Ask Corpo-heist

[Connor Vance]

Connor knew it was on, this was the last round and he had to make it count! There was only one fighter to pick to clutch this thing! ACKLAY! Connor locked him in and shouted his signature line “COME OVER HERE!” Before doing a pair downward stabbing motions with his hands. It almost made him cackle, almost.

But not even the Acklay’s rending talons could stand up to the might of Nash. Tonya beat out the Chaos-spawned revenant of the hells. She secured peace and safety for her Galaxy and the rift the Ether-realm was closed. It was close but Nash had beaten him fair and square.

A small but happy, close lipped smile sat on his face as they placed their controllers down. Connor’s ears were perked and lively. Moreso than even his usual. When his green eyes held Nash’s blues they softened. Why did this keep happening when she looked at him?

Then she told him she liked his smile, Connor’s ears immediately turned bright red. Not just the tips but the whole of his ears. They didn’t droop or pin back but Connor clearly wasn’t expecting the flattery. He gave a small grin in reply.

“Thanks…” He whispered.

Connor wasn’t used to getting these types of compliments. He wasn’t used to being noticed like this. He wasn’t used to a chick as funny and as real as Nash looking at him other than to objectify him. He was Shadda trash. Some sublevels ganger that didn’t quite know he was dead yet. Something to play with but never take home.

But Nash didn’t make him feel that way.

She made him feel like he was just a guy. A guy that was worth being noticed for being him. A guy that wasn’t defined by his past or his arm or any of that. Instead, Nash made him just feel like Connor. And he didn’t know what to make of that.

When she asked him not to compliment her back and just let her have this moment. Connor closed his opened mouth and just nodded. When she told him that she wanted to have more snacks and got up to get them Connor felt himself deflate.

These moments were always so fleeting and ended too soon.

Connor took a second, and let his ears cool off and get back in a normal position before he stood up to follow her. He meant to kiss her again. This time not to get her in bed. Not to see her naked. But just to kiss her. Just to feel his lips on hers and bask in a moment.

“Hey Nash” He said to her to get her to turn around.

His cybernetic hand would move to touch her side. His head tilted to kiss her. His heart thundered in his chest as he leaned in.

ZAP

“Ah! What th-“ Connor’s cybernetic hand sparked and seized up. “No! Not right now!” He groaned, forgetting for a moment that Nash was right there. His ears turned pink when he realized what he’d said.

“It’s a cheap Shadda streetware.” Connor told her. “It fucks up all the time and I have to fix it.” He explained, wincing at another spasm.

“I really wanted to kiss you.” He told her. “Just to kiss you, nothing else.” He said with an embarrassed expression.

Connor cleared his throat and moved to find his set of tools to start work on DIY repairs. He hated it, he hated that it happened now of all times. He wasn’t ashamed but definitely embarrassed as he worked on his hand to get the thing working properly again.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash was still in her own head when he called her name. It was still significant when he used her real name, and it gave her pause. She turned to face him, blinking when he stepped towards her. They had done this plenty of times, but why did it feel different this time? Nash didn’t step back, leaning towards him to meet his lips.

When his cybernetic acted up, Nash instinctively thwacked him in the face on pure reflex at perceiving some kind of threat. She blinked in surprise when she realized it was a malfunctioning cybernetic, “OH MY GOD I’M SO SORRY!” Nash screeched, realizing she probably conked him hard in the jaw. Fortunately she didn’t strike a nose or something that could break easy.

“God dammit I’m so sorry, Connor!” She blabbered frantically. She quickly rushed over to grab some ice and ran back to press it against his jaw, “I just.. My fight or flight is just fucking insane from the way I used to live, I’m so sorry, I know you wouldn’t hurt me, I’m so sorry,” Nash said as she kept holding the ice to his jaw to prevent swelling, “Gods I’m out of control sometimes..”

She sighed, giving him a sheepish smile, “Can I…Can I still kiss you?” Nash asked almost meekly after a few minutes of icing passed. If he was open to it, she would lean in to finally share that kiss and melt against his lips. His cybernetic could wait for now.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

The hand spasmed, Connor closed his eyes and winced. And then he really winced! Nash’s fist came slamming home. Connor had taken hits in the past. He’d taken complete ass beatings in the past. But Nash’s hook was mean.

Connor stumbled in the direction of the blow, he blinked wildly for a minute. He shook his head to try and reorient himself. Nash was yelling something. It took him a second to hear it properly.

She was apologizing and explaining?

Connor didn’t even really have time to reply when she came up to give him a cold compress. He sat down at the desk near the holo terminal. After a few seconds his head stopped swimming and he felt the dull ache in his jaw.

Nash tended to the busted lip and bruised jaw she’d given Connor. He just gazed at her, he watched her facial expressions, the way her blue eyes moved across his face. He watched her lips move as he talked to him and frantically apologized.

“Nash, it’s okay!” He told her. “It’s really okay.” He reassured, his hand sliding to encompass hers. “I’m alright. I promise.”

After a handful of minutes she’d pull the ice pack away. The timid smile she wore was entirely unlike anything he’d ever seen before. When she asked if she could still kiss him, something in Connor melted. He barely felt the spasm in his cybernetic.

“I’d really really like that.” He nodded dumbly as he spoke the words.

Then she leaned forward and their lips touched. Connor felt like electricity ran through his body. They’d kissed countless times before and during sex but this? This felt different and Connor swam in it. His hand moved from hers to cup the side of her face.

Connor melted into the kiss of someone who’d seen him for who he was. And even though there weren’t many, what scant little there was of his guards came tumbling down. He didn’t really care what this was. He only wanted more.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

The kiss was very tender and light on account of Nash busting his lip, but there was no denying the affection in it. After she drew back, she saw the ‘damage’ she had caused and pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face into the crook of his neck, “I’m so mad at myself, Connor..” Her muffled voice resounded, clinging to him as if he would simply float away if she let go.

A few minutes passed before she finally pulled back, going right back to dabbing him with the ice. Nash glanced down briefly at the cybernetic that was still making whirring noises. She gazed at him for a moment, briefly as if she had something to say. However, instead she mumbled a half coherent apology again and stepped away to get the snacks. Her face was heating up and turning slightly purple again, and she was rattled by multiple things that had happened just then.

“You know, I saw that Dalon has a collection of movies too. Wanna watch Top Blaster?” She asked, thinking about the classic movie about starfighters.

The rest of their time passed without any unpleasant punching incidents thankfully. She was still unsure on how she felt about everything, but as she usually did, she put it aside and locked it away. Nash had a tough time grasping that something beyond a simple fling could exist with someone. Her entire life had revolved around running from how twi’leks were seen. Now that she embraced being the woman she was, she knew how the galaxy saw her. She had no problems entertaining casual and light things, but anything beyond that was uncharted and uncomfortable territory. Fortunately, Connor wasn’t the pushy type and unfortunately she remained delightfully oblivious.

Before long, they arrived in Mon Cala airspace and she practically had her face pressed to the window to look at the stunning oceans and islands. She let Connor take over the piloting so she could gush about the scenery, “LOOK AT THAT! I’ve only really swam in murky rivers and swamp waters,” She chuckled, “Can’t even imagine what it’ll be like to walk across a real beach! We have to make time to go by a beach.”

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor didn’t want the kiss to end. It was electric and made him feel alive. At the same time it soothed him and almost made it feel like time slowed down. It made him feel brave and scared at the same time. This was territory unexplored for him as well. When Nash made another apology after gazing up at his face, he gave her a soft smirk.

“Ow” He muttered when the split skin tugged.

Then he felt the weight of Nash’s head on his shoulder, her hot breath on his neck. His hand slowly wrapped around her back and pulled her in closer. He just stood there, holding her for what felt like a perfect eternity. And then she pulled back. Connor could see something swimming behind those aqua eyes of hers, her lips held back something too.

“Nash, I-“ He bit the words off, his ears drooped slightly and she went to get snacks after an apology.

He what? Liked her? Had feelings for her? No. He was still just some ganger. She might understand the life they led but they were still just street kids. Fate never gave their kind happy endings.

Still Connor felt the flicker of hope in him that he couldn’t quite snuff out.

Connor slipped onto the couch with his tools and began fiddling with his cybernetic. His mind focused on a task rather than how he felt, it was easier to ignore it that way. Plus, there’s no way Nash felt the same way about him. He was just some cripple slicer kid. She was, well, she was Nash.

When she came back out with snacks, Connor glanced her way. He had a miniature auto-driver between his lips while he used a tiny welding device to reattach false ligaments to his fingers. He nodded at her question, Top Blaster was one of his favorites growing up. Even if Shom Truise was a wack job, his movies were still great. He plucked the driver from his mouth and smirked.

“Hell yeah I do.” His ears perking back up slightly. “Lemme just finish the repairs first!”

This time it was Connor’s turn to lose himself in a movie. His ears flicked while he quoted lines in a voice that contrasted his stone-y exterior. Thoughts of admitting how he felt melted away as he simply enjoyed his time with Nash.

When the movie ended the ship exited hyperspace. Connor got up and stretched his arms before he glanced back down to Nash. “Well, let’s get ourselves some firepower eh?” He asked his ears twitched excitedly. Connor liked guns about as much as he liked credits. So he was hoping he could get some stuff that would really pack a punch.

Connor took control of the ship to let Nash bask in the view. He also would occasionally gawk at how beautiful the world was. He’d never seen an ocean. He’d never even seen a lake. The largest bodies of water on Shadda were the hydration recycling plants and those were…not pretty. His enthusiasm and sense of wonder was shared with Nash.

“So beautiful.” Connor replied as he glanced away from the viewport and to Nash as she gaze out her window.

He tugged out his EZphone and made some reservations for them. A pair of rooms. Even though they’d slept together, literally the night before, Connor didn’t make assumptions. If they crashed together great, if not? Then at least they’d have their own rooms to retreat to at the end of the day.

After that he continued guiding the freighter down into its assigned bay. At the mention of walking the beach, Connor’s ears perked. “Um, yeah we are.” He replied. “We’ve got a day or two remember?” He teased.

“Come on Nash, we’ll need to buy bathing suits for the beach!”

With that, Connor slipped from his chair to get dressed in the room they’d been sharing. He came out wearing a black tee and a pair of jeans with a red jacket. Shadda streetwear at its finest. He lit the cigarra between his lips and gave Nash a nod.

“You ready?” He asked as he took a long drag on his smoke.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash was oblivious to him looking at her when he admired beauty, her gaze fixed on the waters. She felt like a little girl gazing upon a fantasy wonderland for the first time. When he mentioned getting clothes for the beach, she grinned, “Work first,” She said with a wink, “I haven’t had to be Nash in a hot minute,” Nash mused aloud.

She was gone for a while when they landed. Eventually, she emerged in baggy clothing, no makeup and a complex rebreather for the lower hemisphere of her face. When she spoke, her voice sounded distinctively more male and her stance was looser, “Nash had a terrible run in with the Crimson Dawn and was permanently damaged and has to use a rebreather,” She explained. It was to make up for her lack of a masculine voice into her late teens.

Nash knew Connor would play it cool, so she wasn’t too worried about that. She hoisted one of the duffle bags over her shoulder and walked down the ramp. He would notice a noticeable shift even to the way she walked and carried herself. By all accounts she had transformed into a random guy before his very eyes.

While she hadn’t been on the planet before, she knew where to go. They stopped at a speeder rental and Nash picked out a speeder bike. Nash got and jutted her chin for Connor to hop on behind her. He would learn first hand that she could drive like a swoop racer, zooming in and out of traffic. This was where her Force reflexes shined, though it usually left the passenger fearing for their lives.

They arrived at what appeared to be an old antique shop. There was a bell up front and Nash rang it in a particular rhythm. Moments later, a grumpy Quarren answered. He took a look between the two of them, “We weren’t expecting a second..” He muttered, gaze lingering on Connor.

“Yeah yeah,” Nash’s mechanized voice resounded, “I don’t got time for this. This is my buddy and he gettin’ a cut o’ the loot so let me through, gills.”

The Quarren sneered and opened his mouth to say something until Nash made a sudden jerk with her body as if to punch him. The Quarren flinched and let out an involuntary squeak.

“Still porgshit, gills, now get the fuck outta my way,” She declared before doing her infamous hand to the face shove to move him aside.

Nash kept walking until she tugged on a book that caused the bookshelf to turn and open a spiral set of stairs, “Yeah, this really is like in the Holomovies,” She mused to Connor before they walked down the stairs.

“NASH!?” A very high pitched woman’s voice resounded that would make Connor's ears flatten. A tiny woman with red hair squealed in delight as she ran over to throw her arms around Nash. Nash gingerly patted her back.

“Yeah, yeah, I missed ya too,” Nash said, a tone of grump in her voice.

“Why don’t you ever text me back?” The girl said, lightly smacking Nash on the arm. She copped a feel of the biceps and gasped, “Oh my gossshh you’re even bigger now. When am I gonna get to see you shirtless?” She giggled before looking over at Connor, her eyes widening at once, “Oh hello,” She said, “What a cutie! Who is this?!”

Nash visibly bristled, the rage instead coming out in a labored exhale through the rebreather, “This my boy Gears. We’re here for business only, Lina, I’ll take you out another time,” She said as she plopped the duffle bag on the counter.

“Yeah right, you been promising that for years. Now this guy..”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lina reaching out towards Connor’s ear. Lightning fast, Nash caught her wrist mid-reach, “Yo, I ain’t playin’” Nash said firmly, ice in her voice even through the modulator.

“O-Okay, jeeze!” Lina said with a pout before standing behind the counter, "Don't worry I'll keep eyes only for you," Lina gave Nash a wink, "What have you got for me?”

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor’s eyes flicked down Nash’s new get up. Gone was that muscular frame that he’d grown accustomed to. Instead it was all hidden by baggy clothes and a rebreather. She didn’t look like the Nash he knew, she looked like one of the guys he’d have ran with on Shadda. It was more than a little jarring.

“Shit. That’s a damn good cover.” He replied as he shook his head in disbelief.

Everything down to the mannerisms was different. She didn’t walk like the Nash he knew, instead it was the familiar walk of a street ganger like he had at one point. Just seeing it took him back to days where he clutched tools, ran with his own little clique, and would have done just about anyrhingfor the right price. They were uncomfortable memories.

Connor took a deep breath and snatched up the other duffel bag and followed Nash out of the ship. He’d follow her lead on this, she knew the fence and he trusted in their good relationship. When Nash led them to the speeder rental shop, he watched as she picked a speeder bike. She jutted her chin and Connor climbed on the back. His hands wrapped around her waist, he didn’t hesitate with the motion. He was comfortable touching her now.

Few people could have enjoyed a ride like that. Thankfully, both Nash and Connor were Force Sensitives. What other people couldn’t handle, was something they didn’t have to worry about. In fact, the smirk on Connor’s face told how much he enjoyed the rush of the ride. However, as they got closer he unwrapped his hands from Nash’s waist and simply leaned forward.

The cover for the fence’s front was an antique shop, that was certainly unique. Most fences operated openly on Shadda but there were next to no rules back home. So it only made sense to hide the more illicit business elsewhere. Connor followed Nash into the shop, adjusting the strap on his duffle bag as he strode into the storefront. Connor watched the interaction between Nash and the Quarren, when the Quarren flinched, Connor couldn’t blame him. He’d tasted that hook just a few hours ago, it still stung.

As Nash revealed the secret staircase Connor chuckled. “She really watched too many Bames Jond and Objective Possible movies didn’t she?” He replied as he followed Nash down the stairs into the real shop.

The feminine squeal that burst forth and shattered the silence almost overwhelmed Connor. It made his ears ache. They pinned themselves back to avoid any permanent and lasting damage on instinct. Connor openly flinched at the noise.

“Great a fucking Barbie…” Connor muttered under his breath.

Connor had seen these types. They were always touchy and never bothered to ask. He hoped he was wrong this time. At first, Connor was relieved that the woman ignored him entirely, it gave him time to glance around at what he could see of the shop. That didn’t last long. When her attentions turned to him, Connor had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. And here we go.

His ears dipped at the unwanted attention.

“Not interested.” He said simply when she called him a cutie.

That didn’t seem to matter, she reached up to touch his ear. Connor pulled his head away from the unsolicited touch. His hand instinctively twitched and would have reached for where his blaster pistol usually sat. But Nash reacted first and snatched the woman by her wrist. He hadn’t expected that.

Connor coughed once, alleviating some of the pent up nervous energy he felt.

When the woman asked what they had, Connor placed his bag up on the counter and unzipped it. He’d let the woman look at the horde of peggats before closing the bag again.

“You have any firepower?” He asked, his voice was forced into a neutral tone.

Connor wanted out of here. He wanted a shower to scrub off the way this chick had looked at him. He hated this part of being even part Sephi.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Fortunately Lina knew how to switch to business mode when needed. She nodded, swiping a keycard on a large set of double doors that hissed opened to reveal a small armory. The left panel had rifles, the middle had melee weapons, the right had an assortment of pistols. Lina tilted her head and smirked at Connor, “Take your pick, cutie,” She said with a giggle before stepping away.

Even Nash’s eyes widened at the rows upon rows of weapons and explosives, “You definitely updated your stock,” She muttered.

Lina was too busy looking through what the two had to trade. One thing Nash liked about Lina was that she seldom asked questions. It didn’t matter how the goods were procured, just the value assessed.

“I can take these off your hands and give you a rifle and blaster each or less blasters and more thermal dets,” She shrugged, “It’s all gotta be legal though. Don’t have the Outer Rim luxuries, you know?” She smiled. Lina looked over at Connor, "Maybe a better arm for you, eh? I know a guy."

Nash chose two blasters and nothing more for now, wanting cold hard credits for most of the goods. She didn’t stay long, letting Connor do his exchange before she said her goodbyes to leave. Connor would realize something extra was slipped into his hand without Nash noticing. If he looked, he would see it was a piece of paper with Lina’s number on it. She gave him a wink before sending them both on their way.

Nash stepped out of the antique shop feeling considerably wealthier. She exhaled through the rebreather, “Fuck I’ve never had this much cash before,” She muttered, “I don’t even know what to spend it on..”

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor loved guns, he loved them almost as much as he loved money. However, he couldn’t enjoy them right now. His eyes roamed over the vast collection Lina had stocked. His cybernetic hand lightly ran over several blasters until he touched an F-11D Blaster Carbine. It was excessively rare and beyond reliable. At one point Connor would have had his ears perked at such a find but right now his mind was focused on how Lina thought she had the right to just touch him.

Didn’t Nash say she rescued her from the trade? He didn’t get how someone who went through that could turn into that. His jaw was stone as he plucked the weapon from the rack and moved down. His eyes spotted a Peacemaker, the heavy pistol used by Wohn Jayne in his wild space movies. He’d always wanted one. It was added to the bundle. Aside from this, Connor plucked a few reloads and headed to the front.

He was considering the arm upgrade when he noticed the piece of paper in his hand. The wink Lina gave him caused his blood to boil. He put the paper back down on the counter as he checked out. “Not interested.” He stated gruffly. “Tell your contact I’ll take the upgrade.” He gave Lina the area they’d be staying in and a time he could meet with the contact. “Give me a description and I’ll meet with them.”

Once the exchange was done Connor would make his way outside to stand beside Nash. His ears were flattened, his jaw still tight. For someone who rarely showed emotion, it was painfully obvious he was bothered by something. He glanced over to Nash as she seemed ready to get out of here and get to shopping.

“Let’s get out of here.” He stated flatly “I feel like I need a shower.” Connor muttered beneath his breath. “Let’s get checked in, that way you can get changed.” He gave her a smirk and his ears shifted into a more attentive position. “There are some shops not far from our hotel, we can hit them first and then go to the beach.” Connor explained after taking a deep breath.

Once they got onto the bike Connor would exhale in relief. “You know your friend has a real problem with taking no for an answer right?” He stated bluntly. “She’s…touchy.”

He’d feel better once this place was a distant memory.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash was normally incredibly oblivious, but even she noticed that the encounter with Lina left him annoyed. She realized she was too focused on credits and missed his vibes entirely. Once they were well away from the antique shop, Nash took a moment to remove her rebreather mask. She reached a hand over to place it on his shoulder, “Hey..my bad I didn’t realize it got you that bad,”She said quietly, “I think Lina lived a life where choices were made for her when it came to men. After being freed she feels empowered to do the choosing herself. It’s toxic, but that’s what it is,” Nash shrugged, “The worst she can do is try to give dudes her number. She’s been through….some pretty horrific things. You lose your humanity after that.”

Nash didn’t linger on it further, her own past beginning to creep into her mind. She revved up the engines and took them towards the hotel. Once she parked, she whistled, “Damn this is a nice spot,” She remarked, noting the proximity to the beach. His fake IDs and slicing was perhaps the most useful skill in the entire Sith Order. Who needed sketchy powers when you could just make everything look perfectly legal?

She barely stepped into the lobby before some of the workers greeted them with a tray and refreshing drinks, “Welcome! New guests? Celebrating something? An anniversary perhaps?”

“Uh-”

“Lovely! A drink for the happy couple.”

Nash blinked stupidly, taking one of the drinks and sipping from it as the workers walked away. Why were bougie places always so weird? She chuckled to herself, her face slightly purple, “Let me drop my stuff off and I’ll meet you at the lobby.”

She arrived a bit later wearing a cute, simple sundress. Nash threw on a pair of sunglasses and was back to being very much her woman self. She wore sandals with the dress, smiling at Connor when she spotted him, “I love this weather! Umbara is always so gloomy,” Nash remarked as she stepped out to walk to the nearby shops to get swimwear.

“Can you…go swimming with your arm?”

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor listened to Nash’s explanation of Lina. His ears dipped slightly. He hadn’t considered what she’d gone through and the impact it had on her. Maybe he’d been a little harsh? He cleared his throat and wrapped his arms around Nash’s waist and enjoyed the ride to the hotel.

When they entered the hotel, Connor and Nash were greeted by the wait staff. They asked about an anniversary. “Wait wha-“ Drinks were brought on trays and offered to the pair of them. Fuck it. Connor shrugged and plucked up a glass alongside Nash.

“Come on hun” He teased with a small smirk. Once they were out of sight from the staff Connor would glance over to Nash. “Sure I’ll see you then.” He nodded and moved to check into his room.

Luxurious was the only way to describe these rooms. Connor’s eyes soaked in every detail of the room’s marble floors and ivory walls. There was a mural of the night sky painted on the ceiling. The restroom was larger than the hovel he’d grown up in. Connor pulled the clothes from his body and showered off. Before getting redressed and headed back down to the lobby.

When Nash rounded the corner in her floral sundress, Connor’s ears went flush. She was gorgeous and he looked like a street rat. Great. He stood up without even realizing it as she waved at him. His red ears perked as she walked towards him.

“You look…” Connor paused for a moment, looking for the right word. “…beyond gorgeous.”

Connor walked beside her as they made their way towards the swim shops. “I haven’t felt the sun in ages.” Connor told her. “It’s great.”

When she asked if he could swim, Connor had a mental pause. He didn’t actually know the answer to that question. He could shower. But could he swim? There was only one way to find out.

“I honestly don’t know.” He replied. “I guess we’ll find out together.” He said, his ears twitched with nerves. “Come on, let’s go in here. I need to buy some stuff.” Connor said pointing out a store called Jon Ron’s.

Connor would spend a little bit browsing the store and looking for suits that he was interested in. Eventually he plucked up a pair of suits that he was somewhat happy with. Alongside that, he’d buy a few thin, short sleeved, button downs. A pair of sandals and a pair of sunglasses themed after the ones from Mortal Battle.

When Connor finally left the store, gone was the street rat. In its place was an attractive beach goer. He wore a green shirt, a pair of board shorts, the sandals he’d purchased and his new sunglasses. Connor would light up a cigarra out front of the store and turn to Nash.

“Where to next?”

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash’s face flushed when he called her gorgeous. She had a shy smile on her face as she lightly shoved his shoulder, “Shut up,” She quipped, though the smile never left her face. She never knew how to take a compliment, but they made her all warm and fuzzy inside. She walked with him to the store, picking out a few bathing suits. When Connor emerged again in his new attire, her brows rose, taking in the way the shirt fit nicely around his frame.

“Okay you look pretty hot yourself,” She said rather bluntly with a smile. More than anything, she wanted to see those ears flick or change colors again. She didn’t realize when it happened, but she began to absolutely adore the ears and watching for what they did. They gave Connor away even when he didn’t intend it.

“Let’s go along the boardwalk,” Nash said as she stepped out, “It’s lined with stalls for food, drinks and even musicians,” She said as they walked. All of this felt surreal to her - to not be on a mission, to not worry about where she would eat next, none of it.

“Is this how normal people live everyday?” Nash mused aloud, watching everyone wandering around happily, “I’m jealous,” She muttered. She was on Nal Hutta which meant she was miserable and was used to seeing everyone else just as miserable. Here the people looked like they never worked a day in their life, they had smiles, they were holding hands. As if there was no war, no strife in the galaxy, nothing but sunshine and waves. Nash couldn’t tell if it enraged her or made her want it more.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor felt his ears burning at Nash’s compliment. He knew they were scarlet right now. His left one flicked lightly and Connor coughed into his fist once. Usually, Connor wouldn’t have accepted a compliment like that. But with Nash it was different somehow. When she payed him one it caused him to feel flustered.

Her blue eyes. The soft smile she wore. That sundress. It all made Connor pause, it made him want her close to him. It made him feel confused.

When Nash decided on the boardwalk, Connor’s ears perked. Food and free music sounded wonderful. When they arrived Connor would buy something to try for them at almost every stand. Fried squid on a stick. A spiced fish sandwich. Sushi. And countless other morsels to munch on as they walked.

Connor had never had money to spend like this. He never had this amount of options presented to him. It was a little overwhelming, so instead of picking one, he just chose them all. Connor’s ears perked when he tried something new, his reaction was visible through them based on what he thought. If he didn’t like it, they’d dip. If he did? They would flick once or twice.

Connor had been in the middle of taking a bite of fried squid when Nash started talking about everyone around them. Connor honestly hadn’t noticed them. He hadn’t cared about them. They were tertiary to his other priorities. Which were walking and spending time with Nash, then the food. But Connor paused to look around with her.

His ears dipped slightly.

“It’s easy to live like this when you don’t have real problems.” Connor whispered, envy leaked from his voice. “Sometimes I wonder what I could have been if I wasn’t born on Shadda.” He glanced to Nash. “If my luck was just a little better.”

He took a deep breath and then pulled his eyes from the crowds. “But then I realize my life would be boring.” He admitted. “I would have never robbed that casino.” He pointed out. “I’d have never bought new high end guns from an arms dealer.” He nodded slightly. “And I’d have never met yo-” Connor tried to clip the words off before he idly spoke them but he couldn’t.

His ears were flush again at the realization.

“That was stupid.” He muttered to her. “Want the rest of my sushi?” It was an attempt to change the topic, to shift the conversation away from what he’d just said.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash blinked when she saw the spread of various types of seafood, “Some of this looks sketch,” She declared, but she saw Connor get a sample of everything. Not to be outdone by him, she did the same, taking a seat across him with their spread of seafood. Nash struggled with an oyster, spotting a few others slurp it and doing the same, “The hell? This is basically like snot,” She mused, displeased. She next tried scallops which were fantastic.

She glanced around when Connor mentioned the civilians not having any real problems. She couldn’t even imagine, “Can you imagine your biggest problem being grumpy about some powerpoint you have to make at work?” She mused, nibbling on a piece of sushi.

Nash glanced up when he cut himself off. Unfortunately she was in the middle of eating octopus and had one one of the tentacles hanging from her lips because she paused to stare at him. Real attractive. She slurped it up and almost choked, coughing and hitting her own chest before chugging some water to force it down.

“Why was it stupid?” She asked after she recovered, “Meeting me was stupid?” Nash asked with a slight tilt of her head as she gave him a playful smile. She nodded and took his sushi, deciding not to grill him any further.

“I saw some jetskis out there,” She said, “I’ve always wanted to drive one,” Nash finished up her meal and threw some credits down, leaving an extra large tip just because she could.

“Let’s go!” Nash said cheerfully as she started walking towards the beach.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor looked up when Nash asked if meeting her was stupid. His cheeks went crimson. His eyes went wide. His ears folded back. And not because of the tentacle on her face. He was horrified by how she potentially took that.

His pulse quickened to the point he didn’t really notice the playful smirk on her face. Anxiety spiked and pushed him into saying something. Anything.

“No!” He stated quickly, it wasn’t a shout but it was louder than his normal tone. On top of this his voice carrying more emotion than it normally did. “I just meant…it’s been nice to not be seen as a toy or a piece of meat for once.” He admitted. “You make me feel seen for just being me and that means a lot Nash…I hope I make you feel the same.”

Connor felt like an idiot. He cleared his throat and stood to his feet. Happy that Nash brought up jet skis because he didn’t want to sit here stewing in what he just admitted.

“Yeah let’s just ride a jet ski. It’ll be more fun than this boardwalk.” He forced his ears up and jutted his chin towards the waterway. “I got this one.” He offered her with a slight upturn of his lips.

He’d walked alongside her to the rental spot and pay for a single jet ski. Connor would toss the keys over to Nash with a smirk. “Alright, let’s see what you can do!”

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash almost started laughing when he got flustered. She loved messing with people and was about to tell him she was just kidding. However, his words gave her pause and she realized how genuine they were. Guilt surfaced first from joking with him like that, but after that it was surprise. In truth, she could relate to the sentiment. The entire galaxy, especially her home planet, saw twi’lek as little more than sex objects. The women were treated as if they had no ability to think and serve a single purpose. It made her wary of others and it especially made her question whether any kind of dynamic with a man was little more than a fling. The sentiment he expressed made her wonder about several things.

“You should never feel like a piece of meat,” Nash said after a moment of silence, “The fact that you’re cute as hell is admittedly what caught my attention at first,” She said with a sheepish grin, “But I’ve been digging all the time I’ve spent with you. I normally keep to myself so….this is different,” Nash muttered quietly before clearing her throat, “Anyway let’s go,” She said abruptly, always uncomfortable about these topics.

Nash stepped into a changing room to dress in a sporty bikini that completely fit her build and energy. She glanced over her shoulder and smirked at Connor, “Don’t fall off, prettyboy,” She flashed him a wink before she swung a leg over the jet ski, waiting for him to hop on. Once he did, she started right away, zooming right past the calm waters towards where she spotted the whitecaps.

“WOOO!” She said as she caught a wave, sending the jet ski flying into the air. They landed in the harsh waters, spraying them both. She was laughing as she zoomed through the waves, starting to circle around to build up a wake and charging right through it.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor felt a wave of relief wash over him at Nash’s response. She was right this was different. His ears steady unpinned themselves, his eyes softened as the surge of anxiety faded from his system. By the time they made it to the changing room, Connor was calm again.

That was until Nash walked out in her bikini.

Connor’s eyes wandered. Damn she looks great in that. When she glanced back at him, she’d catch him looking. That smirk and wink told him that she knew what she was doing. Connor would toss the rental guy credits, probably more than he needed to and then hop on the jet ski behind Nash.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Connor replied with perked ears. Truth be told he was nervous but he’d never tell her that.

“Just don’t take it out too de-“ The poor dude never got to finish his instructions, Connor and Nash were already rocketing away.

Connor had never been on the ocean, the feeling of the waves breaking against the front of the Jet Ski was foreign. He was about to say something when he heard it, Nash’s laughter. Connor’s lips stayed clenched, he wouldn’t say a word to disrupt her fun.

Instead, he simply hung onto her and watched the waves as they crashed around them. Eventually, a small smile touched his lips, one that spread into a grin, and then a fit of laughter as the broke over the crest of a wave. He’d feel Nash cut the jet ski to create more wake to cut through and laugh.

Something caught his eye.

Out a little further was a small mass of land. Connor took a standing position and pointed to it. “Look at that!” He called down to her. “Let’s check it out!”

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

It took some time, but she navigated their way over, parking the jetski on the white, sandy beach and stepping off at the island. The island was small and had palm trees and colorful birds she had never seen before. There was a clifftop and a spiraling path through a jungle to lead up to it.

“I think we’re the only ones here,” Nash observed as she looked around, not spotting any other jet skis or boats nearby. She started wandering around immediately, “Ooh I feel like a water pirate!” She called out, finding the path that led towards the top of the cliff. Nash looked over her shoulder at him, “I don’t suppose you have any metal detecting skills?” She teased.

She had seen enough action movies to know just the song for the occasion. As Nash walked along, she started belting out a sea shanty, cheerfully singing as she walked through the jungle path with a sand trail. As usual, she was slightly offkey and as usual, she was singing to her heart’s content. It was a popular shanty for space pirates as well, so there was a chance he could join in. If he observed, he’d even notice a pep to her step and a particular way she hopped as she walked to show she knew the dancing steps as well.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

The Cyber-Suns had an extensive history with space pirates. Their street docs were among the most reliable on Nar Shadda. The cybernetics they used, while cheap, usually never exploded or caused lethal infections. This made their gang and the pirates of Hutt space nearly inseparable. Because if that, Connor knew the shanty that Nash belted out.

His eyebrows raised, his ears flicked, and the hint of a smirk touched his lips. Who would’ve guessed.

Instead of sitting back and admiring the bikini clad beauty as she sang and danced up the path. Connor joined her. He looped his arm in hers and threw his head back, screaming more than singing the lines. He spun her around in the same way those rowdy pirates spun their ladies at pubs. Just as the shanty was coming to the close, he pulled her into his chest and whispered the final few lines. A smile threatened to crest his lips.

He leaned in, his lips a breath from hers. His hands on her hips. His green eyes flitted between her lips and those blue eyes. “You are just full of surprises Nash.” He whispered. If she tried to closed the distance to finish out the kiss, he’d tug his head back just slightly. He’d keep his lips just beyond the reach of hers, teasing her with their proximity. “Knowing pirate shanties, busting up slave trades.” The smile broke through. “You just might be the most interesting woman in the galaxy.”

Then alone on an island, Connor would plant his lips on hers once more. He’d drink in this moment and enjoy the solitude provided. To him the sounds of the jungle faded to nothingness. Mon Cala disappeared until it was just them in that moment.

Perfection.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

When Connor linked arms with her and started to basically scream the song, Nash had to take a moment to just laugh before she continued the song. At some point, she started hopping around and letting him spin her to the rhythm. She may have stepped on his toes a few times, but he was a good sport about it. Nash was used to being the spontaneous singer and dancer while others rolled their eyes or judged. She never cared about any of it, but to have someone join in on her antics made her happy. Nash was all smiles, hopping and dancing around on this random island.

She gasped when he tugged her close, but she welcomed it all the same, smiling up at him. Her face flushed at his words, “Yeah well you’re not so bad yourself,” Nash muttered sheepishly barely above a whisper before meeting him for that kiss at last. She forgot about her pirate adventures briefly, focused on the feel of his lips and the heat of his body. Her hands almost instinctively traced across his chest, undoing the buttons of his shirt as she kept kissing him. There was something exhilarating about being the only two on the island, but also outside. They were surrounded by perfection and beauty and Nash wanted to savor this rare moment truly away from everything.

The sounds of the ocean crashing against the rocks resounded around them, exotic birds called out, and Nash focused on Connor and the feel of his skin under her touch, the taste of his mouth, the desire burning along with traces of emotions she hadn’t quite deciphered yet.

@Apollyon