Private Window Shopping

[Wrenarias]

When Dorian tensed up beside her and tightened his grasp on her hand, Wren noticed the subtle shift in his demeanor. There was something on his mind and a strange sense of dread crept up her arm through their touch. While she didn't know exactly what plagued him, she decided to take a slight risk, letting her barrier down for the briefest of moments to allow a comforting reassurance to spread through his hand. Her fingers tightened delicately around his own in a gentle squeeze and then she reestablished her barrier between them.

"No, on all accounts." She replied with a soft chuckle, shaking her head.



Walking into the restaurant was unsettling enough that Wren started to reconsider the entire date. As her eyes glanced around the crowd of diners, she quickly realized that she was the only alien that wasn't an employee at the establishment. With her bare metal cybernetic prosthetic, she stood out all the more.

You've fought in literal war zones. Don't let these people scare you.

She took a deep breath to steel her nerves, following Dorian as he led her through the crowds. Knowing that she didn't actually need to impress any of these people helped her cope with the new situation.

Once they were seated at their table, the twi'lek seemed to noticeably relax. From here she could watch the wealthy elite of Coruscant mull about their evening. People with enough credits that the rest of galaxy was utterly irrelevant. These men and women lived a very different life from Wrenarias. Dorian, she reminded herself, was included among their rank and file.

She was the outsider here in every sense of the word. The only alien. The only one with an exposed prosthetic. The only one who had to check her account before she bought something.

Dorian's voice pulled her out of her wandering thoughts and her attention quickly turned back to him.

"No, no. It's fine. Just trying to avoid making a spectacle of myself." She grinned at him, leaning forward slightly over the table towards him.

"But yeah, you're not wrong about them being a bunch of sno--"

She was interrupted by the server, a pretty human girl, stepping up to the table. The server greeted Dorian with a welcoming and familiar smile. "Good evening, Mr. Harper... and good evening to you as well, Miss..." The blonde woman glanced down to a terminal in her hand. "Sable."

"It's pronounced Sa-bell, actually." Wren said with a friendly smile to the waitress. "But just Wren is fine."

"Of course, my mistake Miss Sabel." The woman nodded once, then looked to Dorian with another smile. "What will you two be having this evening?"

[member="Darth Maliphant"]

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“Surprise us.”, he said; Dorian never even glanced at the various menus and submenus the hologram offered, a hint at his experimentation for the night.

The girl pressed something on her own holopad, and offered them a smile and a departure. Another droid would follow with a different drink - a liquor called ‘Coruscanti Gem’, swirling in the bottle with a magnificent body. Dorian offered two glasses, and the droid poured in both - but as the droid was about to depart - Dorian stopped him.

“Leave the bottle.”, he motioned.

“But Sir, that’ll be One hun-”, it began, but was quickly interrupted as Dorian waved his hand to interrupt him. He didn’t want Wren to know how much he was spending on this.

“Just… leave it, alright?”, and the droid obeyed.

He leaned back in his chair, and sighed gently as he smiled to Wrenarias -

“It’s a pretty place, but a tad noisy.”, he said with an idle fancy.

“Have you talked to Scuf about when you’ll be starting?”, Dorian asked as he tried to make small talk.

[member="Wrenarias"]

 

[Wrenarias]

She arched a brow at the interaction between the droid and Dorian. She knew this was going to be expensive, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Credits were tight, but she still wanted to cover part of the expenses of the date. She'd have to talk to the droid later on about covering some of the bill -- likely while the man was distracted. No doubt he'd argue against her paying for anything.

Still, he made it clear back in his penthouse how often he dealt with people attempting to use him for power, or his wealth, some form of personal gain. She wanted him to know that she had no such intentions.

The twi'lek offered a grateful smile as Dorian handed her the glass, nodding appreciatively. "Thank you."

She took a sip from the glass and her eyes widened slightly from the exquisite taste.

"Mhm. It'll be a few days from now. There's a few errands I need to take care of first. Though, he did mention sending me on a company ship to some station next week... I can't remember the name off the top of my head, to pick up a few specific parts for him."

She cleared her throat and then took a other quick sip from the drink.

"This is kri-- really good." She caught herself before the swear slipped out, not thinking it would be appropriate in a place like this.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Company ship - likely a GS-77. Its what Maliphant used for his apprentices, and by proxy any agents of Jaeger or the IGBC. He smiled at the thought, knowing that the ship was more than capable as serving a mobile home for Wren would she require it - and there was nothing wrong with having personalized South Star’s to accompany her. Dorian took another sip before setting it down -

“It’s the best they have.”, he said with a modicum of pride.

“I’m glad Scuf is keeping you busy, he has a tendency to get caught up in his personal projects - not that there's anything wrong with it - just makes a bad habit out of it.”, Dorian laughed.

“He’s well known for making quality, but that doesn’t mean he’s known for ‘working’, if you get what I mean.”

Mr. Harper readjusted his suit coat as he glanced across the crowd -

“Do you see them?”, he said with a casual point to a table of rich Correlians speak around a larger round table.

“They took a loan from me some time ago - but they’ve refused to pay me.”, he said with a quiet twist of his lips.

“Some of my people tell me they’re a subgroup of the Hutt Cartels; but I’m not sure I believe them. Even still, I’ve thought to bring some extra security to Coruscant - just haven’t had the time.”, he said with a scoff.

“Not to bring up busi-”, he almost finished before a passing couple stopped and looked at the Twi’lek over a few times. Yet just as Dorian was about to intervene, the man spoke up;

“Wrenarias?”

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Her attention had been focused on the cluster of Corellians while Dorian spoke, listening to the explanation curiously. She didn’t mind him including her in on the business, but knowing that there were people with ties to the Cartels still thriving on Coruscant made her uncomfortable.

A frown touched her lips and her brow furrowed. More than a few times she’d been sold to people like that, passed around as a gambling prize or a lost bet. The people Dorian mentioned may not have been slavers themselves, but their presence served as a harsh reminder of the life she’d left behind.

Or at least, the life she thought she’d left behind.

“Wrenarias?” A man spoke, pausing near their table.

She hadn’t seen his face yet, having been too caught up in the conversation with Dorian.

But she didn’t need to see his face. Just the wretched sound of his voice uttering her name caused the twi’lek to go rigid in her seat.

What is he doing here?

Slowly, Wren turned her gaze towards the man who’d stopped at the table, scarcely drawing a breath. She was grateful that Dorian wasn’t touching her in that moment. She’d have been incapable of stopping the twisted mess of emotions that surged through her from slamming into Dorian.

Immediately, she pulled her hands down into her lap as she stared up at one of the faces that haunted her dreams -- Sadavir Duval.

Wren said nothing.

His skin was the same dusky color that she remembered, but there were more wrinkles around his eyes… the laugh lines around his mouth more defined. The thought of this man laughing and smiling made Wren’s blood boil. How dare he get to live a happy life?

He was a prominent figure on Coruscant, owner of several casinos throughout the Core worlds, as well as a conglomerate of shipping and trade companies. The man liked to meddle in politics, using his wealth to influence politicians behind the scenes.

Of course, he also dealt in blackmarket goods as well -- such as slaves.

There was a bright smile on his face when she met his gaze, but Wren could see the sadistic glint in his dark eyes. She also noticed that the woman on his arm wasn’t his wife. No surprise there…

Sadavir muttered something in the girl’s ear and gestured towards the bar. The young woman smiled back at him, kissed his cheek, then slipped away to go get a drink.

“My stars, girl, you look positively divine. How long has it been?” Sadavir asked, tucking his hands into his pockets, his dark eyes sweeping over Wren’s frame. He knew better than to touch her, it seemed.

His gaze shifted to Dorian and he arched a brow, a knowing smirk on his lips. “Dorian Harper. I didn’t realize you’d extended your reach into my neck of the woods.”

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“You know -”, Dorian said as he glanced to the suddenly bothered Wren. She dripped emotion, and it was something Sith knew well - they revelled in using emotion of any sort to power their magicks, and Maliphant was no novice.

“- It’s the oddest thing, Mr. Duval.”, the Sith in disguise offered back.

“I’ve a knack for being everywhere.”

He chuckled, a small laugh as he glanced to his date - but he needed to figure out what exactly their relationship was. She mentioned she hadn’t any powerful exes, and Duval would certainly classify - perhaps he was once her owner? She hadn’t directly mentioned it perhaps, but the Twi'leks have been Ryloth’s largest export for decades - and Duval certainly had his… tastes.

He remained quiet, for the moment - If Duval had a point he intended to make, Maliphant only hoped it’d be done soon. Slavery ruined the taste of his drink, and spoiled the money he spent more - but it was Wrenarias he was concerned for. Long ago he had killed his first slave owners - but Wren never had that satisfaction.

Well, she could, but that wasn’t his choice to make.

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Sadavir’s cruel smile only spread further across his thin lips. He glanced between the pair for a moment, an amused chuckle humming in the back of his throat. If he realized he was interrupting, he didn’t seem to care.

“You’ll have to regale me with the tale of how you came to acquire such a fine prize into your possession.” The man said casually, then turned his piercing gaze back to Wrenarias.

“It seems you’ve been damaged since we last met.” His eyes lingered on the prosthetic lek, but there was a familiar hunger in that gaze.

A shudder rushed down Wren’s spine and nausea nearly spoiled the wine.

She glanced to Dorian out of the corner of her eyes, clearly uncomfortable.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Instead of responding, Dorian slowly moved to stand; even in a disguise he would not have himself taunted by a peon. Slavery was a mockery, Sadavir was a cruel man who thought himself Dorian’s better - he would simply have to explain to him why that simply wasn’t true.

“I don’t think we were ever very friendly with each other, Mr. Duval.”, Dorian said as he broke the man’s bubble by correcting his tie.

A hand slid behind the man’s neck, and with some force, Maliphant brought him forth - There was no need for this to ruin their night. His voice whispered low enough that Wrenarias wouldn’t hear - a dark secret he whispered to Duval through the Force. It was illusionary magic travelling through word, so she couldn’t tell what he had done.

Duval however, would understand - whether he cared to or not. A simple command spell that saw the man of weaker will, of weaker resolve simply melt in Maliphant’s hand.
“You will apologize.”, he whispered, and then he pulled back; still correcting the man’s tie.

“I’d hate for your untimely arrival to ruin our evening, Mr. Duval. Is there anything else you’d like to say before you… scamper off?”

Dorian watched the man with an ill intent, and his hands tightened on his collar; though they may not have been in a place that would harm him, it was a threat if there ever was one - all without the Force to back him.

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Sadavir tensed at first when Dorian grabbed him, but that tension faded as the words were whispered in his ear. He cleared his throat once, blinking twice.

“Ah... “ He turned his gaze to Wrenarias, pushing his shock of black hair out of his face. “I must apologize for my interruption and my behavior. May you both enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Duval took a few steps away from Dorian, not turning his back until he was well outside of arms’ reach. As quickly as he appeared, the man vanished into the crowd, likely moving off to find the mistress he’d brought with him for the night.

Wrenarias watched the entire bizarre exchange with a puzzled expression. The way her date moved reminded her of a predator stalking its prey -- every move slow and deliberate. He made no outright violent threats, but the power dynamic was clear. Dorian would not tolerate Duval’s presence. Her head tilted discreetly. Was this a glimpse of the beast she’d seen previously?

She chewed her bottom lip as Duval scampered off, leaving her and Dorian alone at the table.

“I… I’m sorry about that.” She mumbled softly, squeezing her hands together in her lap.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

The Banker smoothed out his shirt, offering her none of the predatory instinct he had shown Duval - instead, he simply smiled. He corrected his hair, found his seat across from her once more, and sighed;

“Don’t… Be sorry. I can’t stand his kind.”, he as he glanced to make sure the man had departed - although, he instinctively knew he was.

“As long as you’re with me, Wren, you don’t have to worry about people like that.”, Dorian said as he looked at her a touch more confidently, hoping to reassure her. Beneath the table, he rested his foot gently against hers -

Not so much a playful gesture, as a sign of assurance. A way to bridge the gap between them, in a way she still likely wasn’t used to. Dorian watched her, made sure she wouldn’t retract, and took a drink of his cup once more - hopefully with no further intrusions from would be slavers with a xeno fetish.

At last, their appetizers came; a lettuce wrapped set of zesty bantha meat spread in a high quality sauce that felt more like an out of body experience than a food. Dorian took it, closed his eyes, and let the juices run just barely over his lip as he hummed something softly.

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Not having been expecting Dorian to put his foot against her own, Wren wasn’t prepared to prevent that connection from forging between them through the contact. He’d feel her uncertainty, fear, and… rage smoldering in her gut. The sensation would be akin to a heated jolt lancing through his leg.

If he didn’t immediately remove his foot, however, he’d feel that discomfort dissipate as Wren grappled the bridge under control -- the sensation that came from touching her shifting to a pleasant warmth once more.

She expelled a soft breath, slowly. The tension ebbed from her shoulders and she forced herself to relax.

A soft smile spread across her lips after his reassurance. Yet another foreign experience for the woman -- someone looking out for her. She wasn’t sure what to make of the development.

Nevertheless, she didn’t pull away from him.

When the appetizer arrived, she seemed skeptical and watched Dorian eat his wrap first to see just how she was supposed to go about doing the same. She smirked, amused by her own hesitation, and took a bite from the food.

It was utterly delicious. She’d never tasted something so rich with flavor.

“I appreciate it.” She finally spoke after swallowing her first bite.

“But…still. I shouldn’t have frozen up like that.” Wren added with a low murmur, then popped the rest of the steak wrap into her mouth, savoring the delicious morsel.

“Not like you can always be there, after all.”

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“Who knows, maybe I can be.”, he laughed -

Though it was hard to say. Inevitably, what mattered is how Wrenarias handled herself in the future - her emotions. Maliphant could feel the hatred she held in her, how tense it had made her - like she was ready to jump out of her seat at the man at any second. A coiled snake, but one with docility beaten into them.

It’d be trouble if she was being trained as a Jedi, they’d never tolerate such emotion.

Dorian glanced to the floor where the band played, and a hundred couples or more twirled and danced to their hearts content - and Harper wanted in. He slowly stood from his seat once more, after eating another wrap, and took from his pocket a set of gloves. They were sealed, specially designed to help deal with this specific situation - though they lacked the alchemy that would’ve made them essentially for it; he couldn’t risk her seeing his work, not yet.

Dawning them, he offered her a hand and a smile -

“Come on, let's dance while we wait for our meal.”

He wouldn’t take no for an answer, and as he led her through the crowds to a more open spot near the center, he let the sway of the music fill his ears as he hummed along. He once ran a nightclub with a zero g generator all throughout the center column, and it had done him well enough for years - though it hardly made a profit, it certainly helped to refine his dancing skills.

Dorian hesitated before resting a hand on her hip, and the other on her hand. They were close, closer than they had ever been - but he took care not to let the skin exposed to touch. He didn’t want to make her more uncomfortable than she needed to be -

He spoke low as they swayed, dancing to the sounds orchestrated by the magnificent band -

“It can take… years, to break free of the damage they do. Some never recover - I know better than most.”, he said with a touch of sadness in his tone, though tempered by the joy he tried to hide from their proximity.

“I once carried my own scars - harsh things that ran down my back from every lesson they taught. They’re gone now, and inevitably they’ll be gone from you too - it just… It takes time, Wren.”

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

As one might have expected from a twi’lek, Wren was a natural dancer. Even without practice, she was able to follow Dorian’s lead through the steps of the dance with relatively little difficulty. Where she did falter, she made up for by adding her own steps in rhythm to the music. It meant that the pair didn’t move in perfect tandem with the other couples on the dance floor, but Wren thought that suited them better anyways. Neither of them belonged to this particular crowd.

The gloves were intriguing, and she wondered where he’d gotten something like that at such short notice. Where it touched her, she only felt the weight of his hand. It was strange to not feel the warmth of the connection flowing between herself and another person while this close to him.

While they danced her face was close to his, tilted slightly to the side so that they could quietly murmur in one another’s ear without being overheard by the other dancers. It was an almost intimate moment.

Her heart raced in her chest, though whether from the excitement of being so close to him or just due to the exhilaration of the dance, she couldn’t say. Perhaps it was a combination of the two.

She pulled her head back just enough to meet his gaze, her lavender eyes searching his striking blue.

“I know… it’s just…” She took a breath and then slowly exhaled, glancing down between them for a moment, her hand tightened slightly in his and the hand resting on his shoulder gripped him a little more firmly.

“Thank you, Dorian. For understanding… and for sticking up for me.” She finally whispered, raising her gaze to meet his once more.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Dorian offered a gentle, appreciative smile in return to hers. It was an intimate moment, and were he a more dull man - he would have leaned forward to kiss her; but he resisted. As stout as he was a Sith Lord, he had his… hiccups. Instead he paused, and spoke as he slowly removed the gloves -

“You don’t need to thank me for giving you what you deserve.”, he said quietly.

When he hands were free, he slowly brought her back in; though far closer than she was before. With the open back of her dress, he let one of his hands slide to the small of her back - concentrating all the while to keep whatever discomfort she might’ve felt from him gone. Instead of the sleeping creature she once saw, she only felt a warm, almost pink tenderness that floated through his skin and into hers.

In many ways, it was just as tender as an embrace - and for her, he hoped it wasn’t as debilitating as it tended to be. To feel his emotions, it was simply something he couldn’t hide - and only hoped she would feel the comfort he hoped she would.

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Her brow furrowed slightly as he slowly removed the gloves and then pulled her closer to him. For the first time in years, Wren felt someone's hand intentionally touch her bare skin. This was the first time she'd felt a tender caress -- any other touch had been intended to inflict some sort of harm.

They were so close to each other that their chests nearly touched. Wren found herself wanting nothing more in that moment than to rest her head on Dorian's shoulder… but she resisted the urge.

She felt her breath hitch in her throat, the soothing sensation he offered chasing away the fear and discomfort she might have felt. Questions came to mind, when she realized that he was showing her his emotions, but they stayed locked away behind her lips for now.

Instead, Wren took a chance and let the wall come down -- even if it was just a little. A calm, content aura swept through them both wherever their bodies touched. It seemed to blend with Dorian's sentiments, embracing them.

She wanted to ask how, but stopped herself short. Later there would be time. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the moment as they danced the night away.

"This is… nice." She murmured softly.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Dorian pulled her close as she spoke, resting his cheek against her head, and hers in the crook of his neck. A hand carefully trailed around her lekku, before the gentle touch of his fingers were no more than a massaging, rhythmic pressure. He offered his own quiet regard -

“Very.”

He took care to offer her a gentle touch, running his fingers down her spine in a slow, light way. She hadn’t seen touch, and certainly not a friendly one in some time he imagined; and it only seemed right to offer that to her. The music continued, and he carefully stroked in time with the tones before nuzzling his head into her own.

“You should be proud of these… abilities, Wren.”, he offered quietly.

“When we go back to the Penthouse, I’d love for you to show me more. Of how much you can feel; but at your speed. I want to feel everything you’re afraid to show.”

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

With her forehead nestled against the curve of his neck, Wren closed her eyes and let herself relax into him. It was easy to forget about the crowd of dancers surrounding them. His tender caress tracing over her lekku sent a discreet shiver through the twi'lek, a pleasant hum purred in her throat. An almost shy smile settled over Wren's features, the corners of her lips subtly curling upwards. As his fingers traced the delicate contour of her spine, Wren took a deep breath through her nose and slowly exhaled. Her breath tickled across his throat.

She was content here.

It was almost strange to enjoy herself. As if the entire concept was some exotic custom she wasn't familiar with. There was no battle to be fought here, the air was heavy with the scent of expensive perfumes and delicious food -- not blood and smoke. Instead of a shock collar she wore an elegant necklace. In place of armor, a dress hugged her figure. Was it so wrong of her to enjoy this moment? There was so much pain in her past, so much damage inflicted -- both physically and mentally, that Wren couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't deserve this treatment. Or that maybe this was all just a dream.

If it is just a dream… then it is a good one.

"I'll try." She finally spoke, her voice a low whisper that only Dorian could hear.

Wren leaned into Dorian, letting their connection blossom a little further. She didn't completely let the barrier come crashing down. There were too many questions and there were far too many others here. If someone accidentally touched her, and they weren't expecting it like Dorian was, her psyche could very well overwhelm their own if she didn't keep herself in check.

The hand that hand been gripping his shoulder moved to lightly rest against his chest, just below her face, while the other loosely held Dorian's.

As they immersed themselves in the dance, there were displeased looks shot their way from a few couples on the dance floor, but most paid them no mind. Wren didn't notice, her face nestled against Dorian's throat, hiding the world from view.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Slow and methodical, Maliphant ignored the various eyes that pried. It was common, but more so that despite all the ‘evil’ he was purported to have, he carried none of the conventional disregard so many of the galaxy chose to. It was an odd thing, to be demonized, to murder, to see entire worlds subjugated to his will -

But he still cared for people.

The duality of man beat in his blood like a hammer on tempered steel, firey and burning with passion. A hypocrisy of ideologies, of corruption to its highest order.

Yet Wren would see none of it, and as they danced the song away he closed his eyes and enjoyed the peace of it. Quiet, serene, it wasn’t something he was used to - always fighting, always carefully choosing his words in Dun Moch; going as far to put on such a vivid persona of a man untouchable by the greater galaxy. The invulnerable, the omnipotent, the beast that was Darth Maliphant - and yet he had only barely grown from the beaten and battered Slave he was only years before.

Eventually, the song ended and he stopped, smiling softly as he glanced around to the others - then back to her.

“We should head back to the table, I’m sure our food is ready for us.”

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Almost reluctantly, Wren took a step back from Dorian as the music came to an end. There was a brief interlude between songs, giving them time to untangle themselves from the crowd. A moment later, another song filled the room and the couple's all around them were moving once again.

Wren glanced over her shoulder towards the whirling people and smiled faintly. They looked like elegant bits of ribbon flitting in the wind. It was a charming sight, even if half of them were horrible people.

As they made their way back to their table, the server ducked back into the kitchen and arrived with their entrees in hand after they were seated.

Dorian's plate looked to be an exotic bird of some sort with pasta and bread rolls. While Wren's dish was a pink slice of seared fish and vegetables. Both looked absolutely delicious and were arranged in such a way that Wren felt a little guilty for eating it -- like tearing apart a piece of art.

She glanced up to her date after taking a few bites of her food. "This really has been… an incredible night. Thank you for inviting me out, Dorian."

She gestured towards his plate with her fork. "How's your uh… I have no idea what that is. Dantooine pheasant?"

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“It's good, but I uh -”, he paused as he winked to her,

“I enjoy my meat a touch more raw.”

He laughed, quickly stuffing his mouth with an extra bite of the bird; taking care not to offer her a food filled toothy grin, he enjoyed his meal. Afterall, the restaurant hardly made anything of poor quality - it simply wasn't he had expected; yet it tasted delicious nonetheless. Suppose that was the strength and the downside of ordering off a surprise.

“Did you uh…”, he paused as he moved some of the food around.

He almost avoided her gaze as he thought about finishing his question - and only did so when his fork had stabbed a piece of meat, forcing its juices to spill out over the plate. It drew his attention, if not for a moment, but casually faded as he looked back to her -

“Did you want to get out of here, Wren? Go back to the penthouse?”

Wrenarias