Private Take a Breath

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan’s mouth tugged into a grin at the sound of her stomach, though he had the sense of mind not to laugh.

“Yeah, let's eat,” he said, pushing away from the crate as though he’d been waiting for this moment all along.

“Got some noodles we can reheat. Comes with seasoning sachet and not much else.”

Trextan glanced down, following the sound of her belly. He liked her whole outfit, but he was also reminded that the sharp cut of the jacket and top left a band of skin exposed.

Trextan stepped past Choli into the galley. There were a few changes. There was a small induction hob plugged into power. There was a small freezer unit that he opened. Trextan sorted through a few vacuum sealed packets before standing up.

He looked embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“If you prefer I can do grilled nuna skewers in a honey-soy glaze, Alderaanian herbed flatbread, or Corellian spiced nerf stew.”

He rattled off the dishes with a straight face, though the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

“Turns out,” he admitted more quietly, eyes flicking back to hers, “I’ve had… a lot of time. Also Kellan said he couldn't stand two generations of Voidstalker being unable to cook and I 'didn't have the excuse of being in the army'.”

The air between them tightened as he held her gaze a fraction too long. His voice dropped, almost playful but low enough to brush close.

“Course, if you can’t decide… we could always start with noodles.”

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli leaned against the galley threshold, one shoulder pressed to the durasteel frame, arms folding loosely over her chest. The shift of fabric revealed just a touch more of olive skin across her collarbone, and her brow arched in sharp amusement. Her eyes caught the light, glinting a playful blue-green as they lingered on him.

"Well… what happened to instapack gluk noodles?" she teased, canting her head slightly, grin tugging wider. "Don't tell me you're the one who finally gave them up."

Her gaze swept the galley, then slid back to him with deliberate slowness.

"So you can cook now? Quite the independent Trextan. What happened? Great Uncle put you behind a grill on Tatooine? Short-order chef duty?"

She let the words hang, amusement coloring every line of her tone. But beneath it, she couldn't quite ignore the way the air seemed to tighten with each glance that held too long, each memory pressed close by the narrow walls of the Verre.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan gave a mock-wounded look over his shoulder as he set a packet down on the counter.

He reached into the freezer again, pulling out another vacuum-sealed pouch and holding it up between his fingers like it was contraband.

“I still indulge in instant packets when I feel like it!" he laughed.

He moved back toward the induction hob, the low hum of the unit filling the silence. The warmth from the small galley light caught her as she leaned in the threshold, skin and fabric in sharp contrast. He shouldn’t have looked too long, but he did, eyes tracing up before they found hers again.

“Truth is I got bored of heating ration bars and pretending it was dinner. Thought if I had to spend this much time in here, I may as well make it worth something. Stopped in at Kellan for some basics and then some holonet calls and videos."

His tone softened, brushing close to something more vulnerable. “Didn’t expect to be showing it off to you, though.”

He glanced back at Choli, gaze holding hers across the narrow space of the galley, steady and unflinching, before his mouth tugged back toward a playful edge. There was so much he wanted to talk about since the trap had been set. All of it would end in idle speculation. It was better for both of them to stick to something light to take their minds off it.

“So - flatbread, stew, skewers? Or are you really so hungry it has to be instapacks again?”

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Seeing Trextan hold up the vacuum-sealed pouch of Gluk noodles like it was contraband drew a half-snort of laughter from Choli, her eyes rolling in amused disbelief.

The sound faded when he went on about how he'd learned to cook and how he hadn't expected to show off his skills to her. Did he mean that he hadn't expected to see her ever again?

Alright fair, she mused as she listened, and though part of her bristled at the memories this cramped galley stirred, she managed a simple, "Admirable," in reply.

Uncrossing her arms, she drew in a breath, forcing her focus back to the present. Not to the fold-down table, or the wall where he'd once pressed her close, stealing her breath with a kiss. Not to thoughts of who else he might have done the same with.

"Stew's fine," she added, brushing a few loose strands of dark hair back from her olive face. Her gaze lingered on him for a beat before shifting away.

"Do you need any help," she asked lightly, "or would you rather I stay out of the way?"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan raised an eyebrow at her single-word verdict, lips twitching.

"'Admirable,' huh? High praise when you haven't eaten anything yet.”

Trextan set things on the small counter: a vacuum sealed pack of nerf chunks, a tin of vegetables, a glass sjar of spice kellan had ground for him and a carton of wine.

Her question made him pause and glance back over his shoulder at her. The corner of his mouth curved into a soft smile. He couldn't help but notice her eyes drifting around the space. She suddenly found herself without the drive, allowed to consider the past before they had time to sort through it all.

“Stay,” he said. For a heartbeat Trextan let the word hang in the close heat of the galley.

Trextan turned and leaning back against the counter as if it were casual. But his eyes found hers and held them, refusing to look away. The closeness of the galley, the shared heat of food and memory - it all pulled taut in the space between them. The silence weighed heavily. He wasn't being fair, she didn't need tension with everything going on.

"Yeah, that'd be nice," he said simply.

Trextan was a tall man. He crossed the narrow space with two steps. Before she could answer, he bent just enough to brush a kiss against her cheek, gentle and brief.

He didn’t linger. His hand found hers, fingers curling with a quiet insistence as he tugged her after him.

“Come on,” he said, voice lighter now, almost playful. “If I’m going to prove this stew’s edible, you’re not getting out of being the first taste-tester.”

He set the induction hob going and placed a tiny pan onto for a few seconds before setting it aside. Then he placed a big pan on the hob and gave it a splash of oil.

"Spices burn, so they don't go in as I sear the meat," he explained. "Drop a pinch into the little pan to warm them. Can you drain the vegetables and reheat some portion bread if you want to dip?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli's lips twitched in a crooked grin and she gave her head a small shake.

"Well, I doubt you'd be that bad of a cook with your Great Uncle giving you tips," she teased. But the smile froze when Trextan told her to stay.
It wasn't just the word. It was the way he said it -- the tone, the weight of it in the tight space of the galley.

She hesitated, gaze dipping as her thumbs hooked into her belt loops.

"Okay." she replied quietly, moving forward to assist as he needed, just in time for her to look up as the warmth of his hand curled around hers, giving a gentle tug of insistance as he kissed her cheek, sending a spark of awareness and warmth over her that made her pause. For a heartbeat she could only stand there, caught off guard by how much it stirred. He didn't linger though, seeming able to easily just shift into the playful, not able to register he was also struggling on his own.

Despite the seriousness of where they were going, the way everything was turning out, the uncertatiny of what the First Order or whoever had been the one to send that image of her past she had no recollection of, that gentle tug grounded her.

She stepped in beside him, taking the bundle of vegetables to drain them at the small sink.

"I can do that," she murmured, falling into the rhythm as he guided her. They worked in quiet tandem, Choli asking the occasional question, peeling back the silence piece by piece.

She set the starch bread to rehydrate, watching it puff with steam, then glanced sideways at him.

"How's your Great Uncle doing? Your father?" she asked curiosly, wondering if they were still on Tatooine.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Once the wine was cooked off in the pan, Trextan added the spices and tipped the pan just enough for her to pour the vegetables in. The two of them moved with the quiet precision of people who’d shared more missions than home cooked dinners. Steam curled up between them, carrying the smell of spice and heat.

“Kellan’s fine,” he said after a beat, voice mellow. “Still out on Tatooine. Runs the workshop, still pretends the suns aren’t getting to him.” A faint grin tugged at his mouth. “He sends me recipes sometimes. Half of them end with ‘and don’t burn it this time.’”

He gave the stew a slow stir, then added, “Dad's doing alright. Age is getting to him a little and he seems frustrated that he can't help as the sith order grows.”

Trextan remained blissfully unaware that Jacen had already left Tatooine with his lightsaber.

Trextan looked sideways at her, the light from the hob catching the edge of his profile.

“I've had plenty of quiet myself, but I couldn't imagine staying in one place. You saw how well I didn't deal with the suns and the sand.”

He handed her the spoon, his fingers brushing hers as he did. “Here. You should taste it. Be honest.”

As if she ever wasn't.

The grin that followed was small but genuine, meant to keep things light, even as the unspoken history between them lingered in the narrow warmth of the galley.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli let out a low hum as the scent of spice filled the narrow galley, mixing with the warmth of the cooker. It was… nice. Strange, but nice. A far cry from the usual quick rations or half-burnt noodles they used to eat between hyperspace jumps. Working beside Trextan like this felt oddly natural, like some old rhythm they hadn't realized they still remembered.

When Trextan mentioned not being able to stay in one place for long, Choli nodded in quiet understanding. He'd always had that restless streak, never quite sure where he belonged or what he wanted. It was one of the reasons she'd ended things back then. But it was also what made being a Warden fit him so well. It gave him the freedom to keep moving, to keep chasing something without being tied down.

When he spoke about his father and Great Uncle, she nodded, her expression softening a little.

"I'm sure there are places for your father to lend a hand, even at his advanced age," she teased, a crooked grin tugging at her lips as she reached over to stir the stew.

When Trextan handed her the spoon, her brow shot up, the expression pure disbelief.

"Oh, I see. You've gotten bossy over time," she joked in mock offense but she tasted it anyways. Her expresison was so honest, and in that she relayed... that it wasn't bad at all.

"Huh. Not bad." She dipped the spoon again to take another taste. Nevermind the terrible doubledipping manners.

"Actually, it's good. You might actually survive out here without your Grand Uncle."

Setting the spoon down, she tilted her head toward him, eyes glinting with quiet amusement.

"Do you pre make these food packs yourself, or do you just buy them ready made?"

The teasing softened the edges of the moment, but beneath it, there was a small comfort in the easy way they could fall back into conversation without forcing it.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan gave a short, self-satisfied nod when she went back for a second taste.

“See? Hours of failure finally paying off.”

He turned back to the hob, giving the stew another slow stir as the scent deepened.

“But of both,” he added, glancing at her sidelong, “If its cheaper I can make them myself. Vacuum-sealed, portioned out. Sometimes

Trextan turned off the heat. The induction hob was light and compact and didn't pose a fire risk. He let the stew cool before serving. He reached for two bowls, sliding one across the counter to her.

"Bossy?" he muttered. "Probably you rubbing off on me."

He glanced at Choli, realising how that sounded. It didn't help that he glanced to the wall where such a thing could have occurred.

He cleared his throat and turned back to the counter, busying himself with the ladle.

“Anyway. Could just be ration bars on the trip back.”

The corner of his mouth twitched upward, but the weight of the glance he threw her carried more warmth than the joke admitted.

He dished out two servings and was quick to tear a piece of bread to dip.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli caught the look he gave her and felt the warmth rush straight to her face before she could stop it.

Blast it, stop thinking about that, she scolded herself, eyes darting anywhere but the wall he'd just looked at.

"I'm not bossy," she shot back quickly, trying for a smirk that came out a little too tight around the edges. "I just make sure things get done. Blame Rogue and Wraith for that." It was true enough, though it didn't help that her voice was a little rougher than usual, remembering why they were here to begin with. Her time that was blacked out during her captivity.

She took the offered bowl and moved to the fold-down table, grateful for something to do with her hands. Pulling it from its latch, she secured the clips, the mechanical click grounding her back in the moment.

Focus on the food, Choli.

Sitting down, she tore off a piece of bread and dipped it into the stew, the rich scent curling up between them.

"Alright, I'll admit," she said after chewing and swallowing, "this is a lot better than ration bars." She took another bite, the corner of her mouth quirking.

Her gaze drifted toward the ship's panels, the familiar hum of the Verre filling the quiet.

"So," she started, choosing the safest topic she could, "what upgrades does she need now? Or is she holding together fine?"

Better to talk about maintenance than to think about how it felt to be kissed against this same table years ago.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan’s mouth curved when she accused him of calling her bossy. He swallowed down some bread.

“Didn’t say it was a bad thing,” he countered lightly, sliding into the seat across from her.

He looked particularly pleased with her comment, a touch of his embarrassment for the complement alone.

“Like you said, you get things done," he added quickly. He wanted to be clear on what he meant, not the other things he was thinking.

The small table between them didn’t do much to ease the closeness. The ship’s hum and the soft clink of utensils filled the narrow space, but the rest felt thick with everything they weren’t saying. Would it be wrong just to hold her close and kiss her once? As long as they didn't escalate anything as they had agreed.

They had important business to deal with. A life changing event to unpick. Yet some selfish part of him wished they could have kept things light for a few weeks to get a sense of where they stood.

He gestured vaguely toward the walls, glad for the question and the chance to anchor himself back in the ship.

“She’s holding together,” he said, glancing up at the panel over her shoulder. “New motivator, rewired nav relay. There is a coolant leak I patched up but might need a proper fix. Left repuslsor has a bit of give.”

He stirred his stew once, then looked up again, meeting her gaze. “She always ran better for you.”

He gave a small, crooked smile, trying to soften the honesty with humor. “Guess even ships get sentimental.”

Trextan leaned back a little, resting one arm along the back of the seat.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

"Seems like you've been keeping up with her well regardless," Choli replied in between bites, despite feeling the slight conflict at hearing that the Verre ran better when she was with him than not. A thought came that they should get something to drink, so she used the time and action to get her head back together.

"Water? Not sure what else you have to drink," she added as she got up, moving over towards where the water purifier would be. She grabbed two cups from a cupboard and then made her way to fill one cup with water.

"And I wouldn't put it past ships or droids getting sentimental. Some tend to be more sassy or ornery than expected. The ship I'm putting together for my own use is like that," she admitted, revealing she was scrapping together another ship to use -- something to be her home as much as get her from place to place.

"Got a good bit of it done, just need a decent hyperdrive," which was why she'd been doing several jobs down the hyperlane before this with Tiny, who'd assured her she'd be able to barter her skills for ship parts.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

He took it as a great complement that she thought he'd been keeping up with the ship repairs.

In fairness, he thought, keeping this ship flying at all was worthy of praise.

"There are a couple of beers in the fridge. Bought them but then... I realised I'd just be drinking beer on my own. But water'll do fine."

A ship had to keep water, so it made much more sense to filter drinking water most of the time instead of carrying cans and bottles around.

"Oh you got a ship going? I know some squib who'd sell you a hyper drive. Don't know where to get a good one though."

He watched her pour, but there was something about seeing her fit into the small rhythms of the ship again that hit harder than he expected.

It would be good for her to have a project to pour some energy into. It would also be freedom for the next chapter of her life.

When she handed him a cup, his fingers brushed hers again light, unintentional maybe, but it lingered long enough to draw his gaze back to her face.

“What’s she called?” he asked, taking a sip. “Or are you waiting ‘til she’s got a proper drive before naming her?”

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

"I am tentatively calling her the Sunfire," she said as she sat back down with a wry smile.

"Feels right. Stubborn, temperamental, but she has good bones." but at the mention of the Squib, the pilot snorted.

"Let me guess, they'll try to sell me the hyperdrive and then barter for the ship itself?" The teasing helped hide the spark that came from the brief touch of his fingers.

She grabbed her datapad from her pocket and set it upon the table, fingers flicking until a small holo projection shimmered to life above the table. The Sunfire appeared in miniature, more than a little scuffed up with plenty of worn edges, just the kind of challenge she loved.

"Limited run Silk Holdings frame, didn't see much action, but the Merrills always made good ugly boats. I'll patch her up, maybe use one of Arceneau's slips for what I am unable to handle."

The expression softened over her olive face as she looked at the projection.

"Would finally mean getting a ship of my own," she said quietly. Then, glancing back at him with a small smile. Which for her meant a lot. She'd been drifting from place to place, and while being in the Aurora or the Verree had been nice... neither were her home. Not anymore at least.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan leaned forward, elbows resting on the edge of the table as the holo shimmered to life between them. The soft light painted the lines of the Sunfire in blue and gold, casting shifting patterns across Choli’s face.

“Sunfire,” he repeated, testing the name under his breath. “Yeah. That fits.”

He studied the little ship for a moment, then Choli.

“She looks like she’s been through a few scrapes already,” he said with a faint grin, “but you’ll have her flying like new.”

The grin softened. “It suits you, though. Building something of your own.”

He let that sit for a moment, gaze still on the holo but his tone quieter, lower. “Guess it’s about time you had a ship of your own," he agreed.

Trextan reached out, tilting the holo slightly with a brush of his thumb against the projector’s edge. The motion was casual, but when he glanced back at her, the look wasn’t.

"It's all you, but if there's anything I can do to help just say."

He gave a sharp nod.

"Haven't got a hyper drive tucked behind the beers though," he admitted. "Where would you go first?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli might not have been the most perceptive person in the galaxy when it came to subtle cues, but even after more than three years apart, she could still tell when Trextan's thoughts were elsewhere.

Or more accurately, when he was holding something back.

He'd always had that tendency to brood, to sit and stew in silence until she dragged the truth out of him. Back then, it had led to more than a few arguments. Now… she wasn't sure what it would lead to.

"Yeah," she said after a moment, nodding toward the holo still hovering between them. "Been working on it for the past two years. Takes time, though. One of the reasons I've been bartering work for parts or credits. It's back on Yanibar for now."

When he asked about her plans, she shrugged lightly.

"Anywhere that needs a pilot or a mechanic. It's got enough cargo space to haul freight or transport people when needed. Kinda like the Aurora, just… minus the military-grade everything." Her tone was wry as she went back to eating her stew.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him fidgeting with the holo of the ship, then pausing. Her spoon slowed as well.

"Help's always appreciated," she said finally, her voice soft but direct. Her hazel eyes flicked toward him, studying his face. "But what's really on your mind, Trextan?"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan didn’t answer at first. His thumb lingered against the edge of the holo projector, the Sunfire spinning lazily in the dim light.

He let out a breath that wasn’t quite a sigh, eyes fixed on the tiny ship before flicking up to hers. “You see straight through me,” he said finally, voice low, half a laugh buried somewhere in it. She would not let this go now until she had her answers.

He leaned back slightly, the chair creaking beneath him. “Guess I’ve been thinking too much,” he admitted. “With what we need to deal with now I've tried not too.”

His gaze held hers now, steady and unguarded. “But yeah,” he went on quietly, “About us. I was thinking I should keep it inside for now, that you don't need distractions."

He smiled at her, feeling an odd sense of pride.

"Even that's a not silly. Not like talking for an hour about something different can really throw you off the mission."

The hum of the Verre filled the silence that followed. He didn’t look away, though his voice softened as he continued.

"When we were talking before I wanted to say we should maybe just try and date, you know. Like other people do.”

In his head that was going to start with their little boat ride and perhaps a more intimate meal out together.

"So when you have your own ship I was thinking I'd like us to meet up every few weeks. Not every few months."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli let a few seconds pass, the hum of the Verre filling the space between them while she processed what he'd just said.

Oh.

So he wanted to actually start dating.

Choli's brow furrowed slightly, not out of irritation but thought. Dating. The word felt both foreign and familiar, something that belonged to another lifetime before everything that had hardened them into who they were now. Normal didn't really exist for people like them. Not for two kids who grew up way too fast and placed into situations they shouldn't have been in the first place. Then again, they weren't kids anymore. Now they were Wardens who spent weeks, even months, jumping from one end of the galaxy to the other.

She finally set her spoon down, the clink sounding louder than it should have.

"So… you want to start dating now," she began slowly, studying him, "or when I finally get the Sunfire up and running?" She asked, but her tone was curious, not dismissive. Her eyes searched his face, watching for the small tells she still remembered -- the way his jaw tightened when he meant something, or how his thumb rubbed against the edge of whatever he was holding when he was trying not to overthink.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

TREXTAN

Trextan blinked once, a quiet laugh slipping past before he could stop it. “Trust you to cut straight to it,” he murmured, though there wasn’t any mockery in his tone.

He leaned back in his seat, one hand rubbing at the back of his neck before falling to the table again.

“Honestly?” he said after a moment, voice low but steady. “I don’t know if there’s a right time. I waited until it felt like it was too late before,” he said. By the time he had felt like calling Choli to check in on her directly it had felt like it would be too late.

He met her eyes across the flickering light of the holo, that familiar mix of steadiness and quiet intensity settling over his features.

“So I wasn’t thinking about some perfect plan or when your ship’s finished. I just…” He gave a small shrug, the faintest smile tugging at his mouth.

“We got interrupted at Mindabaal and we have to focus on this," he waved in the direction of their plans.

"The ship got me thinking again. I think that's amazing. I just want to see where this goes. No point acting like we don’t still feel something.”

Trextan paused, thumb brushing the rim of his bowl unconsciously - a tell he didn’t quite catch himself.

“If that means taking it slow, then fine. I’m not looking to rush it. I guess wanting to date is wanting to start finding out if we can make it work as soon as we can.”

He let that sit between them, then added, softer, almost under his breath, “You don’t owe me an answer now. I just wanted to be honest about where my head’s at.”

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Armor- x x x x x | Gear x x x x x x x | Weapons x x x x x

Choli bit her lower lip, because the more Trextan spoke, the more she also felt herself sink into a stage of vulnerability she hadn't been in a long while. Of course, they had spoke before after that passionate drunken kiss earlier about tentative lines and what they wanted to explore. It was evidedent there was still feelings there, and now they were older, different in ways they hadn't quite learned and familiar in others.

Perhaps that was why being back here on the Verree, eating stew across from him on a table where she has plenty of vivid memories in just about every flat surface fanned not only hormones, but also the more intimate emotions that tugged at her heart and head.

Like the fact that she clearly hadn't gotten completely over him.

Oh she tried. She tried because she had told herself it was the best thing for them both. The last thing she wanted was for Trextan to resent her for some how forcing him into a situation or path that he wasn't ready to take on his own.

Now... now things were different.

They were adults now. Adults who could have honest conversations about expectations and desires. Maybe her bluntness and her ways of just going to the root of the issue were the best for them both. Things were already tense with what was going on with this First Order deal and her POW time.

"Then what would dating look like to you?" she asked as a follow up. They had stated lines so that they wouldn't... get carried away. But how they dated when they were younger may very well not be what he was expecting now.

And since in the three years she'd only had casual friendships or one real attempt at a relationship, finding out what Trextan was expecting would help decide if dating him again would work for them.