Moonlight Lekku

[Choli Vyn]

"No that's okay," Choli assured him, risking a small glance up with those slanted eyes and a ghost of a smile. She caught the deep brown of his eyes, and for a moment her belly seemed to flutter.

"I can study it just fine here," the slow, gingerly glide of her fingers went sailing over the gold biopatch.

"Unless you want to sit down?" Choli herself was rocking on her feet a bit, but it was due to the slight anxiety she was feeling. The exact same sensation that she was trying to tell herself to stop feeling.
Okay, right. Focus.

"Seems to be a thin sheet of flexible metal --" her head gave a slight duck closer, giving it a visual inspection. "Hmm..." concentrating, Choli summoned the Force. After a second, Trextan would feel a slight warmth seem to hover over the patch.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"It's fascinating how you can do that," he said, watching her intently. "I can feel you manipulating the Force but it's like trying to read another language. I wonder... Sorry I'll shut up."

She looked up at him, seemingly more amused than distracted. The green flecks in her eyes seemed to grow more vibrant and he found himself watching them instead of paying attention to what she was doing with his arm.

 

[Choli Vyn]

That made Choli's shoulders shake, and this time around when she stared up at Trextan, her eyes were a vibrant green. "You don't have to shut up. It's fine."

Of course, that's when she seemed to linger a bit staring up at him, catching him watching her. A pale pink brightened her olive cheeks, "Not like I wasn't chatting up a storm over your arm the last time around." Her lids fell, and the Rogue did her best to try and focus on the bio-stamp again. She could sense the intricate micro-pathways where electronic strips attached itself to sensors. It wasn't as much of a high-tech creation as a portable method of allowing vital signs to be tracked as well as location. The trick was being able to adjust the positioning system so it could send out a different signal for coordinates.

"I figure it isn't any different than what the Healers do whenever they use the Force on someone."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Oh yes you were actually," he chuckled. "You were far more interested in the arm than my complaining."

He turned his gaze down to the patch on his arm, looking beyond the physical and seeing all the little strands that connected her to the device.

"I mean, i can sense the thoughts of someone who thinks in another language and gain meaning. I suppose it's just like that?" He asked. Quite a well reasoned thought for the often hot headed youth.

 

[Choli Vyn]

"The Force works in mysterious ways." Often awe inspiring too. At least, that is how Chloe had invariably described it. For her, it was a wondrous gift. A blessing from the Old Gods.

"Or whatever name or creed anyone calls it." Her voice fell an octave, a bit more contemplative. This time around, the hue shifted to a pale green-gray then to a more thoughtful and focused silver tone.

"There used to be tales in the desert. Of demons with their swords of fire and light." Her voice fell to a soothing rasp, almost hypnotic in the reselling of the Tuskian Raider tale.

"That these demons would cut through an entire clan if they did not provide tribute and sacrifices. So once a year we would make the trek from Jundland Waste towards the Wound, further still until we met the area where the chasm met the Western Sea."

Ever so carefully, Choli traced the electrical currents towards the tracking sensor, her finger lightly drifting in a soft rub right over the patch where it lay. Ah, here we go.

"And we paid tribute there, anxious that those demons with all their powers and strength would leave the clan be."
Slowly, and carefully, Choli attempted to manipulate the tracker, to set it on a loop for a particular set of coordinates. "It was strange to figure out later that the 'demons' were just those who were able to manipulate the Force -- the stories just a way to explain what the mind could not comprehend."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

Trextan didn't interrupt her story. Not even when she fell silent finishing the manipulation of the tracking patch. His own family had lived in larger settlements on Tatooine, not out in the wilds. They knew nothing of the storytelling culture of the sand people. To those of the settlements they were savage raiders who were a constant danger to the farming settlements.

If she looked up, she would see that the young Jedi was entirely enraptured in her little story. He was watching her carefully, expression almost blank. In his head he was imagining the young girl wrapped from head to toe in tusken garb, walking at the tail of a formation. Perhaps some of them mounted. They crossed the wastes under the brilliant twin suns and suddenly they were an almost romantic collection of travellers rather than the raiders he typically envisioned.

 

[Choli Vyn]

"There." Her voice perhaps would snap Trextan from his reverie. "I think I have it -- won't know unless it is tested out. But I have it set for this particular spot --" a small shrug of her left shoulder along with the side to side sway of her head as if mulling a guesstimate, "Give or take a radius of five meters." Which was still pretty flexible.

She gave his bio-patch one last smoothing graze of her fingers and flashed the teenager a brief smile.

"You can run away all you like now."

A small breeze came in, sending another chill down Choli's spine. She gave a shiver, and her arms came in so her hands could rub her arms again. Strands of hair flew in front of her face and a few onto Trex as well

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

He did it without thinking. Reaching out and placing his hands on her shoulders and running them down to her elbows. She was getting cold in the breeze. Always he seemed to act when he saw someone in need of discomfort without thinking about it.

"But it wouldn't be fun if you weren't coming," he said with a smile. His eyes couldn't change colour but they managed to show a flash of panic quite clearly then when he realised where his hands were. Rather than snatch then back he did his best to return them to himself casually.

"You're cold, want to go back inside to finish the other one? Or just sit a bit more out of the wind?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

Well, that was one way to jackknife her heart into Choli's throat. Her eyes went wide when Trextan took her shoulders into his hands. The Justicar would be able to see the abrupt change in eye color that triggered a shift into gold-flecked hazel of mild alarm and well, increased awareness. Her heart was a flutter at her throat when he went sliding his hands down to her elbows, and she couldn't help but catch the own dawning awareness and panic bathing his own expression.

Two awkward teens in a pod.

"Umm," she bit her lower lip, swallowing hard. Looking past towards the horizon, Choli told herself to get herself together. Okay, just breathe. "It's okay. A little cold never hurt me."

But at the very least, she didn't pull away.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

Trextan found a point on the horizon to study when he saw the shift in her eyes. He didn't quite know what it means but it was a similar shift to what he'd seen when she'd realised he was pulling her down.

Oh you're an absolute idiot. he chastised himself. It didn't matter that she didn't seem overly out out by the gesture, he was willing to punish himself for his actions anyway.

He let his thumbs draw circles across the outside of her arms before returning his hands to his sides.

"Alright," he said. If she looked down she would see him shifting his weight from foot to foot slowly from anxiety. "But I'd like to sit," he admitted. The stairs had been a little victory, but not without cost.

 

[Choli Vyn]

"Okay." Although now Choli was matching his slight anxiety again. What a pair of fools they were both. Swallowing hard, nervous fingers came up to tuck the wayward tendrils of dark hair behind her ears.

"How about that bench?" She gestured, really just selecting the closest one out of necessity -- and need to fill in the silence. The areas where he'd drawn little concentric circles tingled still, pleasantly so much to her alarm.

"It's okay... you know." She felt a need to try and clarify that -- wait what was it she was trying to do? She paused for a second, mouth ajar before she shut it.

"Yeah... let's go sit down." Not waiting for him to answer she made as if to step aside and more past him to the bench

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"It still felt good to make it up the stairs right?" He added as he turned in towards the bench. She was already stepping past and he ended up bumping shoulders before he stepped quickly back. A moment of awkwardness and they carried on towards the bench.

Jedi reflexes had been shown off the day before, but were suddenly lacking to be replaced by an unusual clumsiness.

"Umm. Where did you tell the thing to report me at?" He asked as he took a seat. The potted plant next to them provided a little shelter from the wind at least. Were the nurses going to notice them separating. They were probably expecting their signals right on top of each other for a little while.

 

[Choli Vyn]

"It did." Plopping down on the hard bench wasn't as comfortable when you were in thin medical patient scrubs, but the fresh air and the view more than made up for it. Plus the ability to simply spite the nurse for suggesting they stick to the lift was also a plus.

They were both reverting to unusual clumsiness, and the more aware Choli became of Trextan and his proximity, the more she seemed to just fumble. Okay, just, relax and don't think about it.

"Oh.." hadn't she just told him a minute ago? Confusion had coated her expression before she elaborated again, " Around a ten-meter diameter around here." Her finger gestured in a little twirl to their general location.

"So you have a little bit of leeway."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Oh right of course, here, yes, you said that," he replied. It wasn't the cool air that brought colour to his cheeks now. Was she going to realise he'd been concentrating on her cold arms and ignoring what she'd said? He didn't know much about girls but he thought that was something they didn't like.

"You don't realise how much everything smells of disinfectant until you get away from it," he said. "I didn't travel much when I was young, but I've been a few places since I came here. Every planet has its own taste in the air. I bet even if you were blindfolded you'd know you were back on tatooine as soon as you were in the air? Hmm that made it sound like I'm planning to abduct you a little. Creepy." What are you saying now? Hell.

 

[Choli Vyn]

As hyper aware as Cho was about Trextan, the Rogue caught the sudden backpedaling and rush of assurance that the teenager seemed to be stumbling over again. A small half snort in nervous amusement made her mouth twitch, and she couldn't help but shake her head at him and at herself. Really? Okay, maybe enough was enough.

"Okay... we are both acting weird." She finally said, despite how hot her face was feeling at the time.
Her nose gave a slight scrunch, and she, once again, played with her hair. Definitely a nervous tick.

"And well... yeah, blindfolded I guess I could figure out where I was -- if there wasn't a sand storm blowing sand and grit up my nose or everywhere."
A pause. Then an abrupt. "I have a Commander who would be quick to say you brought up blind folding a bit too soon." It was a nervous joke, the girl finally glancing over at Trextan in her stream of babble.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Oh I know acting weird, so much ," he agreed. He almost sighed the words and with that breath went some of his tension. No Jedi trick this time, it just felt good to clear the air slightly. He smiled at the quip about blindfolds and looked over and met her eyes.

"I'm glad you said it first, even if it is my fault. I'm enjoying being around you Choli, so I'll try and be a bit less... Weird." Trextan took a breath in and tried to hold his nerve before it could run away. "No guarantees though. You've seen well enough, sometimes I'm brave, sometimes not so much. I'm just a bit silly and flustered...

"And your commander sounds like an awful influence," he said with a broad grin. He'd been as truthful as he could as he had swung between short pauses and blurting the words out. He wasn't brave when it came to girls most of the time it seemed. He'd seen worse. Michael hadn't even been able to speak around girls back at school. Trextan had plucked up the courage to ask Jinny out, even if that hadn't lasted. But there were those awful teenagers who just seemed to exude confidence at all times. He hated them. The sith had done such a good job of convincing him that none of his problems were his own fault. To turn his hatred outwards. Deep wounds would take a long time to heal.

His grin settled into a strange sort of smile. Lopsided as he looked away from her face to the distance. "It feels quite nice to be a weird, awkward teenager again for a bit," he chuckled. Trextan bit his bottom lip. Fuck it, he wouldn't get to be one for long. "I could hold your hands for a bit, if they're cold and you were okay with that?"
---

 

[Choli Vyn]

Wait, did he think I thought he was weird? Mild panic returned, as that hadn't been exactly what she meant. Choli opened her lips to try to explain only to close right after his last.

Her mind agreed that Janes was a terrible influence, but she didn't get to say that, instead the poor girl struggled with just what to reply.

"You're not weird." She finally blurted out, fingers curling and flexing over her pants. In the rear of her mind his offer to hold her hands stuck, but she wanted to at least explain the part where they seemed to have their wires crossed.

"Sorry," red-faced choli apologized. How to word this? What would the others say? This was far more complicated than the straightforward manner she was used to.

"Sorry if it seemed like I said that. I like being around you too." Well, that was a level of honesty.

Now as for her hands. Well, it was a bit cold, but choli usually would just put on gloves in that situation. The offer of having someone else hold her hands simply because it was cold was such a novel idea that she wasn't sure what to do.

Well, what would it hurt? She asked herself. Tell that to how my heart is thumping like crazy again!

"Umm, okay I guess." Her fingers gave a little fan in nervous and silly anticipation. Granted, it sure didn't feel that cold then. Her mind was a bit preoccupied.

Teenagers. Asmus would have sighed in disappointment.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Oh well..." Okay, stumbling and looking bewildered is acting weird, isn't it? "I know you meant. We've both acted a little strange, but I'm glad you don't think I'm just odd."

He eyes turned down to her hands. Right, she'd said she was okay with him holding her hands. Though she had couched it in rather uncertain terms. Despite the conversation that had just occurred he was nervous about everything again. Would she find his prosthetic hand odd? We're his hands warm enough?

Trextan shuffled a little closer such that they were should shoulder. He reached out with his left hand, sliding it under hers. He drew her hands together and rather gingerly placed his prosthetic hand over the top of them both such that there was a little bundle of hands between their legs. His organic hand rested beneath hers, his prosthetic over the top.

"It always stays warm," he said of it with a little shrug. There was a very great difference, he realized, to them coming under contact under playful circumstances like being pressed in a cupboard or fighting on the sofa, and this. There was awareness in the former, particularly when she'd back right up against him in the supply closet, but it wasn't the same as the deliberate contact that was holding the entirety of their joint focus.

 

[Choli Vyn]

So there they were. Shoulders brushing and knees grazing while Trextan cradled Choli's hands between his own. The entire experience was rather innocent, yet the girl couldn't help but pick up on the sound of Trextan breathing or how warm the cybernetic truly was.

"It is warm," surprise colored her eyes with curious wonder. Okay, so she could now understand the offer. Well, not that it wasn't a little bit nice she supposed. Turning up to look at Trextan, she offered a tentative smile," guess.. you are your own personal heater."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Yeah, guess so," he replied. "Thought it would warm yours us." His offer had been at least thirty percent motivated by the fact that his hands were probably warmer than hers.

Her fingers were slightly cold within his own. They were lightly curled up, enclosed within his own. He noted how they felt in his own, slightly smaller a few tight scars from the crashes she had been through. Trextan had fallen silent, he looked out to their surroundings and pretended it took even a fraction of his attention from where they met. Did this mean anything more than that she had cold hands? He was thinking too much and would probably say something weird if he opened his mouth.