Private Rescue Me Next Space Cowboy

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms
wearing: xXx

There was an absolute satisfaction on her face when it became apparent she'd struck a nerve with him. Sylvia was never said to be a nice or good person. Sure, some claimed she was, but that was because she was good at pretending. In truth, she could be quite mean and spiteful, using cruel words and crueller actions to push people away. It was safer that way. So when his voice dropped into a low warning, his jaw tensed, and he turned away from her, all she had done was smirk at him. It felt good to land a blow that upset him, though she wouldn't say as much out loud. Not yet. She wanted him to understand that he was not the only one who could use words as weapons.

With some distance now between them, she could breathe again. She found her blaster on the shelf where it had been left, inspecting the power pack before shoving it into the waist of her pants at the small of her back, beneath the shirt, so it wasn't immediately visible. Sylvia purposely ignored him, keeping her back to him. The silence between them was heavy and uncofmrtable, both of them having been set on edge by the actions and words of the other. Maybe under different circumstances, they could have been nicer. Maybe even friends.

When she looked across the room at him, their eyes briefly met, and the freighter's alarm went off. It roused the crew to life, who began flooding the halls just like roaches coming out of the woodwork. Normally, Sylvie would have hesitated and not gone outside until things calmed down. But that was not going to happen while The Bane—sorry, The Heaven's Bane—docked alongside them. So when he left the room, she followed, her strides shorter but fast enough that she did not fall behind.

Those that saw them seemed to either assume they were part of the crew or gave them (specifically him) a wide berth because of the fire in his eyes. Surprisingly, no one seemed to notice they were on their way to the airlock. Or at least they hadn't yet.
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

After his initial exit from their makeshift saferoom, he wouldn't look at her again. Stiff steps matched his demeanor as he marched down the hallway, turning sharply to move down to the airlock. Metal rumbled underneath their feet as his much larger ship docked to the dinky freighter, the sound of the cabin pressurizing outside. Kissing the back of his teeth, he was already walking before the door had fully opened. On the other side stood a young man no older than nineteen in a matching black set of fatigues. Upon meeting the larger man's flaming gaze he smiled widely and smashed the controls next to him before grabbing the intercom to yell enthusiastically. "Captain's on board!"

Inclining his head in response, Nate led them both to the bridge where it was only wide smiles and greetings from his crew. There his tall, blonde-haired first mate stood. Turned around, her athletic frame visibly relaxing at his presence. "You're despicable. I thought we lost you down there-" Mara's blue eyes moved from her skipper to Sylvia standing behind him. "New friend of yours?"

Scoffing he waved a hand before her, moving to lean his weight against the large, illuminated holo desk before him. "Barely. Be a dear and make sure she's watered and fed, she can sleep in one of the guest barracks." Subconsciously, he was relieved to be back aboard his ship after spending the last day and a half on the run, and both the deep black of space and his crew brought him some joy. "Of course boss, you need anything? You kinda look like shit.." If only she knew. Shaking his head with a sigh he stood up to turn and look at her, still avoiding the smug green stare he felt in the back of his head. "I'll manage. Ex O, get a lock on our employers' beacon and plot a course."

It only then did he turn, arms crossed to look down at Sylvia, a blank stare opposite to the violent infernos behind his eyes following as Mara led them both away. After watching them turn the corner, the man spun on his heel to look back out the viewport as the stars elongated before disappearing into streaks of blue light. There he would have stayed for the next few hours, only retreating to his room as the night shift replacements came out to their posts.

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

Her feelings were irrational at best; that seemed an accurate way to describe them. It seemed like the only way to describe them because Nathan hadn't meant anything to her when the mission began, and he hadn't meant anything to her when he shot her ship down, but somewhere along the way he'd become a thorn in her side and sent her emotions into overdrive. One moment she was angry at him, the next she was scared and hiding with him, and then she was lusting after him like a horny teenager, and now she was right back to being angry. It was irrational, ridiculous, and confusing, but knowing this did nothing to cool the fire simmering in the pit of her stomach.

So she was deliberately silent. Sylvia refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her rattled and seeing that he'd had this effect on her. She said nothing as they walked down the hallways. She said nothing when the young man greeted Nate or when he announced that the captain was on board. The only expression on her face was the slight curl of her lip and the rolling of her green eyes. Sylvia followed like a good girl: silent, pretty, and fuming. She was silent when he led them to the bridge, preoccupied with looking at everyone that they passed.

Her silence was not due to fear but to take in her surroundings. Sylvia looked everywhere but at him. This was, after all, a ship full of people she didn't know, and she was the stranger and the guest. She'd have no problem standing her ground against each and everyone of them, just as she would stand her ground against their captain now that he was clothed and she was not in some ridiculous sleep-induced stupor. She would have been content to ignore every word he and his crew said, even when he took to talking with the tall blonde.

But her resolve to not react broke.

Watered and fed.

Her head turned, and her gaze fixed on him. If looks alone could kill, then Nate would have dropped dead right then and there. The look in her eyes was positively murderous. Watered and fucking fed—was she an animal now? A cow, a broodmare to be tossed aside when this mess was dealt with. A dozen insults played on the tip of her tongue, fingers stroking at the grip of the blaster beneath her shirt. It took every ounce of her self-resolve not to pull it out and shoot him right in the goddamn face. She could feel everyone in the room watching her as she stared up at him, the fire of a thousand suns burning behind her eyes. Somehow she managed to let the blaster go. Shooting him now wouldn't do any good.

Sylvia turned away from him without so much as a word, stalking away from him and down the halls with Mara hot on her heels. Sylvia turned down every hospitality offered throughout the next several hours purely out of spite. She didn't need food or drink from Nate or any of his damn crew. She'd starve herself first. Sylvia would stay hidden in that room well into the night. She showered again until her skin was red and the water had run cold, determined to wash the smell of him from her skin, the taste of him from her mouth, and the thought of him from her mind. All of which proved impossible.

With her hair still damp and her knuckles still sore from where she'd punched a wall earlier in the night out of frustration, she'd decided she'd had enough of her own company. It wasn't doing her any good to sit still and stew in her own thoughts; she was just keeping herself worked up and angry. As she exited the room, her bare feet moved silently across the floor. It was late, and the halls were mostly abandoned—not that it mattered. Sylvia did not need an escort to find his room. In her experience, many ships were built with the same layout, so the halls felt familiar, even though she'd never walked them before tonight.

Outside his door, she paused. She had no doubt that he wouldnt be caught off guard. He was a force user; after all, he would feel her presence long before he saw her. Only a second passed before the doors hissed open and then shut behind her. Despite the darkness, she noticed him laying in bed, most likely not sleeping.

The bed dipped with her weight as she crawled over him, just as he had done to her. Her knees were pressing against the mattress on either side of his hips as she straddled him; she ran her hands slowly up his torso and chest, soft but with enough pressure to entice shivers in their wake. And as her hands touched his shoulders, she leant her weight behind them, intent on pinning him to that mattress, her mouth brushing against his ear.

"I want to ask you a question."
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

Unlike her, he had taken every chance he could to indulge. A warm meal and stiff drink were a welcome sight, even after traveling down to sick call to get his wounds retouched. Luckily she had done a good enough job the night prior. His bandages had held up, and some of the smaller wounds had even started to close. Contrasting starkly to her mood, his crew was nearly ecstatic at his return. A cold, unloving nerf herder he could be, but he took care of those who put their lives in his hands.

His night had winded down smoothly, arriving home to wash up and change into something he actually owned. The much larger bed and room were a definite upgrade, with the wide viewport and subtle accents and lighting under his furniture. In his mind, this would probably be the last night he would get to sleep in his bed for a while. Missions didn't always tend to go as planned so he was prepared for another uncomfortable night. Despite this thought process, Nate couldn't slip away into his dreamscape just yet. His mind ran freely.

The large man lay perfectly still in the midpoint of his bed, arms crossed lightly over his stomach. Sounds of his ship which were normally a lullaby only irritated him, his jaw set firmly as he continued to lay there with his eyes closed. Even as he felt her rebellious presence ebb and flow outside his door, he hadn't moved to look or greet her.

Curious, I won- It was only when he felt her weight settle above him, and her soft hands run across the front of his body did his mind halt in its tracks. Slowly, burning irises peered out into the darkness to look up at her, her weight on his shoulders prompting a flutter in his stomach. Grinding his teeth together as he felt her warm breath on the sensitive skin of his neck and ear, he shifted under her.

"Listening."

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

Sylvia felt him shift beneath her and couldn't help but smirk against his neck. It pleased her to know that behind his cold and callous exterior, Nate was still very much human and all too aware of the space between them and the weight of her body astride him. Her nails dug into his shoulders just a little bit as she felt the hit of his skin beneath her palms and through the thin material of her shirt. His voice rumbled in the darkness between them, and Sylvia withdrew to stare at him, her green eyes clashing with his own fiery stare.

After a moment, her lips brushed against his, purposely to rouse him and reclaim her own power and control. She drew her lips along his jaw, and when she reached his other ear, she spoke. "You shot down my ship, then you killed what I assumed to be your crew at the time. You protected me in that building when it collapsed." She shifted again, dragging her mouth back to his to hover so close above him.

"And then it's like a switch went off, and you do a complete one-eighty and turn into a complete prick," Truth be told, he could say the same about her, but right now they were talking about him.

"I don't understand. What game are you trying to play? Nathan, are you keeping me here just for fun, or was there a reason you didn't shoot me?"
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

Stay focused, and go back to bed. Easier said than done. Her touch, her words, and her posture were all to blame for the rising heat in his body. It was nearly impossible to not continually shift under her, trying to keep her weight from settling around him.

It was when her nails dug into his skin did he clear his throat, biting the inside of his cheek. The stare she gave him made his body tingle, causing him to look away to avoid such danger. Except it was getting more and more difficult to focus on the ceiling as her lips traveled across his jawline.

Shivering against her words, he mentally cursed her for her behavior. “…No games. You were just doing your job like I was.” Speaking softly, he shifted to move his hands out beside them, moving them to her wrists before meeting her gaze. “I stopped playing judge, jury, and executioner a long time ago. My anger however still depends on what’s around me.”

As if on cue he pulled her hands off his shoulders, knowing she was the only one playing games now. A dangerous one at that. Bate was sure she knew exactly what she was doing. “You could have ran long ago, you’re here now on your own accord.”

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

His words were not what she was expecting. In fact, it surprised her enough to knock the hot air from her lungs, just for a moment. Just doing a job. She’d imagined he had more sinister reasons given the cargo being moved; after all, it was something precious and dangerous that was to be delivered to the Nightmother of the Soloanaceae. But to him, it was just a job. Nothing more, nothing less. Huh, that's interesting. Her skin burned when he grabbed her wrists; was left with goosebumps in the wake of his fingers as she drew back to stare down at him.

When he yanked her hands away from him, her palms pressed firmly into the mattress on either side of his head. She refused to move from her position above him. "It's true, I could have run. But I'm not stupid," she replied, lowering herself against him, her chest flush against his, her mouth so close to his once more. "You're a force user, Nate; running wouldn't have done any good." If he had wanted to find her, he would have; it wouldn't have mattered how far she ran.

Sylvia didn't know much, and she assumed all Sith-Jedi-Witches were the same, but she knew that everyone had a force signature—something that could be tracked through the force. A smile flashed across her lips as she decided that, at that moment, he wasn't a complete jerk. She also had enough self-awareness to know she certainly didn't make herself a likeable person at times; it wasn't surprising that he'd be angry when dealing with her.

Although she hadn't forgiven him for that fed and watered comment. "Also, I couldn't run. You shot me down, remember? That shit hurt."
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

The rapidly disappearing distance between their lips was driving him insane. He could feel his body getting warmer by the second, responding to her ludicrous way of asking him questions. Her persistence to remain seated firmly atop his hips seemed like something he wouldn’t be able to win. So he released her wrists, his fingers moving to dance along her thighs.

“Hm… what makes you think I’d chase?” A smirk of his own barely broke through, chewing the inside of his cheek as he finally let her weight settle against him without any fight. Despite the low light, he took a moment to actually admire her facial structure and fair skin. It was much easier now that they weren’t upset. One could say the minimal space between them also played a part, but he’d keep that to himself.

“Oh I know. Crashing’s never fun.” Slowly, his own nails traced back and forth along the outside of her thighs, his eyes darting between her green ones and her lips. “I’m sure you’re entitled to full compensation somewhere.”

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

He would have chased. Sylvia believed this beyond a doubt. Not because he would want her specifically or even the artefact she was carrying, but rather because she suspected he was not one to back down from a challenge. And she'd presented him with a challenge by not dying in the crash, being torn in his side, and being as stubborn as he was.

And yes, for other reasons that were all too obvious at the time—reasons that were obvious in the way he let her settle above him and in the way his fingers moved along her thighs, enticing little shivers in their wake.

Sylvia couldn't help but smirk when she noticed his eyes dipping to her mouth. She wasn't the only one driven by desire in that moment, it seemed. He could pretend; he could act cold and callous, but he had these little tells—everyone did. The way his fiery gaze betrayed him. Had she not been so attuned to the words and moods of others, she might have missed it or assumed she was the only one acting like a fool with a person she barely knew.

"You would have chased." She said it matter-of-factly. He could lie if he wanted, but with the distance between them, the intimacy of the moment, and the flames licking at her veins, she'd know if he did. "And I'll have my compensation. Because you'll be the one to give it to me." It was the least he could do given all that had happened; all that he had done.
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

Turning his head to hide the widening smile spreading across his face, the man kissed his teeth in response. Her initial assumption he wouldn't back down from a challenge was accurate. At least depending on how much he had to drink. That rapidly spreading warmth appeared in his cheeks for only a second, his hands running up to the hem of her shirt as it rested on her hips, following the same path back and forth slowly.

As if she already knew. She was something else for sure, Nate quite frankly wasn't prepared for her to look down at him like that. Or to feel her sudden lack of clothing in the darkness of his room. Biting his lip in a failed attempt to get rid of his smirk, he looked back up at her. Despite his best efforts, her words were pulling all of his strings in the right way, and she knew. Shrugging slightly, the man's eyes dimmed slightly as his heart rate picked up.

"Will I?"

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

Whatever sarcastic response she'd given was lost the instant their lips met. They'd both know what would happen, what her midnight rendezvous in his room had meant, and what the lack of clothing and personal space would lead to. And there had been no complaints, not beating around the bush once the first move was made, certainly not from her. Sleep had finally come to claim her some hours later when all had been said and done and a pleasant lethargy had settled into her limbs.

But, as usual, sleep eluded her. Sylvia was startled awake again, still plunged in darkness, and sat up in that bed to stare at the door with mixed emotions. Something had moved—either him or someone outside in the halls. With a groan, she flopped back onto the mattress; it had been a while since she'd shared a bed with someone like this, and that movement was enough to rouse her. It wasn't as though they were in danger anymore. This was his ship and his crew. She'd imagined they'd die before mutinying against him.

She rolled over and nestled against the warmth of his body, hiding her face against his shoulder. Her body ached, but the good kind of ached. She could feel where he'd held her, where his hands had roamed her body; she could still taste him on her tongue. Her cold fingertips spread along his body, feeling their way from his hip to his abdomen. They traced the defined muscles and then the lines of one of his tattoos, then the scars that were here, there, and everywhere. It didn't really matter. She nuzzled closer to him, enjoying the warmth of his body for a moment longer before they had to face the world again.
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

Her movements didn't go unnoticed in the darkness, her aura was one he could sense even unconscious. The encounter they had just shared hours before only cemented this. However, like her, his dreamscape was nowhere to be found. Instead, he laid there perfectly still, his eyes closed, in a sorta meditative state. Breathing deeply, his head turned slowly to look down at her as her scent washed back over him. Nate hadn't nearly planned on his mission winding down this dangerous road he had just entered. Complaints? Minimal. The man just didn't want it to make her lose focus on her goal, or worse; keeping herself out of harm's way.

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt her small, much cooler finger trace up his stomach and long some mark she was hyper-fixated on. Rotating onto his shoulder, he moved to face her, his eyes still closed as he feigned slumber. Only then did he pull her closer, knowing she wouldn't complain in the shelter of his arms despite her previous attitude. She had an odd way of wiggling through his defenses, one he neither liked nor disliked.

"If you make me regret this and get me killed I'm going to haunt you." Still laying with his eyes closed, he spoke softly in the darkness, painfully aware of the day's challenges ahead of them. His employer's ship and many crews were no doubt waiting for them in orbit to their destination. Nate could sense a few more gunfights and many more wounds in his near future.

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

"That's my line," was her haughty reply, muffled as she raised her head to stare at him. No complaints had been made when his arm snaked around her, nor when he pulled her tighter against him. She should have pushed him away—this wasn't like her, not at all, not in the slightest. Even when she'd started dating Var, it had taken time before she'd opened up to him and before they'd moved past the sarcastic comments and sidelong glances.

Something about Nate had quickly wormed its way past all of her defences. It frightened and excited her. Maybe she was just lonely, and he'd been there. Maybe it was something more. Maybe he just needed company too. At that moment, she hadn't known and didn't care. This was the calm before the storm—that brief moment before the world turned against them again, most likely in another haze of gunfire, blood, and fire—and she intended to enjoy it while it lasted.

Her fingers followed the lines of his tattoo up his chest until she could curl them behind his neck and pull him in. Sylvia brushed her mouth against his slowly at first and then with more passion, just because she could and because he wouldn't say no. "I I die, I'll become the biggest thorn in your side."
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

A soft grunt would have been her only response before her kisses cut off any more words. The way she touched and grabbed him was an oddly familiar feeling, almost like something he had been missing as it felt natural. He didn't hate nor love it. She should have died days ago, but the fact she hadn't was the only answer he needed.

"You already are." Speaking softly against her lips his arms pulled from around her as he tossed the blanket aside. Swinging his legs over the side that man stood bare in the dim light, stretching briefly before glancing over his shoulder down at her once more. "Just be careful out there this time." Sighing he moved through the room to the bathroom, and soon the sounds of his much larger shower running.

Leaning against the dark tiles, the water ran down his back and pooled around his feet, the sudden change in the temperature causing steam to billow out to fill the room. Satisfactory didn't even begin to explain the feeling as he felt the many knots within his aching body unwind. It had been a productive night, to say the least.

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

Her response to him had been brief, her lips pulling into a smile against his own in response to his softly spoken words. If he thought she was a pain in the ass already, he would be in for a surprise when she started putting effort into being one. Sylvia did not tell him this but instead watched as he tossed the blanket aside and got out of bed. Their eyes met for a moment, fire reflected on forest green leaves, and then his words punched a hole through whatever peace she'd found at that moment. Just be careful out there this time.

It wasn't as though she'd planned for the mission to go this pear-shaped or that she'd willingly put herself in danger over the past few days. Life-and-Death situations just had a way of finding her... and sometimes she didn't have the energy to fight them. He didn't have to call her out like that. Sylvia remained in the bed after he had moved to the shower, the sounds of the rumbling pipes and splash of water the only sounds that disturbed her thoughts as she contemplated all that had happened to them and what they still had to face.

There was no doubt his employer would be there, members of the Confederacy would be there, and other would-be mercenaries would be there. Truth be told, she wasn't looking forward to it. She wanted to stay in this moment a while longer. The perpetual calm before the storm. Before long, she'd moved from the bed, following his steps until she'd found him in the shower, leaning against the tiles, steam billowing from the heat of the water. She did not announce her presence; he'd already know she was there, and she did not ask permission to join nor ask forgiveness for intruding.

"You have such a way with words." The sarcasm was there, but the fight was lacking as her hands gently touched his back.

Nate Phantoms

 

[Nate Phantoms]

At first, he didn’t react to her words or touch. Her presence was subconsciously ignored, until a soft scoff broke out from the man as he fully processed her sarcasm.

“I do my best you know.” Returning the sarcasm on his own, his body slowly rotated to the side to let her under the water as well. Eyes wandered over her body in a less predatory way, more observant and careful. His fingers ran up over her scars and tattoos, water cascading down over him and onto her smaller frame.

She shouldn’t have even made it this far. He should have executed her in the cockpit, but yet here she stood. Soft and warm, and very much naked. It was an odd turn of events but he couldn’t determine if he was enjoying it or not. Not yet at least.

“You don’t have to come along any more, you’re free to escape.”

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

The snort she made in response to his words should have been enough of an answer. Sylvia peered up at him with a fierceness in her eyes and a playfulness that was far from normal for someone such as her. She was normally closed off—robotic even—but in this moment of solitude with him, the walls were coming down little by little. She liked being able to let her guard down, but she hated it because it made her feel vulnerable.

"Escape, huh? So I'm a prisoner after all?" Sylvia said, a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. She knew that was not what he meant, but she chose to twist his words. She ducked her head to avoid his gaze for a moment, letting the hot water run down her body to soothe the ache in her muscles. "I'm not going anywhere." And she meant it.

Sylvia was known for seeing a mission through to the end, no matter what happened along the way. She wasn't a coward; no amount of burning buildings, thugs with guns, or criminal enterprises was enough to make her run away. "Besides, what makes you think I trust any of your people to keep that artefact safe?" Sylvia said, finally looking at him with a smirk. "You're stuck with me, space cowboy."
​

​

 

[Nate Phantoms]

Rolling his eyes playfully, his arm snaked around her waist to pull them together under the hot water, effectively shutting her up as her face pressed into his chest.

“Oh, whatever.” It was an odd feeling. The bickering, the danger, all of the odd time they had spent together had made him question what exactly was even happening. It was like marriage, just with much more blood and fire. Nothing he wasn’t used to, nevertheless it was a new change of pace.

“Are you done now?” Looking down at her, a raised eyebrow and a smirk would greet her green gaze. “I’d like to actually shower without your cheeky behavior.”

Sylvia Alvaro

 

[Sylvia Alvaro]

tag: Nate Phantoms

The muffled shriek she made when he dragged her closer was entirely out of character for Sylvia, as was the laughter that followed and the way her arms went around his waist. It was so strange. Sylvia knew in the back of her mind that this wasn't rational and that this wasn't how the mission was supposed to go. The two of them hardly knew one another, but there was no denying that it was nice. Trauma had a way of bonding people, or maybe it was something else, or maybe it didn't need to be anything more than it was at that moment.

Peering up to meet his gaze, a dozen teasing words played on the tip of her tongue, but each one would remain unsaid as she reached up to grab him by the back of the neck and pull him down to her. Sylvia didn't try to fall into the intensity of his stare; she let herself fall into the depths of them as though she were falling from the sky, tumbling through stars and galaxies until there were only the two of them. Living in the moment, enjoying it, and not thinking about what the next few hours had in store for them. And his lips caught her before she could hit the ground.

Sylvia kissed him soundly, without urgency, as though she had all the time in the world for him, just because she could. "Alright, now I'm done," she said after pulling away, a smug and teasing expression on her face. "You can shower in peace now."
​

​