You Come Into my House

[Haytham Kaze]

"I know you are a Zeltron... I suppose I should have expected that..." He shook his head. He was confused. He didn't know how to express his thoughts.

"Did you even think of me?" He said after a few moments of silence. "I mean... When you felt that you... Needed to be satisfied." How were you meant to even say that sentence?"

"Forget it." He waved a hand dismissively after she spoke. "Are you here to fight me, or to do... Something else."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza’s lips parted slightly as he prompted her, genuinely thinking about how to answer his question. She didn’t really do much thinking during that, hell she could barely remember any of it. But she sealed her lips when he waved the question away, shaking her head and taking a step towards him.

[SIZE=11pt]“Haytham…it wasn’t like that. The other meant nothing to me beyond the night, and I’m sure I didn’t mean much to them. But it’s different with you…that why I keep coming back to you. I like you.” Her voice faded a little at the end and she crossed her arms with a heavy sigh. “I’m not going to fight you, I agreed to a spar. I’m not even sure that we should do that you’re upset.” She gripped her own arm as she spoke tentatively, trying to tread carefully…trying. “Please….talk to me.” She tried to move a little closer, voice and features softening, turning more vulnerable. [/SIZE]

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham remained silent. The young male listened to his would be lover speak, he wasn't entirely sure what else he had to say. That he was afraid that she had cheated on him? It was clear that it hadn't meant much to her. Sex just to have sex. His left hand clenched tightly. If he had longer nails, they definitely would've dug into his palm and draw blood. Thankfully, he didn't.

After that, he didn't say anything for quite some time. What was he even meant to say after what he had heard. His lips remained sealed as he finally turned his head to look upon her. "If we're not going to spar..." He said slowly. The words stopped coming out of his mouth.

"Then what should we talk about?" His tone suggested that he wasn't too keen on actually speaking anymore. The hand that had clenched moments before travelled behind his back.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza watch him silently, her keep eyes reading his body language. It didn’t take a Zeltron to notice that he was upset, likely feeling betrayed by her actions. She too felt shame over losing control of her more wild side, but was still trying to make sense of her behavior herself. She could only imagine how it made him feel, but it brought her to question how they each perceived their side of this relationship.

Shaking her head, she sighed again, sounding more defeated this time around. “Maybe a spar would be better than trying to talk, after all.” She recalled his penchant for the saber, figuring though odd it may seem, he might communicate better through swordplay than words. In the very least, it would give her another chance to get a handle on his feelings. She tilted her head to the same side as the hand that had disappeared behind his back, watching carefully. Her features had sharpened again as her guard raised, though not in a hostile manner.

She gave him an expectant look, waiting to be lead to a more suitable area for a match.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham watched her carefully. His eyebrows were pointed downwards, and his grey eyes had taken on an especially easy look. A cold and hard one.

As if he were standing before an enemy at this exact time, instead of [member="Joza Perl"]. "Okay."

He would've turned, that fist unclenching as he did as he headed through the mansion. There were times when Haytham was a linear man. Now, was likely one of times.

Within a few minutes of cold silence, they eventually found the sparring room, and the wall on the other side of the room would've given the occupants a view of the now risen sun.

"I train as if my life is on the line." He'd explain as his now slower gait carried him to the other side of the room. "It's the best way to grow stronger, to protect the ones that I care about."

The large wall-window was actually a balcony he came to realize as he walked closer. Lowering his left hand to his lightsabre hilt, he drew the silver hilt into his hand as he finally turned to face her.

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza couldn’t say that she was surprised to see the unfeeling look he gave her, but it still hurt. What have I done…She felt a pang in her chest, guilt that quickly spread to her head. For a moment she wanted to call off the match but held fast to her suggestion, clinging to the hope that it would somehow help.

But if that’s how things were going to be, then so be it.

The silence was a little unnerving, and Joza found herself becoming anxious. She was not worried that he would hurt her—even though he might—as she’d gotten over her fear of combat while an apprentice. Still, she figured that this fight would be different than the Sith and creatures she’d taken on before. This was Haytham…would she be able to curb her battlelust, or would she falter before him? This was a man she cared for, despite what her awkward misplaced words may have lead him to believe. Not a simple faceless enemy.

“…to protect the ones that I care about."​

​

Joza’s head raised at that line, her eyes tracking to his back as he moved away from her. Idly the young Zeltron wondered if he’d met anyone else, and what sort of experiences he’d had over the past few years. When he turned to face her and drew his hilt, Joza felt a change shift in her. It was as if the simple drawing of a weapon had been enough to put her on guard, to take her back to Karfeddion or Omwat. Her heart beat a little faster, and she fell into dueling posture as her eyes took on a similarly callous look. With quick movements she’d drawn her own saber, blue blade springing to life as she held the weapon at mid guard. She stretched her other arm out, hand beckoning him forward.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He breathed in and out. He didn't want to hurt, [member="Joza Perl"], if there was anyone he wanted to be with, it would be her. In the recesses of his mind, he knew that he was doing this just to make a point. Still, at the forefront of his intentions, it was as if he were glad she readily took up the blade.

He took the one steps forward, quick ones as he dashed across the room to her, the sapphire of his lightsabre exploding outwards with what to him, had become the caressing sound of *Snap-Hiss* as his lightsabre aimed to collapse over her head in a strong overhead slash.

 

[Joza Perl]

Before he’d charged toward her, Joza made sure that her saber was on its lowest setting so that it would cause nothing more than a nasty sting against bare flesh. She never sparred with it at any higher, saving the more deadly settings for nastier situations.

He’s fast. Taking note of his speed, the Zeltron would shift her guard as if to block the incoming overhead strike. Moving one foot to the side, she attempted to side-step the strike as she did so, her blade barely licking against his as she brought it around to strike at the back of his neck.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

His lightsabre setting was as high as it went. He had already told her how he trained, losing a limb was perfectly normal on the battlefield. If it were going to happen in training, then he'd be ready for it in a real combat setting.

Even as he saw her begin to shift her guard. He was seemingly intent on that overhead strike, but his right hand had already caught hold of the second lightsabre on his belt, he didn't know which one it was, and he ignited the beam with another Snap-Hiss and spun it behind his back to bat away the lightsabre that he thought would've put an end to his life.

The crimson and azure lightsabres remained crossed in his hands. Spinning on a foot, towards her, he'd lunge back towards her, slashing at her midsection.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza grunted as he activated a second saber and swatted away her own, unsurprised by the fact that he’d drawn a second weapon but startled that he had done so already. She pushed back on her own heels to put a few seconds of distance between them, eyes widening when she caught sight if his crimson saber.

Her face reflected her surprise at seeing the red blade, a thread of anger running though her. But she had little time to acknowledge her feelings as he’d charged forward towards her again, this time aiming for her torso. She only had the capability of parrying away one of his blades with her own, suddenly dropping low to the ground and sending a sweeping kick of his ankles. Her blade moved to hang overhead, ready to defend herself against any possible incoming attacks.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham lived for combat. He hadn't realized it until he had become a Jedi and had the opportunity to use a lightsabre. Even now, it gave him a feeling that he had never experienced before. One that could be rivaled by nothing in the world, he felt.

When he felt the anger run through her, it was as if he fed on it when he moved towards her.When she parried his lightsabre away, he wouldn't have pressed the advantage with the other one. Instead, he would've pushed off the floor, aiming to flip right over her sweeping lmkick. .

Mid flip, his own leg would've jumped out at her, moving straight for [member="Joza Perl"]'s head.

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza grunted as he flipped over her, eyes narrowly catching his own incoming kick as he moved over her. Letting her body drop further onto the floor, she rolled quickly to the side to narrowly avoid the strike, thrusting the palm of her free hand out to send a sharp wave of Force towards him. It was not aimed to harm, but rather to buy her a few seconds and put a bit more distance between them.

Scrambling up quickly, she pressed her heels into the ground and lunged for him, aiming several jabs at his torso. At this point, she wasn’t sure how she was even feeling. Usually in battle she had a distinct sensation—anxiety, focus, fear…she either felt none of them, or a mix. It was strange and unwelcome and it made her feel unbalanced.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Before he could land, he took the wave of the Force completely. It carried him away from her, but acrobatic training would've made sure he was able to spin out of it and land on his feet, though he did slide a few feet as he looked up to her.

Both of his lightsabres were used to knock the jabs off to side. The crimson blade in his right hand would've slashed out toher neck, horizontally, likely forcing her to cease the jabs. The blue beam would've held the rest back as he stepped to the side, in the event that she tried to just duck or move away from the slash.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“What’s with the red blade?” She growled as she brought her own to clash with it from a high guard. Joza would attempt to slide her saber down the length of his to shunt it away. She moved to step around him during the clash, her free hand quickly snatching her other saber hilt and igniting it. A second blue blade, identical to the first snapped to life and would aim to slice him diagonally from his right hip up to the left shoulder.

She wouldn’t deny that the sudden appearance of the crimson saber put her even more on edge. Normally it wouldn’t, but this was him.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He didn't answer her. Not yet. She didn't deserve one, he had decided as she started to push the lightsabre away from her. Just as they'd reach the pinnacle of the clash, the crimson beam disappeared and he'd lunge backwards and away from her.

The blue beam in his hand crossed over his lower stomach, just as her lightsabre burnt through that thin shirt of his and he felt the stinging sensation for a few moments as he continued backwards. "I took it from a Sith I defeated." He'd eye her. It was the truth.

Not like Darth Raven would be needing it.

"Do you remember when I said, I wanted you forever?" He'd step towards her, his guard never dropping.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

The words struck her like a blaster shot, and thankfully he’d moved away from her. She’d likely take a lightsaber to the face if he’d been on the immediate offensive, and for a moment she was disgusted by how easily she’d been stunned. Allowing herself to feel the emotions that flowed through her for a few moments, she pushed them back and shook them from her head.

With a flourish, she crossed the pair of blue blades in front of her, studying him cautiously as he moved closer. “I do.” She answered, surprised to find that there was a slight crack to her voice. Clearing her throat she continued. “I attributed them to a hormonal high.” The words sounded academically cold coming from her, though she didn’t mean for them to. Yes, she remembered the words he’s spoken to her both during and after making love.

“I…don’t belong to anyone.”

One of the blue blades moved, twirling in her hand and held closer toward the ground now while the other kept a center guard.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

His eyes closed for a moment. He took in a breath. All there was, was silence that immediately followed it. He listened to her words, and his hands tightened around his lightsabre hilt.

Was she trying to hurt him?

He exhaled that breath.

The words struck deeply within him. Whether she wanted to or not, she wounded him. "Don't." He'd bite out. "Don't act like you can speak like that." Maybe it was because of how she said the words, or because of the things they had done together.

He remembered everything they had been through. On his part, everything had been thebtruth. Ifbthere was a single quality that the young man could be proud of, it was that he was no liar. Having his words, no, his feelings subjected to hormones?

It dragged at something deep within him. A mixture of emotions that he had never felt before. Anger, sadness, disappointment. None were felt towards her.

He felt bad for himself... For being made a fool.

"Am I just... 'anyone' to you?" When he opened his eyes, they weren't as cold as they had been moments ago. They were captured in the heat of the Dark Side. They were yellow, glowing brilliantly in his skull, behind a few strands of his black hair.

"I only wanted to be yours, [member="Joza Perl"]." His fists never stopped clenching. "But... I never lied to you... I wouldn't.."

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza didn’t know how to feel. Should she be angry? Sad? Regardless, she bit her tongue and didn’t interrupt him as he spoke, his own emotions hitting her like a wave. Did…did I do that? She wasn’t used to having her own actions impact someone so severely, and it shook her to her core. It occurred to her now, how cold and unfeeling she’d appeared. N-no…I…I….

She was broken from her thoughts as Haytham reopened his eyes, grey irises now burning yellow in contrast to his dark hair. A bolt of fear surged though her, one that he’d undoubtedly feel. Go on. Take him down! Her head screamed at her, instinctively pushing her to fight. He’s corrupt! Swallowing thickly, her eyes softened nearly to the point of tears. She’d pushed him to this, hadn’t she?

“No. Please…no.” She shook her head, voice cracking again. Where was that scowling, seething young woman? She was an anxious girl again. A child. “That’s not it. I have feelings for you Haytham.” Even though the risk had heightened with the dark sided energy flowing through him, Joza deactivated her sabers and clipped them back to her waist, all the while keeping her eyes on him. She stepped forward slowly, hands hovering in front of her to show that she wasn’t trying anything malicious.

“You’re not just another lay to me. I…care about you. I always have.” She bit her lip, searching for what would hopefully be the right words. “But I…didn’t think that things were so serious between us. And I…can’t stay…physically…l…loyal…i-it’s not in my…blood…” She’d spoken the last few words as a wavering whisper, as if she’d just come upon a realization. Initially Joza meant her hedonistic Zeltron blood, but then she remembered her other, more recently discovered origins.

“…I-I’m just like him…” ​

The words were barely a whisper as she stared at the ground, not knowing whether she had heard them or not. Her father, she’d come to learn, had fallen in love with her mother then disappeared when she was born. The more she got to know him, the similar she realized that they were. And now her actions were coming back to haunt her, much as how she'd tracked down Zef.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He felt the fear that she experienced after his eyes opened. He felt a cracking sound emit from his right hand, but he never stopped clenching.

"Feelings..." He'd say softly as she spoke. He whispered it, barely loud enough for her to hear it as he replayed the words in his head. Her lightsabres deactivated and he took a step back and further away from her.

The feeling of the Dark Side was not something he enjoyed.

"I don't... K-know how you want me to a-aa-answer that, Joza." He said, there was another crack, and his finger brushed over the ignition button of both of his lightsabres. Both contrasting beams disappeared in a heart beat.

He slumped to the floor before her, his hilts rolling in opposing directions as he said, "Is this where you leave and forget about me?" His teeth clenched. What would he do in her position?

"Or where you do your duty as a Jedi and cut me down?" He'd tilt his head to look up at her, those glowing eyes of his staring through the strands of hair.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Stay strong. Her head commanded, but the heart would not follow. She couldn’t bring herself to react in a hostile manner, not when he was…so dejected. He’s luring you into a trap. He’s a darksider! Still, she wouldn’t listen to the warning bells she so often too heed of.

She bit her lip as he stared up at her, heart sinking. She really and truly did not know what she wanted to do, and it showed on her face in her body language. “Don’t…” She whispered. “Please get up…” Slowly she would move toward him on shaking legs.

“I don’t want to do either, Haytham. B…but I…I don’t like it when your eyes look like that.” She added the last bit in suddenly, searching for the right words to give her thoughts shape. She both feared and respected the powers of the Dark Side. “It scares me.”

Gods, how did this all come apart so quickly? Unwillingly she was brought back to the tearful first meeting with her father. She’d struck him, yelled at him, cussed him out, but had she forgiven him? She glanced at Haytham. Should he forgive her? Joza didn’t see how he could. The sudden surge of unpleasant memories caused her to double over somewhat as she moved to stand in front of him.

“I’m sorry for hurting you, Haytham. It was never my intention, but I don't know how I can even begin to fix this...” The bit of strength she had gained was rapidly sapped as she looked away and spoke her next words.

“I don’t deserve your love….”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]