Private The One in Red

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra blushed and let him drop at once.

"Not that long," she confirmed, her voice clipped. One was forward with their thoughts, the other perpetually wasn't. She changed topic, picking up a spilled noodle and plopping it in her mouth.

"Have you learned anything new lately?" Of the two, it was Acaadi that was the studious one. It did not surpass her notice that he would be leaps and bounds ahead of her now in their training. If not just because she had never truly applied herself, then because her months of recovery from Yurb, and now extended leave for this mission, left her trailing behind while he plowed on ahead.

She had never asked him about lessons before. The sly side glance his way betrayed the cool air she was trying to put out.

What had she missed?

Acaadi

 

[Acaadi]

"Oof," went Acaadi, who had narrowly missed the food on the way down. He chuckled as he recomposed himself, not displaying a great deal of the Jedi reflexes and balance he usually relied upon.

"I've not been to lessons enough really," he said. "Everything has been a bit hectic, I haven't got a master and I've probably been a bit focused on just a few things."

When everything seemed so focused on the war it was easy to let some of the classes on softer skills slide by.

"But I've been getting really good with my control," he said.

Acaadi lifted his hand and the noodles rose up from her pot. They formed a neat row of lines in the air, sauce slowly dripping off them and back into the pot.

He didn't see the cat eyeing them up. Floating strings of meaty flavour.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra felt Popsicle's interest before she noticed it, their bond giving hint the the chaos that would pursued. Kyra's lips parted to warn him, but the mouser-like instincts were a step ahead. Paws came flying through the air-- splayed and clawed as Popsicles collided into the noodle's with furious intent. Kyra flinched, the sauce splattering against her face as the feline landed chaotically into their sides.

After a few neurotic flips, the cat gnawed at its treat.

Kyra blinked a few times, mentally processing the mess. She dissolved into laughter, wiping sauce from her eye as Popsciles fished around Acaadi's arm for a missed noodle.

"Yeah, brilliant," she teased.

 

[Acaadi]

He grimaced, briefly expecting to be admonished for making the mess. Once upon a time he had almost plummeted to his death trying to show off to Kyra. This time he had simply enticed her little bundle of fur and sharp claws into a frenzy.

He laughed, the sound broken by a sudden "ah" as the cat pawed at what was his skin and not a noodle. He quickly fished it out and tossed it towards the floor. Tail swishing away Popsicles leapt after it.

"I, er, didn't think that through," he admitted. He wiped some sauce from his cheek as well as a tear from his eye. "I missed this."

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra's smile caught, his admittance reminding her why there was something to miss at all.

"...yeah," she allotted, patting her blanket dry. "Missed this too." The mess resolved, she turned back to her bucket, digging into it with a little less energy than before. "So. You really don't have a Master yet?" It was hard to believe. He was the best of their class. Who wouldn't want to train him?

"What about your trials? How's that gonna work?" Aka, were they soon? She gave him a side glance, fishing for the reveal that she would always dread.

Of course he was going to reach Knighthood first. It wasn't a competition. Right? She could practically hear Caedyn Arenais chastising her not to compare herself to others, but she couldn't help it!

It was in her nature.

 

[Acaadi]

"I haven't got anything booked for it yet," he replied.

Acaadi didn't miss that look. He used to miss those little tells a lot more. He didn't know whether it was because he knew Kyra better, if it was because of their developing Force bond, or simply because he was more of an idiot a couple of years ago. It was probably all of those in equal measure.

"And what about your training? Have you got any holocrons or anything with you?" he asked. "I'm sure that by the time you're back you could ready to take the trials!"

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra rolled her eyes. "Dream big. I have no one to practice with here. You'd think being in enemy waters means you're constantly getting better or something but really, its just a lot of sitting waiting for intel to strike," she grumbled, finishing off her food. "I can't slice my trial results."

Though wouldn't that be something.

She shoved her trash into the bag and stretched out, moving aside as Popsicles jump back up to join them for her next treat.

"Do you want that?" She chirped, eyes lingering hungrily on his last fried crab pastry.

 

[Acaadi]

"You can have it," he offered with a laugh.

"Waiting for intel to strike..." He repeated more slowly than she had said it. "I know it must be lonely out here but you must know how cool that sounds?"

Acaadi always tried to find a little bit of light in a situation. It was becoming increasingly difficult. There were few people left at the academy. He wanted to be doing more. He kissed Kyra, he missed all those who had left. Acaadi was a tiny bit jealous that she was out here trying to achieve something real whilst he was still studying.

"We got enough room to practise here before I go?" He asked.

 

[Juniper]

.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra resembled her cat in that moment, the remaining treat snatched up and devoured with quick, happy bites. No doubt Popsicles watched with eager eyes, hoping for a morsel to fall for her to retrieve. None such did.

"Yeah. Thirdas converted a spare room for training. It's got holocrons and stuff." Because despite her downplay of her time on this mission, Caedyn Arenais had gone to great lengths to assure his padawan kept up on her training. It was a pity he wasn't here to see how seriously she had been taking it.

It would have done him proud.

"What'd you want to do? Wanna sword fight? Grapple? Invade each other's mind??" How far they had come from tapas and simple meditation. She licked her fingers clean, sitting up a little straighter. She had missed this too.

 

[Acaadi]

Her devotion to food was far less surprising than her willingness to get on with some training so quickly after eating. He supposed she hadn't been given an opportunity to test herself with her peers for some time.

"Let's spar!" he went to immediately. "We can tune the sabers down and...actually can we let food go down for half an hour first? I don't want to vom on you..."

"You think your mental defences can keep me out now?" he asked, a note of challenge in his voice.