Take Off The Mask

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric looked over to her, his eyes going wide.

He could sense the frustration from her, the feeling of hope slinking away, the slight hint of a frown upon her thinning lips. Alric shifted slightly on his feet, the sand below his feet moving with him. He wasn't quite sure how to answer her. No? Then why did they stop? Why were they holding in place and why was Danger staring out into the expanse.

Thats when it suddenly dawned on him.

The Sandstorm.

“Oh.” Alric said quietly, understanding. The sandstorm had shifted and moved everything about, burying and uncovering things at its whims, powerful winds carrying whole mountains of sandy terrain across Tatooine. Alric frowned as he realized they had no way of finding the supplies that Danger had quested after, the supplies that they needed.

He didn't want to ask a stupid question, but one ran through his mind. What do we do now?

Instead of voicing that concern he stayed quiet, positioning himself next to her atop the Sand Dune.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

TATOOINE
The Wound

​

​

What to do?

Danger cast her gaze up into the sky. The Twin suns were setting out into the horizon, but along with that would come the first light of evening stars.

There was always a way. It just meant that they would be pressed for time. Precious time and the need for shelter.

Her mind would race. She just had to keep her head and remember what her daddy taught her. That and what she'd learned living out in the Waste her entire life. If that was north... Her attention would drift, searching the landscape for clues among the new terrain. She would catch a familiar mountain ridge, from there her eyes would drift along south.

Okay, she had a heading.

"Keep an eye out." she told him, unhooking the water skin from her hip. A small pop would uncork it and she would bring it to her lips. Sweet water from the cactus sap she'd collected earlier would trickle into her mouth. Small sips. At least it would have the electrolytes they would need.

She offered it out to him after that.

They would have a long walk ahead of them.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric took the water-skin and took a small sip from it.

The liquid bit at his parched throat, biting at the dryness and quickly snuffing it out. He smiled slightly, though he was not too greedy with the sweet tasting liquid. He knew that they were still in for trouble, and they had to ration supplies as much as possible, especially if they did not find what they were looking for, what Danger was looking for.

He offered back the water-skin in silence, looking to her.

“Eye out for what?” He asked quietly.

It was a valid question, not at all a stupid one. The two of them hadn't exactly talked, and although she had shared a few details about her supplies and what they were located in, it was doubtful that Alric would be able to spot the rucksack that they were contained in.

No, he needed more. He needed landmarks, rocks, stones, anything that was out of the ordinary. Again, there was no hint of anger or rebuke in his tone.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

TATOOINE
The Wound

​

"Raiders." came Danger's curt reply.

Not like he was going to know what landmasses she was using as reference. Then came the next instruction, "And Banthas."

A sandstorm of this size and terrain changing abilities was bound to have some lost banthas out in the desert. So too would be the poor Tusken Raider soul who would be cast out into the desert for losing his bantha.

Squinting out into the distance, heatwaves would give the illusion of water rippling over the dunes. Beyond that was the mountain ridgeline that would dip. The entire area was a dry, hot, and rocky region. North would be the Northern Dune Sea and west, well the Western Dune Sea.

There would be small packs of womp rats out in the distance; likely looking for food.

She began to walk due south across the mesa towards an outcropping of canyons.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric nodded.

Raiders.

Tusken Raiders. All he could think about was the strike of the whip, of the tearing of his flesh from his muscles and bones. He winced slightly, but did not show it outwardly. The numbness of his back still haunted him, It still reached into him and made his skin crawl. He frowned slightly, shaking his head. He didn't want to think about the damn Tuskens.

He focused on other things., his thoughts drifting voluntarily towards last night.

It was a distraction. Brief pleasant physical memories to replace ugly ones.

After a moment, Alric shook his head and cleared his mind of thoughts. He shifted in the sands again and followed after her, moving quietly and quickly. He found himself thinking about what had happened, about their actions, about lips and hands. There were many questions in his mind, most plagued by confusion.

The sands moved beneath his feet, and Alric felt a great deal of discomfort as grains began to fill his boots.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

TATOOINE
The Wound

​

They'd travel in silence, save the occasional grunt and winded exhale of exertion. Danger at the very least had boots for walking and traveling over this type of terrain. A glimpse would be spared to check on Alric behind her. He was trudging along, his features sunburnt due to the sun's intense light. Even with dusk approaching, it was clear that he wasn't the sort to be used to this type of environment.

She would return her attention forward, hopefully before he would take notice. The distant cliffs and canyons drew closer. The walk would start to wear on them, but at the least she had to hope that those in heaven above wouldn't end up screwing them over.

The first sun had set by the time they reached the rocky cliff outcropping. A sinking sensation filled her stomach at the sight. Sand had crashed to create new dunes along the clifside, covering a large swath of area that had been formally uncovered.

"Shit." she'd curse under her breath. None the less, she went towards it. Like a needle in the haystack, she would start to look for familiar clues.

Two boulders, right along the left side of the overarching bridge like tunnel if she remembered correctly.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric stopped behind Danger, hearing her curse and shaking his head.

Her supplies had been buried.

He didn't need her to say that outright, her reaction and the tightness and tension he had seen suddenly over take his body was clue enough at what had happened. He frowned slightly, his skin throbbing and his eyes becoming tired. Alric was sunburned wherever his skin showed, his hair was scruffy and laced with sweat, and he began to feel the cold starting to set in even though one of Tatooines twin suns was still blasting onto him.

Alric understood now why he had been such a fool, why she had been so angry. Of course he remembered walking with the Tuskens, he remembered shuffling through the sands then, but this was a whole new came. Here he didn't have a coat to cover his head, here he had nothing but the strange bandaged robes wrapped around him.

Today had been a new kind of experience, and not one that he liked.

For a time he watched Danger move around, searching, looking. Concern was played across his face, concern for himself, for her. He hoped to whatever deity was out there that they found those supplies.

Slowly he made his way down to her.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

TATOOINE
The Wound

Danger would come to a small outcropping. A gust of wind would blast at them in the waning light. It was getting darker now, the sky painted in streaks of indigo, crimson, and burnt orange.

They had to act fast.

She would drop on her knees against a flat like rock half buried under a mound of sand. Her hands would start to dig, shoving as much of the sand off of it as possible.

"Help me." she'd say, glancing up at him.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric moved immediately.

He didn't even bother asking what they were digging for or why, he simply moved to her and began to dig. His fingers immediately began to pull at the sand, his nails getting slightly ripped and hurt, he grunted, looking around and found a large flat rock. With another grunt Alric picked up the rock and used it as a shovel, moving massive amounts of dirt to the side.

Of course he assumed that they were digging for her supplies, assumed that that they were looking for whatever it was the sandstorm had buried, he just wasn't entirely sure how far they would have to dig.

He started to laugh all of a sudden, smiling and giggling like a loon as he used the flat of the rock to pull more sand away.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

At any other time Danger would be wondering they the fuck Alric was giggling like a mad fool. Maybe he caught too much sun. Maybe he was dehydrated.

Or maybe the Aspa was still in his system and he was still reeling over the -- images of sensitized skin, hot breath, slow rise, and deep draws came to mind.

Immediately she clamped that shut.

The rest of the following minutes were a blur that resulted in raw fingers but growing success. They had managed to clear as much of the sand as they possibly could. Sweat would roll down her face, licking the previous salt trails and grime that had crusted in a fine sheen over her face.

A grunt came next, and her fingers would curl under the rock to start to lift.

"Up. Slide it out." she'd say.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Sandboxes.

That was why he had been giggling.

He had thought of another childhood memory, something from his past that had brought him amusement. Something that Danger very likely would have asked about if it were not for their current sate, and last nights encounter. He shifted slightly, placing the rock he had been holding to his side and putting his hand beneath the stone Danger had gripped.

Alric pulled at it, forcing it free and dragging more of the sand towards him as the rock came up.

His muscles screamed, his body cried out. Alric was tired, just as Danger was, just as they twin suns of Tatooine had always meant them to be. He wanted to fall into the sands and go to sleep, but he knew he could not. With sweat pouring off of him, and his muscles straining, Alric pulled the rock free.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Muscles would strain; it had been easier to slide it on than to take it off. Granted, she hadn't expected to have been wandering three extra days in the desert with little food or water.

Bloody sore fingers would grip the rough rock, and with Alric's help would pull the rock free.

A small cloud of dust and sand would rise, and Danger would plop on the ground beside the mansized crevice. There, covered with a layer of sand was the large alias pack of a week's worth of supplies she'd stored away here for safety. It was almost as long as her, the pack containing bedrolls, food, water, medkits, and extra sets of clothing.

She'd flop against the rocky incline behind her, her head resting against a boulder. Eyes would peer off to the distant sunset as the last sun would start to dip.

She couldn't stop the grin from curving up her face.

Well that was one weight off her shoulders. At the very least, they'd be able to make camp tonight.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric continued to sit crouched opposite her, eyes watching as she slumped against the flat of the rock and sagged slightly.

He could actively see the tension draining out of her. The worry, the tightness on her faces, it drifted away once she saw the bag. The smile bloomed on her face, the barest hints of sunlight illuminating the little spots across her nose and cheeks. The curving grin of her lips pushed them up, little dimples showing slightly as she looked towards the setting sun.

“You're beautiful.” The words spilled out of his mouth without thought, and seconds later a look of horror crossed his face.

Confusion welled within his mind, and it quickly showed in his body languaged that he couldn't believe what he had said. Alric began to look around, an almost comical panic surging through him. His head shifted from left to right, his eyes refusing to meet hers again. He gazed towards the desert, then shifted from one foot to the next, then stood up, then look into the distance.

“Whats next?” He said almost too quickly. “Do we camp here or head somewhere else?”

Alric very nearly tripped over his words.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Danger caught what he said. Yet to acknowledge it aloud or make a comment would end the unspoken truce of silence. So she did the only thing she could do.

Ignore it.

Knees would brace against the ground, and as he blathered on about where they would stay as dusk fell, she'd ignore the tug of awareness and the awkward tension. Whatever he said could still be due to the Aspha. Then again, a voice would nag if she was mulling the truth or trying to convince herself.

It was easier to just grab the pack and pull it out of the hold she shoved it into.

A hand would gesture towards a nearby outcropping right under the bridge like alcove some thirty feet away. It would protect them from view and some of the elements. Of anything they could get a small fire going to get some coals and warmth. She had a tent but she'd rather not get too much stuff out in the event They'ed have to leave right quick.

"There " she told him, giving a grunt as shed pull the pack out. "Go on and clear it out"

Words were said fast. Terse. Her hand would curl over one bed roll, knowing she had another as well.

Small favors. She didn't think she had it in her to go through last night again.

Not after that. It was too confusing. And that irritated her.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

As if a soldier, Alric immediately marched off towards where she had pointed him towards.

He didn't bother asking why or how, he didn't even bother thinking. He made his way towards the small alcove like a rocket, carefully putting down his pack and them beginning to shovel mounds of sand away with both his arms, and eventually his body.

Alric was careful not to soil his clothing with too much dirt or sand, though the robes that he wore were oddly designed to keep sand off of themselves.

He supposed that was a Tusken Raider trick.

Eventually, Alric managed to tucker himself out to a point where he could no longer dig, though by then he had created a flat plateau on which they could lay down on, build a fire, and do anything else they might need to do.

He frowned slightly, his mind emptying of work and suddenly filling once again with what he had said.

Before he could fixate on it he called to her. “Ready.”

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Meanwhile, Danger would lift the pack onto her back, sliding the straps about her shoulders to lay it straight. It was heavy, but it had been designed for her person. She just needed to get it up to the alcove and then she could get what they'd need.

By the time Alric was done, Danger had already made her way over. She set down the pack, small dust clouds rising in the waning light. Then she sat down and got to work. First things first; the fire.

They'd need the branches hed collected earlier tied to his pack. But she also had kindling in hers. Plus a rather nifty lighter. No need to use the lightsaber or rub two sticks together.

She'd glsmbr up at him, seeing the pensive expression.

Don't ask. Don't tell.

"I need the branches" Yup, keep it short and simple. Made it so she didn't have to think about the scruff of his beard against her chest and the constellation of new bruises around her neck, hips, thighs and chest.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

From his own pack he gathered some of the branches. Not all of them, he figured that she didn't need them all yet. Fire was the goal of course, he wasn't a complete dunce. Placing them in front of her, neatly arranging them Alric caught a glimpse of her eyes.

They locked gazes for only a few seconds, before both looked away.

There was a seeming line of awkward that hung in the air, a dangling string that was being constantly pulled on. Alric could feel it, and he was more than willing to bet that Danger could feel it.

His stomach growled.

It was a good enough noise for distraction, something to pick up on, something else to focus on besides the constant thought of Dangers skin pressing against his own. Her hand rubb-

Damn it! Alric silenced his own thoughts, blinking away visuals and looked over towards the setting suns.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

"Eat the fruit." She told him, reminding him of the purple pear meets grape oblong fruit. She heard his stomachr rumble and food was food. Her head never rose to look at him. Instead it was focused on getting a small fire going.

kindling in place, she'd search for the lighter. That's when if Alric had turned back from the setting sund, he'd get an interesting sight. Danger down on all fours, head low, pert ass in the air, and lightly shielding the small flicker of kindling starting to smoke and pick up flame.

Then her lips would pucker close, take a breath, and slowly start to blow.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric stared.

The bag nearly dropping from his hand.

His mouth agape and his eyes sorely focused on one spot.

Had he been capable of speech he might very well have said something along the lines of 'daaaaaaaaaamn'. However, instead of such crass language, Alric simply stared, eyes fixated on Dangers full rear end. His eyebrows raised, and his imagination suddenly finding itself running wild.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Sparks would crackle and flame would soon engulf the small bit of kindling. Danger would shelter it between her hands, still softly blowing as smoke would start to rise in a gray funnel.

She heard the shuffling of items behind her, then silence. Maybe he finally got to eating. Serve him and her both good to be frank.

Maybe he'd keep to himself.

"You'll need to peel em." she would inform him abruptly, likely drawing him from his reverie without realizing it.