What Changes with Time (Sasha Voss)

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Early-afternoon during the summer was a beautiful time to be outdoors with the cool breeze and sunshine. It did not get as hot in the mountains as it did further below. The weather was perfect for building things. That was the mindset of Judah Lesan Jr. He was like his father, Judah Lesan. The younger Lesan was a builder when he could be. He took pleasure in the simplicity of working with his hands. The task of building a bridge was one most Jedi would use the force to complete, but not JJ. He loved doing things the old fashioned way.

His short dark hair was moist with sweat as it was collecting on his brow. The skin of his bare torso glistened under the light of the sun. His muscles contracting and relaxing as he raised the axe and brought it down upon the wood as he cut the braces he needed to support the weight of the traffic. Most of the afternoon was spent cutting the wood. Other parts had been done before hand, and once the posts were in place, all the young man had to do was put the bridge together. His bare torso was now wet with sweat as the summer sun shone on his back. His brown pants were collecting the sweat around the waist, still he worked not caring. He enjoyed working with his hands, and he enjoyed building things.

When it came time to put the planks down, JJ used the back of the axe head as a hammer. He had been building other things this way for some time and did not miss a single nail. The focus and patience he had for building did not always carry over to other areas. There was no patience when it came to negotiations. The young Jedi was a strong empath and could tell when people were lying. JJ called them out on it more times that and not, which resulted in negotiations breaking down. He was too aggressive for the task. With wood he was different. He enjoyed the art and the craft, and so he worked patiently.

It had helped to keep his mind off of the one person he found himself missing a lot lately. [member="Sasha Voss"] had been his best friend when he started high school, shortly after his father brought her to live with their family. While it seemed to work with the family, the street wise teen had found the adjustment to "normal" life and school difficult. When she left with [member="Cambria Zadira"] two yeas ago, JJ felt like he had lost his best friend. The bond the two had developed was strong, and as a result, she was often on his mind. The work JJ did outdoors with his hands was as much about distracting himself from missing her as much as it was for enjoyment.

The woodworker needed a break. Grabbing his canteen the Jedi sat on the stump he had been using to set the wood on he had chopped earlier. The cool liquid felt good as it slid down his parched throat, so much so, he pourd some on top of his head as well to cool off from the work he had been doing. The bridge itself was near ready to test. All he needed to do was find a boulder, or someone willing to cross it, to test it out. Not that it mattered, JJ already knew it would hold.

 

[Alleycat]

Sasha waved to a neighbor of the Lesans who had kindly given her a ride from the spaceport and dropped her off at the bottom of the long driveway that lead up to the mountain top compound where the Denon-born's foster family resided. [member="Judah Lesan"], his wife, [member="Katara Starkos"], and son, [member="Judah Lesan Jr."] all lived in a homey log cabin home at the base of Coronet Peak outside of Coronet City. It would be good to see them again after two years away doing Jedi things with her master. Well more than good actually as she had missed them terribly, especially her best friend.

After Judah came across the Force-sensitive orphan on the streets of Denon, the Jedi Knight offered to bring the fourteen year old homeless girl back to Corellia with him and share his home while instructing the untrained teen to use the Light side of the Force. Sasha had hesitated at the dark-haired stranger's offer at first for fear of a trap to sell her into a slave trade of some sort, but something in her gut told her it was the right thing to do. So the rough-edged magenta-haired teenager at the time went with him; her life changing for the better a million times over thanks to the kindness and caring of the Lesans and their family friend, fellow Jedi Knight [member="Cambria Zadira"].

Living life Corellian style was never boring. Sasha became an integral part of the Lesan family and developed a close sibling-like bond with "JJ", who was the same age as her. They both attended the local high school together, guising as just your normal everyday teens, then the padawans trained at home on the vast compound with both Judah and Cambria, when she was around, as their masters. Judah felt it was important to keep their identity as Jedi secret for security reasons; basically they were not allowed to use the Force unnecessarily in public unless they were on a mission. Also, frivolous use of it at home was frowned upon by Katara as she was Force-blind and wanted them to learn to do things for themselves.

By the time junior year came around, Sasha was having difficulty fitting in at the high school; formal-type education was not her forte. Being raised street smart got her a bad rap and one too many trips to the principal's office. She wasn't dumb by any means, but learned differently. It was decided upon that it would be best for her to accompany the Twi'lek Knight on her extended missions offworld and to learn on-the-job so to speak the-need-to-knows and of life.

The real-life experience was just what the rebellious teen needed as now Sasha had matured into a confident and more tempered young adult; thanks to Cambria's ever firm, yet gentle guidance. She also had changed physically into a young woman with all the curves in the right places. Her once purple hair color also was returned to it's more natural red, giving Sasha a striking appearance with her bright blue eyes really coming to life as a central feature.

As the red-haired eighteen year old came around the bend, the roof of the log cabin could be seen and a pounding noise echoed through the wooded area of the compound in the vicinity of the bridge going across the creek nearby to the meadow on the other side of the house. A smile came to her face as she knew who was making the noise. Damping her Force signature as Cambria had taught her to do when being stealthy, Sasha dropped off her duffle bag on the porch, then made her way to the wooden bridge where the young, dark-haired Corellian was working with his shirt off… Oh my how JJ had changed. He was no longer just a fit teenage boy. There was definition in those muscles of his now holding up broad shoulders on a much taller frame. No her bestie was… well, a ruggedly handsome young man?! That thought disturbed her and she didn't quite know why either.

Sasha had to tamp down on her reaction so not to lose concentration for the Force Stealth she was using; a new skill. The Shadow-like padawan moved as a feline stalking her prey through the forested landscape with light feet and lithe movement. When she was a few meters behind where JJ was resting on a stump taking a water break it seemed, Sasha leaned casually against a tree in the shade and cleared her throat after a moment of watching him.

"You are truly a craftsman, Jediboy. I've missed that."

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

With the bridge done, and not much else to do around the compound, JJ's mind drifted back to thoughts of Sasha. The meadow across the way had been where [member="Cambria Zadira"] taught the the two her katas. The guardian in training performed them often as part of his training routine, and had become quite graceful with them. He was not as graceful as the Twi'lek who had taught them to him, but she would be proud of his progress should the chance to perform them for her arise.

The meadow had been where JJ and Sasha also spent time sparring as they trained for lightsaber combat. In truth the two were equals in ability there, for different reasons. As far as he could remember, the two were evenly split on who had the upperhand in their spars. Granted Judah never let them train with real weapons, but both were beyond that restriction now. JJ had seen his fair share of combat while traveling with his father, and he was sure Sasha had seen hers as well. Though for security reasons, JJ didn't really know what she was up to. All he knew was that Cambria had taken her somewhere near the outer rim.

His head turned with the sound of the stream running into the swimming hole the two used to swim in on hot days after training. JJ just couldn't figure out why his mind was so focused on Sasha lately. Was the force trying to tell him something? For a brief moment he almost thought he felt her aura brush against his, but he had been thinking about her so much it was likely just his over active imagination. One which likely came from being Corellian, and the son of [member="Judah Lesan"]. His mother, [member="Katara Starkos"], was the reason he lived life at mach 10. He couldn't quite say with his hair on fire, but the premise was the same.

Another drink is what he needed, and right as he was about to press the canteen openeing to his lips, he heard a very familiar voice.

"You are truly a craftsman, Jediboy. I've missed that."

If there was any mistaking who it was coming from, the nickname Jediboy gave it away. It was a pet name Katara used for Judah, so Katara never called him that. There was only one person who had ever called him that, [member="Sasha Voss"]. He stood and turned, so excited that she was there the fact he was sweaty, shirtless, and not fourteen anymore was the furthest thing from his mind, and in a very un-Jedi like display through his arms around Sasha.

"Red, he exclaimed his thoughts clearly projecting how happy he was she was home.

He nearly blushed though when his full on hug brought him into contact with the fact she had changed in the last two years. She was no longer sporting the magenta hair, but wearing her more natural color which was stunning. The way it made her blue eyes just pop, it was enough to make JJ go crazy with how pretty she was. Then there was the fact she was curved in all the right places, and JJ quickly realized she was a very beautiful young woman. She was not the Sasha that left two years ago. JJ pulled back from the hug.

"I missed you too... if you couldn't tell," he said still too excited to stop smiling. "Just got finished with the bridge and it needs a pretty lady such as yourself to test it out."

Wow... that might have been cheesy.

 

[Alleycat]

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."] seemingly missed her as much as she missed him from the pleasant surprise on his ruggedly handsome face upon seeing her (Did she just think that?) and the exuberant hug given. Sasha also noticed a shift in the young Corellian's aura as well; something that hadn't been there before they had parted ways two years ago. Had JJ experienced something that had changed him forever? She had seen many new things, good and bad, and done just as many. They both matured in more ways than one it seemed.

"Well perhaps a knight in shinning armor such as yourself would escort said pretty lady across," Sasha smiled. "It is so good to be home, JJ. One doesn't know just how much they can miss something until reunited with it once again," she said, then asked curiously as her hand grasped his and pulled him along with her towards the bridge.

"Are your parents here? I've missed them too."

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

"Well I don't have shining armor, but I can fill in on a pinch if you can't find one around," JJ said teasingly.

Goodness it felt good to have Sasha back on the compound. He had missed her terribly, and now that she was back, definitely more than he even thought to begin with. They had done near everything together for two years straight, and then nothing together for two years straight, maybe a tad more than that. It was one of those things in life that just made you wonder, and JJ had always been able to do that. He was known to have an overactive imagination at times, one that could easliy get him into trouble. And why oh why did Sasha have to come back looking the way she did. That did not help the imagination.

"Dude she's a gorgeous woman now yes... get over it. She's still Sasha," he told himself mentally.

"Nope, I'm afraid that my parents have abandoned me to my work to enjoy a weekend, or week, at the bungalow. You know how they can be at the beach being as dad proposed there," JJ said making a face that said the mental picture and the knowledge of what was going on was enough. "We are all alone here at the compound until they return my fair maiden," JJ said as they crossed the bridge to the meadow clearing which held a lot of memories for the two of them.

The meadow had been where Cambria would make JJ perform her katas, now JJ's you could say. Since Sasha was getting ready to leave with the Rutian Twi'lek, Cambria had taught them to her as well. In fact it was the last thing the two had done together before Sasha left. When the news came Sasha was going to be leaving with Cambria it was the only way JJ could say goodbye without losing it all together. Yes, he was an emotional being for a man, part his father, part being Corellian.

"You're okay with that arrangement right? I can have your old room ready in no time if you're back for any length of time..."

JJ hoped she was.

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

"Well better there than here I guess," Sasha quipped lightly. Those two were love birds gone wild at times. Was that how it was like to be truly and madly in love with someone? She'd seen lust and its ugly side… It wasn't something the Denon orphan wanted to ever experience again. But love…. maybe someday, though there is no emotion, there is peace; there is no passion, there is serenity. Right?

"I have no problem baching it with you… I can't wait actually to sleep in my own bed again."

The red-haired padawan let go of [member="Judah Lesan Jr."]'s hand once they'd crossed over the bridge, then she walked with both hands out to her sides touching the tips of the long grass and took in the aroma of the wild flowers nearby on the edge of the meadow; their meadow.

"Part of me thinks we should do a set of katas to please our masters, then again another part of me just wants to go down to the old swimming hole and cool off," she said, flashing a lopsided grin back over her shoulder to JJ with questioning blue eyes.

"Which do you prefer to do?"

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

JJ's parents were in love, very much so. The eighteen year old Jedi wasn't truly disgusted by his parents behavior. There was security in how much they loved each other. In a way, JJ was spoiled. He saw what his parents had and knew that was what he wanted for himself. That's why the teen wasn't looking to just run around for the fun of it like most young men his age. JJ wanted to find someone he could have a genuine connection with, the one like his parents had.

"Great, though at least we'll eat better than two bachelors would. Good thing my parents both thought I should know how to cook, huh? I'm thinking of going all out too, since you're back and all. How does baby back ribs sound?"

Sure that meant dinner would be late, but they could snack until then. In the meantime Sasha had just mentioned what he had been thinking before she showed up. The dark haired Corellian smirked.

"Still in my head after all the time and distance," he said shaking his head and laughing. "I was just thinking about how we would do our katas in the meadow and then go for a swim after. Been thinking about that a lot actually. Must have been the force telling me you were coming home."

JJ reached out and grabbed a wildflower out of the meadow. White petals with a yellow center, small, but plenty of them, littered the meadow. He offered it to Sasha, why, he didn't know. The gift just felt right.

"I was actually going to go take a swim after all this work today. Both for old times sake would be nice, but my muscles are very tired. If you're really up for the swim, then I'll race you out there."

Sasha didn't have much of a choice. JJ just started running without her answer. The redhead had never been able to turn down an opportunity to beat him in a race.

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

"With your dad's special BBQ sauce? Sold!" Sasha exclaimed, then smiled sweetly. "I might be enticed to make us some corn bread to go with it, that is if the ingredients are in the pantry. Your mom's recipe is the best!"

The picked wildflower given to her by JJ was a nice gesture. She didn't quite know though what to do with it, or what if anything it meant for that matter as the young Lesan had never done that before, but the redhead mouthed an almost blushful thanks and tucked it into her hair as she'd seen holovid stars do.

"I can't help it… I think we might have been twins in a different life. You're just so easy for me to read sometimes." It was true, sometimes they could finish each others thoughts or sentences. The two padawans could anticipate each others moves even without needing the Force. It was strange, scary even.

The moment the dark haired Corellian started to speak, Sasha knew what was going to happen. She began to move on instinct as JJ did and off they went at full speed side by side as competitors would towards the watering hole.

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."]

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

"Twins or lovers," JJ thought to himself.

It was uncanny how they read each other without using the force. He was scared to think about who it reminded him of. JJ had to push those thought out of his head if he wanted to win the race. He rounded the bend which took them through the forest just past the meadow. The trees were tall, boasting their age with thick trunks and towering heights. Evergreens littered the area as mountains were full of them, and very concentrated near the Lesan compound. Rock faces went up to JJ's left as he ran toward the hole, Sasha starting to gain on him. Of course the one phrase Judah always told his son came right back to the front of his mind. Though this time there was no letting her win and JJ's calf cramped up when he pivoted to his right to make it to the cliff which was about ten feet in the air.

Naturally Sasha was able to run ahead, and JJ was kicking himself for not staying properly hydrated while working in the bridge. Regardless that had arrived and JJ stood at the edge of the cliff looking down. The water looked so inviting. A small waterfall kept the water fresh as it also had an exit over the rocks to the other side. Their swimming hole was really just a very slow part of the river, but it worked well.

Without any thought, JJ did what he had done so many times before. He sat down, pulled off his boots and socks. Once he set them to the side he stood and dropped his pants, his male parts still covered by his undershorts. Hopefully this wasn't going to be awkward for Sasha. She had seen him in swimming trunks before and his shorts were essentially the same. His physique was not though, but JJ didn't really account for any of that. For a moment, he was fourteen again, and jumping from the cliff into the pool of water below.

Kicking back up to the top, JJ let out a whoop. The water was cool compared to his warm body, but oh it felt so good and relaxing. Looking up to Sasha, JJ hollered up to her.

"Well you gonna get in!? Water's great!"

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

Sasha closed her eyes for a moment after reaching the edge of the cliff and took in the serene nature of this scared place of theirs. The waterfall, the pool area below, the trees, the soft breeze keeping things cool, though she was anything but cool right now watching JJ dress it down to his skivvies. He had a man's body now and oh was it tantalizing to look at.

Red watched the Corellian with great amusement as he jumped with a flair he was known for off the cliff, making a big splash in the water below. When the young Lesan came up to the surface, he called to her like old times to follow suit. But for some reason this didn't feel like old times, but a transition of sorts to something else. Was it so because they had been apart for so long… The closeness they had before was gone, or was it more pronounced? They were different that much was for sure.

Shaking those confusing thoughts from her mind and careful not to project them through their bond, Sasha slipped off her boots and utility belt that carried her lightsaber and blaster on it, then unzipped her black body suit. She pushed it down over her womanly curves and stepped out of it leaving only her bra and panties for coverage; much like a bikini would though these were not made of the same fabric, texture or style.

"Better move or I'll get you!" Sash called down with a mischievous grin, then the redhead took a run before taking flight and tucking into her own cannonball, using the Force though to exaggerate her splash really drowning her swimming companion.

"Oops… I told you to move," she smirked after resurfacing nearby, pushing back her long and wet red-gold tresses from her face with her hands.

"Gods this feels good... the water, being with you here. Just like old times, hmm?" It was a probing question on her part, but also a statement.

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."]

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

JJ watched with anticipation as he always had when he and Sash would swim. There had always been an innocence to their fun, but this time the anticipation came with another feeling, arrousal. This confused him. The two had swam many times before, played innocently, before she left. What made her being back any different. Was it her newly developed womanly figure which curved in ways it had not before? JJ certainly noticed, watching with excitement as the body suit was loosed from her frame to reveal the black bra and thong underneath. Gods she was gorgeous, shapely, desireable. She called for him to move, and he did. Though his eyes never left her figure. He was still captured by it. This swim was going to be different he just knew it.

The water splashed bight than usual. Cheater, she used the force, then again, so had he. They both flourished in their own way, and teased each other for it. Red was as aggressive as always not waiting to splash. Though this time she came up and where she would have tried dunking him she just made a comment. It was not just any comment either. Was it like old times? Not really. Was he going to ruin it for her? No.

"Just," he said, though he knew she could always tell when he was lying. They were both holding thing from their bond now. Trying to hide certain confusion. This was dangerous. "I really missed you, us, this... you've been part of me for so long that when Bri took you, a hole was left."

JJ then smirked. His playful grin foreshadowing the trouble he was about to cause. With help from the force a ball of water was forming over Sash's head.

"Now that you're back though I have to get a fill on my splashing and dunking quota."

With that the water was released.

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."]

The words JJ spoke hit her like a rock. The Twi'lek Knight hadn't taken her, she had volunteered to go not really taking into consideration how her foster sibling would truly feel about it. Yes, they were close, and their individual caring ran deep for each other, but Sasha really didn't think it would impact the young Corellian so much. The red-haired padawan was just about given him an apology for basically dumping him, but antics of old came to the forefront.

A squeal left her lips as the ball of water crashed down from above.

"Oh… You are so dead, Jediboy!" Sash called out, then all gloves came off so to speak. Dunking, splashing, and general pranking ensued for several minutes until they both ended up taking a break on the rock outcropping near the waterfall.

"You so cheated… Nothing has changed, much," the redhead quipped, then relaxed back onto her hands while sitting on the edge of a rock and lilting her face skyward to catch the sun's rays while her feet were still dangling in the water.

"Jay… I'm sorry I seemingly hurt you with my absence. It wasn't my intention to do so. I just needed to do my own thing for a while away from the family thing. Being with Cambria made me have to totally focus… She is not easy on a padawan that's for sure, but I'm very grateful for her real situational training. You should pair with her sometime especially since you want to follow the Guardian path. I learned a great deal about what it is to be Jedi and myself… I missed your company too."

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

JJ always lost track of the time when the swimming hole antics were in full swing. The fun always seemed like it took an eternity, and was over in a split second all at the same time. There was nothing like having fun with the people you were closest to. Outside of his parents, JJ knew he was closest to Sasha. They had spent their teen years together up until she had left with Bri. They had a sibling like relationship then with the way they teased each other right from the start. This time though all the dunking and splashing seemed to be the set up for something else entirely. Had she been gone long enough that JJ was seeing Sasha in away than before?

While Sasha leaned back on her hands, JJ laid fully on the boulder they were sharing. As usual, Sasha had shown him no mercy as punishment for his cheating ways. He chuckled, not much had changed, yet everything had. In fact he said just that.

"Nothing has changed at all," he sat up and looked into her eyes, "and everything..."

It really was the only way to describe it all, and he knew she felt the same way. She could try to shield her mind from him all she wanted, and JJ respected her enough he wouldn't pry, but even the slightest crack gave her away. Her body language earlier had too. JJ had seen how she looked at him from the cliff before she had jumped in. It had been the same way he looked at her when she stripped down to the bra and panties she was in now.

As she apologized and explained, JJ looked away. Did they really have to talk about this right now? He supposed they did, especially if he didn't want to ruin the fact she was back. They couldn't really enjoy the celebration of her being back until they dealt with the lard bantha they were both ignoring.

"I understand why you left," he started, "It just.. I don't know... hit me harder than I thought it would. You don't ever have to apologize for being you, not to me."

He looked back to Sasha, her blue eyes were framed so perfectly against her porcelain skin. Even though her hair was wet, JJ still found it attractive. When she left it had been magenta, coming home it was as red, if not more so, than his own mothers. He guessed Bri had not let her dye her hair while they were about.

"Oh I know how tough she can be. I made the mistake of playing a joke on her once... like the ones I used to pull on you. She doesn't get made but she get's even."

JJ was just looking at Sasha now. The warmth of the sun drying him off naturally had caused his body temperature to rise, or was that Sasha. Either way there was an urge to do something he had never done with her before. He wanted to kiss her. Wow he tried pressing that thought deep into the recesses of his mind before Sasha could sense it, but he knew the same was true about him. JJ could close her out all he wanted, but any crack left open would still pass any thoughts to her. She just came back, and he was not going to cut their connection off completely all because he was confused at the moment.

"So umm..... ribs?"

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."]

There was some emotion that was slipping through JJ's shields, but Sasha couldn't tell exactly put a name to the feeling just that it was raw and real.

"Ribs sound astral as long as there's all the trimmings included too. Shall we get dressed and head back then… I'm starving actually."

With that said, the redhead started to get up, but then thought better of it and sat back down. Sasha didn't want the Corellian following up close behind her staring all the time at her visible butt cheeks the thong didn't cover as they climbed up the path to the top of the cliff where their clothes were.

"Why don't you lead the way, Jediboy… I'll be right behind you," she grinned demurely.

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

So it was okay for her to stare at his butt, but he couldn't state at hers. Granted his was covered, but she'd still get the picture of what was behind the cloth. Why did he even want to see her butt anyway? Since when did he see Sasha as a woman, as someone more than a sister or really close friend? Since she left, and JJ realized their bond had created certain feelings that her absence drew attention to. Her return had only served to intensify those.

"You wanna pull the meat out of the cold storage while I get the charcoal going?"

It was what Judah had always heard his father as his mother so it made sense. Once he had the coals hot, he went in for the meat. It needs to go for at least two hours, but JJ needed to be there to keep an eye on it, plus make the sauce. He was gonna get killed for it, but he needed a bottle of merlot from his mother's cabinet.

"Okay... The sauce needs some of mom's merlot. Can you see if there is an open bottle already. You know how she likes to have her glass of wine every night. Well dad just throws it in the sauce along with some ale. If they were home, we'd be toast."

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."]

When they got back to the house, Sasha took her bag upstairs to her old room and changed into shorts and a sweater top; her long red-gold tresses braided loosely off to one side exposing her long neck and bare shoulder as the sweater collar hung off it.

The room still had the same comforter and curtains, but for some reason it just didn't seem quite like home as it did before. In the closet was a box of her things, but to the Denon orphan they were just that, things, except for the framed holo of the Lesan family including her. That would be the one thing Sasha would definitely take with her when she left again. There was a feeling that this might be the last time for her to visit here… It was strangely unsettling, yet felt like her destiny was taking shape in some way.

After going back downstairs and making her way to the kitchen, Sasha did what JJ asked her to do and grabbed the ribs for him. She also took out some ears of corn from the crisper, and a nearly full bottle of Merlot.

"Bingo… We're in luck," the redhead grinned, then got two regular glasses out of the cupboard and poured them each a healthy glass. There was no way she was going to explain how one of Katara's fine wine goblets accidentally got broken if something should happen to one so the everyday kitchen ware would have to do.

Sasha took an appreciative sip of the red wine like it was water, then went to the pantry to find the makings for corn bread. "So… What have you been up to since I've been gone? Make any new friends?" she inquired curiously. It was basically code for, 'Have you been snogging anyone?'

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

"What are you doing we can't... Ah what the hell..." JJ said taking a drink of the wine Sasha had offered him.

He had to taste for the sauce sake. This wasn't his first time sneaking anything out his mother's wine rack, just the last time he got caught she really did a number to ensure he wouldn't do it again. Honestly though, JJ was going to if Sasha did, and she already had. He couldn't get his mind off that outfit either. The girl was not a girl anymore, and she seemed to know it by the way she dressed. Was that normal for her, or just to tease JJ?

Her question had caught him off guard. Had he made new friends? In other words, who are you making out with. Did he give the guy answer, and try to be impressive, or did he tell the truth. JJ was honest to a fault, his parents had always said of him. There was no way he was going to lie to his best friend about this kinda thing. Even if it was a bit embarrassing.

"Nope, not really," he answered then tossed the same question back at her, with the same implication. Truthfully though, he wondered if Sash even found time for guy friends with Cambria around. "How about you?"

JJ finished up the sauce, and laid the meat on the grill. They had two hours from here, and JJ was so thankful his mother had taught Sash the cornbread recipe. The corn would hit the grill later as it didn't need the same time as the ribs. This was going to be a feast fit for kings, and it was just the two of them. He might as well work on dessert for later while Sash got the corn bread ready. Heading to the cold storage he got some strawberries out and cleaned up, after he and gotten chocolate out of the pantry, already melting it down on the stove. Once dipped, the strawberries were set on tray back into cold storage so the chocolate would harden by the time they were ready for them.

"So, did ya get me anything while you were away?"

His tone was playful. Sash knew him well enough to know he had to find a way to make light of the fact she'd been gone for the better part of two years.

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."]

Sasha got a mixing bowl and began putting the ingredients in for the corn bread mix. Of course JJ asked the same question in return. Did Sasha dare tell him she had? It wasn't anything really except for a few kisses and maybe a feel. He was the Chieftain's son after all and she was just trying to help along the negotiations.

LIttle Red had grown up in an orphanage, then on the streets of Denon fending for herself before Judah had found her and given the young teen a home. Her standards weren't as high as the sheltered Corellian's. Things had been done to her at a young age that couldn't be undone. It was just a fact, one Sasha wasn't proud of, but what was one to do about it.

"I did actually. Your present is upstairs in my bag. I think you'll really like it… And if I said yes, would you be mad?" she replied, stopping her mixing to look over at JJ. // It meant nothing. You're still my bestie. //

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

"No, a little jealous maybe, but not mad..."

Wait did he just press that into he mind. Had to have been the fact he had the whole glass of wine near gone at this point. JJ liked a good ale from time to time when his dad would share, but he knew that alcohol could make ones mind a little more loose even with one glass of wine. Naturally conversing through the mind would mean JJ might say things he'd usually filter, though like his dad was at his age, JJ was mouth first, foot second, brain last.

"I hung out with Tes and Jen a bit, but you know nothing really ever happening there. Did the high school dance thing, not my thing. I don't know when it came to girls apparently my dad figured it out later..."

Why was he still rambling? He was nervous. JJ knew what he felt for Sash in the moment, and the alcohol only served to bring it closer to the surface. He wasn't mad, but he certainly was jealous of whoever she might have been snogging with. Sure it was mainly kissing, but JJ was quickly realizing Sasha was more than a sister to him.

"Is this one of those moments I should shut up before I say something that's gonna bite me in the butt later?"

JJ didn't really wait for an answer before dropping the mental walls holding back what he had been in the swimming hole. He couldn't put to words what he felt, because it was confusing and he was still trying to sort it all out, but she needed to know. Hopefully it didn't make dinner awkward.

[member="Sasha Voss"]

 

[Alleycat]

[member="Judah Lesan Jr."]

The never before felt feelings from JJ that came through their bond nearly made Sasha drop the pan of corn bread before she could get it into the oven. So her suspicions were right… But what to do about the truth now?

From day one when [member="Judah Lesan"] had brought her home to his family, the orphan street rat from Denon had tried to keep herself from getting to attached, though attached she had become. Sasha definitely thought of Judah and [member="Katara Starkos"] as parental figures in her life, and their son like a brother, yet there was always something more than that between them; a closeness neither knew what to do with. Now after being away and growing up, it was evident what had been growing between them all this time… But still, what to do about it?

Sasha downed the rest of her glass of wine, then poured each of them another as they clearly needed it… Well she did. "I don't really know how to respond, Jay. I kinda feel the same way, though I'm confused if it's right or wrong to do so being that I'm supposed to be your sister, yet not. I've always known that there was more to us. But what exactly, I didn't want to even guess. Let's just enjoy each other's company as it is for now… And trust in the Force that it will help guide us in what to do in the future, hmm. I believe your father and [member="Cambria Zadira"] did the same thing, right?"