Private A Visceral Coming To

[Sylvia Virtos]

Get Out Of My Head
Quinn Varanin
​

Floating out in space was boring, and Sylvia hated being bored. It brought the darkest of her thoughts to the surface and made her dwell on the mistakes she'd made. Worst of all, it made her think of her. She didn't want to even think of the name of that girl anymore. Any thought of her was a knife straight through the heart.

Why the feth is getting cleared for landing taking so fething long?

Sylvia tried focussing on her frustration instead of the other thoughts that tried to pop into her head as she paced back and forth behind the pilot's seat. Spark watched her while it sadly beeped; it had seen this happen countless times before and it rarely went away easily. The droid had tried cheering her up the first number of times it happened, but quickly learned it didn't help. Sylvia was alright as long as she was busy, but in moments like this it was nearly impossible to avoid the downward spiral. She had nobody left to talk to, nothing left to distract her. Not until she could land this Force-forsaken ship that somehow hadn't fallen apart yet.

Spark beeped again, now with an inquisitive tone. Sylvia sighed in response, coming to a halt and looking at her companion. "No, there really isn't- you know what? Fine. I know someone, alright. If that gets you to stop worrying."

In reality, the woman didn't even know if the line still worked. It had been over a year since she'd last spoken to the person in question, but after she ran from the Sith Empire she knew better than to keep in contact with anyone there. This was probably a big mistake.

But Sylvia was over it. All of it. She snatched her holodevice from the copilot seat and began typing. She was pretty sure the message would never reach its intended recipient, anyway.

sup princess
been a minute
lets talk
name a time and place
and please, no trying to kill/capture me
not in the mood for banthachit

Sylvia then tossed the device back onto the seat. It really didn't help, but it was worth the try.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Dromand Kaas -> Eshan //:
//: Sylvia Virtos //:

Quinn had kept to herself during the current days. She wasn’t one to venture out anymore. Sulking and planning Alina’s demise was what her day was filled with. Her comm device only chimed when her sister wanted to check-in or when her papa wanted to make sure she wasn’t inside her head. Brushing her hair softly, she looked at the device as it vibrated from a contact she didn’t think she’d ever heard from again. ​

The brush found its place on her vanity as she pulled it up and read through it quickly. In typical Sylvia fashion, she was short and to the point. Quinn scoffed as she saw the nickname and shook her head. Frowning, she decided not to answer, but she looked in the mirror as she finished getting ready. She looked cute today; for once, she felt good about how she looked. Vesta didn’t know what she left behind, but Quinn was starting to not care anymore. ​

Her typical dress with lace collar adorned her slender frame as she waltzed into the dormitories hallway. Like the past, she turned heads, and she didn’t give them the time of day. Instead, her attention was to the message on her device. She always liked Sylvia; it was why she teased the girl, she was one of the few that spit back, and it always made Quinn notice her. Shrugging, she figured this was just to reach out to someone or something. ​

She knew Sylvia defected, but Quinn could care less about that fact. Fingers moved quickly over the comm device as she messaged back quickly. ​

<Hello street rat, it has been awhile>​

Quinn paused as she tried to think of the girl that Sylvia had run off with or to, but she decided to not bring her up. The thought made her nose wrinkle with distaste. ​

<Sure, what do you want to talk about? How much you miss me? Hmm? I have no interest in capturing you - waste of time. Let’s meet on Eshan? Outside of the Empire Space. Few days?>​

Felt a bit of excitement, but she didn’t dare show it. ​

<See you then street rat ;3>​

With that, she made arrangements to arrive on Eshan and wait for the pink haired girl to arrive at the spaceport. ​

A few Days Later…​

Quinn waited, wearing something far beyond what she typically wore as her uniform. Instead, she decided to wear something more casual for meeting with Sylvia. It had been a while, but for some reason, she wanted to leave a good impression. Having already made her way through Noelle’s closet, she didn’t find much. After a few hours, she settled on an off the shoulder sweater and black skirt. Hands fidgeted with her skirt for a minute as she waited. ​

Why did she feel nervous? Was it because they hadn’t seen each other for some time? Either way, Quinn stopped her fidgeting and crossed her arms in front of her chest, and exhaled. Of course, the Street Rat would be late. ​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Bzzt...

With a surprised look Sylvia turned her head to the copilot seat. Spark floated over and began beeping as it saw who the messages were coming from, while the woman picked up the device to read them.

"I'll be damned..."

---

Sylvia's new occupation hadn't brought her to Eshan yet, making this her first time on the planet. She'd grown more accustomed to seeing new places and cultures now that she had escaped the Sith Empire's bubble, though that transition had come with its fair share of challenges. So much of what she had been made to believe turned out to be a lie and it took her quite some time to rid herself of all the wrong preconceptions she held. She still learned new things that were completely normal to the average person.

Of course, some things wouldn't change with this meeting. Sylvia took her sweet time getting out of her ship after landing, meaning she'd be late again. The sight of Quinn's impatience was ever priceless and quite frankly, something she had missed. the echani was the only one she'd ever been able to consistently trade jabs with without it escalating to a level of animosity that was uncomfortable, which had always surprised her. For a princess with a level of entitlement befitting one, Quinn was surprisingly good at taking and sending shots.

Eventually, though, Sylvia would finally arrive at the meeting area. It was difficult to miss her, with her freshly re-dyed hair to make the color pop. She had thought of wearing flannel beforehand, but decided on her favorite jacket in the end. Regret set in, though; it would definitely have elicited at least some sort of comment from the princess.

Despite how similar all echani looked, it was incredibly easy for Sylvia to pick Quinn out of the crowd. The way she had her arms crossed just screamed impatience to her. Sylvia threw up a peace sign as she approached.

"Long time no see, princess," she said in greeting. The comical emphasis on the word 'princess' hadn't been lost to time. "I half-expected you to either ghost me. That or have me ambushed. Did this little Rat find her way into your heart after all?" She flashed Quinn a cheeky grin.

"Anyway, how's it hanging? Still doing the whole Sith thing?"

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:

A heavy sigh as the humanoid girl with pink hair decided to make her way towards Quinn. She had taken long enough, and the typically punctual Echani was now late for the day’s plans. Though Quinn knew she should have fully expected this, maybe there was some growth in their time apart. A small inkling of happiness sparked in the deep recesses of the platinum-haired girl. The moment she realized that she was happy to see Sylvia, she quickly shook it off and returned to the cold-hearted princess, she was known to be. ​

Fingers brushed back an uncharacteristic loose strand of hair from her face as she looked over towards Sylvia. The girl had no care in the world; she was free and didn’t have to worry about the power struggle the Varanin girl found herself in. Arms tightened around herself as she raised an eyebrow, doing her best to seem unamused at the nickname. Sylvia thought it was funny, but Quinn wasn’t the biggest fan of Sylvia’s familiar tone she had with her. ​

Still, it was good to see Sylvia and the unnecessary need to hug her. Quinn hated this feeling, especially towards Sylvia. “Ghost you? I have more class than that, unlike you who decides to show up rather late.” Quinn chewed on her lower lip; she ignored the comment about her heart being opened to the street rat. Her heart was a mess, broken, shattered, and unforgiving. It longed for something that wasn’t there any longer. Even desperate, maybe, it wanted to reach out towards Syliva of all people. ​

“I am; I’ve met my new Master, Taeli Raaf.” There was a hint of distaste by saying the woman’s name. Quinn wasn’t fond of the treatment she received from the Sith Lord. She was used to fondness and having another fawn over her. Instead, Raaf’s plan was to require the princess to work. Quinn’s nose wrinkled as she wanted to snap quickly at Syliva, scolding her for bringing the subject up. ​

Instead, she started to walk out of the spaceport; she spoke to the spacer girl she waved for her to follow. “I’m tired of standing in the spaceport; I waited long enough for you. We’re going to a cafe nearby; I hope you’re hungry.” Pausing, she looked over her shoulder and smirked towards Sylvia. “You look like you don’t eat much, so I’m going to assume yes. So how has wandering the galaxy treated you,” Quinn paused and realized her nickname for the girl was irrelevant now. "Guess I should call you space rat instead then hmm?" ​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

The fact she was able to ignore all of her personal demons this easily by simply jesting at Quinn's expense felt strange to Sylvia, but she wasn't about to complain about it anytime soon. She had missed this, as much as she hated to admit that to herself. Still, a guilty pleasure was a pleasure nonetheless. Sylvia mused on the possibility that the echani had never been that bad, after all. She knew it could just as easily have been her loneliness talking, but her connection with Quinn had been the only one in her life so far that endured time apart. For now, there was no harm in catching up, she supposed.

"I am so incredibly sorry about that," Sylvia replied, a dramatic half-bow accompanying her award-winning apology act. "Spaceport security and spacers, it's rarely a good combination." While that was absolutely true, this time most of the delay was very much her own doing. Both of them knew that, but there was an ongoing act to keep up. Never would it be Sylvia's fault, according to her own words. Maybe one day she'd get tired of that running joke, but today was not that day.

Sylvia's act was dropped quite suddenly, though. She had seen how close Quinn had been to her now former master and hearing she had another teacher now came as a bit of a shock. It made her wonder what had happened, but knew from her own experiences that digging into it was probably a bad idea. Of course, there was always the chance the two simply decided to find her a new master to keep their relationship purely private, but she sure as the nether wasn't taking any risks by bringing it up.

"Isn't she one of the big ones? Not too surprising, I suppose," Sylvia remarked, though she noted the undertone in Quinn's voice. Personally, she'd come to strongly dislike the Sith altogether, and that was to put it mildly. Quinn never had been quite like the others, though. Leliana wasn't all too bad either, but she was definitely much more terrifying than the echani. The assassin absolutely could show up on her ship completely out of the blue one day and catch her off-guard, something that kept her up at night sometimes.

Quinn had had enough of standing around, though, and so she took off. Sylvia followed with a shrug; it was certainly possible she had skipped breakfast that day. Turned out the echani wasn't wrong in her judgment. There was no need to confirm or deny it, and so Sylvia left the statement where it was.

"It's a challenge sometimes, but it certainly beats the monotony of academy life," the pink-haired woman replied. Quinn didn't seem all too attached to the Sith empire, but Sylvia wasn't in the mood to endlessly bash the nation that had mistreated her. As such, her criticism remained mild. "Recently wrapped up a well-paying contract, so I have some breathing room. Even got myself a new ship."

On the other side, she regularly dealt with crippling loneliness and after living out of her ship for a while, she had grown to hate it. Nobody needed to know that, though.

"And yeah, I suppose Space Rat does make more sense," she added as she caught up to Quinn. Now that the fact they were getting a bite to eat was settling into Sylvia's mind, though, she felt her stomach beginning to rumble.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:

Quinn kept a pace that forced her a step or two ahead of Sylvia. The sarcasm from the Space rat made the typically high brow Echani smirk slightly. As much as Quinn wanted to fight it, she did enjoy having an old classmate with her. It had felt like a lifetime since she had seen the others. She knew that being so attached to Vesta had pushed her friends away, namely Leliana. Thinking about the assassin brought another pain to her heart, a different pain. As empty Vesta had left her, knowing that Leliana wasn't there to catch her when she fell hurt even more. ​

She had felt alone, but she knew at least with Noelle, and now Sylvia she wasn't. Turning her head slightly, she looked to the pink-haired spacer, who she suddenly slowed down for so that the girl could be at her side. With a nod, she answered her remark about Taeli Raaf. "She is." Pausing, Quinn bit her lower lip slightly and turned her amber gaze from Sylvia. "She's apparently part of the former Emperor's inner circle." Now Darth Prazitus was Emperor along with Joycelyn Zambrano, who was always the heir apparent. Things were changing heavily in the Empire, and she realized that she wasn't a significant player despite the last name. ​

"Vesta's father, he's Emperor now." Quinn tried to stay neutral with her voice but even saying the girl's name hurt her. A soft smile, something so rare that Sylvia had probably never had seen it. "Good changes with the Empire, but it's not perfect." She shrugged as they arrived at the front of the small cafe by the spaceport. There was a short line, but the Echani waited patiently and turned towards her companion. She had a feeling why Sylvia left, so she decided to try and bring closure to their issues. ​

"I'm sorry, by the way. I shouldn't have treated you like I had." Apologizing wasn't Quinn Varanin's strong suit, but she tried. Her porcelain cheeks blushed slightly as she kept her glance away from Sylvia, not wanting to give away too much. "I've always been fond of you, you're stubborn, but you always keep trying. So, yes. I'm sorry." They moved up the line, and Quinn kept her arms crossed in front of her chest as she looked down and kicked a small pebble on the street that had rested against her oxford style shoe. ​

"With Vesta gone, things have been lonely, so it was nice hearing from you again."​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Suddenly pulling away from the empire and those within it had felt right at the time. Sylvia knew how to easily convince herself that nobody really cared about her, which made packing up her things and vanishing even possible to justify. Too much had happened, and the last strand that had kept her connected was snapped in the most painful way possible. She had wanted to be alone, but when she got her wish, she learned how crushing it could be. For some time she preferred it over the oppressive empire pressing down on her, but now she was glad to be able to at least share a connection with someone again. Even if it was someone she used to be quite hostile with. They had changed, the both of them. If it was for the better was up for debate.

The news that Carnifex was no longer the emperor surprised Sylvia, though. She had kept her ears closed to any and all news from that side of the galaxy, so she had missed the succession. He had seemed unassailable, but it seemed much had changed since her departure. Not just her and Quinn, but the empire itself as well. It didn't give her any reason to return though, even if she could have. The Sith had hurt her enough, but shockingly, she found herself willing to listen to Quinn. While she herself was never going back, it was still somewhat of a home to the echani. The least Sylvia could do was lend an ear.

The woman wanted to say her piece on the topic, but what Quinn said next froze her in place for a moment. It was a word she had never expected to hear from her, but there it was. The echani had changed, indeed. Only when the line shortened a little was she reminded to come to her senses. "I..." Sylvia struggled to find the right words to say. Nobody ever apologized to her, only she had ever done that. Quinn was the last person she had expected it from. She had cared more about Sylvia than the magenta-haired woman thought.

A princess apologizing to a spacer. This meeting had already gone completely differently than what Sylvia expected beforehand.

"We're all good. Things were complicated in that Force-forsaken Netherhole of an academy, and that caused tensions." The fact that Quinn was the only person beyond her who Sylvia was able to be herself around felt ironic, somehow. Still, as long as the echani didn't mind sharing a connection with a defector she was more than happy to stick around. "And I guess I should apologize too. I always enjoyed our quips, but I did take it too far at times," Sylvia ultimately admitted. Her surroundings hadn't brought the best out of her.

When Quinn revealed that Vesta was gone, things began to click in Sylvia's mind. The spacer wasn't the only one who had to go through loss; perhaps the Force had brought them together.

"Vesta?" Sylvia sounded shocked. The last time she had seen the two together, they looked inseparable. "I'm so sorry to hear that. It hurts, doesn't it? I... yeah. If you need anything from me, well, you know." Being vulnerable was scary, but Quinn always managed to bring out that side of her in moments like this somehow. "I'm glad I took the chance by messaging you."

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:

Quinn relaxed, hearing that everything was okay; a part of her needed to hear that a grudge wasn't held. The mutual apology was appreciated because it caused Quinn's porcelain doll-like cheeks to turn a soft rose color. She hadn't expected a response like that. She never found Sylvia's retorts ever bad; in a sense, Quinn enjoyed the fire it created in her. People were so used to bending over backward for the Varanin girl. No one ever answered back, fought back, or told her no, not even Vesta. The Zambrano heir tried to be stern, but Quinn knew what buttons to push and what strings to pull to make the Zambrano worship her. ​

Eyes fell slightly as she looked at her feet for a moment; maybe she was the reason Vesta left, pulled away, and abandoned her. The excuse might have been just that - a means to get away from her. Sylvia's words muffled against the girl's ears as she found herself being swallowed up again by the self-inflicted pain. Though Sylvia mentioned Vesta's name, Quinn snapped out of it and looked towards the girl. ​

"It's okay." She would leave it and not answer the questions that followed, but the way the Spacer spoke it was as if she had experienced something similar. An eyebrow raised as she wondered if it had to do with the girl that would often protect Sylvia when they were younger. Quinn turned her head away from Sylvia as they were now the first in line. The woman at the counter blinked quickly as she recognized Quinn quickly and flustered. ​

"Princess, I'm so sorry, why - why did you wait in line come this way, please." Quinn, suddenly slightly embarrassed, waved her hand towards the woman to let her know everything was fine. "It's okay. I was catching up with my companion - I'm okay with waiting." Quinn followed the girl and waved Sylvia to follow. They were settled into a small booth, and Quinn ordered for the pair of them, tea and some fruit juice, and some sweets for them to share. Quinn was used to taking the lead, but she remembered Sylvia wasn't one of the Echani girls she hung out with. The ones that praised everything Quinn did in hopes of gaining favor for their family. ​

"Sorry. It's a habit." Leaning back into the booth, it was in the quieter area of the busy cafe. Soft blue hues and cloud-like art adorned the walls of the restaurant. The booth was cozy and intimate, cut off almost from the world. Quinn could feel her mind find some sense of ease as she shrugged. "It does." She finally answered Sylvia's question about it hurting. Quinn had sat closer to Sylvia than she would have done so beforehand. ​

"It hurts more than anything I've ever felt. I don't know how I wake up the next day, but it's getting easier, I guess, time is supposed to heal, right?" It was apparent in the inflection in her voice that Quinn was far from a believer of that remark. Time only made the heartache more, but it was getting easier to deal with that ache. "Just be with me for now. I'm tired of being alone." ​

Tea and juice arrived, along with an assortment of cookies and sweets. The Echani smiled and scooted closer to Sylvia, using the treat's arrival as a cover. "I'm glad you messaged me as well; having you here makes me feel like my life is somewhat normal, I guess." Quinn shrugged, "Reminds me of a time where I was happy - never thought I'd ever admitted to you making me happy, Space Mouse." A soft giggle as she poured the tea for both of them. "So tell me about space; your life sounds interesting." The same soft smile that Quinn had in line spread across her face again.​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

It felt strange to care about someone. In the past, Sylvia had been nearly universally hated and that had left her bitter. She embraced the role of antagonist to many people and at first, it felt like it was much the same way with Quinn. Sylvia's uphill battle to find a place within the academy blinded her to the fact that the pushback she gave was actually appreciated by the echani. She always enjoyed her back-and-forths with Quinn, but never thought about how the princess felt about them. Maybe something good had come out of it yet.

Their conversation was interrupted then, when one of the cafe's employees recognized Quinn. The two were almost immediately given a quiet place to sit and Sylvia couldn't help but be amused by how a lowly spacer was given this treatment. Quinn was used to it, no doubt, the thought making her realize just how different their lives were. Yet, here they were. Together. "Given preferential treatment at a cafe. I can cross that off my bucket list," Sylvia remarked with a soft chuckle.

While Sylvia took her seat, Quinn was quick to order. The waitress took off before she was able to get her own order in, though. "Hey-" she called out, but by the time she spoke up the waitress was too far away. Sylvia recalled what Quinn had ordered exactly and realized what happened, but the echani's apology put it into perspective. "I'll let it slide, this time," the spacer jested. She found the moment humorous, but definitely wasn't looking to have that happen to her again.

Quinn had come to sit quite close to Sylvia, something that hadn't gone unnoticed. As odd as it was to her, though, it felt nice. Sylvia hadn't felt much of a connection with anyone in so long, but Quinn was filling that void. Perhaps it was time to let someone get close to her again emotionally, take that chance. She was done with the crippling loneliness, something she felt within Quinn as well when she spoke up again. The echani was hurting too. It felt like they needed each other, something Quinn confirmed with her words. "I'm not going anywhere," Sylvia affirmed. She needed this just as much as Quinn did, even if she didn't say that out loud. Seeing this side of Quinn was a new experience.

"You're not half bad either, princess," Sylvia replied. "Who knew you had a soft spot?"

She couldn't resist the quip.

"I guess being a spacer is interesting," Sylvia explained before taking a careful sip of her tea. "You have a lot of freedom to pick your own work, there's quite a bit out there." It was a far cry from life at the academy. It wasn't as amazing as it looked from the outside, though. It wasn't all action and adventure. "I visit a lot of worlds, but then again, I don't get further than the spaceport most of the time. From one job to another, you know?" It was hectic and although Sylvia enjoyed that, it was also tiring. "I got lucky with a recent job, but the pay isn't the greatest. It's a struggle sometimes. Maybe once my name gets out there that'll become less of an issue."

Sylvia sighed. "And it gets really lonely, sitting alone in your ship most of the time. Thankfully I still have Spark, I probably would've gone mad otherwise." That loneliness was the very reason she'd messaged Quinn in the first place.

"By the way, I noticed what you've been doing the last few minutes," the magenta-haired woman said amusedly. In response, she scooted up a little closer herself. "Two can play that game."

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:

Quinn shook her head lightly as she added a cube of sugar to her tea and slowly stirred the dark liquid as she listened to Sylvia’s tales of being a spacer. The quip about her soft spot wasn’t missed. “I’m not as cold-hearted as most like to believe, you know.” ​

It was pleasant to hear that she had avoided entirely the war that plagued the Empire. Two fronts they fought on, possibly three from what she understood. One was ongoing against the New Imperial Order, another against the Silver Jedi, and lastly, the Bryn’adul. The latter two seemingly faded away. A part of her was happy the fight with the Conclave had quieted down. It was difficult knowing that her sister was caught in the middle along with their home. Quinn wished for Eshan to be free, but a part of her knew the world was better off with the Conclave’s influence. ​

Her sister was safe. ​

Bringing the teacup to her lips, the well mannered Princess took small sips and then set the cup back down. Her hands remained around the porcelain cup as she kept her hands warm. Legs crossed under the table, she realized how close she had gotten to Sylvia. The Echani was surprised she hadn’t moved away, but Quinn decided not to chance it farther. Was she trying to reach out to Sylvia because she was part of the familiar past? Or was there something more? Quinn remembered picking fights with the magenta haired girl just to get attention, such a silly way to go about things when she thought about it. ​

“Sounds like it’s interesting but lonely. Jobs must be scarce because of the wars. No one wants to go to certain parts of the galaxy because of it. I know it’s been hard for my sister to get supplies and things that Eshan needs as imports.” There was more to being who she was beyond the pretty clothes and privileged attitude. Quinn helped as much as she could with the government of Eshan, but she was just secondary to her slightly older sister, who had taken the mantle after their mother passed. ​

Quinn went to continue the conversation about Eshan and the goings and comings. Mostly to see if Sylvia was going to be sticking around to the area. Maybe she could get her a semi-frequent job transporting for the planet, but Sylvia did something that Quinn hadn’t been expecting. They were close in proximity, probably more intimate than any guard would have liked, but Quinn had dismissed them before meeting with Sylvia. The girl’s movements and comment about noticing the way Quinn kept them close threw the Echani off. Their legs touching now, and Quinn felt the fluster nearly choke her as she ate one of the small cookies. ​

“Oh,” It was all she could saw as she took a sip of her tea, trying to take a moment to regain her composure and poise. Amber eyes glanced towards Sylvia from the side of the cup as she sipped. Quinn enjoyed the closeness. It had been some time since someone besides her sister was close to her like this. Shifting slightly in her seat, Quinn didn’t shy away from the closeness like she probably should have. Instead, the foot of her crossed leg brushed gently against Sylvia’s leg slowly. Quinn focused on the tea as she lowered her voice and let her silver hair fall against her face. She leaned on the table and ran her finger slowly around the rim of the teacup. ​

“Sylvia, what are you doing? Why are you indulging this? Don’t you have someone?” Quinn remembered how the other girl spoke of being lonely, but what about that girl? The one that Sylvia had been around while they were in school? She hadn’t mentioned her, but Quinn remembered how they were in school and how Sylvia was. A hand brushed back her hair slightly as she sighed softly. ​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Though Sylvia certainly had choices when it came to the work she picked up, there was a lot she tended to avoid. The spacer life could be risky enough as it was and she wasn't looking to get herself stuck in a warzone. With the entirety of Sith Empire space being off-limits for her as well, it did eliminate quite a bit of work. "I try to avoid the riskier areas as much as possible, but there's a lot of competition for other jobs. And when you don't have a reputation, well..." Sometimes, she simply didn't have much of a choice. Thankfully she hadn't gotten stranded on a war-torn planet yet, but she would grasp any opportunity for safer work.

Having scooted up closer, though, it was easy to notice Quinn's flustered reaction and all Sylvia could think of was how cute she looked that way. It was a side of the echani she hadn't seen before, but one she liked. Sylvia hadn't expected this meeting to go this way even remotely, but after discounting all the signals from her all that time ago and regretting it, she wasn't going to let that happen again. Only for a second after getting closer did Sylvia fear she had misread the situation, but the way Quinn acted afterwards told her more than enough. The door had been left open and the spacer wasn't going to let it fall shut right before her eyes.

While she noticed Quinn placing her focus on the teacup in front of her, Sylvia was much more nonchalant about taking one of the sweets and popping it into her mouth. She savored the sugary treat, the taste reminding her of when she was younger. It had been years since she had eaten one of these, long before her defection. When times were so much simpler. The feeling it gave her paled in comparison to the heartbeat-quickening closeness to Quinn, though. It brought Sylvia a level of comfort since the one night she wanted to forget. The night where she made the wrong choice by not acting. It had become a lesson, one she wasn't forgetting now.

The question Quinn asked her forced Sylvia to think of the other person in that memory, though. The nonchalant look on her face faded and she looked down to her lap, taking the steadiest breaths she could take to keep her voice from wavering. "I know who you mean," she remarked quietly before biting down on the piece of candy and swallowing it. "I don't really want to talk about it. It never went as far as you think, and she's gone now." She sniffed, but only once. Regaining her composure, she lifted her head back up.

"You left the door wide open, too. How could I not?" As much as Sylvia enjoyed rebelling against Quinn's tendencies, in that moment she felt very much compelled to go along with the echani's actions. Perhaps there was more at play than either of them had realized until now, but neither seemed to want to back away. Sylvia carefully picked up her teacup and softly blew away the steam before taking a small sip.

"I'll be here with you for as long as you want me to."

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Quinn Varanin //:

Quinn listened intently as her finger continued to circle the rim of the teacup. It was easier to focus on the liquid as it shifted with the mild vibrations of her touch. The indication of what had happened between Sylvia and the other girl made Quinn sight softly. It seemed their pain was far more similar than she would have liked it. She picked up her cup and sipped it softly as she let the Spacer finish. The word she spoke at the end of it all made her wonder. ​

“I’d like that,” She spoke quietly. The cup once more found its place on the table. Quinn glanced around the room for a moment, seeing that the hostess had kept the room they were in was reasonably empty. The last thing Quinn wanted was anything she was doing to be made public. She was the Princess of this planet, someone that the Echani had grown to know since she was born. Behavior was everything, and Quinn knew she needed to behave in a moment like this despite the challenge presented to her. ​

Sylvia knew what buttons to push, even if she wasn’t fully aware of what buttons she was pushing. The closeness and the comment challenged the competitive Echani. Her lips curled into her typical mischievous smirk as she leaned back into the booth once more, feeling oddly at ease. While her foot continued to brush slowly against the other girl’s calf, her hand moved carefully and placed itself on Sylvia’s thigh closer to her knee. ​

“I don’t think you want to play this game with me, Sylvia.” The Echani finally looked to her companion as she leaned closer and brushed her words carefully and quietly against Sylvia’s ear. “I don’t play fair.” She leaned away slightly as her hand slowly moved up the Spacer’s thigh. Quinn was experienced, and she knew what to do when she wanted something, but a part of her wondered if she should be doing it with Sylvia. The girl was a traitor—someone that turned her back on the Empire and all of her friends for one person. ​

For a brief moment, the magenta haired Spacer reminded the Echani of Vesta, and Quinn felt the hitch in her breathing but ignored it and pushed aside any thought of the Zambrano that abandoned her. ​

She was no longer important.​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Sylvia had been reasonably composed until now. Talking about her showed a crack in her defenses and her admission of loneliness was a piece of vulnerability she rarely showed, but her emotions had been kept in check. With Quinn, things were often a game, one Sylvia enjoyed playing and had gotten quite good at. Back in the academy days, she prided herself for being perhaps the only one who knew how to even play against the echani, or had the guts to. Back then the prize was simply the joy of getting under Quinn's skin, but now the game had changed. This was unknown territory, one where the princess had the upper hand.

Sylvia tried to blame the sip of tea for the fact she felt herself heating up, but she was perfectly aware of what was going on. The hand she felt on her thigh made her cheeks turn a blazing red. Quinn's words made it clear this was a losing game, but for once Sylvia didn't mind it. She'd let it happen, this time. There was little she could do while her heart was beating out of her chest, anyway. Whatever happened next was for Quinn to know and for her to merely guess. "Sometimes all is fair, Quinn," Sylvia's reply sounded, an open invitation. Not every battle needed to be won.

Then, the hand moved up. Never before had something so simple caused so much chaos within Sylvia's mind. For a moment she was left breathless, the world around her began to blur together, and all that existed were Quinn and herself. Even she became obscured in the recesses of her mind and slowly faded out. Even if it was just for the moment, she could forget.

Whatever the echani had done, it had reached her to her core. She had never seen this new game coming and now Quinn had finally managed to wrap Sylvia around her finger. "I'll admit, you're winning," she whispered back as she turned to look Quinn in the eye. Inexperience had gotten the better of her.

"It took you long enough."

It was said with a shaky voice, but even when Quinn had pierced Sylvia's defenses, she could still quip back. Her hand found its way to Quinn's as it rested on her thigh, placing it on top of the echani's and locking her fingers inbetween those of Quinn. "What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?" she asked almost tauntingly.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:

The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. Like her Mother, Quinn Varanin was a powerful empath. She felt the brewing storm she had helped create within Sylvia. It had surprised her more than anything. Since the Spacer had seemed so calm and collected just a moment before this. Growing up, she assumed Sylvia would always be too stubborn and too distant to be drawn to her, but here she was. Quinn had pushed the right buttons, and even despite the storm, Sylvia was able to quip back. ​

It widened the smile on the Echani’s face as she watched and listened to her companion. Hearing that she was winning both disappointed the girl and made her happy. She loved winning but wanted more from the Spacer Rat. The fire and the passion that she always retorted with was something Quinn found herself craving. It was why she sought the girl out in their school days; something about the denial was addicting. Still, the shift in their dynamic pushed Quinn forward. ​

Her hand slid over Sylvia’s hand, back and forth, fingers tightening against the fingertips that tried to lace with hers. Amber eyes never looking away as she let them gaze over the delicate face of her friend. Sylvia had a hard life, but her face wasn’t ruined by it. Quinn felt as if she was looking at the girl for the first time, noticing little things, like how her face revealed everything she was feeling, how softly the way her hair rested against her forehead. Quinn, for just a moment, let herself go. ​

Touch. ​

Fingertips of the Echani Princess’s free hand caressed softly along the lining of Sylvia’s face. She could feel her through the Force and now physically. “I like winning; you shouldn’t let me know that I am, though.” The smile faded into a devilish smirk, a dangerous one for the Space Mouse. “Are you sure you can handle what else I can give you?” An eyebrow raised as she leaned closer, their faces close enough that Sylvia could catch the delicate sweet floral fragrance Quinn wore. ​

“Tell me what you want, Sylvia. I can make you feel less alone, I promise.” Her voice quiet as she let her words linger just as she hovered so close to the girl. If she moved any closer, their lips would touch, but at the last moment, she pulled away, letting her thumb brush against the young Technomancer’s lips, pulling the bottom lip down slightly as she let go. ​

Quinn pulled away, her hand leaving Sylvia’s lap and returning to the table where she occupied her hands with the tea that was starting to cool down. Quinn watched the other girl from the corner of her eyes, waiting to see what would happen next.​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Sylvia would become familiar with this feeling eventually, but this was the first experience. The one she'd never forget, but also one she had tried to navigate carefully. Quinn on the other hand knew exactly what she was doing to her, but despite that, Sylvia wasn't afraid. If this was how their game was like now, she'd have to learn how to play it. One had to lose before they could win and take risks along the way. Right now, though, everything was done on instinct. The fingertips that carefully caressed Sylvia's face could've very well made her lose her mind. She seemed emotionally defenseless in that moment, completely unable to think straight anymore.

But then, Quinn's words pierced through her mind and a burst of clarity broke up the haze of her emotions. As enthralled as she still was, the echani's smirk showed her that the game was still a familiar enough one. Sylvia was still herself, and so was Quinn. It was a realization that could give her a fighting chance, but Quinn wouldn't make it easy. The princess leaned in even closer, a move that made it abundantly clear that she was still in control. Sylvia felt a shiver run down her spine as the distance between them was reduced to a hair's breadth, but that's as far as Quinn let it go. The lingering feeling of the echani's thumb against her lower lip had her craving for something she'd never had before. She wasn't going to let it slip away that easily.

"How about I show you, instead?"

Quinn had let up, loosened her grip on Sylvia's emotions. At the same time, she had shown the magenta-haired girl something she wanted. Her head was still on fire, but the desire that had been planted into her simply couldn't be denied. Her hand reached out to cup the echani's chin and she carefully turned the girl's head back towards her own. This time, it was Sylvia who took the initiative. Perhaps this was exactly what Quinn had wanted from her, but she didn't care. She wanted it too. Perhaps for once, they could both win.

Sylvia leaned in, her eyes filled with intent as she brought their lips as close as they had been before. She closed her eyes, and breached through the barrier that had kept her back in the past, confidently planting her lips onto Quinn's. A sensation she couldn't describe overcame her, but what she did know was that it was exactly what she had needed all this time.

When Sylvia pulled away and let go of the echani's chin, a smirk crept into her features. As she adjusted to this dynamic, the old Rat was slowly coming back to the surface. The girl wondered how she had previously struggled with something that seemed so simple, now that she had done it. "Was that clear enough?"

Her intentions were all out on the table now. Sylvia knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted Quinn, and nobody else.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:
//: Lightning in a Bottle //:

It seemed Sylvia had grown a stronger backbone in her time away from the Academy. Quinn had figured the girl to be a puddle of mush after the little tease she had given her. There was no expectation for the girl to react the way she did; Quinn was fully prepared to pepper along with the affection till Sylvia exploded. Yet, she was here surprised for one of the first times in her life. Her attention had entirely been on her tea; she had let her mind wander to a few things; she questioned her actions, knowing that Sylvia was hurting like her. It could have been a possibility, but Quinn had written that possibility off some time ago. ​

Sylvia spoke, and Quinn felt pulled from the brief moment of thought. A slender eyebrow rose as she tried to process the short, but rather direct response the magenta haired girl beside her spoke. Quinn brushed it off until she felt the tender touch against her chin, drawing her attention. The young princess felt her face burning, the energy from just the touch from Sylvia’s hand coursed through her body. “Sylvia…?” Black stained lips moved, whispering the other’s name as she drew closer. ​

A kiss. ​

Their lips touched, and Quinn hesitated for just a moment and then closed her eyes softly. As the Echani allowed herself to melt into the kiss, it was over. Sylvia had pulled away, ending the moment far too soon, and Quinn caught her breath and composure. Where had this confidence come from? Quinn quickly looked away and focused once more on her tea and listened to Sylvia gloat slightly. Quinn slowly felt the upper hand slip from her grasp as she wanted to shout at her rapidly beating heart. ​

Of all people to give her this reaction, it had to be the Space Rat, but Quinn would complain only to protect herself. Looking at Sylvia from the corner of her eyes, she examined the girl who was quite proud of herself. It was an innocent kiss, one that was reserved for testing the waters and the first time. Quinn wanted the upper hand back, so she shifted in her seat and smirked. “It was clear and quite cute. I didn’t expect that you could be both of those things.” Quinn quickly grabbed the collar of the jacket and pulled Sylvia to her. “But let me show you how to really do it.” Her words were quiet, reserved only for the girl. ​

Once more, their lips met, crashing into each other. The electric feeling Quinn hadn’t felt in so long coursed through her again. Her head moved, leaning more into Sylvia as her hand moved from the girl’s collar and to her face. She held her there as the kiss deepened, giving Sylvia another new experience. Losing herself one more in the kiss, a hand moved up the girl’s cheek and into her magenta hair, holding and keeping her in the kiss. ​

Quinn would never admit it, but she had always wondered what Sylvia’s lips tasted like. ​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

I wanna do more than talk
​

There had been a chance that Quinn would've rejected her. That despite the signals looking all too clear and obvious, it truly had been nothing but a game to the echani. That tiny speck of doubt still coursed through Sylvia's mind, hidden behind the smirk that Quinn knew so well. She watched the princess look away and in that short moment, she couldn't feel her heartbeat. Her sabacc face just barely held, but barely was enough. Even if it ended here, Sylvia had done what her heart told her to. There would be no regrets about today, no matter what happened next. Quinn's course of action made it very clear that the one kiss was far from the end, though.

Sylvia wanted to respond to the echani's comment, how she was so flattered, ask how Quinn managed to find a Rat like her cute, but the words were knocked right out of her when she felt a tug on the collar of her jacket. The echani wanted more, and Sylvia was in no state to object. That didn't make a lick of difference, anyway; even in a state of complete clarity she would've let it all happen. Quinn went in for a second kiss, somehow with even more intent than Sylvia had shown through the first. The spacer thought the feeling that washed over her was panic at first, her eyes going wide in shock at the move. As she felt the tug on her jacket's collar loosen, though, she found herself shutting her eyes and letting go of all resistance.

Quinn had truly and well won, now. Sylvia had put up a fight, but the unknown had given the echani too much of an advantage. She felt the hand moving further up, from her cheek to her hair. There was nowhere she could go, but at the same time there was no other place she wanted to be than right here. Quinn had the spacer in the palm of her hand and the only thing Sylvia could do now was to pour all she had left in her into their kiss. The taste turned her thoughts into incoherent nonsense, but she had just enough control over her own body to wrap her arms around Quinn behind her neck.

If the echani wanted to show how it was really done, Sylvia was ready to go along with all of it. The feeling that coursed through her entire body was unlike anything else she'd ever experienced, and she couldn't get enough of it.

A single day had shifted their dynamic completely.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:

Feeling the reciprocation and the yielding from the other girl, Quinn couldn’t help her smile against the kiss. Having forgotten they were in a public café, Quinn pulled away slightly and kissed the corner of Syliva’s lips as she ventured to kiss the curve of her face. An amber eye opened as she peered around and remembered the café, then pulled away quickly. It had been fortunate that the hostess had assumed the Echani Princess had wanted privacy and had blocked off half the café for Quinn and her companion. If they had been in a more public area, the girl knew more eyes would have been on them. ​

Scandalous. ​

A finger trailed from the corner of Quinn’s lips, drawing against the tenderness of her slightly smudged black lipstick. A smile continued to spread across her porcelain face as she bit the tip of her finger as she looked towards Sylvia carefully as if she was a new toy. “I think I’ll keep you.” It was all she said for a few minutes as she finished her tea, as her blushed face calmed. ​

She pulled out credits, placed them on the table, and then let Sylvia become her focus once more. Quinn leaned in slowly, brushing their cheeks close as her lips kissed just before the girl’s ear. Her voice low again, “Make me feel again, Sylvia.” The whisper, full of heat and desire, brushed against Sylvia’s ear as Quinn pulled away and stood from the booth. She stood waiting while she fixed her lipstick. It didn’t take long, but the girl ran her hands over the bottom of her dress, fixing it, and just over her shoulder, her eyes met the object of her affection for a brief moment - almost commanding her to follow. ​

Quinn began to walk out of the cafe heading out into the streets where a car awaited the pair. There had been plans for their outing for the day, but the princess had decided that they could wait. Something more adventurous was on her mind, and she hoped Syliva was more than open to it.​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Sylvia felt like she could breathe again when Quinn pulled away from her lips, but they were staggered. It took a moment to recover from the havoc Quinn had just caused within her, but the echani wasn't letting up fully right away. Sylvia's arms fell to the sides of the other woman and were pulled back, after which Quinn planted the final kiss and backed away. Even though things had escalated step by step, to the spacer it felt like it all happened at once. She had been completely overwhelmed, but for once she was okay with that. There was something exciting about getting thrown into the deep. She'd learn how to swim before she drowned. The last thing she wanted was to remain helpless to Quinn's actions.

With a heaving chest Sylvia kept her gaze affixed to Quinn as she was being appraised, a kind of look she had never received from the echani before. Quinn's words were exactly what she needed to get a grip on herself, though. They were something to bite back against, even if it was all still part of the same game. She smirked in defiance, even if she was nothing but defenseless today. "Spacers are free. You don't 'keep' them," Sylvia remarked, emphasizing the word that had sparked the response in the first place. "I'll stick around for now, though." The tea had cooled off by now and so she was able to take a larger sip this time.

Some time passed in silence, allowing Sylvia to finish her tea and calm herself down somewhat. The butterflies in her stomach refused to cease and the past few minutes kept replaying in her mind, but she was able to regulate her breathing again and regained some clarity. This was all really happening, even though part of her was convinced it was all a strange dream.

Quinn wouldn't let that clarity last long. The echani leaned into Sylvia again and the moment she planted her lips just below the spacer's ear, it felt red-hot. The whispering voice simply pushed Sylvia over the edge again. Before Quinn pulled away and got to her feet, she would receive an answer. "I will, if you make me forget." The past needed to stay there and Quinn's touch kept it away. Sylvia took a final sip of her tea before standing up herself and joining her side, knowing full well she was doing exactly as the echani wanted and yet, she didn't care.

As they approached the car, Sylvia glanced towards Quinn with an inquisitive look. "You had things all planned out, huh. Did I throw things off?" she asked, smirking. Even if the first first move was made by Quinn, Sylvia did cause things to escalate.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Sylvia Virtos //:

Quinn was leaning over the door and into the window slightly as she spoke to the driver of the speeder. She glanced over her shoulder towards the Spacer as she smirked. "A little, but I prefer what we're going to do instead." Quinn's attention was pulled back to the driver who spoke to her again; he seemed hesitant about the plans' change. The Princess had her ways, though, and the man quickly agreed to follow her orders. ​

​

A wave summoned Sylvia over, and the driver let the pair into the car. Quinn moved into the speeder first and then waited for Sylvia to climb inside. After everyone was secure, the speeder took off, and Quinn kept her attention at the window. Their ride back was going to take some time because of how Spencer Varanin had designed the new capital and the palace's location. ​

​

Silence filled the cab of the speeder. While Quinn was quite content to ride in peace, she wanted to play with Sylvia a bit more. Looking over at the magenta-haired girl, Quinn smiled and unbuckled herself from her seat. The driver moved to open his mouth, but Quinn shot him a look that ensured his silence. ​

​

Quinn carefully hooked her leg over Sylvia's lap, "So Spacer's are free? Are you sure you're not interested in being mine?" As Quinn spoke, she caressed Sylvia's cheek carefully with the back of her fingers. "I promise I'll make you forget. I have my ways." Quinn whispered softly as she leaned against the girl, a moment of weakness as the Princess sought physical touch as she rested her head against the other's shoulder. Nuzzling softly, Quinn kissed the curve of Sylvia's neck briefly and then relaxed into her new seat for the ride. A part of her wondered if this was what Sylvia wanted, as much as Quinn was the type to push her agenda - there was a hint of hesitation wondering if Sylvia even knew what was happening. Despite that, Quinn knew what she wanted and right now that was a relief that Sylvia could only provide. ​

​

The princess wanted to desperately forget the other, the one that made her feel safe and pulled her away from the despair of losing her mother. The relationship might have been cursed from the start, mostly since both of their mothers were murderers. Quinn continued to settle as she began to nuzzle against the Spacer again, a hand finding its way under the jacket and pulling slightly at the fabric of Sylvia's shirt. ​

​

This wasn't what she had initially planned, but it was better than trying to play tour guide to the Space Rat.​