Private Red Sky At Night, Such A Delight [Judah]

[Abaigeal E'ron]

It was an odd sensation she felt when Judah told her she was beautiful; it was the first time some had and meant it. It felt nice to hear it, to see in his eyes the attraction to her physically. It was very much returned, Judah was handsome, fit and .. talented. Their friendship would change, had changed in the hours before this moment, and for her, it was for the better. Abaigeal cared for him greatly before that, it was only strengthened by their love making. This was not the time to think on it, they were simply here enjoying everything they could about each other and that enough. The time would come soon enough when they would go their separate ways, she hated to think on it, so she pushed it away from her mind.

Her head turned to look at him as he lay content on his back, a gentle sigh escaping his lips, “You look like a cat that had taken the cream. Quite pleased with yourself I think”, she was teasing again, that had not changed.

As he got out of bed to dress, she laid for a moment and stretched her entire body with her own sigh on contentment, before throwing her legs of the side of the bed and wrapping the sheet around her body. Abaigeal had not thought of food, honestly could not remember the last time she ate and with the idea of it, her stomach reminded her.

Eggs sound good. And she could make the toast.

“Scrambled”, she smirked as she came up behind him placing her arms around him and she kissed his bare shoulders as he finished dressing.

“Do you mind if I borrow some clothes? Mine seem to have been washed away”.

Judah Lesan ​

 

[Judah Lesan]

"Pleased with myself... I'm not the only one wearing a smirk on their face," Judah quipped back as he chuckled.

Whatever it was they were getting themselves into, Judah was having fun with it. That was what was important, that they were having fun. Yes there were the questions they would have to address as this was not a permanent arrangement. Abaigeal would be going back to Coruscant with her weapons, and Judah would be going off to whatever next adventure called to him next. There was still a student of his out there who was acting more like her mother than her self. Kestrel Dray needed to screw her head back on right. Aspen was as much news to him as it was to her.

Judah sighed as he pushed the fact Abaigeal was leaving in a few days out of his mind. Her lips pressed against his bare shoulders as he hiked up his pants the rest of the way and buttoned them. Scrambled eggs? Judah didn't take Abaigeal as a scrambled eggs type, but he wasn't going to say anything. They were easy enough to make, and Judah enjoyed them from time to time even if he preferred to fry his eggs in a lot of butter.

That was when she mentioned her clothes washing away. In everything that happened the night before, the thing the pair forgot to do was make sure the woman retrieved her clothes. Judah laughed at the thought someone was going to stumble upon the woman's undergarments on the beach. They were not far from a resort however, and things like this did happen.

"And have you cover that body of yours? If you must," Judah winked over his shoulder before walking toward the galley. "Whatever you need. We can head to the markets and see what we can find later if you like?"

With that Judah left the woman to get dressed so he could start the eggs. There was a little prep to do, and by the time she would be dressed Judah would be just putting the egg and milk mixture into the heated pan to cook. Once the eggs were on, Judah moved to something much more important. The caf needed to be hot, and it needed to be strong. He hoped she liked it strong.

Abaigeal E'ron

 

[Abaigeal E'ron]

She watched him walk away.

After finding some clothes to put on, Abaigeal laid them on their bed and sat down. For a moment, she just sat there almost in disbelief as her mind wondered over the night that passed. This was not supposed to have happened, she came here to close a deal with the pirates and get out. And even after the events that took place on the docks, her mind was on her trip back. Judah had changed all that, the moment he spoke to her through the force.

Everything changed.

Abaigeal leaned forward, raking her fingers through her hair as if to try and remove her feelings of frustration over her need to leave. She didn’t want to leave now. He would have places he needed to be, and he is probably remaining behind to be with her. The idea of finding something so great and wonderful in their newfound friendship only to leave it, was not possible.

Yes, they would go shopping later even if only to be able to spend more time with him.

She stood and dressed, in a pair of Judah’s cargo pants and loose white shirt. The smell of brewing caf lingered down the corridor of his ship, she followed her nose until she found him once more. And as she entered the galley, she watched prepare their meal of eggs. “Hmm, that smells so good”.

Abaigeal went through a couple of cupboards until she found the mugs and began to prepare the caf. She looked over to him with a smile as she handed one of the mugs to him, and took a sip of her own. It was strong and thick and so good. “I don’t suppose you have any cream”, she grinned, and not really wanting any.

Although Judah wanted to spoil her, having anyone wanting to do things for her was foreign feeling, she wanted to do something for him, after all he was here too in the place and enjoying a break. Maybe through the day something would present itself.

“Who taught you to cook so well? I don’t remember cooking classes at the Jedi Temple”. She smirked at her own silly joke.

Judah Lesan​

 

[Judah Lesan]

Caf always smelled good in the morning. Judah was always one to think it was the perfect way to begin a morning. Of course most of those mornings had been spent on ihs porch Katara at the table with him, strategically positioned to watch the sunrise together. The two had always enjoyed the little things, and for Judah it had been some time since he had shared a morning cup of caf with someone he cared about. That was the funny thing about everything which had happened. Judah actually cared about Abbie, which usually meant he would not have allowed what happened to happen. They were friends, and this well, it changed that, even if it would be for the better.

Some would try and convince Judah this was a safe thing, but it was far from it. Judah was easily exposed. Abaigeal had been in his mind, she knew the pain of his loneliness the past couple of years, and she knew how much her presence seemed to alleviate it. One night of intimacy had more of an impact than a simple ill advised dalliance. This was complicated and beautifully simple at the same time, and Judah did not want it to pass.

"I had to do something when I ran away from home," Judah said revealing a bit about his childhood he was unsure that Abaigeal knew. "Ration bars and handouts got old after a while, and I was too poor to go out so, I learned to cook."

The strain in his relationship with his father had been the brunt of it all. He knew it was a piece of his life very few knew about, and still fewer knew about the time he spent as a criminal and confidence man. Much of his life as a Jedi was to redeem his mistakes of the past, though the past always liked to remind him it was there. Aspen, his oldest son, was a constant reminder of those days.

Judah set the eggs out on two plates for them, and whatever else Abaigeal decided to lay out for them. "I don't keep cream actually... never use it myself..." and why would he have something he didn't use. This was the part about having to share life with someone. Things Judah didn't use would be needed. She wasn't staying though, and they both knew it. It was written in her eyes. Her work on Coruscant, and the guns she had to take back were going to eventually pull her away. He had his duty as a Jedi, even if it was to some version of what he thought that was and not to some order.

He sighed as he sat down.

"So... how long were you staying again? Can't wear my clothes everyday... and while I could come up with reasons to not need them... pretty sure you don't want to be stuck on my ship the whole time either?"

Abaigeal E'ron

 

[Abaigeal E'ron]

It had been a long time since she had had a descent mug of caf, as it is hard to find down in the underground of Coruscant, it was made even better that she enjoyed it with Judah for company. There where many things she did know of her friend, most of which stemmed from their time with the Silvers, but a small glimpse into the youth told her that there was much more to his story she that she did not know. Not everyone knows anyone entirely, even if you spend years with them intimately, there are always small secrets to discover that can surprise and delight. It is the beauty of relationships, especially close ones. But the revelation intentional or not, made her wonder why they had to spoke on this before. Deep down, she knew why though, it would mean she would have to reveal her own story. But that was then, Abaigeal is much different now.

She has her own pain from the past, and time has helped her cope and accept certain truths not only about herself, but the events that lead up to her capture. From that moment, in a fit of rebellious temper, she had signed the death notice on her mother’s life. There was only one path that that series of events would culminate in. Such guilt she carried in her heart for years, loathing herself for it and thinking that the pain, torture and suffering she endured under Carnifex’s deft hands was her punishment which she deserved. It was not until she travelled to seek the Five, did she truly break free from it, and reconcile her mind and heart.

It was not her fault, although she has not completely forgiven herself and she doubted she ever would.

Abaigeal watched him finish off his preparation, listened to him speaking of ration bars and cream, and she was smiling just listening to him like they used to years ago. And although age sat on both their faces, it was like they had been transported back. She did not want this to end, their friendship was special then, it is even more so now as they had shared more of themselves openly and freely in a way only lovers know.

“You never told me you ran away from home”, she moved to sit at the table as Judah laid the full plates. It was not necessarily a question, more a statement, which he could take or leave if he did not wish to reveal more. “It seems both of us had been running from something over the years we lost contact. I guess we have stopped running”. Abaigeal wondered if there was a large part of Judah that had him running trying to escape his loneliness after the loss of his wife. After all, she had done the same after the death of her mother.

Something about Judah that Abaigeal had not forgotten, was his open heart. He would form friendships with others easy, she used to envy him that, but it also would pain him when those he trusted or grew attached to, betrayed his trust and friendship. She hated seeing that happen to him, but his ability and capacity to care about others was one of the many things Abaigeal liked about him. She was standoffish, Judah would approach someone new with an open palm.

He still possessed that open heart, and he had let her in once more. This time things had changed between.

She took a bit of her eggs, cooked to perfection and she let him know with a soft moan of delight. “I was supposed to have left yesterday”, she began her eyes looking to his, “But I ran into a good friend”. But this was not why he asked, she knew that, but she was stalling. And the reason was not so simply, there was risk in what she was about to say next. He would see it in her actions, her body language as she began to play with her food.

Abaigeal had never experienced the emotions warring through her in this moment, it was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. A tremor ran through her as she spoke, “But.. I don’t want to go”, there was more in that simple answer that betrayed her. She wanted more than anything to just stay here with him. Her mind raced trying to find anything, any excuse to remain, but didn’t he have to go somewhere too? Shopping for clothes would only extend their stay by a few hours, she wanted so much more then that.

Judah Lesan ​

 

[Judah Lesan]

"No, not many people know that bit about my past. Cambria, Katara, my former master, JJ, and now you."

Judah did not mean to make it sound like it was a big deal or some massive secret, however, Judah could understand why it did. In retrospect, the two did not know much about each other aside from the shared experiences they had among the SIlver Jedi. Yes, Abbie was practically raised among them, and Judah had been there for a good portion of that. There was much about their pasts, as well as recent, that the two would discover about each other if they allowed it. The conversation was certainly leading toward something that would make this dalliance something more than a simple few day tryst. That thought excited and scared the Jedi at once.

The older man smiled.

"It would be nice to stop running, even if a short while. There are things which could yet catch up."

That was a lesson Judah had learned the hard way. Every time he stopped running, Judah found something in his past would catch up to him. The most recent was the news about his son Aspen, and the fact the situation involved an old crime boss he used to work for. Dothan was dead now, run through by Judah's own blade. Was he supposed to tell Abbie he killed a man for threatening his family? Would she stay if she knew what Judah was capable of?

Judah made quick work of his eggs as they talked. The man was not a slow eater. Many missions that saw him go without food for a time, or with little time to eat, had seen to developing that habit. By the time Abbie was working on her second bite, Judah was practically finished with his plate.

A smirk tugged at Judah's lips as he popped the last bite into his mouth. It seemed a good friend had delayed her leaving. The Corellian supposed he had nothing to complain about there. However, he did not expect to hear her say what she said next. They had both thought it, but to vocalize it was different. Judah didn't mind, and yet what had been meant as a way to catch up had certainly become something much more. There was something new to navigate.

The smirk became a soft smile.

"I don't want that either... though I am sure that duty will pull us away soon enough, but let's forget I asked.

When they were both done eating, Judah cleared the plates.

"You know... if neither of us are in a hurry quite yet... this old memory of mine could do with a reminder of how great last night really was..."

Abaigeal E'ron

 

[Abaigeal E'ron]

“Has everything that caught up with you from the past been bad?”, she asked a little more curious. Abaigeal, for a moment, tried to think of things in her own past that could revisit her, but it was mostly emotional upheaval that she had to deal with. Maybe her question was more to put thought into his mind rather than require an answer. Surprises from the past, might be blessings in the future.

He spoke of duty, for them both, and in a sense that was correct. For her, it was self-imposed duty, not that of an order dictation and she knew that that part of her life had not been completed. She did not regret it, nor was she resentful of it, that it would take her away from this. After all, they both can’t stay here on his ship. “Yes, and I will not like seeing the back of you”, she added, as her projected to the moment.

However, a smile thinned her lips.

“You know you could always ask me for my number”, she stood up to take her plate to the washer. It was not as if travel in the galaxy was a hardship, and if one had a good enough reason to do so, it was worth it. “Coruscant is centre to everything, everywhere”, unless you skimmed the outer sectors. Abaigeal wanted to question him more, find out where ‘duty’ would pull him. What it was.

But she did not get the chance.

She raised a brow at him, “So the night together was not so memorable”, a tease to be sure. “There are two ways this could go”, she turned toward him standing there with a soft smile on his lips. “I could be very hurt by such a comment or ..”.

Abaigeal waked slowly toward him, as she neared her hand raised and pressed against his chest. Her encouragement for him toward the wall would not brook refusal. And as his back felt the cold hard surface of the ship, she unbuttoned her shirt .. his shirt.

And it fell to the floor. She stood before him wearing nothing but her desires in her eyes.

Judah Lesan​

 

[Judah Lesan]

"I can think of one thing that hasn't been so bad," Judah answered with a wink.

He had never imagined this ever as a possibility. Abbie was the wildcard Judah had not expected. As far as he knew she was long gone, not that she had been on his mind often between Katara's death and learning of his oldest son. To say Judah had been very preoccupied with certain of life's current circumstances was an understatement at least. Yet, the moments of the last twenty four hours were not unwelcome in the least bit. Certainly they were most welcome, and the kind of thing a comm from Magena would certainly ruin. The mother of his oldest child certainly had a knack for making sure his past would never leave him alone.

A grin pulled at Judah's lips, a natural tease forming. His eyes looked down at his backside as he mockingly turned to examine himself.

"Is there something wrong with it that I am not aware of... what makes it so unpleasant to look at?"

He laughed at his own joke, likely not one that was funny, as he his eyes looked to Abbie.

"Who is to say I didn't pluck your comm number out of your mind when you wide open and vulnerable," he smirked, "Though that is a line I would not cross, so you are certainly going to have to leave it with me."

Judah certainly could not ask now. It would look a little cheesy, so he did the next best thing he thought.

Naturally his final comment had elicited another kind of response entirely, one which Judah would have been a fool to fight against. He was not one to let others lead, but in this case there would be no harm. The reward of what was in front of him was clear enough, and without warning she was whisked away for however long she would let him keep her.

+++
​

There version of cat and mouse continued for another three days before Judah finally received a comm message detailing some new mission. He was on his back once more, reading the details over while the brunette rest with her head on his chest. They both knew what was coming, and it was going to happen much sooner than either of them wanted to.

I'm not sure I can put them off... it seems pretty urgent, and the credits are pretty good.

Another detail Judah may have left out about his life now. His services were for sale, on occasion, and for the right cause. It seemed he was not the same Jedi after all, but Abaigeal wasn't either. Both of them had a roguish streak to them these days.

"And... you've got those weapons to deliver. I am sure your people are getting anxious..."

Judah did not want her to go any more than he wanted to leave himself, but it wasn't like they could simply abandon who they were now or the lives they had chosen to live. Maybe with time, things could be different, but for now the two had their duty.

Abaigeal E'ron

 

[Abaigeal E'ron]

She was very content laying against his chest, rising and falling with the rhythm of his breathing. The last three days had been a continuation of the magic that seemed to have began from the moment they met back on the docks, at least for her it was this way. And they both had put off the inevitable but now once more he raised the fact, they would both have to return to their duties.

Abaigeal kept the moment a little longer, just watching her fingertip glide through his chest hair as she caressed his skin. The only reaction was a hmpf that indicated the positive. Her eyes flicked up to the pad in front of him, not really taking in the details of his mission but it serviced to remind her she had her own, and those guns would not deliver themselves.

“I don’t work anyone, but myself”, was her answer about ‘her people’, getting anxious. She was stock piling weapons and ammo for something that was going to be much greater, when the time was right. Reservations about the event still very much in her mind, people were going to get killed for this ‘rebellion’, they had planned.

Everything comes at a cost.

“But you are right, we have to leave”, it was now her gazed moved as she turned her head to look at his face. She could not help but smile, for the last three days the galaxy had passed them by, neither of them knowing what was going on outside of his ship. But a beep from the commlink had smashed into their reality.

“And those are good credits”. He could not turn down work as much as she could, turn down her position of helping people. And she wouldn’t want him too. Not for her, in fact that thought would never even enter her mind.

She unravelled herself from him and sat on the edge of the bed. The sheet covering them both gathered around her rump, as she looked around the floor for clothes. Abaigeal did not get to the shopping she realised as she reached for the shirt on the floor and slipped into the sleeves. “I am keeping these”, she said standing and finding the rest.

“If you want them back you will have to come and find me”. Her head turned to look at him with a smirk. The last thing she did was pull her hair back into a ponytail and tied it off. Gently taking his device, she punched in a few numbers and handed it back.

Her commlink number.

“You going to walk me to my ship?”, he did not have to at all, it was one final tease.

Judah Lesan​