Private Some Nights

[Drifter]

Drifter immediately turned to Rhea, hissing [ What are you doing?! ] she was making so much noise! So much for being sneaky. I swear she is going to get us caught, he mused, shifting his HUD to activate the enhanced optic array. The sensors gave a quiet whir, painting an image of what the silly woman was doing.

Oh, apparently about to lift her ass about helm level as she climbed up.

 

[Rhea]

"I'm finding us a way out," she hissed back, groping blindly. A second bucket fell, this time tumbling onto him as he gaped. "Ow." She jammed her fingers into the ceiling and stretched out, feeling for the screws of the vent.

"I seem to recall we considered an air vent system before deciding on the plumbing," she murmured, voice whisper soft. She hit the first screw and felt around to memorize its location. She adjusted her grip and wiggled for her knife at her hip.

Sensibly she could have asked for help.

She did not.

"Unless you want to get back to that blue guy I blow darted off you." She leveled dryly.

 

[Drifter]

[ Ow! ] he barely managed to catch the bucket, trying his best to keep the noise level down. [Could you be any louder? ] he whispered, trying to figure out where to put the bucket. He set it down beside him on the shelf.

Outside, he could hear the cries and shuffle of feet, dozens of Squibs spilling out throughout the bunker to try and find whoever stole the gem. He pressed his head close to the door.

[ Alright fine. ] he told her, glancing back up at her. [ And hey, I don't kink shame you. Don't kink shame me.]

 

[Rhea]

Silence was all he received, and for once she was sure he could not see the heated embarrassment that rushed forward as he turned it back on her. She wasn't sure what she expected. It dawned on her that she kept setting herself up for quips like that.

It had just been so long since she had had companionship of any sort. She hadn't realized the pang for it until now.

And how easily he manipulated her over it.

That was all that had been, she reasoned, working relentlessly to undo the screws and let them tinkle down on his head. The small moment, harmless and innocent, slowly deflated in her mind. Just maybe, next time, she wouldn't respond.

The creak of the grate sent dust down, her hands barely able to hold its awkward weight as she gasped in a wordless request for help.

"You got it?" she whispered. And of course, he had to, because the only thing between it and the ground was him. She released it to his care, air from the vertical shaft washing over her. it was a lot better than sewer. A lot better.

 

[Drifter]

He would reach up, grabbing the grate with his hand. Muscles would bunch and he would give a slight grimace, [ Yeah. ] he murmured, doing his best to try and set it down without causing too much of a ruckus.

[ How's it look? ] he asked her after he set it down by his feet, swinging his attention back up to her. [ Need a boost? ]

 

[Rhea]

"I can't- oh." She pulled out the gut melter, lighting the vent in childish halo of stars. Let out a puff of air, a bit of tension leaving her chest.

"Looks like a way out to me. She set the gun inside, testing her positioning and the shelves ability to support the awkward twist in. After the barest teeter of the appliances, she called off the attempt at once, whispered begrudgingly. "Yes. ...It's big enough in here to turn around in here. Grab my foot." She kicked wildly. "I'll lift you up once I'm in."

 

[Drifter]

It was a bad decision to get close to get a look. All Drifter got was a swift kick to the face -- err helm -- by Rhea's boot. It connected, prompting an intangible curse he barely contained for fear of revealing themselves.

Hope she was happy, as Drifter had to shake his head a bit, glowering up at the wiggling leg of a culprit.

 

[Rhea]

"Whoops." Guess that's why he wore that.

Still, she managed to wiggle her way in, the occasional foot kick be damned. She turned in place, gasping a little at teh effort as she took the star light and shined it down on him, illuminating the space.

The cries of distressed squib echoed through he doors. A sudden thought came to mind. A slow, sly grin touched her lips as she peered down at him, a curtain of hair falling from her face.

"Boy would it be awkward if I left you here huh?"

 

[Drifter]

While Rhea couldn't see Drifter's expression, the corner of his mouth went twitching upward. Leaning back on his heels, he merely gave a shrug.

[ Sure. Might be awkward. ] he began, giving a gesture of his hand as if to play out this little scenario. [ Leaving me here with nothing but irate, Squibs.] his voice gave every indication of mock affront, [ However, I do want to remind you of this, ] he began, looking up at her, a single wag of his finger.

[ You're in the middle of nowhere in this desert. You ain't got a way of getting on my ship without Alex seeing me right there beside you. ] his fingers came out in ticks, marking out each item. The amusement was there, as was the reality he painted. [ Which leaves you with little recourse other than trying to find some Squib speeder that, hopefully, can get you where you need to be... that is if you can manage to trek through this desert recalling just how you got here -- leaving you precious little way of getting you back to Metrobig City with that gem of yours in hand. Might mean that end result gets you caught and right back to where here I be, only this time, I won't be as friendly.]

A pause.

[ Oh, and worse of all... never, ever be able to answer just what color my pretty little eyes are. And I guarantee you, I've the longest lashes you ever did see. ]

 

[Rhea]

She rolled her eyes, a massive noise of exasperation befalling her at the end of his monologue. Of course this is the moment he chose to respond to with reason.

"Oh, just say you're sorry." She shot back.

 

[Drifter]

This time there was plenty of incredulity. [ Sorry for what? You're the one who hit me with a bucket! ]

 

[Rhea]

The incredulity was clear.

"You're a shameless flirt who deserves more than a bucket sludge at them."

 

[Drifter]

He had to hold his laughter back, otherwise, they'd be found out. That they were whispering back and forth through a vent was just so ridiculous.

[Hey now, you are right. I do deserve more than a bucket of sludge. See high standards. Thank you for agreeing and realizing I deserve so much better! ] another twitch of his lips.

[Besides, you like it. ] oh, he so dared her to deny it.

 

[Rhea]

Rhea pursed her lips, her pettiness out of place yet highly satisfying in the heat of the exchange.

"Apologize or you dont get my hand," she snubbed back.

 

[Drifter]

[ You do you, Pittin. ] He told her, but he genuinely didn't think he had any need to apologize. He already had after the commentary of Sith and toys.

[ I ain't your ball and chain. ]

 

[Rhea]

Her eyes narrowed at him, her off the cuff plan to make him squirm back firing.

Spectacularly.

That's okay. She had all day.

"You are such a--"

"Check the spark spark room!"

Her eyes widened, head snapping towards the door.

Or not!

She shoved out her hand, the antics dashed the moment her ultimatum came to play. "Quickly!"

 

[Drifter]

[ Charmer. Smart-ass. Scoundrel? ] he shot back with witty quips, taking her extended hand so she could help him move on up. If he kept it on, she probably was likely to shove him back down and let him deal with the consequences.

Deciding to leave it be, he merely took to using his feet for quick leverage to get him up and into the vent. It gave a slight bend at their weight but held. On hands and knees here they were.

[ Well go on, lead the way. This is your show now. ] he told her, gesturing with a nod of his head to get on moving.

 

[Rhea]

She sighed heavily, fingers reaching to verify the hard presence at her thigh.

"What's that about you doing all the work again? Really starting to feel like the opposite," she grumbled, squeezing to turn in place. Hands and knees, she edged forward, the gun sliding along with her and leading the way like a star chart at night.

Behind them, noise erupted from abandoned closet, the voices indistinguishable against the hum of the stale, warm air blowing past.

"...You think they noticed?" She asked, frozen in place, her chest holding in a breath.

 

[Drifter]

A pause. Then a very low wry, modulated answer. [ Well we did leave the vent grate on the floor...]

The sudden shaft of light cast into the vent was their answer. As was the angry yelp of a Squib's voice " SPYS DHEY HERE. CHECK VENTS! '

[ Move! ] he hissed at her, giving her tush a bop with his helm. There was no time to waste, already hearing the climbing and wiggling of Squibs all fighting to climb up into the vent behind them.

 

[Rhea]

Chit.

Secrecy went out the window, Rhea pushing forward at a dead scramble. Its funny the things that can come to mind while you're crawling for your hide, but it didn't surpass Rhea that Drifter wouldn't be at risk of getting shot in the ass if she hadn't leveraged her help like a child trying one up another in a game. Already, she was wondering where the hell that had come out of, as she did with most of the reactions he elicited from her.

"Now would be a really good time to pull any of that force jumbo out of your sleeve!" She complained, taking a hard right without even pausing to consider. They hadn't planned out this route, but I guess 'not get shot in the ass' was a pretty good direction to crawl towards.

Without warning she turned, pulling out her blaster and pointing it straight at him.

"Get down!"

Trusting that he would, she shot 2 stun rounds at the squib that turned the corner in the distance.

Road bump!