Private To Dream Of Clouds [Vyri]

[Eldin Daine]

It wasn’t the movement of Vyri sneaking out of bed that woke him. It was the sudden tingle of cold air running down his side where warmth once had been. Eldin slowly opened his eyes, only to be met with the chromometer staring back at him. Shit. How long had he been asleep? By the time, it was night confirmed by a quick gaze out the window to see the streetlights on. No doubt the Judges would have called his home looking for him. He would deal with them later.

The recollection of the day flooded his mind once more, and a smirk formed. He turned his head to see Vyri scooping up clothes, in an attempt to sneak out he assumed. He recognised the form, having done ‘the sneak’ himself when trying to get away from an awkward situation. First time the manoeuvre was done on him.

He pushed himself up into sitting position, not one word crossed his lips. The first sign Vyri would hear of him being awake watching, was the sudden strike of a match to light his thin long cigar. “I think one of ya boots is over there”. As casual as you like, pointing toward the workstation.

Eldin rested against the bed head with one arm behind his head, and continued to smoke. She would turn to see a very contented man, with his eyes half closed enjoying the ‘scenery’ before him.

“Not gonna stick around for breakfast?”, it was well passed that, but the night was young by the intel from the chromometer.


Vyri

 

[Vyri]

Vyri stiffened at the noise, that tension he had glimpse yesterday hitting her gaze as she turned to eye him on the bed. Her expression spoke of a calmness-- an ownership of herself and her actions. The heat in her cheeks told a different story, his smug little expression reminding her all too well of how many indulgences she had given him.

"Breakfast is a long ways away," she commented, walking over and bending down to retrieve said wayward boot. She was thin, but of course he was already intimately familiar with that. Thin and tall and lean and riddled with marks from the street-- tell tale blaster scars and saber marks alike marred the body she held up confidently. A small circle design was tattooed on her shoulder blade. He'd get a better view of it as she came around and swiped up a bag of grub.

She walked back to the bed, a pile of belongings in hand, and dumped it between them as he had a smoke.

"You looked tired," was all she said, stepping back into the game they had played. She tossed the greasy back on his lap and reached out, plucking the cigarette from his fingers. She inhaled deeply, basking in the hit... The smoke slipped from her mouth, falling out of her mouth like a waterfall as she opened her eyes back to him.

"..."

She wordlessly handed it back, then went for the clothing pile, shaking out her shirt from boots and cuffs alike. "What day is it even?"

 

[Eldin Daine]

"So ya not gonna stick around for it", breakfast that was, and Eldin never thought he would ever say that to a girl. Any other time he would be happy enough to see the back of them. However, in this case, the back of her was just as enticing as the front of her. The marks on her body, more evident in the light and with a clear head not filled with desires. Of course he had noticed them prior but now he saw just how deep and old they were. This girl had been through hell and back by the look of it. He had his own scars to bear as well but not of them internal, and scars that no one ever got to see or try and do anything about.

But the naked girl walking around his apartment picking up her clothes was more enigmatic the long he spent time with her. "Ya could do with some food". She was lean, he knew that from before, his comment a throw away line, a response to her observation of his fatigue.

The bag of food hitting his lap cause a reflex action in the body as he jolted and tensed. "Careful with the credentials there".

After she handed him back his smoke, he butted it out and stood up as naked as she. While shaking out her shirt, Eldin walked up behind her, his eyes trailing down her back, lingering on her tattoo. His lips graced it with a kiss as hands rested on her hips. What day was it? he had no idea, not something that had entered his mind.

"Ya really wanna go? .. I mean .. where ya gonna go".


Vyri

 

[Vyri]

Vyri relaxed back into his warmth, before catching herself pulling up her posture. Her eyes closed as his lips and hands alike graced her body, the subtle signs of a deep breath coming to pass under his touch. Her hands lowered into her lap, her task stalled by his distraction. Not that she minded much. Her head tilted, her cheek pressing against the forehead at her shoulder. She nearly kissed him back, his worlds stalling her.

" --I mean .. where ya gonna go".

His question hit home, in the kinda way that contorted once expression and left their shoulders get a little smaller. She felt safe with him behind her, her face bleeding out the confliction his inquiry brought to light. "I know people," she lied, turning her head away. Instead of shrugging him off, she reached for yesterday's bottle, tipping back the stale thing into her mouth to break up the moment.

Or just refresh her mind. She rested its cool form against her chest, gaze empty as she caught sight of his blinking holopod, signifying a message awaiting an answer.

"And you have work," she gestured, her expression collected by the time she looked over her shoulder at him, a brow raised.

 

[Eldin Daine]

His eyes flicked up as she lied, he had heard it before. But he was not going to press her about it, if the girl wanted to leave that would be her choice. Eldin followed her gaze to the blinking light, it was there as a reminder beckoning him to its attention, but he pushed the thought away. As far as he was concerned there were no enemy ships over Bespin so the city could do without him for a while longer.

It was a gentle pull on her hips that brought her closer still. Although the room temperature was set to an average heat, it did not stop small beads trickling down his back from the very thought of her and him entwined again.

“Why don’t we get drunk and fool around”, he grinned before turning into her neck to entice her further to stay, at least for another day. A hand raised to take the bottle from her resting on her chest. He slowly slid it over her skin as he watched its path, Eldin did not believe there was a more beautiful sight in the galaxy.

He took a long drink, his throat burning from it, but it was like the body needed water and with every mouthful he came alive again. At the mention of work .. again. “I told ya, they can wait”.

“Ya tryin’ to get rid of me?”. He turned her to face him, a smirk on his face.


Vyri

 

[Vyri]

He turned her easily enough, one leg tucking up under her other knee. She gave him a reproachful look, like a parent not buying a child's bid for more allowance, or a reason to go out to play. As much as he still seemed to be inside that strange moment they had carved out, Vyri's head had clearly left it. Emotions and reason did not coexist well on the street, and Vyri had a penance for survival that riled them all.

Still, as any reasonable person would agree, his hands on her skin felt delectably right, It bought him her pliability, if just to keep him pliable in turn.

"From your own place?" She'd never! Try as she might, her lips started to mirror his own, bending up into a slight smirk. She reached out, her fingers waggling in expectation for a turn at the drink. The glass hit her fingers, too light to have much of she wanted inside of it. Her expression crumbled to disappointment at once, more thirsty than she had realized.

It was a bit of hard work, stealing from this guy.

He'd see her perk back to life, her reserved nature slipping away as an unexpressed conclusion gave her her footing again.

"I'll tell you what." She let the emptied bottle roll out of her fingers and across the ground as she stood up, helping herself right to his kitchen cupboards she now knew well. She came back out, two bottles in her hand, and balanced one on her hip as she handed him the other. "Round of cards. Winner decides-- Breakfast--" She struggled for a moment, then popped open her bottle. "Or no."

She raised a single brow at him, then produced a worn deck of cards from the half empty sack between them.

 

[Eldin Daine]

“Ya keep bangin’ on about me gonin’ ta work”, he grinned as he watched her walk away into the kitchen, it was the most nicest sight Eldin had ever seen enter his kitchen. His grin widened.

Vyri came back with fists full of booze, he knew he was going to have to find a new hiding place for it, but maybe not. He had a feeling she was not going to stick around, which was probably best for the both of them. They were in this for a fun time, not the long time.

He was wrong, the sight of her standing there with a bottle on her hip and one in the other hand was the most nicest sight Eldin had ever seen come out of his kitchen.

Man, he could think of much more fun things to do than cards. But couple it with drinking made it all the more inviting. Still, he could think of much more fun things to do. “Ya on”, he simply said, besides, who knew where this might lead. “What are we playin’, what are the stakes?”.

Over on the small table by the sofa, Eldin brushed away whatever was littering it surface, and it fell in a heap on the floor. He took a seat, found a glass or two and place them down. Vyri can use one if she wanted, Eldin sure would. He hates drinking directly from a bottle, it is just his thing. With a glass of whiskey in hand, a push of a button on the room controls by the sofa and some light hearted music began to play.


Vyri

 

[Vyri]

Vyri grabbed his shirt, the material loose on her frame as music hit the air. "I told you," she teased, her voice light. "Breakfast. Or no." She shuffled the cards seamlessly through her fingers, the rhythmical thrum in beat with the song. She let herself plop into the seat, waking up further as whisking poured into one glass, then the next.

"Sabaac?" Her fingers were fast, deft movements taken to deal out the hand and prep the table. The city lights shone through the table, the world turning dark as night crept in an them. The moment he looked away, the duck fluttered. A tug on the force was all he had to signify her deception. Slight of hand. She was cheating.

Though not how he would expect it. He'd turn over his cards to find a strong hand. She did the same, reaching out for her glass and pulling it to her lips.

"What would you even do with a night of me, anyway." Her lips curled inside the glass and she played her turn.

 

[Eldin Daine]

He grinned. Eldin figured it did not matter who won or lost, breakfast was on the table regardless. He shook his head allowing the grin into a full-blown smile, as he scooped up his hand of cards. Lazily laying back on the sofa in nothing but his boxers, Eldin examined the cards. He wasn’t going to bother with his poke face today and an eyebrow peaked at the sight to them.

He flashed Vyri a look, the girl was playing the player. “Mmm”, he discarded two of his top valued cards to the table. It broke up the run and he wanted to see what she would do next. He sat up again grabbed the bottle that sat between them and took a long drink. His body trembled at the sudden burn, but it felt good. And his mind started to settle into a nice well-worn haze.

He wiggled his fingers at her for two more cards, just like she does when demanding credits of him. He pushed the bottle her direction. “Cards are better played drunk”.

Eldin gave her a long deep gaze at her last question. His eyes journeying over all her form, “Take ya to a movie”, he winked. An entire night with her, he doubted they would get out the door.


Vyri

 

[Vyri]

"You just want to get me drunk to win." She teased back.

The heavy look he gave her left her insides fluttering in that fiery kinda burn that left one squirming. She bit her lip and looked away, busying herself with the cards as she served him and worked at her own hand. It had been a neutral one to begin with. "I dun like movies. They're unrealistic."

She took the bottle and tipped it back regardless, able to hold her own at any rate. Small blessings, or part Zeltron. James always teased her over the latter, though there wasn't a speck of pink in her. She drank more than was right, sharing the bottle and all, but it always man a feel the need to step up and drink more.

She smashed the bottle down, letting out a breath as the alcohol stung its way through her. "Keep up." She tossed a heavy hitter away, setting up the run again.

 

[Eldin Daine]

Eldin had to laugh, "ain't that the whole point?", regarding the movies. Pity she didn't like them, he did, they got him out of his muddling life for a while. "So what do ya like", she had to have something that loosened the mind for her, or maybe it was all about the booze. He threw his cards on the table, an average hand she either had to beat or loose to.

He took the bottle up and drank from it, the liquid wetting his lips and burning his throat but it was good. "Ya just look after yaself Toots", he winked he didn't need to get her drank to win. Eldin was starting to feel the fuzz in the brain, the booze doing it's job and he knew either way, he would have a good nights rest. Something would see to that.

"Put up or shut up", he said pointed to the cards on the table for her to deal with. He stood up and went to the kitchen, the munchies arriving and he thought he had something in the cupboards as snacks. He returned with a packet of Corellian dried potatoe snacks, lightly salted and pulled open the packet emptying the contents into a bowl and placed it on the table between them. He liked the sound of the crunch, and the salt made him thirstier which meant more booze.

Vyri

 

[Vyri]

So what did she like?

Vyri's expression caught, the question catching her by surprise. He didn't get an answer, the girl giving a half hearted shrug that got lost in the moment. She made a show of considering her cards and sipping on the booze as he demanded she make a play, a brow raised as he left her to go fetch a snack.

Another tug of the force, this time showing her his cards. Her brow shot up higher, her thoughts kept to herself as leaned forward and played down her hand. "... I was just warming up," she told him, lips pursing in a show of poor spirits as she swiped up a potato chip. He had won, and barely.

His too large shirt hung loosely off her shoulder, her knee tucked up and granting him a glimpse of his prize. She picked up the cards and started shuffling them again, letting him fill the silence with booze and chips as the sound of scrambling cards occupied them. She was quieter now. No longer trying to keep up an air that kept him engaged.

"...best two out of three," she purred, leaning back in to deal the cards besides the chip bowl. She popped one in her mouth mid way, then slid the cards fully to his side. "Dealer first." She glanced at her hand, then discarded haphazardly.

 

[Eldin Daine]

He gave her a skeptical look, she did not impart any personal information and even if she did Eldin would find it hard to believe her. A player knows when he is being played and the game was afoot. A pull on his lips curled them as she moved in his shirt. The delight of the sight was not lost on him nor the purpose behind the action but he was not complaining. His curled lips turned into a grin as the cards hit the table once more, and as they did he leaned to the side scooping up his packet of cigars, tapped the bottom as one popped up which he offered to her first before taking one himself.

The lighter covered his face in a soft yellowish glow and he drew in deep to the boots loving the feeling of the smoke filling his lungs. He rolled the cigar to the corner of his mouth and chewed on the end as he inspected his new set of cards. They were average to say the least, and he too threw away the dregs. His eyes flicked up among the swirl of smoke in front of his face. "Sure".

Exactly where all this was leading started to play on his mind, Vyri had gone quiet which surprised him as she constantly left her mouth run off every chance she could get. With the cards dealt Eldin looked them over, a low straight rested between his fingers. And he laid them down before sitting back lounging on the sofa to enjoy his cigar. Whether she won this hand or he did, mattered little to him, by now he felt very warm and fuzzy inside and was starting to feel sleepy. After all they had not got much sleep the night before and to be honest, Eldin had lost track of the hour.

That did not matter to him either, nothing much did.

Vyri

 

[Vyri]

This didn't feel right.

The sensation crept over her- a heat that twisted and coiled as she sat in her silence. Was this guilt? Second thoughts? Nerves? Those were all emotions Vyri did not typically embody, no thought spared to those she played. Life was cruel, whether or not she did this, someone else would. There was always someone else taking what others left untouched. So why should she care? Honor got you no where but hungry stomachs and betrayal.

So what was her deal?

She rubbed at her face, reaching for the crisps and shoving a handful into her mouth. Low blood sugar. Yeah. Got her every time.

She dropped her hand with no gusto, revealing a winning hand of meager means. She watched the cards flutter and settle, her expression growing further reserved as the energy the two shared seemed to further putter out.

"...I should go," she whispered, knocking some cards onto the floor as she stood up quickly. She gave them a flickering glance-- staring at them for a moment as she fell into the quandary of picking them up or rushing out. She turned, brushing past him to move to the clothes, the world admittedly a bit fuzzy.

​

 

[Eldin Daine]

That was a reaction he had not expected, his eyes narrowed more watching her as if she was unravelling. The force prickling at his mind, whispers of uncertainty. Their play had suddenly ended, as discarded as the cards she threw on the table, settling in a haphazard state. Eldin had not intended to make her feel like this, not his nature to do so, whether it was his fault or not he wanted to fix it.

“Hey now”, he stood up and taking hold of her arm as she brushed passed him. There was no sting in his words, no quick retort. “I ain’t gonna to stop ya leavin’ if that’s what ya wanna do. But where ya gonna go?”, had she forgot the events of yesterday?

“If ya wanna get the hell off Bespin, I’ll get ya a ticket .. anywhere ya wanna go. But just give it one more night, let things cool off”.

He stepped away from her, to give her room if she was hell bent of gathering her things to leave. “We don’t have to play cards, how about we just sit and watch somethin’ on the holo”. He gave her a playful grin and rolled his head toward the sofa, to convince her to change her mind.


Vyri

 

[Vyri]

Vryi's chest tightened, air a bit hard to reach at the reminder of yesterday.

Yesterday.

She had never been cut off from her people before. Not in this capacity. All at once her running seemed to catch up to her, the implications of her actions reaching the woman that made it a habit to never look back. A flicker of fear shone in her eyes, the only sign that his words hit the spot as she stood wavering in his living room.

Her eyes held his, her throat bobbing as she swallowed hard.

"Just one flick," she lied to them both. He was right, but the offer wouldn't be taken all in one go. One flick. Then two. Then the morning ticket out. She could use him for that. They could- she swayed ever so slightly, her body thick with his alcohol as she dropped her pants and let herself flop into the couch.

"Nothing stupid. I wanna see action," she told him, giving the holo a firm point. She grabbed the bottle and gave it a sniff. "Ugh, this stuff fills you up." Did you even need food with it? She gave another swig.

 

[Eldin Daine]

A fleeting moment, that is wall it was, but it was enough to tell Eldin that this girl was afraid. Of what he did not know, did he care? After all everyone had something, they were afraid of in the galaxy, even him. He watched her walk away back to the sofa and settle herself in a dulled haze of the situation.

“Sure”, he said and walked in front of the screen. Scrolling through the list of flicks on offered, most of which he had never heard of, he was not one for sitting in front of the damn thing. He never liked to be alone for very long, his own company not very inviting. He chose a random flick and threw the control on the table in her reach if she did not like what was on offer.

“We can order take in if ya are hungry”, he wasn’t, in fact all he wanted to do was sleep. The flick started which drew his attention for a moment. Some Jedi adventure flick with lots and lots of baddies no doubt, and possibly a girl in a metal bikini, might be worth the watch after all.

Before taking a seat, Eldin grabbed the covers off the bed, and on return to the sofa he threw it over them both. Might as well get really cosy. This was unprecedented after all, he doubts he had ever spent the night with a girl like this, it was almost. Normal. Which unsettled him.

“Ya need credits right?, I might be able to help ya with that. I might be able to get ya some work”. She had to have a plan even if she did not think so.


Vyri

 

[Vyri]

Their thoughts followed the same path as he laid the blankets over them both. The nature of the gesture was... strangely tender, for a moment she wondered what he was trying to get out of it. More sex? Booze? Well the pad wasn't hers and she had already given him a show. But he had left it untaken-- Played a movie. Sat on the couch with her instead.

Was this what happens when you slow down for a moment?

It felt wrong. Like she was a child breaking rules, about to get caught. Yet at the same time she couldn't stop herself from sliding closer. Vryi never drank herself under on the job, but in that moment her thoughts were thick with an alcoholic haze and she knew she had done it on purpose. She didn't see her moves as self-destructive, but with the hit put out on her, Vryi had tossed care to the wind.

She draped her leg over his lap and leaned into his side, her concern growing smaller as she sank into the blanket's heat.

“Ya need credits right?, I might be able to help ya with that. I might be able to get ya some work”.

Breath caught in her nose, her chin tilting to look up at him. Her fingers trailed up pushing untamed hair out of his eyes. "Yeah. Sure. I'll work for you." The words slipped easily from her lips. The lie was too pretty not say. She let her lips wrap around the concept and convince them both for a moment it could apply.

Wouldn't that be something.

So had no desire to shatter the illusion, her body buzzing pleasantly besides his as she reached up and caught his lips with her own. Her fingers slid to the nape of his neck, pulling him deeper. The kiss opened, tongues clashing as she made out with him in front of the movie.

Well I mean if she was stayin'...