Private Soup Season

[Diogo Talon]

At this rate, Diogo was gonna need to start taking notes, as each answer was leading to exponentially more questions. Better for a heart-to-heart not turn into an interrogation. He did want to know, though. Really bad, actually. Be that as it may, Eloise shared a lot already. She had a complicated life, a complex web of childhood trauma and heartbreak, and he wasn't gonna disentangle that in a single day.

Eh, maybe with enough caf...

"I'm sorry for askin' so many questions," Diogo said softly. When her finger brushed his knuckle, he slowly turned his hand around, finger tips brushing against hers during the movement, then placed it flat, palm facing upward as an invitation. "We don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't want to."

"But I appreciate you sharing, and also for listening to me. I haven't told anyone this stuff before and I'm scratchin' my head as to why you haven't run away yet." But he was glad for that. Very much so. Hopefully that wouldn't change...

"Do you eat people's brains?"

'Cus there it was. Eloise... always getting to the heart of things. He swallowed hard.

"All the time," he teased, before realizing it might not be the best time for a joke. "Sorry. No, and I never will," he asserted, eyes hardening with resolve. "I have... the ability to, and its something I'll have to deal with my whole life. That's why I joined the Jedi, actually, so I could learn to control myself. But ultimately, I would rather die than turn into my father."

After a pause, he had to ask. "Are you not afraid of me?"

Eloise Dinn​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

"I'm sorry for askin' so many questions. We don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't want to."

She shrugged one shoulder, as if it didn't matter. He was asking because he wanted to know more about her, not because he felt threatened by her. That was already an improvement over the interrogations she'd been subjected to by others.

"But I appreciate you sharing, and also for listening to me. I haven't told anyone this stuff before and I'm scratchin' my head as to why you haven't run away yet."

"That would be pretty hypocritical of me. My family's messed up too." From the sound of it, it was just his dad that was screwy. His mom was normal, or as normal as she could be. She wondered if he had any siblings. Probably not, or else he would've mentioned them by now.

"All the time."

Eloise knew he was messing with her, and just waited for the joke to run its course, her eyebrows raised and mouth faintly smirking.

"Sorry. No, and I never will. I have... the ability to, and its something I'll have to deal with my whole life. That's why I joined the Jedi, actually, so I could learn to control myself. But ultimately, I would rather die than turn into my father." After a pause, he had to ask. "Are you not afraid of me?"

"No," she answered. "It's just information I ought to know before... this goes any further." What was 'this'? She wasn't sure yet. But she liked it so far. "Despite what other people seem to think, I'm not a Dark Sider. Not anymore." But former Sith rarely ever took to redemption permanently. She'd seen the statistics. Her hand settled into his, fingers interlacing. "Are you afraid of me?"

Diogo Talon​

 

[Diogo Talon]

The half-shrug was as good as a green light. Maybe if it were someone else he'd think it was a soft rejection—a denial of further inquiry, disguised as an ambivalent social grace, and he'd leave it at that. But, he didn't think Eloise rolled that way. She probably woulda just said to feth off.

"That would be pretty hypocritical of me. My family's messed up too."

"That's true. But I guess when you feel like a monster, you expect pitchforks," he shrugged, assuming she probably felt something similar.

"What about the rest of your family? Your brother?" A twin, still a Sith. That had be tough. She mentioned she had other siblings as well, ruling a planet? That sounded ominous, at best.

"No," she answered. "It's just information I ought to know before... this goes any further."

"This," he repeated, raising an eyebrow. Whatever 'this' was, he wanted it to go further.

"Despite what other people seem to think, I'm not a Dark Sider. Not anymore."

"People who think that are idiots," he said, jaw tightening. Suddenly, he realized he felt very protective of her.

"Are you afraid of me?"

When their fingers interlaced, he softly squeezed her hand in a tender grip—gentle, yet firm, meant to convey affection and reassurance.

Yes," he answered. "But not in the way you're thinking. I know you're not your parents, and I don't think you're a dark sider." His eyes softened, his gaze shying away to study her hand in his. "I'm just afraid you'll walk away, again."

Eloise Dinn​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

Eloise nodded in agreement with him. She didn’t expect pitchforks so much as lightsabers and arbitrary use of Force Light, but yeah. Sounded about right.

"What about the rest of your family? Your brother?"

“What about ‘em?” He hadn’t been all that specific in her inquiry, and she didn’t know where to start. “I don’t know what my brother is doing at the Sith Academy, but it’s probably nothing good. My other siblings are better off without my parents. Youngest ones are still just kids. They take care of each other.”

She had questioned her decision to leave them on Zaathru. But the only alternative was to bring them into the Order, and she just… couldn’t bring herself to do that. She had joined the Jedi by choice, and wanted to give them the same opportunity, when they were old enough to make the decision.

“People who think that are idiots.”

She raised her eyebrows at the vehemence with which he spoke, her gaze drifting down at their joined hands as he gave hers a squeeze. Nice.

“Yes," he answered. "But not in the way you're thinking. I know you're not your parents, and I don't think you're a dark sider." His eyes softened, his gaze shying away to study her hand in his. "I'm just afraid you'll walk away, again."

She hummed thoughtfully. “Well,” she began, her free hand reaching up to turn his gaze back to hers. The rings she wore on her fingers touched his cheek, carved wood and engraved metal. “Let’s not do anything to screw this up, and maybe it will all work out…”

As she spoke she drew him closer, leaning in until their lips met.

Diogo Talon​

 

[Diogo Talon]

“What about ‘em?” He hadn’t been all that specific in her inquiry, and she didn’t know where to start. “I don’t know what my brother is doing at the Sith Academy, but it’s probably nothing good. My other siblings are better off without my parents. Youngest ones are still just kids. They take care of each other.”

"Were you close with your brother before you left?" Braze had mentioned Marcus, but only that he thought he was cute, which like, yeah no chit—he's Eloise's twin. He paused thoughtfully. "Just how many siblings do you have?"

She hummed thoughtfully. “Well,” she began, her free hand reaching up to turn his gaze back to hers. The rings she wore on her fingers touched his cheek, carved wood and engraved metal. “Let’s not do anything to screw this up, and maybe it will all work out…”

As she spoke she drew him closer, leaning in until their lips met.

Diogo embraced the warmth of her hand, the grain of the carved wood, and the cool metal of her engraved ring on his cheek. The naturalness of her touch put him at ease. Before he could reply she leaned in, drawing him enticingly forward, and he met her halfway, bridging the charged air between them. There was comfort in the soft pillows of her lips—a welcome respite from their furtive conversation.

When they parted, Diogo's gaze lingered on her green eyes. Eyes that had seen so much. "There's something I need to show you," he said, raising a questioning brow in anticipation of her response. Diogo rose from the table, fished in his pockets for credits and paid for both of their meals, then headed for the door.

Eloise Dinn​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

"Were you close with your brother before you left?"

“Kind of.” As twins, they had an innate bond which was hard to describe to people without firsthand experience. “We used to be, but as we got older we grew apart. He’s not like me.”

"Just how many siblings do you have?"

She smirked. He sure seemed interested in this stuff. “Six. Eight if you count the ones that were, uh… constructed. Via alchemy.” Ten if you counted the adopted ones, though those hadn’t worked out. Really hadn’t worked out…

She knew her answers would only lead to more questions. Before he could ask them, she kissed him. Lack of experience on her part made it a little awkward at first, but she wanted it and he was into it, and that was all that mattered. When she pulled away he just looked at her. She stared back, her look almost a challenge. Now what?

"There's something I need to show you.”

He got up, paid for both their meals before she could so much as take out her wallet, and motioned for her to follow him outside. She reached for his hand as they left the restaurant. Be mindful, this could be a trap. The thought would’ve crossed her mind no matter who or what he was. If he tried anything, she’d kick his ass from here to fething Weik…

Diogo Talon​

 

[Diogo Talon]

"He’s not like me.”

Well, nobody was like her. Not even her twin. She was special and he told her as much on Dantooine.

She smirked. He sure seemed interested in this stuff. “Six. Eight if you count the ones that were, uh… constructed. Via alchemy.” Ten if you counted the adopted ones, though those hadn’t worked out. Really hadn’t worked out…

Holy chit, eight? Alchemy? He probably shouldn't be surprised. Her parents were bat-shit. Was it more unhinged to eat people or have eight kids? Could go either way, honestly. But these were just idle thoughts as he was too busy snoggin' this cute chick. He didn't mind the awkwardness, it made it more real.

...

Diogo took Eloise's hand as he led her outside. There was some empty space off to the right and nobody seemed to be around. He guided them to the area and hesitated to face her. Worried he might be perceived as having ill intentions, he maintained distance.

"Well, you know I'm an Anzat, but hearing it and seeing it are two different things. Do you trust me?" He needed to know; he needed to fully reveal it and get the weight off his shoulders, for better or worse. Diogo awaited her response—didn't wanna go poppin' out the ol' proboscises without her consent.

Eloise Dinn​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

Dio brought her to... an empty lot. Eloise's green eyes darted around, noting the lack of witnesses. This was a little unconventional as private spaces go, but she wasn't about to turn tail and run. If he messed around with her, he'd find out quick why Braze and most of the other dweebs in the so-called Paddy Pack had learned to fear the El.

Still holding his hand, she faced Diogo. He wouldn't look at her, and once he started talking, it wasn't hard to see why.

"Well, you know I'm an Anzat, but hearing it and seeing it are two different things. Do you trust me?"

Her eyebrows rose. "What, are you going to show me your face tentacles or whatever they're called?" That was more tame than what she thought he was going to show her, at least. Thinking about it for a moment, she shrugged. "As long as you don't ask me to do weird shit with them, sure."

She'd be lying if she claimed she wasn't at least a little bit curious.

Diogo Talon​

 

[Diogo Talon]

Eloise was weirdly nonchalant about the whole thing. To be fair, based on what she told him, she'd seen some deviant chit. It was easy to imagine there was a lot more, too, a mélange of horrifying things she'd been forced to witness. Anzati proboscises seemed innocuous in comparison—probably wouldn't even crack her top ten. For him, though, so much fear, shame, and self-hatred were wrapped up in the damn things.

Her eyebrows rose. "What, are you going to show me your face tentacles or whatever they're called?" That was more tame than what she thought he was going to show her, at least. Thinking about it for a moment, she shrugged. "As long as you don't ask me to do weird shit with them, sure."

What the hell did that mean? This was just a show and tell. He wasn't about to ask her to hawk tuah on 'em or something.

"They're called proboscises," he said softly, not trying to correct her like some nerd. That's just what they were called since she didn't know. As if summoned by name, they fell loosely from their sockets. "You seem weirdly calm about this. You're sure?" The question was directed just as much at himself as it was at her. Every fiber of his body tensed in anticipation. His heavy-lidded eyes were stuck downcast.

Then finally, Diogo compelled himself to turn around.

Eloise Dinn​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

Great, now he was looking at her funny from over his shoulder. "Just trying to lighten the mood," she said.

"They're called proboscises."

"There are way too many S sounds in there," she muttered under her breath. "Alright. Proboscises."

"You seem weirdly calm about this. You're sure?"

"I don't think my freaking out over it will help." Him having his back turned was making her a little nervous, though. He was certainly acting like this was a big deal. For him, it probably was. She, on the other hand, was used to seeing sick shit, enough that she knew it was better to just get it over with. "You going to show me or—"

No sooner had she said it, he turned around. And there they were. A couple of proboscises sprouted from roughly the center of his cheeks, dangling down past his jawline. They were roughly the same color as his skin, maybe a shade or two darker. Rather than squirming around in search of a nose to go up, they just hung there limp. Docile.

Eloise studied them for a moment or two, pursing her lips. Her right hand started to move forward, as if she meant to touch one, only to stop herself. Instead she rested her fists on her hips, took a deep breath, and said, "Okay."

Diogo Talon​

 

[Diogo Talon]

"Alright. Proboscises."

Well, she did lighten the mood. Inadvertently. The way El pronounced 'probiscises' had him teasing her with a laugh. She was cute.

Diogo sobered quickly. After turning around, there was silence as Eloise studied him. His questioning gaze drifted up, catching her almost reaching out to touch his face tentacles but abruptly thinking better of it.

"Okay."

"Just okay?" He stared at her. Throughout his life, he'd pictured a moment like this—revealing his true, monstrous self. Not once did he imagine it would go down like this. How could she be so calm? It seemed wrong.

Diogo took a clumsy step forward. There was no malicious intent in the movement, evident by his tentacles staying limp and confusion plastering his face. The anxious tension had his feet feeling heavy and before he could stop, he tripped. Diogo, probiscises out, fell forward... right into her...

Eloise Dinn​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

"Just okay?"

"Yeah?" Eloise stared him down. "What, am I supposed to start screaming and losing it? Am I supposed to walk away?" It would be like walking away from herself, turning her back on her own reflection. Both of them were just kids who happened to be born to parents who weren't the best people.

Or maybe she was delusional and crazy for downplaying this. Maybe Diogo really was screwed by his genetics in a way she couldn't truly comprehend, his fate already sealed in the very fiber of his being. But that didn't seem to be the case, and far be it from her to condemn him on the probability he would become a monster. If he was, he was the most flaccid monster she had ever met.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Dio. As far as I'm concerned, having those proboscises isn't any different than having a trigger finger. Doesn't mean you're doomed to pull the trigger."

And then... he tripped.

Another person might have panicked then, assuming it was a lunge. But Eloise had the Force to tell her this wasn't an attack. The idiot had just tripped over his own two feet trying to get closer to her.

She caught him before he could fall on his ass, and in a move that surprised even herself, pulled him into a tight hug. Strong arms held him in place, refusing to let go.

Diogo Talon​

 

[Diogo Talon]

"Yeah?" Eloise stared him down. "What, am I supposed to start screaming and losing it? Am I supposed to walk away?"

"Well... yeah." He wouldn't have blamed her if she did. Eloise stared. He couldn't look away. Those green eyes had seen so much. Now, they were seeing him in a way nobody else had, and yet she was still here.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Dio. As far as I'm concerned, having those proboscises isn't any different than having a trigger finger. Doesn't mean you're doomed to pull the trigger."

Diogo fell into Eloise's arms. To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. His proboscises retracted as he reciprocated, pulling her closer in a warm embrace. "Nice catch," he said softly. He rested his head against hers. A few loose strands of her long hair tickled his face but he didn't mind.

"I know," he said finally, addressing her statement. "It just sucks... all these unfair things we're burdened with. I'll have to resist pulling the trigger my whole life. I can't risk it, not even for a second." Which made him feel like a monster no matter what, even if he technically wasn't.

Diogo kept her in his arms but moved his head so he could look in her eyes again. His jaw tightened as he thought back to all the horrible stuff she'd shared about her life—all the things she was burdened with. The vulnerability of the moment had him saying something he might not have uttered otherwise, "I know you can fight your own battles, but I won't let anyone hurt you." Even if it pulling the trigger. Not knowing if it was completely true, he didn't say that part out loud. At the end of the day, it was an impossible promise, but one he thought was still worth making.

Eloise Dinn​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

"I know. It just sucks... all these unfair things we're burdened with. I'll have to resist pulling the trigger my whole life. I can't risk it, not even for a second."

Eloise could think of a few responses to that, be they witty or spitfire, but she opted not to say anything. She just let the warm embrace between them speak for itself.

Eventually Diogo pulled back a little. She met his gaze, watching as his proboscises retracted. It was... admittedly very weird to witness. She hadn't seen them come out, but she got an up close and personal view of them going back in. "Hey, uh, should I be watching out to not touch that spot?" she asked, pointing toward the hidden pocket in his cheek. It was easy to miss, provided one didn't know what to look for.

"I know you can fight your own battles, but I won't let anyone hurt you."

She smirked at first, but her smile faded when she saw how serious he was. "Baby, I'm more concerned about you getting hurt. Or captured and tied up by... Who did you say it was? Pirates?" Who the hell gets captured by pirates these days?! "But hey, maybe we can help each other. Do some sparring practice one of these days. You teach me your tricks, I'll teach you mine."

It was about then that it hit her. She had kissed this boy. He had whipped out his proboscises for her. They had basically confessed each others' sob stories. She had not intended for any of this to happen when she decided to approach him in the Soup Shack...

"Slurp Shack," she corrected herself aloud, just now making the connection. "And you were eating fething soup..." She burst out laughing. "Dio, you're such a dork," she said affectionately, before leaning forward to kiss him again.

What the hell was even happening? She wasn't sure she cared. Not right now, at least, when she was still living in the moment. She'd worry about classifying all this later, sorting out what was what after she figured out what she was supposed to do with her tongue when smooching...

Diogo Talon​

 

[Diogo Talon]

"Hey, uh, should I be watching out to not touch that spot?"

There was a flirtatious joke about touching in there but he didn't want to make light of her genuine concern. Just because she didn't run away, didn't mean she wasn't allowed to be a little weirded out by the whole thing. Diogo shrugged. "Just be gentle, I guess."

"Baby, I'm more concerned about you getting hurt. Or captured and tied up by... Who did you say it was? Pirates?"

"Hey, that's not fair. I shouldn't have told you that," he muttered in mock indignation, though he was slightly defensive. "I was outnumbered and there were a lot of civilians who could've been collateral damage if I wasn't careful."

Everyone learns the hard way that there are some defeats you just gotta accept. And sometimes, the chick you're crushing on even bullies you about one of 'em.

"But hey, maybe we can help each other. Do some sparring practice one of these days. You teach me your tricks, I'll teach you mine."

"Sure, I'd like that. Just don't expect me to go easy on ya."

"Slurp Shack," she corrected herself aloud, just now making the connection. "And you were eating fething soup..." She burst out laughing. "Dio, you're such a dork," she said affectionately, before leaning forward to kiss him again.

His face lit up. After all the shit they talked about today, hearing her laugh like that was practically euphoric. "Yeah, but a cute, funny dork—" he tried to say, but the words were a muted garble as Eloise leaned in to kiss him again.

Diogo expected her to be more experienced, but that was okay. Their lips parted, mouths suffusing with sweet warmth, and Diogo took the lead, showing her what to do with her tongue. She seemed to be getting the hang of it. Kissing was like discovering a new part of her, one he liked just as much as the rest. Maybe more, but that could've just been the fluttering in his stomach talking. He leaned in with more feeling this time and his hand carefully caressed her cheek. For the rest of the make-out sesh he held her like that, with his thumb affectionately brushing the soft lines of her freckled face...

After they separated, Diogo bit his lip and paused thoughtfully. "So, I've heard there's a fancy Hapan wedding happenin' soon. Would you wanna crash it with me? It will probably be lame, but at least there'll be free booze and food. We can always bail early. Whatya say, Freckles?"

Eloise Dinn​