Sand and Sun

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

"It's alright." In the distance Munin could still hear the creatures roar, it was clear that they were still searching, but one of them was injured, and that made for an easy meal. Eventually the other two would finish with their old compatriot, but for now he and Spark were safe, for a few seconds at least. He squeezed her gently, thumbs gently stroking over her skin as he tried to calm her. A shake ran through her and Munin gently pressed his lips against the top of her head.

"Take a breath." He said quietly. "Just breath."

Quietly he thanked the library at the orphanage for having books on coping. Perhaps they had done that on purpose so the orphans could help one another, but in this particular moment Munin didn't really care for the why. "We have a few seconds."

It was true.

It would have been better to run as fast as they could, but it wouldn't help any if Spark was collapsing in on herself every few steps. This way at the very least she would be able to move without falling over, and he'd prefer that over having her break down again.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

Fingers of one hand curled around the fabric of his shirt. The other found the fingers of his hand. They were rough and calloused. She heard the creatures above. They were happily feasting but it wouldn't last for long.

Blue eyes squeezed closed again, then opened. She took a breath. Then another. She released Munin's hand. Then his shirt. Then she got her legs beneath herself.

"Okay," she stood and scooped up his blaster. No time to be embarrassed. Or dwell on hurt pride. Or wondering if he was having second thoughts about her now.

#awkward

Giving him a final nod and look of silent gratitude mixed with insecurity, she ran for the exit.

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

Munin didn't waste any time, immediately breaking out into a spring after her.

The hallway seemed to curve upward as they moved, a slow and steady incline bringing them higher and higher up. The steel walls around them began to gradually shift and change, expanding and texturing more and more until eventually cold metal turned into rock. Sand began to appear on the floor, and within sight was cast the bright light of the sun. The echoing roars of the creatures that had chased them earlier seemed to die down, and the heat of Jakku once again breathed against their skin.

"There." Munin said breathlessly as they passed into the light of day, half stumbling over a rock as they came closer and closer to the exit.

He saw Spark half-stop suddenly, his eyes opening wide as he nearly crashed into her.

"Wo-" Munin cut himself off as his arms wrapped around Spark and instinctively pulled her back. Together they tumbled back slightly, Munin tugging her away from the cliff that the tunnel ended in.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

She jerked back against Munin. Tear-dried streaked-face catching a glimpse of the sun before being enveloped into the tunnel's shadow once again. Bony-limbs jarred against Munin. An oomph escaped her lips. Heart thudded rapidly against her ribs.

"Oww," she managed. "When we first met you knocked me out of a vent almost just....like that," she paused to catch her breath. "This time it wouldn't have ended so well."

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

"Well." He said quietly. "Saved your life."

Munin's eyes closed and his head leaned back.

His bag laid besides him, Spark half on top of him with his arms still wrapped around her. For a moment he took in a deep breath, and then he started to laugh. His entire body shook, his arms tightened just slightly around Spark, and his fingers fidgeted into her sides.

The information Broker couldn't help himself. They had escaped the beasts, their roars left behind long ago, they had escaped the tunnel, and they had gotten what they came for. He still wasn't sure what that thing was, still wasn't entirely sure if any of this had been worth it, but he already had a prize greater than any object, greater than any source of information. Before they had entered that place he and Spark had already claimed one another.

That was enough.

That was enough to make him happy, enough to make him laugh now that they were safe, at least momentarily.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

Blue-eyes widened slightly and she began to shake with the beats and rhythm of his laughter. She'd never heard it booming like this before even if it was odd timing. It made her thin lips twitch into the smallest of smiles. She let her head rest against his jaw. But there was still a problem. She still couldn't feel the force. She had a feeling it might return to her once they got over the cliff and far away from this ship.

#shehoped

Bony-form slipped from his arms and she stood, glasses adjusted. Converse sneakered feet took her to the edge of the cliff and she peered over carefully. "How're we going to get down?"

They'd left the rope in the cave. And there was no way in nine Corellian hells she was going back that way.

#nopenopenope

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

Eventually Munin managed to stop laughing, letting himself relax on the cave floor for a few seconds to gather his breath. He had done it. He had achieved a goal that he and Huginn had been working towards for months. He had the Red Codex, he had his life, he had...a girlfriend?

Munin wasn't sure on that last part.

Eventually he managed to collect himself enough to actually stand up, dragging himself to his feet and coming up besides Spark so that he could look down the cliff. A frown pulled at his lips as he peered down for a few moments, eyes wandering down the cliff face and then towards her. "The drones can find us a safe path."

He pulled the last one of his drones from his backpack, fingers brushing up against the small red cube he'd retrieved.

"We can walk down." The Information Broker suggested. "Just have to be careful alright?"

He offered a warm smile.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

It was clear she didn't want anything to do with death defying heights. But there really wasn't another way. Besides, she'd already rappelled today. Small fists clenched at her sides and she put on a brave face.

#masks

She gave a quick, quiet nod. Speckled-gaze watched the drone as it took off. For the moment, she couldn't share in Munin's happiness. Everything still felt off, too off kilter without the force. Numbed.

#vulnerable

"You found what you were looking for, right?" Gray-blue eyes drifted to the cube in his hand.

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

"Yeah." He fiddled with his back for a few moments and eventually pulled out the cube.

For a moment Munin stared at the device, somewhat dumbfounded. The thing really was rather...well simply looking. There didn't seem to be anything particularly of note about the way it looked, save for the soft subtle red glow that came from it. He held it out for Spark to look at.

"Honestly." He said quietly. "I have no Idea what it does."

There was an access port at the base of it that appeared as a connector. Munin imagined that it likely held some sort of program or perhaps information, but in truth he had absolutely no idea. That had been a part of why the thing had interested him so much, the documents had all referred to it as something completely game changing, something that could 'turn the tide', whatever that had meant. Either way Munin was glad to have his prize.

It at least meant this had been worth it.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

Blonde-brows scrunched together in thought. Pale-digits brushed against his as she touched the cube and shuffled in for a closer look. "Reminds me of a holocron. A little bit. If I could sense the force, I could...," she shook her head.

She hoped it wasn't a weapon. Was she a Jedi? No. But that didn't mean she wanted a lot of peeps hurt.

She released her hold on the cube. "I'm glad you got what you came here for." Fingers jammed into the pockets of her skinny jeans. Blonde-tangled strands of hair whipped across her face from a growing wind. Taking her datapad from her pocket, she pulled up a sliced feed to Munin's drone.

#stillgotskillz

"We've got a path." She gulped, looking over the edge one more time.

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

He reached a hand out and gently placed it on the small of her back.

Munin knew by now that touch was rather...difficult for Spark, but he didn't know how else to express himself in that moment. The red Cube was shoved back into his back, he drew the scarf away from his face, and slowly he moved so that he was standing in front of her. The datapad was still between the two of them, and Munin was no perilously close to the edge of the cliff, but he needed to say something before they made their way down.

"Hey." He began as though they hadn't been standing next to her this entire time. "This thing..."

He waved to the bag. "It doesn't matter."

That wasn't quite true, it mattered a lot, but in that moment Munin didn't particularly give a damn about it.

"Even if we hadn't found it, even if we'd just wasted out time here. I'm glad you came." He wanted to hug her, but...well the datapad was in the way. "What we talked about in there...what I said...I meant it. I want to be with you, even if I can't always be beside you."

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

She looked up at his face. Blonde-strands of hair continued to whip past her features. She fumbled but got the datapad halfway back in her pocket. "I know. I...I want the same thing." And she really did. Maybe part of her was surprised he still wanted to be around her even if she didn't have the force.

#sillythoughts

Thin arms reached out and awkwardly wrapped around the information broker, like she wasn't used to giving or receiving hugs.

"Just. Don't fall."

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

He gently slipped an arm around her, squeezing and holding her for just a few seconds. Some of her hair whipped into his face, but he decided just to ignore it for the time being. The truth was he couldn't have asked for this to go in a better way. Never in a million years had he expected his life to go in this direction, never had he thought he even had a shot at something like this. He smiled for a moment more until he finally withdrew, his hand sliding down her arm so he could give her own hand one last squeeze.

"I'll try not to." Munin said with a smile.

For a moment more Munin held her hand, and then he peered down the path that the little drone had discovered. The way looked quite...perilous, but as long as they stayed close to the wall and didn't stray too far away from where the drone told them to go they would be okay.

"I'll go first." He said. "Just follow after me."

Munin was trying to be brave, though he too feared the heights head of them.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

She squeezed his hand back. "Okay," she spoke quietly, her voice almost stolen by the wind. Fingers came up and tucked those unruly strands of hair behind her ears. She checked the path one more time on her datapad, then followed after Munin's lanky form.

Feet sank slightly in the sand but she trudged on. A few times she slipped and slid, but managed to catch herself against the cliff wall.

#notcoordinated

When they were nearly down, the fog of not having the force suddenly lifted. Blue-eyes widened in surprise. Foot slipped. She landed on her bony-butt and continued to tumble down,straight into the back of Munin's legs.

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

Munin flailed as he was suddenly tackled down by the force of Sparks impact on him.

He slipped, but his hand caught on one of the rocks as he began to fall. His eyes widened and he tried to realize what was actually happening. Panic crossed his features as he saw Spark begin to slide down, his heart racing as he fell closer and closer towards the edge. His fingers curled around the stone he had managed to grasp onto, his other hand reaching out to grab Spark.

"DON'T!" He began to shout the words at her, but then realizing telling her not to fall was incredibly foolish and stupid.

"DON'T FALL!" Munin said it anyway. "I can't lose you."

The last words were a whisper.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

Palms burned against the sand as she tried to get purchase. Glasses fell down her freckled nose. Sand got kicked up everywhere and suddenly she felt an iron-like grasp on her wrist.

Arm yanked, nearly out of her socket as half her body dangled over the edge. They were probably just a story or two up at this point. #thankgoodness #stillhateheights

She sputtered the gritty granules from her mouth. "Good catch. And it's okay," she forced a trembling smile, adrenaline from falling still pumping through her small system. "I got the force back."

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

"I don't know how that would help you survive a fall." He said quietly.

Of course there likely was some trick that she could use, but...well they hadn't exactly gone over everything that she could and couldn't do yet. Perhaps that was something that they would have to do, just so he didn't get worried. He smiled slightly as he pulled her back up onto the cliff edge, once again showing a surprising amount of strength. He yanked her up and placed her on the edge of the ledge, letting her sit and catch her breath for a moment.

"You should make a manual for me." He said, letting out a heavy breath. "Things you can do with the force."

It was mostly a joke...mostly.

Yet he felt like if they were going to be together...then maybe it was time they shared a little more.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

"Good point,"'she breathed, hands gripping the tops of her legs. "I want you to know more about me." Bony-shoulder rolled and she winced. She began brushing off the sand from her shirt. "When we get back to camp, I can start on that."

Glasses were finally adjusted.

Carefully, she scooted back from the edge and stood up. "Let's get down before I fall again. Even with the force...it's not a sure thing." She began first, this time taking more care.

#tryingto

 

[Munin]

[member="Spark Finn"]

He smiled and followed after her. The rest of their small journey was thankfully far less eventful. They made the rest of the climb down within just a few minutes, and then spent the next hour or so wandering back to the ship where they had left their speeder. Surprisingly, everything was exactly where they had left it. No scavengers had come to claim their things, no jawa had come along, nothing. He smiled slightly as Spark wandered ahead of him, her golden hair illuminated by the setting golden sun behind them.

For a moment Munin simply stopped and watched her.

He couldn't help himself in that moment. She wasn't the most graceful woman he'd ever met, not by a long shot, but there was a certain simply beauty to the way that she moved. Munin couldn't help but smile as he saw her half jump into the cargo bay, if only likely because she had nearly fallen. For a few more seconds he found himself rooted in place, until finally she glanced towards him.

"Let's stay here tonight." He told her. "Leave in the morning."

It would be safer that way, and they could spend the night talking.

 

[Spark Finn]

[member="Munin"]

Gangly-limbed form turned. He had a goofy-look on his face and he was staring. #swooning Hands self-consciously went to her hair. Was it a funny way? Did she have something on her face? For some reason, she wanted to blush.

Heart quickened just a little in her chest.

"Okay," she called back. "The sooner we get back to duracreet and technology, the better."

She smiled.

Plus, she needed about twenty sanisteams. And moisturizer lotion. And bbq chips.

She could do one more night here. Maybe a second back where they started. Sitting on an up-turned crate, she dug into her pack and took out some antiseptic wipes. Palms were scraped and scratched. So was her elbow from where she almost slid over the cliff. She winced, moving slowly. Bruises decorated her pale skin and she was finally starting to feel them with the adrenaline rush gone.