Private Scars

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess had been very specific about what she wanted when she found the rental listing away from the city. Ground floor access to outside. No neighbors. A kitchen that wasn't embarrassing. She had found all of it, plus an overgrown garden nobody had touched in at least one season and a valley view that stretched far enough to make the horizon feel generous. She had transferred the credits, filed the aliases; Lily had not argued. That alone told her more than either of them had said out loud since the shuttle lifted off Humbarine.

The property was pale stone and faded blue shutters, broad and low, with a wide covered terrace that caught the last of the evening light. Vess had supplies delivered ahead of their arrival real food, nothing that came in a foil packet, and a bottle of something she'd selected with actual consideration rather than just grabbing the nearest option. Vess slung a bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the shuttle, waiting for Lily to join her.

She dropped her bag by the door and made her way into the kitchen. Vess grabbed a pan and put it on to heat. Something simple. She hadn't asked what Lily wanted because she already had a reasonable idea, and asking felt like more ceremony than the moment needed. "The good news is the valley smells nothing like Humbarine. The bad news is I can only make about four things, and I'm already making one of them. The bottle on the counter is better than anything we had at the Celestine Meridian," she added, glancing up briefly with something that was almost a smirk. "I looked it up. Don't ask me to pronounce it. I figured we could use it."

It wasn't that the weight of Humbarine wasn't there. It was. She could still feel the edges of it the way you feel a bruise you haven't looked at yet, present, specific, waiting. The sound of Lily's scream in that corridor wasn't something that was going to leave her in a hurry. Neither was the feeling of throwing up those mental walls with shaking hands and no real confidence they would hold, kneeling on a floor while everything outside roared and pressed and made itself enormous, or the pain and fear she felt before she blacked out and woke up with the battle being over. Or the nightmare. For the moment, being away from Humabrine was enough. "Glasses are in the cupboard above you," Vess said, nodding toward it without turning fully. "Pour me one, would you?"

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TAG: Lily Rhodes

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily had been quiet for most of the flight, letting Vess take the lead on where they were going, where they were staying. There was a ringing in Lily’s ears, incessant and high pitched that had replaced the headache that had come immediately after she’d woken up in the medical tent. That Vess had stayed, that she hadn’t run after what she’d done…

It meant more to her than Lily quite knew how to put into words.

She powered down the Pilgrim’s Rest, running her fingers along the console’s edge and inhaling a deep breath before letting it go as she rose from the pilot's chair, grabbing her own bag and following Vess down the landing ramp. The place didn’t have the same flash as the Meridian did, but they didn’t need flashy. They needed quiet, calm, somewhere where no one else was and Vess had worked wonders in finding it so fast.

She set her bag down beside Vess’s following her into the kitchen and leaning against the door frame for a moment just watching her. Vess had slipped so easily back into that confident demeanour that slight smirk playing on her face, but the weight of everything that had happened stopped it quite reaching her eyes in the same way it normally did.

She let out a huff of a laugh pushing off the door frame and moving into the kitchen fully. “That’s four things more than I know how to make.” She picked the bottle up, inspecting it but not really taking any of it in. It was just movement, something that felt slightly akin to normal.

At Vess’s instruction she opened the cabinet grabbing two glasses before digging through drawers to find a corkscrew. “I never learned to cook, never had much of a kitchen, save the galley on the Rest.” the cork gave way with a soft pop and Lily poured them each a generous glass before picking one up and turning to set it beside where Vess was working, her hand coming to rest on the small of her back as she did. Lily placed a kiss on her shoulder and then one on her cheek before stepping back to lean against the counter behind her, picking up her own glass.

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

The gentle pressure of Lily's hand at the small of her back made Vess pause. The knife rested against the cutting board as the kiss found her shoulder, then her cheek. She closed her eyes for the briefest moment, a quiet smile tugging at her lips before she resumed chopping. "You don't have to." Her voice was soft, almost thoughtful. "I mean the cooking." A faint laugh escaped her. "I actually enjoy it."

She swept the chopped onion into the waiting pan, the quiet sizzle filling the little kitchen almost immediately. Garlic followed a moment later, releasing its aroma before she reached for the cubed nerf and browned it alongside the vegetables. It wasn't complicated, but that had never been the point. "I learned because it gave me something I could control." The words came easily, without the weight they might have carried once. "No matter what kind of day I'd had, I could come home, make dinner, and for a little while the galaxy stopped demanding things from me." She poured a splash of stock into the pan, followed by just enough wine to lift the browned bits from the bottom before stirring everything together, the rich scent of herbs and garlic slowly filling the cottage.

Vess reached for her glass, taking a slow sip before leaning back just enough for her shoulder to brush Lily's. "I could get used to this." The admission slipped out before she'd thought about it. Her eyes wandered toward the window where the forest canopy swayed gently beyond the glass. The quiet here felt peaceful.

She turned her head just enough to meet Lily's eyes. "For a few days," she said quietly, "I'd like us to forget the rest of the galaxy exists." The smile lingered a moment longer before she turned back to the stove, giving the stew another gentle stir. "I think we've earned that."

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TAG: Lily Rhodes

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily watched her, fingers slowly turning the wine glass in her hand as she listened. Being in control of something so simple no matter the day. No demands, no pressure, just the simple exercise of cooking. Vess wasn't the first person Lily had met, her thoughts drifted to the mechanic she’d met who had liked farming, and then to Velok who liked to hunt.

She never seemed to be in control of anything…except perhaps the Pilgrim’s Rest. A stolen ship that had not only become her lifeline and freedom, but also her home. She brought the wine glass to her lips, her gaze finally moving from Vess to take in the forest beyond their window. It reminded her of Jaibrek and not for the first time, Lily’s chest ached. She missed Velok, missed his guidance and protectiveness and the way he always made her feel safe.

The soft brush of Vess’s shoulder against her own brought her back, her quiet words making her look round, a small smile pulling at her lips. “Me too.” came her own honest reply. Vess had come into her life seemingly out of nowhere, and in a small amount of time she’d made it impossible for Lily to imagine a life where she wasn't there.

Humbarine crept back into her mind at the mention of the galaxy and lily’s gaze dropped to the floor. Had she earned that right? It didn’t feel like she had. She took a breath, lifting her gaze back up and taking a sip of the wine before setting it gently on the side beside her. If that was what Vess wanted to do, then she would do it. It was that simple.

Lily moved, gentle hands settling on Vess’s waist before she slid closer and wrapping them around her middle and placing soft kisses along her shoulder towards her neck where she nuzzled for a moment.

“I can do that” she murmured against her neck, fully believing that was true. When she was this close to her, when the smell of the stew mingled with the smell of Vess it was easy to forget about everything.

“Do you have to stand here and stir it the whole time?” she asked, lifting her head slightly to place a kiss against her neck.

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess smiled to herself as Lily's arms slipped around her waist. The warmth at her back, the soft kisses along her shoulder, the gentle nuzzle against her neck, it all drew the tension from her shoulders before she even realized it had been there. Her hand came to rest over Lily's, where it lay against her stomach, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I was hoping you'd say that." The words came as little more than a contented murmur.

A quiet laugh escaped her at the question that followed. "No." She gave the stew one final stir before lowering the heat beneath the pot, the rich broth answering with a lazy bubble as the scent of herbs, garlic, and slow-cooked nerf filled the cottage. "It's reached the point where patience does most of the work." Vess rested the wooden spoon across the pot before turning carefully within Lily's embrace until they were facing one another, her hands settling naturally at Lily's waist as a smile lingered on her lips.

"So..." She glanced back toward the simmering pot. "We've got about twenty minutes before I need to check on it." Her attention returned to Lily, the smile growing just a fraction. "I think I can spare twenty minutes." Without another word, she leaned in, brushing her lips gently against Lily's before letting the kiss linger, unhurried and warm, as though there was nowhere else in the galaxy either of them needed to be.

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TAG: Lily Rhodes

 

[Lily Rhodes]

The quiet laugh, the soft weight of Vess's hands on her waist as she turned to face her, the way her body settled neatly against Lily's own, all of it made tension bleed from her, the rest of the galaxy falling away from her mind as she drank every detail of her face in, from the soft freckles that dusted her cheeks, to the way the light from the window made her hazel eyes seem more green than blue and the gentle curve of her lips as she smiled.

Lily's hand moved as she leaned into the kiss, into Vess, gliding upward to brush gently across her cheek before sliding into her hair. The kiss deepened, the fingers of her other hand tightened on the fabric of Vess's top at the small of her back. She wanted more than twenty minutes, she needed more, but they had days. She had days to enjoy every part of Vess. Yet even when she told herself that as the need for air forced them apart, Lily realised that that wasn't enough either.

Her gaze flicked from Vess, glancing over her shoulder, from the table which she contemplated for a moment before discarding the idea and settling on the couch. She looked back at Vess with a small smile and something heated in her eyes. "I can work with twenty minutes." she murmured, brushing her nose against hers before kissing her again, slowly moving her back, away from the kitchen and into the wider living space.

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess yielded each step without thinking about it. The kitchen slowly disappeared behind them, though she scarcely noticed her attention remained fixed on Lily, her hands resting naturally at her waist as she followed wherever she was led. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was vaguely aware that she'd surrendered any hope of pretending she was still in charge of the evening.

A small smile touched her lips at Lily's answer. "I'm sure you can." The words barely left her before another kiss stole the rest of them away. By the time the back of her legs met the couch, Vess finally let the kiss break just enough to breathe. She lingered close, forehead resting lightly against Lily's, her thumb idly tracing the fabric at her waist. "I suppose..." she murmured, her voice carrying that same quiet certainty it always seemed to, "...the stew can wait a few more minutes." It wasn't really a concession. She'd made that decision the moment Lily had wrapped her arms around her in the kitchen.

A soft breath escaped somewhere between a laugh and a contented sigh as her eyes settled on Lily's again. Her hand slipped from Lily's waist to brush a loose strand of hair back behind her ear before resting lightly against her cheek. "You have terrible timing." The corner of her mouth lifted just enough to betray her before she leaned forward once more, showing she wasn't all that concerned. She met Lily in another slow, lingering kiss, entirely content to let the rest of the evening wait a little longer.

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TAG: Lily Rhodes

 

[Lily Rhodes]

“I have impeccable timing.”

Her murmured reply vanished beneath Vess’s lingering kiss, maddeningly slow and utterly consuming, all other thought left Lily. There was only Vess, only the warmth of her hand against her cheek as her own fingers slid into her dark hair, her body shifted, pressing closer, burning with need.

She drew back, breaking the kiss just enough to take a breath, to take in the tiny curve of her lips, the confident knowing glimmer in her hazel eyes. If Lily could have stopped time then, she would have, just to stay this close, just to be this captivated for a lifetime.

Lily’s lips found hers again, lingering for a beat before moving, trailing along her jaw and down the soft skin of her neck. She wanted to remind herself of every part of her, every curve, every imperfection, her smell, her taste. Lily wanted all of it, she needed it.

Deft fingers moved for the buttons of Vess’s blouse, lips moving to greet every piece of skin she exposed as she gently guided her down to the sofa behind her, somewhere around her navel, Lily paused light brown eyes alight with something primal her lips curving into a small smile.

“You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Lips and tongue trailed along the skin just above the line of her belt stopping at the top of her hip before reluctantly lifting away, moving back up to find her lips again. “I lied,” she whispered, stealing a breath.

“Twenty minutes isn’t going to be enough.”

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess's breath caught as Lily's lips found her neck. A quiet smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. For someone who spent so much of her life solving problems, Lily had become remarkably adept at making her forget them entirely.

As she was eased back onto the sofa, her hands never left Lily, one lingering at the small of her back while the other traced slowly upward through her hair, fingertips disappearing into the light strands before settling comfortably at the nape of her neck. She watched Lily rather than closing her eyes. There was something quietly fascinating about her when she forgot the rest of the galaxy existed.

When Lily looked up and called her beautiful, Vess held her gaze for a long moment. The confidence she carried so naturally softened, replaced by something warmer. "I could say the same," she murmured. Her thumb brushed lightly across Lily's cheek before she drew her back into another slow kiss. When Lily whispered that twenty minutes wasn't going to be enough, Vess laughed softly against her lips. "I know." The answer came with surprising certainty. She stole one more lingering kiss before resting her forehead lightly against Lily's. "The stew..." She considered it for all of a second. "...was probably optimistic." Another quiet laugh escaped her. "We can make another." She leaned in once more, kissing Lily with a confidence that hadn't been there the first time they'd found themselves this close.

Outside, daylight slowly surrendered to evening, and somewhere back in the kitchen, a forgotten pot continued simmering as the cottage settled into a comfortable silence.

---

Morning arrived gradually. The first light filtered through the curtains in pale bands, stretching across the bed before finding Vess's face. She stirred almost immediately, blinking once as she adjusted to the light. For a moment, she simply lay still. Lily was still asleep. Vess studied her with the same quiet attention she gave most things she found interesting, her expression softening almost despite herself. One corner of the blanket had slipped away during the night. Without thinking, she pulled it gently back over Lily's shoulder. Only then did she allow herself the smallest smile.

"...You know," she murmured quietly, more to herself than anyone else, "I was supposed to make dinner." The memory drew a silent laugh. She leaned over, pressed a kiss against Lily's temple, then settled back against the headboard instead of getting up. At some point during the night, she had gone and turned off the stove so the house wouldn't burn down. As for breakfast, she would see if she could make it through a meal this time once Lily woke up.

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TAG: Lily Rhodes

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Nightmares had become so much a part of her sleep now that the absence of them was a welcome gift. She slept harder than she had in weeks, maybe months and when she had stirred in the night, it had only been to make sure that Vess was still there, like she might spontaneously combust or vanish into this air.

Consciousness came reluctantly at the brush of Vess’s lips against her temple, though she didn’t open her eyes, enjoying the comfortable quiet. Soft murmured words pulled a smile on her lips.

“Mhm” she replied, eyes still closed. “I still ate pretty well.”

Lily opened her eyes, tilting her head to look up at where Vess was resting, an incredibly smug grin on her face, before chuckling and rolling onto her back and stretching like a cat. She let out a contented sigh, reaching for Vess’s hand and pulling it to her lips.

“Good morning.” she murmured.

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

The corner of Vess's mouth lifted almost immediately, a soft laugh escaping her. "You're impossible. Though I'm beginning to think that's intentional."

She let Lily kiss her hand before turning it over, her fingers slipping naturally between Lily's. Her thumb brushed a slow circle across the back of her hand as she looked down at her, smiling with an ease that still felt wonderfully unfamiliar. "Good morning." The words came softly. She watched Lily for another moment, her smile lingering. It was strange how easily the rest of the world seemed to disappear whenever she was here.

"I think," she said after a thoughtful pause, "If this is what happens every time I cook..." The faintest hint of amusement found her eyes. "Next time we should stay somewhere that delivers." She paused before continuing with a grin. "Actual food. Though I'm not complaining about the alternative." Her gaze lingered on Lily's for another quiet moment before she leaned down, stealing a brief kiss.

"Breakfast has a chance." She paused a moment as she considered, "...A statistically insignificant one." She let her other hand find its way into Lily's hair, gently tucking a loose strand behind her ear before letting her fingers linger against her cheek.

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TAG: Lily Rhodes

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily let her eyes slide closed again, the soft slow circle Vess was drawing across the back of her hand was soothing. If she allowed herself to, Lily could forget everything beyond this little house on Commenor, even Humbarine, the effects of the psychic web still lingering as a dull ache at the base of her skull, she could sweep aside as nothing but a mere headache.

Her eyes snapped open at the mention of being somewhere that delivered and she shook her head. Places like that were closer to people, she liked the quiet here. A grin split her expression before she could voice it at Vess’s joke and the slicer's lips brushed briefly against hers and the thought was stolen with the kiss.

Vess consumed her vision, soft fingers lingering on her cheek and something in her chest swelled, the laughter glittered in her eyes fading to something more intense as emotion too great to name suddenly rested on her chest. For a moment she said nothing, too afraid to find words for it, afraid of shattering the moment.

She lifted her head, stealing a deeper kiss before breaking away brushing her nose against hers before letting herself fall back against the pillow. “I promise not to interrupt breakfast.” she said with a small smile. “I can even help by making caff.”

Vess Sadragen

 

[Vess Sadragen]

Vess smiled into the kiss, lingering there for just a moment before Lily settled back against the pillow once more.

"I promise not to interrupt breakfast."

A quiet laugh escaped her. "I don't believe you." A playful smile formed on her lips. Her hand remained against Lily's cheek for another moment before her thumb brushed gently across it one last time. The corner of her mouth lifted as she studied her for a heartbeat longer. "I suppose we'll just have to keep trying until we succeed."

Reluctantly, she untangled herself just enough to stretch before leaning back over to steal one more kiss. Brief. Familiar. She never seemed to tire of them. Her hazel eyes met Lily's again, warm with quiet amusement.

"Caff..." she mused thoughtfully.

"Yes, please."

"I'll handle breakfast."

Then she slipped from the bed, leaving Lily behind while she went in search of the clothes they'd abandoned the night before. They formed a rather obvious trail from the kitchen to the bedroom, each discarded article recovered in turn. The early morning sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating absolutely everything. By the time she reached the kitchen, she'd managed to recover every last piece of clothing.

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TAG: Lily Rhodes