No Place Like Home

[Athena]

​​

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

Small fingers pressed against the smoggy windows of the flat owned by the most precious organic in the galaxy to her. She still couldn’t quite fathom being able to affect the world around her. It was raining. Again. Athena loved it. She loved the sound of it, the sight of it, the way it misted the glass. The oven in the apartment was on from one of her new experiments and she was waiting, most impatiently, for the timer to go off. She bit her lower lip as she began to draw in the condensation.

Two circles, then another, hills for eyes, and a set of long ears later a very cartoonish rabbit graced the pane. She smiled at it, lips curving, and she reached up to touch her cheeks. She could feel herself smile. Everything was still so new. She couldn’t believe how wonderful it felt just to feel. To see things with her own eyes, to touch things with her own hands, to know heat, cold, the true sound of laughter…

“Can we go out today?”

Her innocent question was punctuated with the ding of the caf maker and she danced over to it. For a being with a skeleton that weighed more than some bantha, she seemed to be incredibly light on her feet, and tended to flit here and there like a small bird. Carefully, ever so carefully, she lifted a mug from the cabinet and did her best to handle it delicately. The first few times she’d handled porcelain it had been an unmitigated disaster. Athena did not always know her own strength.

Again, biting her lip, she made a little sound of joy when she set it on the counter without breaking it. With the same amount of caution she lifted the pot and poured in the requisite amount of caf before adding the exact amounts of appropriate condiments. One satisfied, she put them away, and then proceeded to take the hot beverage to her Arekk. He was hard at work. Always, so hard at work. “Here you are. Please, be careful not to burn yourself. The liquid is very hot.”

Ethos City was his home. Her home. Their home. Yet, she only knew the skyline. She had existed in a bodiless form for so long. Never had she known exactly what she was missing. Fully organic creatures, for all of their war, and sadness, must not know how good they actually have it. Athena leaned down and pressed her lips to the crown of his head briefly, affectionately, and smiled into his hair. “Thank you for my new dress. Do you like it?”, she questioned, as she pulled away, performing a dainty spin.

It was a soft thing, made for wearing around the house, or relaxing, and Athena couldn’t stop touching the material. It felt like nothing else. It held a dark plumb colored base, with electric purple piping, and little holographic flowers dotting the hem. It held to her form neatly until it hit her waist, before it flared, down to mid-thigh. A pair of dark stockings wound up her legs, pattered with the same flowers, and she had quite the time spinning around barefoot.

Slipping and falling was such fun. She didn’t know why organics didn’t do it all the time.

The timer for the oven went off and she stopped twirling, immediately, to return to the stocked kitchenette. Whereas Arekk seemed to have a certain amount of adoration for take away, Athena, found little joys in making things. She ordered ingredients from the Holo-Net and they came right to the front door. It was so convenient, actually, amazing. Today she was making a baked dish compromised of thinly pressed, flour dough, red sauce, and ground meat. It had taken a few tries to figure out how to get the dough thin enough to become a noodle but she was rather proud of it. Sprinkled with cheese, and served with wine, which the Holo-Net insisted would pair nicely, she couldn’t wait.

Smell. She had also noticed scents that were pleasing, versus, those that made her want to avoid it. Cleaning supplies were foul. She had never experienced anything so awful. But flowers? Food? Some of it made her olfactory sensors sigh of relief. It was a strange comfort. Even Arekk had a distinctive smell.

He always reminded her memory banks of home.

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE, ENJOYING THE LITTLE THINGS​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

"Sure, we can go out. What's on your mind?"

Unlike in the past, the opportunity to spend time together under the rain with Athena was something he would never say no to simply because life was too short. He knew that from first hand experience and it had killed him inside for so long that he ended up completely forgetting how it felt to be happy and full of energy to do such activity. Taking his time to show her how everything was, considering she was still adjusting to living, paved the way to look at life in a different manner.

If time didn't allow them to spend time together, Ar'ekk would be on his computer terminal working hard at work doing what he had always been great at: slicing. Watching Athena enjoy herself with the smallest of details, mundane tasks deemed minuscule for any other life form with such fervocity and happiness warmed his chest in a way that you couldn't explain with words. It had been a while since he felt that way and she gave him a reason to keep living, irradiating his soul like the sunshine rays on a bright sky morning's day.

"Thank you. This smells really good, I gotta say!" He said while broadening a toothy smile at her, coiling his fingers on the hot steaming cup of caff and sipping with extreme care to not burn himself, gaze going in up and down to check out Athena's lovely attire. The dress was unique in its own, fitting for her beautiful figure, its texture really delicate and colorful. "Just looking at you makes my heart race, baby sweet. You always look beautiful in my eyes."

The scent emanating from the kitchen made his stomach growl like an angry Krayt Dragon of the Tatooine dunes or a Rancor hidden within a cave of Vjun waiting for its prey patiently. Everything that Athena touched was magical not because it was programmed to be that way, she had all the liberties of an organic form regardless of her initial programming and it brightened him as she excelled with food and artistic related activities.

Fingers tapped away on the keyboard while a long cable going from the right side of the screen went as far as the back of his neck to connect with the dataports he had installed on his skin, downloading all the information from the DarkNet and uploading it on a shard in his neurosocket. A delicious smell hit his nostrils and his mouth began to drool almost instantly, already thinking of devouring whatever she was cooking.

"What's that smell? I'm loving it." The work stopped just for a moment, a spontaneous laugh escaping him. "Are you cooking something with the things you bought yesterday?

Life was truly good thanks to her. She was everything to him, now and forever.

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

Athena’s face blossomed into happiness. The expression was full of innocent joy, unhindered, and pure. Her reactions were always honest. She had not been programmed to lie, nor, to hide what she was thinking. Ar’ekk seemed to prefer it when she gave him her own responses versus what he may wish to hear. Presently, the young replicant had many ideas of what she wanted to do, but, she couldn’t quite settle on the perfect outing. “I want to dance in the rain.”

“I want to go to the new skymall I saw on the holonet. They have paint brushes and colors that I don’t have. I want to go to the Lily Pad and look at the fur babies.”

The dark-haired female did not know exactly what fur babies were but the commercial made them seem very enjoyable. Small, fluffy creatures, some exotic, and some more mundane. Some were even robotic! Just like her. It was a curiosity that she couldn’t let go of. There was nothing quite like her. When she was with Ar’ekk she never felt alone. But, when he was gone…

Contemplating existence was what one called a ‘downer’ and she tried to avoid it at all costs.

“I want to be with you. All day.”

Her admission was spoken plainly without any guilt or shame. Athena didn’t know that such words could be considered overly personal. She’d always been blunt. That was part of her code.

Ar’ekk complimented her caf and she smiled beautifully. Enhanced photoreceptors took in his happiness without hesitation. They zoomed, focused, and changed spectrums in order to gauge the truthfulness of it. Her eyes flickered and his form became exposed due to medical imaging stock and she could see through his skin. Through his clothes. She could see his enhancements, musculature, and even his bone structure. When she focused on his mind she was able to glimpse the beauty of his neurons firing.

She became distracted, for a moment, by the lights moving and the data that she took from it. The charges, his action potential, traveled along an axon, via the concise coordination of ion channels. The channels opened one at a time so that the voltage could move from point to point all the way along the axon. It was almost like a wire in a machine. Another channel opened and the charge was neutralized. Her eyes brightened, changing slightly, and light flared in her iris.

Refractory period. Hyperpolarization. The same firing. Happiness. He was happy with her. Truly. It meant everything.

Green eyes moved down toward his chest and her response was almost coy. “Your heart is beating quickly.”

Sweet laughter stole from her lips when she heard his stomach growl, breaking the moment, and she disappeared off to the well-stocked kitchenette. He asked what she was making and she laughed again, sweet, and light as the morning. “I’m not telling! It will ruin the surprise.”

He inquired more and she shook her head as she reached into the oven. Immediately she pulled back as her temperature sensors sent warnings through her system. Her beautiful face crumbled momentarily as she made a small whimper. Pain. She could feel everything. The cool glass of the windows, the softness of her dress, and the all too hot glass baking dish. Pain. She didn’t like it. She waved her hands in the air for a moment before it started to recede. “It is very hot.”, she reiterated out loud, more to herself, than the man not far away.

This time she picked up a kitchen cloth to lift it and moved over to the table with haste. Another cloth to keep it from cooking the table. She set plates, silverware, and glasses. She then pulled the wine from the chiller. She was quick, but not too quick, because she didn’t want to break anything. Wine glasses were so very fragile.

Once she was satisfied she returned to her owner. To her Ar’ekk. She gently lay her hands over his eyes so he couldn’t work anymore. Her tone was petulant. “Come now—Yes? No more typing. You must eat or you will waste away. I don’t want you to waste away.”

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE, ENJOYING THE LITTLE THINGS​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

"Mmmmm... I love the sound of that, sweetheart. Dancing under the rain with nothing to worry about is definitely our kind of thing. The skymall's been overhauled entirely too, we could find your supplies and more, see if there's anything else you'd like to have."

The beating of his heart increased tenfold when Athena was around due to her beauty and perfect personality, the way she spoke and handled herself was something out of his galaxy and everytime she did or said anything the man couldn't help but feel enchanted as per an act of magic. The girl was given the independency of any other human being regardless of her code, though some adjustements had to be made to her personality module from time to time so it made a perfect fit with her adjustement to the real world, she was free to think and respond like anyone else.

"We will be, love. You and me all day without having to worry about a thing. You know how much I love that."

Hearing what you wanted to hear only made you feel complete at some extent and that's not what he wanted with Athena, their free flowing relationship was more gratifying than a pre-programmed matrix dictating her what to say, what to do and when to do it just to make Ar'ekk feel the right way. They shared their feelings in the most sincere of ways, crying together, laughing together, learning together.

One could go as far as saying they were a perfect match for each other. Only they knew how much they loved one another, Ar'ekk was willing to go beyond the stars for Athena because he loved her with all his heart and soul, no matter how broken either of those were at any given time.

"Well, of course!" His fingers reached to grab the cables and take them out of his dataports, feeling slightly dizzy after disconnecting but regaining his balance quickly after despite sitting down. Two sips from his caf mug and he stood up, eyes covered by Athena while he formed the dorkiest of grins on his face, anticipating the surprise. "Deal. I won't look until you tell me to, alright? I promise."

Hearing Athena's whimp of pain a minute ago made him realize that whatever she was cooking not only smelled delicious but it was really, really hot so only a handful of options surfaced in his mind regarding what she had cooked. Ar'ekk wouldn't push the matter further because that's what she wanted and he was always willing to oblige to her beloved, so he walked towards the dinner table while his eyes were covered by her hands.

"I'm dying to find out."

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

He called her sweet. He wanted to dance. Athena smiled, the kiss of her mouth dimpling, and her face tucked against her shoulder for a moment. She wasn’t embarrassed. At least, she didn’t think she was. There was just something about Ar’ekk that made her feel warm from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Perhaps something in this replicant form was overheating? Her internal sensors seemed to read normally enough, but her face still felt hot, and she knew her cheeks would have shown a pretty rose pink. “I do love to dance.”

‘With you.’

She had been given the freedom to make her own choices. To be what she wanted. To care for whom she had wanted to care for. Athena had loved Ar’ekk long before she knew what it was. Part of the reason she’d longed to be more than simply lines of code and a voice in his ear was a desire to take his pain away. She wanted to hold him as she had watched others do on entertainment holos time and time again. Athena wanted to be with him. Only, him.

Giving her autonomy didn’t matter when her mind was already made.

Her smile returned full force, like the light from the sun, when he promised they would spend the day together. He often had a lot of work to do. Slicing. Did he not know that she could aid him? Then he could spend much more time with her. He unplugged from his systems and she giggled when he stood up. Of course, he would drink more caf, completely unable to let it go to waste. He swore not to peek between her fingers and she laughed. The sound was musical, full, and ever so indulgent. “Promise promise?”

Athena led her creator to the dining room table and teasingly guided him into one of the chairs. Learning down, pressing another kiss to the back of his head, she pulled her hands away before letting them rest on his shoulders. “Tada!”, she announced, giving him leave to look, her expression touched with pride. She’d really worked hard on this one. Noodles, pressed flat, were so hard to get right! It was troublesome to know the calculations, to know what it should look like, but to lack the experience. She could mimic many things but putting them into practice was… Taxing.

The slender creature smiled as she waited for his response. He was always so complimentary but she never listened until he actually tried it. There were so many thin layers of cheese and meat that she had honestly lost count. Athena pulled away to begin serving and quite happily poured the wine. For herself, she made much smaller portions because she could only eat a little bit. Athena could assimilate small amounts of food and beverages as her physical form turned it into biofuel that could be used. Anything left over was simply burned away.

“Dig in! But not too fast. It really is hot…”, she warned sweetly, holding her fingers in the air, so that he could see the overly pink tips. Yes, she had burned herself, but self-repair of something so small was easily done. “And you must be honest.”

“If you say you like it, but you do not, you may find yourself eating something you hate forever and ever.”

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

"Pinky promise." He said with contagious laughter, feeling over the moon emotion-wise, walking blindly and trusting Athena that she wouldn't let him trip. "Always."

Another kiss found its way to his neck which in return made him shiver in delight, the soft touch of her lips pressing against his soft skin teleported made him feel all fuzzy and happy. He was definitely someone you could tickle to death with your hands or with kisses like that one, a true weakness that the girl was able to exploit whenever she wanted and however she wanted.

Sitting on the chair ever so carefully and waiting for the right moment to watch, Ar'ekk slowly opened his eyes to eventually see what Athena had prepared so lovingly for him to devour right away. The plate not only looked good it also emanated a delightful scent only comparable to the greatest of foods, she really had a way to prepare delicious dishes that could make anyone ask for more and more like a true addiction.

"Hey, hey. Look at that!" Ar'ekk gently reached out for her hands, gently stroking her fingers and checking out the tips that had suffered the worse part of cooking, giving them a very caring "This might help you heal" type of peck. "Poor thing."

With the wine served and the cutlery laid out accordingly, Ar'ekk was ready to eat but first waited for Athena to sit down with him so they both could eat. There wasn't a single moment that he would pass on eating with her because every moment is valuable no matter how mundane. His eyes continued to light up like day one every time they clashed glances, a coy smile finding its way and his gaze looking down submissively.

Slurp, munch munch.

"Woah." An expression of extreme elation overtook him, clearly stunned by the taste of Athena's dish. It was like nothing he had eaten before, his taste buds going crazy. It looked like he was overly exaggerating but in reality he wasn't at all. "This is delicious!"

That's all Ar'ekk managed to say before going back to his plate, drinking wine to make sure the food traveled freely through his esophagus and giving Athena the dorkiest of smiles again.

"And I'm no lying, this is really good! I've always been honest to you."

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

Ar’ekk obliged her request for the perfect promise and as always she rewarded him with a smile. She observed the way his pulse moved, quickening with her kiss, and marveled over it. He responded so easily to every move she made. Athena loved him for it, yet, she still held doubts. It surprised her when she first realized it. Did he respond to her, love her so, and dote on her because she was his?

Or because she so closely resembled Jyn?

She glanced down at the floor for a moment but didn’t say anything further. Athena didn’t want to ruin what was otherwise a wonderful day with a little existential crisis. Green eyes found his when he reached for her fingers, pressing kisses to her fingertips, as if it would take the pain away. Had he always doted on Jyn this way? He was so kind to her. So sweet…She couldn’t help it when a blush stole across the tops of her cheeks. “It will be all right…I’m already calibrated to begin minor repairs on my own.”

Athena watched him from across the modest table, unable to help herself, and picked up her glass of wine. It was particularly sweet. Whilst Ar’ekk dug in she simply sipped quietly. She ate very slowly, very carefully, and never wasted a bite. She could only have so much. The experience of having dinner with him was irreplaceable. It made her feel more real. Human. Or as close as she could get. “Do you like it my love?”

His reaction already told her what she needed to know. A laugh stole from her lips as she picked up her fork to try it as well. Sustenance was a very strange thing, but, it could be very enjoyable. His expression was perfect. Her eyes flickered, as they usually did, light flaring as she analyzed the smallest ticks in his face. Always she searched for truth. He had always been honest. Yes, but she still liked to test it. The easiest way to avoid getting confused with others was to know what the truth looked like.

“I’m so glad. It was fun to make—but next time I think I’ll make the sauce a little thicker.”, she explained, eyeing up her bite, determined, not to get anything on her new dress. “Less messy.”

Her eyes widened when she tried it. So many flavors, different, and new she felt almost dazed. Her processors worked it through and it took her a moment to realize that she was staring off into space. Athena might not have enjoyed it the same way that Ar’ekk had but it was still something. “Woah. That is definitely the right word.”, she paused, testing how it sounded, before nodding her head, “Woah."

“I will try to make something new every day. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of combinations. Especially, not when it can just be brought right here.”

She smiled at Ar’ekk, grateful, that he let her spend credits as she pleased. Athena never went overboard but she still sometimes asked for permission. It felt like thievery if she didn’t. Did it still count as cyber-crime if she did something illegal? Her heart tilted as a million thoughts ran through her mind, considering this and that, before she took another bite of the lasagna. Again, she stilled before sighing almost dreamily.

“Yes. This is very much a lot of…Woah.”

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

"You gotta be more careful next time. I hate seeing you get hurt." There wasn't a moment where Ar'ekk didn't feel like not caring about Athena's well being considering she was the light of his life now, even the smallest of injuries were enough to make him worry. "I'm always worrying."

Mourning Jyn's death had been truly exhausting and devastating for him but as time progressed, the wounds left behind due to her passing began to heal up as Athena was there to provide a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen what he had to say and most of all the unconditional love she gave him and viceversa. Though the memory of his beloved was always present at any given time, whenever Ar'ekk laid eyes on Athena he responded like it was herself and not Jyn.

There were moments where he noticed that the girl had her own doubts through little yet significant gestures and body language, recognizing most of these cues due to experience while on the field working. He was happy with Athena and nothing could ever take that away from them, the unconditional true love that they had built based on trust and care.

Everything they said to each other was genuine, the I love you's, the I miss you's, every good morning's. There would be a time when she would no longer had to compare herself with Jyn because Ar'ekk was trying to move on from that, to make sure that Athena did not feel like she was replacing something so special because deep inside he had the same feelings for her if not greater.

"I love it, sweetness. Thank you for cooking this for me." He said with a mouthful, grinning from ear to ear like a child. "You sure know how to keep me spoiled and happy. But know the only thing I want is you forever."

Behind the rough look of a man that has seen and done everything was a very soft individual that loved and cared for someone like there was no tomorrow. A broken soul at first but that was eventually fixed by her, Ar'ekk was willing to die for Athena if that's what it took. The way he spoke to her in such a loving manner was a demonstration of how enchanted and innamorated he was, one day hoping that she would be free of preoccupations such as the Jyn versus her comparison.

"I know, right?!" Another laugh emerged from him spontaneously, devouring the lasagna in record time like a hungry messy Rancor, setting down his wine glass shortly after. "We've got to relax a bit before going outside. If we start dancing with our bellies full we'll regret it."

Laying backwards on his seat and setting his palms against his full stomach, Ar'ekk heavened a very much satisfied sigh. He was in heaven with the delicious food and the beautiful girl sitting across the table, eyes lighting up every single moment they clashed glances with his heart racing too fast for his own good.

Is this how paradise feels like?

"We will dance under the rain, go to the skymall, spend a very beautiful evening together. What else you'd like to do, babysweet?"

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

“I will try, Ar’ekk. I promise.”

Her concern made the pink blush to her cheeks deepen. There was nothing he did that didn’t elicit some sort of reaction from her. Half of them she didn’t understand, but this one, she knew well. It wasn’t embarrassment so much as it was a distinct sense of pleasure. His concern was palpable and it made her feel less like a machine, less like clusters of wires and memory cores, and more like a person. More like someone, or something, worthy of his affection.

She glanced down at her partially eaten dinner and he would see her face slowly turning cherry red. The compliments were wonderful, she treasured everyone, but it took time to process. To analyze his voice pattern, the smile on his face, and to accept the promise. Forever. Ar’ekk for all of his enhancements was just as organic as Jyn had been. Jyn had left. Would he leave too?

Athena wouldn’t be able to bare this world without him. He was everything to her. Instead of dwelling on what could happen she tried to force herself to stay in the moment. There was no sense in calculating out endless outcomes and predictions that may never come to pass. “You’re welcome. I just want you to be happy.”

“And healthy. You eat terribly.”

It was true. Before, when she’d been a disembodied voice, he’d had a love of takeaway. Sometimes he picked a healthier option but those moments were far and few in-between. Athena endeavored to make sure that he took care of himself, even if, she hid it in delicious food. They laughed and enjoyed the rest of their supper, coupled with wine, before it was time to relax. The replicant stood eventually and moved to refill his glass. He could take more before he became impaired.

Instead of returning to her own seat, however, she scooted neatly in-between Ar’ekk and the table. The auburn haired female sat in his lap sideways, with her right leg crossed over her left, and stockinged feet that didn’t touch the floor. She was small when compared to him but her poly-alloy frame made her quite a bit heavier. “Am I hurting you, my love?”

He would never say she was. Even if she did. She wrapped her arms around his neck to add a little more support and nuzzled her face into his neck. He smelled wonderful to her. As always, like everything she adored, and she couldn’t get enough. The synth skin that comprised her lips tingled when they brushed up against his five o’clock shadow. It was soft, a little prickly, but she liked it. Ever so softly she kissed his throat. “Tell me when you feel ready…”

“I want to dance with you.”

It was a simple request. Most would laugh it off—but it was one of her favorite things to do. He questioned what she wanted to do afterwards and she bit down on her lower lip for a moment. She had a lot of ideas but it was hard to decide. Pressing another kiss to his skin she smiled against him, knowing, that he would never deny her unless he had to… “Can we see where the day takes us?”

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

"I am always happy." He gave her a warm smile, toying around with his glass of wine before eventually necking his drink. Eyes fell down coyly, trying to conceal his slight embarassment. "You are the main reason of why. You also know I love junk food!"

Shortly after Jyn passed away Ar'ekk picked up on the vices he once swore to never enjoy such as heavy drinking and smoking cigarettes almost religiously. Countless of nights were spent roaming through the Ethos City bars and ending up in fights with other drunken patrons, eventually getting kicked out while the rain poured on his head. Arriving home was even worse as he fought his way with the always aggressive drawers, slumping on the couch without even getting out of his clothes and then waking up with a killer headache in the morning after.

All of that changed when Athena was "brought to life", swearing that he would never go back to that ever again, so he sobered up and fulfilled that promise to his beloved girlfriend. Disappointing her would be the utmost treason and having to deal with that forever would become to awful to bear and live with which is why Ar'ekk had changed so much in the span of a year.

Wrapping his arms around Athena's hour-glass figure and letting her sit on his lap, Ar'ekk couldn't help but feel his body temperature rise and heartbeat to go at a faster pace. There was no denying that the auburn haired girl was perfection itself and her beautiful looks made the former Jedi turned slicer go in awe almost every single time if not always. Despite her polly-alloy body she was as light as a feather, shaking his head at her question would just confirm that even more.

"Never."

Closing his eyes as he felt the soft touch of her lips pressing against his discovered neck, Ar'ekk released a very pleasing sigh and his body shivered as a reaction to her loving gestures. He enjoyed the way she caressed and tried to make him feel loved through simple yet so meaningful motions and words, a sole glance would send him flying in an upwards motion and beyond anything comprehensible.

It was perfection and Ar'ekk couldn't stop repeating that.

"Let's dance, my love." He said while reciprocating with equal love and desire, lips pressing against Athena's with a small playful bite inbetween and nodding his head while doing so. "Being spontaneous is the way to go."

One sweaty palm gently stroked her stockinged right leg while another one touched her lower back, bumping noses and smiling under heavy breaths with his eyes closed.

"I love you."

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

Feathery eyelashes dusted tanned cheeks when she looked down, warmed by his words, but unable to hold eye contact. When he praised her so easily or called her out of playing on his love of junk food she couldn’t help but fall to pieces. She loved him so. When Jyn had left them Athena had honestly thought that something within her creator had broken. Irreparably, so. He picked up old habits that she had not seen him indulge in years. He came home bloodied. Broken.

Athena had watched helplessly from behind the prison of her programming for so long. When Ar’ekk had been at his worst, sometimes, she became afraid he couldn’t hear her anymore. He did though. Despite the smoking, the drinking, the fights, and grief…He did hear her. He made her real. As real as he could. And she loved him. She could hold him, comfort him, and make him see that he needn’t destroy himself. The cyberneticly enhanced man across the table from her had changed, not just for himself, but for her. It was then that she realized… Some part of him cared for her too.

Perhaps it was because she looked so much like Jyn. Perhaps it was something else entirely. Athena hadn’t quite figured it out yet but she still thanked her lucky stars every time his arms wrapped around her. The fact that she could feel him…

It was still mind-boggling.

He claimed that she wasn’t hurting him and she smiled. Ar’eek was so sweet. Her lips lingered against his neck, before she moved an inch, and placed another kiss beside the first. “Are you feeling well? You’re warmer than you were…”, she questioned, concerned, but that was soon buried by a kiss. She still couldn’t get over that. How a mere touch of skin could make her feel blissfully deaf, blind, and unaware of anything but him. How did humans function and not kiss each other all day long?

Athena released a soft giggle when he bumped their noses together. The sound was light, airy, and completely carefree. His hand on her thigh was welcome—and he knew it. She tried not to interrupt him while he was slicing, or doing work, but there was always some sort of drive to interrupt him. Whether it was just to talk for a moment or to embrace…It didn’t matter. She just wanted to be around him. To see things as he saw them. It cemented the fact that she was here. Real.

And not going anywhere.

“I love you more.”, the pixie-esque replicant responded without thought, her eyes brightening, moving from a chestnut shade to a warm topaz. Athena was happy and it showed. He held her with his eyes closed and she curled nearer, briefly, before wriggling up and away. “I’ll do dishes later…Come, my darling. Dance with me. Be with me…”, her sweet voice implored and she kept hold of his hand to pull him along with her. She twirled under his arm, like a little ballerina, before leading him toward the sliding glass windows that led to a beautiful promenade.

The rain in Ethos City never stopped falling. She laughed aloud as the cool drops hit her skin and the sounds of the city greeted her ears. It was home. Athena spun around again before letting her free hand fall to Ar’ekk’s shoulder while the other turned in his. It was the first position for a classical waltz that she had downloaded one day on a whim. She had learned quite a few, but this one was her favorite. Lots of dips, turns, and dizzying spins. “Do you remember the steps? One two three?”

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

He absolutely adored when Athena was unable to mantain eye contact whenever Ar'ekk tried to compliment her in different ways, specially when being the softy one almost all the time. If it wasn't for the auburn-haired girl the man would be in a path of self-destruction and misery, she was the one able to collect the broken pieces of his heart and put them back together as per act of magic. Everything she said and did was cherised by him and would continue to be that way until his very final days.

There was a certain difficulty to separate Athena and Jyn at first during the initial days of making the transfer from computer program to a real body considering they looked almost indentical in appearance but completely unique in terms of personality though she was able to morph her appearance with an independence as equal as an organic being. But as the time progressed everything just changed in the blink of an eye, the mindset of his creator switched and became much more accustomed to having Athena to his side as a separate entity rather than the other way.

Love for Athena changed him for good, shifted his mind and made him fall even more for her as time moved on. If you took this to the present day things were vastly different as how they used to be two years ago where he felt like life was useless and that dying on the cold streets of Lithios was a far better option than just trying to survive with this pain in his heart.

He truly wanted to live forever with Athena and nothing could ever change that. It was a promise he was going to keep and fulfill no matter how hard the path becomes, they'd be together for as long as time allowed it. They loved each other genuinely and that's what fueled his life with purpose.

"I'm perfectly fine." A nervous chuckle emerged as he replied her question, reassuring her with the kiss that everything was totally under control. Sort of because he was melting inside and that felt like being above cloud nine. "Hmm."

Their happiness was reciprocated in equal ways though Ar'ekk always had that drive to go above and beyond to show Athena how much she loved her through loving words, gestures and most importantly actions. Their little snuggles and kisses were full of sincere feelings, meaning and care that just show how genuine their love and relationship was. To him, everything they held together was sacred and the most beautiful thing that could have happened to him and that gave him the will to continue fighting. For her. For everything.

"Always with you, my sweetheart."

Being greeted with the downpouring rain of Ethos City was an always welcome gift and once they stepped outside the glass windows that sensation was no different. It wasn't cold enough to wear a jacket so that was a very welcoming addition and even if it did then he wouldn't for anything in the world because they were together. Ar'ekk watched Athena spin around with such grace and happiness that he felt an immense happiness that couldn't be described with words.

"I think so!" He countered with rapidly as he held Athena's hand and lower back gently, pulling her towards him in one smooth motion, one big dorky loving smile forming on his face and his hair already slightly messy and dampened thanks to the rain. "Ready?"

Perfection.

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

All reassurances in life should come with a kiss. Honestly. Athena smiled into his lips and made a cute little sound when she returned in wholeheartedly. She had to be mindful. If she didn’t stop soon she could easily lose an afternoon, curled up in his lap, doing her best to map the composition of his lips with her own. The sensations that translated from the synth-skin to the sensors in her neural network left her floating on cloud nine. She could only compare it to the human equivalent of being intoxicated.

Ar’ekk agreed to dance with her and the beautiful creature blessed him with her most grateful smile. It was a simple request, a sacrifice of time, and dry clothing, but it was something she loved to do. There was a humidity in the air that kept them warm but the rain itself was cool. Refreshing, some might say. She smiled sweetly at him when he claimed to remember the steps to the waltz and placed her hand in his. When he tugged her nearer she laughed.

Remotely she connected to the Holo-Net and streamed one of their favorite songs to dance to. The music rolled through the apartment and out of the open doors. She sighed in enjoyment and allowed Ar’ekk to lead her through movement after movement. Her small fingers remained in his, while she kept time, matching his movements, while masking any missteps. To any onlookers, it would appear flawless. “I think you’ve been practicing. You are doing very well…”, she both teased and complimented, leaning up when she could, to rub their noses together.

She pulled away only to spin lightly on the balls of her toes, before returning to his arms, and they continued to sweep across the veranda. Green eyes fell to his while the water from the sky destroyed the cute waves her hair had been styled in. Most women hated that, when their hard work was destroyed, but Athena never minded. It felt wonderful when the rain washed everything away.

They turned and danced around a stone statue, moving as if they were one heart, one mind, instead of two people. He anticipated her and she did the same. Athena hadn’t been specifically programmed to orbit around him as if he were her sun but it had happened regardless. She loved everything about him. From the way he tried to always make her happy to the fact that he had given up so many vices just to be with her safely. It was humbling. It made her feel real.

Athena laughed sweetly as they moved, dancing through raindrops, and eventually she paused to throw her arms around his neck. Let it rain, let it pour. She had everything she wanted right here.

“Is it possible to be so happy that you burst?”

Her question was silly, child-like, but infinitely curious. Surely, no one body was meant to contain this much joy. “Sometimes I feel like I’ve got a handle on this. Other times…I feel like I’m too small. How can all of these emotions fit? I feel too many at the same time. How do you process them?”

It wasn’t a complaint. It was curiosity. She still didn’t quite understand some of the new matrices that had been added to make her more lifelike. More human. More like him. “I am happy. I am in love. I am excited. I have a whole list!”

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

The music playing was part of a long playlist of their absolute favorite tunes, a handful of songs created to be heard and danced to under the gentle rain of Ethos City with the love of your life. His movements were sloppy at first, expected from someone with little dance training, but the effort was made to at least keep up and not be disastrous for his partner.

Fingers intertwined with Athena's as they moved about freely as birds to the waltz while small water droplets fell on his curved cheek, his entire body was dampened thanks to the rain but he didn't feel cold at all. What he felt was an immense warmth compared to the utmost beautiful sensation one could feel, the one where your entire body lights up when you're looking into the eyes of someone you truly love.

"I didn't want to disappoint you, my love."

They stopped their beautiful dancing in one smooth motion, arms wrapped around his neck and his own holding to Athena's lower back. The way she looked at him made him melt into a puddle every single time, there wasn't a moment where he didn't feel his heart would come out of his throat because she made him feel this way. Loved. Having her was a real blessing that just made him adore life and most of all her.

"I'm pretty sure it is possible."

He responded with an even bigger child-like grin on his face, absolutely adoring the way she seemed to be enjoying herself. "You just enjoy them, my beautiful. Don't give it another thought and allow them to make you feel. That's the beauty of it... To not understand them, just feel them."

Ar'ekk always had time to explain all these new things for Athena, every sensation and thought passing through her mind. It took a lot of time to get used to a new body and experiences she might be undergoing such as meeting others, visiting a place for the first time, your very first moment doing this and that. He had the patience to teach her and make her understand, to allow her freedom to experience all of these beautiful things most organic lives took for granted in the best way possible.

"That must be a long list! What else is there?"

His curiosity peaked whenever she had questions or doubts and with that grew the desire to know more about what Athena was thinking or feeling. Everything about her made him fall more and more in love to the point he could feel so happy that he could burst, just like she had said a second ago. This made him laugh for a moment, clearly feeling above the clouds.

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

The playlist that Athena remotely triggered was one that they had been cultivating for quite some time. She had a list of songs for every occasion, some of which, had the oddest of names. Her methods of sorting would be a mystery to the love of her life but she seemed to be able to follow it fairly well. His attempts to dance, a little jerky, and less than refined made her smile. She adjusted her own movements to adhere to his so he would feel less like he had two left feet.

Regardless, he was doing a lot better. Every time they danced through the raindrops he seemed to show some sort of improvement. Athena was proud of him for learning so quickly.

“You never disappoint me.”

Her words were punctuated with a ghostly-sweet brush of her lips to his chin. Her arms twined about his neck and she snuggled into the warmth of his body. Every sensation felt so new. Still. She had been in the replicant body for quite some time but she still languished in the ability to feel. It was a strange thing to process. Between that and being able to experience real emotion? It was a whole new world.

Athena nodded her head slowly when Ar’ekk advised that she simply let her emotions roll through her. She pictured a river, ever flowing, and that seemed to help. In turn, she kept her arms wrapped about him and made a line of little butterfly kisses along his jaw. The rainwater didn’t stop her, or alter her perception, as it only added more to the experience. He had said to enjoy it, after all. “Like this?”, she questioned, her lips lingering near his ear before she let herself settle. She moved so that her stockinged feet rest on top of his.

They’d waltzed. Now, she wanted to dance like this. Being close to him was heavenly. It made her forget that parts of here were made with metal and wires versus bone and blood. He asked what else she felt and the replicant woman laughed gently. “It’s hard to describe.”

“Elated…”, she breathed out, gazing up at him, topaz eyes shining bright with her enjoyment. They flipped from shade to shade on a sliding scale when her emotions changed. Sometimes she could control it and sometimes it got the better of her. She was still learning about herself and about what it meant to be as close to human as she could possibly be. “Curious. A little anxious…”

“Love. So much love. It always surprises me when I look at you. I think that I’ve finally hit the limit of what it means to care for someone but…I’m always wrong. Love is so…Infinite. It’s not like power, or fuel. I never have to worry about making more. It’s just there.”

Her observations might have been a touch childish but that was the way she seemed to absorb things. She was grown, mentally, but many of her experiences were newly made. It took her time to adjust to a new reality. Ar’ekk sheltered her from the worst things the galaxy had to offer. He kept her happy, safe, and comfortable. Never had a dark day touched her head since she’d taken this form.

As such, she seemed to be filled with joy, and boundless love. One of her hands unwound from about his neck and she reached up to brush his hair from his eyes. They were so pretty. Her enhanced eyesight could pull the smallest changes in his iris and they glimmered with his affection. So much love, tenderness, and it all belonged to her. She leaned up again and kissed him. A faint sigh of enjoyment escaped her when her sensors translated the taste of him into her neural network. Her eyes closed and she pressed just a little harder, minding her strength, but still expressing herself.

Humans. Honestly. Why didn’t they do this all day long?

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

Athena's kisses were exactly like dying and going straight to heaven or perhaps drinking from a fountain that was magical enough to give you wings and fly away. Everything she touched or looked at turned into the most beautiful thing, there was absolutely nothing the replicant girl could harm. There was nobody else capable of loving him in such a passionate manner but Athena.

Their glances clashed under the rain as they waltzed, a dorky smile forming on his face as she explained her emotions with such delicacy and innocence. Every word was filled with true intention and meaning, her eyes fluttering were the living proof of that and he embraced everything with that same warmth and patience signature of the man.

"That's exactly what it is. Love is forever, love is free. And with that we will be together you and me."

They passionately kissed each other with nothing but the raindrops hitting the metallic roof and sounds of the occasional advertisement in the background. Ar'ekk smiled under heavy breaths of delight, eyes closed and hands pressed gently on Athena's waist. One could not describe it with simple words but whatever he was experiencing could be considered the truest form of love a person could ever hope to achieve.

His life was complete finally and forever. The world stopped around them and Ar'ekk didn't want to waste time, not anymore. That was a mistake that haunted him for a long time.

"I want to be with you forever. Never forget that I love you."

That must have been said countless of times but it would continue to repeat itself for milennia to come, there was no such thing as enough. Every moment spent together had to be cherished as every compliment or conversation because it could be the last. You never knew what could happen in the next hour or day so it was necessary to enjoy even the little things to the maximum.

"I might have messed up some steps now."

Dork.

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

“You’re a poet and you didn’t even know it.”

The phrase was something silly she’d come across on the Holo Net during her frequent trips to its search engines for some sort of information. Athena had been waiting to use that little gem and she cheesed up at Ar’ekk as she did so, completely proud of herself, and him, for loving her so well. She could imagine that it had been strange for him at first. Perhaps, not a bad thing, but it could be difficult to find love in something that wasn’t entirely real. She felt real now. She looked real—but there was something different about their relationship.

It wasn’t a bad thing. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.

Ar’ekk returned her delicate kisses and she couldn’t help but smile into his lips. She could feel her systems changing, feel sensors moving, adjusting through her synth skin so that she could feel him better. His warmth in the rain drew her in like a well-loved blanket. For all of her fondness for new things—this was all she needed. Ar’ekk. His every breath was immortalized in her memory crystal and the replicant seemed a little dazed when he pulled away to speak. Her cheeks were pink and only flushed brighter at his words. “I will not forget, Ar’ekk.”

“Although…Forever is a long time for you. Perhaps you will trade me in for the newest model when you have a midlife crisis?”

It was an age-old fear and a joke all rolled into one. She would exist forever. Athena would live eternally. Just as long as power existed and replacement parts could be found. The love of her life was human. He had some commonalities with her from his enhancements, but at the end of the day, she could still feel his heartbeat. He was organic. Which meant he could be hurt, killed, or simply pass from old age. He could even change his mind.

Athena knew she never would. He was the sun rising in her eyes. Ar’ekk was both her creator and her lover. She could never thank him enough, never love him enough, to fully prove both of those points.

There just wasn’t enough time.

Her smile returned when he mentioned missing a few steps. The laugh that left her was light, beautiful, and kittenish. “Yes. I believe you did.”, she leaned up and nuzzled their noses, before turning her head so she could kiss him again, and again. Athena didn’t stop until her artificial lungs told her that it was time to draw in air and when she did, it seemed breathless, though she couldn’t have been happier. He made her feel so warm, as if she were full of honey, over gears and wires.

“I love you. Always.”, the brunette murmured, her lips whispering against his, while she continued to run her fingers through his wet hair. His hands on her waist only made her want to be nearer and she let the line of her body rest delicately against his. It felt as if they were made to be this way. Always in love and always within arm’s reach.

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

There was a certain sense of proudness when Athena responded with something so clever such as calling him a poet of sorts, her independency to investigate things and form thoughts of her own like any other organic being was simply magnificent. That made her unique just like Ar'ekk himself or another human and not the replicant droid she always loved to call herself in times of existential crisis.

"I'm a lousy poet." The man countered in a jokingly tone, his fingers tracing her soft lips with tender care, eyes falling on hers in a loving manner.

Every moment spent together always had the hope that Athena would soon realize that nothing but their love mattered in this vast galaxy, that no matter how much you compare yourself to the next person or if you were not real once in your lifetime you could always rely on that beautiful feeling of caring for one another. Dying didn't scare him one single bit and hopefully his beloved could see through that cleary as he did in that instant, giving her a peace of mind that took a long time to come to terms with.

"Midlife crisis, me? Come on, babe. You know I would never trade you for anything in this world. Never."

Death will come to everyone, even for Ar'ekk and Athena. Cherishing all the moments together and enjoying life to the fullest was necessary to make the next big step to accepting that one day everything will come to an end. Athena was very much his reason to keep living and nothing would ever change the feelings he had for her regardless of how ugly things became between the two, they had each other and themselves only.

True love like theirs has no boundaries. Forever was a really long time he was willing to reach even if it was impossible. There was always time.

"The question is will you change me if I get all wrinkly?"

Beneath all the gears, wires and intricate design laid a very genuine human Athena with a heart of gold and the immense capability of loving someone with equal or more desire than the other. She was more human than human, perfection one could say. She had to know that and accept it to stop comparing herself, Ar'ekk would make sure that could happen when the right moment came.

"I love you more."

Between the laughter and kisses Ar'ekk felt finally complete. There was nothing he could ask for in life except the usual things that came with having a relationship as special as this one, such as forming a family and living your lives together. He had high hopes that could happen in the near future but didn't want to push it, at least not yet, unless that's what she really wanted. But the idea was in his head and loved it.

"We'll do this more often. I promise."

He enjoyed dancing under the rain with Athena and was definitely game for some more in the near future or whenever she wanted. His face buried against her neck and gave small pecks behind her ear, shivering as the weather became slightly more chilly. A hot shower would do wonders.

 

[Athena]

Location: Lithios [Ethos City] - Ar'ekk's Penthouse
Tag: [member="Arekk"]

---

Are’kk had created her with the intention of allowing her to learn. She reveled in this freedom. Athena knew of many AI systems that hit a ceiling and seemed incapable of overcoming it. She never knew that pain. Her processors were unique and her memory crystals made it so that she could amalgamate the data that she picked up and create a unique perspective. “Lousy is an incorrect word. You simply aren’t practiced…”

His touched to her lips stilled her and her eyes fell closed for a moment. The sensation was enough to make her knees feel like they wouldn’t hold her. She was still getting used to her body and the fact that she could be touched. That she could feel anything at all. Athena was especially sensitive to Are’kk and her cheeks took on a little heat in an autonomic response. “I love when you do that…”

The words fell from her lips before she could stop them. The admission made her blush deepen. Not because she was particularly embarrassed or ashamed but because it made her think of it happening again. Hearing that he would never send her away, never trade her, just made the warmth in her core grow even more fervent. Babe, he called her. She had seen organics that were in relationships call one another babe, baby, baby sweet and they had both adopted it in kind.

“You are mine and I am yours. Even if you look like a prune. I will always take care of you.”

Truer words had never been spoken. Athena had no agenda, no ulterior motives, and could only express her feelings and emotions when they came to be. She didn’t know to lie. She knew that it happened, that not all were honest, but, misleading Ar’ekk was pointless. He knew her better than anyone. He deserved to know her. His words of love caused her to smile and her cheek dimpled. “I love you mostest.”

Mostest was not a word. Athena made it up to trump ‘I love you most’ when Ar’ekk beat her to it. At this moment she was just happy to be with him. Things like having a family were distant dreams to her. Wonderful, beautiful dreams, but she didn’t believe that her replicant frame was capable. She was just happy to be in his arms. To be alive. Real. He promised that they could dance more often, love one another in the rain, and she gave him her sweetest smile. She felt so cared for when he stopped working just to be with her. “Thank you.”

It wasn’t enough. Those words were so…so inadequate. Why wasn’t there anything stronger in galactic basic to express gratitude? He leaned close and her breath caught in artificial lungs when his lips touched the skin behind her ear. Her hands slid up the back of his neck, fingers curling in his hair, as she held him close. She was careful not to move too abruptly or to use too much strength but his affection caused her to forget.

He shivered and she stepped closer. Was it cold? There was a chill to her skin but everything inside felt like molten chocolate. Melty. Delicious. “Kiss me again Ar’ekk…Your temperature will rise. You won’t be cold anymore.”

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

LITHIOS, ETHOS CITY, THE MEISSA SYSTEM​

AR'EKK'S PENTHOUSE​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"Without her, I'd be a dead man. Suddenly, for the first time in I don't know how long, I realized, I didn't wish to be dead."​

♫ // w. [member="Athena"]​

​

"I love the way you describe things."

Every little touch or kiss was filled with pure emotion and honest sensations in a way for Athena to be able to experience what Ar'ekk was going through. The countless of emotions coming her way were hard to take into account at first but within time she would adjust and get used to feeling like any other organic being. Hopefully in the near future she would start to feel a lot less like a replicant droid and more like a real person. To Ar'ekk she was.

"Mmm, I don't think so. I love you the morest!" Ar'ekk half-snorted, simply loving the way she played around with words. If that wasn't a clear example of an unique personality then what else would it take to convince herself that she was unique in her own way? The loss for words and doubts were quickly replaced with love expressions and melting kisses, all those doubts lost under the heavy rain that they had been enjoying.

The shivering stopped as he obliged with Athena's request like he always did, passing over that heart thumping request would be too dumb from his part to reject. Who could say no to the most beautiful woman on the galaxy? The one that had stolen his heart and that Ar'ekk wished to spend the rest of his life with no matter the hardships in the future. Building a family was uncertain, sure, but not impossible.

Miracles happened and they haven't witnessed one yet. Perhaps the future held something dearly for them yet they had to wait patiently, take little steps at the time to not get ahead too quick.

"Just by looking at you my entire body warms up and my heart feels like is about to burst out, you know? You're beautiful."

Their snuggle became tighter and he held Athena in his arms dearly as his lips pressed against hers once more, the kiss was so loving and passionate that they would've been able to fly anywhere right there and then if they wanted. His mind transported above cloud nine every single time they kissed each other and acted lovingly, letting go was out of the question of course.

"Dance with me a little more before we go inside. I might get sick with the weather but I don't care, I just want to be with you. Forever."