The Bastatha Affair

[Leilani Paaie]

Square 1
[member="Arekk"]

The former spy just didn't know what to say but she could react to one thing, she nodded to changing the subject. Though it would now weigh on her mind.

What a great love that must have been. What a tragic ending. Here she was poking the proverbial rancor about it all too. But she had to know it's part of him. Whether he realized it or not.

She had some words to say in her head she was shouting at him

DO YOU THINK THIS IS WHAT SHE WOULD WANT FOR YOU!!!!

She stood up though slightly trembling remind herself he was fragile right now. She didn't know his wife but she couldn't imagine that she would want him to live a life fully with gusto not to be half a person.

"Just one thing. I believe she was a wonderful person who loved you dearly without even knowing her but knowing you. She's not here and I'm sorry for that. But consider this What would she want for you?" Hard conversation for sure.

"I'm done, we won't talk about it anymore today, unless you bring it up." Time to move on time to do something else.

"I feel like fishing." She looked over to hold his gaze.

SHE WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO MOURN FOREVER!!!

"Feel like stabbing some fish with me?"

SHE WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO BLAME YOURSELF FOREVER.

SHE WOULD WANT YOU TO LIVE! CARPE DIEM!

"I saw some gear on the porch" She smiled held out her hand, "carpe diem"

 

[Arekk]

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GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

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"Everyone changes."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"You go ahead first, I'll catch up in a minute."

There are no choices. Nothing but a straight line. The illusion comes afterwards, when you ask "why me?" and "what if?". When you look back and see the branches, like a pruned bonsai tree, or forked lightning. If you had done something differently, it wouldn't be you, it would be someone else looking back, asking a different set of questions.

There was a blind spot in his head, a bullet-shaped hole where the answers should be. Call it denial. Ar''ekk wanted to dig inside his skull and scrape out the pain. To sleep, to forget. To change the past. His wife and baby girl back. Unlimited ammo and a license to kill. Right then, more than anything, he wanted her.

"Let me change first." Gaze clashed with Leilani's for a moment, nodding. There was no fragile emotions flooding his mind since that had become numb long ago and instead brought it a false "I'm okay" facade. "Go."

Say what you want but you could never stop mourning the death of your loved ones, specially when one of them was brutally murdered and the other was kidnapped by the very same menn that once swore loyalty to you. Just asking that of him, to let it go, was selfish and one more reason to go. He was this close to disappear.

The door to their bedroom closed behind his back, reaching for the armoire and sitting on the edge of the bed in silence. A single tear fell down his curved cheek as he began to dress in appropiate clothes to go fishing. Something was in the back of his head...

 

[Leilani Paaie]

Square 1​

[member="Arekk"]​

[SIZE=12pt]Leilani watched him go into the bedroom. There was something about the way he held himself he was in a different pain.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She shook her head and fought with herself not to go into that room. She wanted to desperately to offer that hug that should help but maybe right now he needed privacy. She stood up and then sat down. Feth.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She tried to understand it all without putting her own selfishness out there.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=12pt]She was going to have to think about this in those other terms again.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Sigh[/SIZE]

He’s in pain the loss is great on his mind and his heart.

What does he need? Aside from someone who says it’s ok maybe he needed truth to but not now not at this moment when everything was raw and bleeding.
That was on her she did that.

So now…what do I do? Help him remember that its safe with her, help him remember that she’s here not asking for anything more than his presence. She needed to make him laugh. Laughter is good medicine.

She looked at the door spear fishing, she had an idea.

“Arekk don’t forget a hat.” Not the greatest line.

She downed the rest of her glass, then poured another and inhaled it, empty stomach wouldn’t affect her. She had two stomachs and could out drink anyone. It took a lot to get her drunk.

But she could act some.

She downed another. It was warm. Warm will work.

She began to sing, “OH…how dry I am how dry I am nobody knows how dry I am.” She tilts her head some," How dry I am : How wet I'll be
: If I don't find the bathroom key. : I found the key : But not the door : It's too late now : It's on the floor."

It was one of her better songs, least one she could remember the words to.

“SO a man and a woman are sitting next to each other on a transport. She sneezes 3 times. The man says are you ok, she says oh no I have a rare condition. Everytime I sneeze I have an orgasm. My word he says, woman what are taking for that? She says pepper!” Ba dum da.

Leilani watches the door..

 

[Arekk]

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GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

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"Everyone changes."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"I got it!"

Enough with the crappy emotional state and bring over the smile and enjoyment which is why they were both here, to enjoy themselves to the fullest with a wonderful island just for themselves. Being able to swim, stay inside, go fishing and spend an evening outside was just perfect because the weather was also like that and he wouldn't let anything make him unable to take advantage of such thing. Most people would die to experience something like this.

The rest was just dumb to think about.

Coming out of the bedroom with Leilani's hat on his hand and gently placing it on her head on his way out to the front porch, Ar'ekk took a deep breath and exhaled while taking in that wonderful marine breeze and air that just brought him inner peace. Sure, things had turned a little ugly for the past 20 minutes but hopefully that would be kept locked away for the remainder of their vacation.

"How about fishing, huh?"

 

[Leilani Paaie]

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​

Square 2​

[member="Arekk"]​

​

He yelled from inside the room and she stopped singing and telling those jokes. She didn't know if it was that or if he found a way to deal with everything happening. She stood there for a moment very still hoping she wasn't imaging things.

It was almost like nothing happened, he stuck her hat on her head and went for the door. She was amazed. And grateful really. She smiled whatever brought him out she'd take it. This was vacation right.

She inched up towards him and looked out there, "Yes the one that got away is out there hiding in those waters. It's our dinner Arekk. We must fish." She would be careful with her questions there was no way she wanted to repeat the last 20 minutes. Ever course ever was a long time and quite inconceivable.

"Spears and nets I think are right out here." She slipped passed him hoping the hat didn't get him. She looked at his shoulder for a moment it looked ok, she tried to steal a glance at his face but the hat blocked her view.

She looked in the corner, "Yep here we go..." pulled them out and offered. "I'm ready..if you are" She took a step towards the ocean.

She never thought she would want to do this fishing that is. It had at one time been a necessity. Man how she longed for room service then.

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"The little things in life are worth every minute."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"I've never fished before. You know how to do this?"

The simple idea of devouring fish for dinner grossed him out completely as he really did not like seafood at all, probably bringing supplies and delicious food from the ship was far better. Even then, they could do this whole thing simply by fun and cook the fish anyways for Leilani to enjoy as this seemed to be a good activity to get out of the routine and whatever had transpired for the last fifteen minutes.

It was all in the past anyways.

Grabbing the spear and net from Leilani, Ar'ekk set foot on the sand and walked to the ocean to start getting slightly deeper to attempt stabbing the water with the hopes of catching something edible.

"Hopefully I won't stab my foot!"

He laughed rather loudly, like his old self. This would be fun.

 

[Leilani Paaie]

Square 2​

[member="Arekk"]​

​

She could agree with one thing some truths were probably left sleeping in the past but she had this horrible way of bringing them back to life. What would it cost her in the long run of things she just had no idea.

"I have to admit I know how to do this." She walked towards the water barefooted, net hanging around her waist, spear in her right hand she looked like an old pro. "Truth is I was shipwrecked without room service. I either had to learn how to get the fish or starve. I hate fish really it's something that just doesn't do it for me in the way of food. But I learned to appreciate it's finer points."

Yeah she stood there looking into the water, "So let me teach you, what I know. First..you have to be still. The fish will come to you. They can't help themselves. Curious about anything in the water they swim over and well it feels like little kisses on the feet and legs." She sighed, "And...well when they least expect it stab them. "

She looked back, "I love standing in the water. I love taking in the sun. I love being active. But the beady eyed silver demons in the water that tortured me for weeks with their agility and ability to disappear haunt my dreams still. So I'll get you some fish to eat and I'll find a steak. Red meet doe eyed bantha steak. With...potatoes, and some green tuberous vegetable and follow it up with a big glass of wine."

She stared into the water she hated them. Really hated them. but she would not kill just because she could no if Arekk wanted to eat fish, which if she remembered he never said he did like fish she had made an assumption. She was determined to get him a fish.

Then she remembered something he said she looked back at him, "you've never fished...ever?" She got this well I'll be damned look on her face...a silly question formed in her mind. But it had yet to make it to her lips.

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"The little things in life are worth every minute."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"Nope. Matter of fact, I hate fish or anything to do with the sea. I'm doing this for you."

And to accompany that was that awful sensation of fish swimming past his feet and touching his ankles, the spear going down agressively into the water with the hope of stabbing one of the slippery fishes getting away from his grasp. But as expected, Ar'ekk couldn't even catch one and eventually gave up to allow Leilani do the honors instead.

He walked slowly with the water at waist level, setting his palm on her shoulder.

"I'm sure we'll catch something."

That was in good spirit, of course.

 

[Leilani Paaie]

Square 2​

[member="Arekk"]​

He didn't like fish either so then she could consider this a revenge mission. She smiled one of those weird smiles that said I really want to stab the fish but will you think less of me if I do?

She could get the fish and cook one, just one that would satisfy the desire to reek a little havoc yes. She felt his hand lay against her shoulder as if saying its all good we got it. They did they could. She peered down into the water. There they were, she looked back and then pointed to her feet. Sure enough just a couple dodging about coming close investigating the pink stalks that rose up out of the sand.

Leilani lifted the spear, "I only need one." The first was a little too close to her foot. If anyone looked there was a tiny scar there where she had stabbed her foot. She had hopped around for a moment or two then fell over into the water adding insult to the injury. She didn't want a repeat of them.

She waited, "Why don't you like fish?" Her gaze stayed down while her voice stayed even. Just one...that's all I need she kept thinking. I need it to prove I'm still smarter than the fish. that I can still do it. Zeltron competition.

She plunged the spear and came up..............empty. She groaned.

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"The little things in life are worth every minute."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"They taste awful and look kinda yuck to me!"

Leilani surely had a way of doing things and stabbing fish in the ocean wasn't something she couldn't do with prowess, Ar'ekk was thoroughly impressed with her capability of just doing things. Most people never had that ability to learn and adapt so easily, even someone ready for survival like the former Jedi turned slicer standing right next to her.

The water was getting too cold for his likeness and he questioned getting out for a moment before deciding just to stay put for now.

"Just one? Are you sure? You can cook a bunch of them for yourself, I'm good. Get a handful."

He moved around Leilani carefully, trying to see where the fish were swimming and in what direction to direct the Zeltron girl the right way. All they needed was some proper timing to catch one and bring it home for an eventual dinner.

"There!"

 

[Leilani Paaie]

Square 2​

[member="Arekk"]​

"is it the eyes?" She laughed, "cause the eyes freak me out" They did truly the way the moved in the socket just sent a sensation crawling over her skin that she couldn't explain or defy. She hated fish. It was then she made a move for another fish that darted away causing her to frown again. Had she lost a bit of an edge? Nahhh couldn't be not her.

"No just one, I hate fish to eat Arekk. I had to eat them so much back then that I just have grown sick of them. But one...one will remind me of why." It would. She was a bit impervious to the changing temperature of the water. Her mind set on getting the one fish. She wanted it as badly as she wanted to go back to yesterday.

THERE

She turned a bit off balance turning on her heel rather than the flat of her foot. She jabbed the spear forward tangled in her own feet. "oOH NO!!" She didn't know if she got the fish or hit the bottom. She was off balance and there was nothing to grab onto except...Arekk.

Her best grabby hands move she reached for him to keep from going under, she felt herself falling....and lunged toward him. Would she take him into the water with her? Or would he keep her from hitting the water?

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"The little things in life are worth every minute."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"I don't know! They're just disgusting! Paha."

Pretty much that. They tasted awful, looked awful and smelled the same way. It was unappealing and made him gag even thinking about it, hopefully this activity would finish soon and they'd be back into the house to enjoy a proper dinner that didn't include something that smelled like death itself roaming around.

"Why are you fishing then, Leilani? We could eat some delicious snacks and other stuff I brought over!"

Oh, she was going to get one either way so whatever he said was futile. A laugh escaped him again but quickly faded away once he saw the Zeltron girl become startled and stumbling in his direction, catching him off guard and making both trip in a backwards motion into the water. Ar'ekk submerged as expected from such an uncontrollable fall and caught Leilani from hurting herself too, the spear managing to stab one of the fish underwater.

"Whew there, sweetheart! I got you."

 

[Leilani Paaie]

Her hat was wilted and dripping she spit a bit of water. Reaching up she pushed her hat up as rivers of water ran down her face and neck.

Her hair was flat and drenched. She wiped water from her eyes. "Thank you Arekk"

She found her footing, "you ok?" She turned to look at his injury.

What a fool I am she thought I wanted to show strength and skill. Instead showed what? She wasn't sure. Inept?

"Glad you got me. The fish..matter of principle. I need to prove to myself I can still get them. I couldn't catch em for so long. They're fast. Slippery. I was hungry. "

She looked into his eyes her own softness revealed, "I couldn't do it. Me. Who should be able to do most anything. I failed. I didnt want you to see me fail"

She shrugged some of the water away her hair lay matted to her skin curling slightly at the ends.

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

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"The little things in life are worth every minute."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"Don't mention it. I'm fine, no worries!"

The injury pretty much opened itself once again and it would need some stitching, blood dripping out in little tidbits and a burning sensation taking over that small area due to the salt water. Wiping his eyes, Ar'ekk just laughed again and heavened a blissful sigh.

"At least you got me into the water. I need to get changed."

Making his way over to Leilani to cup her wet cheeks, the slicer moved away strands of dampened hair that had gotten in her face and assisted in wiping more water of her eyes. A small kiss found its way to her forehead and then a hug. The water was cold and that made him shiver a bit even though they had the sunlight directly touching their skin.

"Come on, let's go to the shore and dry off. I will get you a towel."

 

[Leilani Paaie]

Fine no worries here she was a drowned rat hair dangling hat ruined. She could only imagine what she looked like. But she saw a return of humor in his eyes. Kiss and a hug.

"Yea well I think I deserve more than a brotherly kiss and hug." She turned her face upwards, "And you need a some first aide " she looked for the spear yanking it up she saw the single fish on the end. "Well. I. Or we got him"

She sighed again looping her arm unto his they began the wall for shore, "how about snacks. A fire. And some wine. Say you'll snuggle with me by the fire"

She remembered what he said. But this was paradise they were here and she still wanted to spend time with him. She just wondered if he could handle it.

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

_______________________________________________________________________​

GLEE ANSELM, THE MID-RIM​

THE BEACH​

_______________________________________________________________________​

"The little things in life are worth every minute."​

w. [member="Leilani Paaie"]​

"Oh, you do? After throwing me into the water? Hehe."

He grinned as they walked back to the shore, appreciating her ideas of how to spend a kickass evening on the beach. Marshmallows and some other delicious edibles would make things even better compared to just eating fish.

"I've got some great snacks waiting to be devoured, good enough to last us a few months too."

A little groan made its way through the conversation as Ar'ekk realized that his arm was bleeding and quickly realizing that it would need more stitches than anticipated, heavening a small sigh because of that.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

 

[Leilani Paaie]

For the moment all she could do was nod back at him as they walked back towards the house. "Glad you approve of my plan"

The house was weather worn a bit like she and Arekk they had seen better days but were sturdy and well made. The Windows facing the ocean seem to smile at them offering glimpses inside of a simple comfort.

They got to the steps of the porch where they left the first aide box Leilani grabbed the box "let's sit so I can play doctor" she winked at him. She needed to stop the bleeding. The wound looked a bit more angry than before red trickles of blood rimmed the edge. Deep maroon showed where the healing had begun it could have looked worse.

Leilani took a deep breath as she mentally prepared for what was next. "Let's do this now and I'll help you with your clothes" she winked at him.

[member="Arekk"]