A Good Trick

[Eighth Guard]

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The Eighth Guard, Praetorian Overlord​

Equipment: Praetorian Armour​

Starship: TIE/vnhttp://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE/vn_space_superiority_fighter Space Superiority Fighter​

Location: Deep Space​

Status: Beginning Mission​

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Eight made sure that all of the instruments in his starfighter were perfectly useable before he began the start-up sequence, his eyes staring through his helmet at the view of the hangar outside of the viewport. The twin ion engines started with a low whine, the ship lifting up slightly from the polished durasteel floor of the bay. He cycled through displays until one showing the small flight that he put together was prominent, before beginning to throttle the acceleration of the space superiority fighter.

A muffled screech reverberated throughout the cockpit as the Eighth Guard launched his ship from the hangar bay of some First Order star destroyer, followed closely by an escort of three other starfighters, one of them being piloted by his protege and fellow guard, and the other two flown by aces of the Starfighter Corps. His vehicle today was a TIE Silencer, mostly stock save for the crimson markings adorning the wings and several custom modifications that he had ordered to be done. "Follow my lead." Eight growled through comms, manoeuvring to the right as they approached their targets, "Keep the enemy fighters from getting near our cruisers and bombers."

In the distance, several squadrons of snubfighters were barreling towards them, their weapons charged and ready to attempt to destroy them. The distance closed to about a thousand meters and Eight's ship dived, before suddenly jutting back up and blasting a fighter to smithereens. The fallen vessel's ally appeared on the Praetorian Overlord's six, only to be dispatched by one of the accompanying aces.

His fighter flipped, spinning while his laser cannons fired and destroyed a ship that was getting too close to his compatriots for comfort.

Let the battle begin.

[member="Marriskcal Lati"]​

 

[Marriskcal Lati]

Praetorian Initiate
Equipment | Praetorian Armour, Lightsaber (blue), Throwing Knives
Location | Deep Space
Allies | [member="Eighth Guard"], 2 aces from First Order Starfighter Corps

[SIZE=11pt]There was a sense of unquenchable excitement that was threaded through her presence as she waited for her starfighter to cycle through its system checks. Her ebullience bubbled and fizzled in the air, as the tendrils of her aura flickered and curled around her like a living cloak. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]With a cheerful grin that was hidden by the armour which encased her form, the young woman reached out and tapped her finger lightly against the front panel overhead. The hollow sound that accompanied her juvenile action elicited a bright laugh that echoed through the cockpit. Marriskcal still remembered a time when she has to balance herself at the edge of her seat and stretch to be able to touch the panel of her Silencer with the tip of her trembling fingers. As the checks came back with an all-clear, the blonde ignited the engines and settled back in preparation for takeoff.

While Marriskcal has never enjoyed zero gravity melee throughout her career thus far, it was a necessary part of her learning. And as with every skill the blonde possessed, it was polished and refined with unyielding resolve. But none of it has to do with why she was keen to throw herself into this particular mission. No, the reason for it was the man she recognised as her mentor. Despite her formal induction into the ranks of the Praetorian Guard, as an initiate, there was still much Marriskcal has to learn and experience. And this included acquainting herself intimately with the manner in which the Overlord preferred to fight.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Almost as one, all four of the starfighters departed the hangar bay, their sleek black and red forms a near match to the darkness of space. While Marriskcal’s own skills at piloting was only somewhat slightly above decent compared to the two aces that were flanking them, she had the advantage of being guided by the invisible hand that was the force. Trailing after the lead Silencer that was piloted by Eight, Marriskcal echoed the reply of the rest of her unit. “Copy.” Her gaze surveyed the vast space even when her vessel verged right as the young woman remained in formation and stayed close behind her mentor.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The problem with a melee that takes place in space[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt], the blonde thought sourly even as she veered sharply to the left and under to avoid a direct line of fire, is how I have to remember that the hostiles can attack from every imaginable angle. The force sang in her blood, urging her onwards. Never one to disregard its call, the heavy laser cannons of her vessel fired in concentrated stutter bursts. As the hostile snubfighter was downed, Marriskcal pulled her starfighter up and away from the remains of the destroyed enemy fighter. Free from any immediate hostiles targeting her vessel for the moment, her gaze searched the space for her mentor’s unique Silencer.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]And what the young woman witnessed made her lips curve in a fierce grin and filled her with pride and awe.

Using their personal comms system, Marriskcal spoke to Eight directly. “You have to teach me how to do that.”[/SIZE]

 

[Eighth Guard]

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The Eighth Guard, Praetorian Overlord​

Equipment: Praetorian Armour​

Starship: TIE/vnhttp://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE/vn_space_superiority_fighter Space Superiority Fighter​

Location: Deep Space​

Status: Continuing Mission​

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The Eighth Guard smirked beneath his helmet, "In time, bunny." He replied, taking special care to use his pet name for her. The bulk of the enemy fighters were drawn away by their allied ships, leaving them with several to mop up quite easily. The Overlord himself downed a duo in the span of five seconds, a chuckle emanating from him as he did so, the smirk never leaving his face.

Once the stragglers were dealt with, he eventually led his flight of aces to where the Reformation cruiser was currently exchanging turbolaser fire with the star destroyer they had launched from. He drove his fighter into the shields of the capital ship, allowing him to blast away at parts of the quadanium-lined hull with triggered bursts of laser cannon fire, his escorts contributing to the destruction by doing the same as him. Eight veered off to the right, leaving the aces and Marriskcal if she chose to stay to continue firing on the ship, as he rapidly spun his Silencer and kept the trigger pressed down, taking chunks out of the ship as he went and destroying turbolaser blisters.

He flipped over the side, sending him into the wide hangar of the cruiser that went through to the other side of the ship. As his starfighter screeched past pilots manning and readying their own ships for takeoff, he fired a mag-pulse warhead into a cluster of fueling containers that erupted in a blinding white light, a fiery inferno engulfing the entire hangar just as he escaped the ensuing chaos. "Well, we won't be seeing them again..." He mumbled to nobody in particular while he manoeuvred to rejoin his allies in orbiting the enemy vessel.

"CR90s coming in, twenty degrees." An ace called out over comms, Eight's vision quickly darting until he saw the antiquated corvettes roaring towards them from above, "We can take them together, go for the hull section at the base of the engines." The other informed. "Agreed." The Overlord acknowledged, arching upwards to intercept the larget ships, his targeting reticule slipping over the desired area for a split second, allowing him to fire off a splash of laser fire.

Their combined fire, along with several missiles for good measure, pierced through the hull of the slim corvette and severed it into two, the reactor located in the newly-formed debris detonating shortly after in a small explosion. 'One down, one to go.' Eight thought, the flight of First Order fighters doubling back to deal with the remaining corvette in a similar fashion as the first. One of the aces that accompanied them flew too close to the Corellian-made vessel, a lucky shot from a dual turbolaser connecting with his wing and causing him to crash into it.

The Praetorian grimaced while he witnessed this happen, sending off another mag-pulse warhead into the sweet spot and cutting the corvette in half, but it was already too late for his compatriot.

[member="Marriskcal Lati"]​

 

[Marriskcal Lati]

Praetorian Initiate
Equipment | Praetorian Armour, Lightsaber (blue), Throwing Knives
Location | Deep Space
Allies | [member="Eighth Guard"], 2 1 ace from First Order Starfighter Corps

[SIZE=11pt]And again with the endearment.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Marriskcal pouted to herself even as a tinge of rose made its way to her features. While it was really embarrassing to be likened to a creature as harmless and adorable as a bunny, it was undeniable that the pet name delighted her, as the warmth she felt welling up within her was a clear sign of her pleasure. “I’ll hold you to that,” she finally replied, probably a moment too long to truly escape his keen observation. The blonde consoled herself that at the very least, her words were spoken without even a hint of a stutter or a pause in between.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Without giving the action much thought, the blonde accelerated her Silencer and smoothly rejoined the formation. While she may not be as good as the others when it came to the more subtle handling of a starfighter, Marriskcal has spent enough time in a flight simulator and charting hours by travelling between planets that she has a solid grasp of its controls. But even then, it still felt surreal for something as small and seemingly insignificant as a starfighter to be able to overwhelm a ship the size of a cruiser. While she did realise that their Silencers were designed specifically to harass and cripple ships of a much larger size, this was the first time she was seeing that potential in action.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Allowing her instinct to guide her as she maintained a high speed as the Overlord veered off to the right to invade the capital ship’s hangar, Marriskcal and her escort aces tore in the opposing direction towards the bow. As their unit leader focused on destroying the enemy vessel from within, they provided further distraction by destroying the turbolaser cannons and turrets on its sides. As she caught sight of a white light from the corner of her eyes, and further supported by her Silencer’s systems, Marriskcal pulled her ship up towards the topside to allow for Eight to rejoin them. With his successful endeavour, they would have at least a dozen less fighters to be concerned about.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]When one of the aces announced the arrival of the CR90s, the blonde blinked. Neither a proficient pilot nor a ship enthusiast in general, the make of the model completely escaped her. She was more than relieved when the aces gave sound advice, paying extra attention as to the exact area where all three of the more experienced pilots targeted. Perhaps in the near future, she may still have trouble identifying exactly where were the engines located when it came to a different model, but at least this was something new she has learned today.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]As their barrage of focused laser fire and missiles took down the first corvette, Marriskcal winced as the flicker of lives began to extinguish around her. While she was no stranger to death, this was the first time she was in the vicinity when more than a hundred lives were culled in an instance. The cloud of confusion, anger, and fear that emanated from the destroyed vessel may have been brief, but it was intense. As someone who wielded the force to sharpen her perception, the unexpected emotional backlash was nauseating. And when one of their aces whom she had unconsciously laced a tendril of connection on to perished, the sudden void where he used to be in her senses felt even worse.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The blonde clenched her jaw as her body leaned forward, fighting the incapacitating flow of stray emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. It did not help when the second corvette was also destroyed, sending a second wave of unwanted feelings washing over her person. With a snarl, Marriskcal retracted her presence from the force, the ever present thread of aura that lightly linked her to Eight deteriorating. While she loathed the thought of cutting their connection even for a moment, the blonde refused to allow it to continue affecting her to the point where she would end up becoming a burden.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“I’m fine,” she reported over the comms, hoping to allay any concerns the Overlord may have.[/SIZE]

 

[Eighth Guard]

The Eighth Guard, Praetorian Overlord​

Equipment: Praetorian Armour​

Starship: TIE/vnhttp://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE/vn_space_superiority_fighter Space Superiority Fighter​

Location: Deep Space​

Status: Continuing Mission​

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Eight watched as the debris of the now-destroyed corvette blew itself up, apparently, that was what happened when you crammed an ionization reactor right next to eleven volatile engine drives. Then he felt something that would baffle him for the rest of the day, the aura around him altering minorly but enough for him to readily notice. It was like a thread being wrenched away, the source of which he quickly determined to be Marriskcal herself after sensing the plethora of emotions that the girl was currently feeling.

What was strange to him was the fact that he didn't even notice the foreign presence, he was so familiar with it that he just seemingly accepted it as his own whenever it appeared. He heard her attempt to assure him over the comms, but he knew full well that something was going on, and it didn't help that one of their allies just bit the dust in front of her. His brow furrowed as he realized something: Had he ever cared this much about another being in his tenure as a Praetorian?

It hit him like a ton of bricks when he finally decided to accept it. The culmination of their time together: their meeting on Skye and training duel; the incident on Praesitlyn and subsequent comforting on Virgillia; the vacation they enjoyed on Tibrin. It all came together in a package of emotions as he realized how he truly felt about the girl that he moulded into a true Praetorian.

He loved her.

His heart swelled as he thought it, a great weight lifting off of his chest when he did. The Eighth Guard made sure that comms were disabled, flipping a switch with a gloved finger. "I love her..." He breathed, a wide smile creeping over his lips, something that he didn't dare to try to stop. He looked up to gaze through the cockpit viewport, the sheer euphoria almost overwhelming the man while he continued swerving his Silencer along the bulbous hull of the cruiser.

The lock-on alarm went off suddenly when a launcher below him unexpectedly launched its cluster missile, the operating likely having been tracking him for the last few minutes after they dispatched the corvettes. It was far too late for him, no amount of Force prowess or fancy manoeuvres could shake the lock of the device as it trailed a few meters to the left of his starfighter.

"Oh."

It jolted suddenly into his direction, time seemingly slowing down as an explosion began to develop. His reaction time was still as sharp as ever, the man pulling the ejection lever and being ripped out into the vacuum of space just in the nick of time, for his ship blew up and sent him careening into the deadly void.

He only had a few minutes to act.

 

[Marriskcal Lati]

Praetorian Initiate
Equipment | Praetorian Armour, Lightsaber (blue), Throwing Knives
Location | Hangar of an unnamed Star Destroyer, Deep Space
Allies | [member="Eighth Guard"], 2 1 ace from First Order Starfighter Corps

[SIZE=11pt]In the chaos of battle, Marriskcal did not dare to divert her focus for even a moment to restore the thread that connected her and Eight. But even without it, the wave of sudden surprise and intense elation that echoed through space belonged unmistakably to him. The blonde tilted her head to the side in puzzlement, musing on the perplexing matter even as her hands moved over the controls of her Silencer as she prepared to rejoin their formation. As far as her vessel’s sensors and her own force senses went, she was unable to discern any particular occurrences that would elicit such an uncharacteristic burst of emotions from her mentor. “Eight–”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Just as his name left her lips, her screens screamed out a shrill alert. From where her vessel was, a short distance away from the Overlord’s own starfighter, the initiate had a clear view of the missile as it was launched directly beneath his ship. A sharp staccato of panic pierced the veil of the force even as she witnessed his Silencer turning into a ball of flames. She stopped breathing for a moment, even as her grasp on the controls of her vessel caused it to creak in protest at the pressure she was exerting on it. The only thing that kept her sane and tethered to the present was the faintest hope she held – the bright flame of his life has yet to extinguish.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“Cover me,” she stated to the remaining ace firmly. “We are going in to retrieve our unit leader, and we shall retreat after.” The nuance of her tone clearly outlined that she would not brook with any arguments or concerns that the other may have. Compromised. You are compromised. She could feel a swirl of disapproval emanating from the faceless and nameless male, but so long as he remained obedient, Marriskcal allowed him the discontent he felt. “Affirmative, ma’am.” The reply given was neutral and spoken in a careful manner. Ignoring him, the blonde once again expanded her force senses, her focus and concern for Eight casting the chaos of emotions to a background noise, inconsequential.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]It was only her familiarity with the Overlord’s aura that she was able to sense his faint presence, his body drifting close to the enemy’s cruiser. Keeping a wary gaze even though the remaining ace was harassing and occupying the capital ship’s attention, Marriskcal manoeuvered her starfighter swiftly beneath where her mentor’s bright crimson form was drifting. Without a thought or care for her own wellbeing, the blonde opened the top hatch of her Silencer and used the force to pull his prone body into the cockpit. With trembling hands, she manipulated his form into her seat, further using her influence to hold him still as she slammed the hatch shut.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]For a moment, she stared down at the crimson armour. While she wanted nothing more than to check on his vitals and the severity of any injuries he may have sustained, she also knew it was more important that they return to the relative safety of a star destroyer before she allowed herself to drop the veneer of command. “We are heading back,” she spoke to the ace, carefully perching as lightly as she could on his lap. Without looking back, Marriskcal hit the accelerators, her Silencer screeching through space as she led their team of two along the edge of the battlefield.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The blonde has barely landed her starfighter in the familiar hangar when she turned to face the still form. In the presence of gravity within the star destroyer’s interior, the blonde has ended up sprawled over him. Out of concern that she may further exacerbate his injuries, Marriskcal got off his lap, carefully balancing and standing over him with her legs bracketing his as she swept her eyes and senses over her mentor. There was a thin layer of frost that clung to the surface of the armour, but from the swift glance, she was unable to find any cracks along the bright red laminate.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Taking a deep breathe to calm herself, Marriskcal reached slowly for the helmet, sliding it off gently and with infinite care.[/SIZE]

 

[Eighth Guard]

The Eighth Guard, Praetorian Overlord​

Equipment: Praetorian Armour​

Location: Deep Space, Unknown Destroyer's Hangar​

Status: Acknowledging Feelings​

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Relief flooded over him when he saw Marriskcal's starfighter approaching him, immense fatigue beginning to draw him ever closer to the promise of death. He felt himself being pulled by an unseen Force into the cockpit of her ship, the man going limp on her almost immediately while she fussed over him. His eyes had been open the entire time he was out there, for all of half a minute, but he did not attempt to close them, instead opting to gaze at her face for the time being. He saw her lips move, but he just could not bring himself to acknowledge the words coming out of them, it was as if he was in some sort of trance.

Eight did feel the ship lurch, though, and deduced quite quickly that they were heading back to their carrier ship, the man knowing that she most certainly wished to attend to his well-being. But all of that didn't matter to him at this moment, he thought back to what he was experiencing in his Silencer before his fateful brush with death. He always held the young woman in high regard, and she was the only person in the Galaxy to ever know affection, no matter how little, from him. It wasn't just a spur of the moment thing that prompted him to have thought those words, to acknowledge his true feelings for her, he truly meant them in a way that surprised even him.

He loved her.

Ever since he joined the Order of Ren, ever since he readily discarded his humanity to help bring order to a time of strife and chaos, he thought himself incapable of ever feeling such a thing ever again. This scared him, somewhat, to realize that his past principles could just change like that, without him even knowing that it was happening, but only a small part of him acquiesced to these thoughts. The rest of him was more concerned with sending a message to her that he thought about her like this, that he thought of her more than a friend or a colleague.

And when they finally touched down in the hangar of the destroyer, when she stood over him in the cramped cockpit and carefully removed his beloved helmet, he knew he had his chance. Without thinking of the repercussions, or of the possibility of her rejecting his move, he raised his arms in an instant and wrapped them around her torso, bringing her down onto him and pushing their chestplates together with a small clang. Eight swiftly disposed of her helmet, the piece of armour launched to the side of the cabin half by his hand, half by the Force.

He wanted to prove to her that he loved her, in the only way befitting of a person like him: wordlessly. The Praetorian Overlord crashed his lips onto hers, holding her as close as he could despite their equipment, and let all of the pent-up emotion from over the months just melt away instantaneously. What felt like an eternity, when in reality was probably fifteen seconds, passed before he pulled back, Eight gazing into her eyes with a mixture of fear, love, happiness, and guilt in his.

He could only wait now, to see if he had just ruined everything.

[member="Marriskcal Lati"]​

 

[Marriskcal Lati]

Praetorian Initiate
Equipment | Praetorian Armour, Lightsaber (blue), Throwing Knives
Location | Hangar of an unnamed Star Destroyer, Deep Space
Allies | [member="Eighth Guard"]

[SIZE=11pt]Ignorant as to the thoughts that were wandering through his mind, Marriskcal found her knees growing weak with relief when his gaze met hers. While she knew deep within her heart that she would know if anything were to happen to the older male, being able to stay by his side and check on his wellbeing with her own eyes soothed the worst of her fears away. But just as she was about to let her mentor know how worried she had been and how grateful she was to see him more or less unharmed, he struck, swift and sinuous as the form he used with his bilari chainwhip. Without any time to even make a noise or protest his handling, the blonde fell on top of the Overlord, their armour clattering as she found herself straddling his lap once more.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“Eight[/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]?” she blinked down confusedly at the male as her helmet was torn off her head, vanishing from the edge of her vision as it fell in between the console and the viewport of her vessel with a dull thud. While she was concerned over the almost violent deed, Marriskcal knew that the other would never truly hurt her on purpose. Even then, when Eight drew her in and their lips met in a rough and insistent kiss, it was an act that came completely unforeseen by the blonde. A hand held her close against his body, while another cradled the back of her head, tousling up her loosely bound hair.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]It felt like time has stopped in that exact moment.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Marriskcal remained dazed for a few seconds as she remained reluctant to believe that the other was kissing her. She felt an unfamiliar fluttering welling up within her even as she remained unsure as to the changes it would create in their relationship. Then her heart began to race, each beat pounding frantically in her chest as the kiss invoked a storm of emotions – her enduring love for him, the yearning she had ignored all this while, her hesitant delight that he returned her feelings, and an all-encompassing relief that he was fine. Tentatively, the blonde lifted a gauntleted hand and touched Eight’s jaw gently as she returned his kiss.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]When the Overlord finally drew back, her sky blue eyes met with his chocolate brown gaze unflinchingly. “You fething idiot,” she said softly, her voice gentle despite the expletive that escaped her. She allowed the hand that was on his jaw to slide down his neck, resting it on the juncture where it met his shoulder. Her other hand came up and smacked at his chestplate lightly, the only sign of her displeasure at the realisation that the other has came close to dying today. “I was worried about you.” Even as Marriskcal said those words to him, her eyes began misting over as her earlier fear that has gnawed at the edge of her consciousness and the relief that has followed finally overwhelming her.

“I– I’m not strong enough to be on my own.”

I need you by my side.[/SIZE]

 

[Eighth Guard]

The Eighth Guard, Praetorian Overlord​

Equipment: Praetorian Armour​

Location: Deep Space, Unknown Destroyer's Hangar​

Status: Acknowledging Feelings​

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He laughed quietly at her reaction, appreciating her fervent response while cradling her in his arms in fear that something would wrench her from his grip. He saw her eyes begin to well up and craned his head forward so that his temple was touching hers. "I'm not strong enough to let you go..." He murmured reassuringly, pressing another kiss on the corner of her mouth, "...and I will never be able to..." Eight didn't show it through tears, but he was just so damn happy that he had to allow a wide smile to appear.

The Eighth Guard kept true to his promise, keeping his hand latched to hers as they climbed out of the starfighter and set down on the polished metal floor of the hangar bay, the former being very grateful to be on the solid ground now after his incident. The Praetorian leaned against his centre of attention while he limped down the hallway with her, insurmountable fatigue still present in his system and increasing at a steady pace with every step that he took. He didn't say anything else, for he had already made known what he needed to.

They reached their quarters after a few minutes, the two rooms placed next to each other for convenience. Eight entered his own, his feet dragging against the ground while his armour began to shrink into itself until all that remained was a chest plate that he set down softly to the side, leaving the exotic man in the robes she had seen him wearing multiple times.

He gave her another butterfly kiss before finally deciding to let go of her hand and practically falling onto the standard-issue bed in the room. Shifting until he was on his side, he gave her a knowing look and weekly patted the empty space next to him in a silent invitation to repeat what they had done after Praesitlyn, the rare nap together after experiencing extreme physical or emotional trauma.

[member="Marriskcal Lati"]​

 

[Marriskcal Lati]

Praetorian Initiate
Equipment | Unarmed
Location | Eight's assigned quarters, On an unnamed Star Destroyer, Deep Space
Allies | [member="Eighth Guard"]

[SIZE=11pt]His warm breath against her skin and the soft kiss left her feeling like she was soaring. It was unfair, she thought, how effortlessly the other influenced her just with his existence. The words he uttered echoed through her mind and the rare unguarded smile he graced her with etched itself into her memory. While she has seen the many shades of his mirth and amusement over time, she has never seen one that was coloured by pure delight and joy. And the knowledge that it was something that she has elicited only suffused her with embarrassed pleasure.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]A small part of her whispered if this was a path she wanted to walk on, because if the blonde allowed him even deeper into her heart, it will be nigh impossible for her to extricate herself from him. And Marriskcal held enough self-awareness to know if she continued to persist down this course, it would be a path she would walk even if it lead to pain and heartache. But as they slowly made their way along the quiet corridors towards their quarters, with her eyes remaining rapt on their intertwined hands, she decided to be selfish for one of the rare times in her life. She wanted, how she wanted this, wherever it would take them ­– for better, or for worse.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Marriskcal helped Eight into his assigned quarters, her gaze watching his every movement with concern even when his armour began to retract. Without a need for her to maintain a veneer of stoicism in the privacy of his room, the initiate did not bother to reign in her impulses and stepped before Eight to brush her other hand against his side. Perhaps the older male sensed her unspoken worry, because he leaned in to give her another gentle kiss. Her heart fluttered once more and she was left lamenting the absence of his warmth when he fell into bed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]With a pleased curve to her lips at the silent invitation, the blonde began her own process of removing her armour, taking off the slim belt which held her lightsaber and knives as crimson plates slid and folded into itself. Catching the chest plate just as it fell, she placed all of her equipment against Eight’s own. Sitting down lightly on the narrow bed, a leg fully pressed against the side as continued to watch the older male, she pressed a hand to her chest, the bodyglove rippling as it changed into a similar robe.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Lifting both of her legs off the floor, she leaned over him, some of the stray tendrils of her hair falling out of the messy knot she wore and brushing against his face. Her right hand touched his chest lightly, her eyes intent on his own as she laced their presence together once more, a satisfied sigh escaping her. “Before we rest, [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]at least let me check you over for injuries.” Without allowing the Overlord to protest, Marriskcal’s own aura was already slowly spreading from her hand, soothing any soreness or light injuries it encountered.[/SIZE]

 

[Eighth Guard]

The Eighth Guard, Praetorian Overlord​

Equipment: Praetorian Armour​

Location: Deep Space, Unknown Destroyer's Hangar​

Status: Acknowledging Feelings​

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With begrudging acceptance, he allowed her to tend to his wounds with the Force, feeling her aura wash over him and rejuvenate his tired self. He stayed still for the duration, allowing any thoughts to come forth so he could address them until he finally determined that he had been healed adequately. When that point was inevitably reached, his sly smirk returned at the corner of his mouth as the man wrapped his arms around her again and pulled the young woman down onto the bed and closer to his chest, nuzzling her face with his beard in another uncharacteristic sign of affection, a record that had been broken for him multiple times that day.

His grip loosened to allow her to get comfortable, the waves of lethargy beginning to make his eyes droop slightly. In a final act of defiance, he let out a long sigh full of content, before giving her a last-minute kiss on her ear this time. It was strange how warm he was with her now that his feelings about her were out in the open, even relative to how open he was before. Not that he was complaining, though, he could learn to get used to this in time, after all, they would hopefully be together for a great period. Today had been a turning point for him, but he knew better than to believe that it would be the last.

Even as he yawned and let his eyes clamp shut, making sure to listen for if she spoke, he knew that this was only their beginning.

He had a good feeling about this.

 

[Marriskcal Lati]

Praetorian Initiate
Equipment | Unarmed
Location | Eight's assigned quarters, On an unnamed Star Destroyer, Deep Space
Allies | [member="Eighth Guard"]

[SIZE=11pt]As with every other time spent in each other’s presence, the silence that stretched the expanse between them was calming and comforting. It was inexplicable how their relationship has changed again and again, until it culminated into today. Marriskcal may not realise when her feelings for the older male has changed into something that was romantic, only that she has always adored and loved him in some shape and form since their fateful meeting on Skye. So lost was she in her thoughts, her mind chasing down the ephemeral trail of her musings that she did not notice the smirk forming on Eight’s features until he dragged her down.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]With a soft cry of surprise, the blonde found herself draped over his form, a blue eye closing as he nuzzled at her cheek. Marriskcal laughed brightly as the soft hair of his beard tickled her skin, playfully batting at his arm lightly. I love you, the thought came unbidden into her mind. Her smile turned gentle as he kissed her ear, even as his lids began to flutter from weariness and his fatigued body slowly relaxing beneath her as he surrendered to the trials of the day. A surge of warmth and affection welled up within her as she watched his breaths evening out and becoming deep in the embrace of slumber.

I can have this.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]I am allowed to have this.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]The young woman tilted her head back and pressed a soft kiss of her own to the underside of his jaw, before shifting carefully to lay her head down on his chest. The harrowing memory of almost losing the older male and the revelation of his own feelings for her was still echoing through her mind and she found herself unable to succumb as swiftly as the other. Closing her eyes nonetheless, Marriskcal placed a hand over his heart as she began to hum the tune of an unknown love ballad, its melody familiar to her only because she heard it tinkling often enough from the music box she has gotten from her homeworld of Bakura.[/SIZE]