Gravity

[Asmus Janes]

The small screen was as good an excuse as any to let his chin come to settle on her shoulder. The beer was abandoned, the last dregs would sit gradually warming against the warmth of his thigh through the episode. A small, content noise escaped his throat and was followed by a satisfied little smile. This was as close to the past that he had felt yet. For a few minutes he could allow himself the fantasy that all was perfect, that they were perfect.

The reality was different he knew. There was a wedge between them. Something he could not more identity than he could circumvent. Asmus wasn’t prone to patience, but he could be for the right reasons. Kaile was worth all the time he had.

As the ending credits started to play, he risked an affectionate nuzzle into the crook of her neck before pulled away. Losing the warm of her pressed against him was almost painful,

“Damn I wish they hadn’t cancelled this. What’s the time now?” he asked.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]


It took Kaile a moment before she registered what he said. The time spent cradled close while they watched the show seemed to have gone too fast. What, umm time?

Right.

“Ah,” she began, blinking rapidly. The skin tingled where the rasp of his cheek and jaw had nuzzled her neck. Holding her datapad tightly, the Lorrdian quickly attempted to check for the time -- forgetting that she could have just done the same by checking her chronowatch. Flustered, she went leaning forward a bit, trying to not seem like such a silly nilly over it all.

“Twenty-two thirty seven.” she replied, bringing up the time to answer his question. It had been nice. Nice to lean up against him. To feel the slight shift of his chin by her shoulder and feel the fan of his breath. Half the time she wasn’t really even paying attention to the show. Instead her focus had turned to where exactly his body had been pressed against hers. To the growing sense of just how right it felt to be with him again.

Fumbling with her datapad, she hid her face against the stray locks of dark hair and that heavy fringe of her bangs.
“Yeah… it was a good show.”

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus let out a soft sigh. “I should get going. Very early start tomorrow.”

His hands, in protest, took firm grips. His left slid down to find her forearm whilst his right took her hip. He breathed in slowly, gathering the strength he would need to not kiss her.

“This was nice. Really nice. I've got a full on day tomorrow, but maybe we can find some time again? If you'd like Kaile.”

Walking this path wasn't getting any easier, but once he'd set his mind to something it was devilishly difficult to deter Asmus Janes. Kairon had once set him two months worth of work to avoid having to keep an eye on him on Zeltros. Asmus had finished it in two weeks and managed to get three nights out on the infamous party world.

 

[Kaile Vera]

@Kaileann Vera

At this point, Kaile knew she should move. Asmus had already begun to shift behind her, his voice a low hush that seemed to pour right over her shoulder. She knew she should; but then Kaile felt the pressure of his fingers at her forearm and at the curve of her hip. Reflectively, her breath caught. A flashback to when he had mimicked the same before. Unable to help herself, her body responded. A fine trembling took her.

“Yeah,” she managed to whisper, slowly turning to glance over her shoulder at him. Through the veil of her bangs, she barely managed to catch just how close the proximity of his face was to hers. Fingers twitching, the datapad slowly slid from her grip.

Please don’t go, the words ached to fall from her trembling lips. With the half light of the stars bathing her, her skin almost seemed to glow. It would be easy, so easy just to twist around and reach out. To let her fingers wander over the angle of his jaw and lean in close to nuzzle his skin. Tempting. Ever so tempting.

“ I -” unable to help herself, her eyes fell to his lips. Flushing she averted her eyes and took the bottle of beer to set it down on the ground.

“Okay.”

 

[Asmus Janes]

It took every bit of willpower not to kiss her. It would have been so easy. She would have let him. Instead he wrapped both arms around her as she leaned back up after placing the beer down. Hands clasped together about her he spoke tentatively.

“We could watch one more? It’s not like I haven’t conducted planning and ops on not much sleep before?”

He silently berated himself for making the offer. It would have been a clean break. Just back to his room after a pleasant hour in the starlight. Every minute was another test of willpower. He still wasn’t certain why he had to have this battle with himself.

But he did know that the pair of them getting caught up in themselves would only lead to causing Kaile troubled again. Better to take the time and feel each other out again. It was a joy just to become accustomed to her company again, even if she was tending to retreat back within herself. Just those little glimpses kept sneaking out in conversation, or the messages she sent.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]


Her heart began to thump so loudly when he wrapped his arms around her that it was a wonder if Asmus couldn't hear it. Her eyes fell to focus on her datapad, blinking rapidly as she told herself to breathe.

One more episode? That was all of at least another fifty or so minutes. Another fifty minutes of feeling him breathe at her back and having the weight of his arms around her.

“One more then,” she found herself saying. A sudden need to fill in the silence came in. “Hovertrain Job should be the next one…”

Fingers went curling around her datapad again, finger moving to swipe to select the next episode.
Tentatively, she asked, “Sure you'll be alright?” Her dark head slightly inclining forward as she brought up the next episode. The bare curve of her neck a pale blue strip of flesh barely hidden by the loose tendrils of hair.

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Just one more and it'll be fine,” he said. He wasn't really talking about time. They'd conducted brutal campaigns in the past. Seventy two hours of bombing missions, replanting and flying again with minimal rest. He could stay for one more film, maybe with her pulled just a little tighter, but then he would have to go.

Behind her head he winced at the sight of her neck. Such an innocent thing, but it stirred up memories that were anything but.

“We can probably get through the lot over the next few weeks in spare hours,” he suggested. As the show started he drew her closer once more. She wouldn't need to read his mind to feel the contentment radiate off him. He even managed to avoid pointing out the differences between the show and real smuggling tricks.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Too caught up with being in Asmus’ arms again, Kaile didn't leave much thought about the passing commentary of watching the rest of the series throughout the coming weeks. Wasn't exactly in line to what she'd considered earlier. Instead, the Lorrdian found herself sinking back against his chest, indulging in the sensation of his arms tightening around her, holding her close.

As the show ran through the first few minutes, Kaile found herself struggling to try and not become too distracted by his presence. Granted, that did nothing for the subtle flexing of her right hand, which had come to rest just over his forearm after propping the datapad against her thighs. Before they knew it, the slow gingerly graze of her index finger began a soft doodling of small circles. It swept over the whorls of hair there, feeling the contrast between warm skin and hair, uniquely male and all Asmus. Under her sensitive fingertips the tiny flexes of sinew and muscle were felt, like tiny twitches in line with the path her fingers traced.

And so the mapping of his forearm slowly expanded, barely an inch at a time over long minutes, inching their way towards his wrist.

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus’ hand rolled over invitingly. His fingers lost gently curled up towards her. Asmus wasn't even aware of that movement. When he was at the helm he was rarely aware of exactly what his hands were doing, he only knew his intentions.

What he did know was that Kaile was starting to relax into him. Especially if her hands had started that welcomed exploration once more. Her hands were always the key. Could probably sell that information for a fair old pile of credits, it occurred to him suddenly. Fortunately he managed to keep the amusement from his face.

A spy. He'd fallen for a spy he'd been transporting somewhere. Like a film. Except normally the spy was male and approached his unwitting stranger in an oddly aggressive manner.

He liked this show. Though the banter of a tight knit group that could barely keep their boat flying brought a pang of longing for the old days. It was damn scary now at times. When you pointed your nose at a destroyer and prayed to the Force that the flak cannons wouldn't end your day early.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

The slow tracing of concave circles led to the shell of Asmus’ palm. There she slid over the mound at the base, the pad of her finger a featherlight touch. Middle finger joined the index and the two went drifting from the fleshy pad at the base of his thumb over and up towards his fingers. There they rounded over the base of his fingers, feeling the very faint ridges of flesh that lay there.

Hers were a bit more callused; that he would take care of his hands was no surprise. However, one could tell a lot of a man by the conditions of his hands. They weren’t as silky soft as before, but the dexterity and slenderness of his fingers remained. They had seen use throughout the years. One would wonder what new stories any tiny scar would hold. Did he get that at the academy? During his time in the Alliance? Or turning a wrench here with Wraith?

There was much of Asmus Kaile didn’t know. Certainly not to the degree that the pilot likely wondered about the espion, but enough. There were times where it became a bit too painful to keep tabs on him. It made her wonder. It made her think back. On whatifs and could be’s.
The more the episode ran its length, the more Kaile thought back of the Quin. Of Kurt and everything. A slight draw of her brows went shifting forward under the fringe of her bangs. Before she knew it while lost in her reverie, all five of her fingers had begun to trace up each one of Asmus’ own.

 

[Asmus Janes]

His hand had invited her in, but it was only as her fingers crossed the pad of his thumb that his attention was drawn from the show. Asmus closed his eyes and blocked out everything but the sound of the show and the advance of her soft fingers. Fingertip to fingertip, he felt tiny shivers run up his spine.

His mind was anchored very firmly in the present. Later, alone in his cabin, he could let his mind try to fill in the blanks. Come up with notions on what she had done during their time apart. His subconscious could be cruel if let off the hook.

Like a trapping plant that had the soft flesh tickled, his fingers slowly closed to ensnare her hand.

“There,” he murmured, his attention returning to the show.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

It is amazing how sensitive the valleys of her fingers were. There was a tingling rush that came from the mere contact at feeling Asmus' fingers slide between her own. To have those slender digits curl to trap her hand, the color of his skin a shade darker than her own.

Distracted from the show, Kaile dropped her gaze, watching the conjoined hands under the half-light of the stars. She gave a small flex of her hands, feeling Asmus' match the movement with just a tiny shift of his own.

Was it so strange or so weird that this simple act meant the 'verse to her? That it brought a wave of contentment with it as much as a bittersweet sting of pain?

Her thumb began to lightly trace up and down the base of the back of Asmus' thumb. Then reflexively, Kaile gave him the lightest of squeezes.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Asmus had slowly tensed up as he observed the path her fingers followed. But as she finished squeezing his hand and relaxed, so too did every muscle in his body.

His other arm pulled her back with him, forcing her to readjust her grip on the data pad for them to continue watching comfortably. Holding her hand was such an innocent thing, but with their palms kissing he could have sworn he felt her heart as strongly as that time back on the Quintessence. When they had held each other's gaze, palms to chests and he had felt connected to her very life force.

Without pause he nuzzled into her neck a delicately laid a kiss in the crook of her neck.

"Who was your favourite character in this?" he asked.

 

[Kaile Vera]

There was a slight hitch of Kaile's breath. It was all rather innocent, but just the featherlight press of warm lips against the curve of her throat along with that nuzzle managed to evoke another series of tingles that ran down from her nape to the bottom of her spine.

It didn't help matters that the Lorrdian instinctively went tipping her head, angling it so as if inviting for more. With her lids half sliding shut, strands of dark hair tickling her ear and neck, Kaile was all too aware of Asmus' presence.

Her fingers gave another squeeze, this time lingering in their pressure. Her heart gave another flutter right at her jugular, and she was half afraid he'd hear the thundering of her heart.

Focus Kaile, focus...

Easier said than done.

"Umm..." it was evident she was struggling to answer, trying to come up with the answer.

"Simon." she finally replied, berating herself that she was a SPY of all things! How could she get so flustered over sitting with Asmus like this?

 

[Asmus Janes]

With his lips so close she would hear the stuttered sigh all too clearly. His bottom lip quivered as only a duracrete wall of self-control prevented him from pressing lips to the offered flesh. He knew where that path led. Likely with some off-duty guard finding a lonely datapad on the couch playing episode seven.

Self-control was not the pilot’s forte, but he managed to gently lean his head back against hers. His hand returned the squeeze, his own thumb gently stroking the back of her hand.

“You know… I always liked the freighter mechanic with the beautiful smile.”

Actually the big brute with the guns had always been his favourite, but Kaile didn’t need to know that.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

He was lucky that Kaile was rather distracted. Then again, there wasn't really a ring of deception to his words. Asmus wasn't referring to the series show anymore. By now, Kaile wasn't paying attention to the storyline. They had all of fifteen minutes left before the end and time was ticking past quickly.

"Why?" she found herself inquiring, feeling the slight nuzzle of the side of his head against her own. Every word he spoke was low, his breath with a slight tang of the beer. For a moment, the Lorrdian let herself sink into simply hearing him speak. To feel his chest rise and fall, that slight thrum with every word that he spoke.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Asmus didn't reply for a moment. The question had caught him off guard and now he had a decision to make. Could he skirt the line and not make it abundantly obvious he wasn't referring to the show?

"I like the way she has a way with machines, but also a way with people. Sometimes they fall into the trope of really introverted mechanics. And when she smiles, truly smiles... It makes me a little bit weak at the knees."

Asmus craned his head forward and turned in so he could see her profile in the starlight. He watched her carefully, a tender smile on his lips.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Kaileann couldn't help but smile. The corners of her mouth gave an upward quirk, and her shoulders gave a small shake in humor at that. The bristle of his jaw swept over her cheek, tickling the sensitive skin there. The same bristle that had gone skimming over far more tender regions nights prior.

They were not paying attention at all to the show, that much was evident. By now Kaile had brought to her knees, tucking in her toes. The datapad was held by her free hand, and the quiet noises of the actors talking back and forth a soft ambiance for them to enjoy.

"Reckon she does have her merits then eh?" the pink tip of her tongue went darting out to skim over her lower lip. Her mouth still felt a bit dry, so that brought some measure of moisture to her skin.

"'Course... that don't do much for her considerin' how she ended up crushin' for a man with a fancy upbringin'."

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Not everything she did to react registered, but from Asmus' perspective he simply felt the operative's humour. He grinned in turn and then starting to look back towards the data pad. Not before he caught her running her tongue across her lower lip. It took every ounce of willpower not to lean her back, to gently turn her in towards him with a gentle brush of his hand across cheek.

"Yeah..." he replied absent mindedly before gathering his wits. He didn't know why she made everything so fuzzy. And Asmus was the kind who liked to understand exactly how everything worked. But this, this was all jumbled emotion and confusion. A heady carousel ride he didn't want to stop.

"But I would have made sure she had a dress that was elegant and bold, in line with the fashion. The kind to make the spoiled little girls pout with jealousy."

He couldn't help but think of being back in his cabin and making small talk about Eriadu balls.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Now it was pretty evident that they weren't entirely talking about the show anymore. At least not Asmus. Not with how he went straight to suggesting that he would be the one to make sure he procured a dress that would make all the 'spoiled little girls pout with jealousy.'

However, Kaile wasn't ready to point it out yet. Instead, she quipped, "Well, as long as there are ruffles then." her shoulders gave a half shake in mild mirth. However, her mind also drifted back to an ancient conversation she'd had with him. The one about balls and shindigs and fancy dresses.

Which didn't help matters when her mind went right towards that cargo hold and learning how to dance. When he held her close and looked her right in the eyes, and she said...

Swallowing hard, Kaile ducked her head to look at the datapad. Ending credits were rolling in along with the music.

"Guess that's it then."