Ask Coruscant Awkwardness and Desperation

[Talak Rand]

Talak could feel her heart beating against his chest, and she would feel his matching hers at every step. Even though the kiss was over, he didn't pull away from her. He saw her look down, but he didn't know what it was that was in her gaze. Shame? Embarrassment? Stop assuming the worst, he reprimanded.

I'm here... he started. He didn't know what to say. There were so many reasons he was here, but the bottom line was that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. But even saying that he feared would drive her away.

I'm here because I care. A lot, he said. It wasn't eloquent or deeply romantic, but it was true. He wanted to say that he didn't want to lose her, but he feared the implications of that. She was still a completely mystery to him in so, so many ways. She kept herself walled off, and he had no delusions that she was going to immediately drop her walls.

And no matter where I go or what I do... I always end up finding my way back, and that won't change unless you want it to, he said. He knew she had... some sort of feelings for him. Some sort of attraction, but he wasn't even sure she knew the extent of it or would admit it.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys lifted her gaze to meet his, her piercing blue eyes gazing into his almost yellow ones. She knew his words were genuine, and she knew how he felt about her. Trys hadn’t looked into herself in that regard, and she had put up so many walls for years. She looked away for a moment, though she still didn’t pull back from him.

“You know I have a lot of baggage,” She sighed, finally stepping back from him. Trys ran her fingers through her hair, looking away, “I have a kid, I’m hunting the organization you’re a part of,” She turned to look at him, “I guess I don’t know what you’re wanting from me.”

Normally Trys was entirely sure of herself, but this felt like uncharted waters. She wanted to be impulsive and think of nothing else, but she knew his feelings ran deep. Trys couldn’t deny that she cared for him as well, but she had many more years of being guarded in that aspect.

She didn’t exactly run from him, but she didn’t close the distance either. They were on opposite sides in many ways - she fought for the law, and he worked against it in many ways. He may have had a noble heart, but his actions were no different than the Jedi she had put in prison.

 

[Talak Rand]

He knew that she was struggling with this, and he could understand even if he couldn't fully comprehend it. They would both be in danger if they did this, and he didn't know if that was something she could live with. He certainly hoped it was because it was something he was willing to live with.

She stepped back and he watched her closely, those eyes of his staring with a familiar intensity. Although she averted her eyes at first, he didn't relent. She talked about her baggage, but none of it represented things he hadn't already considered.

I have my own baggage. I'm part of that organization you're hunting, he started, but he sensed her son was the greater thing she was worried about. If he were being honest, he wasn't entirely sure how to handle a kid, but he was willing to make it work.

And your son... I haven't met him, but I'd like to eventually, he said. Of course, that would only be after she was comfortable with it. He wasn't going to push for it until she was ready.

He paused a moment as he thought about what he wanted her. He didn't think he could put it into words easily. Defining exactly what their relationship would look like wouldn't be easy, but he was also far more impulsive than she was.

It's... what you said back on that day you left me on my ship. I want you. However I can have you and whenever I can have you, he said with an awkward smile. He though he would have walked away from the Sith if she'd asked, but he also didn't think she would ask. She was so complex, though, and at any moment he was at a loss as to what she would do next.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys couldn’t help but find him endearing when he was like this. He had so many different sides to him - and she couldn’t believe this was the same man that could strike fear into others. She had to remember this was the same man from the Hutt footage, the same one that didn’t hesitate to slay so many in his path. And yet here he was awkwardly laying out his vulnerabilities and putting himself into a place he couldn’t return from.

She stepped forth after a moment, conflicted internally. Trys had to find a balance between what was giving into her own desires and potentially hurting him. She didn’t have a history of being entirely emotional, and her own ineptitude in the field left her feeling frustrated. Trys reached her hand out, brushing a few strands of his hair away from his face as she looked at him, “And what if I never want to belong to anyone?” She had been on her own truly for as long as she could remember. That didn’t mean she didn’t indulge in desires.

He was younger than her, and his perspective on everything would be so different than hers. Trys felt a pang of guilt, but she also felt a sense of exhilaration. Which path was the right one to take at this juncture? Before she could answer the question, her fingers were seemingly moving of their own accord, sliding down his shoulder and down the front of his chest. She hooked her fingers along the robes, tugging just slight enough to reveal some of the skin of his chest. She paused then, seeing the black streaks that still remained there. Trys stared at it, thinking about the order his leader had issued on his people to hunt her, “You’re in just as much danger…” She said barely above a whisper.

 

[Talak Rand]

He watched as she stepped toward him, a sense of anticipation growing. He felt her hand against his hair and savored even the lightest touch of her skin against his as her hand brushed against his forehead. What if she didn't ever want to be anyone's? He didn't know, but he doubted that.

Don't you? he asked quietly. Perhaps it would prove to be true, but the way that she looked at him said otherwise. She looked at him the way he looked at her. Her ice-blue eyes could be just as cutting in their intensity as his.

He felt her hand snake down his chest, tugging at his clothes. He saw the way her eyes scanned over his injuries and the dangers they represented. He knew that she didn't want him protecting her, but he would have happily stood in front of another crackling wave of lightning for her.

He heard her softly whisper about his danger, and he smiled slightly. His hand glided gently over her arm and up to her face until it rested against her cheek and his eyes stared into hers. He could have been lost in those eyes for hours without difficulty.

Happily in danger if it means I'm with you, he said. Whether he was here with her or out there doing his own job, he was always in danger. He would have much rather stood next to her in the danger than die alone on some no-name world.

Scars are only skin deep, he said. His hand layered over his and guided her hand against his skin. She would be able to feel his heart pounding furiously and he didn't care. This was something he'd wanted for a very long time, and he knew she did too.

Before she could worry anymore he leaned in and began to gently plant kisses along her lips. I'm only here for you, he whispered against her lips. He'd flown halfway across the galaxy and dropped all of his conspiracies to see her, and he had no regrets. If she ever needed him, he would always be there.

 

[Trys Aran]

When he questioned her, Trys couldn’t help but chuckle, meeting his gaze, “I’ve always been fleeting,” She said quietly, her fingers working to undo the belt that went over his robes, letting it slide to the floor, “I’m still the same person that left you on your ship,” Trys didn’t want him to have any illusions about her suddenly changing. She could be impulsive, and she could be unpredictable. There were no guarantees with her.

She had to grin again as he spoke about being in danger if it meant being with her. Trys found him amusingly cheesy, and she was about to say it aloud, but he leaned in and placed feathery soft kisses along her lips. She couldn’t help but give into it, feeling a rush through her body as she allowed herself to step over a threshold she said she wouldn’t.

Her fingers curled into his hair, and she captured his lips as he finished speaking. There was a sense of urgency in her movements, different layers of his clothing - there were far too many - sliding off. It was moments before she could see his bare torso, her eyes roaming over the black marks and the burn injury on his shoulder that she left. Trys leaned in to kiss softly against that burn, smiling against it, “Sorry about this,” She murmured against his skin, pressing her body close to his.

 

[Talak Rand]

He wasn't sure what it would mean that she was so fleeting, but he hoped it wasn't an excuse for her to flit away as soon as today was over. He didn't give it any more thought now, though. He wanted to enjoy this rather than worry about what would or wouldn't come in the future.

She gave in to the passion of the kiss, and he responded in kind. His explored and deepened the kiss, letting all his passion flow freely. Luckily, he was an expert at taking off his robes - having done so thousands of times over the years - he was able to clear off everything in short order, leaving him in only his bottommost clothes.

His hands slipped up under her tanktop for the first time, sliding along her smooth skin and sliding it up over her head. She leaned forward and kissed the twisted scar on his shoulder that she had placed there and he smiled as she apologized. She pressed her body up against his, and he pulled her in as well.

He started to kiss the tattoos lining her shoulders and up to her neck, savoring the skin at the crook of her neck. I think I'll come to forgive you, he murmured amusedly. He didn't hold it against her. It was... a tattoo to remind him of her.

His hands wrapped around her rear and hoisted her up so she could wrap her legs around him as he carried her toward her bed. His lips locked with hers again. I've wanted this... since that first... time you kissed me, he gasped between breaths. Oh yes, he'd been breaking rule number three since... before rule number three was a thing. She was a piece of his life that he didn't want to give up. She was something he didn't want to live without. She was so many things that he didn't feel he could tell her, so spoke it through his actions.

 

[Trys Aran]

---​

When Talak first showed up at her place, she certainly hadn’t expected things to take such a turn. She found herself entangled with him in her bed, still still reeling from their lovemaking. Trys wasn’t exactly the type to stay and cuddle, but she found herself wrapped up in his arms at least for now.

“This doesn’t change anything about rule number 3, you know,” Trys murmured quietly, tilting her head up to look at him with a grin. She had gotten up in the morning expecting to go for a run, and she certainly had a different outcome in terms of a workout. Trys was about to say something else when her comlink began to buzz.

She lazily slapped her hand around the side of the bed to grab it, bringing it up to stare at the message. Her eyes immediately went wide and she bolted upright, pulling away from Talak at once, “Shit!” Trys hissed, looking over at Talak, “My son’s coming home early. You need to leave!”

She hoped he wouldn’t take it personally, but she had no real time to explain or sugarcoat things. Trys sprang up from the bed, quickly gathering up her underwear and frantically putting on a new set of clothing. She hadn’t even had the luxury of showering, and she knew she only had minutes before he arrived.

Trys looked at Talak for a moment, and he never would have seen this much panic on her face. It was the kind of panic he was possibly expecting when he told her the Eternal was coming for her, but instead it was because of this, “Can you uh….find a way to get out other than the front door?” This was so embarrassing...

 

[Talak Rand]

He was about to make a very snarky reply about rule number three when she began to panic in a way that he hadn't even seen. The urgency was palpable enough in the Force that he also felt incredibly urged, and she would - if she took even a moment from her own panic - quite an impressive display of him dressing himself with a combination of his own hands and the Force. He managed to be completely clothed again in a minute flat.

He probably should have been a little bit offended at the urgency with which she didn't want her son to meet him, but he could partially understand. Moreover, this really wasn't the first impression he wanted to have with the kid either. He was hoping they would get to know each other and first impressions were important.

He finished and stood there looking at her for a moment. He glanced back over his shoulder at where the paints he had used were and frowned. Can you hold onto those for me? he asked.

He actually cough laughed a moment as she asked him to climb out a window. He moved back toward the bedroom and as he passed her, stole a kiss, which given the circumstances might have been a surprise. He didn't care.

You better call me. I'm not some hooker you can just have your way with and then send away, he said quietly, trying to suppress the outright laugh that was creeping up. Perhaps she wouldn't think it was as funny as he did, but at the least it would indicate he wasn't offended as he climbed out the window, glanced around to make sure no one was there, and promptly dropped three straight stories before coming to a graceful landing below. The Force had its uses in all kinds of uses. In fact, if she had never seen it done before, it might lend itself to her panic even more that he was about to break his leg. Oh, who was he kidding, she was way more worried about her son than him.

He started the long walk back to his ship promptly after that, but he had no intention of leaving Coruscant. A shower wouldn't do him poorly though...

 

[Trys Aran]

It wasn’t until the next day that he would see her again. Trys had told him ahead of time that she wouldn’t see him till the following day, and she took that time to spend with her son. Of course, Crix had plans of his own and had already set off with friends again. The teen was incredibly social and had no intention of spending more than just an evening with his poor mom.

This gave Trys a window to go out meet Talak. It didn’t take her long to get to his ship, and she took in sight of how familiar it had become to her now. The last time she saw it was when she told herself she would never see him again. And now here she was showing up again after they had…

Trys tossed her cigarra aside, putting it out before she made her way to the ramp. Her smoking habit had gotten worse since the Jedi business and being on Holonet. The flower killer was still on the loose, and now apparently the leader of a terrorist organization wanted her head.

She walked up to the door and knocked on it. Trys knew she would like to see Artee again, and she wondered if Talak still kept in touch with the Zilkin slicer. The little alien came in quite handy in their efforts, and there was always a shortage of good slicers.

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak hadn't had such a bad day. He'd gone back to the Nomad, washed up, and had time to "kick back" for the rest of the day. The reality, however, was that him kicking back had consisted of training for several hours and then sitting out in the caf shop across from Trys's apartment for part of the night while he clicked on his datapad and worked on his plots and schemes. Research for his next Arcanist hits, plans for what to do with the Sith Eternal, and ways to institute his own takeover. Just normal caf shop things...

Regardless of what happened, he'd already decided that barring feeling something in the Force that signaled some sort of an attack, he wouldn't actually reach out to Trys until she was ready. Things had... advanced beyond what either of them had expected.

When the night - and therefore the greater danger - had passed, he returned to the Nomad and got ready for the next day.

The knock on the door had him open immediately, and after checking that it was who he expected, he opened the door with a smile.

Welcome back! he said, standing aside and waving for her to come inside.

He realized that for a moment he didn't actually know what to say... he couldn't only assume she wouldn't want to talk about... it, but he was still glad to see her.

Can I get... and that was all the further that he got before, oh yes, you know it's Artee.

With a telltale whirring sound of repulsorlift, the little droid appeared at almost a sprinting speed.

Mistress Trys! You've returned! It has been far too long, and Master Talak has only been seeing you off the ship, he said, angrily whirring his head to look at Talak as his body kept moving toward Trys, readily enveloping her in the most awkward mechanical hug ever.

 

[Trys Aran]

She couldn’t help but notice that he was almost...giddy. Trys had to keep from cracking a grin. Her demeanor hadn’t changed, but that was because she was much more reserved by nature. Trys offered him a smile and stepped in, spotting Artee at once. She almost thought he was going to zoom in and collide against her, but she had to chuckle softly at his words.

“He hasn’t been seeing me very much, don’t worry,” Trys said as she took in sight of the interior again. She glanced over at Talak, “Do you still live on your ship? You really ought to get a real job,” Trys shook her head, wondering exactly how much being a professional terrorist paid.

She plopped down on the couch, running her fingers through her hair, “Sorry I uh...kicked you out like that,” She said after a moment, “But thanks for understanding,” Trys knew it was awkward, and she had actually rushed to the window when she saw him casually jump out. It took her a moment to remember he had supernatural abilities, and he clearly didn’t end up with his bone popping out of his leg like she had the last time she went out a window.

“I don’t think you need to be stuck here, Talak,” Trys said, changing topics back to the reason he had arrived in the first place, “I really don’t think your leader is going to come here. The Jedi are actively working on finding out more about your kind. He’s going to have his hands full.”

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak squinted at her as she asked him if he still lived on his ship. What's wrong with my ship? he asked grumpily. He liked his ship for a lot of reasons. It was very practical for someone like him. A real job? That brought him back to his consideration of joining the Guild, but these days he was already pretty busy.

He took a seat on a couch as well directly across from her and reclined comfortably as she apologized about yesterday. He waved her off.

It's fine, he said, not seeming to hold any particular grudge about the issue. Things like that happened. I don't think that would have been a very good first impression, he said, quirking his eyebrow. He didn't know if he would actually meet her son any time soon, but he hoped at some point he would... and with a better impression than that.

His mouth twisted around a bit as she mentioned that he didn't need to stay here on Coruscant. He knew that he couldn't stay here indefinitely, but he also knew that he might be able to cut off at the pass if something happened in the next few days.

I can't stay here forever, he said after a moment, But I also like being here. It wasn't clear if he liked being here because of her or just because of the planet. In truth, it was both.

Besides, most of what I'm working on right now I can be here for anyway, he said as his fingers drummed along the couch.

I know you're not going to leave, but I was thinking... I know you're not my responsibility, but I was wondering if you would mind me working to set up a plan or... escape route for you and your son if something does happen, he asked. He honestly didn't know how she would respond to his request, but he tried to present it in as non-confrontational a way as he could.

Never mind, that's dumb. You probably have your own Sector Ranger ways to do that, he said after a moment. It was probably as much to appease himself as help her anyway. He just hated the idea that he wasn't doing something to help even if she didn't want it.

Are you allowed to talk about your investigation or is that a wild conflict of interest? he asked with a smirk. Obviously he was one of the people she was technically hunting, but he'd also been a valuable point of information for her investigation. It walked an odd line between conflict of interest and valuable informant.

Also, congratulations on your promotion, Lieutenant, he said, recalling what he had seen on the holonet during her announcement.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys observed him as he more or less talked to himself, finding it rather entertaining. She wasn’t used to having people fuss over her, and this was a mixture of strange and endearing. Trys gave him a grin, “If you want to come up with an escape plan, I won’t stop you. Just don’t expect me to jump and run at the first sign of trouble. Both my son and I are hardy people and can handle most situations.”

When he asked about her investigations, Trys had to laugh softly, “Well, most of it involves your people,” She admitted, leaning back in the couch with a sigh, “I have to go out and find this Arcanist bastard,” Trys said as she gazed up at the ceiling, “We don’t have much to pin on him outside of killing slavers, but the Hutts have actually been pleading for us to look into it. So now it’s my problem to track him and his little sidekick.”

Trys looked up at Artee who happily brought over some wine, and she took a glass. She turned to Talak and raised the glass, “Oh yeah, here’s to being lieutenant so I have more of your messes to clean up,” Trys grinned as she took a sip.

“I think I need to start wearing a wig or something,” She thought about her time on Holonet, “I’ve had too many people recognizing me lately. I don’t like that kind of attention.”

 

[Talak Rand]

He was a bit surprised she consented to his little escape plan idea. Well, that was at least something, though as he thought about what she said, he started to wonder if there was any scenario in which she would actually use it. A Sith could probably show up in her house and she'd decide that it wasn't really a threat. Sometimes she could be infuriating...

As she started talking about the Arcanist, he suddenly became hyperaware of every one of his movements as he tried not to look too guilty. Oh wow, she really had some strong opinions about him, didn't she? So this probably wouldn't be the best time to mention who was actually under the mask... He's - I'm - only killing bad guys!? Why does no one get this?! he was all but screaming in his mind as he stuffed his face full of wine glass and grunted into the glass in acknowledgement.

A wig? he asked with a dubious look on his face. I dunno, I feel like you'd wear it for one day and be sick of it, he said. She seemed like a short hair person for a reason, but who knew?

Hazards of being famous, he said with a smirk. Maybe you can turn that fame into money, he said before suddenly perking up.

Which reminds me, he said, standing an disappearing into one of the halls of the ship before coming back a few moments later holding a small stack of credit chips that were bound together by a rubber band of all things. It had to have been several thousand credits easily, and he waited for her to hold out her hand to give them to her.

I realized I never paid you back for covering my med bills on Gamorr, he said. It might have been late, but he wasn't going to let his debt to her go unpaid.

 

[Trys Aran]

Even for as perceptive as she was, Trys didn’t pick up on anything unusual when she mentioned the Arcanist. She kept drinking her wine, musing about her own thoughts for a moment as she thought about wigs, “Long hair doesn’t really suit me,” She said with a shrug, “Maybe I’ll just get it colored something funky. Bet my kid would love that for a midlife crisis,” She chuckled at the thought - he would probably disown her.

Trys followed him with her gaze as he disappeared and then came back with credit chips crudely held together by a rubber band. She simply stared at the stash for a moment, taking a sip, “I don’t even know what you did to come across that money,” She said before gazing up at him, “But you can keep your hooker money. Use that as first and last month rent to get yourself into a real damn place.”

It was obvious that the discussion was over, and she wouldn’t be convinced of anything else. Trys had honestly forgotten about the gesture, even though she was still paying off the last bits of that debt. She finished the glass of wine and looked at the last remnants of the red in it.

“I don’t want you to put your life on hold because of me, Talak,” She said after a long moment of silence. The smiles were gone from her, and she gazed at him sternly, “You’re impulsive and drastic, and I know you’re letting your heart lead the way right now. You need to think of yourself and the dangers you’re in as well.”

 

[Talak Rand]

She was absolutely intolerable at times... he'd find some way to pay her back. Maybe he'd save it for the next time she got herself hurt. That seemed to happen to one of them every few weeks. He rolled his eyes and tossed the credits onto the holoprojector.

He moved over to take a seat again and sipped on his wine when the mood in the room suddenly became much more serious. He was a bit caught off guard as she talked about not putting his life on hold for her and the danger he was in. He took a deep breath but didn't say anything for a moment. All looks of happiness and joy were gone from her, and she was deadly serious... trying to push him away again. He still wasn't convinced which of them she was trying to protect... probably both.

Trys I'm in danger every day. I'd rather be in danger for something I... care about than something else, he said. He looked her directly in the eye, unafraid to meet her gaze with his own.

Can you tell me that you don't enjoy being together? That... whatever we have isn't worth it? he asked. If she thought that then surely she would have driven him away already. She could have done it without too much difficulty, but she hadn't, and until she did, he didn't intend to go anywhere.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys stared at him, thinking about how he casually replied that he was in danger every day. He clearly didn’t see the irony of him stating those words, when he had brushed it off when she had said it. Trys looked at him as he sat down, his next words slightly catching her off guard. She hadn’t expected him to dig into that topic, and it surprised her.

She regarded him for a moment, “Being together?” She asked quietly, looking back down at her lap, “I don’t know what that means to you, and I worry that it means different things for us,” Trys had to think about shaping her words carefully, “I’m not looking to….be together. I meant it when I said I don’t want to belong to anyone,” She tilted her head to look at him, “You didn’t believe me - well… you didn’t want to believe it. You can’t help how you feel, just as I can’t.”

What was she even trying to articulate here? Trys drummed her fingers on her leg for a moment, trying to think of what she was getting across, “I enjoy being with you, yes. I enjoy working with you, I enjoy being around you,” Trys paused there for a moment, “But I’m not with you. I don’t want to be….with anyone. At least not right now,” When, then? Did she ever want to be with anyone? She had gotten so used to being alone that she was actually happy that way. She had her son, and that was all she needed. It didn’t mean she didn’t like...indulging herself every now and then.

Trys gazed at him - she knew he wouldn’t like what she was saying, but he would know she wasn’t trying to run. She didn’t want him to feel used - she had always been up front about who she was and that hadn’t changed.

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak could feel the shift in the room before she even got the words out. It was like an agonizing scream in the Force to him. It made everything feel cold and flow like an icy river. It didn't help, though. No matter how much he braced for it, it didn't lessen the blow of her words. Every muscle was tensed. His hand clenched the glass tighter and every word hurt worse than when she'd shot him in the shoulder. His toes curled up in his boots as she spoke as if he were trying to climb into himself and the safety of his own mind... as safe as that had always been.

She didn't need to be sensitive to the Force to see the change in his demeanor. His face seemed almost devoid of any color and his eyes... those same eyes that had looked at her so vibrantly and with such fire now seemed so lifeless and empty.

He forced the glass up to his mouth to take a drink, but even that action felt clunky and difficult as if his body rejected any movement or action in this moment. He felt like he was in another person's body, fighting him every step of the way.

He looked down at the floor and said nothing for a long moment, unable to meet her gaze any more. He couldn't look into those eyes that were bound to haunt him for months to come. He just nodded slowly.

I understand. You're right. Thank you for telling me, he said. The words were stiff and distant. He had no one to blame but himself. He couldn't even bring himself to be mad at her because she'd never led him to believe anything else, and he'd been an utter fool to believe otherwise. An utter fool to believe that there was anything for him outside of the Sith Eternal.

He didn't even know how long it was that he was frozen there. His muscles refused to move. The clenched fist at his side now had knuckles that were completely pale, and tendons bulging slightly. He bit his lip until he bled. He wanted to get up and leave. He wanted to be gone from this place that now held nothing for him but pain.

After what would feel like an eternity, he finally rose and walked over to where she sat on the couch and leaned forward to kiss her deeply. She would blood and wine in his mouth before he pulled back, that empty gaze still in his eyes.

Goodbye Trys, he said. His voice sounded strangled as he said it and he turned back toward his room. He wanted to leave this planet. He hated himself for staying, and he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to continue to watch out for her. She didn't want it. It was dangerous. He didn't know... he didn't know anything. It had been years since he felt so lost.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys knew it wouldn’t go well. She had no illusions that he would take it rationally, and a part of her was even afraid of his reaction. Trys said nothing, the silence growing between them incredibly uncomfortable. She felt sick at the pit of her stomach, and she knew it was many times worse for him. Trys didn’t look away from him, but she also said nothing.

When he mentioned she was right, his voice sounded almost robotic and not human. He almost appeared to be a different person, and she could see his eyes beginning to shift in their colors. There was something very unsettling about him when she looked at him, and it made her want to run in the opposite direction. However, she had run away once before, and she was determined not to do that again.

He rose and came over towards her, and he would see her slightly recoil, unsure of what he was doing. However, he leaned in to kiss her, and the action took her by surprise. She felt the same lips, but everything else was entirely different - there was no warmth, there was no tenderness, there was no passion. She knew what it was, and she hardly kissed him back, too lost in her thoughts and still processing.

Trys watched him pull back and start to walk back towards his room. She rose from her seat, and she felt a surge of anger of her own. She scowled at his back. She almost thought about leaving without saying a word, but she was stubborn in her own way. She was poking the lion, and she knew it.

“You lied then,” She said flatly as she faced his back, “You said you’d have me however you could. But you kriffing lied. It was all or nothing, it was always with a label and in your own terms. Because you can’t face the reality that I’m not someone you can form and control like you can everything else. I’m not something you can use your powers on and force to contort into what you want. I’ll never be that.”

Trys turned towards the door and slammed the console to open it. She gazed out before she spoke again, much quieter this time, “I don’t regret any of it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I won’t apologize for any of it. Maybe you’ll realize things aren’t always so black and white when you do some kriffing growing up.”

With that, she was gone again. But this time, it was because he had asked her to.