Whether It's Damned Or If It's Good [Atretes Rhoujen]

[EmKay]

Truly the sight was a marvel to behold, and a glimpse into a realm of [member="Luna Vega"]'s life. Atretes did question of the kind, if forward, girl he'd met on that unnamed planet was the same as the one before him. Still, he had to admit she held her own well against the denizens of the tavern. He saw her make his way over to him, and as he was about to speak he was dropped a hefty bag of credits. He weighed it in his hand and wondered if the men had truly lost all their funds, but chose not to dwell. Her words nearly stung as she made the previous night's events seem nothing more than a business arrangement. Then something in his head clicked and he grinned to himself. If it was business she'd handle it would be business he'd deal. He followed along slightly while he snagged another sack from a passed-out patron and divided the credits between the two evenly.

"Oi, Luna!" he called out above the clamour, his light accent taking on a hint of Vega's in this kind of atmosphere. The credit sack went flying at her and hit her over the shoulder and fell into her hand, "What say we split the share on the promise of future endeavours, eh lass?" he leaned against a Wookie who growled at him threateningly, which caused him to, naturally, stop leaning on the Wookie. Nevertheless he kept a typical pirate's grin. The kind that promised adventure and mischief for those who'd take it.

Oh yes, he'd learned some tricks aboard the Riposte, he just never used them.

 

[Luna Vega]

Why couldn't he just leave? He was such a woman, she regressed and kept her gaze to the sack of credits. Future. "Sweet words for'ay pirate." Promises were better left unsaid. They were empty and hollow. Luna sucked in a breath and shook her head. She wouldn't look at him. Couldn't. She realized she already knew the face he wore, his words painted so clearly a picture. Hiding a smile, she tossed a shrug. "Yeah..." she found something to focus on, "sure. Souns liek a plan..." sadness and anger shifted in and out of her voice.

Gripping the bar, she leaned in to it, both trying to suppress the urge to go to him and ordering yet another drink at the same time. She had to assume he was never coming back, had to make herself believe it, or Luna was going to turn into sopping emotional mess over him. Not that she already wasn't one... She just did not want to miss him, so the pirate was just going to have to hate him. Or try. Luna was going to try.

"Alright, lass. Do you have payment?" A man's voice came, startling her from her bottle.

She sighed, having forgot. "Doona hav' it yet," she paused, sipping, "but aye, I will." There were a few bets she had lost earlier in the day.

"No, no, lass. You said that come now, if you didn't have it, that a different form of payment could be," he leaned in and cologne wafted up her nose, "arranged."

A muscle in her jaw ticked and she finished her drink. "Fine," was all she said and it happened to be the same time she gave in to look at [member="Atretes Rhoujen"] one last time. No tears shed as she stood, but the watery gaze was all he'd see before she disappearing into the back.

 

[EmKay]

Something twitched in Atretes at that moment. The brief meeting of his and [member="Luna Vega"]'s eyes, and the emotion displayed behind them. The provocative gestures did not go unnoticed, and when Rhoujen went to take his leave he snagged a shiv from another patron, looped it through the knot of the sack, and threw it with as much force as he could, without the aid of the Force, at a post directly in front of the other man's face, nearly skinning the his nose and leaving a definite wake in its trail. The dull thud and resulting hum of the blade trembling from impact was audible in the sudden silence.

"CONSIDER THAT YER PAYMENT," he shouted out, before turning away and stalking out the door, saying "Prick..." bitterly just loud enough to be heard as flavour to the quiet. Then he slipped out of immediate view.

 

[Luna Vega]

"Ex?" the man she... no longer owed, questioned. Luna face burned with embarrassment, every eye on her, like her personal life held some sort of entertainment for them. "None of your frelling business," she exclaimed, shoving past him. It was obvious she had no idea what she was doing. One moment her pace was quick, the next dragging. Am I actually going after him? You've got no right, her mind hedged. "What am I doin'?" it was common for lunatics to speak to themselves; looks like she was living up to her name.

Never calling out or giving warning, she just tackled him. Her body spearing, arms wrapping about his slim waist. "Whhhy'n 'he seven hells did ya doo that?" Luna had pinned him beneath her, throwing her fists into his chest. In steady streams, tears fell, but she kept going until she couldn't. The pirate collapsed on his chest, covering her face with her hands. "Damn you, Rhou. Damn you!" she said through muffled sobs.

The past two days had been traumatizing, that much was apparent. I almost died and he's leaving. She tried to forget what happened and did what any normal, miserable person would do. But, no. [member="Atretes Rhoujen"] had to show up just as she began to at least drown it out.

 

[EmKay]

Up to this point, Atretes had merely been pacing a small line before the cantina, near seething. He didn't know why. The emotions came without warning and with no regard to his sanity. It was maddening, hell -- it was mad in of itself. Then she stormed out, he turned around, and then was on the ground.

"I don't kn- oof!" he exclaimed, first answering her and then getting a fist in his chest. Granted [member="Luna Vega"] wasn't hitting very hard, being utterly drunk and all, but it still held weight enough to impair his breathing and speaking. Then she collapsed and he wrapped his arms around her torso. And hugged her.

"Shh..." he found himself saying reflexively, "It's not a play on words or a sleight of hand, Luna. I will come find you, once I figure out what's... going on... with me." he hesitated after 'what's', wanting at first to say 'wrong' but reconsidering. He didn't let go, not exactly realising it and not putting the time or effort into being that aware anyway. A hand crept up her back and caressed the back of her head as her tears stained his shirt.

"Don't cry." he requested, his voice low as usual, but softer.

 

[Luna Vega]

Sure, she could take care of herself. There were not many things the woman was not willing to do to survive. Problem was, she had to survive herself. She was her own worst enemy. There was nothing to stop her now; not a crew, not a city bent on keeping her prisoner, not [member="Atretes Rhoujen"]. There were no rules now, proof enough was with the man back at the pub who had nearly lost his nose.

"I'm surviv'n, Rhou," she spoke quietly between sobs, "the only way I know how'ta."

There was so much truth there, she hated herself for it. Why does he make me feel this way? Bloody hell. Why would he come back for that? Some used, drunk whore of a pirate. Luna knew it would come down to that. There was no reason why she should feel sick at the notion of 'living', but she did. The thought of him with another... her heart sank. That was the way of things- that was fair. He wasn't hers... she wasn't his.

Perhaps her survival technique would numb it all, wash it away for good someday.

She peered up to him from under many colored matted bangs. If he ever came back, Luna wouldn't be the same. If he ever came back.

 

[EmKay]

Atretes' heart burned, and not in the way that implied he ate something foul. He couldn't place the source, but he could readily identify the trigger. Some part of him said that he should escape these feelings that were stirred up easier than the dirt beneath them, but those thoughts were outshone by his desire to not see her this way. When he looked up a pang shot through his chest, and he did the first thing he could think of to alleviate that pain, even if he didn't technically think of it. He leaned forward.

His lips met hers, and he pressed it into a kiss which lingered and felt like it lasted longer than the moment it did.

"I don't give my word lightly, miss Vega. I'm not your typical spacer." he said. There was no sly grin, or play on facial features, or subversive undertones. Nothing charismatic, no masks, just himself. Atretes Rhoujen, only child of Project Sigma. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Luna Vega]

It was all salt, and sweat, and liquor. Some sort of heaven for one such as her. "If ya doona stop kissin' me like that," she paused, trying to pull herself together, "I'm no goonna let ya leave." Luna was serious, but had not quite figured out how she would pull it off. She sat up, looking down, her hair stuck to her face. Frantic hands brushed the wet strands away.

"I doonna know what I'mma do with you," Vega half-smiled at him, raising a brow. Looking at [member="Atretes Rhoujen"] made her chest hurt, put flutters in her stomach all at once. He wasn't the same, she knew, that much was true. It still did not ease the thought of never seeing him again though. She put her hands on her hips to look imposing, hair in a disarray, eyes narrowing slightly. Luna Vega couldn't keep him here like this forever, but she'd try. "You're no leavin' yet."

People were starting to stare. She laughed, throwing her head back. "Suppose ahh we shoul' get up though..." Luna straightened herself and pushed with her hands off her thighs. Gray eyes were kept on Rhou though, as if he were just going to disappear.

 

[EmKay]

Part of Atretes didn't mind the sound of staying with [member="Luna Vega"]. It actually sounded rather nice, but he had to figure things out. He needed a little time. He took a bit of a sigh and when she asked her rhetorical question he just grinned and shrugged. He couldn't help but tap her nose when she tried to look all imposing and tough. For some reason he found it cute. He didn't even realise the people were starting to stare until she made a bit of a show of it, and he slid one foot up to his other knee and all bit glided up to stand. He blinked at her while she stared, and tapped her nose.

"I'm not a ghost you know." he said jokingly.

 

[Luna Vega]

I feel there's nothing I can do...

Small hands were shoved into her pockets, very aware of the possibilities. It was a constant struggle and she picked at the loose threads within. "Ya might as well be..." Luna could not have stopped it in time before it flew from her mouth. She was having a hard enough time keeping her physical in check. There were many things that came to mind that she had yet to make corporeal; she stuck with the memories instead, to subdue her.

"I'm no stayin' here..." fidgeting again, her speech was just a sputter above a whisper, "No sure how long'll stay anywhar."

Luna was telling him he wouldn't find her.

In her mind, it was not because the galaxy was so vast, ever stretching- but rather, she was not sure she could go through it again. Moreover, Vega did not know what she would do if he ever did happen to find her. While shuffling her feet, she wound up just in front of [member="Atretes Rhoujen"]. "Canna get a lift?" slowly she lifted her gaze to meet his. Truly, the woman did not want to see him go, but she also wanted to be as far away from that prison of a planet as she could be.

 

[EmKay]

Rhoujen have a sad smile and hooked an arm around [member="Luna Vega"]'s waist. He ran through what she'd just said a few times, over and over, considering different ways to approach the subject. They walked, by his guidance, back to the KWS Morvak and he was still generating ideas. Then one hit him. He perked up, and leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek. His arm slid away and his hand grasped and intertwined with hers.

"Come on!" he said enthusiastically, then Atretes dragged her off to the ship. He unlocked the door, went in, sat her down in a little sitting area, and collected a few things from various cabinets, drawers, and boxes. He then laid it all out on a crate he dragged over and used as a table. Before Luna's very eyes, Rhoujen fabricated a small microchipped necklace. It wasn't pretty, it looked like a bit of junk tied along a string, because that pretty much was what it was, but it at least was compact and easily hidden.

"The power button is here," he explained as he showed, "the battery here, and the necklace clasp here." as he finished he unscrewed the clasp and held it open.

"It'll let me find you... if you want me to. Wherever you are. It's on the same signal I run my datapad on, so it's essentially hooked up to my own little network, so to speak." he said, his voice wavering a bit. He shuffled a foot and glanced to the side before regaining his excitement and confidence. His eyes met hers and he opened his fingers in an offering gesture while he still held onto the crude little piece of technological accessorising.

"May I?"

 

[Luna Vega]

"Huh?" Before there was even time to ask anything more, the lass was whisked away. Fly by the seat of your pants with no warning, that was the life. Sure as the day was gone, he toted her to the KWS Morvak. She spun in the chair, peering around with wide gray eyes. This actually being the first time she seen the inside, even though she had been in it already, Luna marveled. It had been that long since she had seen... heaven. Never really the type to settle for long on land. "It's nice..." Luna drawled, moving her attention to him.

Normal people would have watched with curiosity, perhaps amazement. Vega was more puzzled, silently slipping the same pieces together in her mind. She knew what [member="Atretes Rhoujen"] was fashioning, given the tech he was using. What she didn't know was why... Maybe she did. The lass swallowed anything she started to think, blinked rapidly to attempt to hold back the collection of emotion threatening to spill from her eyes.

Soft, recently kissed lips parted, "Rhou..." his name was more of a dulcet whimper. All she could do was nod and drop her chin, deflecting the view of her face with shadows and blue-violet bangs. It would seem a normal action, giving ease to the man before her to place the makeshift necklace around her neck. Luna sat still, heart in her throat, waiting.

 

[EmKay]

Atretes smiles slightly, and he stood and took a step toward [member="Luna Vega"]. He knelt before her and swept his hands under her hair, and with a little twist the clasp secured behind her neck. He withdrew his hands and slid them over her shoulders, before he rose his right hand up and brushed the multicoloured hair from her face. His palm caressed her cheek with a tender touch and he lowered his face to hers. His hand guided her chin up, and a heartbeat later his lips met hers in a sweet kiss. He exhaled upon the meeting, and then retracted slowly before he got... carried away.

"So..." Rhoujen muttered bashfully, and without much context or reason. His mind was racing and standing still at the same time, the byproduct of strong emotions and not knowing how to handle them.

 

[Luna Vega]

The age old tale was that women were often the tease. Now, under normal circumstances, Luna would have been sentenced to life, guilty as charged. But this... this was different. Somehow emotions she did not know existed sliced through her like a cutlass; things she often heard other women speak of, but never her. The pirate was perfectly happy... well, being a pirate and trouncing around like a wench. There was never any harm in it, she knew, and the lunatic was always able to go about her way. No emotions, no strings- just basic needs met.

To be fair, she warned him, and if nothing else, her word was gold.

As if on cue, the night before replayed in Luna's mind. It was not as if they were strangers to each other and the lass revisited each touch, sound, and breath. Standing slowly, the tips of fingers skated up his arm and pulling him up in the process. Already moistened lips trailed to the left side until she reached his ear, "I tol'ya, Captain..." the soft skin of her cheek nuzzled his days old scruff, "no to do tha' ahgen." By now her hands had moved up over Rhou's shoulders and skittered up to cradle his face. With her boots on it gave her a couple of inches, but Vega still had to resort to going on her tip-toes to press her lips firmly to his. For no other reason than to hope he lost control.

 

[EmKay]

Rhoujen gasped at her sudden forwardness, but his arms wrapped around her form nearly instantly. Her lips met his, and that meeting was sweet. He sunk into the kiss deeply, and his fingertips slipped under the lower edge of her shirt and brushed against her well-formed lower back. He pulled away from the kiss, suddenly aware of what he was doing, and babbled incoherently. Something between being apologetic, asking permission, and berating himself for killing the moment, all spoken at the same time in a jumbled sentence of nonsense. He had lost control before, but now that he was fully relaxed he was making quite the fool of himself.

He liked her. Hell, he'd say he loved her if asked outright, but he still had the awkwardness around people that set in now that most of the adrenaline had faded. He was calm, and with calm came quirks.

[member="Luna Vega"]

 

[Luna Vega]

"Shut up," she screamed in her head, but it only came out as a taunt of whispers. There was just no way he was getting out of this. Luna pushed- pushed until his back was flat against the wall and [member="Atretes Rhoujen"] had no way to go except through her. Just a hint of her tongue snaked along his lips before she drew his lower out with a soft nip of her teeth. Her nails had raked down his neck, fingers curling about his shoulders. There she traced the thin, but long scratches with fervent licks as her lips journeyed south.

The small, but albeit curvy frame of Luna Vega pressed ever closer to him. That salacious mouth of hers moved with a steady, insatiable hunger along his pulse, the devoured his own once again. If only to catch her breath, she paused, daring to look up into his eyes, not knowing if there was still a fire that burned there.

In a moment of doubt, she panicked, afraid of the rejection that could be there- gray eyes fleeing from his. "Maybe... I should go...."

 

[EmKay]

A gentle yet firm hand gripped [member="Luna Vega"]'s wrist. That hand held her close, and Rhoujen's lips met hers one more. While he had her distracted, he pushed back, removing himself from the wall. With a few small movements, he pressed her to the wall and hiked her up so she was lifted from the ground and sandwiched between the wall and his body. He broke the kiss and his emotion-filled eyes met her own, and his hands set to work removing her upper clothing. With every bit of bare skin that was revealed, he met it with its own personal kiss, until even her bosom was subject to such affections. His lips roamed up her neck and he, perhaps all too eagerly, removed his own shirt and pressed his torso to hers firmly, with his hands planted on either side of her head.

 

[Luna Vega]

There had not been a place that went untraveled last night. It had been different from the first encounter. Perhaps it was because they were safe. Not from eachother, but from that planet they escaped. Luna watched him sleep just a moment more, before carefully slipping from the bed and dressing in his shirt and her trousers. With the little accumulated credits she had, the young pirate had to procure new clothes. She set off to do so, just before dawn, scribbling a small note before she left the KWS Morvak.

In case you wake, know that I will return.
I was in dreadful need of clothes.

Also, a bottle, but she didn't write that down.

It had only been minutes past an hour and she was shuffling back to the space port. Vega had thought nothing of it when she passed the gates earlier and their was no one posted. Now however, there was. "Can't let you pass, lass." the worker said, crossing his arms over his beefy chest.

"Why the frak not?" thin, dark brows drew together. "I just came off that ship an hour ago. Luna Vega."

The man stood unmoving, "That may be, Miss Vega, but your name is not on any list."

"RHOU! RHOU!" she yelled around the man, hoping that [member="Atretes Rhoujen"] could hear her and fix this obvious bollix.

 

[EmKay]

"Clothes, huh. Fair be." Rhoujen said to himself in tones just above a whisper. He stretched out and took a deep breath, then decided to hit the small refresher to clean himself up. The night before... he didn't suspect it'd be something easily forgotten. His muscles were even a little sore, as though he'd gone through a full-body workout. Hot water eased the aches at first, but soon became too hot on his skin and he had to adjust the water to be cooler. He took his time, and when he came out he heard [member="Luna Vega"]'s voice calling out from outside. Naturally, he was concerned about what was the matter. He threw on fresh pants, socks, and a tank top, then thew on his boots quickly and trotted out.

"What's going on here?" he called out, watching the scene. It was rather clear upon observation what was going on, but as a businessman, the docking official answered.

"This woman is not on the list of verifi-" the uniformed man began, but Atretes interrupted him with a raised hand before pushing past him and taking Luna by the hand.

"She's with me." he said simply. He pulled her along back to the KWS Morvak.

 

[Luna Vega]

It may have been a good thing that they weren't staying...

However childish it was, she canted her head back while being whisked away and stuck out her tongue. It was. It was so childish, but it felt good to do it. Everyone hated port authority. Well... until they were on their side. The thought did not last long, stolen outright by the clean smell of his freshly damp skin. Luna shifted closer, easing into the crook of his arm. "You smell good..." the pirate snaked her arm about his waist.

This however, reminding her exactly how long it had been since she actually showered. Sure there was the scrub down at the medic bay. Once Luna entered the ship of [member="Atretes Rhoujen"], she stole a kiss and fled to the refresher. She couldn't peel her clothes off fast enough, but managed to tuck the bag of new ones away so as not to get wet. "Perhaps Corellia..." she spoke loud through the steady streaming water, "or...Nar Shaddaa."

She had scrubbed everything twice causing pools of purple, blue, red, and green to swirl down the drain. Satisfied, she was clean enough, Luna stepped out and dried herself off. "Which way are ya headed?" asked Vega, tugging a clean tank over her head. "Rhou..." his name tipped off her tongue while she shimmied into black panties and a dark brownish-black leather skirt.

The store hadn't had anything that covered her bottom, at least to her satisfaction. Dubious as the clerk was, he talked her into the skirt, though it really wasn't her first or fifth choice. She sighed looking down, then shrugged. to her very soul, she may have acted the wench, but she rarely dressed as one. With a tousle from her fingers through clean, more azure strands of wet hair, Luna swiped the bag and stepped out.

Bare feet padded along the deck until she came behind him, "allo..." she said, slipping a long black coat about his shoulders and tippy-toeing to kiss the side of his neck.