A Return to the Homestead

[Kori Buor]

Lorrd
​

It had been weeks since Aethon Kast had seen the place he had begun to call home. Adella had picked the place, after all, she was the Lorrdian and she knew what place to buy and where to buy it on her homeworld. Personally, Aethon probably would have taken anything so long as it gave him a small room for his armor and his weapons when he needed to be alone. Having a bedroom, bathroom, a decent kitchen, and place where he could spend time with Adella were the only standard requirements that a home would need, beyond his version of the "man cave" that is. Anything more than that would have been a bonus, something Aethon might have enjoyed, but really didn't put too much stock into needing it.

Their ship had just landed at the spaceport, and now they were on the way to their little abode. Speeders raced back and forth as the two rode to their destination. The traffic was normal for the city and the time of day it was, and while Aethon had eventually gotten used to it, and Adella had grown up with it, the Mandalorian still hated the hustle and bustle. Part of him wished to return to his home on Mandalore, where it was quieter, and where the people were more closely tight-knit. As the sun began its lazy descent towards the horizon from its zenith, it made the air feel warm and comfortable.

Thinking about what it would be like when they got home, Aethon looked at the woman in the passenger seat of their speeder and gave her a light smile. It felt delightful to have her back. close to him, her hand in his, able to smell her and feel her. "Happy to finally be back and see our home again? I tried not to change too much, but it definitely has been lacking your touch. I'm sure you'll notice."

@skyggedal

 

[skyggedal]

It was good to be back. To breathe the air, its unique scent a mixture of the spices, plants, food and people who made up the Lorrdian atmosphere. It brought back memories of her childhood, of the time before her life had turned into one spaceport after the next, smells of life and spice replaced by those of oil and steel.

Adella had been the one to pick the modest, two-story apartment in an apartment complex on the west side of the city. Although the thought had crossed her mind a few times in the past year, she hadn't been able to return, to face the memories this place held for her. She squeezed Aethon's hand gently, smiling back at him as he guided the speeder towards their garage.

The complex was of a reasonably modern style, but what had really drawn her attention back then was the spacious adjoining private garage, where she could keep a collection of tools and projects as well as their speeders.

The apartment itself consisted of a short entry hall that led into a large living room with a fully equipped kitchen in one corner, and large windows facing the sunset. Stairs led up from the living room to the second floor, dominated by a master bedroom, but which also featured two smaller bedrooms and a large bathroom. Aethon had claimed one of the smaller rooms for his things, and Adella had used the other as an office so she could work from home. It had served them well, but they had been talking about moving before their year apart.

She got out of the speeder after they touched down on the floor of the garage, waited for Aethon and hugged him close. Words couldn't really begin to express how she felt.

@Kori Buor

 

[Kori Buor]

As Aethon parked his speeder in their garage, he smiled as he felt Adella squeeze his hand. It felt so good to have her back with him. She was all he had wanted in the last year; not having her was almost too much for him to handle. His actions in searching for her was a desperate man who had been hurt one too many times by a woman, and who was not going to sit by and give up on her like he had done the last time. No, he had finally found something good. Adella was good for him, and he wasn't going to give up on her. He needed her.

As they stepped out of the speeder, he helped the dark-skinned beauty step out before she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and held him close. Closing his eyes, he matched her, squeezing her small frame close to his body. "I'm so glad you're home here with me." He whispered into her ear as he held her. They must have stayed there for several minutes, not moving besides his hands rubbing her back.

After a while, he pulled away and leaned in to give her a kiss. "You're going to stay here with me this time, right?" He asked as his hands dropped down her back, tracing their way up forearms until he was holding her hands. "No more sudden disappearances without a heads up and a promise to return?" He gave her a soft, playful smile.

Pulling her along, Aethon led her into their apartment. Making their way to the living room, Aethon sat down on the sofa, and pulled her down with him. Leaning against the back, he looked into her dark eyes. "So, what now?"