Miss Me?

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

He smiled at her.

Kurt would rather she not have stood and almost injure her leg again, but the wide smirk on her face and the look of pride in her eye was too much for him to say anything about that. Instead he simply shook his head and slowly picked up the odd fruit from her palm. There was a split in the inner shell as well, barely noticeable but large enough that The Courier was able to wedge his knife into it and further pry it open, revealing the coconut meat and a bit of the sloshing liquid inside.

"Good job, babe." Kurt said as he reached up and gently pulled her in for a small kiss.

"Now." The Courier said as he leaned forward. "Lets see if we can't..."

Kurt trailed off for a moment as he very gently dabbed a bit of the coconut milk onto the piece of fish already on the grill, he then slipped his knife beneath the fish, holding it for a moment before quickly flipping it over onto the bare heated metal. There was a loud hiss as the Coconut milk evaporated, cooking into the fish to seal in some of it's flavor.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie's face beamed with glee each time Kurt referred to her by a pet name. Her chest swelled with pride and happiness as she returned his soft kiss before turning and pointing toward the other coconut still resting on the sand a few feet away. "Should I do the same with the other? Or did you want to save it for something else?" She wasn't quite sure what he had planned for the fruits, but the smell that the fish gave off as it seared the coconut milk into its' flesh atop the grill was incredible.

"That smells wonderful!" She remarked, watching as the bubbles of milk evaporated and bled into the fish. The more she watched it the hungrier she got. Thankfully fish wasn't like most other heavy meats that required substantial cooking to burn away the germs and heat through to safe levels enough to eat.

"You've outdone yourself!"

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Kurt added the other pieces onto the grill, all seven. He wasn't about to try and save any of it considering that it was likely get up to ninety degrees tomorrow. Fish didn't really keep well and it wasn't like he and Jamie had a freezer to toss all of this into. it was better to cook all of it now than to just let it sit. As he placed each filet piece onto the grill Kurt made sure to add Coconut water to each and every one of them, the large fruit holding just enough to cover six of the seven pieces.

"Uhhmm." He mused for a second. "Lets keep that one closed for tomorrow. I think this is plenty for tonight."

The Courier patted the sands beside himself, signalling for Jamie to take a seat. At the same time he took the knife he had been using as a makeshift spatula and slowly slid it into the crack that had formed in the coconut. He parted the shells, making sure to keep one half of the fruit filled with the last of the milk while slowly grasping the other one in his palm. "My dad taught me how to do this, though not with Coconuts."

No, Kurt's instruction had been on a particular type of cactus that grew on Tatooine.

The knife was slowly placed on the edge of the fruit itself, then slowly pressed between the shell and the meat of the coconut. He separated the two with a deft hand, cutting out the meat completely and freeing it from it's prison.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The blonde gave a nod of the head, bending the knee of her good leg and extending her hand down and into the sand to sit beside Kurt so not to disturb the pained ankle any further. Jamie dug her toes into the fine grains of sand and buried them beneath the surface, a bit of a smile on her face as she turned to Kurt, leaning her head against his shoulder while watching the fish cook atop the makeshift grill.

"Oh? What did you use instead then? I assume coconuts don't grow on a desert planet like Tatooine."

There was curiosity in her tone, having wondered more and more about the place he came from. She'd never been to the world, nor had her family to her knowledge. There was so much mystery behind it, save for what Kurt had shared with her thus far. It made her eager to visit the planet, even if much of it was barren desert engulfed in humid head.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

For a moment Kurt fiddled with the coconut again, slipping the meat onto the grill beside one of the fish for just a few seconds and putting the knife down. His free hand came up and slowly swept up the side of her face, gingerly running his fingers over her cheek and into her hair to comb through it with a light and loving touch. Kurt looked at her for one moment, smiling, blue eyes fixed before he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"Cactus'" Kurt said, stopping for a second to think whether or not that was the correct plural format.

"They're really the only thing that actually grow in the desert." Along with some smaller desert plants. "Some of them grow pretty big, others stay small, all of them have their unique traits. Some of them make you hallucinate, others make you sick, but a few are like coconuts. You can drink the water that they create, eat the inside 'fruit', and separate it from the outer skin. My dad taught me which ones were safe to eat, he claimed that a tribe of Tuskens had taught him."

Kurt wasn't exactly sure that was true.

He himself had befriended a few Tusken tribes and he knew from experience that they were rather stingy with secrets, especially when it came to surviving the Tatooint desert.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

A deep breath took in all of Kurt's scent as he leaned over and kissed her. A swell of excitement ran through Jamie as he ran his hand over her face and through her hair. Jamie's own hand brushed against his arm, soft lips returning the gesture. Blue eyes opened to see Kurt's looking back at her, a smile on his face that transferred to her.

"Some make you hallucinate? Like spice?" She'd never tried any of that type of thing, but knew some people back home that had taken up the 'hobby' so to speak. A couple of them had died from overdoses which was the primary reason she'd never tried such things. The danger behind it never really justified the rush to her.

"Your dad taught you a lot of really useful things to survive. At least that makes one of us then, huh?"

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Kurt ran his free hand over her cheek again, slowly stroking his thumb over her cheek and planting just one more kiss on her before leaning forward and flipping the fish over on the grill. Each of the seven pieces hissed as the moisture was quickly cooked out, the scent of coconut hitting the air as more of the water was slowly singed into the flesh. At the same time The Courier pulled the now scorched Coconut meat off of the grill, juggling it between his fingers for a moment to avoid the heat.

"He did." The Pilot said with a smile, noticing the slight morose expression on her face. He nuzzled her for a moment, holding the cooled down Coconut Meat.

"I can teach you some things." The Courier said as he leaned over and broke off a piece of the soft, charred coconut, offering it to her for a few seconds. "Though I don't know everything. For instance, I know which Cacti are safe to eat, but I don't know all the dangerous ones. Some just make you hallucinate, like spice, yes, but others...well their effects are far more deadly."

He'd seen the effects before. "If your ankle gets better and we explore tomorrow, I can show you as we go along."

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The blonde leaned forward, her teeth sinking into the bit of fleshy coconut that Kurt had offered, though she didn't take it from him. A single little bite was all she took, before her eyes raised up to look at him, wide smile on her face as she chewed the bit of fruit. The taste and texture were pleasant, she'd always enjoyed most fruits, but coconut held a special place dear to her heart. She hummed a soft mmmm before swallowing while listening to Kurt speak.

"I'll be okay tomorrow." She said in a reassuring manner. "I don't want to waste our time worrying about a little soreness. I'll manage."

Jamie was determined not to let a moment of stupidity ruin several days of enjoyment. If necessary she could ignore the pain and make it through at least until they went home. "Just promise we wont go testing cactus that you don't know about." She winked, "I'd rather not get poisoned as well."

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

He smiled slightly. "Well, I doubt there's any cactus' here anyway."

The Courier grinned at her, taking the bit of Coconut that he still had and slipping it between his teeth so he could take a bite as well. The fleshy fruit was delicious, not really something that he was used to eating. Tatooine wasn't really the place for fruit, any sort of grown product really. A few farmers tried to keep greenhouses on their farm, but Kurt's parents had never really tried, too much effort and not enough moisture in the air is what his father had always said.

"We'll stay away from any bright plants." Kurt said with a smile. "And frogs."

Not many people knew that, but bright and colorful frogs often times meant death. It was a silly thing, not something that he had been taught until it had nearly been too late. The military had done a training mission on Felucia, which was where, in his stupidity Kurt had very nearly touched one of those frogs. "But don't worry, I'll protect you from all the poisonous plants and venomous animals."

He leaned over and gave her another quick peck.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"That sounds like a plan." She said with a smile just as a gentle breeze blew its' way through over the beach and across the two as they sat beside the fire. The flames flickered beneath the pit, the blonde's hair flowing lightly to the right side. A hand raised, pushing locks away from her face and tucking behind an ear.

As her hands returned to rest on her knees she looked to the fish as they cooked atop the grill. Slowly her index and middle fingers raised and turned ever so slightly, all seven pieces of fish gracefully lifting and turning to cook once more on the opposite side. As they set back down she dropped her hand again and smiled. Finding small but useful means of using the Force was almost a form of entertainment to her. Anything to make life a tad bit easier was worth the effort. A small giggle came from her lips as she looked to Kurt, having performed her small trick for him. "Almost done I think!"

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

He smiled slightly. It would have been a lie to say that he was used to the force now, it was still a very odd thing to him, but at the very least he was comfortable enough around it not to go running for the hills. With Kaile having revealed her secret to him Kurt now knew that he was surrounded by a force user almost twenty four seven. He understood it somewhat, even knew what it was, but the idea of it was still something that he couldn't quite wrap his head around, something that...well simply seemed impossible.

"I think you're right." Kurt leaned over and scooped up the large leaf he had been using as a plate.

They had no cutlery to speak of, apart from his knife of course, and no real plates of napkins so they would be eating with their hands. The very thought amused him really, sending his mind wondering if Jamie had ever actually had to eat with her bare fingers before. Small snacks probably, but an entire meal? For some reason he doubted that, and it sent a bemused snicker pulling from his lips before he quickly leaned forward and began to pile the fish onto the 'plate' he was holding.

Much to his surprise he found one of the final pieces of fish floating in the air, simply lifting off the grill. He looked back at her, offering her a look that simply read really?

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Watching as Kurt scooped up each piece one by one and placed them on to the questionably sanitary leaf she smiled when he noticed the final one still seemingly floating of its' own volition. A mischievous smile painted her face as he reached to pluck it from the air, only to find that she had moved it with the power of will just a few inches away from where it just was. Again she laughed as she maneuvered the small bit of fish about in the air, dancing it in front and above him teasingly.

"Well this is fun!" She exclaimed, before finally stopping the mid-air dance. "Open." She said, gesturing with her mouth for him to do the same. Jamie traced the air with her finger and floated the piece towards Kurt's mouth. Even if she wasn't a fantastic user of the Force and even a bit childish with its' uses it provided a bit of entertainment and intimacy given the moment.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

The fish tasted good, a bit salty oddly enough, but still good. There was a hint of Coconut that struck him towards the end of his chewing, the water from the odd fruit having done it's job well enough that he could taste it as an actual active ingredient. He smiled slightly, then slowly leaned himself back into the sand so he could properly sit down. He juggle the leaf in his hand, taking careful measure not to drop any of their precious food.

"It's good." Kurt said to her as he leaned over and offered her a piece, his fingers scrunching gently on the sides of it while his other palm hovered beneath it in case the flaky fish fell apart while she bit into it. The 'plate' was put neatly in his lap, kept away from the sands or anything else that could ruin the meal. The scent of cooked and roasted fish was now hanging in the air, a surprisingly pleasant aroma that mixed with the smell of coconut. It permeated around them, adding to the slight smokey wisp of the flames.

"This was a good idea." He meant the trip, the beach, all of it. "I'm glad we came."

A smile pulled at his lips.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The blonde leaned forward, sinking flashy white teeth into the fish, careful not to bite Kurt's fingers. The taste was surprisingly sweet, likely due to the coconut dressing that had coated it several times over throughout the cooking process. Behind that initial flavor, the fish itself was savory and a bit salty, a natural additive from the inherent salt of the water from which the fish came. Another bite and she pulled the piece free of Kurt's hand, snapping her jaw closed to chew the remainder of the filet piece with a small smile.

"Very good!" She agreed, having swallowed the bit of food before speaking. "The coconut gives it a nice little burst of flavor."

Jamie rubbed her hands together and leaned back into the sand, resting on her elbows as she looked first to Kurt, then up to the darkened skies, the sun having set, leaving behind only a clear moonlit evening and a collection of stars and distant planets.

"Me too." Her eyes never left the sky. She was temporarily captivated by the simple beauty of the sight. "Me too." She repeated, though this time more of a whisper.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

He smiled slightly, finishing another piece of fish before gently placing the 'plate' down onto one of the larger rocks beside the fire. He made sure the heat wasn't too close, shifting the fish away before slowly closing his eyes and leaning back in the sands.

The day had been a nice one.

There had been moments of stress, small parts of it that had been dotted with fear an exasperation, but by and large things had gone better than expected. They had a tent and warm blankets, both supplied by a friendly rental agent, a boat, some fishing line, and everything that they would need. If they wanted for more they were only an hour or two from civilization, and yet everything seemed to isolated and alone that it was almost too perfect. He looked over to Jamie briefly, his hand floating to her skin.

His thumb softly stroked over her alabaster flesh, his fingers scrunching slightly as he touched her.

Kurt's eyes close again as he simply enjoyed the motion of touching her, of getting to feel his palm against her skin, of being allowed to simply lay there and enjoy her presence.

It was an odd feeling, that simply joy that he got from doing something so standard and simple. Had he tried to explain it he would have failed, had he tried to tell his past self about it...well it would have seemed absolutely ridiculous, yet here he was, within the sands, slowly stroking his thumb over her skin.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

A tired sensation made its' way to the blonde's jaw, forcing her mouth to gape momentarily as she let out a rather deep yawn. She then rubbed away the bit of water that collected in her eyes before turning her focus back to Kurt. A question she'd wanted to ask him but thus far hadn't quite mustered up the energy or confidence to do up to this point was pressing at the forefront of her mind. Despite her concern over what his answer may be, her curiosity lingered ever more the longer she withheld it.

"So." She started with a rather soft tone. "You haven't said much about this as of yet." To clarify she added, "The whole Force training thing, how you feel about it or if you had any worries." Her teeth bit slightly into the lower right corner of her lip while she continued. "I know you said you weren't real familiar with it and everything, but you can ask me whatever is on your mind, if you need to. I want to be as open as I can with you."

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Kurt half rolled over, facing her as his lips thinned. It wasn't a subject that he had given much thought as of late, wasn't something that he had really expected her to ask about truth be told. Her training within the force had been a given since the two of them met, she had always been open about her intention to learn, had always been open about her need to go and train. It was a part of who she was, much like it was a part of Kaile or much like how his skill in piloting was a part of him.

He couldn't blame her for that.

He never would.

It would be a lie to say that it didn't make him uneasy though, a lie to deny that the Force was still a complete and utter mystery to him. Kurt wasn't afraid of her, that was impossible, but....this was something that he didn't wholly understand, that he could never really understand. Perhaps that in it of itself was naive, but it was something that also couldn't be helped. The Courier was only human, average, normal. Talented in certain areas, but still only a baseline human, nothing more.

"It's..." He frowned for a second, his thumb never ceasing it's gentle stroke over her skin. "It's not something I can understand."

Kurt would be honest with her. "The force. What you're capable of. The Sith, the Jedi, all of that. I don't think I can wrap my head around it, I don't think I'm smart enough or wise enough for it. Truth be told, I don't think I want to understand."

It wasn't that he was scared of it, it just seemed like it was more trouble than it was worth.

"I'm happy..." Kurt trailed off and smiled at her. "I'm happy to just have you."

He didn't need anything else.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

With that the blonde gave a pleased smile. The subject itself didn't seem to entirely interest Kurt, and it was a welcome relief to what the conversation could have turned to, had he been far more concerned than she had first thought. She certainly wasn't going to push the subject, but wanted it known that if he wanted to ask her things she would be as open as she could. After all, this was still new to her as well.

"Okay, well, I wouldn't say you're not smart enough, but not wanting to understand it is fine. It's not like it really affects you any differently either way, right?" She smiled, her hand coming to rest on his leg. "But if you want to ask something, then I'll always share what I know."

Jamie shifted to her side, her head resting in her palm as she rolled her fingertips down Kurt's chest, eyes trailing just after them.

"Sometimes I wonder about it." Blue eyes turned back to his, flames of the fire reflecting in her pupils as she spoke. "What my purpose is in all this. Why me? My family has no history with this sort of thing. We're all just normal folks. So for what reason was I given this gift and burden? Is there some greater purpose or was it just the roll of the dice?"

[member="Kurt Meyer"]

 

[Kurt Meyer]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

He shrugged. There wasn't really an answer there, at least not one that Kurt could provide. The force was an utter mystery to him, something to be thought about once in a while when those around him utilized it, not something that he thought about or contemplated. "Fate, maybe?"

It was often something that his father had talked about, fate.

"I'm sure there's an explanation, some logical reason." He was always sure that there was a point to everything. It was how the universe went around, action and reactions. A sun went supernova so that a planet could be born, it rained so that plants could thrive, it was simple logic. There was always a way to explain events in the galaxy, always a way to pin point a start. He was sure that if Jamie went back far enough she would have her answer, perhaps within her family, perhaps within the force itself. "But why question it? You'll go mad trying to find a reason. Just take what you have, use it, do with it what you think is right. More then that and you'll just be torturing yourself."

Kurt leaned forward and pressed his lips on her nose.

"Destiny makes fools of us all." Something else his father used to say.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"I don't know." She said plainly, shrugging her shoulders. "I just find it strange, that's all." Her eyes shifted from Kurt to the sky above, her right leg resting on her left knee, bouncing back and forth. "Like there is no real explanation as to why I can feel and manipulate the Force, whereas nobody in my family can. Do you think..." She bit her lip, almost hesitant to ask. "Do you think maybe my parents aren't really my biological parents?" That was a loaded question, partially rhetorical. Obviously there was no real way for Kurt to know for sure, but she was curious what he thought all the same. "We're so different in every way. They can't use the Force. I don't know, it's just like a piece of the puzzle just doesn't fit anywhere."

It was certainly something to think about. While they'd never given her much reason to disbelieve them, she'd also never questioned it until now. The more she thought of it the more she wondered if that were the case. They looked nothing alike, but perhaps it was just chance? They had no similar interests. Maybe that was just adolescence versus wisdom? But the more the blonde thought about it, the more her mind began to wonder if all of these seemingly strange coincidences added up to something more.

[member="Kurt Meyer"]