This Is Who We Became

[Arekk]

Biting his upper lip, Ar'ekk gave the idea a thought. Not too many people he trusted lived to this date but there was someone. One who was still residing in Nar Shaddaa and didn't really share the man's ideals of the organization he ran. Cheedo.

"I know the right person. Don't worry about a thing, he will not sell us out. I've been acquainted to him for years."

Reaching for a datapad that rested nearby, the young man sent a message to Cheedo through an encrypted channel. The person he was refering to was a Rodian who was part of the Ebon Hawk's crew occasionally but had his own flagship to take care of, the two of them met a year ago in Sanctuary during his exile with Jedi Master Tugoro Taidarious.

Certainly, the thought of spending time separated was out of the question. Her presence and most importantly love was the very thing that kept him alive and gave him a reason to keep going. His eyes wouldn't want to leave hers.

Period.

"That's a solid yes."

The door bell rang all of the sudden, perhaps the moving team was here already.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

With the ships tended to, Jyn finished up the rest of her plate before rising to clear off the table.

Around this time the doorbell rang and so while [member='Arekk'] dealt with answering it and letting in the moving team she quickly had the dishes washed and took all of the perishables from the cupboards and fridge. It would be a long journey back to Aurum, and she did not cherish the thought of living on solely staples during that time. No, anything they could bring along that would put that off for a few days would be nice.

And, of course, Kipo needed his food.

"I'd like to pick up a sack of nuts and dried fruit, for the journey," she told Ar'ekk, while reaching out to stroke the baby fat monkey behind the ears, "I know from experience that his kind don't much like our starship rations."

Soon enough though everything that was going to be packed away had been, and the rest of the apartment was clean. Devoid of anything personal, as though nobody had ever been here in the first place.

She looked over it all, and then back to her beloved.

"Ready, Querido?"

 

[Arekk]

"Wait."

An idea thrived in his mind to finally mark an end to this chapter. It'd take a lot of guts and self confidence to pull it through but he was decided on this, it was necessary to move forward and forget about what happened in at least one way. This would be a milestone on the man's life.

Nearby, the half mask that Ar'ekk carried for a decade or so to conceal one side of his face rested by the coffee table. He grabbed the mask and held it in his palms briefly, gaze dragging back to Jyn. This is for me, for you, for us.

"It's time to let this go."

And just like that, the young Knight used the strength of his cybernetic arm combined with the other one to tear the mask apart in half.

Boom. Gone like tears in the rain, like the wind blowing a leaf.

A sudden influx of emotions quickly invaded him and a tear running down his cheek was visible. It broke him for just a moment but it felt like a ton of weight just unloaded off from his shoulders. Too much pain, too many feelings repressed through the course of the years.

Not anymore.

"Ready, my love."

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

She watched first in confusion and then amazement as [member='Arekk'] took up his mask, something he had spent so long hiding behind, and crushed it within his grasp.

It left her speechless. She blinked, only able to move when she saw the solitary tear fall. Then she stepped to him, wrapping him in a tight embrace as the last of the splintered fragments fell upon the ground at their feet. Quite the step forward, quite the change. They were moving forward, together, onto greener pastures.

Her arms remained around him for a solid moment, before the spell was broken and both proved ready to move on. It was time to leave Nar Shaddaa behind.

Calling for Kipo, who quickly ran over and scaled her body to settle upon her shoulder, she turned back to the door and just like that the apartment was forsaken. Down the elevator, out into the foyer, and then to the hangar bay where the Ebon Hawk and Tranquility were waiting. It pained her to leave her ship behind in the hands of someone she did not know, but she trusted Ar'ekk enough to let the matter go.

It was time for the new chapter in their lives to begin.

And it started with them stepping up the ramp of his ship.

Fin