The Other Side

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Memories | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ All I Know ~ "I know you heard things about me."
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"Thinking." Dangerous.

"Thinking about..." It trailed off.

Something in her face twisted and out came a short exhale, "Thinking about before I met you," Lyn finally stated definitively, fingers brushed along his arm loosely as she spoke, sweeping gestures of the tips that just seemed to be idle locomotion as she spoke, "Remembering what I can." No secret her past was muddled in her head. Even some simple facts she had issues remembering, no doubt a side effect of her mind's death. But it seemed for once some clarity had been reached, some semblance of recollection, "I just-- Haven't told you most of it, that's all."

A hint of guilt to her voice. It was something worth telling, obviously, but she shifted uncomfortably under their tousled sheets nonetheless, "I used to race." It had been blurted out a little suddenly, just to put it out there, before the convoluted explanations begin. So she had lied on Coruscant, all those months ago.

"Um, online, I guess. People would tune in," Softly, in a self-comforting manner she planted a kiss atop the shoulder she rested on, another quick exhale to follow, "I had over a billion people following me." That was where her voice dropped to a tiny whisper, one seemingly of fear, or something of the like, "These other two racers had taken me in when I left Zeltros. Like a new family."

"They're not around anymore." Oh.

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Guilt | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "When the moments only mine."
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Curiosity. Surprise. Suspicion. Amusement. Amazement. Sympathy. Guilt.

​It had been a process, his line of thought, with highs and lows but one that concluded in a dip of sadness. Kole had listened intently as every sound that departed those perfectly crafted lips entered his synthetic mind, and tugged on those artificial heart-strings. It may appear as if he wasn't interested, or he wasn't listening, but that it was merely due to the vacant expression plainly spread throughout his features whilst those eyes of his glued themselves to the adjacent wall. It wasn't attention-ensnaring, but it was there; muffling the rain, concealing the neon lights that occasionally slinked through the blinds. He didn't mind that, it created some colour, but it was his guilt that troubled him.

Lynnori Cruz could share her demons, confide in a lover and trust them with something so deeply personal. Kole Harper could not, would not. It was only ever going to bring pain. That is what he was ultimately great at, right? He was the Scorpion, and he stung indiscriminately. There was nobody free of his poison, infecting all that had crossed his path.

Kole subtly, and slowly, began to shift. His neck craned downwards, but only as far as it could in order to remain comfortable. She lay within his peripheral vision, and his eyes didn't bother extending themselves to the corner of their sockets- it had been for that reason it seemed as if he began studying her body once more, even as he asked a question that was better left unasked: "Where'd they go?"

 

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Memories | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ All I Know ~ "I know you heard things about me."
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An uncomfortable shift, almost defensive, "Where did they go." She echoed softly, eyebrows pushed together. It felt like her mind was stuck in a trap of some kind, looping, can not compute. Did that happen often to HRDs?

"They're just... Gone." Another shift. A ragged exhale. And she kept going, "Racing's dangerous. The kind we did. It was illegal, streamed for sport on some underground holosites, people would pay us to do stupid things... They must have done too many stupid things. Their time ran out. Or something." The rising and falling of Lyn's chest was a weighted feeling next to Kole, her idle finger movements continuing, "I never really found out, honestly, they just fell off the grid. We all had-- Masks, you know? So no weird people would be able to find us off the 'net. But that just meant I was one of the most famous underground racers in the galaxy and nobody knew. Nobody knew."

A sour expression and her head finally turned to look away, "I'm just really good at running away from families, I guess."

"People still recognize the mask, though. Good branding."

And that was it.

The missing link.

He might not tell her everything. She'd be surprised if he did, frankly. That didn't make him lesser. It just made him human.

More 'human' than she was, now.

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Guilt | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "You are always."
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It didn't matter how many discomforting shifts she felt inclined to make, his grip wasn't going anywhere. Kole wouldn't let go- couldn't. Lynnori had become more than a companion to the HRD that struggled with so much, and he had truly come to understand that more when she shared such a painful memory in a tender and vulnerable moment of her own. It pained him to know she was hurting, let alone his inability to comfort her with a secret of his own. Kole feared her departure at that revelation; she may have been a criminal, but not to his extent. Kole smuggled spice into the outer-rim, he stole from those that deserved their wealth, fought individuals that both didn't and did deserve it, even killed when it came to it. Kole believed his own lies, forcing himself to believe he was never as bad as the others- he was innocent in comparison to them. His arm tensed at the thought, maybe enabling an uneasy squeeze of his own.

Kole felt the compulsion to breathe a lengthy, agitated sigh that glided across the two of them. It wasn't with her, no, but instead himself. It was that guilt and frustration that caused him to internally scowl.

​His hand, against her skin, began to slide up from her waist, shuffling along her outer-torso, reaching her shoulder, then head. His palm gently rest against her face, attempting to guide it back to himself. Kole bowed his forehead, placing his lips upon her forehead before reeling back. "It's okay." He blindly reassured Lyn. "You're too pretty for a mask, anyways." Kole lightheartedly responded with a hint of false amusement to his tone. It was a difficult scenario to respond to, and maybe it took more time to comprehend.

A Racer? It explained some things. The Droid began to recollect all those times in which she was insistent on driving, flying, and happened to be damn good at it too.

 

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Memories | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ All I Know ~ "You sleep one eye closed."
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"It's a pretty good mask, so I don't know about that."

Her laugh was a laugh, but a little half-hearted. Of course, it explained plenty. More than plenty, likely. It explained her attachment to her ship, definitely now plain to see as a racing vessel, it explained why she so often tuned in to racing streams and just seemed to stare for hours on end. How she fought viciously to be the driver of any vehicle they laid hands on; how she couldn't even consider such an idea now without feeling panic rise in her chest.

"I'll show you some day."

Lyn's head finally nestled back into the crook of his neck. Her heart still hammered away at breakneck speed, sure, but she no longer felt like throwing up. She found her eyes beginning to shut despite the fact she was anything but tired, her posture shifting to put less strain on Kole's side with her weight atop it, despite the fact he could probably handle it. Considerate, too. It was during these slow movings of hers that a phrase slipped out, appearing to have escaped against her will as she moved to moreso lay on her back than her side, head to the ceiling, "I just-- Don't want to run away anymore." The HRD was still after that near-heartbreaking sentence, a hand creeping to grip his once more the only motion besides the rising and falling of her chest.

An anchor, he was.

Her anchor.

The rainfall intensified outside, almost looking to be on the edge of picking up into a full-born storm. It simply provided more of it's tap-tap-tap ambiance, a peaceful rhythm to relax to.

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Suspicion | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "You are always on my mind."
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There was a silence that persisted. Rain had become a constant, ensnaring his audible attention as his carefully constructed optical viewports followed Lynnori with each subtle movement she made. His arm had no longer remained gently placed against her face, and instead slid back across her bare back whilst the former-Zeltron shifted in to a position more accustom to that of someone that desired rest. Even if she was bound to claim otherwise. Kole began to feel his exhaustion creeping back up on him after being temporarily evicted from his psyche. The inorganic individual blinked once, twice, three times and held it- shifting down alongside Lyn as her hand reached for his own.

Kole struggled to comprehend her internal-turmoil; viewing it from a perspective of his own, one that could never truly understand it within it's entirety. It made sense to assume that was the case, too, especially after the simple words he put forwards: "Then don't." He stated in conjunction with a shrug of his shoulders, his eyes seemingly glued to the same bland ceiling Lyn had become fixated upon. "Stay." He seemed slightly concerned, least physically.

Maybe Harper felt a pang of suspicious pain. Did she mean anything regarding the two of them? It was something he considered.

 

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
That's Amore | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ All I Know ~ "Too scared to get heartbroke."
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A near-startled breath left Lynnori as Kole replied, clearly to something she hadn't entirely meant to be heard. The way he said it made it instantly more effective as well, a knot starting to form in her throat that seemed set on staying. What could she say? What did people typically say in these situations? Despite the fact Kole had also never gotten this far with anyone, the HRD was certain she felt more lost than he did about it.

At last, her reply. It was low and soft, breathed out between slightly-pursed lips, "I will," The girl promised, holding on tight, "Always. I will." No, no, she hadn't been talking about them. Well. It sure seemed like it though, didn't it. Oh, God, he didn't think that... Something inside Lyn recoiled, and she started to spiral ever-so-slightly, a little lost, a little scared, her heart starting to pick up speed as she spoke tentatively, "Kole." The droid muttered. Her torso lifted a little as she moved to rest the weight on her forearms. Her head turned to him, to face him somewhat properly. Her hair was a mess, her face still flushed from-- Well, duh. But that nearly-programmed beauty of hers remained, hazel eyes almost melting as they pierced him.

And then it happened.

"I love you."

A pause.

"I'm not going to leave."

A pause.

"Sorry." The optics hadn't exactly been correct earlier.

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Articulation | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "Now I'm late, I'm always late."
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He paused. Frozen.

It wasn't a familiar sensation. Kole had felt... tingly, all over. It coursed through his veins, it circulated wildly around his brain, and it tensed his rapidly beating heart. It didn't matter how artificial or inorganic any of those things were; everything he felt, in this moment, was entirely real.

K-001 furrowed his brow in query whilst his perfectly relaxed head, resting within the divot it created, began to shuffle onto it's side at a snail's pace. There seemed to be concern expressed across his features, and he remained entirely silent beyond the stammering breaths that escaped his nostrils. Kole realigned his torso, laying on his side with both arms defensively crossing over his chest- rising and falling with each sharp intake and exhale of air.

He felt fear among other things, but he didn't need to. Kole couldn't rationalise a thought, not one of them. It was after slowly swallowing a lump in his throat that he had, after a lengthy and tense period of silence, finally replied with a soft and sincere, "I love you, too." Both eyes briefly closing, and a simplistic bobbing of his head made an appearance. It shifted up and down, despite laying on his side and looking up towards her.

Kole had always reciprocated that feeling, but it was impossible for him to say it. He could never bring himself to do it for one foolish reason or another. Possibly guilt, or something else. It didn't matter now, though. The Android could rest easy knowing that.

 

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Circulation | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ You Get Me So High ~ "Hope you don't regret it."
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Unspoken for so long.

A sharp exale of a laugh left Lyn, not one meant to mock his reciprocation, one to instead revel in the brief beauty of the situation, "I know." A dreadfully simple reply, but somehow fitting. She had known, though.

What else did resurrection from the dead qualify as?

In a rather sudden move Lyn's arms were quick to encircle the larger HRD's neck, almost throwing herself atop him for a hug of some sorts. Skin on skin, limb on limb, her forehead against his neck, "I knew. I mean," A soft exhale, one that ran down his collarbone, "It didn't really need to be said." But boy, did it feel good to say. Another weight gone. It was love, now. Nothing more and nothing less.

When had it come to that, though? Much like how Kole had not experienced this before, neither had Lynnori in any way. This was uncharted waters for the former Zeltorn-turned-droid, who herself had experienced little in terms of long-term anything. Love, that was long-term. Lust? Short term. It had been lust to start out at least. On Coruscant his stoicism had charmed her, and his silent strength had drawn her in. But when had that change happened? The change that turned it from a desire to a longing; it seemed impossible to put a name, a place, a time to, simply due to it's complexities. When exactly had she begun to regard him with more reverence than a simple fling, when had she begun to look for his eyes in a crowd when they'd been separated after the Maltoya case, when had she first begun to be cautious as to what to say and do, in fear of driving him off? When had she begun to instinctively reach out at night to have him to hold, when did she start feeling that cold lonely feeling tighten on those evenings when she only grasped at empty sheets instead of Kole? When did that overwhelmingly happiness start to bloom in his presence, and his presence alone? When, oh when, had that love happened?

It had most certainly happened before any 'accident' that had left her like this, Lyn knew that much.

That made it real. More real than anything. More re͟al ͡t́h͟an͡ ͞h͞e͢r͘.̢

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Artificial Reality | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "Early warnings never come."
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It might've been this moment, above all else, that one might assume a considerable amount of preparation had been put forwards, no? They had been right to assume that, Kole had always tossed and turned the idea and moment of confession within his artificial mind more than he could ever admit. It had been in times when she was glum, unable to really associate 'Lynnori' with that robotic body, in times of happiness where she flashed a smile in his direction, when they idly sat in silence and all Kole did was steal a glance, when he closed his eyes in their bed at night and felt nothing but the warmth her body pressed against his own. The point being, of course, it had been something on his mind for a long time.

​Kole could certainly consider himself fortunate that it was his lover​ that acted first, for her truly struggled to select the appropriate course of action. The Usual? Maybe?- Her breathy laugh and smile had caused one of his own to be thrust out between them, and those hands clasped around the back of his neck had only brought them closer; least not before she attempted to clamber atop of him. The Droid rolled right onto his back with Lyn resting over him once more. A hand raised itself to her face, brushing back some of the hair that idly hovered before his own eyes, whilst the other caressed Lyn's lower back- dangerously close to the point in which it ended.

​"I know." Kole breathed. There was never any doubt. That seemed to make it all the more difficult to formulate the future words; the bad news, for this Droid was soon going to leave. Again.

 

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Automatic | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ You Get Me So High ~ "I pushed a lot back but I can't forget it."
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At first an unbeatable smile ruled her face, and then it faded.

It faded in the manner that indicated something wasn't right. Yes, something was wrong, even. The beauty of the past moment was alredy flickering.

Sensitive eyes flicked all over, studying his well-known face, "I, um..." She paused, almost catching her breath, "I'm glad. I thi-- What's wrong?" Her true question broke out of her early, shattering the illusion of those sweet nothings muttered between them. Reality had rained on their parade as surely as the storm rocked Bastion, and her crestfallen expression said it all. Those robotic eyes missed nought, and seemed ready to pierce his very soul in search of what was troubling him so. Just one of the many benefits of her new body, the one he had sold his soul to procure.

Fingers caught the hand he'd raised to mess with her wild strands of hair, entangling them, "We're running out of secrets. Come on, share it." Well, at least she had no idea to the subject matter. Elsewise she wouldn't have that lovingly calming smile across her face, sleepy, but adoring. In her mind, she just wanted him comfortable telling her things that made him uncomfortable.

How upsetting would it be, to hear what was really happening?

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Service | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "Soon enough, but moving on."
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Shattered.

It was enjoyable whilst it lasted. They could say that, at the very least.

Kole struggled to maintain eye contact as those words he began to compile fixed themselves into a sentence, cohesive and all. It was the slightest of movements, angling the tiniest smidge to his left where those synthetic blues evaded the artificial hazel orbs in exchange for the raging storm. Strange, really; it was perfect reflection for his psychological interior- constantly battling between what is true and false, right and wrong. Kole enabled a deep breath, his chest rising and Lynnori with it, then descending as it all blew back outwards. Returning his gaze, albeit changed to something more serious and troubled.

"I wanted to tell you but, uhm." There'd been something caught in his throat, made it difficult to speak. It'd be subsequently swallowed. "I have to go again, soon." He paused, allowing it to sink in. It'd been hard, especially after that moment there. "Days away. It's Dromund Kaas, then Dac. I'll only be gone a few weeks, maybe a month. A bit more." Kole spoke with such uncertainty. You could never really know how long operations were going to go. Whilst an intended date of conclusion was always set, the enemy didn't adhere to their rules.

 

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Duty | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ You Get Me So High ~ "We never got the credit."
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"You have to go?"

Lyn's throat unexpectedly tightened, hand tightening around his, "You have to go." She repeated a little more firmly. Denial, acceptance, in the blink of an eye. Her gaze fell to the pillow without further comment. A hurricane was brewing, category five, seek shelter now.

At first, she was angry. He'd only just come home, now he was supposed to leave again? Off to fight more wars? Her head fell then, to the side, face buried in the soft down and her own hair, "A month." A month?

A͠ whole ̕mo͡nth́?

Bargaining. Could she make him stay? Unlikely. Kole honoured his duty, no matter how dishonourable it actually was. Something she loved about him but despised right now.

Depression. A flicker of deep sadness, as she kept her face slightly hidden to hide that vacant, sad look to her eyes.

Acceptance. It was only a month.

Only 30 or so days for him to keep himself alive. For him to not come home as a pile of ash to put on their mantle and talk about whenever guests came over. Then again, that was implying either had friends who would come over in the first place (Which, they didn't. Not really.)

In many respects, they only had each other, and it just made her hold on so much harder.

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Helpless | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "I drink your venom 'til I cannot breathe."
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It had made it all the more difficult. Lyn had, in truth. There was no issue if not for her, and there was no servitude to an Empire if not for her, either. Kole was never going to take such a thing back, the moments they met, the time they spent together, her liberation from death itself. Kole was never going to trade that, and it wasn't as if he could anyways. The Android never allowed her to know for it was only going to bring more pain, another piece of evident sadness that was to, in turn, hurt himself.

Kole attempted to follow her eyes with his own, meet her there despite the fact she hid them from him. It was worrisome, but this is truly the reaction he expected. It was comforting in a melancholic manner. "Time'll fly." He blindly stated, knowing that it was going to be a slow, slow month that put a strain on the both of them. "I'll be back before you knew I was gone." Yet he needed to be the anchor, the one that to be brave for them.

Even if it was Kole that was going to be thrust into danger, and potentially killed. She could remain safe on Bastion, sheltered from a war within the capital of a superpower. It wasn't going to make those nights any less lonely, though. One day, however, they could have their freedom. A place to themselves where they can love without any burdens.

 

[Lynnori Cruz]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Lost Girl | Interacting with [member="Kole Harper"] ~ You Get Me So High ~ "Nobody seemed to hear us but we said it."
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Sometimes she holds on so tight, it suffocates.

Lynnori's head shifted suddenly this time and their foreheads met, deep hazel piercing his soul it seemed like. There were no words in that moment, the silent desperation in her face to say it all before anything was truly said. Two synthetic beings clutching for whatever made them real, even if it wound up being eachother. Even if they wound up hurting in the blind chase, "You'll come home." She muttered close to his ear, almost desperate, "You'll be done soon." It sounded more like Lyn was telling herself these things, than telling him. Maybe that was it.

If only she knew how much trouble she had caused. How was she worth it? How?

How was any of this worth it?

They still had time. A hand tentatively moved to his shoulder, the other beginning to wind through his short hair -- That feeling of the absolute tip of her fingers on his scalp serving as part of the anchor that kept her affixed in this sea of reality, "Do you want to sleep?" Could they even, after all of that, was the question.

Unlikely.

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Bastion, Kole & Lyn's Apartment, Early Evening
Tired | Interacting with [member="Lynnori Cruz"] ~ Frank ~ "All my fragile nerves will slide."
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Cogito, ergo sum.

I think, therefore I am.

Kole and Lynnori, two artificial beings that clung to their own reality; clung to one another, braving the storm of uncertainty. She had once been real, a girl that aged into a woman with flesh and blood that held it's own individual DNA. Then, well, things had changed. Lynnori had become something else; dead, at first, then reborn in an artificial body- it looked like her, it acted like her, it was her. But there was always a struggle to adapt. He had never, though. Reality had dictated that Kole, whilst seemingly older, was only three years of age. He had an inception date, a time in which his construction had been completed and forcibly thrust into a time of chaos.

The question begged: did it matter?

They thought, therefore they were.

His own intimate reality had existed, playing out ahead of him, and even now he knew what was real as he always would. Kole had only rest his hands along her back, one higher up than the other but unmoving all the same. His eyes closed as their foreheads met and her hot breath flowed freely onto his face. "I think so." He responded, equally as unsure if they even could.