Private Welcome Home, Boys - I'm Here For You

[Leshanna]

Naamino Zuukamano // Haro Aven
​

Leshanna had remained behind when a good portion of the Academy’s acolytes and older students had gone away to Woostri to fight in yet another war with the Jedi. Even her new Mistress and Academy sponsor had gone away - though for some reason Lesh wasn’t worried for Lady A’Mia.

But she had been very worried about the departure of her two boys - Naamino and Haro.

The time of waiting, of hearing nothing back from them but watching the constant updates of the casualties being reported from the war front, was torture for the teen girl. Would her best friends find their names amongst those listed as ‘killed in action’, or ‘wounded in action’? Would they come back in body bags or no longer whole?

She was told that ‘no news was good news’, and she held onto that with a vice-like grip day in and day out. And then she heard the news she’d been waiting to hear: the surviving students and staff were on their way back to Korriban. Now she just had to wait a little longer, and she did - right outside the landing platform where she suspected their ship would land. Lesh waited there for hours, shivering in the biting cold that she did her best to ignore. She wasn’t going to miss their arrival for something so trivial as being cold.

Eventually, others began to appear on the platform; that must have meant the ship was getting closer. Not too much longer afterwards, she spied a ship breaking through the hazy clouds, then several ships, but certainly not as many as when they had left.

Anxiousness clawed at Leshanna’s heart, causing it to beat faster in her chest. She was happy too - she’d finally get to see Naami and Haro again, but she was nervous. She had no idea what to truly expect for when they walked off the shuttle. War, and victory, against the Jedi was something to be proud of - but war was still war.

It left its mark, its scars, on everything.

When the shuttle carrying the boys opened its bay doors, they would be greeted by the familiar sight of Korriban, of the Academy.

And just beyond that, a girl - pale and anxious, searching the many faces for any sign of her two friends.

 

[Haro Aven]

​

LOCATION: WILD SPACE > SITH HOLY WORLDS > KORRIBAN > KOR'ETHYR ACADEMY LANDING BAY​

TIMESTAMP: RETURNING FROM THE INVASION OF WOOSTRI​

OUTFIT: FITTED BLACK MILITARY FATIGUES​

OBJECTIVE: REUNITE WITH Leshanna ​

Entering Korriban's atmosphere had jostled Haro awake from where he fitfully slumbered against his sturdy Zabrak friend, Naamino Zuukamano , in the passenger bay of the Vorpal Fang. He readied himself for their impending landing in a daze, still rather despondent since the traumatizing events on Woostri and the violent brawl between Lysander and Naamino that had followed. Numbly, Haro made sure he had what he needed, which was really just Bodie at this point since the weapons and armor he'd used had been returned to the academy staff, and he lined up at the loading ramp with the other students. Feeling more exhausted than he ever had in his life, the side of his face still pounding painfully, even standing there waiting was a chore. Not for the first time during the return flight, he thought of Leshanna and how much he wanted to see her. He wondered if she was alright, if she'd heard the news of their return, if she'd be waiting for them. He stood close to Naami as he watched the broken body of Lysander von Ascania , along with any other seriously injured students, get carted off the ship first so they could be rushed to the infirmary. As upset as he was with Lysander, he genuinely did hope he would live to see another day.

Finally, the rest of the students were instructed to exit the ship and so they marched in a line down the ramp, greeted by the chilly dry Korribani air. The clouded sky was alight with a crimson glow as Horuset had begun to slip below the horizon in the distance, silhouetting the sharp spires and jagged lines of Kor'ethyr Academy's infrastructure. Haro found himself grateful for the arid desert biome after enduring the hellish hurricanes of Woostri, despite the bitter cold that nipped at his skin. He scanned the faces gathered near the ship, hoping to see one in particular.

"Lesh!" It was a whisper of an exclamation, only loud enough for Naami to hear. The moment he recognized that beautiful pale face and raven hair, and those searching sapphire eyes, he took off toward Leshanna, ignoring his exhaustion in favor of reaching her as quickly as possible. He slowed enough not to startle her or crash into her but he didn't hesitate to wrap her up in a big hug. He held her there until Naami caught up then he pulled away, holding her by the shoulders and looking down at her with a sad but grateful smile that carried the weight of what he'd been through, the side of his face swollen and bruised.

"I'm so happy to see you," he said to her, his eyes wide and glassy with emotion, then he suddenly frowned as if noticing something.

"You're cold," he observed, then he glanced sidelong at Naami. He reached out to grab the Zabrak by the shoulder and pull him into a hug with all three of them, soaking in the moment of comfort while it lasted.​

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

[VIBES]

​

Though the start of their journey home had been far more eventful than he would have liked, Naamino was able to find some respite sat back to back with Haro Aven even though he wasn't able to fully sleep like his friend had. Truthfully, he was happy to keep watch in a kind of stony reverie, maintaining his posture so his exhausted friend wouldn't be disturbed. He felt the boy jolt awake and took the moment to stretch, a huge yawn animating his otherwise stern features- sharp canines flashing and the faint sheen of moisture crinkling at the edge of tired eyes.

The zabrak gave Haro's wrist a small reassuring squeeze as injured students were taken off the ship first. Silently he hoped the boy knew he was grateful to him, that the fight with Lysander hadn't been his fault, that Naami would take all responsibility for it when they were inevitably asked again.

Naami saw Leshanna just moments after Haro, and jogged after his lean friend to catch up a few steps behind. He gave the girl a soft, tired smile but didn't want to intrude on their moment. To his surprise, Haro pulled him into the embrace just a few moments later. The zabrak went slightly rigid for a moment, nerves still incredibly on edge from Woostri, but he gave in to the affection easily.

"Lesh, you're freezing," the boy mumbled in agreement with his friend, one wrapped hand finding hers where it encircled Haro.

He had to be careful of his horned head, so he tipped it to rest against the shorter Leshanna and kept the ends angled away from the taller Haro. He hadn't expected such a greeting... but it felt really nice. The heavy toll exacted by being of service to The Order was lessened slightly.

Surely this gets easier with time, he assured himself. It had to.

 

[Leshanna]

Naamino Zuukamano // Haro Aven
​

Vigilant eyes watched the Vorpal Fang - watched, as the wounded were unloaded first. Anxiety marked her face as she looked at each individual they pulled off the ship, hoping that one of those faces wouldn’t be Naamino, or Haro.

She then spied a familiar figure on a gurney - and her breath hitched in her throat. Was that… Lysander? She didn’t know him too well, but she’d done classes and field trips with him. She hoped he would be okay. Others were carted off, some faces she recognized and others she didn’t. But they were not her boys.

Finally, those that were on their own two feet, began to disembark. Leshanna’s heart raced faster in her chest as one by one the surviving students passed her by. Then…a tall and lanky form appeared and practically enveloped her, and her heart leapt into her throat when she recognized who it was, the scent…familiar. The presence and warmth, recognizable.

Haro.

He embraced her as if she was life itself and she didn’t hold back either, wrapping her arms around his back and holding him there, head against his chest. Tears stung at her eyes, dripped down her icy cold cheeks, feeling like little droplets and trails of fire.

“O-oh F-Force you’re ok-kay…” she breathed, frowning slightly when the taller boy pulled away from her, as she was reluctant to be away from that warm embrace.

"I'm so happy to see you," Haro said to hear, genuine emotion lacing his voice.

For a moment, Haro and Lesh looked upon one another and his wide, glassy eyes met her own as worry filled her blue orbs. An icy cold and pale hand lifted to his bruised and injured face, her touch gentle and delicate.

“...what ha-appened?” she said, concern clear in her voice.

Haro suddenly frowned as he suddenly recognized that she was cold, but she hardly noticed it in the moment. “Where is-” she started to say, but then she spotted the familiar tattooed face she’d been wondering about.

“...Naami!” Lesh breathed again as she saw the boy’s tired smile - but there was a dark storm behind his eyes, something she took notice of. Haro suddenly reached over and drew the Zabrak in towards the two of them, and utter relief flooded through the girl’s veins as she did her best to embrace them both, the three of them simply existing together, ignorant of others who might cast curious or disapproving looks their way.

"Lesh, you're freezing," came the Zabrak boy’s mumbled voice, and she felt her heart stutter in her chest when one of his hands found hers and gripped it tightly, securely. She held Naamino’s hand in her own, as if it were a lifeline to her.

“I d-d-don’t care ab-bout that r-right n-now…” she mumbled back, her teeth clattering as she shivered harder from the deep chill seeping into her skin. “I’m j-just so-o hap-py you t-t-two are back-k and-d sa-a-afe…I-I was-s so-o wor-ried-” her voice cracked then and she had to squeeze her eyes shut to stop the flow of hot tears once more. She didn’t know what she would have done, if she’d lost one or both of them. She’d only known them for just shy of a year, but these two young men were the closest thing she had to family.

No...they were her family.

They all had been through so much together - and their journeys had only really just begun. Lesh hugged both boys closer, tighter - just to remind herself that they were there with her. They were real.

And most importantly, they were alive and back at Kor’ethyr with her.

 

[Haro Aven]

Haro felt their hands clasp behind his back and he pulled them both in a bit tighter. The tender embrace, seeing Lesh's eyes brimming with tears, the relief of having made it back alive, it all brought feeling flooding back into the numbness. He wasn't entirely prepared for it but grateful for it nonetheless, and he held to his friends like they were life rafts in a storm. Leshanna's shivering and chattering brought his concern for her well being to the forefront of his focus, his heart aching at the way her voice cracked. He pulled back enough to gather up her gaze again.

"Well, we're here now. And we care about that, so we're getting you inside and warmed up right now, c'mon," Haro insisted, gentle and tired but unrelenting, as he made to move them in the direction of the common rooms, expecting Naami's support in this. He kept them both close, gently pulling Lesh over to walk between he and Naami so she could continue to benefit from both of their warmth. Almost absently, he enveloped one of her hands in both of his in an effort to warm it, but he was uncharacteristically quiet and solemn as they made their way inside.​

 

[Naamino Zuukamano]

Grunting an affirmation that they did in fact care about Leshanna freezing half to death, Naami joined Haro in ushering them all to the warmth. The hand on hers reaffirmed its grasp a few moments after they began moving toward one of the common rooms. Surely it was the sting of cold on his cheeks that made them pink, rather than the feeling of intertwined fingers squeezing gently as they walked.

Once indoors and settled into their own little section of the room, the zabrak seemed to feel a little awkward about the quietude and stillness of the moment. Ever the task oriented type, Naami offered quietly.

"I can grab us a blanket, and bring us warm drinks. Would only take a minute."

He'd sat beside Lesh and was still holding her hand, but was on the edge of the seat. It was as if he was seeking her assurances that he'd be helping everyone feel more comfortable. Naami's attentive gaze darted to Haro Aven for a moment too, sensing that perhaps the boy would also appreciate a moment with Lesh. The zabrak wanted that too, but felt like he couldn't quite hold still just yet,

 

[Leshanna]

Haro Aven // Naamino Zuukamano​

"Well, we're here now. And we care about that, so we're getting you inside and warmed up right now, c'mon."

Lesh was too overwhelmed by her sudden onslaught of emotions and the biting cold to truly argue or fight against Haro’s sound reasoning, and she nodded as she met his gaze and went along with both of them as they turned to face the massive complex that was the Academy, staying on either side of her and doing their best to share their warmth with her.

Silently, they made their way towards one of the common rooms, and the girl felt so relieved to have both of them holding her hands - Haro on one side, and Naamino on the other. Here tiny and pale hands were like ice in their grips, and she continued to shiver hard even as they came into the common room and found their own little area, away from the others that might have gathered within.

Lesh was seated on a couch, and all she could do was blink in silence at them both as the cold stole her thoughts from her. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d ever been this cold - not even when she had spent the night out in the desert after their little drinking game. She wanted to smile at such fond memories, as fragmented as they were, but her cheeks were too frozen to smile.

"I can grab us a blanket, and bring us warm drinks. Would only take a minute." Naami said, still holding onto her hand, though he was on the edge of the seat beside her.

Lesh tried pulling her stiff and cold legs up closer to her chest in an effort to conserve what heat remained within her. Her teeth continued to clatter together as she cast worried glances between Haro and Naami, before she nodded at the Zabrak boy - agreeing to the idea of having a blanket and some warm drinks for them all. She didn’t want him to leave, but she knew he’d only be gone for a moment.

She settled her eyes on Haro and the growing ugly bruise on the side of his face, and she frowned (or tried to) once more, disturbed by the sight of such a thing on her friend’s face.

“Wh…w-what…ha-ha-pp-ened?” she chattered out to the tall and lanky boy there beside her, concern etched across her face and within her dark blue eyes.