You're My Only Hope...

[Ben Corscifine]

Ben smiled--both at his ability to control the clearly mutual, youthful desire that these two had for each other and at the feeling of having his eyes trained on hers. There was something deep here, mediated by the Force. Jessica may not know that they were both touched by the Force, but it was clear to the pair that they were indeed connected now to something powerful and larger than the both of them. In denying their lust, there was something greater to which the door was opened.

Ben leaned back on the couch, trying to hedge his bets against a reconsideration of his restraint.

"If you asked three, I would do four," he replied, trying his best to be smooth in the face of his obviously flustered state. There was something about this woman that struck him dumb, even in the face of his tendency to fake confidence. There was a touch of vulnerability that she pulled from him. A vulnerability that only rarely showed itself in meditation and fear.

[member="Jessica Justice"]

 

[Jessica Justice]

"Alright..." she started, as she pushed off the sofa, straighting her attire. "Firstly, Ah wish for ye ta always call on me, if'n ye find yeself in trouble. Ah, in return will call ye." She'd start, her first request. "A healthy relationship is give an take, if Ah'm not mistaken." She'd finish, eyes twinkling playfully.

"Secondly, Ah want ye ta trust me. Ye are a special, incredible person. Ye are special, an ye've proven that ta me." The playfulness softened in eyes, into a new expression. "Ah want ta help ye get ahead. Ta see ye soar, like Ah know ye can."

Then she but her lip, nervous, as she paused, contemplating. She'd then nod, mostly to herself. "An third... Ah need ye ta forgive me...." she said, her voice soft as she leaned forward towards Ben. Fingers gently took to his jaw line, angling his face towards hers. Softly, gently, and swiftly, her lips found his.

A gentle kiss, but holding as much passion as the simple gesture was capable of holding. It conveyed much of how she felt to him in that simple exchange of affection.

As she pulled away from him, that soft expression of adoration upon her face, she attempted to maintain her composure and emotions, which were all racing wildly. "And Ah have a fourth... Ah want ta not rush ye, or us, inta anything. Ah want ye respect. Ah want ye friendship. And Ah want ye ta understand that Ah appreciate ye, Ben..."

She could hardly believe she did it. She'd flirted plenty in the past. Broken more hearts than she could count. But Ben.... [member="Ben Corscifine"].... he deserved the best.... so, she was determined to be that.... she had to be....

 

[Ben Corscifine]

It wasn't how he had expected it to be. To say that the young Jedi had not imagined what it would be like to kiss his fiery companion would be a massive lie. He must have looked over her lips and considered it one or more times every ten minutes since he walked onto her ship. He imagined that he would be the initiator, and that it would be like electricity or fire--a spark or explosion.

It wasn't that, though. It was a river: full, sustained in its force and direction. Kissing her was opening the gates to a current that surged forward and forward without climax or end or beginning. He remembered the time he had almost kissed Quinn Colson on Lothal, and how he knew it was the heat of mortal danger that had compelled him. This was cooler, more solid. Something made worth doing by it's passionate rationality.

He didn't want to rush anything either. He wondered how much choice he would have.

On Lothal, restraint was the only virtue. There was no room in the Code for the kind of attachment that came with a relationship like the one he wanted with Jessica. Now his boundaries were less clear than his desires. He smiled, looking at her. He stood and put an arm around her waist, pulling her close. He looked her in the eyes and whispered softly, "I can promise you those things if you can do me just one favor.

I'll need your forgiveness too."

He kissed her back. Just once, like she had. Maybe for a bit longer. He just wanted the record to show that they had both kissed each other. Give and take, like she had said.

[member="Jessica Justice"]

 

[Jessica Justice]

It felt like an eternity, yet not long enough, in the same breath. When he pulled back, the young woman could only stare for a few moments. Those eyes.... those.... damn.... eyes....

Smiling up at Ben, she blinked once, twice, and then a rush of blood came to her face, reddening her complexion suddenly. "Oh.... Ah-Ah-Ah forgive ye." She stuttered, realizing fully how bold she'd been. Under normal circumstances, she would have had no problem teasing, taunting, and flirting a boy around her finger. But this was different. So, completely, different. She cared about this boy, and that kiss.... those kisses.... were something different. She felt her heart racing. She wanted another. She wanted more.

But more than that, she wanted him, this, to be real. So, with a great heave of emotional effort, she gently pressed away from him, her hands sliding down his arms to take his hands in hers. "Ah... Ah think.... it be about time we be.... heading ta bed...." She'd say, trying to compose herself. "Ah.... Have a good night sleep.... an' have sweet dreams." She'd say, slowly pulling away, her fingers slipping out of his hands. It felt like the hardest thing she'd ever done.

"If'n ye be needin' me.... Ah'll be in me bunk..." she'd say, as she headed to her sleeping quarters, the door sliding shut and latching behind her.

[member="Ben Corscifine"]​

 

[Ben Corscifine]

Ben sat back onto his sofa-bed and watched Jessica walk away. She was clearly pleased, although she had barely even given room for him to smile at her words. Maybe he had gotten under the skin of the hard, fierce, young [member="Jessica Justice"], or maybe she had gotten under his. No matter what he did, he could not escape the image of this young woman's eyes so close to his. There were twinges in the Force everywhere where they were together. Ben may be somewhat out of touch with the Force, but this was clear to him.

This woman. There was something simple about it that Ben took so much pleasure in. In his life, there had been commitments, codes in he had been trained to believe, and yet this was just this. It filled him easily, fully, in the small gesture of her smile and her walk. Now that she was out of the room, Ben missed Jessica. That was enough for him to know what his feelings were. Truly, she had come from nowhere, and he was deeply shaken by the events that had transpired since he had come back into contact with her.

Still, there was no denying this.

He dropped his head into his hands, lips tingling. Ben Corscifine closed his eyes and laughed lightly to himself before falling back onto the bed and attempting to pass into the sweetest sleep he had had in months.

 

[Jessica Justice]

As hyperspace streaked by the vessel as the two rested, one more fitfully than the other on the sofa, they enjoyed multiple days company aboard the vessel before reaching their final destination.​

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Their time shared, their fledgling relationship. In rescuing the young Jedi from his hellish catastrophe he had found himself in, the young woman brought him into a new one. A pleasant one. One filled with heartache. One filled with bliss.​

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Though they parted ways on Commenor, they knew this was far from the last time their paths would cross. Far from it.​

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In that rickety ship, the Rowdy Angel, in the midst of hyperspace, began the courtship of one [member="Ben Corscifine"], and one [member=Jessica Justice].​

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The heartaches, the headaches, and the joys that awaited them....​

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To be continued......​