Take Off The Mask

[Alric Kuhn]

For once in his life Alric remained quiet.

He didn't feel the need to speak, the need to ask questions or taunt Danger. He simply remained quiet, watching her every once in a while.

There was no concern for her well being, at least not anymore. Alric knew well enough what a concussion felt like, and he knew well enough that by now she was likely only feeling a tad dizzy at times. Head trauma was half of all trauma he had ever suffered, he knew the symptoms well and he could guess where Danger was at with them.

Though neither of them spoke, all was not quiet.

The voice whispered in his ear sometimes, seductive, sultry, amused. It was the voice of Xo, one that was so very tempting. It created thoughts and memories, flashes of pink and white, cries of pleasure, moans of satisfaction. Goosebumps rose across his spine, though he himself couldn't even feel them.

Alric shook his head slightly, scrunching his fist in the sand.

She was creeping around in his mind. Not like Fiona, not like Violet. They had sat still, offering advice and aid, but Xo, Xo was like the spider in your walls. She sneaked and creeped about, getting anywhere she wanted and making it a place of her own. Unease settled in Alrics chest, and he shook his head slightly, speaking for the first time in nearly twenty minutes to distract his thoughts. "You were born here?"

It was a question that he already knew the answer to, but his mind needed to focus.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Tired green eyes crinkled due to the sting of the smoke would flick up towards Alric at his question. His voice was so low that one would wonder if he even asked it, much the less made a cognizant question that didn't revolve around whatever hallucinations hey might very well still be seeing. Twenty minutes of silence did not go wasted; the charred growing remains of the bats that she'd placed upon the flat rocks were being cooked. She had to slice through their belly for a bit - can't have them exploding from the heat due to steam and the blood boiling as they cooked.

Her gaze fell, the fire light flickering over her face as she brought up her stick and began to shove at their would be dinner, checking to make sure they would not completely char off.

"Born and raised." she finally said, her voice a flat tone of information with only a hint of that southern drawl edging her vowels. Her free hand went to push back her now frizzy red hair, tucking it behind her ears as a frown would draw over her brow. The focus was on the food, the charred bits of hair already getting burned away from the bats flesh.

It was clear she wasn't going to continue any more detail willingly beyond an answer to his question.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Tatooine wasn't much.

Most would have admitted that without a second of hesitation. There simply wasn't a lot here, not compared to Coruscant, or Nar Shaddaa or Alderaan or really any planet within the core. Tatooine was a ball of sand and rock that had as many residents as Empress Teta's smallest city. The only things of worth here were whatever the residents made.

Alric stopped his thoughts for a second then looked at Danger.

And the residents themselves. He thought to himself with a slight hint of amusement in his head.

“If you're impressed by that maybe you've forgotten Zeltros. I'm sure if we go again we can have you whipped there too.”

He cringed slightly, the voice taunting him again, bringing up memories that he would much rather have forgotten even though they were but a day old. The stinging of the bantha leader could still be felt in his back. Alric remembered the pain, the tears...

The begging.

“What was it like?” He imagined growing up on this ball of sand was wholly different than Empress Teta.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

He was really itching to talk.

Danger gave a deep sigh. Leaning forward she moved the flat pieces of rock, checking that the bats were not over charred. Earlier she had made conversation to keep the man from falling over the cliff. Evidently, that would also have to extend to the cave.

In her mind, she would recall the type of a tool he was back in the VIP booth. There in the Expo. Arrogance bleeding out of him with a healthy dose of cocksure assurance.

A few more seconds would pass by before she'd say, "Well enough, s'pose." she began, stoking their fire for the warmth. The temperature would continue to drop, and in her mind without the bedrolls to survive the winter nights, things were going to get pretty frigid around here.

"Arceneau trade was already well established round these parts. As much of Tatooine as the grains of sand out by the Dune Sea." she'd tell him. "Grew up well enough; granted long side my mothers skirts to teach me to be right 'n proper.

Although that didn't stop daddy teachin' me what I needed to make sure his little girl could take care of her own. Said no daughter of his gonna be told she ain't worth the salt in her bread."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

She spoke with a thicker drawl than she normally did. It was evident to anyone who actually listened, Alric found himself smiling because of it, though he said nothing.

Alric simply listened to her speak, however briefly and concise that might have been. It didn't matter how long or what she spoke about, because when she talked, the voice in his head didn't. It was a welcome reprieve, and one that allowed him to stop his thoughts form wandering. Normally it was easy to keep his mind focused, but with the wavering effects of the mold still on him, Alric was finding it harder and harder to direct his thoughts.

It was nice to hear her speak.

Finally however she finished, ending her latest tale after putting down the last of the bats that she had caught. Alric found himself sitting in place, staring at her. Oddly he found the spots on her face, the tiny freckles that seemed dotted across her cheeks. He was reminded of the last time he saw them and involuntarily smirked.

“Wish I would’ve been there.”

The voice broke into his thoughts, with Dangers voice no longer keeping it at bay it sounded sultry, seductive, teasing. He cringed slightly, noticeably twitching as if struck on the rear by a stick. He frowned, and then finally noticed the cold that had settled in around them. His breath was showing, though strangely his torso seemed to be absent cold.

“Thank you.” Alric said quietly.

He was well aware of the stark contrast he was showing her, his ordinarily boastful and even narcissistic nature had left him for now. Voices in his head and pain in his side dulled the natural sense to tell everyone to kark off, though it would eventually return.

For now though, he was simply happy to be alive.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

He said it so quietly, Danger almost didn't hear it. But she did. She also saw him flinch. Ah, demons were still there. She figured.

Her lashes fell back to the fire, her thoughts her own, her expression stoic. Finally she would use the stick to nudge one charred bat over his way, giving a nod of welcome.

"Not one of the more exotic sweetmeats, but it will fill yer belly and keep your energy up." she told him. Her own hot piece of flat rock with bat juices still sizzling was dragged over to her direction.

"Keep taking sips of that there water. The Aspa still riding your system. Be a while 'fore it is done." She would sigh, telling him a bit more of what she had done to him to keep him alive and breathing. She'd noticed the clouds of condensation that came from his breath. And while he may not be feeling it, his back was likely getting ice cold what with the thin amount of layers he had. Things would have been better if they had a bedroll, but they'd have to do what they will now.

A mental grimace realized just what would have to be done. Fantastic.

"Cold's settling in. Eat up and then we'll get to restin." she made a motion for him round the general direction of the fire. "This should keep up through the night but it will get a cold as the Void.

Come sun up I'll see to checking down south for my supplies... we'll take it from there."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

He finished eating quickly, finding that the bats taste oddly like a meal he had once had in the undercity of Nar Shaddaa. He remembered that meal well, it had come straight off of a fist fight within a small dive. He'd won that fight, and to celebrate he had bought that meal.

It hadn't been much of a celebration.

The thought made him smile, and the fact that no voice commented on that thought made him smile even more. Eventually there was no more meat, and another sip of the water saw that Alric was well pleased, at least when ti came to food and drink. Something she had said caught his attention, Aspa. Not bacta or Kolto, though he had already suspected they had not been used.

Slowly he set down the “utensils” he had been using, placing them back and moving the water-skin to where it would be save. The empty bag was also moved around and his arms were placed in front of him to take in the meager warmth of the flames.

The cold was setting into his bones now.

“Have you ever used it?” Personal question, but one that was rather fair to ask. What he was going through was unique, and he doubted that many had shared in this experience.

He simply wanted to know if she knew what she had inflicted upon him.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

"Hmm?" his question drew Danger from her meal, lifting her lashes to lock at his direction. Fingers were covered in charred bits of flesh, grease, and ash. She'd attacked her food with an appetite, well used to the rather gamy with a healthy dash of ash taste to linger. Not her favorite nor the most appetizing, but it would do.

She would look at him quizzingly before the question would cause the cogs in her head to start to turn. He meant about the Aspa mold. Her attention fell back to her meal, gathering the last bits of meat she could from the tiny body. A shadow would drift across her face, a tightening at the corner of her mouth.

Fingers would pop dry bits of meat into her mouth, chewing slowly. Thoughtfully. Finally after swallowing, she simply said the following.

"Aye." she would toss the bit of grizzled carcass back into the fire. Fat was fat, and fat would burn. A chill that would permeate to the bone would bite at her. And if was like this to her, she could bet that for him with the heighten sensitivity would be worse. Far worse.

Hands would wipe at her clothing, cleaning her fingers off. Slowly she would stand, decision made. It would likely appear to be puzzling for Alric, but she began to make his way to him. Wasn't much but a few feet, but when she sat herself down behind him, he might be looking at her peculiar.

"Rest." she told him, not looking at him in the eye as she'd motion for him to lay down beside her.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Shock played across his face as she moved towards him, even more so when she saw down behind him. He didn't exactly know what she was doing, While she had cooperated with his questions, and even volunteered information that he had not asked of her, Danger had still been rather...cold towards him, something he hardly blamed her for.

Now she wanted to cuddle?

It seemed an oddity, but her hand on his shoulder pulled at him, demanding for him to lay down. Alric did so, albeit slowly, he laid down behind her, a few inches apart from her with his back to the flames. He kept his arms and legs to himself. Danger let out a sigh, loud enough for it to echo.

Hands shot towards Alric wrists, one pulling his arm across her stomach, and the other one placing Alrics remaining appendage underneath her head as a makeshift pillow. The hands were quickly followed by Danger's back pressing itself into his chest. Almost immediately Alric felt warmth pour over him, and slowly he began to understand.

Warmth.

It was going to get cold, colder than it was now. He couldn't wholly feel it because of his back, but wiggling his toes Alric realized he could hardly feel them.

They were going to get cold regardless of how close they were. They didn't have a blanket, a sleeping bag, a tent...

Something suddenly broke into his mind.

A wide grin spread across his face, and slowly be began to chuckle out loud, getting a bit louder until eventually it turned into a hushed laughter that shook him, and in turn Danger.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Well clearly, he had finally grown mad.

Her face was certainly a broad spectrum of reactions. Confusion, bewilderment, annoyance, and then of course frustration. She could feel him shake against her, great bouts of muffled mirth rolling from him.

She couldn't help rolling her eyes.

Danger had attempted to stay as civil as possible. As detached. But really now, this was just getting ridiculous. Finally in exasperation, her voice could be heard breaking the muffled guffaws.

"Just what in the blazes is so karking hilarious, Kuhn?!"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

He bit off the last of his laughter, stiffing it and breaking it into a low chuckle.

“Someones gonna have to clean the tent.” He grinned, shaking slightly still with amusement. Of course one could say the Tuskens would simply move the tent, but the carpet they had lain on, and the leatehr lining of the inside of the tent would be utterly ruined by the stench of rotting flesh, piss, and whatever the hell else they had left behind.

It was a childish thing to be amused about, but Alric embraced it.

The tent had obviously been important, had obviously belonged to someone the Tuskens considered to be high up on the food chain. Ruining it like that...

It made him laugh, plain and simple. He didn't rightly care that it was stupid, that it was childish, it simply brought him an inkling of joy in a situation that was none too grand. He smiled to himself, his arms shifting slightly pressing into Danger as his laughter died.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

It was childish.

It was stupid.

And he couldn't stop laughing; his muffled chuckles and giggles shaking the entirety of his lean pugilist body. She shook her head. She couldn't help it. Her upper teeth began to bite at her lower lip and the hilarity of the situation hit her.

That was going to be a stench that would reek to high heaven. Baked in by the Twin Suns in that stifling heat. She couldn't help it, her shoulders began shaking as well. Oh it was a small thing, perhaps it was the sudden release of endorphins at realizing that they were alive.

Alive and not rotting away in a stinking Tusken Raider tent.

Her hands would reach up behind his back, under the layers of the desert garb to press her warmth as tightly as she could against him. She made care to not press too hard; she knew far too well that everything would be super sensitive.

As things quieted down, she would close her eyes. To be frank, they didn't smell all the better. In fact they reeked. But it was an accustomed scent. A welcomed scent.

A scent of freedom.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Eventually the shaking stopped, and only the grin on his face remained. He had felt the press of her against him, the slight echo of laughter from her. It was the most beautiful sound he could have wished for at that moment.

Something to silence the voices permanently.

Sleep came easily after that. His back still did not feel the cold, though he felt the draping of her arms over his sides, the burning pain of them there falling into a dull throb that allowed him to drift off into sleep. His dreams were impossible to define, he saw shifting sounds, heard colors, and tasted the voices of those that spoke. It was an odd dream, as if he had taken the strongest of drugs and had simply passed out after their use.

Of course, in a way he had.

His sleep saw the pressing of Danger against him, pulling her tighter to him and involuntarily holding her more closely. The markings of his weary mind and body trying to desperately cling to something stable.

When he woke, it was with the barest beams of the rising suns.

Alrics eyes snapped open, his mouth jumping agape with a silent gasp pulled through his teeth. A faded memory stuck in his skull, one from deep in an imagined dream. A flash of pink and bright silver, dashes of red splashed about him. He shook his head slightly, letting out a hot breath onto Dangers neck.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Whatever manner of motion might have startled Kuhn awake did not stir Danger. She was apparently passed out to the point that she was dead to the galaxy. Or at least appeared to be.

Perhaps it was the knock to the head. Or as a result of a lack of sleep from her earlier ministrations to the CEO of Blast-Tech to ensure his survival. In any event, this was the situation Alric Kuhn would find himself in.

That midnight grab and pull in the middle of the night saw the curves of her body matching up against his. One of her legs had draw up to slip in between his, and her head was tucked up against the crook of his neck, leaving him breathing down just over her own.

Tiny strands of red hair would likely start tickling his nose, maybe even his face. In any event, their combined heat would certainly feel good despite the chill. The fire had turned to dull embers throughout the night, and it was only the growing rays of light that were the real illumination.

The bats were already returning to their hooch, the flutter of their wings a white noise in the background. Slowly, Danger chest would rise and fall in rhythmic cycles, warm breath falling just at about his collar bone.

Small miracles. They had survived the night.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Bright blue orbs searched.

They shot across and over Dangers form, watching as black specs floated and fluttered along the ceiling. His immediate reaction was to stand and try to catch some, do as Danger had done and provide for the two of them.

Yet he could not bring himself to move.

He was not a sentimental man, he was not a kind man, but something about the situation made him stay still. His mind was clear. For the first time in what seemed like a millenia he could think straight. Memories had returned to him, conversations, words, thoughts, actions. They had all come back to him at the moment of awakening.

He remembered Danger coming to him in the night, he remembered her saving him, he remembered getting them captured, and he remembered what she had done for him.

A ghostly feeling ran across his spine, tethers of a whip slicing into his back.

Inwardly he cringed, but Alric did not move a muscle.

Instead his eyes fell on Danger, her chest slowly heaving up and down, her lips moving slightly, her face shifting, the tiny spots scattered across it becoming more and more clear as feint rays of daylight shone in on them. His fingers curled at her back, and gently he pulled her closer, causing the press of warmth.

Alric Kuhn was not a kind man, but he was also not an ungrateful one.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Soft sank against the wall of Alric's chest and that warmth spread as he drew her closer. Her forehead went pressing against his skin, nose nudged and she gave a small stir. Yet she didn't wake. Not yet, but likely would as time would draw on.

Warmth sought warmth, and her leg would shift just a bit higher before she'd settle back down. Light lavender half circles would paint under her eyes, a testimony to her exhausted state. Yet she hadn't mentioned or complained a single word aloud earlier. Granted, she likely cursed him twenty times over in several different languages in her head, but she didn't aloud.

At least not yet.

The warmth of the rising rays of light would start to chase the shadows of the inside of the cave as the first of the Twin Suns would break the horizon. It would take longer for the light to appear within the crevice of the Wound, but that was fine. For now, Alric Kuhn found himself holding the Trade Queen in his arms as dawn broke.

A bragging right few ever held the luxury to claim.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

He simply watched her. He could not have said for how long or for what purpose, but he simply did. Alric had no earthly idea what Danger was dreaming about, if she even was, but his eyes looked down on her, red strands of hair tickling his nostrils and pushing into his face.

As he waited he couldn't help but recall the last time they were this close to one another.

The weight of her body was similar, the press and feel of her was the same, plus the added clothing of course. He remembered the stark feeling of surrender, or pure complete relaxation and even trust. It was similar to how she felt now. An odd reflection that was.

He closed his eyes.

His mind began to shift away from her, his thoughts forced away from flashes of skin and spots onto something different.

Alric tried to think about the days ahead of them, what they would need, what would need to happen, what he had to do in order to survive. His mind began to race, pulling towards the memories of Danger speaking to him about her homeworld. He clawed and scraped for every detail, his eidetic memory returning every single word that had passed her lips.

In the end, his mind simply returned to just that, her lips, and the odd memories they evoked.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Was she dreaming? Did she ever dream? What does the Trade Queen dream about? Who knew. For now, she would slowly start to stir. It would start with little shifts of her body. A nudge of her face against the crook of his neck. A shift of her hip. A soft sigh.

It would be curious to watch her wake up. One would wonder just what ran through her mind. Would she recognize the world around her or would she frown in confusion? Too many variables.

For now, Alric would start to feel Danger slowly wake,

 

[Alric Kuhn]

He felt her stir within his arms, move and shift about. There was a hidden pleasantness to the feeling, the shifting of her weight and the changing of her balance in his arms. The satisfied breath of hot air that rushed against his exposed skin, and the fluttering of flame red hair over his bearded chin.

Before she fully awoke Alric leaned down.

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, knowing that she would not yet be consciousness enough to realize what it was that he was doing.

“Thank you.” He whispered it one last time.

Alric had said the words to her before, and she had ignored them. Yet it seemed right to him to say it again. His own stupidity had nearly caused his death, the blind rage that he had felt for her, the indignation, it had led him into a trap of epic proportions, one forged by his own hubris. Were it not for Danger he would now be dead twice over.

Alric knew that, and he knew what price she had payed.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Consciousness would come in degrees. Seemingly the flutter of the settling of the bats over head would rouse the woman from her deep slumber. Had she felt the press of lips and his murmur of gratitude? Who knew. Either way, the Twin Suns were quickly rising into the sky, bleaching the Wound with their light just as Danger's lids would flutter open.

Awareness would seemingly come to her. A deep frown would furrow upon her brow, blinking rapidly as her vision would clear. She'd start to register things. Warmth. Well of her front. Her back was still rather chilly, and parts of her were sorely protesting having slept on the floor.

The floor!

Eyes went snapping wide open, everything coming back to her. Arms were wrapped round her. A body. A very male body. Not that she was one to complain, but it had been a very long while since she'd ever awoken in a man's arms.

Much the less...

Alric Kuhn.

Her lids immediately snapped shut.