When One Has Nothing Left

[The Red of Sinner]

Romeo chuckled, it was funny thinking of himself in an apron, baking goods and brewing tea. "Ah yes, Kay Tea and Snack Sin....I can see it now." The Vahla bowed before the woman and partly amazed she even mentioned Sith space.

"Well...I have no business with Sith anymore...never cared for the CIS, and with the Eternal Empire...well...that's a discussion for another day." He examined his surroundings. "I can have a few Esclipstans sent to act as secruity and employees if you wish...I'm going to have to send for the ship as well...I've been waiting for a special moment to use it."

Reaching over, he grabbed a biscuit and smelled it playfully as he starred at Kay. Taking a bite, he munched on it as he thought about their first destination to visit. Meanwhile he found himself enjoying the little snack, it was crazy how good it was for something so simple.

"Nar Shaddaa...there's always adventure to have there."

[member="Kay Larr"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay laughed a little at [member="Romeo Sin"] 's comical theatrics. Oh how she missed being around her friends. It was probably the best therapy for her and it helped her to forget her own self pity and doubt. That was a good thing.

She raised a brow slightly as he let her know a little about the various governments that she had mentioned. Everyone had a story. Perhaps his would be told during their travels. "Security would be good. And another employee. I have [member="Doyle"] sharing the shifts with me. But given that he used to be an addict, it'd help if someone could take charge of the spice and keep him away from it."

"Nar Shaddaa? What would we do there? Free slaves?" Some shipments of her teas had gone to Nar Shaddaa. Speaking of which, it had gained her access to some exclusive places. "Or do you plan on gambling at the casinos?"

 

[The Red of Sinner]

Romeo had never understood the use of drugs, but to each their own. He tried to but never could grasp it, and whatever had made [member="Kay Larr"] decide to make spice laced snacks...well Romeo assumed she had good reasons and intentions....or not. He didn't particularly feel anyway towards it anyways.

"I can have it arranged." He replied as he continued munching on the snack.

"Can't say I've ever tried gambling, though I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it...but if freeing slaves is possible I don't see why we shouldn't at least try." Romeo said as he finished his biscuit.

"There's always the unexplored too, plenty of planets unknown and ready to explore."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Unlike [member="Romeo Sin"] , Kay hadn't finished off her tea yet. She picked up her cup and had a sip, although the liquid was much cooler now. Still, it was tea and she wasn't bothered by it.

Her eyebrows rose at the prospect of exploring the unexplored. Of course that intrigued her, in more ways than one. "Oh I like that idea...Maybe I could find a new home for myself." Kay didn't like the spotlight anymore. It only brought pain and suffering. Yet if she was in some place where hardly anyone knew about it, she'd be safe. Only those closest to her would know. And there'd be little trouble that she could get into.

"When would we be going?"

 

[The Red of Sinner]

Rome continued to ponder the best course of exploration, there were still hundreds of planets he had heard but never seen. But the prospect of finding a new home was always a hope one could rely on, though Romeo always felt at home on Eclipstica. It was the place he always returned to when all yes was said and done.

"We can leave whenever you are ready." Romeo replied to his friend.

Taking out his datapad, he sent a few messages asking for his ship, and for a few helping hands for [member="Kay Larr"] and her shop. People who would be reliable. Romeo also asked for a few personal belongings be added to the ship, just some stuff he liked with him whenever he knew he wouldn't be returning to Eclipstica any time soon. It was funny, Romeo never thought he would ever desire just...stuff, to feel joy or any real emotion from ordinary stuff.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded a little. "Give me a couple of days then. Not so much to pack, but moreso to get my affairs with the shoppe in order. And with the company." She didn't have a lot to pack anyways. Just a few sets of clothes and a datapad. That was pretty much it. And some tea of course. Samples of some of her wares would also be good.

She turned and finished her tea on her way to the counter to put the dishes away. Just where it was they'd go and what would happen during that, she didn't know. "Thank you for this. I just hope it helps." Of course Kay was referring to herself. She had been lost for quite some time and right now she felt as though she had little chance of feeling contentment again. There was just so much to feel shameful for and so much to dread.

"As I've said before, you're welcome to stay here in the meantime."

[member="Romeo Sin"]

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Kay Larr"]

Romeo sat back down, his adrenaline rush was settling now, and he needed to sit down. It would take a day or so to get things prepared anyways. Till then he would enjoy his friend's company. She was still offering her place to stay, and thanking him, though Romeo wasn't sure what there was to thank for. Something told him he would figure it out later, he was sure of that.

"Oh, you just want my warmth all to yourself!" Romeo chuckled. "Yeah, I'll stay."

Removing the robes to reveal a much more comfortable casual clothing underneath, the Vahla smiled and leaned back. He was trying to make himself at home. The shop sorta reminded him of home, the ancient rituals and training sessions dealt by his father. Romeo could still remember talking to the dead man in the after life, why Solan had even brought Romeo back was beyond him. He blamed the Force.

"Any rules I need to abide by?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay laughed at [member="Romeo Sin"] 's remark. "You'll be in your own bed in your own room. Unless you mean your warm personality, then sure." With Romeo, along with so many others, it could be either scenario, so she was sure not to choose only one of them.

She returned to the fire and used the iron poker to stoke the logs, playing a little with the burning ambers. "Rules? I don't think so..." What rules could she have? No killing? Sure, but what were the odds that someone would be there to kill? Very little. Kay also doubted that he'd be going after her spice; let alone go snooping through the place.

"There's some places to eat around town. I'm sure that you'll find something to your liking. " She wasn't going to assume that they'd be eating together. And Kay didn't go out in public much anyways. She kept that limited just in case.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

Romeo smirked, he enjoyed being playful, it was a win win scenario really. It was a confidence he could not lose, because it was not always that way. He could remember a time where he was all work and no play, a boring member of society, wearing a featureless, black mask all the time. He was certain he still had that mask, actually.

"Indeed, while going out to eat would be fine, I didn't plan on site seeing. Beside, if your cooking is as good as your baking...or mine.."

He trailed off with a wink at her as he watched her play with fire. [member="Kay Larr"] was still the same person he remembered...sorta. There was some changes, but Romeo could still sense the person he remembered.

"Playing with fire is dangerous, please be careful."

 

[Kay-Larr]

"It can be, provided that I don't get too distracted." Knowing her, she could talk or brood too much and then forget about the meal that she was trying to prepare. That happened with her baking at times too.

While [member="Romeo Sin"] seemed to recognize some of Kay's old self within; she didn't. She knew that she was just a shell of her former self, allowing her fears to run her life. But it was a phase that she had no hope to break out of yet. She didn't see any light at the end of this tunnel. Just cold and dark isolation.

Kay smirked as he warned her about the fire. "It's fine...I'm just breaking down the wood a little."

 

[The Red of Sinner]

Watching her in silence, there was something Romeo noticed about her. He couldn't, still, put his finger on it but knew it was there. He wasn't seeing things, least he didn't think he was. Small embers rose from the fire as she broke the wood down, a hazard most would never think of worrying about. With a small motion of his hand, the embers were quickly tarnished. Any danger they could pose was now gone. The smell of the fire reminded him, only slightly, of war where smoke was a normal thing. However, the smell of burning wood was pleasant.

Realizing his watching had turned into starring, [member="Kay Larr"] was still a beautiful woman in all of her disaster after effects. Desirable was one word Romeo would use, but it wasn't the respect he felt she deserved, specially from him. His eyes began to betray his thoughts with a worried look. There was times his nature went overboard, and his hormones were less than controllable. Romeo had once allowed the darkside to run him amok, but that was not who he was anymore. Romeo had matured out of the fascist idea that he could have whatever he wanted.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay noticed the embers dissipating before her very eyes. Setting the poker in it's holder, she sighed before taking a seat. "I'm not about to burn the place down, you know. I can handle a small fire in the fireplace without it getting out of control."

Kay folded her arms across her chest as her stubborness kicked in. She caught the worried look that [member="Romeo Sin"] had. Her instinct told her to roll her eyes, yet she didn't. Instead she just kept her eyes on the flames. "I'm doing better than before, so you don't have to worry. Trauma just takes...some time to get over."

Dropping her arms to her sides, Kay got to her feet again. She needed to keep herself busy. "Did you want anything else to eat? A meal? Or should I get a head start on packing? Did you want to see your room?" The questions poured out of her at such a pace that was reminiscent of her daughter. No doubt she'd get a chuckle out of it.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

In a way, they were both broken and beaten. One had been the victim, the other had asked for the bruises. Though, honestly, could one really tell who was which? Not that Romeo was calling her out, no one deserved the horrors one face from tyrants and monsters. Romeo was just thinking facts. She was speaking to him, but his eyes were focused solely on hers. There it was, still there. Surely, there was something he could do other than take her on trips. Surely, Romeo had the power to do something. She was moving now, maybe a nervous tick, did Romeo make [member="Kay Larr"] nervous? Maybe aggravated?

Without second thought, what needed to be done rushed over Romeo.

He stood with her, suddenly, but gracefully. Romeo took Kay's hand with a strong grip as he pulled to him. If she wanted to pull away from his grasp, Kay would have to fight a little. There were things Romeo knew how to do better, ways to communicate better than words. Kay needed to know, she wasn't alone. Romeo attempted to place his forehead against hers, he was opening his mind, the darkest of places that he had recently created, the light he had removed from himself was all but gone now, but it was what was keeping him from finding peace. While the opposite could be said about Kay, the situations were the same in aspect.

"Look into me, and see you are never alone."

Romeo had been so many things, hero, villain, savior and conquer, but one thing always remained the same. Loyalty.

If she was listening, if she still practiced and delved into the Force, she would be able to feel any walls Romeo had were taken down. The Vahla was utterly open to all manners of probing and prying. And he was also welcoming.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Of course she resisted when [member="Romeo Sin"] took hold of her hand and pulled her to him, yet it was more of a tensing of her muscles than actually pulling herself away. Kay took in a deep breath as he pressed his forehead against hers. She felt his connection to the Force wrapping itself around her, almost trying to coax her own connection to be brought out as well.

His words about her never being alone was something that she didn't entirely agree with. "I deserve to be..." Kay closed her eyes, attempting to hold back the tears and emotions that begged to be released. And although Romeo's walls were down, hers were not.

She was nothing, had nothing. There was no feeling of self worth. Kay just lived her day to day with no real purpose or goal. She took orders from her customers and fulfilled them. That was about it.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

While he knew he was now bringing out the tension that was being held out to the air, it was needed. Better in the safety and comfort of where she was used to than out in the unknown. Romeo's arms wrapped around her, lovingly, with warmth oddly coming from his body. Another ability he used for minor and sometimes childish things. She refused to open, and that was okay for now. [member="Kay Larr"] was on that verge, and Romeo had learned a cruel, so very cruel life lesson. To grow, one had to be in pain. It was obvious, for little ones to grow, there were 'growing pains', and for adults, it was usually emotional and mental.

"Shhhhhhhh." His voice was soft, so soft that he wasn't sure if he had actually made the sound in the first place.

"I drop my walls only for you, so that you may look and see....you are never alone."

There were something Kay had, that Romeo didn't. Her spawn. That one little thing that she probably thought was a light in this darkness, that one thing she had created. There were also her friends, people who Romeo called friends he had not seen in years. This lesson he learned, he did so alone. It was hard, it was more pain than he had imagine could exist, but it was a lesson well learned.

His hands rubbed her back, as he finally placed his head on her shoulders. Something he kinda had to bend down to do, luckily it wasn't much effort. Romeo pushed his cheek against hers. There were his own tears there.

Romeo wouldn't let her be alone in this time....never. Not until she had healed enough to push forward.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Did [member="Romeo Sin"] just shush her? Kay would have smirked at that, had it of been a part of their friendly banter. But this time it wasn't.

He told her that she was never alone. Yet she didn't understand what he was meaning by that. Surely he wasn't going to be sticking around for long. He had his own life to lead. So perhaps Romeo had just meant...for the moment.

She let herself relax a little while in his arms, in turn wrapping her own arms around him, albeit more lightly. And as he pressed his cheek against hers, Kay had felt his tears. Was he crying for her? She couldn't tell. Regardless she just stood in his arms and held onto the moment, knowing that it would end soon enough.

The tears began to fall and she just tucked her head into his shoulder in a bid to merely hide her face from everyone. No one needed to see her cry and become a bubbly mess. That was better left for herself and her pillow to be witness to.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Kay Larr"]

Indeed, he had shushed her, but it had been meant more of calming shush, but Romeo was not sure how one shushed to calm another down. Clearly, that had not been it. But, he did not let go. He would not till she made it quite clear she had enough. Instead, Romeo spoke. He spoke into her ear while holding back what roughness he was about to have in his voice for he did not cry often.

"I'm here to stay, when we go, I will be there. When you need me, I will be there. When you no longer need me, I will still be there. When the clouds of darkness loom over, and all else seems lost, I will be there. Even when I may not be there physically, I will be there. M-my Kay, forever and always, will I stand by your side. The darkness will never take you so long as I breathe. I...I understand things can be difficult, and not easy. But I am always yours, simply call my name...I will hear it. I will come."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Such words and promises...

Of course Kay longed for them to be true, but she couldn't expect it from anyone. Still she tightened her hold on [member="Romeo Sin"] as if in thanks.

However a thought crossed her mind and when she spoke it aloud, her words were but a whisper; "And what if I'm cut off from the Force, like so many have done to me in order to remove any hope of a rescue?" It had happened to her a few times. And while Kay didn't use the Force as much as the next person, she would still end up being blocked from it entirely.

That was why she was never found this last time. No one could of guessed as to where she was taken and even if they did, they'd of not of gone there in enough time to save her. In the end Kay had to save herself. She was all that she had.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Kay Larr"] thought she could get him, but there was always ways for Romeo to know. Ways for him to see. He removed his cheek and placed his face close to her's instead. His voice was not ready to speak normally still. As he held her still, Romeo spoke.

"Oooh, I can put tracking devices on you no one would find, and that's not entirely a joke. In all seriousness...I have eyes, and ears wherever I want. But..there are many ways...some darker than others. But alas, trust me on this, not question. If I do not have an answer for what I don't know...I will find one. There was once a detective I had heard of....had a plan for everything. Either way...I will be there Kay...I will."

His face lingered, looking deep into her eyes. Romeo knew he was promising more than he had ever really done. Once, he had promised this before, but then...well he wasn't a person capable of doing much then. Then, Romeo was nothing more but a power hungry fool, munching on fool's dreams.

"I've said silly things, haven't I?"

The passion had toned down, but only some.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay listened to [member="Romeo Sin"] quietly. When his eyes met hers, her own were lost in thought as she imagined all of the different scenarios from the past and future. Would he really be able to do all that was promised? Perhaps she should just stop questioning him and start to believe him instead.

"....Okay...thank you..." Again her words were but a whisper, yet there was a hint of change in her eyes as she was more accepting of his words. All in all, she did feel a bit better as the spark of hope was reignited.

"..We all say silly things from time to time...And that's...perfectly alright."