Private In the Storm's Wake

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

Objective: Camping
Local time: 16:35
Location: Small settlement on Virujansi

The small passenger shuttle landed. Eagerly, Mathieu looked up with his eyes fixed on the seatbelt sign. Not only did he look forward to finally being able to stand up and give his knees a break from being mushed up against the seat in front of him. He also looked forward to being able to see Inara again - they had been apart a few days at most, but it was still way too long for his taste.

They had agreed to go on a camping trip together. Summer had just passed - but the weather was still warm during the sunny days and after a weeks worth of rain, the weather prospects looked promising at their destination. Not only did the temperature seem to be just right for spending some time outdoors, but the recent rainfall also meant that there may yet be a large amount of mushrooms in the forest.

The light behind the seatbelt sign came off. Several metallic sounds could be heard throughout the passenger area as many of the passengers liberated themselves from the binds that had held them for the last few hours. Making eye-contact with the elderly gentleman he had sat next to, Mathieu nodded with a smile before reaching up to the overhead compartment to help the elder get his hand luggage down. For Mathieu, it would take a little bit more patience as his bag was in the storage compartment below deck.

It would not be long before he was walking away from the landing pad with the other passengers. It was a relatively small town, only just large enough to justify having a shuttle route go to in - in large part thanks to its good connections to neighbouring communities. For people such as Mathieu and Inara, it was perfect, however, seeing how close to nature it was.

With a large bag on his back with everything ranging from ropes, clothes, sleeping rolls, a tent and a few emergency sandwiches, he felt well prepared for their journey. Although the bag would have looked overly large on many others, the size of it felt right to the large Morellian. The Tactical Teddy Bear hung by the back of the backpack along with a whistle and a flashlight. While he had a jacket and a hoodie in the bag, the Padawan wore a simple T-shirt for now - the sun was still up high and the day was warm enough.

His good mood remained as he got to the kiosk near the landingpads. A few others were waiting for someone there and it seemed like he would be joining them. After entering, his gaze fell down to the human shopkeeper "Hey, got any.. uh... mm, yeah.. uhm..." a thousand thoughts went through his mind and ventured to the most awkward of places. Finally, it settled on something mundane "..any gum?" The shopkeeper flashed an amused smile "Want a newspaper too, buddy?" Bringing out a few credits, Mathieu nodded.

Returning out to the many benches outside the Kiosk, he remained standing, occupying himself with trying to get the package open before moving on to the newspaper. Every minute felt like five but he knew that it was worth it. Soon, he would get to see Inara again.

 

[Inara Basai]

Inara, dressed in a tank top and black jeans, looked out of place aboard the Ranger transport. Despite the fact that she herself was one of them, today she was off duty. In fact, she was off for the next few days. She had a backpack at her feet to prove it, filled with the essentials: clothing, a canteen of water, chocolate, easy meals, including a few MREs, just in case, and a rolled up sleeping bag.

Today, she'd tied her hair up into a bun to keep it tidy as she traveled, and to keep her hair from intruding upon her seat mate's space. From her seat by the window, she turned a little glance out the viewport. The orb of Virujansi came into view, and soon they descended to the world. Her eyes widened and a broad smile appeared on her face to see the autumnal beauty of this planet. Such vibrant colors seemed to be only found in nature, and Inara was very excited to spend some time out in it.

More than that, she was eager to see Mathieu Brion again.

The two of them had been caught up in their duty to the Silver Jedi Concord – evacuating civilians, protecting, going to war. But this little trip would be sure to give them a much needed break from that stress. And it would be the first time that it was truly just the two of them. A fact that made Inara blush just thinking of it. Though her hands wanted to fidget suddenly at the thought of the Jedi padawan, she kept them still in her lap.

As the transport touched down, Inara stood up with just a small number of others. She'd come with Rangers being dropped off here, their new station. In a single line, they moved down the narrow aisle towards the exit ramp. When she reached the bottom, Inara put her backpack on and drew in a deep breath. The air here was so fresh, but as she glanced out towards the mountains and forest, she knew it would be even better out there away from the town.

“Hey, you,” she called, spotting Mathieu holding a newspaper. Inara approached with a spring in her steps, and moved in for the hug of greeting that she'd grown so fond of.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

He just skimmed past the same few articles over and over again. The local businesses were doing well, but the supermarket prices were increasing. Someone had managed to fend of a home intruder and a local artist thought that they needed more flower ornaments. It could all have been interesting reads, albeit mundane ones. But in his current state, Mathieu would not be reading much at all. His mind was on Inara and whenever he tried to read something, it would soon wander back to her.

It was not a wonder that he happened to be thinking of her when she called for him. Quickly, his head turned to look to where the voice came from. The troop of rangers walking in another direction and their shuttle taking off for another destination blended into the background for him as his full attention was immediately set on her. With a swift move, he threw the newspaper onto a nearby table, letting it lay together with a few magazines.

Mathieu turned to look at her with happy eyes as she approached and he too moved towards her - but he only managed to take a few steps before she arrived. Bending down, his one arm swept in under her whilst the other one went around her back. Just like back on Kashyyyk, he then stood up straight, bringing her up along with him. The large Morellian held her tight for a while, pushing her against himself in an affectionate hug.

Unlike the previous times, he didn't set her back down this time. Instead, he lowered the arm around her back to her lean back. "Hey" he said with a soft and intimate voice as his lips formed a bright smile "It's good to see you again"

The Padawan had still not set her down but did not show any signs of tiring either. Unless she indicated that she wanted to be lowered, he would keep her there. It was nice to have her close and after the recent testing periods they had gone through it felt warranted. The mental binds that had held him back before seemed a little more lax now - just like they did when they first met after Onderon. Regardless of whether she stayed or decided to hop back down, Mathieu would soon start to walk, making his way towards the path they were going to take "So, are you ready for some camping?"

 

[Inara Basai]

The happy look in Mathieu's eyes was reflected in Inara's too. As he approached, she rose up onto her toes and allowed him to sweep her up off the ground, arms wrapped around her. Her own arms went around him as he pulled her into the embrace. Here, so close to him, Inara found herself taking in his scent – a mix of whatever shampoo, laundry soap, and cologne there might be. She liked it. As he leaned her back, Inara was almost lost in those blue eyes once again. But when he spoke, her eyes were suddenly on his lips.

“It's good to see you again, too,” she said, a bit breathlessly.

She would hold tight as he began to walk, and she would certainly have stayed there in his arms, but people turned to watch, their eyes trailing after the pair. And so, Inara finally hopped down and opted to take hold of Mathieu's hand as they went down the path.

“I'm very ready,” she said, grinning up at him sidelong. “This was a great idea, by the way! It's been a long time since I've been camping.”

Inara drew another deep breath and looked up towards the blue sky that was just starting to glow with golden hues. This late in the afternoon, they'd have just enough time to get to their location, set up and settle in before darkness fell. They'd need to get a fire started right away to cook and keep warm as the evening grew colder. Still, this world was still clinging to the last bits of summer's heat, so they wouldn't freeze tonight.

She went through a mental checklist one more time, before the town was too far behind them. But, she had everything! Her eyes went towards Mathieu's bags, and she happened to see the tent rolled up, to be assembled once they arrived. Ah, that's right, they'd agreed to share a tent. While she was completely fine with sharing, the thought of sleeping next to Mathieu did make her heart flutter quite a lot.

“It'll be nice to have a break, won't it?” she asked, arching her eyebrows at him. They'd been through quite a lot lately. Inara, for one, was looking forward to this respite from battle.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

She decided to hop down. Mathieu looked down at her with a mischievous spark in his eyes and a bright smile. While the smile would fade, his eyes lingered on her fondly as she mentioned that she was ready. In truth, the large Morellian wanted to bring her in for another hug but instead, he simply brought up an hand for a light pat and tug at her arm whilst using the other to point in the direction they were already walking in.

Nodding in agreement, Mathieu spoke "Yeah, I think it'll be great. I haven't had much time to do it for real since joining the Jedi. The masters are more keen on meditating than singing by the campfire." he said, keeping a lighthearted tone as they walked down the road that lead out from town.

It was likely that more campers were around in the same area - but he had yet to spot any so far. It was understandable, seeing as it was not a heavily populated site and they had not even reached the forest yet. "If we're lucky, we'll find some mushrooms. I saw that it rained a lot last week. If we ask a local nicely enough, they might tell us of a good spot to look at." while his voice carried optimism and hope, the Padawan also knew that it could be hard to make someone part with their mushroom location, especially with tourists who would be gone in a few days anyways.

It would not take long before the town was behind them. It put in perspective how small it really was and the route they were walking along was not heavily trafficked either. The difference in air quality didn't shift much, however - they were still walking on a road surrounded by fields, not too far away from the town.

At least the forest was not too far up head. The golden crowns blended well with the green ones and the ground was coloured with all kinds of orange and yellow hues. It was only after a little bit that Mathieu noticed that he had picked up his pace, he was eager to reach the forest. But then he threw a glance to Inara to adjust his pace to something more comfortable for her if he noticed that it was called for.

Then she spoke again, but he completely misinterpreted her question. Looking around with a fair amount of confusion, he finally asked "Here?" Mathieu didn't give her much of a chance to respond. Instead, he nodded "Okay, sure. Wanna help me grab the sandwiches from the bag?" he continued whilst twisting his torso for her to reach his backpack. But he didn't stop there - his brows went up innocently "You could, you know, hop back up and I'll walk you there" whilst gesturing to where she had clung earlier.

 

[Inara Basai]

Inara's mind had already started to wander off towards the possibility of foraging for mushrooms when Mathieu misinterpreted her question. She blinked, but decided that she'd go along with him.

“Sure, one sec,” she said, stepping over to unzip his backpack. Standing on her toes, she reached into the bag as Mathieu twisted slightly. Her hand dipped in and soon felt the familiar foil wrapping, same as before, on Taris. She retrieved two of them from the little stack, smiling inwardly. He really liked sandwiches, didn't he?

As she went to zip the bag back up, she noted the way the Jedi's brows arched softly. A grin formed on her lips before she gave a soft chuckle, a girlish giggle that reddened her cheeks. Inara had to wonder, did he offer to carry her because he thought she needed did need a break already? Or was it because he wanted to be close to her? Either way, it was definitely a sweet offer, and Inara reached over to give his arm a playful, affectionate squeeze.

“That's a pretty tempting offer,” she said, still smiling wide. “But I can walk, it's not that far, right?” As Inara started walking again, she turned towards him slightly. “I... might take you up on that offer tomorrow, though – if we go hiking.” She added with a playful wink as she handed Mathieu one of the two sandwiches she'd pulled from the bag.

Inara unwrapped hers and took a bite. “Mmm,” she lifted her brows, it was pretty good. She took a couple of bites, and used the time it took to chew them to think of what to say next. However, any thoughts were soon lost as she viewed Mathieu from the side. Struck by his handsome features against the colors of fall, Inara even let out a small, content sigh and her heart leapt within. This time, she didn't try to hide the fact that she was looking. What did it matter now if he saw? After all, he already knew that she liked him.

"I can't wait to sit by a real campfire," she said, finally. Sitting there, cuddling... by the fire.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

It was pure confusion. The girl stood there, bright and smiley with two sandwiches in her hand as the other one went up to his arm. But then she mentioned how she could walk the distance. Her touch was still fresh on his mind as she started walking again but he only needed a few quick steps to catch up. A short, barely audible "Bu-" escaped him but it faded away as he instead shook his head and had a meek smile form on his lips. "Just say the word and I'll be there"

There had been some kind of misunderstanding, it was the only reasonable explanation. But he didn't feel like it was one worth dwelling on - besides, they now had sandwiches to eat. As he opened the foil, Mathieu let our a sigh of relief - it was one of the soy bean based ones. One of the sandwiches with Bantha contained some Chalactan spices which he had found in a small shop on Commenor. In truth, he didn't really know how to handle them properly, but he did expect one of the sandwiches to be rather hot.

It was hard not to notice her looks. He kept eating but internally, it gave the Padawan all kinds of warm feelings as her gaze seemed to linger for way longer than just a glance. It was probably not dressing on his cheek either. If anyone could make the former Mercenary crumble by just looking at him, it was probably Inara. His lips were starting to twitch as the colour of his cheeks started to turn rosy.

Just as he turned to look at her with lips carrying an amused smile and eyes sparkling playfully to jestfully tell her to stop it, she spoke. The playfulness that had been in his eyes died down as his gaze on her softened. The warm sunrays fell down at the girl, giving parts of her hair a seemingly new bright hue as a few rays were reflected off of her shoulders. He wanted to hug her again, to bring her in close. His arm started to rise but it soon fell back down again. If they were going to stop every five minutes, it would be a rather long time before she could get to sit by a campfire. Instead he nodded and reached out with his free hand again, keeping the palm open for her to hold.

By the time the sandwiches were finished, they would have reached the edge of the forest. Birds could already be heard singing in the treetops. It was calm and peaceful. Nature was having its way and as the breeze crossed the crowns up top, the shuddered and felled a few more leaves which slowly descended to the ground. He took a deep breath before looking down at her "Now we just gotta find a spot" Optimism lingered in his voice before pointing straight into the forest "There's supposed to be a lake over there."

 

[Inara Basai]

After a few more bites of the sandwich, she noted the hints of familiar flavors. The spice blend he'd used mixed very well with the thin slices of bantha. Inara's brows arched softly and a smile grew on her face. But had she stared too long? Too much? She could see the faint hints of red coloring Mathieu's complexion, and she caught the playful look in his eyes.

Her eyes dropped to his open palm, and she reached her hand out to take it.

There was a soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet, and Inara watched as more colorful leaves drifted from the canopy above and fell softly to the ground. Her eyes followed Mathieu's finger, pointing towards the forest.

“Really?” she asked, already imaging a pristine lake surrounded by these autumn colors. The water was probably getting too cold to swim this time of year, unless they decided to be adventurous. But the sound of gentle waters would be so tranquil, especially when it was time to sleep. “Let's look for a spot by the lake, then.”

Following the worn dirt path into the woods, Inara looked around to see several little clearings – some of them just big enough for a tent to fit. Those were quite cozy-looking camping spots, but Inara was already picturing something with more of a view. There were also some trails winding deep into the woods, hiking trails with signs at the end that noted the difficulty.

All the while, Inara continued to clasp Mathieu's hand. His palm was much larger than her own, and she liked the feeling of his hand around hers. A content sigh escaped her as they continued on. And it wasn't too long before the shimmer of the lake could be seen peeking through the trees.

“It's so pretty here,” she said, her eyes already on the water. “I'm really glad we get to spend a couple of days exploring. It's going to be strange... not having to jump out of bed and get ready for formation tomorrow.” She chuckled. “Maybe I will even sleep in a little.”

But not too late, there was much she wanted to do here.

Soon, they came upon quite a secluded clearing. There was space for a tent and a fire pit already dug, with blackened rocks that surrounded it. And the lake was close enough that Inara could see a little dock in the distance. “What do you think? Should we stay here?” she asked, turning to Mathieu.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

They thought alike, she and him. Both wanted to get to that lake before settling down for the evening. "Sure thing" he said, sending her a smile as they kept walking through the colourful woods. It was a beautiful area which he was quite keen on exploring - but it would have to wait, either for later that night, or the day after. For now, he just wanted to set up the tent with her and prepare that fire which she seemed to be longing for.

It was a peaceful walk and he enjoyed having her hand in his. He looked to her with friendly eyes as she let out her content sigh before letting his gaze return to the front. It was then that he saw the lake up ahead. Standing a few decimetres taller than her, the Morellian decided to look away - they could take in the beauty of the lake together once she could see it too. Instead, he looked back down at Inara, observing her with the same admiration that she had been observing him earlier.

But soon, she spoke, revealing that she could see the lake too. Mathieu's gaze hopped over to the large body of water for a few moments before letting it return to her "It really is" he said, thinking of her more than the lake. He chuckled along with her before nodding in agreement. They were both used to getting up early in the morning. He had been doing so since forever, mostly due to his parents believing it to be prudent and was sure that Inara would have had to get up early as a Ranger. Still, the prospect of resting for another hour or two was rather nice.

Seemingly, both of them gravitated toward the clearing. It was perfect with both a large enough open area to set up a tent at and a firepit. Not only that, but it was close enough to the water to give them a rather pleasant view. Mathieu moved to the centre of the area and looked to Inara. Nodding whilst at the same time taking off his large backpack, he finally let out a satisfied "Yeah"

With that, the Padawan bent down to remove the straps which held the large pouch containing the tent. Starting to open the bag, he looked to her "I take it you rangers are experts at building tents?" It was an honest question which he expected to know the answer to 'yes' but even if she wasn't an expert, he'd be happy to work on it alone or perhaps together, even.

It was not before they started to throw in their sleeping rolls and sleeping bags that he thought of the fact that they'd be spending the night in the same tent together. It was not something which he would have given a second thought under normal circumstances - they were just sharing a tent. But sharing it with Inara, that was special. Most of his body except for his feet and part of his legs were enveloped in the tent when she came in to get her sleeping items in order too. Perhaps he had been too slow. Regardless, he looked to Inara with his hands planted on his sleeping roll ahead "I usually don't roll about too much" he said with a reassuring yet jestful tone

 

[Inara Basai]

Inara's smile grew when Mathieu agreed that this was indeed their camping spot. She set her backpack down on a stump, and watched as Mathieu began to unfurl the the tent. Stepping over to him, she looked at the tent and back up.

“We are experts,” she said, offering a confident nod. “We even have drills.”

Her face remained serious for a split second, but gave way to a chuckle and a smile. She bent down to start assembling the tent poles. They could work together and have it ready to go quite fast. It struck her as odd, she hadn't even set up a tent with the rangers yet. So far, there had not been any reason to. When she went to other worlds with them, they were never there long enough to do so.

With the tent complete, she moved to grab her sleeping pad and sleeping bag. Inara ducked inside, her boots sitting just outside the tent's zippered entrance. Unbuckling the straps that kept the sleeping bag tidy, she unrolled it and gave it a push. As Mathieu turned to speak to her, she gave him a smile. Their tent was big enough for two, without a doubt. And there was a strip of space between their sleeping bags at the moment, a clear delineation of territory.

“I don't think I do, either,” she said, though she wasn't really sure. Inara remembered going to sleep in a certain position, and often waking up in wildly different positions. Who knew just what she did while she was asleep. She only hoped that she wouldn't intrude too much into Mathieu's space. “Oh, and don't worry, I don't snore.” Inara smiled, looking into his eyes as they both knelt over their sleeping stuff.

But before she could start getting lost in his gaze again, she started to withdraw from the tent. A quick glance at the sky showed darkness approaching. There was still work to do, and she'd busy herself with that for now. After all, if she did want to cuddle by the fire... they'd definitely need a camp fire first.

“I'll start gathering some wood for the fire,” she said, peeking back in at Mathieu once she had her boots back on. There were an assortment of twigs and smaller sticks in the campsite area, so Inara piled them into the fire pit – so Mathieu could get it started while she walked to the edge of the woods to grab up some larger pieces.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

His one brow made an amused twitch "You don't think you do?" he asked as a subtle smile started to grow on his face. "Well, of nothing else, your sleeping bag will keep you in check, won't it? If not, I know a trick or two in self defence from my days as a Mercenary" he continued, maintaining the amused tone.

The idea of snoring had not even crossed his mind. Mathieu looked to her as he leaned forth to pull the strap around the sleeping bag's head to a close, knowing that it would be just a tad warmer when he finally retired - at least compared to if he left it open. "Maybe these are the kind of things we should've gone through before deciding to share a tent." he said, keeping a lighthearted tone "But you're in luck, I don't snore either. And if I am, just flip me around or something."

His eyes trailed her as she left the tent. In truth, he didn't really know why he lingered, for he was done with all he wanted to accomplish inside. After a few moments, he too returned outside.

Inara had been working fast, for she was already leaving a few twigs and sticks at the firepit. The Padawan walked over and soon got the idea that he had been assigned with fire lighting duty. Never having been a hardliner on surviving in nature without any modern tools, he simply brought out a box of matches and held it by a few spots before lifting one of the thicker sticks to bury it at the core.

There was no danger around - at least, he didn't feel like there was. Besides, the forests they were in was a somewhat popular camping spot for a reason. Still, he threw a glance at her from time to time. It really was nothing like a chore - he enjoyed stealing the occasional glance of her and seeing her bunned up hair catch the occasional ray of sun as she moved in the colourful autumn forest.

Figuring that he had some time, Mathieu proceeded to brush of the 'bench' that was placed between the tent and the firepit. It was really just a well supported log which had been cut in half to create a sitting area. It seemed to have been there for a long time which meant that splinters were not to be expected. Opening his bag up, he then pulled out a blanket and put it on one side of the bench.

It seemed safe - the fire was still small and the winds were mild. And with that, he wandered out to Inara. "Need an extra pair of hands?" he asked upon arriving, happy to take some of what she carried whilst also slowing down to walk with her. "You know, for some reason, I always thought of you more of a city girl than someone who'd spend their their time out in the wild. My parents always used to take me until I started going out on these trips with my mates instead."

 

[Inara Basai]

Inara continued to walk the forest, staying within sight of the campsite, and stooped to pick up branches and bits of wood that would be good for burning. Every now and then, she'd take a peek over at Mathieu. A soft smile grew on her lips at the sight of him cleaning off the wooden-log bench by the fire pit, and she spotted the blanket he'd placed there, too. It was such a small, but thoughtful gesture, and Inara's heart seemed to glow with warmth. As Mathieu turned his attention towards setting light to the twigs and sticks in the fire pit, she gathered up some more.

When Mathieu walked over, she greeted him with a smile.

“Yeah,” she said, handing over her arm-full of firewood to him. “Here, hold these and I'll load you up.”

She gave a girlish giggle. His arms were larger and stronger, he could definitely hold more wood than she could. As Inara bent to lift a chunk of wood, she glanced up at Mathieu when he spoke.

“Really?” she asked, canting her head to the side when she stood up again. “I've never really considered myself a city girl.” Inara gave a good-natured chuckle. “Well, I did grow up in a city – Hajari. But I was never inside very much,” she recalled. “Instead, I was out in the dusty streets or visiting the lake – kind of like this – but ours had an orchard nearby, we could pick exotic fruit right off the trees.”

Inara also noted the way he spoke about his parents this time. It was different than before, back at the Halls of Healing, when he seemed a bit indifferent. But, this painted a picture of parents that had spent time with him, for a time, at least.

“My mom never took us camping, though,” she said, with a tiny frown. “She was always too busy with work.” Inara appreciated her mother's hard work now, as an adult. But as a child, she'd often resented the fact that her mother worked nearly every day of the week. “I'd go with friends, too. And I'd always have to bring my little brother.”

She laughed again, thinking about all the times her brother, Emir, had tagged along wherever she went. But when she left Chalacta, he'd stayed behind with their mother. Inara placed the small logs she'd gathered in Mathieu's arms, and she held onto a few as they began to walk back towards the camp. They'd have enough wood for the night, and Inara shivered slightly at the evening chill beginning to set in.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

The pleasant sound of two pieces of firewood bumping up against each other could be heard as he listened to her. "Yeah. You aren't?" he asked, looking at her with renewed curiosity. Mathieu couldn't help but to smile along with her as she let out her chuckle. It was hard not to get pulled along when she did, and he felt happy that she seemed to enjoy the conversation.

Mathieu would put the information she gave him deep into his memory. Chalacta, Hijari, outskirts. It was all things he would remember. He started to get a better idea of her background - the dusty streets didn't exactly give the impression of the most affluent upbringing. Still, he flashed a brighter smile - if he had any free hands, he would have pointed a finger in her general durection, but his eyes would have to suffice for now. "On the streets. That's more of a city than countryside, isn't it?" His lighthearted tone was soon exchanged for silence as she continued.

This time, her tone was not quite as bright and unsurprisingly, it brought him down a notch too. She didn't mention a father, but only a mother who worked too much to have time. And then a brother whom it seemed like she had to take care of. It was hard for him to keep his thoughts from wandering to what conditions he assumed that she had grown up under. She had not said anything bad about her childhood outright and he did not want to assume too much, but it did make him feel like he had been rather privileged. His parents were not rich and they were disciplinarian to their core, but they did provide him with a stable upbringing and valuable skills, considering where he would eventually end up.

He looked at her with sympathetic eyes but decided to try to put a positive spin on it - maybe he was just bad at taking signals, but for now, he would drop it, believing that she would tell him if she wanted to share something hard. "Your mother sounds like a hard working woman. I always enjoyed going with my mates. We had fun together. I even started doing mercenary work together with a few of them." Still, Mathieu was not immune to curiosity and so he asked "Where's your brother now?" The question was an innocent one, but deep down, he knew that there was a risk for it to cause so much harm.

After a while, they'd slowly start turning back towards the camp. It was close and they could have gone on for longer. But they only needed that much wood to keep the fire burning for some time. Letting his gaze shift between the girl and the firepit, he eventually landed at her. "We didn't coordinate what food to bring, did we?" he said with a bit of an awkward smile "I brought a few sandwiches and salad. Stuff to keep on the walk. But nothing that we could grill, really." he paused and gave her a playfully dramatic look "Unless you want to scavenge the sandwiches for meat" He kept up the serious facade for a few moments before cracking up in a light laugh. Leaning a bit to her side he added a final "And I brought a pack of marshmallows."

 

[Inara Basai]

“Yeah, my mom is a very hard worker,” she said, thinking fondly of her mother's stubborn pride. She probably hadn't needed to work quite so much, but she wanted to give Inara and her brother the best she could. Now, she admired the ability to work like that, she was only just beginning to understand. “My brother, Emir, is home on Chalacta with my mom. There's six years between us, so he's only fifteen – he's still in school.”

Inara missed her family, and all this talk about them reminded her to give them a call when she got back. She did her best to keep in contact with them. And her brother would occasionally send her some messages, their mother didn't like to use the holo-net very much and, when she did, she always needed help. As they returned to the campsite, she thought that perhaps she ought to start arranging a visit home for Life Day.

She poked the little camp fire with a stick, as if nudging it to grow. Her eyes met Mathieu's as he mentioned food. “Oh,” she blinked a couple of times. “We didn't... but I did bring some stuff, too.” After nestling another log onto the fiery embers, she grabbed her bag and had a seat on the log bench. Unzipping the bag, she pulled out a couple of things.

“Well, I've got chocolate – and some biscuits,” she said, nodding. “So dessert is settled.”

They could roast some marshmallows and sandwich them between the biscuits and chocolate. Yum! She pulled a few beige-colored pouches from the bag next. “I did bring some MREs, just in case.” Inara held them up. It wasn't the best food, of course, but the meals, ready-to-eat, had come a long way... so she'd been told. 'At least it's edible,' was the common sentiment on base, and the flavors were hit or miss. She had a couple of each, small packages but they packed quite a punch in terms of ability to fill a stomach.

“There's a couple of pastas, I have a lentil and bantha stew, and Atrisian grilled chicken,” Inara read from the labels, and looked up at Mathieu. “Want to try some ranger food?” she asked with a chuckle. “We just need to boil some water.”

Really, it couldn't be much easier!

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

"Good on him." he said with a soft smile "I liked school, myself. Not the classes, they were boring. But my friends. All the stuff in between the classes, you know?" Mathieu let out a chuckle as he added a "And during the classes, I suppose" But he would then turn the conversation back to the brother "Does he like it?"

As they arrived, Mathieu dumped the pile of wood between the two benches that vaguely formed a L-shape together. He then started to position a few larger pieces onto the fire as Inara poked some more life into it. Looking up from the fire, he let out a brief "Yeah? What did you bring?" A smirk spread across his lips as she spoke of what she had brought. I struck him that both of them had been rather good at bringing dessert. His smirk softened into a smile as the idea of the two of them as an old and rather round couple passed his mind.

"Some MREs?" he asked, standing up and walking over to hold out a hand for her to give him a pack to look at. "When I was still taking contracts, we used to look at the soldiers with mixed envy when they brought this." He weighed it in his hand "They're light and easy to pack... but, you know, they taste like... I don't know, at least they're edible" It was nothing he had head from a ranger before, but it was certainly something which had been said by both one and two soldiers at different fronts.

With an eager nod, he said "Let's go with the chicken. And tomorrow, maybe we'll have something local to grill instead." With that, he handed the pack back to her and went over to his own bag. Mathieu had brought a stand to put over the fire thinking that they could grill something on it but not blind to the possibilities, he had also brought a small pot with a handle that could be attached to the top bar of the stand.

Putting the pot on the bench, he then started to mount the stand. It was a rather simple construction, as it consisted of two poles that forked up top and a bar to lay on top of them. All that was needed was some pressure to plant them firmly into the ground. It was fortunate that it was still not too cold and that there had been rain recently - for while the ground was hard, it was still soft enough to be workable. Eventually, both poles would be planted deep enough for it to be safe.

"I'm glad we got out of Velmor alright" he said before looking over to her "Did you safe since then? No more crazy missions where you had to fight Sith and stuff?" There was much which he wanted to say. In truth, Mathieu was worried for her a lot and when he knew that she was in battle, whether it be close to him or far a way, his thoughts often wandered to her, hoping and wishing that she would make it out alright. His thoughts often went to her when he was about to enter combat himself. But in the end, he did not want to weigh her down with it, and so, he stayed his tongue for now.

 

[Inara Basai]

Inara had to chuckle at Mathieu's comment about school, she'd been much the same. She thought of her brother for a moment when Mathieu asked if he liked school, but she gave a nod in response. At least, she thought he liked school. Inara was worried that Emir goofed around and slacked off too much, but he always seemed to get decent marks. So, maybe it was worry for nothing.

And when the subject narrowed in on their dinner, she held up the winning MRE: the Atrisian chicken dish.

“Yeah, I'm sure we can find something good tomorrow. We can always walk back to town or maybe do some fishing?” Inara's eyes shifted towards the shimmering lake. She had no idea if there were fish, but maybe they kept it stocked, seeing as how this was a spot for tourists to come experience all the outdoors had to offer.

As Mathieu got the little grill ready, Inara turned to stuff the rest of the MREs back into her bag and pulled out a small pack of disposable plates and cutlery. She glanced at the fire, still burning well. The warmth felt great against her legs, and Inara stood up to get a bit closer and soak up the heat. When he mentioned Velmor, she suppressed a shiver.

“Me too,” she said, relief in her voice, even now. There had definitely been some close calls during that fight, and it had been her first injury sustained in the field. Inara nodded, “Yeah. I've been staying safe. I stayed behind on Velmor for a while, we had a clinics for the locals after things settled down.” Needless to say, quite a lot of people had made it off-world, but many hadn't.

“What about you?” she asked, eyeing him, her head canted to the side ever slightly.

As she had learned, the life of a Jedi wasn't just sitting in endless meditation. They were out in battle just as much as the Rangers. Though the Jedi had the force, and skills that amazed Inara, she still found herself fretting about Mathieu.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

With an intrigued squint of the eyes, Mathieu produced an approving nod "I'd love to fish with you. We could dig up some bait tomorrow morning. I considered hunting too. We used to do it back home in my teens. But" he paused to let out an awkward chuckle "... I didn't bring a rifle, or even a blaster for that matter." Naturally, it would be quite possible to catch most prey with the aid of the force, but that might be a bit more brutal than what was appropriate for the trip.

They were both happy that they had survived Velmor - of course they were. While he had not seen any signs of injuries, the large Morellian still let out a little relieved sigh and let his shoulders fall a little - Inara had stayed safe and was probably not hurt more after the battle. That allowed him to relax in a much more true fashion.

Walking over to the lake with the small pot, he looked over his shoulder "I'm glad to hear it!" He paused for a moment as he crouched down to fill the pot with water - it looked clean and if they let it boil for a while, it should be good enough to be consumed. Mathieu spoke again but with a softer tone showing a few hints of admiration "You're good with people, they feel safe when you take care of them." In truth, he had only seen glimpses of when she took care of others, but it looked to be the case then, and he knew for sure that it was the case when she took care of him.

The former Mercenary stayed quiet for a bit upon hearing her question. After Velmor, he had gone to Voss, and that was all but safe. Letting out a "Well... you know." he tried to escape the question, at least for a little bit. Another break came as he hung the pot on the bar above the fire to let it start heat up. Mathieu then turned to Inara. At this point, words really weren't needed to convey that the answer was no. Walking up to her, he brought her in close for a hug, letting her head lean against his chest for a bit. "Not really" he admitted as his hand rubbed the back of her neck.

Mathieu kept his arms around her for a few moments before bending down to hoist her up. It only took a small step and a little swing before he could set her down at the empty bench, closing the gap in length considerably. The Padawan let his eyes drown in her brown once as a kind smile grew on his lips. His head tilted down a little, but his eyebrows rose and he looked up at her "But I made it out alright, right?" It was true, except for a few minor injuries and some close calls, he had survived and was relatively unharmed.

 

[Inara Basai]

Her eyes tracked towards the lake again briefly. It would be quite nice to fish; she hadn't done it since she was young. And really, she'd never caught anything in the warm waters of the lake in her home town. This lake, however, looked promising.

A soft smile found Inara when Mathieu commented that she was good with people. She certainly hoped so, and she did want people to feel safe around her. But hearing the words, especially spoken by him, made her face rosy once more. Her eyes focused on Mathieu, waiting in anticipation of an answer to her question. The pause left between them was almost enough of an answer.

Though he stood before her now, safe and sound, there was still a pang of worry. Inara soon found this feeling begin to dissolve as Mathieu pulled her in for a hug, the side of her head nestled gently against his chest. She exhaled softly as his hand moved to the back of her neck. Her own arms wound around his middle and gave him a bit of a squeeze when he finally admitted it aloud, 'not really.'

Then, she found her feet off the ground for a brief moment before being set down on the log bench. For what might be the first time, she found herself level with Mathieu's blue stare. This time, her arms rose instinctively to wind around his neck. Even the small tilt of his head was noticed by Inara, and she saw that his smile was reflected in his gaze, too. His soft reassurance was needed, and Inara found herself leaning in.

“You did. And I'm glad.” Her words punctuated by a small nod. “Promise me that you'll always make it out alright,” Inara said, her voice a small, almost a whisper. Truly, it wasn't something anyone could promise – and she didn't want to set him up to make a promise he couldn't keep. But the words alone would be enough for now.

That, and perhaps something to cement them.

Inara, as if drawn in by an invisible force, leaned into him and let her forehead touch his for a moment. The tips of their noses were mingling close. And their lips, too. She stayed still, simply soaking up this tenderness and the feeling of warmth radiating from his presence – which was far better than any campfire, by the way.

Every breath between them seemed shared. And perhaps they were even close enough for him to feel the way her heart fluttered. If he was attuned to her in the force, he'd know what was coming next. And if not, she'd catch him by surprise – with a soft kiss upon his lips.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Tag: Inara Basai​

It was sweet to have her close. It was sweet to heart her soft voice. And it was sweet to see her little nod at the end of the sentence. Mathieu felt her arms wrap around his neck and in the same way, his started wrapping around her waist and torso. He was unbelievably lucky to have her and responded to her nod by one of his own. At this moment, he really found no words that were good enough.

The content satisfaction that marked his eyes quickly slipped away as she asked for his promise. His mouth moved, but no words were uttered. Both of the Morellian's large hands were spread out by her back and sides, producing slight movements with the thumbs. Mathieu took a deep breath - she had made a request - he wished to comply. But the answer was already clear to him and he was going to fail her. The mere idea of it brought him down but he had to stay strong.

"Inara, I can't." a great deal of regret marred his voice. For a few moments, his gaze fell "I just.." he said, pausing for a moment as their foreheads met. Mathieu looked up at her again "..don't wanna make you a promise that I don't know if I can keep or not. But I'll always try." A brief and fleeting smile spread across his lips as he let out a half-joke "No with would be stupid enough to stand in my way when I'm going back home to see you again, right?"

A few tender moments passed by after his words were uttered. But eventually, the two started pulling closer. Her nose brushed up against his, causing him to flash a smile. It was short lived, for they kept getting closer and more intimate. His hold around her kept growing tighter as every breath he drew seemed to be in unison with hers. Mathieu had opened himself up to the force - he was taking in everything that was happening around him - yet all he felt was her. The medic who saved him. The girl with the wild hair. Inara.

He closed in a couple centimetres and then she kissed him.

Indescribable happiness filled him as her soft lips met his and he closed his eyes. They shared a most wonderous moment together and when the Morellian opened his eyes and pulled back his head a couple centimetres, he couldn't help but to smile brightly whilst letting out a silent and brief laugh. Almost a little too fast, he leaned in again, letting their noses mingle once more. It was only for a brief moment, for after, he gave her a kiss in return. It began softly but would quickly turn more passioned if she would allow it. Still, unlike when they first held hands back on Kashyyyk, Mathieu would not pick her up this time - her arms remained wrapped around his neck and she remained in just as much control as he had himself.

 

[Inara Basai]

Inara's eyes had softly fluttered closed when their lips touched. She drew a breath in when the kiss broke, breathless. She let her eyes open to meet Mathieu's warm gaze, and she responded to his bright smile with one of her own – a smile that spoke silently of happiness and maybe relief, too. A small gasp was stifled as he planted another kiss upon her lips, which she returned with equal passion.

It wasn't just a kiss; it was also an expression of all the words she hadn't said and the feelings for him that had only grown since they had met.

With his strong hands along her back, she seemed to melt against him. And when their lips finally parted this time, Inara lingered close to him, biting her lower lip gently, sheepishly. The ranger may have been a bit bashful, yes, but she was also trying to keep her composure. She was giddy – first kisses seemed to do that. She was also beginning to understand that this newfound closeness would meant many more kisses. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink hue.

“I've been wanting to do that... for ages now,” she admitted, letting her arms drop to hold him around the middle, and burying her face against his neck and shoulder. Not only that, but she'd wanted to so many times. The night when she had made him dinner, she'd wanted to then – a reason why things had ended so awkwardly when they parted that time. And again she'd wanted to when they went to coffee. And again when she first saw him at the space port here on Virujansi. Just to name a few.

A weight had been lifted, and there was certainly bound to be a new lightness between them.

However, a sizzling sound made Inara blink and she glanced down to see that the little pot was beginning to boil over. “Oh!” She looked back to Mathieu. “Maybe we'd better get dinner ready,” she said with a giggle. When they were together, it was all too easy to just forget about everything else – even dinner. They'd almost done it twice now.

After all, they had all night to be close.

Mathieu Brion