Private Thread, Needle and Plasma

[Marissa Shoda]

SACORRIA | HOME
TAGS: Jasper Kai'el

---

Marissa was pretty sure that she was slowly losing her collective marbles. Work was so slow as of late that she was going out of her way to stay busy without wasting credits on ship fuel... not that she knew how to fly just yet. Speeders were fine, but there wasn't much going on in the neighbourhood, so to speak. She had read every single book on the shelf, serviced her speeder, learned a plethora of new recipes for their little family -Braze couldn't get all the shine- and even tried her hand at some new hobbies. Starting a little garden was surprisingly very therapeutic.

One thing she couldn't do, however, was clean the house. She didn't know when, but the house had been completely cleaned out from top to bottom. To somehow add onto the curious situation, a number of meals from Denon was waiting for her as well. That sealed the deal for her. Braze was behind all of this. She was going to kick that kid's backside halfway across the Hydian Way when she saw him again. She would thank him, naturally, but a smack or two would certainly be involved.

With nothing else to do, she decided to break out the holoprojector and hook it up to a sound system. With her nostalgia food in hand and an ice cold beer to follow, she got comfortable on the couch and began to catch up with a number of series that she hadn't been able to watch in a long while. A warm smile took hold when the first nuna strip graced her lips. Yeah, he'd at least get a hug before the mantis blades came out.

Cleaning the house was her job.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Sacorria
Tags: Marissa Shoda

Lightsaber
​

Jasper was no stranger to getting messed up in fights.

It was pretty common, actually. In the end of the day, after all, he was just a man. And his opponent, Drenn , had left him pretty banged up. Serious plasma burns, tissue damage, the whole nine yards. Needless to say he was coming home wrapped in bacta soaked bandages, or at least his torso was. Braze hadn't faired much better, but was looking to be back up in good time. That was the risk of taking up arms. Every Jedi knew it well. The unfortunate truth about the Trial of Flesh was that it really never ended.

Something was going to test you. With all of that in mind, Jasper was just happy to be back home, even if only for a moment. He shuffled inside and quickly found his way to the living room, where his entire world lit up in an instant. Marissa being home was a happy surprise, one he got to return to far more often these days.

And just like that his wounds vanished for a moment. The Jedi Master shambled over to the sofa and promptly sank down into it next to Marissa, his head falling onto her shoulder.

"That speeder should've exploded by now," Jasper stated as he observed what was currently happening in the show Marissa was watching. "They put the heat-waste sink in backwards. The intake is on the outside."

 

[Marissa Shoda]

Between the loud audio and her own investment into the intense action sequence, Marissa never noticed Jasper entering the house or even approaching the living room. When he suddenly dropped down next to her, something akin to a shriek escaped Cricket as she leapt up and split her arm open to reveal an intimidatingly large blade. The tub of loaded nuna strips was tightly clutched to her chest as she registered who joined her.

A hurricane of emotions swirled through her as she simply glared at Jasper for a moment. Shock, confusion, a healthy dose of irritation, but those were quickly balanced out by the sheer joy of seeing him again. "Jasper, what the hell!" She cried out, retracting the blade in order to punch him on the shoulder. "You and Braze got no clue on announcing yourselves, you know that!?" She set the nuna strips down and proceeded to give him a few more slaps and punches before finally collapsing into him with a tight hug. "Kark, I missed you." She muttered with a kiss on his cheek.

Finally pulling back to pause the show, Marissa took the time to study his battered appearance. "What happened to you?" She asked, her eyes turning red to scan him over.

The results were less than thrilling. "Why aren't you in a hospital? You look like you lost a fight with an extractor fan." She commented, carefully checking him over. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do...

Jasper Kai'el

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Sacorria
Tags: Braze

Lightsaber
​

"Jasper, what the hell!" She cried out, retracting the blade in order to punch him on the shoulder. "You and Braze got no clue on announcing yourselves, you know that!?"

"Sorry," Jasper chuckled with a slight wince. "I'm a little out of it right now..."

A gentle sigh escaped his chest when she inquired on his state. He'd return her hug, touching his forehead to hers.

"I'm pumped full of as much medication as they can give me," he assured. "I'll be fine. It was from a duel, pretty nasty one I'd say. Not one that was expected... we were ambushed. Nothing severe or internal... but plasma burns definitely don't feel good." Jasper paused for a moment. "I got sloppy. Braze got hurt... he became my priority. The kid's fine, just battered. He's back with the Order. He acts like I did when I was his age. That's... a scary thing."

A softer expression graced his face as he sank into the sofa a little more. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Not for how Braze was, Braze would be like that with or without his guidance. It's about how he was himself, the stress that it had no doubt caused to his peers. He was less reckless than he had been, but it didn't change how he had behaved as a padawan.

"I guess that's just what I get for the stunts I pulled as a padawan," the Master noted with a slight laugh. "Karma, if there is such a thing..."

And he certainly had a lot of negative karma built up by now.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I know I'm not immortal... You have every right to be upset."

The air around them began to change. Jasper's guilt would begin to swirl around Marissa. Even with her fledgling Force sensitivity, one which she was in denial over, this sensation would only grow stronger. It was something inherently powerful, created through a bond that even Jasper himself was not yet aware of.

How could he? After all, his Force sensitivity was notoriously weaker than most.

 

[Marissa Shoda]

Luckily Marissa didn't have to pull an answer out of him, he was quick to explain what happened that resulted in his current situation. She was nervous when he mentioned Braze, but quickly relaxed when he mentioned that the kid was going to be fine. For the moment, he was far more important. "As long as Braze doesn't go and crash a ship to prove a point, I think he'll be fine. I just hope the other guy got it worse." She remarked, looking him over as she sat closely next to him.

Jasper went on to apologize for getting beaten up, and for some reason Marissa could practically feel the guilt coming from him. In turn it made her feel guilty as well. She didn't want to bully or break him down like this. The longer she looked at him, the worse she began to feel until it finally reached a boiling point. She didn't know where this sudden feeling came from, but she didn't care about that.

She was going to make him feel better and that was non-negotiable.

"Alright then, up you get." She ushered him onto his feet and began to push him toward the bathroom. Once there, she drew a bath and carefully cleaned off his fresh wounds. A healthy dosage of alcohol was also applied to make sure they were clean. With that done, she dressed his wounds again and brought him loose-fitting shorts and a t-shirt. That damned flight suit was getting put in the washing, he could wear something else for a change. "You need anything, just say so." She reassured him.

Only when she parked him on the couch again did she relax and curled into him. She didn't feel the need to say anything, she was simply going to show him how much she cared.

If he didn't cheer up, she was going to make him cheer up.

It was then that she realized her food was way out of reach. With a groan she looked over to him. "Can you do the magic hand thing, please?" She asked with as much of a pout as her cybernetic eyes could muster. She even turned them blue just to add to the look.

Jasper Kai'el

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Sacorria
Tags: Marissa Shoda

Lightsaber
​

Jasper didn't fight being dragged off to have his wounds treated. He welcomed it willingly, perhaps even with some relief. It was nice. Marissa didn't need to display how much she cared for him, but such a gesture did go a long way in reinforcing how he felt. The guilt would fade, replaced by a strong air of affection. It didn't take long for them both to be back on the sofa, which was much more comforting now that he was actually clean. Of course, it didn't take long for conversation to resume...

"Can you do the magic hand thing, please?" She asked with as much of a pout as her cybernetic eyes could muster. She even turned them blue just to add to the look.

Damn it. He knew she was playing it up a little. It didn't matter. She had already won.

"...Alright," he laughed, rolling his eyes.

It was almost effortless. Jasper tended to struggle getting started with Force abilities, but something about being near Marissa made his senses more responsive. Her food was whisked back over in no time, promptly placed in her hands.

"I suppose I owe you anyways," Jasper decided, resting his organic hand on her side.

This was nice. Yeah.

 

[Marissa Shoda]

Marissa smiled brightly as the bucket hovered towards her and gently rested in her hands. She planted a kiss on Jasper's cheek in thanks and made herself comfortable in his embrace, setting the bucket down between them to share... not that there was all that much left to share, she had gotten through half of it already. But she wouldn't stop him from joining in.

With a few blinks, the series resumed and Marissa let out a deep sigh. With how long he was operating in the Unknown Regions, she had missed moments like these dearly. There was another thing she had been wanting to discuss with Jasper as well, but it could at least wait for a few episodes of the series. Of all things, it was a show about a team of detectives doing all manner of wild missions.

A rather intense shootout earned a chuckle from Marissa, who had taken the liberty of draping her legs across Jasper's lap as she made herself comfortable on the couch. "These shows always get me. I mean... do you know how much paperwork we gotta fill out in a fight like that? Besides... it ain't that glamourous." She remarked, popping a strip into her mouth. Her neon gaze looked up at Jasper for a moment as she contemplated the question she had.

She needed to speak to him about it as quickly as she could. His current condition was an indication of just how quickly she could lose that chance.

"Jas... I've been thinking. About my current... situation." She began softly, hesitantly. "I... I don't wanna be Jedi. I don't wanna hop around the galaxy, being a paragon of virtue. But... I want to know what I can do. Hell, even if it can bring me closer to Phyla or Braze... or you... I want to do it." Her tone and features indicated that she was incredibly nervous about this, but she pushed on.

"Do you... think you could, you know... teach me?" She finally smiled up at him.

Jasper Kai'el

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Sacorria
Tags: Marissa Shoda

Lightsaber
​

Jasper listened with the utmost attention. Marissa was coming around to being Force sensitive, which did excite him, but she was very clearly nervous. Still, she wanted to learn. That was a good first step. He'd do everything in his power to help her, of course, but he did well up with pride at her growth.

"I'd teach you in a heartbeat..." Jasper stated in a soft but affirmative tone. "I... here, let me explain for you..."

The young Jedi Master took his partner's hands into his, holding them between their laps as he gently pressed his forehead to hers.

"A lot of people think of the Force as magic... but its really just energy," he explained. "You and I are both made of it, and that same energy fills the molecules around us... Using the Force is to reach out and connect with that energy, which can be hard to visualize when you're getting started... So I'm gonna give you something you can start with."

Jasper allowed his energy to flow freely from his body, following his hands and into Marissa. A gentle, regurgitating warmth would surround her, a sensation which she could latch onto.

"Close your eyes," Jasper instructed. "Don't think... just feel... I'm right here with you..."

And his presence would be hers as long as she needed it to be.

 

[Marissa Shoda]

Upon taking her hands, Marissa quickly adjusted and sat upright to face him, leaning in to press her forehead against his. She wasn't expecting a lesson this quickly, but perhaps it was a good thing to start as soon as possible. With a blink she paused the show and focused entirely on what Jasper had to say, before she lost the desire to learn and rather watch her show.

Initially he didn't make a lick of sense to her, his example left her confused for a few seconds, but she continued to listen and tried to understand what he meant. Regardless, she listened to his instructions, closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind. Apart from her confusion and nervousness, she was pretty calm already. She let out a breath and kept her mind blank, trying to feel or notice something. After a few moments of sitting and quietly breathing, she let go of his hands and gave a shrug.

"I'm not feeling anything." She admitted with a sigh. "Is there a trick to it or something?" She looked down at her hands then back to him. "You don't think these would affect it?" She held up her hands as an indication to her modifications. There had to be some angle to figuring it out.

Jasper Kai'el

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Sacorria
Tags: Marissa Shoda

Lightsaber
​

"No... your cybernetics won't affect it," Jasper assured. "I think you're just a little worked up... anticipation can change how you feel things..."

So how was he going to break past that anticipation? It was a valid question. Most of the people he had taught already had some understanding of how to feel the Force. That's when an idea flashed across his mind. Something that was far more tangible than what he was presently doing.

"Here... let's try something else..."

Jasper leaned in, wrapping his hands around the back of Marissa's head to pull her into a kiss. He'd allow his emotions to fill the air around them instead, like how he had unconsciously done so with his guilt. Warmth, affection, infatuation... a swirl of this and more oozed off of the young Jedi, his heartbeat picking up ever-so-slightly. A universal feeling that would be easy to latch onto...

After all, nothing was stronger than love.

 

[Marissa Shoda]

Jasper was quick to dismiss her concerns, though he did have a point. She was nervous about the whole situation, she wouldn't be surprised if it played a roll. She sat back with a gentle smile and waited for him to think of a different approach. After a moment or two, Jasper had something in mind. She expected him to get up, or do something different... what she did not expect was to be pulled into a passionate kiss.

It certainly did the job of clearing her mind and she gladly reciprocated the gesture. But she could feel something was different. A warmth filled her chest, she could feel his adoration and affection towards her, but she could feel a lot more than that. The house around them, the warm hum from what she suspected was his lightsaber, the life swirling around the two lovebirds. Unbeknownst to Marissa, some of the items around them began to gently levitate from the coffee table in front of them.

After a few moments, she pulled back with a heavy blush and a meek smile. "Master Jedi, what kinda lessons are you trying to teach here?" She joked with a chuckle. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the oddities going on around them. "Oh crap!" She recoiled, and all of the items fell right back to where they were. Luckily none of the food spilled onto the carpet.

A look of surprise sat along her features as she looked back at Jasper. "I... I felt it." She admitted as a smile took hold. "I felt it all. You, your lightsaber... the life outside..." She gave a light shake of her head, unsure of what to say.

Jasper Kai'el

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Sacorria
Tags: Marissa Shoda

Lightsaber
​

"Feels funny, yeah?" Jasper remarked with a grin. "Emotions... are a powerful thing. Dangerous if left to fester... but a powerful ally if you nurture and understand them... Cheesey as it may sound, nothing is quite as strong as love..."

Jasper leaned in a little, pulling Marissa a little closer by her waist.

"I... imagine you feel me better than most..." he stated. "The Force... can do this weird thing that connects people... I'm not really sure how it works all the time, but strong emotions seems to be the cause. So, uh... if you ever feel particularly weird near me, that's probably my fault."

He chuckled a little, making light of the bond more than anything. It probably explained why she had shifted her mood when he returned, he reasoned. It was, at the very least, comforting to see that he was helping her pick up on her senses quickly. It was very likely the bond they shared that was helping smooth out the process. It would, of course, take a while for her to learn everything she needed, but this was a start.

And a foundation was better than nothing.