Private Bittersweet Home, Emberlene

[Phalsi Drynchen]

There was a pause in his response when she spoke, a small snicker in her mind as she listened with a small rolling of her shoulders to keep from laughing.

"Were it anyone else I would have been concerned. My hair kinda makes me stand out though." She replied smartly. Hard to miss lime green in a sea of 'normal' colors in her mind.

She did in fact choose to linger, opening the door a bit more and settling in the frame while he posed his question.

"It's mine. But assignments will take me everywhere it sounds like. After I get beyond initiate rank anyway. Most in the meantime will be cooperative with the Silvers if they are further than the nearby system. Training will be the largest part." She offered, her hands coming together on her knees.

She idly picked at a nail pondering the later assignments.

"I'll let you know as much as I can when I got further than home though."

 

[Acaadi]

Those thoughts that weren't pieces of his imagination (that he was desperately trying to keep from being very visually expressed through the Force) turned to their work. If she was working with the Silvers then they could work together.

It wasn't something to talk about without giving it some serious thought, he decided. Her organisation was shrouded in secrecy so they probably didn't take requests. Deciding to try and spend more time together whilst at work was also very different from deciding to do so outside of it.

"That would be good. And I did follow your hair, " he replied. He looked towards that flash of colour through the frosted glass. Condensation blurring the picture even more.

"You have ranks?" he asked before imagination spiralled out of control again. "Are there lots of them or is that a secret?"

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

There was an amused look as she began to pick up on something that he was giving off, a slow turn of her head towards the shower now as he looked back to her. A raised brow his direction before chuckling to herself while letting it slide.

"It is pretty noticeable. Ought to change it up given I am supposed to be all secretive I guess." She mused. A hand errantly messing with a stray lock now that she was thinking about it.

"Sort of. It's only a few, namely just to keep everyone on the same page. About like the silvers really, just basic identifiers. Most everyone gets to know everyone by ability rather than rank." She offered, leaning her head against the frame. "So far I have been noted as being brash and reactive. Something that isn't exactly super sleuth material. Which is why they are pretty adamant about some special training and working with the silvers on this."

She twisted the lock of hair while she thought on her next words.

"I'll still be a part of the silvers, but also part of other groups by the sound of it. Cross training. Coordination. The large majority of the sisters work as mercenaries." The soft tone did little to hide the worry that began to bubble up.

 

[Acaadi]

"That's a shame about the hair," he said quite seriously. Having to lose her hair colour felt like having a part of her surpressed. Perhaps not quite as significant or permanent as if he was asked to have his tattoos removed, but the same kind of loss.

Acaadi still wasn't sure how he felt about the situation. It was easy to pick up on the fact that Phalsi wasn't either. It didn't seem as if his fears she was being strong armed into this were entirely right, but it was still a very sudden shift.

"I'm sure you'll do great at the training," he said. "Using the Force and being such a good slicer are already pretty rare talents."

"And, er, could you chuck a towel this way please?" he asked, turning off the shower.

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

"The hair's something that is negotiable, but the galaxy is a big place. Having two tone hair is kind of like sticking a tree in a flower garden." She offered with a wry smile. She let the lock go for the moment and looked up. It wouldn't be nearly as fun with the lack of individual identity, but then again, it would make blending in so much easier.

There was a slight turn towards him when he spoke again, a smile forming at his reassurance.

"Those two certainly help. Course, they didn't actively recruit force users before me because of the tendency for that light and dark split that the galaxy can never seem to avoid. Guess they are trying to get with the times finally." She joked before standing slowly. She thought for a moment on giving him a towel.

She tossed it just outside the easy reach of the door, pretending to slip out of view as she sat just on the other side of the cracked door.

"There you go." She informed him, keeping a tight rein on her emotions at that moment. He could however feel a heavy focus suddenly as she pictured herself pinching the corner of the towel in preparation.

 

[Acaadi]

"That's fair I suppose," Acaadi reasoned as he let himself drip dry just a little. "In a galaxy where humans have spread the most blending in is probably pretty useful."

Especially for Mystrals he guessed. It was a guess. He didn't really know what they would be having Phalsi doing. Something that got her close enough to danger to get a knife to the shoulder.

If they were working with the Silver Jedi it couldn't be too nefarious. He'd heard of silver shadows who did the work the Jedi order didn't advertise heavily.

The unsuspecting mirialan stepped out of the small cubicle. His mental capacity had shifted gears into a focus of self control, but the Force still provided a still tremor of warning. He mostly ignored it, having every intention of proceeding to towel off and head for the door.

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

"Blending in is pretty handy." She idly replied, patiently waiting before she spied him in that brief moment. The force pulled against the towel a half a meter out of his reach, drawing it away as she slipped out of sight before it stopped moving.

There was a small but sharp whistle as she disappeared from the doorway. No doubt off to actually begin washing his clothing.

"Of course, could see if they don't have some temporary dye also instead of permanently changing it." She called from the hallway, keeping her tone flat.

 

[Acaadi]

"I will come out there without the towel," Acaadi said. After the idle threat he picked it up and started to dry off.

This was fun. The touch of joy in his life spread out through the Force. He made no attempt to hide it. He reflected that having his head down and focused on achieving knighthood he had entirely neglected to actually enjoy life. His late teenage years had been spent with such discipline, particularly after the old group had broken apart.

"I guess if you dye it black you can't use temporary dyes to give it any colour," Acaadi said, mentally juggling the combinations of dyes. It was not a subject he had ever given any real thought to.

He emerged with towel in tact, wrapped about his waist but just below hips.

"Think the clothes will take long to sonic?" he asked. The tone was just a little too straight-laced, giving away the amusement he felt

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

There was a loud cackle to his threat. Amusement clearly filling the air as the sonic cleaner began its work. He commented on colors once more, and it made her pull at the stray lock once more.

Choices choices she mused to herself. She hadn't changed it in a while. Hadn't felt the need to. A sudden and strange realization that was slow to dawn on her. Why hadn't she changed it of late?

He emerged with the towel about him. Her brow rising slightly as she pulled on the force without intending to use it.

"I mean. You were absolutely filthy. It might take a little while." A strange blend of joy and something else flickering across her still open mind as she took a step towards him. Then another. A hand reached out, first pulling around his waist before she laughed and pushed him aside.

"You didn't use all the hot water right?" She moved past him now, the feelings still present and growing as she slowly strode to the bathroom.

 

[Acaadi]

Both eyesbrows shot upwards as he sensed the Force moving around her again. She wouldn't...

She didn't, but she seemed quote amused by herself as she approached him. Then she reached for him and Acaadi was quite certain he could feel his heart leap up to the back of his throat.

Acaadi let out a nervous bubble of laughter as she pushed him aside. There was a heady, nervous kind of energy building between them.

The mirialan turned around as she passed him, grinning like a fool. He took a half-step as if to follow before realising where she was going.

"Well, it was still hot when I finished," he replied, watching her a bit too carefully as she walked away from him.

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

Her trick had elicited cackling down the hall, a hand waving as if to disperse her amusement. A gusty sigh brought her laugh in with a lazy sashay down the hall. Both hands disappeared briefly as she tilted her head back and forth. She peeked over her shoulder at him with lidded eyes, turning into the door and out of sight, though a hand lingered on the frame.

"Good. You'll pay if there isn't. Oh, hey." A pause as a shifting came from the doorway. "Throw mine in too."

The shirt slid to the floor outside as the hand vanished. Then the shorts before the soft sound of water a while later broke the silence.

The drumming in her chest was anything but silent as she kept the screaming voice of excitement and panic in her head. The ease she was feeling was surprising. And sure, she knew she was mouthy at times, but she was wondering where this confidence was coming from. Her eyes were wide, head pressed against the shower wall as warm water fell from above.

Pump the brakes. Pump the brakes. Don't rush in. This is nice. Don't feth this up. She kept repeating to herself, to what affect she didn't know just yet.

"Pretty certain I can get something delivered by the way." She threw the suggestion out, pushing off the wall having convinced herself she had a measure of control and finally began to actually shower.

 

[Acaadi]

Was it an invitation to follow? He was certain that his heart going this far above its resting rate without any kind of exertion had to be bad for him. He'd pushed himself to, and beyond, his limits but couldn't remember this feeling at a dead standstill. He flexed his fingers, just to start moving again.

No, it had not been an invitation. He was just getting ahead of himself and needed to take a breath. If he could have heard the very similar thoughts passing through Phalsi's mind at the moment he would have been entirely surprised. Acaadi could be particularly stupid when it came to what other people were thinking.

He gathered up her clothes, trying not to let that simple act derail him.

"Yeah? What's good around here?" he called out. She had stood in the doorway to talk to him, so it stood to reason that he could do the same.

Half a second within line of sight of the cubicle and pale silhouette and Acaadi made a hasty retreat. He was going to need a sit down. Acaadi paused the sonic washer and dropped in Phalsi's clothes. It didn't restarted with the door shut and his scattered mind took far too long to find the button to start it humming again.,

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

The water was welcome as she closed her eyes, covering her face as she heard him speak from the doorway. The white noise of coherent thinking was present as she froze in the moment, reminding herself to breath before hearing the washer door open and close. Surprise had made her pause earlier, but indignation crept into its place all too quickly.

There was a slow turn, mouth ajar as she pondered why he had run. Thoughts passed through her mind as she failed to settle on a plausible reason for his quick escape as she called him back.

"Come stand by the door at least. I don't want to yell in my house." She hollered, wiping her eyes and peering through the glass expectantly.

 

[Acaadi]

Acaadi took a deep, calming breath. His nerves at this point to how he was going to stand with the towel without being rather obvious about what he was feeling. There really wasn't much he could do about that. He was mentally going in circles and finally decided that he might as well point his mind in the inevitable direction of travel.

"I was saying: what's good takeout around here?" he repeated from the doorway. He looked at his own feet for the span of two heartbeats before giving in and just letting his gaze go where it wanted to go.

"How's the hot water?" he asked, deciding on escalation. "We could have saved on it but would have been a squeeze."