Private Elysian Waters [Makai Dashiell & Nouqai Veil]

[Balun Dashiell]

He almost didn't realize it at first—it felt so effortless, like two halves naturally merging into a whole. His attention had been focused on Makai, making sure his brother didn't feel like an outsider or regret bringing them along. But then, he felt Nouqai's fingers slip into his, her touch both gentle and grounding. Her fingers laced with his, and for a heartbeat, his breath hitched. The quiet intensity of the moment washed over him, a silent acknowledgment of the closeness that had blossomed between them.

Before he could return the small gesture, she had already let go, flashing him a smile and suggesting they head for the bar. A flicker of hesitation stirred in him; memories of their last night drinking resurfaced—the night that had shifted everything between them, one she hadn't mentioned since. Yet here she was, seeming eager to recreate the setting.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" he asked, his voice soft, laced with a hint of caution. He kept his tone light, avoiding anything too personal with Makai nearby, but his eyes conveyed a gentle apprehension that he hoped Nouqai would catch.

Makai's lighthearted comment about pretending he wasn't there didn't sit well with Balun. These were two of the three people who mattered most to him in the galaxy. With his father, Judah, there was always a certain distance—a respect for boundaries and autonomy that came with the father-son relationship. But he and Makai had none of those constraints. The idea of unintentionally sidelining his brother because of his deepening connection with Nouqai left him unsettled.

"Nouqai and I have the entire galaxy to explore together, Mak," he said finally, his voice warm but firm. "Part of what made this trip so exciting was the chance for you to get to know her too. I don't think I can just pretend you're not here." He shot Makai a reassuring smile, hoping his brother understood just how much he valued having them both by his side.

Lady Falentra | Makai Dashiell​

 

[Lady Falentra]

Since the night of the carnival, it had been maddening when her head cleared to its usual state of sober. The memory had replayed in her head more times than she could count, including now. It left much to be answered, and more for them to figure out. But with his brother here, it made things a fair bit more challenging, she didn’t want to make things awkward, yet the tension between her and Balun was heavy it couldn’t simply be ignored so casually.

The only solution she could see was loosening herself up with a drink or two. When Balun questioned it, it only put a small frown on her visage. They knew the last time she had a drink, she had one too many, it was because of that she made a move without thinking much about the severity of it all to their life-long friendship. It was why things was in such an unsettled state between them.

“Well, what would you rather me do, Balun?” She asked in a slightly exasperated sigh. The question implied much more than the matter at hand of a simple drink. “Perhaps a drink or three might make me more inclined to talk about rol stones and what ever business you two do.” Her tone came sharper than she had expected. There was the shame that shortly surfaced, biting into skin.

“Sorry… Look, I’ll just be down at the bar, call me if you need me.” she turned and began heading the down the direction, disappearing from view as she went down the steps. Perhaps a drink or three might unwind her enough to say all she wanted to when she was finding it a struggle to do now.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing \ Gear : X | X | X | X | X
Interacting With : Lady Falentra | Balun Dashiell

"Its okay, really."

He was quite good at absorbing himself in his own world. While he enjoyed spending time with Balun so far - his brother was fairly interesting - Makai was keenly aware others may not feel the same about himself. Especially since Falentra launched into a complaint about needing a drink to continue the conversation. He had a horrible habit of diving deep into geology without asking but he didn't remember going too deep about rol stones beyond the fact he was going to dive and scout for them.

"I...uh...sorry?..." Makai rubbed the back of his neck, feeling horrible that he may have misspoke. Clearly he had pissed off his brothers friend. "...uh, I'm good on my own. We're getting close to what I need to look at."

Not a moment too soon either. Part of him was ready to swim back to shore. Work called though as he gathered a few supplies needed to complete his informal survey. Just a few items in a small mesh bag. The yacht was slowing down, the autopilot was to circle the area very slowly.

"Don't worry about me. I can breathe underwater so I won't be resurfacing for a bit. Enjoy your time together."

Makai certainly was going to enjoy the chance to be off the yacht.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

alun exhaled a quiet sigh, rolling his eyes as his back remained turned to Nouqai Veil, who was striding purposefully toward the bar. His annoyance and dismay were clear as he faced Makai, his brother, allowing himself a brief moment to collect his thoughts. Lowering his gaze, he poised himself before meeting Makai's eyes again.

"Trust me, it's not you she's pissed at," he said, his voice tinged with dry humor as he gestured to himself, tapping his chest for emphasis. Raising both eyebrows, Balun leaned closer, his lips forming a silent, desperate plea: Take me with you.

Before Makai could respond to the unspoken request, Balun turned away, resignation in his stride, and began following the path Nouqai had taken. He wasn't naïve—he knew exactly where he needed to be. Letting her drown herself in liquor without some form of intervention wasn't an option. They had danced around these unresolved feelings for too long, and he wasn't about to let the moment slip into further self-destruction.

The bar was a spacious room, more like a lounge, reminiscent of the grandeur of his father's estate. Balun approached the polished counter where Nouqai was already helping herself to a drink. She moved with a determination he recognized all too well—the kind that veiled deeper emotions.

"So," Balun began, his voice casual but his tone edged with tension. "Are we making this a regular habit, or can you seriously not talk to me without a splash of alcohol? After all, it's not like we've known each other our entire lives or anything."

He leaned into the bartop, his elbows planted firmly against the smooth surface, and let his head dip slightly. His gaze fixed downward, jaw tightening with unease as he braced himself.

Their lives had always mirrored one another's in uncanny ways. Though the demons they carried differed in shape, Nouqai was the one person who understood Balun's struggles better than anyone else. Yet, for all their shared history, Balun was far less experienced in letting others truly get close to him. His emotional defenses were well-fortified, walls he had built to protect himself from the pain of inevitable loss.

This moment was no easier for him than it was for her, but Balun felt a deep need to shield her from the spiral he saw forming. He couldn't stand by and watch her slip into destructive habits—not when he cared as deeply as he did.

"What's going on with you?".

Lady Falentra | Makai Dashiell​

 

[Lady Falentra]

On the bar stool, she reached for a bottle of something that looked strong, then pouring herself a generous serving into a crystal glass. Falentra heard Balun coming down the steps, she didn't turn to acknowledge his approach even as he sat beside her.

While her glass was already raised, the cool liquid already against her lips, rationale taken over and she decided against taking a sip, instead setting it down with a sigh.

"We do, and that makes it complicated doesn't it?" She spoke. Balun and her knew each other since they were younglings, their friendship was knit tight.

She let out a scoff at his question and how ridiculous it was. "Whats wrong with me?" There was an apprehension she held rising from his question suspecting that the alcohol had muddled with his memories that night.... or that he was being deliberately obtuse to what that was bothering her.

"It’s my fault. I shouldn't have made that deal with you at the carnival. I was really drunk," She explained. She hadn't actually expected him to win with how often rigged the games were. She was more surprised she had followed through with the deal without an ounce of hesitation. The embrace had sparked a whirlwind of feelings that she couldn't deny.

"We could forget it ever happened, go back to the way things are,” Despite her words, deep down she felt as if it wasn’t what she truly wished. Yet she cherished their friendship far too much to be willing to risk it going forth especially witnessing just how much tension the drunken moment had created between them.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

"I asked what's going on with you. I didn't suggest there's something wrong with you," Balun countered, his tone calm but edged with determination. He turned his head slightly, fixing Nouqai Veil with a sharp, challenging look. Whatever she thought he was insinuating, it wasn't that there was something inherently wrong with her. The only issue he saw was her attitude, and even that, he felt, was born of avoidance rather than anything deeper.

"It's only as complicated as you make it, Nouqai," he continued, his voice steady. "And if it really was such a mistake, drowning it in alcohol isn't going to get us anywhere."

He paused, the weight of his next words pressing against his chest. He didn't believe it had been a mistake—not for a second. That kiss had unraveled something inside him, emotions he had kept buried for too long. He didn't want to let it go, didn't want to retreat into the safety of what their friendship had been before.

"Trust me," he said, his lips curving into a faint, almost self-conscious smirk. "I don't plan on forgetting that night anytime soon. That deal was the best thing that happened at the Carnival, and I haven't been able to think about much else since." He shook his head, a soft laugh escaping him as if he couldn't quite believe they were standing here, having this conversation.

Balun turned to face her fully now, his expression open, vulnerable in a way he rarely allowed himself to be. "If you don't feel the same way, that's something I'll have to deal with," he admitted, the words heavy with sincerity. "But I'm tired of dancing around this, tired of avoiding it, and taking it out on my brother isn't exactly helping either." His gaze softened, the smirk fading into something more serious. "I liked the kiss, Nouqai. It felt right—being close to you like that felt right. And yeah, we've been friends forever, but maybe this could be something more. Something real. Long-term. Don't you think it's worth the risk, if it means we could be something good?"

His voice was steady now, resolute. He wasn't holding back anymore. This was his chance to put everything out in the open, to stop the endless deflection and avoidance. He knew she might still try to sidestep the conversation, but he wasn't going to let her. Not this time.

"I know I'm being blunt," he said finally, his tone softer but no less firm. "But I think it's time we lay all our cards on the table. I know what I want, Nouqai. But you've got to decide what you want. We can't keep avoiding this."

He stood there, his eyes fixed on hers, waiting. Hoping. Knowing that whatever came next, it would define where they stood—and where they went from here.

Lady Falentra | Makai Dashiell​

 

[Lady Falentra]

Often, she was usually the more sensible one between the two. The Balun she knew was usually incredibly carefree, she had learned that it was a shield he put up to protect himself emotionally. It was rare moments like these when she got to see his more serious side - just like their talk at The Nest - that brought them closer.

His voice was soft and firm as he spoke, emotions and feelings laid bare. His words heartfelt and vulnerable. Falentra knew she felt the same way about the kiss, but yet she hadn't yet fully come to terms with it. Falentra now turned towards him, facing him. However, she found her gaze lingering on his lips longer than she should in silent reminiscence of the kiss they shared that night, before the pair of cyan eyes flickered up to his.

Being close to him had felt right in all the ways, ways she just couldn't find the words to explain.

Was it worth the risk to their life-long friendship? "We have different lives, Balun. I am a sith apprentice while you're guided by the light. I'm bound to do things in my career that you would not agree with and associate with people that you wouldn't like. What good would come of that?" She explained, yet she did not deny that she felt or want the same.

"We barely see each other even now. What if things between us end up the way you and cordelia did?" She'd dread if their friendship turned sour. She'd be able to except things as they were now, being close friends without jumping into the risk, no matter how tempting it was.

"We've known each other for our entire lives. You know me... my flaws, and I know yours. I don't want you getting hurt." She stated softly.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

"Flaws?" Balun echoed, his voice laced with mock incredulity as a soft laugh escaped him. His gaze locked onto hers, a mischievous glint sparking in his eyes. "You reckon I have flaws, do you?" he teased, his tone light and playful, though he wasn't expecting an answer. It was his signature move—using humor to disarm, to draw out a smile even in the midst of a serious conversation.

Her mention of Cordelia, his first girlfriend, shifted his tone to something more reflective, though his posture remained relaxed. "Don't compare us to what I had with Cordelia," he said, a touch of warmth in his voice. "It wasn't serious. We were young, and honestly, there was more competition between us than anything else. We even challenged each other to try and pull the other to our side of the Force. Looking back… it was doomed from the start."

His lips quirked in a faint, self-deprecating smile as he spoke, glancing down briefly. Cordelia had been Sith, like Nouqai herself, and had ties to Darth Malum, just as Nouqai did now. But Cordelia had been a lesson, not a love story. That relationship, his first when he was sixteen, had been more about exploration than substance. Two years had passed since their breakup, and though not much time by most measures, Balun felt as though he'd grown worlds away from the boy he'd been then.

"I'm not a Jedi," he said, leaning forward slightly, his voice earnest now. "I just try to be a good person. There's a difference, and it matters. I've met plenty of Sith over the years—more than I'd like to admit—and not every meeting ended with a fight. Your being with the Sith, Nouqai… that's something I've thought a lot about." He paused, his eyes searching hers. "I mean, I encouraged you to go back to them, didn't I? I knew that's where you felt like you belonged. How could I not consider it?"

He shrugged one shoulder, a casual movement, as though trying to play down the weight of his words. Reaching for the bottle between them, he poured himself a glass of whatever she was drinking, letting the liquid settle before taking a slow sip. One glass wouldn't hurt.

"You're overthinking it," Balun said at last, his voice quieter but no less steady. "You're winding yourself up, looking for all the ways this could go wrong. What about the ways it could go right?" He set the glass down, leaning back slightly, his gaze unwavering. "We've spent most of our lives together. We know each other better than anyone else—better than Malum, that's for damn sure."

He let the name hang in the air for a moment, deliberately invoking the Sith Lord's shadow over their conversation. Balun didn't care much for Malum, and their last encounter hadn't exactly endeared him. But it wasn't about Malum—it was about Nouqai. About the bond they shared, one forged over years of friendship and now teetering on the edge of something far more profound.

Balun exhaled softly, letting his words settle between them. He wasn't trying to push her, but he wasn't going to let her retreat into her own fears either. Not this time. "Stop thinking about things that could go wrong, and ask yourself what you want. Then you can tell me so I can figure out how the rest of this trip will go" he laughed quietly under his breath at the expense of himself.

Lady Falentra​

 

[Lady Falentra]

"Am I really overthinking it?" Falentra had never really been quite the optimist, even since her youth she had taken things too seriously, from her padawan trials and now to this. There was also the problems with her esteem, with how different she was and particularly after discovering that she was a sithspawn. But even when she had revealed all that to Balun at the Nest, he had not seem a little fazed at all, it hadn't changed how he saw her.

Her first partner was Koto, that too had been something she learned from, all the ways a relationship shouldn't be and it had let her discover her own flaws too. Balun had always respected her especially with regard to her following in the darkside despite them growing up together in the coruscant Jedi temple. There was nearly no one else that knew her better than Balun did.

Noticing Bale pouring himself a drink, she would raise her glass to her lips taking another sip. At least it would help her ease up a little. It was right then when he brought up her Sith master's name, taking her off guard, causing her to choke on the drink. The liquid was like fire down her airway that she needed a moment to recuperate in a fit of coughs.

Darth Malum was one of the few people she had a close bond with, much different to her's and Balun's, and with a sense of guarded intimacy from a moment they shared months ago - a tinge of indgo flushing against her cheeks at the thought. Just how much Balun would judge her if he knew. She didn't want to think about Malum now while she was with Balun. "It's fine. Just don't mention him. I know how much you don't like him." She'd try to brush it off.

"I enjoyed it - us kissing. It felt... whole... feelings I can't put to words. I've never felt that way with anyone else. All I know is that I want more moments like that with you. There is a risk for us, for this friendship and we should take it slow... to figure things out." It was relieving, she felt as though she had finally gotten it off her chest, that she was finally able to breathe.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

The mention of Darth Malum always seemed to strike a nerve with Nouqai, which Balun found oddly puzzling. You'd think a Sith would speak of their Master with pride, yet that wasn't the case here. And maybe it made sense—Malum wasn't exactly a figure Balun looked upon fondly. The Sith Lord had once invaded his military facility, hijacking his best friend's body in a display of power that sent all the wrong kinds of shivers down Balun's spine. The memory of it lingered, intertwined with the uneasy impression left from their last meeting at the Nest. No, Malum was not someone Balun trusted, and his discomfort around the man ran deep.

For Balun, the idea of a Master was a different kind of relationship altogether. His own had been a source of pride, albeit short-lived. The apprenticeship hadn't lasted long—life's obligations pulling the old man in too many directions for the mentorship to continue. It had been a mutual, bittersweet end to what could have been a remarkable journey, one filled with growth and discovery in the Force.

"You overthink everything," Balun teased, breaking the tension with a soft chuckle. He cast a sidelong glance at Nouqai, his wary smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. He knew the weight of constantly questioning oneself, of expecting better and never quite feeling like enough. He'd been there too, though he kept those struggles buried, hidden beneath a mask of ease and confidence. Admitting such things aloud felt too vulnerable, too revealing of his perceived weaknesses.

When Nouqai finally admitted she'd enjoyed their kiss—and even wanted more—Balun's smirk softened into a genuine smile. He turned to face her fully, leaning on his right elbow against the bar, his left hand cradling the glass of whiskey he'd poured for himself. Her words settled warmly in his chest, their honesty a balm to his restless uncertainty.

"We could've talked about this so much sooner, you know," he said, shaking his head in mild amusement. His grin widened, unable to hide how much her admission pleased him. "And we'd still be right here, having this conversation. But hey, I'll take it."

His gaze softened as he added, "I can do slow. As long as it means we're giving this a shot, I'm happy." He paused, the faintest trace of a laugh escaping him as he lifted the glass to his lips. "If you'd shot me down, though? This would've been one hell of an awkward cruise."

Balun chuckled quietly, the tension between them easing just enough for a hint of levity to shine through. In that moment, he was content. Hopeful. And for the first time in what felt like forever, he didn't feel like they were dancing in circles. They were finally moving forward—together.

Lady Falentra | Makai Dashiell​

 

[Lady Falentra]

When Balun mentioned about them bringing up the topic earlier, she merely manage a small roll of her eyes. "You could have brought it up earlier yourself if you wanted to. I wasn't going to do so with your brother around." She shrugged. Though she reminded herself that an apology to the older dashiell was due for her attitude earlier - he hadn't deserved an ounce of it.

"I don't think things really would have gone back to the way they were if I rejected you, would they? But I think we would have gotten drunk anyway - And it wouldn't be too awkward until the next time we met." She was glad how he had eased her worries when she was prone to overthink it all.

Now she leaned against the palm of her hand on an arm propped up at the elbow, her gaze now endearing as she looked at him. "So," She started. "What term should I call you? Darling? Honey? Babe? Sweetheart? " She chuckled, a silly grin forming on her visage. They were figuring out the intricacies of a relationship out together.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing \ Gear : X | X | X | X | X
Interacting With : Balun Dashiell , Lady Falentra

Jumping off the back of the yacht, Makai was more than happy to hit the water. He wasn't quite sure why he got bitched out for absolutely no reason. Certainly already off on the wrong foot. Being busy as he was, he doubted it was a big deal, wasn't as if they were going to cross paths often.

With his little mesh bag of tools, he took a deep breath as his gills took over during the transition to water. Looking around, the ocean was quite clear. Schools of fish and bright corals below. Feet kicked and he headed down towards the sea bed. There was a long, rocky trench that possibly ran on a fault line. He was unsure of the geology.

Yet fault lines were rife for valuable minerals and ores. If not rol stones, perhaps another type.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

"I wanted to talk about what happened that night," Balun said, his tone calm but tinged with a touch of vulnerability. His gaze shifted to the drink in his hand as he slowly swirled the amber liquid, watching it catch the light. "But you figured it wouldn't lead to anything good while we were drinking, and that was fair. So, I didn't argue." He paused, a small smile curling at the edges of his lips. "But here we are now, and honestly, that makes me happy. At the end of the day, that's all I've wanted."

He glanced sideways at her, the faintest flicker of relief softening his expression. "And yeah, I reckon we'd have been okay eventually, even if things had gone differently. Once I'd had some time to accept you shooting me down, I think I'd have worked through it. Our friendship's strong enough to survive something like that. There'd have to be something seriously broken between us for it to fall apart over this." His voice was steady but carried an undertone of conviction.

Balun let out a soft chuckle, the kind that comes with relief rather than humor. "It would've gutted me, sure," he admitted, the smirk returning to his face. "But I'd have gotten past it. I care about you too much to let pride ruin what we've had for our whole lives."

Her teasing earned a quiet laugh from him, and he turned fully toward her, the warmth in his expression unguarded. "You can call me whatever you want," he said, his tone light, though a playful glint sparked in his eyes. "I haven't exactly called anyone babe before, but you know what? That has a nice ring to it."

Lifting his glass, Balun took a slow sip of the whiskey, savoring the moment as much as the drink. He set the glass down with a soft clink against the polished bartop and met her gaze. "I don't see things changing all that much," he continued, his voice thoughtful but sure. "I mean, yeah, we'll be closer now—a lot closer—but we'll still hang out, still have each other's backs. That's never going to change. It's just... more now, and I'm good with that."

The sincerity in his voice was matched by the steadiness of his gaze, a quiet reassurance that their bond, no matter how it evolved, would always remain the foundation of what they had.

Lady Falentra | Makai Dashiell

 

[Lady Falentra]

They hadn’t had many fallouts over the years, aside from the period where she had essentially faked her death, now still feeling terrible of how much it must have hurt him. At her question, Balun’s answers were honest, sweet and reassuring.

Falentra reached out, her hand rested on his, squeezing slightly. “Thanks, for being honest about it - about everything. You don’t know how much I appreciate it.” She said with a gentle smile on her face. She hadn’t known just how much he had wanted her, how much it would have troubled him if she’d choose the safety of normalcy rather than the risk. Also from the conversation they had over the bar back at the carnival, it hadn’t felt so. There was also a part of her that thought no one in the right mind would be attracted to a freak like her, but here she was, proven wrong.

“I didn’t think anyone would be attracted to this. Or the least interested in me in that way… Romantically. I don’t know why… I didn’t think you would be either.” She confessed.

Then Balun spoken about how they would be closer from now on. There was still the time they would have to spend apart surely. She found her gaze wondering to his lips, the thought of them as close as when they were at the carnival surfaced for the millionth time. How much she wanted to feel that again. “Would you… kiss me again?” It was blunt, but yet she flushed red at how straightforward it was.

Balun Dashiell

 

[Balun Dashiell]

"Looks aren't everything, Nouqai," Balun said softly, his voice low and steady, his eyes meeting hers with a warmth that seemed to melt the space between them. "But that's not to say you don't have them. You're unlike anyone else in the galaxy, and maybe you see that as a bad thing, but I don't. I think it makes you special—one of a kind." His gaze softened further as he stepped closer, the sincerity in his words undeniable. "And now, you're mine, just as I am yours."

His heartfelt admission hung in the air, rich with emotion and intimacy. Before she could respond, Balun leaned in, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was both tender and deliberate, as though he wanted her to feel every unspoken word in his touch. He had always been able to talk to her easily, openly, and honestly—Nouqai had been a constant in his life since they were children. But this—this was new. Intimacy like this had never been part of their story before, and yet it felt like it had always been there, waiting to be discovered.

Their connection ran deep, deeper than any other bond in his life. Not even Judah Dashiell or his brother understood him the way Nouqai did. As his hand slid gently around her waist, pulling her closer, Balun felt something he hadn't realized he'd been missing: wholeness. Completeness.

Kissing her felt natural, like it was always meant to happen. The weight of the galaxy—the endless worries, the battles, the expectations—faded into nothingness. In this moment, there was no war, no chaos, no Sith or Jedi. There was only her: the coolness of her skin against his hand, the softness of her lips, the steady rhythm of their shared breath.

It wasn't just a kiss—it was an unspoken promise, one that told her she wasn't alone. That she was his, and he was hers, in every way that mattered.

Lady Falentra | Makai Dashiell​

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing \ Gear : X | X | X | X | X
Interacting With : Lady Falentra , Balun Dashiell

Makai pushed himself deeper in the waves, observing the coral and wildlife in front of him. It would mean difficult mining but he also had small crab mining droids that went into the water for his seafah jewels. A little reprogramming and they could easily be used to collect rol stones. Reaching out with he hand, he firmly grabbed onto coral, using it to anchor himself while he observed the trench.

Knowing what he was looking for, it was still difficult, eyes bouncing all around at the vibrant life. Spotting a rocky formation with some anemones, he pushed himself towards that. Small hammer was produced from his small mesh pouch, working on knocking off the piece in question, breaking it in half. A bit of a waste, but it allowed him to see the quality of the stones in question. The site would be useful either way - just more of a question on how badly he would need security in the area.

 

[Lady Falentra]

There was so much weight to his words with just how much it meant to her, how much she had needed to hear it. Her eyes welled with tears. He was hers, and she was his. Just like that, Balun leaned in, the warmth of his lips comforting, and just how she remembered their first kiss. How much she had wanted to feel it again - to feel this. Their connection, the force itself acceded to their bond and towards this embrace in full.

His warm hands snaked against the cool bare skin of her waist, pulling her closer against him. She threw both of her arms around his neck, her fingers carding his soft locks of brown hair. His lips was reminiscent of the smoky note of the whisky, he drank. The kisses were far more tender, differing from the last time. Time seemed to slow for them to relish the moment. There was something so intimate about this, now knowing there were many more moments like this ahead.

Her eyes fluttered open as they broke the kiss. A scaley hand came to cup his cheek as she gazed endearingly into his eyes."You have no idea how many times I had imagined just this since the carnival, babe." She admitted, she let the endearment linger, as if testing it out if it sounded right. "I'm yours, and you are mine, Balun Dashiell ." She returned the promise, her feelings never felt so true.

The yacht had came to a stop sometime ago. There was a natural urge for the aquatic to dive into the water, but perhaps that could wait.

 

[Balun Dashiell]

Balun smiled warmly at her words, the gesture tender as his forehead rested gently against hers. Her voice carried a quiet joy, her elation mirroring his own, and for a moment, the world beyond their shared space seemed to fade entirely. This wasn't like that night at the carnival—their drunken kiss born of impulsive courage and intoxication. No, this was something else entirely. This was real, grounded in the clarity of the present, unclouded by anything but their mutual feelings.

As he held her close, Balun tilted his head just slightly, his gaze lifting to hers before he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. The gesture was deliberate, affectionate, and when he finally drew his attention outward, it was as though the rest of the room—the people, the sounds, the hum of activity—had only just come into focus. He glanced around briefly, his awareness flickering back to the space beyond their bubble, and felt a small pang of relief. His brother was busy with work, sparing him the awkwardness or guilt he might have felt otherwise for being so utterly lost in this moment with her.

"Geez," he murmured with a soft chuckle, his voice low and full of amusement. "I've gotta be careful around you." His smile deepened as his eyes found hers again. "It's like nothing else exists when I'm with you."

He meant it, every word. Perhaps there was danger in that truth, in the way she consumed his focus so completely, but it wasn't a concern that lingered in his mind now. All he felt was ease, a rare and profound sense of rightness that made everything else seem distant, almost irrelevant. For now, he let himself revel in it, unburdened by what might come next.

Lady Falentra

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wearing \ Gear : X | X | X | X | X
Interacting With : Lady Falentra | Balun Dashiell

Small hammer knocked off another portion of rol stone, collecting a sample from another section of the reef he had been slowly swimming through. He could already see the potential issue ; balancing the need to harvest the stones with the need to preserve the environment. Certainly this was going to be a much slower, much lower rate of production in this effort. A mental note to ensure the facility on Manaan would be smaller with the potential to expand if they found something else to mine along with it.

Placing the stones in his bag, along with the little hammer, Makai swam slowly for the surface. He took his time, enjoying the sights and feel of warm water against his skin. He broke the surface, the weird sensation of breathing oxygen without gills once again. Shaggy head sprayed drops of water everywhere and he moved towards the ladder, climbing up and hitting the yacht decking.

Not bothering to look for his brother or Fal, Makai grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist and went down to the controls to check on the yacht.