Private This is Our Beginning Coming to an End [Daiya]

[Cassus Akovin]

Cassus smiles.
"I appreciate the enthusiasm. Let's see how you handle it, Spice Girl."
He starts preparing food after a decent amount of space is cleared.
"So, yeah. I guess I ought to explain why I was all flustered in the Tatt-chat the other day. Right?"

 

[Daiya]

Daiya rolls her eyes again at the quippy nickname. It's not even very creative!

"It's your story time, Cassus. Explain away..."

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Nodding, he starts tentatively.
"Well, I'm an only child, and I was raised by a rich mercenary and her employee - Triam and Crol. I never stepped foot on a planet until I was six. I never met anyone my own age until I met you. My mom was dying of some illness that wouldn't go away, and Crol was too busy taking care of her. So, I took up her profession, used her gadgets and notoriety. Acted older to get noticed."
He paused.
"I threw all of my earnings towards her health, and she seemed like she was on the mend when... the beach on Belazura happened."
He glosses over that since both had been there.
"Well, I found her again. Killed in front of me, by my own copy."
He is quiet.
"Blackheart forced me to relive that, both her and Crol dying, every week after the surviving dopples caught me."
Another pause.
"You're the only thing left for me, now. But Blackheart is still mocking me with her face, and that stupid cat."

 

[Daiya]

Daiya isn't exactly sure how to respond to all of that. No one just shares their life stories with her, and if they do they want something. Finally, she mutters. "Manfloon for me."

 

[Cassus Akovin]

"He can eat it too."
He gets closer to finishing the Tiingilar.
"And speaking of, you got bowls? How's Zenie?"

 

[Daiya]

Daiya points to the small cupboard above the heating plate. "That one, behind the cups."

She groans a little. "Zenie's fine. Pissed at Manfloon, too. He just opened another mine last month, now they're stripping the Orzek Reaches."

She never got to go, but Zenie sends her holos of how it all used to be.

"I wanna shoot his fething face. Not like last time, with the Muun guy. Just me, and him, and my blaster."

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Cassus fills two bowls with Devaron-style Tiingilar, and the almost sulfuric scent tingles the nose all on it's own. He liked that quality, something he shared with Crol. Triam would have hated it but would have tried to eat it anyway.
"I feel it. Foods done. Anything you wanted to share about you before your taste gets scorched?"

 

[Daiya]

Daiya slips off the bed again, and cleans off the chair that usually serves as storage next to the makeshift table. She takes a seat and waits for the food that she can already smell.

"Maybe that I've never considered how someone could be a worse cook than me until now? Whew, Cassus, what did you make?"

 

[Cassus Akovin]

"It's a Mandalorian dish, Tiingilar, except I used Taka-Tey and Devaron spice mix. If you're brave enough to try it you stop noticing the smell after the third scoop."
Cassus grins devilishly and horks down three scoops in rapid succession, and then slows down, chewing slowly while watching Daiya and her dish.
"I won't judge you too harshly if you hate it, I'll just offer it to Anakin later and let him know you couldn't handle it."

 

[Daiya]

"Shut the feth up, I'm not scared of Mandalorian anything."

She gulps down a bite, almost gagging as the taste and smell overwhelms her. Spooning another mouthful, she tries to pick it up but even the sight nearly makes her sick.

"How do you even..." Daiya sees Cassus watching her, and sticks the next bite in her mouth. She chews it quickly and forces herself to swallow.

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Cassus smiles toothily
"One more to go!"
He grabs another bite, enjoying the tingle and the texture of the bird.

 

[Daiya]

"You Mandos are crazy."

She spoons the next bite into her mouth, and sure enough the intensity has faded a bit. If only enough for her to thoroughly enjoy how awful it tastes without wanting to gag.

 

[Cassus Akovin]

"Unfortunately, I'm not one, just named by one. But yeah, I'll take that."

 

[Daiya]

Daiya swallows, grimacing. "There, three bites. You can tell Bird Man how a-mazing I am."

 

[Cassus Akovin]

"I will. It's why I came here."

 

[Daiya]

Daiya grins at him for a moment, and then takes another bite of her food. She stirs the bowl a little, thinking less of the taste this time.

"You said earlier I'm the only thing left for you. Did you mean that I'm...your family?"

Daiya looks at the food Cassus prepared for her.

"Wait, is this a date? Do you think I'm your girlfriend?"

 

[Cassus Akovin]

"Well I-"
"Ah,"
He ponders a moment, flushing a bit, hoping it's just the spice.
"No? I don't think so. Sorry."
He puts down his spoon and scratches the back of his head looking away.
"I will admit that I care about you. I can't really explain it. Is that okay?"

 

[Daiya]

"Umm, okay."

She takes another spoonful, and seems to hate it a little less.

"So who taught you to cook?"

 

[Cassus Akovin]

Grateful for the change of topic, he turns back to see her chewing.
"My Uncle Crol. An old geezer Zeltron, red as sith-spit and just as grumpy. He lost a duel with my mother and basically got employed for life after that, I don't know."
He eats another scoop.
"I never really understood their relationship, and I'm not sure they did either. He would have done anything to protect either of us... he did his best, in the end."

 

[Daiya]

Mouth half full of food, Daiya stares at Cassus. She knows his mother meant a great deal to him, and her loss has really messed him up, but even before that he was very fixated on his mother to the exception of all others.

"He left?"