Private Through Leaves and Legends

[Aiden Rennek]

Aiden hadn't meant to stare. He really hadn't. But stars, was it getting harder not to. The way her skin glowed in the dim light, the way the flickering red illumination from the cave cast shifting shadows along the curves of her body, the way her lips parted just slightly when she breathed — it was distracting. And if her eyes flicking over his body meant anything, he wasn't the only one having a hard time keeping his focus.

Maybe it was the cold. Maybe it was the close proximity. Maybe it was something else entirely. But whatever it was, he was fighting a losing battle.

"Indefinite leave," he murmured in response to her question, his voice lower now, quieter. "Trying to figure things out for myself. Might go back someday, might not." He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his still-damp hair. "Not exactly sure where I'm meant to be right now."

But this moment, right here?

This felt like a pretty damn good place to be.

His eyes flicked back to hers, his pulse hammering against his ribs. She was close. Too close. Her breath warm against his bare skin, her hands still rubbing along her arms in a desperate attempt to fight off the cold. And damn it, he was shivering too. Without thinking, his body angled toward her, his arm just beginning to lift — muscles tensing, debating, about to pull her into his side for warmth...

Then—

Footsteps. Slow. Rhythmic. Mechanical. Aiden froze, every muscle going rigid. He knew that sound. Metal. Aged. Worn. Something ancient, something wrong. His head snapped toward a path up ahead, his instincts flaring just before a hulking, rusted droid stepped into view.

Red eyes. Old wiring. And a rifle that looked just as ancient as the rest of it — aimed directly at him. Aiden shot up instantly, stepping in front of Kinsey without hesitation, his bare feet barely making a sound against the stone. His arm instinctively stretched backward, fingers just brushing against her as if to tell her to stay behind him.

His gaze locked onto the droid, his body going perfectly still.

Not good.

BANG!

Kinsey Starchaser
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[Kinsey Starchaser]

Well, at least he wasn't here to haul her arse in for some old bounty the Alliance probably had out on her. Back when she was under the influence and brainwash of Sage Bane. And she wouldn't put it past the Alliance to use her to get to Uncle Coren, either. Superpowers that big, either jedi or sith, didn't have that much different when it came right down to it.

There was something about his eyes that kept drawing her in. And the rough edge to his voice. That ring of vulnerability and earnestness. About the same time Ayden turned his head, she did too. Head cocked.

She was up on her feet as fast as a lightsaber blade crackling to life.

"Ayden," she hissed in warning as he blocked her line of sight. And his fingers brushed against her arm. And damn if that wasn't the most distracting thing that had ever happened to her. The bang happened nearly at the same time that her droid's blue and white form rolled in front of them with a loud whirrr.

Metal screeched on metal as the slug hit the edge of Pib's domed head. Kinsey took off, running for their pile of (mostly) dried clothes. She wasn't worried about looking indecent. It was because that's where her bag was with all her tools. That droid reloaded as she crouched over her bag. It's red eyes attracted to movement as it followed her. There was a cock of the weapon again and Kinsey through her hand forward, sending a sloppy force-push in the droid direction.

"Ayden! Can you try getting behind it?" Her other hand still dug wildly in her bag. She could handle sith. She could handle monsters. But feth they were in trouble with droids. I had to be a droid.

 

[Aiden Rennek]

Aiden sucked in a sharp breath as the shot rang out, his muscles tensing for impact — only for the sound of screeching metal to cut through the cave instead. His eyes flicked down just in time to see Pib roll in front of them, taking the shot like a damn hero. "Oh, hell," he exhaled, relief hitting him just as fast as the adrenaline still pumping through his veins, "Thanks, bud."

But they weren't out of trouble yet.

Kinsey was already moving, darting toward their pile of clothes, her focus locked on her bag. Aiden barely had time to process anything beyond the fact that she was half-naked and throwing the Force around like it was nothing. The sloppy push staggered the droid just enough to throw off its aim, but the damn thing was still standing.

His eyes flicked toward the cave, scanning for anything that might give them the edge. Big, armored, ancient. A slugthrower. Not quick, but tough. They needed to keep it off balance.

Getting behind it? He could do that.

Aiden moved, bare feet barely making a sound against the stone, he circled wide, sticking to the shadows where the flickering red light from the droid's sensors didn't quite reach. His heart hammered in his chest as he crouched behind a outcrop of rock, fingers brushing against a loose chunk of stone.

Not exactly a blaster, but he'd make it work. He grabbed the rock and, without hesitating, hurled it straight at the back of the droid's rusted head.

CLANG!

The impact echoed through the chamber, loud and grating. The droid jerked violently, its red eyes flickering as it twisted toward him, metal joints groaning under the sudden movement.

Aiden slowly raised his hands.

"…Kinseyyy…" he drawled, voice edged with forced patience as the droid leveled its rifle in his direction. His brows lifted just slightly as if to say, Anytime now would be great.

Kinsey Starchaser
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