Private So We Meet Again

[Gnox the Insatiable]

Takodana​

The planet wasn't what he expected at all. Gnox stepped out of his star ship in his actual form. No war form this time. It was odd, how he was feeling. This was a day he had been looking forward to, sure, but now that it was here he didn't know what to make of it. He wore the same shirt and pants he'd borrowed from Shai Maji before, mostly because he didn't know what it was to buy clothing. Usually he just wore the hides of beasts he killed.

That was a long, long time ago.

But he was surprised as he looked about this world. It was so.. Alive. Like his home, before the fall. His eyes couldn't hide the raw joy he felt seeing a world so vibrant and full of life. It was against everything he'd learned as a Sith, but here he was, smiling. The whole reason he was here was technically to purchase the holocron he'd bought, but damn if he didn't want to go for a run right now. Grant it, he pushed that thought down in favor of waiting for his.. .. They still needed to define what this was between them. A truce for sure. Friends, probably. Yeah. Friends.

His gaze pulled from the nearby forestry to scan the sky. Shouldn't be too long now.

 

[Shai Maji]

This was a day she had been waiting for. Not only was she getting free money essentially but she was also anxious to see Gnox again. Though her anxiety came from two different directions from what she could tell. On the one hand, she was pretty much making friends with the enemy and going behind her faction's and friends' backs to meet up with him. She knew that if this came out, she was going to be in big trouble.

Though the other part of her anxiety was a bit more worrisome for her.

The feeling she had as she looked over the luscious green planet was feeling a lot like what she had the first time she and Aerith were joking about going on a date. That was a thought that she wasn't sure how she felt. But as she entered the atmosphere she pushed those thoughts aside and took this trip for what it was. A simple hangout with a new friend. That was the deal, after all.

The ship flew over the forest... and also over the spot where she was supposed to land next to him. When she touched down she glanced around and something simply didn't feel right. "Hold on..." she grumbled as she checked her coordinates. "Wait that's not right." she commented as she read the numbers and read up on the coordinates she gave him. An embarrassed chuckle escaped her as she corrected the numbers and flew the ship over to his spot. She felt a lot better when she saw his shuttle.

She shut off the ship and headed for the boarding ramp. Luckily she looked normal again with the synth-skin covering her right arm. She figured the tank top and cargo pants also helped with her look. When she saw him her face lit up and a snicker bubbled from her lips. "I figured you'd buy some new clothes by now." she quipped as she approached him. "How've you been?" she asked as she instinctively wrapped her arms around him for a hug. She only realized afterwards that it might have been a bit forward of her.

With an awkward clear of her throat she pulled back and glanced off in the opposite direction as a faint hue appeared on her cheeks. "I uh... I brought the thing!" she quickly spoke up as she pulled the holocron from her satchel hanging beside her holster.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

It was a little longer than he expected. Gnox had started to pace as he watched the empty sky. Was he really this nervous she might not show up? Far more than he thought possible. Relief was quick, though, once he did see her ship and watched it land. All that worry and nervousness was gone in an instant as he saw Shai Maji walking down the ramp. A grin formed, though slightly embarrassed. "I don't know much about clothe shopping. It's not like there's a Sith'R'Us for me to go to."

He was quick to quip back, chuckling and generally in a good mood. Then she hugged him. Gnox froze right up, watching her in that stunned state. Should he hug her back? Why was she hugging him to begin with? It felt nice, though. When he did decide to return the hug she'd already let go and stepped back. And.. Blushing? His confusion only grew, but before he could really try to figure it out the holocron was brought free.

Gnox flinched at the sight, his brown eyes slowly growing red. He couldn't help it in the presence of the dark artifact. He brought his hand up to take it from her and give her the pack of credits. "As promised. Just, one moment." Holocron in hand he wandered back to his own ship to set it down, and take a breath to relax himself. Maybe it'd been foolish to try and stop consuming people after all.

The figure pulled out his thermos, taking a quick swig of the blood within. It was enough to pause the hunger growing, at least for a little while. He emerged, half smiling as he waved. "So, uh.. How have you been?"

 

[Shai Maji]

He took the holocron and placed a pouch of credits in her hand. "Pleasure doin' business." she quipped as she checked the pouch and dropped it into her satchel. He really wasn't holding back with that amount. Already she was wondering how she could get more money out of the Sith's piggie bank but those thoughts were shoved aside. The last thing she wanted to do was use him for money. Her eyes followed him as he disappeared into his ship for a few moments. When he emerged, she noticed the faint line of blood around his muzzle which made her wince inside.

"I've been great. I'm actually working on starting up a company. The Union gave me land on Mandalore and I took full advantage. Got me a shweet industrial block with factories and everything." she answered as her smile returned. "Oh and uh... you got a little..." she muttered, gesturing around her muzzle to indicate the stains on his fur. "I hope you're not hungry or anything. The last thing I want is you chasing my ass for a snack." she joked, hoping to lighten the mood a little. "And by the way, I need to take you shopping sometime. 'Cause there's no way in hell you can wear that same getup around the clock." she quipped as she looked his outfit over. It definitely didn't sit well on him. "There's a pretty damn nice cantina close to here. You maybe wanna grab a drink?" she suggested as she nodded in the cantina's direction.

"And you? How've you been all this time?" she asked as she walked with him.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

"Factories and business huh? If ya need an investor, don't mind if I offer my credits. I don't use em for anything else." His smile faded for a moment as she mentioned his muzzle, and he pretty hastily wiped away the remnants with a more embarrassed expression. There was a laugh though at Shai Maji 's comment, and a grin did return. A much more coy expression formed as he tilted his head, glancing her over for a moment. "It'd be a waste to eat you. Least as food." Gnox was quick to latch onto the change of subject before starting to walk with her.

"Getting some more clothing might not be too terrible. Though, just to let you know, I can't get drunk. It's a side effect of what I am." Best to clear that up now. He let out a sigh at the question on how he was doing though, his smile turning more to a frown. "Different. I learned more on what was done to me. I don't need to feast on people, not to survive at least. But I do need blood. It's been.. A transition. And I've been bored. Sith are a lot of doom and gloom, and given how I tend to look most assume that I'm not much for conversation." There was a chuckle now before he turned to watch her for a moment.

"Seeing you again has definitely been a highlight of my day."

 

[Shai Maji]

When Gnox offered to invest in her company, she let out a gentle chuckle. "As awesome as that would be, I don't think people will be happy to see where those creds are coming from." she commented as she smiled at him. He went on to comment on 'eating her', though she knew exactly what he meant by it. "I'd watch it if I were you. You're looking like a snack as well in that form." she joked right back with a wink as she turned to lead the way to the bar. There was certainly a bit of curiosity, but she wasn't going to entertain it. Not with him and not now. The risks were simply too much to want to give into thoughts like that.

As they walked, he admitted that he couldn't get drunk and Shai let out a scoff. "Lucky mutt. If I had that ability, I'd be competing in drinking contests around the clock. Easy way to make money." she quipped as she glanced at him. He went on to explain what he was up to and she listened in silence. The part about not needing to eat people was certainly something she wanted to figure out further. If he could survive on blood, maybe even blood from animals and stuff, and didn't need to actually eat people, then it could solve one of the biggest issues she had with being friends with him. His last comment brought an involuntary smile from the Shistavanen as she stopped to look at him. "... Probably the first time someone's actually been looking forward to meeting me again." she quipped with a gentle smile before continuing with their walk.

Pretty soon they arrived at an old castle decorated in flags, some likely even dating back as far as the Clone Wars if not further. "This place has been here forever. It's an old smuggler's stop with a strict policy of not making a mess of things. People tend to keep to themselves here." she explained as she headed for the main entrance. Inside she found a table away from the other patrons and ordered a brandy and cola for the both of them. "I wanna know, though..." she started as she sat down and placed his glass in front of him. "Isn't Dromund Kaas a really snazzy place? Like, that last time I was there, there were some really cool shops and stuff if you could get past the Sith patrols and other issues. Can't you just order one of your soldiers with fashion sense to help you out?" she asked with a smirk.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

His ears perked right up at Shai Maji 's counter, his eyes once more peering at his fellow Shistavanen. There was a thought he didn't think he'd have again pushing at his mind, though he quickly pushed that back. No way, not with the kind of monster he had become. Friends, sure. But there was no way this would ever end up as something more.

Right?

The doubt had his mind racing far more than he'd like. Thankfully, she spoke up again. And was looking at him. His gaze fell to hers, curiously listening. ".. I don't believe that. You're much too kind of a person for people not to want around." Gnox spoke in a grunt, his ears twitching and lowering back to their usual state. Was she seriously feeling that alone? Maybe that's why they'd become fast friends. The castle was an interesting sight. He took a seat opposite of her, his gaze scanning the room before one of his ears twitched at her question.

"Mm. Because they wouldn't have a heart attack if I asked em to." He snickered a bit as he lifted his drink, sipping at it. Immediately he slammed it down, staring at the glass. "That.. Tastes weird. Is it poisoned?" His gaze turned around the area, frowning. What he didn't realize was it tasted as it should, just, he wasn't used to being able to taste.. Anything. Gnox bent down, glaring at the liquid as he sniffed at it. "I don't smell poison. What is this?"

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai snickered at his comment but it quickly disappeared when she watched him recoil at the taste. "What? Poisoned?" she asked with confusion. "Nah, dude, it's not poisoned." she reassured him as she took a long sip of her own drink. "This is brandy and cola. Just a basic mix, though it's one of my favourites." she continued as she smiled at him. It was rather amusing to see how out of the loop the Sith was.

After another sip a giggle escaped her. "I'll laugh my ass off if you actually get drunk on this stuff. That'll quickly debunk your earlier theory." she teased. She sat in comfortable silence with him, simply enjoying the company and her drink. Finally a thought popped into her head and she cleared her throat.

"I've been bombarding you with all kinds of questions now but you've never asked anything back. Is there anything you'd like to know?" she asked him as she rested her elbows on the table and studied his features.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

Gnox frown didn't fade as he glanced up to Shai Maji . This was.. Weird. Different. He sipped it again, and this time he was able to figure it out. He was tasting. He closed his eyes as he continued to drink it, actually taking the moment to savor this fact. It'd been far too long since he was last able to enjoy a drink. Before he knew it the whole thing was downed.

".. I don't think I can get drunk. My body processes alcohol too quickly." But even he didn't sound too sure on that fact. He seemed to enjoy the silence as well, leaning back in his seat as he mulled over the lingering taste. And, more importantly, the slight fuzzy feeling that was invading his mind. He was actually getting drunk! Crazy.

"I don't know what to ask." He muttered, glancing back to the woman. "It's been a long time since I've even had the chance. But I suppose I have one thing I'd like to ask." Gnox shifted a bit in his chair, leaning forward to rest his chin in his palm. "Why is someone like you so alone? You're fun to be around, and certainly someone who looks good. Do you not have anyone you can call friends?"

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai grinned at his comment and waved the bartender over for a refill, quickly finishing her drink off as well. "I'll be pretty amused if I got a better tolerance than a karking Sithy." she joked as she waited for their drinks to arrive. After a few moments he figured out a question for her... not one she expected at all. "Curious about the context you mean when you say I look good." she quipped with a sultry smirk, though it quickly fell as a sad gaze filled her eyes. Their drinks arrived and she took a big sip of it, letting out a heavy sigh as she stared at her glass.

"I'm just not everyone's cup of caf." she admitted as she glanced up at him. "I mean... look at me. I'm a mutt, I'm loud as hell, I used to be a fulltime gun runner and even now I still do smuggling jobs on the side. And I got this nasty habit of just latching onto people I meet. Yeah, I got friends... but sometimes it feels like I'm little more than an extra in their lives I couldn't care less about. Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions here, but that's what it feels like to me sometimes." she explained to him with a soft voice, her eyes dropping to her drink again. She dug through her satchel and found a nervestick, taking a drag of the device and blowing the orange plume out of the window next to them. "The other problem I got with the Union is that I don't exactly tick all the boxes of being a Mando." she continued as she stared at him.

She sat back and ran a hand through her mane as she figured out her wording. "Like... yeah I can speak the language, I can smith, I can work on weapons and ships... but that's about it. I still speak Huttese more than Mando'a, I hate wearing armour, I just... don't live the lifestyle as hard as the rest do. I've only been part of them for a few years now. But I think I lose credibility in their eyes thanks to that." she sighed again and took another drag if her nervestick.

A faint smile appeared as she gave a shrug. " That's why I still don't get why you wanted to see me so bad. I'm sure there are a bunch of people in Sith space who can tick much better boxes than I can."

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

"You might. I haven't been affected by a drink since.." Time was hard, especially when he was stuck in a tomb with no way to tell how much had passed during the imprisonment. He ended up just chuckling. "Several of your generations." That'd be the easiest way to think of it. Her smirk was met with his own, but he didn't press that side as her smile faded. It'd be hard not to think of the comparisons he had with Shai Maji , though there still were enough differences he couldn't fully relate.

Gnox took another sip of his drink as he watched her, tilting his head a bit. From what he learned, she really wasn't earning points with how she was living with the Mandalorians. She'd be in way more trouble than he expected if they learned about this. He finished off the second glass before the smile returned, big and wide.

"I don't think I can find someone in this galaxy that'll tick more boxes than you do. You're pretty amazing. And y'know." He idly waves a hand to gesture to all of her.

"Pretty in general. I think it's pretty good you don't hide yourself in all that armor. I'd be missin quite the view."

 

[Shai Maji]

A smile appeared on her lips as Gnox spoke, which quickly turned into a giggle as a blush shone through her cheeks. Glancing off into a corner, she ran a hand over her face and brushed her mane back before looking back at him. "Haven't heard someone call me that in a while. I ain't pretty though! I'm a karking hairy gorilla over here." she quipped as she grinned at him. She gazed into his eyes with a bright glimmer before she chuckled again, taking a sip of her drink. "You don't look too bad yourself, actually. When you're not looking like a monstrosity you can be a pretty good chick magnet." she spoke as she looked him over. "... Just not with that outfit." she continued with a snicker as she shook her head.

She finished off her drink as well and glanced at the bar. "I think we better get out of here before we both get utterly wasted." she suggested as she rose from her seat, waiting for him to join her. With everything set she led the way out and back to their ships. But every now and then she glanced at him with a sense of content. "I dunno what else there is to do on this rock, actually. I usually stop here for a drink and to relax when off a job." she spoke up as they walked. "You got anything in mind that you wanna do? Like what do you usually do in your free time?" she asked him as she glanced at him.

A thought popped into her head as she turned to face him. "When was the last time you watched a movie?" she asked him with a bright smile.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

"The closest to a hairy gorilla either of us can get is my other form." He snickered a bit, though his expression turned a bit sorrowful. "You spend too much time around those smooth skins. There's nothing about that's not pretty." It was almost like he was lecturing Shai Maji on it, though he didn't seem to notice. He certainly was a bit tipsy. A big, toothy grin formed as he leaned over the table a bit, one of his claws idly tugging at the ill fitting shirt. "I can just ditch the clothing if you prefer." Yeah, drinking had a small effect on him for sure.

Gnox stood up with the Mandalorian, nodding his head once. He was certainly tipsy, but getting drunk wouldn't be any fun. He did like being able to control himself. The man barked out a laugh as he walked with her, shaking his head. "Nothing except learn. The souls know much about this current age, so I seek their advice. It's how I learned this.. Basic tongue. And other things." There was a pause at the movie question. And a silence. Not just from him, but none of the voices were talking.

Weird.

"What uh, is a movie exactly?"

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai stopped and simply stared for a moment after he asked a question she never expected to hear in her life. "Oh man..." she muttered with a chuckle as she rested her hand on her fist. "It's like... It's a story brought to actual film, basically. Like when reading a book, except you don't need to imagine how it looks." she tried to explain but even that didn't sit right. "I'll just show you." she stated as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her ship.

She led him to her room, a mess as always, and pointed to her messy bed. "Make yourself comfortable. And try to keep your shirt on." she ordered with a sultry wink. She grabbed her remote and turned on the holoprojector, dropping onto the bed next to him. She kicked her boots and socks off, turned on the surround sound system and started to browse through the library on the holonet. "Okay so... what are you in the mood for? Something funny, something with action? I don't think horror will be up your alley all that much." she asked as she turned to look at him. But then she froze.

Her eyes gazed into his and studied his features. A blush returned but she quickly cleared her throat as she glanced at the projection taking up a large chunk of the wall across the bed. "So uh... what you in the mood for?" she asked him with a bit of hesitation.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

Gnox looked more and more confused with Shai Maji 's explanation, though that quickly faded in favor of the alarm going off in his head once she took his hand and dragged him along. First, because he let her drag him along, which just wasn't something he did. Second, once more the woman let herself touch him in some way. Like he wasn't a cannibalistic monster that could devour and break her with ease.

It made him feel human.

He plopped down on the edge of the bed as ordered, just watching her. No voices in his head trying to distract or insult him. No threat of death. No burning hunger. It made it all too easy for his mind to freely wander. He was standing by the time she turned around, his gaze focused on hers. He couldn't ignore the blush or the hesitation. The booze probably didn't help either. He reached out a hand for her as a faint grin formed.

"You."

 

[Shai Maji]

She blinked in surprise at his answer, laying on the bed and staring up at him. Her eyes shifted around for several moments as she mulled over his answer and the potential repercussions it could have. His outstretched hand, his soft smile, his eyes... it was impossible to see him as a monster in a position like this. And so far... he never once gave her reason to see him as one. What she was looking at now was someone who felt more and more like a normal person and someone who cared about her. The doubts and worries swirled in her as she reached out with her left hand. But when she took hold of his, they disappeared.

She pulled him down onto the bed and poised herself over him, her eyes shifting from one to the other as she stared at him. Her lips parted to kiss him but she pulled back as her right hand opened up and a plasma torch ignited. The flame was dangerously close to his face but far enough not to singe him, only close enough to get the message across. "This stays between us. Nobody else. Just us." she spoke with a hushed voice as she stared into his eyes. The torch extinguished and her hand morphed back to normal as she took hold of his cheeks and brought her lips to his. Her hands shifted to take hold of him as she turned over, holding him close as she kissed him tenderly.

**********​

Shai sat in bed with nervestick in hand, significantly less clothed and staring into a corner of the wall. After another puff she glanced down at him and set the nervestick aside to lie down beside him with a small smile. "So... what exactly does this make us?" she asked calmly as she glanced up at him, her arm snaking over his chest.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

Perhaps he'd been too forward. Those couple moments of her debating what he said had him standing there awkwardly, but he didn't regret bringing it up. The idea had been there in the back of his mind since he'd first seen Shai Maji , and spending time with her now only made him more sure. When she took his hand, he knew immediately she was feeling the same.

Gnox followed her lead and, for the first time since they'd met, actually touched her. Nothing too much, just setting his hands on her waist to keep her steady in this new position, but it spoke volumes. For him at least, he didn't touch people unless he was going to kill them. In his mind, that's all he was good for. Now? Such inhibitions went away.

He had started to lean up before the flame formed beside him. For a second he thought betrayal. That this was nothing more than an attempt to kill him. Thankfully it was no such thing. His tensed form relaxed as a much more calm smile formed. "No one I'd want to share this with other than you." As soon as the torch went out he leaned right up and into the kiss. This time he didn't follow her lead, though they had the same idea as he similarly rolled them over.

***********
​

His gaze stayed on her, just watching as she smoked. The clothing he'd borrowed was.. Somewhere in the room, he wasn't entirely sure, not that it mattered. His own smile grew as she looked back to him. He brought his arm around her, more hugging her to his chest. "I'm not sure. We're both in hot water if we're found out. But there's no way I'm not going to stop seeing you." Gnox leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek. "Gotta admit though, I think the danger's pretty fun."

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai hummed as he wrapped his arms around her and rested her chin on his chest. She looked up at him as he spoke and smiled at the kiss on her cheek. "Definitely adds a bit of a dare to the whole thing." she admitted as she stared up at him. "But yeah... this is a dangerous game we're playing. At the same time, I don't want to lose this. It... it feels real." she continued as she rested her head against his chest.

A sigh escaped her as her eyes closed and her nails brushed along his skin. The silence was peaceful and this moment was something she hadn't experienced in years. But the silence also opened up the doubts and fears in her heart and mind. She knew she trusted people too easily and to be in bed with a Sith of all things was probably the biggest example of how problematic it was. But she didn't want to just break things off when it felt like there was something solid between them. If this was the real deal and they could keep it quiet... then she could definitely find happiness here. "I like this." she muttered softly as she shifted to rest her head on his shoulder.

She looked at him and leaned in to kiss him. "I want this to work. Between us. No sides, no factions, none of that... just the two of us." she spoke, almost in a plea. Her right hand rested on his waist as her eyes remained locked onto his. "Can you promise to me that this can work? This is fun and all... but I've had enough fun over the years. I want this to mean something for once." she admitted to him. A smirk appeared on her face as her right hand shifted a bit closer to home. "Plus I got a vibroblade and a blowtorch in my hand if you're taking my for a sucker here." she teased with a menacing grin.

Gnox the Insatiable

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

He was just as quiet as Shai Maji , though it wasn't fear or doubt that crept into his mind. For the first in a long time he felt at ease. Relaxed. He idly traced circles on her shoulder with one of his claws. All he could think about was the now. How right it felt to have her in his arms. Her voice snapped him out of the trance he'd more or less fallen into as he enjoyed the warmth she gave.

First, it was joy. He leaned happily into the kiss, the hand that'd been propping his head up shifting to hold her cheek. Then, confusion. Was it going to be this hard for it to work? His eyes searched hers as he listened, though he couldn't hide the grin at her threat. His hand shifted to grip the back of her neck as he sat up, keeping her against him. "Whatever comes I'll do anything to make this work. I can promise that, at least. Sides, if things go to shit it's not like I can die. I'll just keep you safe, yeah?"

 

[Shai Maji]

He took hold of her and sat up, bringing her along with him. With a soft giggle she adjusted and rested against his frame. His promise helped to put her mind at ease, at least a little bit. She wanted this to work, and if he wanted too, then she could rest easy knowing that this could be the special something she had been hoping for. "I like that idea." she muttered as she held onto him.

But her smile faltered for a moment as she thought of something. "There's... one thing, though." she started, pulling back to look into his eyes. Her ears were flat against her head as she tried to figure out how to word her thoughts. She clearly wasn't very confident in whether she wanted to speak or not. "If we're gonna make this work... is it..." she cut herself off as nervousness swelled within her. With a deep breath she looked up at him again. "Is there wa way to... change what you eat?" she finally managed to speak. "Like would it work at all if you ate normal animals and stuff?" she continued, however it still wasn't exactly what was on her mind. She didn't want to ruin this before it even got off the ground but she couldn't go through with this knowing that he was a murderer. There was a big difference between a killer and a cannibal in her eyes.

"What I'm trying to say here is... does it have to be people? Like actual people? Can't we find a replacement or something?" she finally managed to say to him. She sat with a nervous look in her eyes as she looked him over.

Gnox the Insatiable