Oblivious and Afraid

[Darlyn Excron]

Darlyn laughed just a bit sooner than she, being just a bit swifter to reach the, other meaning. She hadn't meant it, clearly, from how she laughed, and so she thankfully would be spared some sense of dignity from an awkward acceptance of such an offer. Instead, he walked past, shoes placed neatly by the door as the black robed man moved to a cabinet, looking over many a bottle. "I don't actually keep wine here, I do have just about anything else though short of the cheap stuff. Do you like Commenori brandy by chance? I have more than a few bottles here." Just in case, he tried pulling out a bottle to examine it, all to be sure it was still closed. He did want her to trust him, after all.

"As to the couch, it's not exactly a 'go sleep on the couch' kind of couch is it? So I only lied if you think of it as all encompassing. I simply meant no couch that was long enough."

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

Silfe was glad that Darlyn had found it as funny as she had. It had been inadvertent and given that they were here for what she believed would be all night, it was appropriate to the theme of the moment. Still laughing, she left the couch to come up to the counter holding all his liquor and examined it before picking a bottle and pulling out glasses. "Commenori Brandy is a wonderful choice." She said as she poured them both a healthy measure.

She drank half of it in one go before looking at Darlyn, so close to her now and smiling. "So, what is my surprise?"

 

[Darlyn Excron]

HE was, enjoying himself. Outside of, essentially family, he never really let his guard down. For once, he felt safe enough to do so, at least part way. Just enough to relax, and invite Silfe here of all places. What amounted to his safe space, his sanctum. He lifted his own glass a bit when she poured them both healthy portions, like a toast, before nearly downing the whole thing. Maybe about three fourths or so, before he heard her ask what the surprise was. He stopped, and lowered the glass so he could look at her.

Goofy little grin returning, he offered her a hand, the palm facing up. "I feel, comfortable. Quite comfortable. Might just be that first date happiness, but I haven't felt quite this comfortable with someone new in a while. It's nice, leaves a warm feeling in my chest like a good drink... I guess I'm saying, I'd like to ask, if you'd care to stay the night."

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

It was wonderful to hear that he was feeling this way. It helped alleviate her nervousness a little and all those odd questions that had popped into her head on the way here. She had expected that they would spend the night together, their chemistry was strong. Yet, it was something beautiful to be asked in such a way. Her smile grew wider and she placed her hand in his, blushing profusely when she did so. With her other hand, she set down the glass of Brandy. She was a cheap drunk, the glass of wine and brandy would be enough to let her be relaxed and a little light headed.

"I would be happy, so very happy to stay the night with you." Silfe stepped forward and in a much more careful way, she initiated a kiss. It wasn't like their first kiss, or even their second. This was far more intimate and tentative. It was the beginning.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

The beginning of something unexpectedly beautiful. He let go of his glass, though since he had rather well perfected the Force it simply went to join its own companion on the counter. He let her initiate the kiss, stepping forward, and feeling her lips press into his for what, the fourth time today? That was beyond record shattering, for him at least. And he was only too happy to return the kiss, with all the intimate, careful feeling she gave it, as he used his now free hand to slowly pull her into him, hand on her back. Like they were to dance, frankly, though Darlyn didn't particularly sway or step around. Instead he just, sort of leaned up slightly, so she didn't have to bend over. One inch difference and what not.

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

She felt his arms draw around her and pull her against him. It was gentle and they were being very well behaved for all the chemistry that had been between them that day. She was surprised that they didn't just shove things over on the counter and go at it like bunnies with that same intensity. No, at least for now, they were exploring each other. No doubt soon enough one or both of them would break and want way more. Her fingers of the hand not in his, trailed up his arm and raked through his hair finding it softer than she imagined. As he leaned into her, she leaned into him, wanting to feel the press of their bodies fitting so well together. One inch didn't make that much of a difference to this. It was almost as though they were equal except that she was wearing heels. Those, she quickly tossed off as she kissed him. She was staying, so she was going to get comfortable.

[member="Darlyn Excron"]

 

[Darlyn Excron]

Slow breaths, take stock of the moment. For once in his life, he actively applied every ounce of his willpower to controlling himself, and it wasn't just for his usual shtick of lightning showmanship. No it was, well very similar, he wanted the moment to be meaningful, dragged out just enough. He almost had to chuckle at how eager she was to kick her heels off, killing the last little bit of difficulty her height might pose. One inch wasn't much, now that the heels didn't add like, two more. So the moment could go on, more easily, and he could linger here for the few precious moments he dared to waste. Momentum was not so easy to gain, and here he was being selfish by lingering at the beginning of the story.

Perhaps then, it wasn't too much of a surprise he was the first to break the kiss, and smile gently at her. There was barely any distance between them, just enough he could speak again, though she would likely feel the warmth from the words leaving his lips. "Here we are, standing in the middle of the room when the bed is so much comfier. Would you like to lay down, Silfe?"

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

She looked up into his eyes and the smile came to her lips slowly. Her dark eyes filled with mischief. "I would." She said simply. She slowly disengaged from him, but kept her hand in his, using it to pull him towards the bedroom. "I would indeed."

 

[Darlyn Excron]

The night had been long, the day one from surprise to something deeper, and meaningful. Truly it was something magical in a way even Darlyn couldn't understand. The Force was mystical and mysterious, but had a pattern to it, something that could be unraveled and understand on a base level. The day's events though, while that was what he did as he drifted off to sleep at last, was not something so easily done. The events, the logic, it made sense, it had a through line that could be dissected, but the one thing that evaded his understanding of it all was Silfe herself. The why, the emotions and expressions she had given since she kissed him. He couldn't understand it, perhaps he didn't need to but he wanted to. He wanted to know how he managed to be, for once, lucky enough to have something good happen to him.

And not something, mind you, that he had worked for, that he had bled and sweat and done everything in his power for. Something dependent on chance, on being the right place at the right time. All he was sure was, as scared as he had come of the situation, he felt content in it right now. A night went by, sleep staying with him even while so very vulnerable to Silfe, until the first light of day started to peer into the quarters, past the shades, and most likely onto Silfe. He was... a heavy sleeper to say the least, short of the Force alerting him to something, especially when so happily content, as the little smile on his face would betray.

Assuming, of course, she actually was the one to wake up.

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

The night had been wondrous, hitting on all sorts of happy high points together with Darlyn. What he lacked in experience at the beginning, he certainly didn't anymore. Every moment had been special. They had discovered each other in many beautiful ways. Overall, the night had been an incredible success. So much so, that she didn't wake early as she always did. Her internal clock was off for the first time since she had come home. Silfe was draped half over Darlyn, limbs limp and dark hair tumbling behind her. The blankets covered both of them as neither had moved since going to sleep the previous evening but she could not keep the sun from finally coming out behind clouds.

The sunlight slid over her face. It made her wince and moan a bit. Finding that that did not help the situation. She shifted a little bit so that it wasn't in her face knowing the sun would eventually move and get back in her face. The inkling of where she was and what had happened slowly came to her awareness, waking her little by little. Silfe fought against it, finding herself warm and happy, but eventually she opened her eyes and yawned. Darlyn was still peacefully asleep and she had to smile to see him so peaceful. Peace was likely not something either of them felt very often. She leaned her head down and kissed his chest.



[member="Darlyn Excron"]

 

[Darlyn Excron]

She was right, the light did begin to move, steadily up into his eyes. Normally this might not do much but mildly irritate him and make him roll over, but there was something heavy enough on his chest to keep him from doing so. He actually struggled weakly against it a moment, until he felt something soft against them all of a sudden. Then the memories began to come back, and he groaned a bit in waking. Not much but, he was able to force an eye half open to see.. the soft dark hair of Silfe. Ah yes... He felt his smile widen a little bit before he somewhat weakly reached up to run his finger through her hair. "Mmm... for once I think I might start being a morning person."

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

He took his time waking up even with a pretty girl next to him and kissing his chest affectionately. When he finally awoke enough to open his eyes, she was almost tempted to bite him to wake him up further but decided it would be mean to do so. His fingers in her hair mollified her a bit and she lifted herself so that she could look down on his face, that handsome face she cared so much for. She smile caught in the sunlight. "High praise indeed. I think though, that the next time I stay over, we will need to invest in some kind of curtains or shades. I am a morning person, but I do like my sleep too."

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"Consider it done, love." The small chuckle indicated he chose that word specifically for how it sounded, slightly like a rhyme. Not that there wasn't an affectionate tone, his voice was filled with the soft and light tone. Perhaps more than expected, no doubt as he had yet to fully awaken and, much as he tended to, restrain it somehow. Grand displays were his thing, but not of what he actually felt no no no. He grunted slightly, as he used his other arm and elbow to sit himself up just a bit, so he could be more comfortable as he combed his fingers through her hair. "Well, I guess you've already answered if there's going to be a next time haven't you? That's one less thing to worry about. All that's left is to make your drink whenever we decide the bed needs to be left, isn't that right?"

Though he frankly, he could stay there quite a while if she wished, and he had not a single problem with that.

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

It was unusual for her to hear the word love, as of course its normal definition or as a term of endearment. She blushed and looked down at his chest even though he wasn't meaning it in that way. She didn't like it being used in jest. Silfe didn't know what exactly about it put her on edge. She had never much been bothered by such things before... before her life had disappeared. She wanted to say something, but didn't want to spoil the moment so she let it be... for now.

She looked up as he spoke about next time and she had to smile that sly cat smile she had. "Mmmm yes, caf, sweetened and lightened with cream. And unless you object, I would say yes, there will be a 'next time'." Her hand moved forward to touch his bare chest, wrapped around him and draw him close as she kissed where the sun hit. He tasted like all male and she took her time enjoying that before drawing him down on top of her to continue what they had started the night before and to prove to him how much she wanted that 'next time'.

It wasn't until after noon that they came up for air and she requested that cup of coffee.

[member="Darlyn Excron"]

 

[Darlyn Excron]

Time seemed to be flying, the fact it wasn't well until past noon that Silfe gave him a chance to breathe hardly phased him. Sure, he probably wasn't going to have much energy, at all, that day as a result and sure he probably still had more than plenty of work to get done, but the entire situation was too, well he didn't really know what word to use he'd run out of positive ones several hours in. When finally he could breathe, and he heard Silfe request that cup of caf, he was only too happy to oblige, managing to throw something on so he didn't burn himself as he got it prepared. With a trusty datapad, as clearly this was something he'd never done, he managed to figure out what he thought were the right portions of every ingredient she wanted beyond, you know the caf (which frankly was pretty easy to make, as he'd been provided a nice little maker).

The drink in hand, he returned to her, handing the drink over. The first of many mornings, he'd been assured, though certainly this one was, special. Marking the first time he let Silfe in, and the first time Silfe would catch a glimpse past the joke and pun slinging overly dramatic persona he kept. Just a peek, but the peaceful smile he had before waking spoke volumes, if only volumes about her. "Hopefully I made it right, if not you'll have to show me next time you stay over."

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

The caf was decent, not the best base caf ever, but he had sweetened it well enough. He didn't make a bad one at all. She smiled and sipped it again. In the time he had taken to make her cup, she had brushed her teeth and hair, vital and necessary things when one is trying to impress. The brush still sat beside her on the bed and a datapad was sitting beside her with the morning's alerts. "It's really good. Who knew you could make caf so well, I would have tried to get you in bed sooner."

She did bemoan the fact that it had taken her so long to get the courage up to point blank make sure he knew she was interested. They could have been together for months at this point if they had. Then again, it might only be a few months before they tired of each other and then where would she be? She sipped her caf again. "Sooo, what is your morning routine?"

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"I guess good things came to one who waited." He chuckled, and kissed the crown of her head, somehow managing to not mess up the hair she'd tamed while doing so. Since she'd gotten a lead on her morning routine, delayed lead but a lead on him, he took the opportunity as she sipped her caf to get his own teeth tended to, brushing them thoroughly when Silfe asked him to his morning routine. Finishing tending to the pearly whites, he returned to his bedside where she sat, and joined her while he did the very bare minimum to tame his own red locks of hair. "Well, normally it's 'get cleaned, get dressed, get to work'. I don't lead an exciting life, to be frank, but it builds up vacation days I suppose. Usually I'm done with most of the paperwork and reports that get sent to me pretty quickly, no one likes to bother the Minister when the chief does just fine. Sometimes if I can find an excuse between all the work I take on top I get in my ship and go help some friends out with personal problems. Lately a lot of them being for a few in particular."

He didn't elaborate because, well because he didn't know what specifically to say. "Though since I may or may not have worked a bit more yesterday than needed, that morning routine is usually something of 'meditate, practice with lightsabers, watch holofilms'. Something like that. Again not the most extravagant life but.." But he didn't need to live the way he acted.

[member="Silfe Sosuri"]

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

She smiled as he kissed her forehead and scrolled through the news of the day making sure that her continent was well enough for now. Being an agricultural continent meant that most of the concerns were either droid related or something to do with the stock. Crime wasn't a major concern unless it was a tussle of a good ole boy or two. She didn't usually deal with those directly. It seemed today was a low key day and she was glad. Silfe didn't want to leave bed, much less leave to go to the other side of the planet.

"And here I thought you were some sort of crazy come what may guy. Beware, your reputation is losing itself in all this truth talk." She said with a smile. She knew it wasn't really true, or at least in some aspects it wasn't. Darlyn had been training her and spending enough time with her both before and after the Invasion that she knew him well enough for that. "Why on Commenor did you take some crazy little girl on a bounty hunting trip?" she asked with a smile.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

"If it makes you feel any better, I hardly expect the day to be as calm as me. So, I don't exactly plan much ahead. Not that it would stop me from being truthful, I don't exactly want to lie to you." He brought his datapad to himself, and quickly glanced through the alerts he had. Non-essential, non-essential, classified but non-essential, stuff he could probably knock out in an hour or two. Alright, that would do just fine, the bed was soft and company relaxing. "Why did I take you off on hunting trip to catch a bounty you ask? Because it was safe. I knew you would be just fine, and I wanted to see how you'd handle it."

"There was also the fact I felt you needed the opportunity for a little bit of excitement, where you could be safe. You know, a bit of freedom after..." He shrugged a bit, not wanting to say her dad's name. But the point he was making was clear enough he felt.

 

[Silfe Sosuri]

"That was your definition of safe?" She looked at hom more than a little incredulous. It had been exciting enough. They had done some real good and she had been able to exert some control which made her feel more confident and in control of her life. It had felt far too chaotic after her father had gone. Silfe had known he would retaliate... she just hadn't expected him to go as far as she suspected he did.

Silfe still hadn't looked up anything about the time she was certain she was on Cyrillia. She was scared to. And so just as her mind avoided trying to remember that time in order to protect her sanity, she was careful to avoid all references and to leave her curiosity far behind.

[member="Darlyn Excron"]