Private Justice For All?

[Cartri Keswoll]

Location: Denon
Objective: Get back to the apartment with Daiya
Attire: Link
Tag: Daiya
"Post theme: Beach House - Space Song"

It had been a long day for Cartri as he walked with Daiya along the streets of Denon. Since morning, he had been hanging out with the girl he loved most and enjoyed every minute of it. They first had breakfast together at a local café which served the most delicious breakfast on the planet, before going on a long overdue shopping trip to repay Daiya for his attitude at the Tatt Chat meeting. To say the least, she made the most of her opportunity and seemed to buy everything she needed to last her a year. Although, as a little reprieve she let him help pick out a cute skirt. At least there was some benefit from going on an all expenses shopping spree.

Later on in the day they both got tickets to see a band named Speeder Overdrive, who were more into the heavier rock both Daiya and Cartri liked greatly, Overall the show was great, considering they were standing and right near the stage. They were always dancing together and even shared some cheeky kisses during the slower paced and romantic songs. For sure, it was a night he'd never forget being with Daiya for his first concert.

Walking back from the venue, he locked hands with the girl beside him and hurried through the cold streets of Denon back to his apartment to wind down for the night. Looking at Daiya, he smiled warmly and gave her a quick peck on the cheek "I hope you enjoyed today as much as I did, certainly one to put in the scrapbook" he said positively as they rounded a corner onto his apartment street.

"I'll have to secure some physical versions of the photos we took. Well, the ones that didn't have my eyes closed in them"

 

[Daiya]

(Post Soundtrack: "Don't Let Me Go" by RAIGN)

"It was sublime!"

Daiya declared the moment with her free palm outstretched and fingers splayed, echoing the bright cast of lights from the concert. She thought it was a fitting word, even if she wasn't entirely certain about its meaning. It had been an easy enough word to pick up, singing it with the crowd after the lead singer of Speeder Overdrive cajoled them all into singing along. Their reward had come as a dance of lights, choreographed to the river of music that drew her feet around the boy beside her, and her arms around his neck for as many of the slow dances as he could handle.

She echoed that now with a giggle, twirling herself around in the short, denim skirt that was new to her that day. The rhythm of an imaginary song spurred her on, dancing her one, connected, lithe arm over to drape across his shoulders. When Cartri was in her grasp, the teen felt his warm energy pulse through the sweatshirt beneath her fingertips. Daiya found herself captivated by it, breathing it in with a pronounced breath. She held it, unwilling to let go of the scent of him, and leaned her heavy head down onto his shoulder. The count of words she had for Cartri outnumbered her energy to speak. The teen could be satisfied to simply remain as she was, held on tight to the boy she cared for most in the galaxy.

The giggle tumbled out of her, spilling out precious breath from her lips. Daiya was in little hurry to get it back, consumed with the idea of Cartri's eyes closed in the holo-images they had taken. Her own heavy lids came from the exhaustion of the day, fueled by the dregs of beer she'd found abandoned on an uncleaned table when Cartri left to visit the refresher once. That was just enough to leave a pink flush in her cheeks for the rest of the day, and the teen felt its warmth again as she pulled close to him. "There's a filter for that, y'know? We can just make your eyes appear, it's like magic!"

"Poof!"

Daiya threw out her free hand again to imitate the magic of the lights, grinning as she glanced up at him. The giner boy's hair, and the warmth in his eyes drew her in for a kiss of her own. She found herself leaning more on him than her tiptoes could support. Her lips made a sound when she pulled back, the warmth of her cheeks creeping over her nose and eyes as the giddy teen put a hand over her flushed face. She could feel heat radiating from beneath her concert wear, and Daiya was almost certain that her whole body was as red as a Zeltron by now. "Oh my stars, Cartri, why didn't we take a photo of that?!"

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"Sublime? not even an a-mazing?" he said with a giggle, remembering the slow dances and singing they did that night. Speeder Overdrive was an amazing band, with fast paced and slow songs the two could enjoy together. Thanks to Daiya's listening sessions, he knew most of their headlining songs and their back catalog. But due to that, his throat was now sore from how much he had been shouting the words with Daiya. By the end of it, he was dancing with her, and at that time, he savored every single moment.

Watching her with a smile twirl in her skirt, his cheeks blushed slightly when her arms draped over his shoulder and her head went onto his shoulder. Lightly, Cartri put his head on hers as they walked along, her fast heartbeat and warm body bringing a calm smile to his face. He wished peaceful moments like this could last forever, just in an everlasting closeness where they could forever be interlocked in.

"That's a game changer! now I won't have to keep scrolling through and deleting half of the damn pictures" he grinned. Cartri had the odd habit of blinking at the wrong moments, so that filter was going to be a life saver for sure. Soon he found Daiya leaning into him more for comfort, something that cooled his heart. A few months back he didn't even dream of this happening, but now they were going through space as a tight couple.

Daiya's costume was cute like always, and he was always clean and snazzy as usual. But the short was starting to make him colder by the second. Although, when she kissed him that warmth soon came crawling back inside as he looked down at her "I probably would have had my eyes closed anyway..." he chuckled, their close forms slowly but surely reaching the entrance of Cartri's apartments. Coming up to the half working lift, he pressed it and waited for it to come down.

The teen turned to her and wrapped his arms around her back to pull her in close, softly pecking her on the lips with a smile "How about you stay with me tonight and watch a movie? I don't want you going back on your own at this time anyway" he said caringly, his hands gently rubbing her back.

"Come on... I have some cookies from the bakery in the fridgeeeee"

Daiya ​

 

[Daiya]

Daiya's grin lit up the narrow lobby of the building, aiming it all at her ginger boyfriend. She didn't care who might see their affection, her heart floated in her throat and the teen reveled in it. She giggled as his arms drew her close, easily leaning into him. Time felt slower to her while waiting for the lift in Cartri's arms, and Daiya could have let it crawl for all eternity down to their waiting embrace.

"With you tonight? Y'know, I was gonna go see this other boy I'm dating..." Daiya flicked a finger at his nose, giggling at her own teasing tone. Her eyes saw Cartri's busy freckles, his flame-orange hair, his oft-bruised knuckles so differently than she had some months ago. The teen could have never imagined herself actively dating a boy, much less one so steadily for so long. Especially Cartri, whose presence once kept her tense and alert, waiting for him to explode on her again.

Now Daiya could relax in his presence, and feel safe in his arms.

"All by my little lonesome?" Daiya asked with downturned lips, feeling safe enough to lean back against the boy's constrictive arms. She slapped a hand lightly against his chest, scoffing at his misplaced concern. The young shadowrunner had walked home at worse hours of the night and with far less experience than today. "I can handle myself, y'know?"

Better than he knew. The teen's outfit looked comfortable, though it only felt that way with her holdout blaster concealed under the loose folds of the long-sleeved shirt, and tiny knife on a loop around her neck. Even with Cartri near her, Daiya still felt naked to walk around without her own defenses. "Who was it that saved you when you got shot up in Eden, huh?"

A chime sounded, cheery against the noisy grind and whirr of the half-working lift. Daiya giggled, unwinding Cartri's arms from around her back, stepping back until she could hold his hands in hers. She tugged at him, backing up until she was inside the lift, facing the boy who dared to question her capability. "I'm just along for the cookies."

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"The other boy? ha, I guess he didn't stand a chance did he?" Cartri giggled only to be flicked on the nose, making him playfully roll his eyes and peck her on the lips again. Ever since Daiya and Cartri got close he felt at peace and calm whenever she was around. He couldn't imagine a world with the girl now, and that's something he has never said about anyone else before.

"Come on Daiya, I know you can look after yourself, especially with the little weapons you have on you. I can never be so sure though, maybe it's just the protective boyfriend side of me," he said in a caring tone. Denon was an unpredictable place and he didn't like the thought of his girlfriend walking through the dark and dodgy streets alone at night. The teen only seemed to break away from that when he laughed at the fact she saved him on Eden "That was a one off ya hear me?" he chuckled before nuzzling his nose against hers.

Then, the chime of the lift broke the affectionate moment as Daiya tugged him into the lift. Following without hesitation he faced and took a few steps closer, a warm smile spread across his face "Oh, so you saw the cookies in the fridge before we went then heh? you little food snatcher" he stated, slowly leaning closer to her face "Maybe you're also along for this too" Cartri said in a lowered voice before pressing his lips against hers for a long kiss. It only seemed to break after a few more quick pecks and the realisation he had been saving something for the girl.

"Oh snap, I forgot to give you something," he said as he leaned back and slowly placed a hand in his pocket "Remember when the show ended and they were throwing some of their stuff to the crowd?" the teen grinned, pulling out a guitar pic that belonged to the legendary lead guitarist of Speeder Overdrive Gavin Nalle.

"I managed to catch one while you weren't looking, and I've been looking for a good time to give it to you. A good thing to remember the show by you know?"

Daiya ​

 

[Daiya]

Cartri knew far too many ways to her heart, the teen realized. It soared with her lips pressed against his, whisking her away from the realm of thoughts and comprehension. There was only Daiya and Cartri, and the kiss between them, in the whole world. She pressed a hand to her breastbone, willing her pounding heart to stay caged for just one more moment.

Daiya could barely catch her breath when they parted, bracing against the wall of the lift for balance. She grinned through her eyelashes at Cartri, waiting until her breath and heart steadied before she dared to speak. The teen couldn't trust herself to say anything, even if the boy's teasing was well deserving of a retort. Daiya's eyes just played across his overprotective face, recalling stubborn objections to his noble gesture that his kiss nearly erased.

Cartri knew far too many ways to her heart.

"You didn't!" She perked up when he held out an object to her, her eyes chasing the way the light reflected off the pic. Daiya drew a sharp intake of breath, reaching out with her hands to take the guitar pic gently. The teen grinned as she turned it over, imagining the steady hands of Gavin Nalle strumming his electrified dual guitar with this pic between his fingers. "You cheeky boy..."

The corners of her mouth turned up, twisting into a smirk as Daiya played with the pic between her fingers. She grasped the pic in her palm, then withdrew it pinched between two fingers, giggling with the action. The teen held it tight as she flung her arms around Cartri, giggling some more as she delivered some swift pecks to his cheek. "Now this is fething a-mazing!"

She backed away, pulling at the concert wristband with her teeth until it came off in strips. Daiya glanced at Cartri with the plasticine strips still hanging from her teeth as she offered a toothy, feral grin at the boy. Trading the strips for the pic, the teen hummed to herself while braiding them together, keeping the pic clenched between humming teeth until the lift ground to a halt and the chime sounded for Cartri's floor. Daiya slipped the new braided band through the hole in the pic, and held her new bracelet up for appraisal.

"I'll always remember this day, thank you Cartri." Her face slipped in toward his mouth to deliver another, grateful kiss on the boy who made every day memorable.

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Everything seemed to go in slow motion when their lips touched, their chaotic worlds seemingly going peaceful for a few precious seconds. Cartri wanted moments like this to last forever, but sometimes even the best of things had to stop in order for others to happen. Giving her his widest smile, he stepped back and caught his breath back. Seeing her happy was one of the best things in the galaxy to see. Right now, that's all that mattered to him.

"Hanging in there hotshot?" he asked with a chuckle, before revealing the prized pick before her very eyes. His cheeks seemed to go red from how much he was smiling and that only grew while Daiya took to his gift well "I very much did!" Cartri replied back joyfully as he watched her examine the gift in between her fingers "Cheeky? maybe... but smart? very much so" he said with a joking motion to his brain. By this point, he knew almost every way into Daiya's heart, and from the looks of it, this was simply working a treat in the girl's emotions.

Cartri wrapped his arms around her back while she delivered some swift kisses to his cheek, In unison, he gently lifted her off the floor and slowly spun her around in his arms "Not only is that A-mazing it's for an extra A-mazing girl I love so much" the teen grinned before giving her a kiss of his own and lowering her to the floor so she can back away once more.

With a raised brow and a fold of his arms, he glared at Daiya as she tugged at the concert wristband until it was forced into strips in her mouth "Universe have Mercy Daiya, you really are wild ain't you?" he joked with a small chuckle, quietly watching her loop the strips through the pick with the same smile from before. Eventually, it all seemed to work out pretty well. Daiya managed to make a pretty neat bracelet from the short elevator ride, one that gave her an impressed expression of approval

"Lookin good, didn't know you had that level of creativity in that brain of yours" he teased playfully, his arms reaching out to bring her into his embrace again "Anytime Daiya, you mean more to me than anything the galaxy has to offer," he said softly before leaning forwards to press his lips against hers for another passionate, peaceful kiss.

However, when the ding rang out and the doors opened it seemed to trigger a chain reaction. In his back pocket, the small datapad began to buzz from constant notifications. Cartri's eyes slowly flickered open to his dismay and felt the notifications ring out in the back of his shorts. Regretfully, he slowly withdrew from Daiya and gave her a warm smile as he reached back to take out the datapad. Suspiciously, he seemed to keep it close to his chest while he typed away with his fingers.

"Sorry, just gotta quickly reply to this..." Cartri said to Daiya with an unsure look in his eyes, just before a smile appeared on his face from another reply. Then, with another quick gaze up to a sure to be intrigued Daiya he coughed a few times and placed it in his right pocket

"Uh... okay! where were we?" he remarked, trying to lean forwards and kiss her again as a way to try and make her forget what just happened.

Daiya ​

 

[Daiya]

Cartri's kiss left a ringing in her ears, her whole body vibrating with the resonant hum of their connection. She barely registered the ding of the lift, or the opening of the doors, and it wasn't until he pulled away that Daiya noticed anything amiss. Her arms ached for his presence once more, they stopped short of reaching for him when the teen noticed her boyfriend's attention on his datapad instead.

One minute bliss, the next aloof?

Daiya frowned at his explanation, her eyes narrowed by Cartri's odd behavior. She softened when his smile appeared again, only to find it directed at his datapad. His fingers moved swiftly to respond, tapping out the rhythms of her creeping heartbeat. Suspicion gripped her lungs, weighing heavily when she tried to draw breath. The teen could barely squeak out a despondant plea, "Who is it?"

He was having none of it, coughing and trying to sweep her away once more. Her body wanted nothing more to give in, to forget about the whole ordeal, but Daiya pushed him back before their lips could make contact. Her words came more firm and confident this time, "Who was that? You were talking to somebody, weren't you? That wasn't your regular the-fence-agreed-to-my-price smile."

The teen let him lean close to her again, ducking her head over his shoulder to peek down to the datapad in his back pocket. She grabbed for it, hoping to snatch it before the boy knew what was happening, her body moving fast before her heart could keep up.

"Lemme see!" She couldn't bear to hear an answer out loud by now. Her eyes were soft and damp, her heartbeat fast against Cartri's shoulder.

If it was their last embrace, she didn't want to be sad. Daiya didn't want to be angry or jealous or suspicious at someone she'd become so close to.

Daiya only wanted to be wrong.

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"Who is it? don't worry, it's no one that concerns you" he said in a suspicious tone as he leaned forward to lock lips with her again. Although, they would never reach their target. A firm push to his chest pushes him away as the lift door closes once more to leave them alone within the lift. Cartri gulps slightly and glares at Daiya nervously "I-I wasn't talking to anyone! a job opportunity popped up that I like and couldn't resist smiling you know?" the boy lied, backing up into the wall to try and gain some space from her.

"Hey now it's not wh- heyyyy!" he grunted just before she ducked low under his arm and made a grab for the datapad. Cartri wrapped his arms around her and managed to just keep her from within reach for now. his face stressed slightly from what had gotten into her and the fact she resorted to such methods made him think she was overacting "Daiya! calm down alright?!" he grunted, gently tugging her away from him and creating a bit of space

Quickly, Cartri swiped the datapad from his pocket and pressed it against his chest keeping it close and away from the girl seeking the truth "I've got personal stuff on here you know!" he said back unconvincingly, his eyes looking into hers with a frown. Cartri could tell she was getting more and more upset, at this point, there was going to be no way around it. Sighing, he moved the pad away and looked at the screen "Daiya... it's not what you think" he said with a lowering of his head "Can you promise not to be mad at me? I don't want it to come between us" he said with what could pass as puppy eyes.

Hesitantly, he tapped the screen a few times to unlock it and open the most recent messages he had sent. Cartri took a deep breath and handed it to her carefully and kept his gaze on her face to read her reaction as it came.

"I'm just helping them out... they need it considering how they're treated"

Cartri Keswoll ​

 

[Daiya]

He pushed back as Daiya pushed at the boy, words shielding the datapad from reach. The answers it held fled from her grasp, leaving an aching gap that grew inside her heart. With every beat and every breath, the teen found her desire for Cartri clouded more and more by the burning desire for the truth he tried to hide from her.

"Calm?" She asked, eyes aiming their fire at the growing space between them. Daiya pushed forward, heat rising on her skin in search of satisfaction. It begged her for answers, as she begged him in turn. "Just show me! Then I'll be calm, I promise."

Her heart could no more honor that promise than it could stop hurting for an answer, driven by the fear of what could be. Of who Cartri could be to her, if he wasn't being truthful. "That's a lotta gratuitous setup for nothing that concerns me. Please don't tell me..."

Daiya swallowed, drawing a shaky breath. The boy's pleas fell past her ears, deaf to all reason now. "Is it another girl?"

The words crushed her as soon as she spoke them, leaving her body without the strength to withstand them. Daiya stumbled to the wall of the lift, a hand catching her halfway to the floor. The truth held itself away from her, pressed tightly to the chest of the boy she adored. It taunted her, laughing at her behind the placating words of Cartri. Daiya had only enough strength to look at him through tear-filled eyes, one last wordless plea on her behalf.

Can you promise not to be mad at me? I don't want it to come between us.

She could barely hear more than feel now, holding onto the wall as every part of her body screamed NO! Daiya could only hear whimpers from herself, broken by a sharp repose from her lungs. She gasped in air when her hands clutched the datapad, her eyes blinking back bleary confusion to spy the lifeline connecting it back to Cartri. She couldn't hear his words, though she could see the trust in his eyes.

Daiya nodded, looking to her answer at last.

The heat on her cheeks flared, a hand clutching at her breast. "Oh," Daiya muttered in explanation, staring dumbfounded at the image on the screen. She glanced up at Cartri, humiliation driving her eyes back down to his face staring back at her from the screen, surrounded by a group of younglings of varying ages. Between the mix of species and genders was something they all had in common, a ragged, worn look that she had seen on Cartri's face each time he spoke about his old life. "Oh feth, Cartri, I really thought..."

But he already knew what she thought.

She read the exchange of messages. Requests for items the orphanage couldn't easily obtain, answered in response to Cartri's frequent status checks every few days. Among them all was the steadfast, unmistakable evidence of her boyfriend's loyalty and support to his fostered siblings, the answer to her biting question. Daiya handed the datapad back to him, ashamed to meet Cartri's face again.

"I didn't know. You never said..." She bit her lip hard, welcoming the pain as pennance for her mistrust of him. "How bad it was there. Still, I mean."

Daiya turned away from him, her faced buried in her hands. "Oh my stars, I'm such a schutta."

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Cartri shyly stared at Daiya as she rested her eyes on the screen. The once frightened and desperate look across her face soon turned into one of humiliation. The girl had finally seen the truth, and it wasn't something she was expecting. Since he had left Cartri had been keeping in touch with the kids from the orphanage, helping them out with anything that they needed. To them, they were a lifesaver, because he was able to get things many of them couldn't get. He had also managed to connect a few kids with family members they didn't know were still alive, which helped them get out of that shithole quicker than most.

Daiya on the other hand was another girl to be on the other end of those messages, and it wasn't her fault for thinking that. Cartri had not told anyone, not even Xan Deesa when she was still living with him. It was just something quite personal that he wanted to do alone, but it was bound to be known about sooner or later. The boy frowned at the girl as she turned around, not daring to look at him in the eyes after presuming such a thing. Slowly, he came up behind Daiya and turned her around, silently pulling her head into his chest for a comfy hug.

"Hey hey Daiya, you didn't know..." he said warmly as he gently rubbed her back to try and calm her down "I'd never turn my back on you like that, especially after all we've gone through. You're the most beautiful and kindest girl I've ever known, nothing in the galaxy will change that," he said softly, pulling her away slightly to look her in the eyes "I should have told you, but I didn't know what you'd think of it..." Cartri said shamefully, guilty of putting Daiya through all that stress. Leaning forwards, he slowly presses his lips against hers to let her know that he truly loved her no matter what, a promise he was adamant about keeping to.

The teen pulled away after a few seconds and smile down at her, his finger lightly brushing across her cheek. At that moment, Cartri seemed to ponder something for a few moments, before a brief nod seemed to confirm his decision.

"Tonight, I was going to visit them and drop off a few things... you can come meet them if you want" he said, unsure how she'd be "They may or not know about you already. They seem to like stories of our adventures."

Daiya​

 

[Daiya]

Gentle words and gentle hands caressed her back, it shuddered against their onslaught. Daiya's eyes had no tears for her, only a thin, dry anger without an outlet. It seethed through her bones, coiling up inside her to eat at her own innards in place of a mark. She had one, keeping secrets from her and letting her fears boil over, but his words saw kindness in her. Then her eyes did feel damp and the teen laid her head on Cartri's warm shoulder, her eyes closed tight against the boy's shining vision of her.

How could someone beautiful and kind accuse her faithful boyfriend of something so ugly?

"I would have thought you were the good-hearted, and far too noble, boy I've always seen in you," Daiya answered the boy's uncertainty, compelled by a need she didn't really understand. When his lips pressed into hers, and the teen could melt against him all over again, she knew a little more. Cartri was strong and safe for her, wiping her eyes and setting her upright, so certain with every move he made. A certainty Daiya admired...and needed from him.

There was that uncertainty creeping into his words again, making a cautious offer. Daiya could feel the familiar urge to laugh away the nerves, even tease him about needing to make the offer in the first place. The words would have come easily enough, but now she couldn't muster up the same, cheerful weight behind them. He wouldn't let her turn sullen eyes or sodden cheeks from him, brushing the evidence away with a finger.

She couldn't brush away the feeling so easily.

"No, I—" It was so easy to tell him no, force him off by himself. Daiya couldn't stand the small lift anymore, struggling against the closeness she had always found intoxicating. It reminded her now of the ugly thoughts she felt about him, the terrible charge she'd made against him. A dozen reasons and excuses hopped along her tongue, each just waiting to be chosen.

Daiya backed up, her fingers finding the controls to the lift. Air rushed in as the doors slid open, and the teen breathed it in. "I'll go."

She forced a grin on her face, forcing herself to fall back into that easy charm of being Daiya. A hand settled on her stomach before it could betray her, pressing in against the gnawing sensation that swirled inside her. "It'll be fun, I've never seen this side of you. You going like this? I just gotta get a few things from my place and then I'm ready."

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"I would have thought you were the good-hearted, and far too noble, boy I've always seen in you,"

"And I always will be Daiya, nothing will change that," Cartri said reassuringly with another quick peck on her lips. He lightly stroked her hair as she made up her mind on the matter. Whatever she said there would be no hard feelings about the decision. Sometimes a thing like this would be too much for some people, especially when they were meeting a bunch of kids that were different ages.

To his surprise, she seemed to say yes when she opened the lift doors. His mouth formed a wide smile as he wrapped his arms around her back and slowly walked her out of the lift. Cartri looked down at Daiya upon hearing the clothing question "Yea, this will be fine. I've already got a backpack packed in my room so I'm ready to go" he smiled again, his cheeks blushing red from how cute she looked in his arms "And what do you mean you've never seen this side of me huh?" Cartri giggled and gently pushed her away, his back slowly turning around to face her

"Come on, I'll piggyback you the rest of the way!" he said with a small laugh. If she chose to or not, they both got to the apartment in record time. Cartri used his keys to quickly open the door and swiftly head into his room, snatching the backpack that was hidden underneath his bed "Alright, I'm ready hotshot" the teen said to her as he locked his apartment back up

"You wanted to get some things right? we better head there now if that's the case. The next public shuttle comes in a few minutes"

Daiya ​

 

[Daiya]

Daiya let herself giggle riding on Cartri's back up to his apartment, glimpsing a momentary chance at the magical emotions she'd felt just minute before. They rose and fell with the movements under her, jostling against the thought of what she truly feared. She knew it was fear that grasped at her throat, straining against her breath, pulling at her smiles and words. The teen simply couldn't figure out, for the life of her, what she was afraid of.

"A few minutes?!" Daiya didn't revel in space flight at all, missing the public shuttle wasn't that much of a big deal to her. Still, her stomach jumped into her throat, squeezing in along side her heart, making the teen gasp. She grabbed Cartri's hand, pulling him along with urgency in her squeaking voice. "Then we gotta fething hurry!"

The teen rushed the whole way back to her place, set farther away from Cartri's apartment than she liked. Her bottom lip felt shredded by the time they got there. Daiya was sweaty again, and the shower called to her every time she passed the refresher, rushing back to her room another two times to make sure she had everything. "I'm ready." Daiya nodded to herself. Her satchel was so full it bulged, and she desperately wanted a shower...or sleep. The chronometer warned her of the shuttle's impending departure, and she gasped again, rushing back to her room to grab the anti-nausea meds that would make the trip at least bearable for her. "Okay, now I'm ready!"

By the time the pair were at the shuttle terminal, tickets purchased and boarding complete, Daiya felt like someone else entirely. She felt tired and smelly, with a mind racing a lightyear every second. Her leg bounced in her seat, fidgeting first with her satchel, then checking her datapad until they left the easy HoloNet access in Denon space, then pulling at soiled creases in her clothing. Her attention sought everything but just momentary glanced at Cartri, managing only the dimmest of smiles, her whole body surging every time she looked at him.

What the feth was making her so frightened?!

"I'm gonna draw for a bit," she told him. Wired and withdrawn, the teen needed something to focus on, something that didn't require her to think about fears or boyfriends or much of anything at all. Daiya pulled out her datapad again, opening it completely and extracting the stylus, letting her mind wander while the tip of the drawing utensil moved where it wanted to go.

Daiya still couldn't muster the want to be on this trip yet, even if something told her she needed to be.

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"Then we gotta fething hurry!"

"O-oh hey!" he giggled as they rushed back as quickly as possible to allow Dayia to gather her stuff. In almost no time, they reached her apartment, leaving Cartri outside to wait for her girlfriend to get ready. Surprisingly faster than his usual wait, she had managed to cram as many items into her satchel as possible before coming out "I wish you were this fast when you are doing your makeup" he teased, rolling his eyes when she rushed back in to grab her meds "Come on, we will miss it if you keep being a lazer brain!"

On the way up to the shuttle, Cartri had also grabbed his backpack full of things the kids wanted. It was heavy, but nothing a boy his stature couldn't handle by any means. Cartri looked to Daiya with a reassuring smile as they went up the ramp and sat down in their comfy seats. Placing the bag under his legs, he slowly placed a hand on her thigh and left it there just in case she needed support "I'll be listening to music, nudge me if you need me" the smiled back and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Time passed as the ship began to fly close to Garos IV. The pilot announced their soon to be departure, making Cartri lower his headphones slightly to hear what he had to say. Looking back at Daiya, he got curious about what she was doing "What you drawing there?" he asked with interest, fully taking off the headphones to give her his full attention.

Cartri was always impressed with the things she drew, Daiya had a nack of seeing things differently.

Daiya​

 

[Daiya]

Breathing came easier to the teen as she sketched, her stylus laying out quick, short lines as it moved around the datapad screen. She wasn't sure what might form when she started, it was just a relief not to be drawing out a Vision or something worse from her mind's eye. Daiya let her fingers and stylus work on their own, just letting a new breath of calm wash over her.

It was an odd sensation to have on a starship. Daiya could feel the gravity plating underneath her, even with the meds in her system, she knew she should at least be queasy. Whatever sent her inner ear in nauseous, dizzy spirals, though, seemed to have calmed down as much as she did. The relative quiet of her mind let her enjoy the soothing moments as the artwork emerged beneath her touch.

Daiya wasn't disturbed when Cartri finally leaned over to her, though she could feel his breath on him. It drew notice to his hand, still lingering on her leg where she let it be. She no longer felt the frightening anxiety from the last hour or so, and a slow grin spread over the teen's face. It was genuine again, even if it wasn't as warm as she felt he deserved.

He deserved so much better than her.

"I don't really know what it is, it's just kinda..." the teen turned her datapad to show the boy, a nervous giggle erupting from her stomach. Her fingers itched to steal it back away, hiding the creation from Cartri. From the world. She never published her art, and barely showed it to anyone. He deserved to look, most of all, after what she put him through today. Daiya took another breath instead, relinquishing the datapad into his hands. "I felt annoyed, so I was just drawing a bunch of things that annoyed me."

"It's fething weird, isn't it?"

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Cartri smiled lightly at Daiya and glared over at the art piece which was being shown to him. He grasped the datapad with two hands and glared over it silently for a few moments before a small giggle came from his mouth "Awwww he looks so cute" he said back to her with sparkling eyes and a warmer smile "Why have you never shown me this before? your art is a-mazing daiya!" he said in praise, a hand resting on the girl's cheek to give her a quick peck.

The ship rumbled again which indicated they were getting close to the ground. Placing his hand back on her thigh, he handed back the piece of art and helped her stay calm on the way down "When you meet these kids, don't be surprised if they try and attack you" he said jokingly with a short laugh "There's a few our age, but most younger than us. A friend of mine, Matias is still at the orphanage from when I was there. If he turns 18 and he hasn't found a home I've him a roof over his head until he can get on his feet. Same with the other kids really" he continued, hoping Daiya was cool being surrounded by kids today.

Slowly but surely, the ship landed on a pad close to the market place and the ramp slowly went down. Cartri got up and offered his hand to Daiya so they could walk out together into the more fresh breeze of the planet. Garos IV was very much more green than Denon, and the weather was more normal compared to the ever present dark skies of the dump they called home. However, right now it was quite dark.

"Welcome to my homeworld, I guess..." he mumbled as he motioned a hand to the cool looking and big marketplace that was closed from everyone packing in for the night. It also reminded him of the first person he met from Darkwire... Kade. He hadn't seen him for a very long time now, hopefully, he was doing alright in the harsh wasteland of the galaxy.

"Come on, let's get to the orphanage before any of the creeps around here have any ideas"

Daiya ​

 

[Daiya]

"That word sounds so weird coming out of your mouth." The teen found a grin blooming on her face despite herself, amusement tugging at its edges to hear Cartri call something cute. The word sounded so odd coming out of her boyfriend's mouth that Daiya giggled again. She shrugged at his question, a giddiness lifting her shoulders in an easygoing way, as if she hadn't just let Cartri peek at some of her innermost thoughts. "'Cause it's super rough, and I hate the way the lines meet. I didn't think anyone would wanna see this chit."

Daiya's holojournal had always been for her alone, not just for a lack of artistic abilities. On a screen everything seemed more real somehow, more dangerous, even the art that didn't depict terrifying Visions.

She was grateful that the ship's imminent landing pulled her from gloomy thoughts, even her spaceflight anxiety could be a welcome friend. At least it was happening now, as Daiya's knotted stomach and quickened breathing could all too eagerly confirm. She managed a small smile, far more difficult than before, to her boyfriend's helpful presence on her thigh, and the teen tried not to think about the gooseflesh prickling his hand from underneath.

"Attack me?!" Daiya asked it a little too loudly, and she glared at a pair of heads that turned her way. Heated alarm raced through arteries, winding already-tight muscles to their limit. The young shadowrunner hadn't come ready for a fight or a mission, and the worst ones were always right after a trip through space. As the boy continued with his explanation, Daiya finally made sense of his wording, "Ohhh!" This time she her grin managed to return in force. "If they want a fight, they'd better know who they're messing with. See, I got this mean boyfriend who'll feth up anyone who tries, and then I'll just shoot whoever's left."

Giggles emerged to accompany Daiya as they disembarked, reassuring the teen. Her senses filled with the freshness of a new world, the sights and sounds and odors mixing in a loud maelstrom. She was no stranger to being on other planets, even ones with less city than sky, but the wide-open expanse of air stretching above them made her reach for Cartri's hand.

With her fingers interlaced with his, Daiya leaned up to give him a kiss. "They can have that idea for free, anything else is gonna cost them." She giggled as the breeze caught her words, tossing them on the wind with her hair and the loose edges of her clothes. Daiya wasn't thinking about dangers any longer. "I can't wait to see what you're like around the orphans."

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

"Hey, you! keep it down!" Cartri giggled as a few of the citizens looked their way as they walked past. They didn't want to draw attention to themselves at this time of night, things got pretty wild out here when the sun packed in for the night "I don't know about that, these kids are relentless and merciless" he said with a grin "You've got to be on your guard at all times" Cartri joked again just as they turned into the quiet street of the orphanage.

"Cost them? then they'll be paying a hefty price" he smiled again, using the opportunity to meet her lips and kiss her back for a few seconds. When he pulled away, he gently used his finger to move away the loose hair on her face before they continued walking hand in hand "You'll see, maybe I'm a cold fisted dictator who orders them around" in truth he let all the kids get away with murder at times. He was kind and fair and considering he was in their shoes back then he understood what they were going through.

Coming up to the secured run down orphanage, he nodded to a back alley and a set of ladders connected to the wall "We'll have to use that to get on the neighbor's roof. When we get up, there should be an open window waiting for us that the kids have left open for us" Cartri explained, motioning for Daiya to go up first "Even though I've got a good view down here, we don't want to be hanging here for too long!" Cartri laughed as they reached the top after a brief time climbing up step by step.

Brushing himself off, he looked to the open window and began walking over to it. For some reason, the room was pitch black inside, which was unusual considering they were normally waiting for him "Hm... something isn't right" Cartri said in a quiet tone as he went up to the window to lean inside "Daiya, can you- whhoaaaaa!" a group of hands reach forwards from the darkness and pulled him into the room. Scuffling could only be heard until a wave of giggles erupted from within.

Suddenly, the light in the room flicked on to reveal a group of kids scrambling all over Cartri in an excited dog pile "You little tricksters! I should have known!" Cartri laughed as he began to lean back up and playfully push away some of the playfighting kids. At the same time, a few of the younger kids were standing in front of Daiya, looking up at her with wide puppy eyes "Are you the punk princess?" a young girl asked, anxious to see if this was the girl from the stories Cartri kept telling them.

Daiya​

 

[Daiya]

"A dictator?!" Daiya scoffed, considering the thought poorly. Back on solid ground again, the teen could think much easier. Even if the air smelled odd, or the sky was too wide open, or bystanders stood brazenly around to gawk at beings in the streets. With everything so different here, she didn't want Cartri to change either. "Ha, you don't have a cold bone in your body, Knuckles."

She tossed out his nickname on purpose, rolling her eyes at his bravado. Daiya knew as well as he did, the lighthearted, noble young man in her eyes could turn into a terrifying weapon in a heartbeat, wielding fists and sheer grit more than his heart or head. Her breath caught in her throat as the teen followed her boyfriend, whose temper had only improved since they started dating. She hastened her pace when he led around a corner, hovering close to ensure that remained the case now that he was back on his homeworld.

Distracted and unusually quiet, Daiya nearly forgot that Cartri could still be a primordial, and sometimes gross, boy.

"I shoulda known something was up!" Daiya looked back down at him, still at the bottom of the ladder. She was glad her face was higher up, and she turned it so he couldn't see her blushing. Her hands were on both rungs, the teen couldn't cover her skirt and make it up the ladder very quickly. "This one caught your eye before I even pulled it off the rack."

The teen wiggled her hips, giggling at the thought before finishing the climb. Standing on the rooftop, she took a moment to tug at the skirt, urging another centimeter out of its length while Cartri finished making it up. He knew the building better, so Daiya let him go first, her eyes wandering over its rooftop. An odd sensation pricked at her skin and words tumbled through the air at her, seeming muffled from a great distance. She waved them away, her eye caught on something strange.

At the corner of the rooftop, a small pair of pointed, green ears stuck out.

Daiya gasped at the sight, whirling to mention it to Cartri. He was already gone, and she could hear sounds of a struggle from inside the window. The young shadowrunner rushed ahead, her hand scrambling for the zipper of her satchel. She was glad now to have kept her smallest blaster along, reaching inside for it, heartbeat pounding loud in her ears. If his homeworld wasn't already enough to start Cartri on a turn, a fight would be, wiping away all the progress they had made as a couple.

Lights appeared with a round of giggles, illuminating a pile of younglings smothering her boyfriend. Daiya only relaxed when Cartri appeared from it, picking off the orphans like a litter of tooka. Her lips started moving into a grin, hesitating as she whirled back to the site of her rooftop creature. But it was too late. The ears were gone, and with it the odd sensation that had called the teen to look.

She shrugged, stepping through the window to join the cadre of rambunctious younglings, some of whom had already noticed her presence. Daiya found herself surprised, none of them looked anything like Cartri! Another glance at him reminded the teen, these were all orphans, even though Cartri talked about them like siblings. Daiya knew what she was seeing made sense, she just couldn't shake the image of Cartri around younglings with identical mops of ginger hair.

Just like Daiya couldn't shake the tugging at her sleeve until she looked down.

"Are you the punk princess?"​

"Am I the what?!" Daiya's head whipped up to stare at Cartri, who was being no help with his attention divided a dozen ways. The youngling on her shirt was small, with a skinny arm jutting from a too-large shirt. The teen noticed others in clothes that didn't fit, a few who seemed a little too thin, or too pale. She blinked at the state of the orphans, struggling to regain her composure after a second surprise. "I only know two princesses, and that's enough to know I'm not one. I'm Daiya."

Daiya hadn't heard from Loreena Arenais-Valhoun in the years since the demise of Commenor's monarchy, and she knew Zenitha Chuma wasn't technically in line for a throne. Still, it made the little girl smile to hear it. That tugged the teen's lips into a grin of her own, and she leaned down with hands on her legs. "Actually, one of the princesses I know looks a lot like you."

"Really?!"​

No, but that didn't seem like an important detail to share. Daiya nodded, reinforcing the lie, stealing glances over until she could catch Cartri's eye. She fixed her most incredulous stare on her boyfriend, mouthing the question she couldn't ask without spoiling the moment for the wide-eyed youngling at her arm.

Princess?!

Cartri Keswoll​