You Come Into my House

[Haytham Kaze]

Was he stronger? Was he faster? He certainly did feel it. It was clear that on Bespin he had grown stronger, bigger, physically. He moved differently too. Not with that demeanour of someone who felt that those around him were irrelevant, as if he were wondering why he was even there. Now, he moved with a purpose.

Every motion he went through was meant to have a purpose.

If it didn't, then he'd only work harder. It had been hard to pull himself out of that state of mind. Maybe it was still there in the back of his mind, he didn't know, it wasn't something he thought of.

Pushing a hand through that coarse ebony hair. It hadn't been this long before... Not for a long time, from when he had first joined the Republic's Jedi Order. He took a comb and whatever hair product and cutters he could find. The mane was trimmed -- And only trimmed.

There was someone he knew who liked his hair. And he liked feeling their hand in it.

By the time he was done preparing himself, the sun was starting to break the clouds that surrounded Cloud Nine. He doubted he'd see anyone he knew, not that there were many residents on Cloud Nine. He only knew one person there, and that was [member="Darth Orcus"].

The Herglic that had named him Darth Soranus...

"Should probably get that changed," he said absentmindedly as those long, powerful legs of his carried the upper body to match him through the floating city. All he wore was a white shirt, made of a thin fabric and loose black pants. On the belt that he usually sported were three lightsabres. Two of them his, one of them belonging to a Sith Knight he had defeated long ago.

He usually ran through every level at least once, but he never used the Force to help him.

That would be cheating.

To him, it was just another day of training.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Spoiler

Sipping a cup of hot caf, a young Zeltron dragged herself though the city just as dawn broke. Long nights and early mornings did not work well for her, and Joza knew this all too well. She’d partied late into the night with the two other Zeltrons she’d come to Cloud Nine with, something she hadn’t done in too long. Not since she forced herself down the path of the Jedi, desperate for a change of pace from the normal hedonistic life of a Zeltron. The scratchy robes and strict discipline had rocked her world in the beginning, but she grew into it. There were few distractions to tempt her from the path of the light side during her time as a Padawan. Almost.

The more comfortable she got, the better she became, the more her old personality started to break through her staunch façade. Polite words turned sharp, anxiety turned into callousness and fear turned in to curiosity. And the lust. The lust is what undid her for an afternoon with a mystical Caprine who revealed herself to be of the dark side. But the more Joza knew, the more she didn’t care. Her addiction to passion was strong enough to blot out morals. It always had been. Ever since being knighted she’d found more freedom, and that only pushed her to walk the line further. She didn’t even feel comfortable wearing traditional robes any more outside of formal occasions. She was impure, dirty. No longer the good little Jedi she had aspired to be.

She preferred darker clothing anyhow. It stood out against the pink of her skin and her vibrant red hair, and it made her feel a little more honest with herself.

Joza almost groaned as a dull pain pulsed through her forehead, taking a bigger sip of the caf. Hopefully the caffeine would hit her soon and take away the headache. Why did Tamara have to win that stupid competition at work and win a free pass to Cloud Nine? And why did she accept her invitation? Last night’s bout of enjoyment left her feeling dirty again. Jedi didn’t do things like that. At least not good Jedi. Her old Master never would have allowed her to be so unruly. He’s probably disappointed, wherever he is. She hoped that an early morning walk would help to refresh her, but it only made it more difficult to clear her head.

She nearly paused in her steps as a familiar presence tickled her senses. Is that…? Her heart skipped a beat when her eyes landed on a figure heading in her direction. There weren’t too many people out at this hour so there was little else to distract her with.

It is. Even from where she was standing, she could recognize subtle differences from the last time they’d met. He was more built, more assured, even his gait reflected that. Even his hair had grown longer. She allowed herself to fall briefly back into the pleasant memories she had with him. I wonder…

Would he recognize her as quickly as she had him? Her girlish inexperience had faded, the soft features of her face sharpening to reflect the paternal half of her heritage. She’d seen far, far more combat since they laid together in the fields of Bakura, her instinctive fear turning to wariness on the battlefield. She was by no means weathered, but her experiences were reflected in the natural hardness of her eyes.

Then again, it was hard to miss a pink skinned redheaded Zeltron.

“Haytham.” She tilted her head to the side just slightly. She offered no other words, no explanation as to why she hadn’t contacted him for so long. Instead, she studied him. Analyzed him. Felt him.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Every single time one of his feet left the ground and the other touched down on it, the lightsabres on his waist bounced on his waist. From the rhythm he had started, his hands traveled dangerously close to the ignition button on his left side. He felt a familiar presence as he ran, but he wasn't too interested in searching for it. It would ruin the pace he had set, it would take more energy to look.

So he felt.

It's not Orcus, is it? No... I know that presence much better than I know Orcus... But not as well as I should.

He continued to run, but from the corner of his eyes, he spotted an unnatural colour on Cloud Nine. Pink. He stopped short, his foot gliding across the ground as he came to a full stop before [member="Joza Perl"]. His wild, unkempt hair hung over his forehead, moreso than it usually did, so long now that it even covered his eyes.

In their time apart, her eyes may have reflected the experiences she had experienced, but he had learned that it didn't matter what he tried to hide. So he just blinked at her as he felt her reach out to him. Those grey, almost cold eyes regarded the stranger before him. He wanted to collect her in his arms, to embrace her, and to bury his face in her hair.

Suddenly, he felt extremely naked.

The last time they had met, there hadn't been a trace of the Dark Side on him. Was there now? Did he bother to hide it? No. He may have still been learning some things, but he could certainly say that he wasn't corrupted by the allure of the Dark Side. "So you've come." He said, maybe dumbly.

That cold gaze he was regarding her with ceased, disappearing as if it had never existed. He offered a more friendly look as his arms raised from either side... What am I doing? I'm not going to her... And he placed his hands on his waist after a moment of hesitation, as he watched her. They both knew she was trying to read him.

"Are you content?"

The words came out on their own. He wasn't sure if he meant with her studying of him, life, or at that exact moment in time. It wouldn't be the first time Joza Perl undermined his confident demeanour.

 

[Joza Perl]

She wasn’t shocked by the stony look in his eyes, but was rather surprised to find that she was a bit hurt by the look. She deserved it though, whether or not he knew the reasons why. She regarded him for a few more moments with a curious stare, idly sipping her cup of caf as if she were simply people watching and not faced with a…former lover? She wasn’t sure what to call them. Never was, and the distance she’d put between them only furthered her indecisiveness.

Finally, the Zeltron Jedi—Jedi?—would move toward Haytham. Her steps were deliberate and casual, focus still heavily on the young man in front of her, as if she was still attempting to recognize him. She stopped in front of him, close enough that would make a stranger or even a friend uncomfortable. One of her hands reached to push the dark hair away from his face if he would allow it, her long fingers weaving their way into his tress as if she owed him.

“Mm,” She leaned in a bit closer, humming softly against his lips, again if he would allow her to be this close to him. Maybe he’d be able to feel the threads of darkness that ran through her primarily light sided presence—she refused to acknowledge that they were there, and in turn they would slowly grow stronger. But that was an issue for another day.

“I am.” She muttered, her hand leaving his hair and ghosting over the saber hilts at his waist briefly. It would quickly move to her own pair of saber hilts resting at her hip, then drop down to her side. There was no hostility in her movements, only rapt curiosity. She was trying to figure him out after having been apart for so long, ignoring the fact that she’d just blatantly lied to him.

“You picked quite the place to continue your training,” She arched a thin red brow. “I’d have given in to…the distractions already.” A breathy chuckled left her lips for a short moment before she pressed them to his.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

The Apprentice watched the Zeltron sip her caf. What was she thinking? Had she thought of him? Had he done something wrong for her to appear here so suddenly on the exact path that he had planned to take? There were only so many routes for him to take from Orcus's mansion. It may not have been clear to her, but Haytham hadn't taken note of the gap she had put between them and had increased it over time.

She moved in close to him. He let her do so, though the friendly look in his eyes had a hidden layer of caution. She was different. More... Experienced when it came to the duties of a job. Only a certain type of person could become one. Were Zeltrons in the prime of their life able to commit to the life of a Jedi? He didn't realize it at first, but when her hand went into his hair, his eyes became half lidded as he felt the caress of her hand through his hair.

He felt her breath against his lips as she hummed, and his hand rose up to her waist, grabbing a hold of her tightly, though not uncomfortably so.

With her so close, he could tell that there was certainly something different about her. He knew what it was, but he wanted to deny it.

Haytham didn't answer right away, mostly because she was kissing him -- And he was kissing her back. But maybe too soon, he pulled away, clearly reluctantly, his eyes still closed. "You did something." He said. And then those grey eyes of his opened back up, staring into those emeralds that he hadn't realized he had longed for, for so long.

It took him a moment to realize how fast and hard his heart was beating... He was the one who always initiated, and there she was kissing him first. Was he nervous? No, but he felt as if an obstacle had appeared in front of him instead of the one woman he could say he... He didn't know how to put it into words.

Now, all he had to do was wait and see if she lied to his face.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

A brief look of discontent flashed in her eyes as he pulled away from her prematurely, but it faded into a mix of confusion and curiosity by the time he fixed his gaze back onto her. She pursed her lips when he prompted her, wondering if he would be able to detect the subtleties of the changes she’d been through. He’d always been observant, and it was probably easier when they were practically in each other’s arms.

“I’ve done a lot of things, Haytham.” She answered honestly, a vague answer for a vague question. She’d let him interpret this as he would, be it good or bad. “I’ve made decisions I’m not proud of.” Shrugging her shoulders, she lifted a hand to thread her fingers though his hair again, her concentration turned toward brushing it from his face. “But at the very least, I’m not stagnating.” A small smile worked its way to her face, and for a moment she looked softer—more the like girl he’d met on Zeltros those years ago.

He felt familiar. The sort of familiarity that had been missing from her life for a while, but she knew that with it she would only grow too content. Complacent. She had this need to keep moving onto different things, as if to outrun her own thoughts. She feared what would happen when everything would catch up to her.

“You’re stronger.” She commented, running a hand along arm for a thoughtful moment. Joza felt a sinful flame of lust begin to rise in her stomach, and dropped her hand from his arm. Not now. Not like this.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham noted the look in her eyes, but he wouldn't let it stop him from trying to maintain a serious exterior. He wanted to know what she had been through, and not receive the vague answers that left him to interpret things. He was a pessimist... Or maybe a realist, it didn't matter, he wouldn't be thinking too highly of her.

She's grown into her abilities. As a Force user... And a Zeltron.

"We've all made decisions we're not proud of. They're what brought us to the point we are in now." He said, perhaps too sagely. "If there is something that bothers you... You know that you can tell me. Good or bad." He said, his eyes grew softer for a brief moment, as if to communicate that he sympathized with her. To say that he had gone through the same things. Realizing her hands were moving through his hair, his hand pulled her closer to him.

If she had allowed it, they would have practically been breathing in each other's air.

When she made the observation of him, his shoulders shrugged in that same way they always did. "Maybe." He'd say as he'd stare into her eyes, "But so are you."

His other hand would brush against one of her lightsabre hilts. "Enlighten me as to your journeys..."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza’s instinct was to scoff at his words, but her reflexes were somehow dampened around him. She didn’t like that. She didn’t like it when other’s held power over her, when she’d give someone power over her. The Zeltron counted it as a weakness, but still took to steps to rectify it. Instead she continued to study him, a bit less intimately than before as she allowed his familiar presence to soothe her.

She placed her head against his chest for a few long moments, taking in his scent. He’d spoken little of his training to her in the past, so why should she share her own with him? Strangely, she found that she actually wanted to—she just couldn’t find the right words to convey her experiences properly. Head still resting on his chest, she tilted it downwards to glance at his hand that brushed against one of her saber hilts. She made no move to stop him or pull away.

Raising her head to face him once more, her features had softened a tad more for him. “Where to begin…” She murmured, tilting her gaze upwards for a contemplative moment. “I left the Alliance.” She started, perhaps from the middle of her tale. “Not before I’d seen my fair share of…” She trailed as a thoughtful look swirled in her eyes. Raising her right hand, she wiped away the makeup on her left cheek, revealing the burn scar she’d received in her first battle. It wasn’t bad—but the few inches of lightened, uneven skin stood out on her face. There were several more prominent scars scattered across her body, but they were hidden under her clothing for now. He’d likely see them later.

“I joined the Silver Sanctum Coalition and found a Master.” Again, another pause as her thoughts flowed to the Bith Jedi. She hadn’t seen him in quite some time. “We traveled to many words together, even meant a supposed dead Jedi Master. It wasn’t until I was Knighted that I…” Her free hand clenched and unclenched as she skimmed the surface of a decadent and shameful memory.

“Would you believe me if I told you I was seduced by a Sith priestess on Voss?” The question was sudden, spoken with a serious, almost harsh tone. She'd gone on the defensive suddenly, eyebrow cocked as she braced herself for his reaction.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He listened intently as she spoke. She didn't offer much, had she learned it from him? She used to be more talkative... He supposed that's what happened when you experienced the things that they did. When she revealed the burn scar on her cheek, the hand that grasped her waist tightened for a moment. Maybe she would've felt a flash of anger that someone had harmed him, something that he hadn't been able to prevent. He closed his eyes for a brief moment.

Seeing the hand in the corner of his eye, he reached out for it, hopefully being able to wrap his own hand around her fist. He didn't try to use the Force to soothe her, he didn't want to. He oddly wanted to feel her unbridled passion roll over him. Like it did when they were together in their most intimate of moments. Like on Zeltros and on Bakura.

Allowing a faint smile to break his features, he nods his head once. "Yeah, I can believe you were seduced." He said, his grey eyes portraying that amused memory. "Before I met you, I had been seduced too," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "As a Jedi... I had felt that I had been compromised by... Allowing that to happen." His gaze hardened, maybe defensively, "But I know now that it was a good thing. It opened my mind to things I wouldn't of perceived."

He blinks for a moment. "Wait, Voss? Isn't that where the Silver Sanctum is located?"

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

As Haytham’s hand closed around her fist, Joza felt her clenched fingers begin to relax. There were no pheromones or Force powers at work here, just the two of them basking in eachother’s presence. Being this close to him had a soothing quality to it, and she found herself melting into his arms.

The Zeltron would watch him with a careful eye, wary of his response. She’d been too confused and ashamed to mention it to others out of fear of being judged. Bottling up her feelings only caused them to fester, which only fed into her guilt. She remained this was for a few long moments after her finished, until a small but genuine smile tilted her lips—and this time it reached her eyes. “You understand then.” She sounded relieved, and for a moment she could have sworn she felt warmer. She faced the hardness of his gaze with a softer, more congenial look of her own—a weight had been lifted from her chest and she felt a bit lighter. “You understand what it’s like to feel…impure. I don’t feel like a Jedi anymore.” She shook her head slowly. “After that, I…it was as if the floodgates were open. One trip to Zeltros was all that it took.”

Biting her lip, she chewed thoughtfully for a few moments, a wave of shame coming over her and reflecting in her eyes. “It is. Don’t ask me how she managed it, because I’m still trying to figure that out myself. I’m worried that I’ve become too vulnerable to this sort of thing. I don't want to become a slave to my own lust...” Willing the guilt away for a more interesting prospect, she fixed him with a curious gaze as her mind was brought back to one of his previous statements. “What was your mind opened up to?” There was a hint of desperation in her eyes, wanting to know what he had learned, and if there was a way to make sense of her feelings.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

His lips broke into a smile as he felt her begin to melt in his arms. "Then don't," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "You don't need to be a Jedi to do the things that they do." He presses his lips onto her forehead.

He spoke his next words silently into her hair. "Not everyone can be saved... I believe you know that to be true."

He holds her closely as he inquires into what she had done on Zeltros. "What happened there?" Did she... Cheat on him on Zeltros? He didn't know what he would do if she confirmed his fears.

Exhaling, he pulls away from her, only to take her hand into his own and lead her back the way he had come.

"That there will never be a longlasting peace in the Galaxy. There will always be wars, and the Jedi and Sith that support these factions will only intensify them and increase the number of casualties." He'd stop and push a lock if her hair out of her eyes. "I learned that you don't need a title to tell you that what you're doing is the right thing."

"And... That sex is great."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“I know, it’s just…hard for me to let go of an ideal I’ve been clinging to for so long. But I guess it was because I was naïve.” She wondered how he’d come to the conclusion on his own, suddenly curious about his experiences. She was trying to figure out how to broach the subject when he whispered against her red locks, her mind freezing for a brief second. He told her what she needed to hear, but would she handle having her the beliefs she’s held onto for so long shattered?

“Zeltros?” She lifted her head, a vulnerable look on her face that quickly turned into one of concentration. “I went back to visit my…friends. So you know, typical Zeltron behavior. Drugs, sex and booze. I don’t really remember much.” She shrugged, trying to brush away the most important part of the trip from her memories—reuniting with her mother. Things had smoothed over between them, but Joza had discovered bits about her absentee father.

Following him, she squeezed his hand lightly as he took hers in his own. “I…agree.” She sounded surprised by her own confirmation. A wry smirk tickled her lips at the comment about sex, something that played at her primal senses which she’d absolutely agree on. Her smile faded into a thoughtful look as she ruminated on his early words for a bit longer. Her own questions began to form, but she pushed them to the back of her mind for the time being in favor of a more pressing one. “Where are we going?"

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

"I suppose that's exciting," he'd say offhandedly, in regards to the answer she had given him about her time on Zeltros.

When she asked him where they were going, he lowered his head briefly and closed his eyes. Raising his head, he had a smile on his lips and his grey eyes were opened. "To the place that I live in - For now." He said after a moment, hopefully guiding her back on the path to way he had come.

"Maybe you can show me what you can do with a lightsaber," he'd say with a grin, suddenly remembering a time on Balura when she had mentioned him wanting to teach her... Though if she was a Knight, what could he teach her?

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“Not particularly. I…mostly went to see my mom.” She shrugged. Odd though it seemed, partying was something she had to be coerced in to—and that was quite easy on Zeltros. It just seemed so far away now.

She tilted her head in surprise at his answer, arching a brow. “Oh? I finally get to know a bit more about you then?” She teased, the beginnings of a smirk beginning to curl her lips.


At the mention of sparring, the smirk fully surfaced. “I warn you, I’m not as delicate as I look. I think I could give you a good run.” She clicked her tongue, giving him a wink. “So, what’s your favorite saber form?” She seemed to move more naturally as they walked, regaining a bit of her energy lost to last night's drunken escapades.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He nods his head. Her mother. Had she ever mentioned her father? He'd let her return to the subject when she was ready... Or to at least offer more information on it.

"Favourite lightsabre form?" Haytham's shoulders moved vertically up, and then back down again. "I could hardly use just one form," he'd say with a grin. "The best should use a combination." He said with a boyish grin, something he hadn't done since their first time meeting.

"Makashi and Djem So. I'd explain it, but I think you'll experience it soon enough." He'd say with a grin as they started to near their destination. Thankfully, Orcus was gone on this day. To do what, Haytham didn't know. There was hardly a field of dark side energy here... Would she feel his Master's presence here? He didn't think so.

"I can already guess as to your own, taking into account your job on Zeltros."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“Djem So? I don’t have much experience with that form, regrettably. Perhaps you could teach me a thing or two, hm?” She chuckled, flutteringly her lashes instinctively as a response to his grin. It had been a while since she’d let her guard down enough to be more carefree. Even among her fellow Jedi she put on a sort of stern façade she’d grown into over the years. Maybe it would make an appearance during their sparring session.

She hummed thoughtfully for a few moments before letting her eyes slide back towards him. “I’m a practitioner of Makashi as well. I’d say it’s my favorite form, but I think I’m better with Soresu.” She paused, reflecting on how she’d come to learn the dueling form in the first place. “I actually learned Makashi from a Sith, you know.” She added nonchalantly. “He beat me up pretty good first.” Despite the unpleasant and strange memory, she laughed a little. With him, it seemed so distant. “Though…” Her voice took on a more predatory tone as she moved in closer, bringing her lips up to his ear and speaking in a lower tone. “I'd much prefer to play with your lightsaber.” She finished with a quick nip to his ear before withdrawing.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

"Perhaps, I could," Haytham said with a cheeky smile. He wasn't a teacher, what could he possibly teach her in lightsabre combat? Well, they were going to find out. What he could tell was that if she truly wanted to become a Master of Djem So, she was going to have to put in plenty of work.

He began to slow down when she said the last thing. Blinking, they had come to a stop at the open threshold if Orcus's mansion. "Oh," he'd say, almost dumbly.

"The interior decorator really likes ocean creatures and designs," he'd go on to say as if she had never made that comment. It was pretty early in the morning, and there was a part of him that was truly skeptical of her.

Like, had she really been needing him, all that time?

And then they were inside, Haytham's hand tightening on her's for a moment as he guided her through the expansive building.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

For a few moments, Joza seemed taken aback as she waited for him to banter back. The young Zeltron was not used to having her advances rejected or even ignored, especially from him. A pout crossed her face as her gaze raked over him, trying to figure out if something was amiss. Well, something was amiss, that much she could tell—but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

“Hm,” She glanced at the large building, noting the oceanic décor but chose not to comment on it. “Your master must be…wealthy?” She ventured, trying to glean more from contextual cues. Joza tried to focus more on the interior of the expansive building but was rapidly losing interest.

When she felt him squeeze her hand in his grasp, she let out a silent sigh. “Haytham, is something wrong?” Her voice held a note of concern as she searched his face for an answer. “Are you upset because I slept with that woman?”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He nodded his head at her first statement. Then he shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose he is... I don't really think about that anymore." He'd peek at her from behind a clump of hair before he shook his head and it left from his gaze.

"Yes, there is," he said without hesitation. Though he hesitated soon after. What was he to say now? "It doesn't matter that you slept with the woman. It's my own thoughts I'm upset with."

He'd slow down their pace to a stop. Where were they now? The kitchen? He didn't know but it wasn't the sparring area.

"I'm upset at my thoughts... That you've slept with other men and have said... Those things to them as well."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza’s brows knit in confusion. It doesn’t matter that she’d been with a woman, but other men as well? To her, sex was sex, regardless of the gender of the parties in question. Why count one more than the other? Before she said anything, she took a few moments to let her eyes fall over Haytham again. Maybe it did matter to him. Was this a man’s pride?

“I have been with other men,” She admitted, though didn’t sound guilty in doing so. “I know it’s not what you’re used to, but I’m a Zeltron. It’s what we do. We experiment, and sometimes we get a little wild.” She placed a hand over her heart, now giving him an earnest look. “But it was all just that. Just sex for the sake of being satisfied.” She would approached him slowly and attempt to cup the side of his face in her hand if he would allow it. A little unsure of how he would react, she continued to keep her gaze focused on him.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]