The journey to the waterfalls was not far, yet Cassian felt the weight of time differently on this day. Weeks had passed since that night of lanternlight and whispered truths, weeks of measured steps that had carried them closer, brick by brick, wall by wall. Now, as the path curved through Naboo's lush hills and the distant thunder of falling water reached his ears, Cassian found himself strangely unguarded. They arrived by way of landspeeder and the push forward towards the falls were just right within walking distance. Shaaks were frequent in this area more so then they were around the Naboo plains, grazing along the grassland.
The roar of the falls grew louder with every step, a low thrum that pressed into his chest like a second heartbeat. Cassian remembered coming here as a boy, when the world had been smaller, simpler, before war, before obligation had carved him into something sharper, harder. Back then, the falls had seemed endless, a force of nature that dwarfed his troubles. Now, standing on this path again, he found the memory oddly fragile, almost foreign.
He glanced at Aren, walking steady at his side. Weeks ago, he would not have imagined her here with him, sharing quiet instead of shadows, walking toward beauty instead of running from darkness. And yet, she fit. Perhaps too easily. It unsettled him, the way she slid past the edges of his defenses, how her presence had begun to feel like inevitability rather than accident. The weight of her confessions lingered in him still: her gift with the Force, her past, the pieces of herself she had entrusted him with. He should have been wary, cautious, even suspicious. But when she had spoken, when she had placed her truths in his hands, he hadn't felt danger. He had felt… honored. As if she believed him worthy of the trust others had never given.
He wondered if she knew what that did to him. How it shook the foundations he had built, stone by stone, to keep the world at a distance. He was pleased that she accepted his invitation, it had been two weeks since they were alone like this, yet throughout the past two weeks they had shared each others company via mission related objectives, passing glances, smiles and nudges.
The mist from the falls kissed his face, cool and clean, and Cassian drew in a deep breath. He wasn't naïve enough to think this peace would last. Shadows trailed them both, and sooner or later, they would close in. But here, now, with the sound of the rushing water growing to a roar, he allowed himself the dangerous luxury of wanting. For his sake he had to be on guard, at all times. Time were perilous, and with this business with RIS and the spies within, perhaps he wondered if he was leaning towards her like this. Perhaps maybe he felt time for him was running out.
Aren D'Shade
The roar of the falls grew louder with every step, a low thrum that pressed into his chest like a second heartbeat. Cassian remembered coming here as a boy, when the world had been smaller, simpler, before war, before obligation had carved him into something sharper, harder. Back then, the falls had seemed endless, a force of nature that dwarfed his troubles. Now, standing on this path again, he found the memory oddly fragile, almost foreign.
He glanced at Aren, walking steady at his side. Weeks ago, he would not have imagined her here with him, sharing quiet instead of shadows, walking toward beauty instead of running from darkness. And yet, she fit. Perhaps too easily. It unsettled him, the way she slid past the edges of his defenses, how her presence had begun to feel like inevitability rather than accident. The weight of her confessions lingered in him still: her gift with the Force, her past, the pieces of herself she had entrusted him with. He should have been wary, cautious, even suspicious. But when she had spoken, when she had placed her truths in his hands, he hadn't felt danger. He had felt… honored. As if she believed him worthy of the trust others had never given.
He wondered if she knew what that did to him. How it shook the foundations he had built, stone by stone, to keep the world at a distance. He was pleased that she accepted his invitation, it had been two weeks since they were alone like this, yet throughout the past two weeks they had shared each others company via mission related objectives, passing glances, smiles and nudges.
The mist from the falls kissed his face, cool and clean, and Cassian drew in a deep breath. He wasn't naïve enough to think this peace would last. Shadows trailed them both, and sooner or later, they would close in. But here, now, with the sound of the rushing water growing to a roar, he allowed himself the dangerous luxury of wanting. For his sake he had to be on guard, at all times. Time were perilous, and with this business with RIS and the spies within, perhaps he wondered if he was leaning towards her like this. Perhaps maybe he felt time for him was running out.
Aren D'Shade
