against the Echani woman’s cheek, or lips, or skin in general. To get that ‘small taste’ of the woman next to her, as the books would have called it. “Thank you.”

 

[Evelyn Shaw]

Evelyn’s cheeks burned red at the compliment, bowing her head to try and hide it to little effect. She opened her lips to speak, but no words left them. The Echani was speechless, and she shook her slightly, a bright smile on her face.

She occupied her thoughts by grabbing one of the bottles in the basket, something light, and poured some into a glass for Amea then for herself. Evelyn glanced over, catching some of the expressions Amea made as she ate.

With the old crew, she had only ever helped Anne with the cooking. But here and now, seeing the reactions from Amea as she ate something she had made. It warmed the Echani’s heart. She was starting to realize why her grandpa enjoyed cooking so much, especially for grandma. Even after so many years together.

“I’m not that amazing…” Evelyn muttered quietly, the blush returning with full force before it could fully dissipate. She tried distracting herself by taking another bite, but sparing another glance towards Amea sent the Echani’s cheeks aflame again.

Evelyn chuckled, letting out a content sigh. She leant against Amea, head resting against her shoulder as they looked out at the sunset.

“Always, ‘mea.”

Amea Virou​