Ask Fire And Ice

Altair Din · Oct 21, 2022

Altair was honestly lost in his own world as he played his tunes. With how busy his schedule was these days, he rarely got the chance to sit and play like he used to. That along with the herbs that mellowed him out, he was in a great place. His fingers moved easily across the fretboard and plucked the strings, his calloused fingertips working magic.

It took a moment before he realized Clove was sitting across from him. Altair glanced up and then did a double take, stopping his playing as he stared at her. Tank and sweatpants? There was visible surprise on his face, “Damn Clove, I didn’t even know you owned clothing like that,” Altair said with a grin, “I like the look,” He said honestly, taking a moment to stare at her with this get up. It was very different from her always polished look, not that he minded that.

“You ever played an instrument?” Altair asked her. He was beyond surprised when she grabbed the mic and belted out a song during the party, but he tried to put that thought aside. Most of the night had been a disaster.

They would arrive on Bandomeer the following day. Being in Imperial territory meant it was easy to get through without having to make out of the way stops.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 21, 2022

Clove's cheeks lit up for the hundredth time that day when his gaze shifted from the guitar to her, complimenting her appearance. "Oh, thank you! I usually wear this when I'm at home an' don't expect to see anyone." She laughed softly, realizing he'd only ever seen her in dresses and skirts. Even her armor had a large skirt and dramatic cape-like sleeves, hiding the fact that she was wearing leather pants underneath. "So I figured, may as well get a bit comfy." Clove smiled softly before opening the journal and grabbing the pencil tucked in the side cover.

While listening to him speak, she scrolled through the pages looking for an empty one before finding the right one and lifting her gaze up to his violet with golden's. "Hmmm, no. My mother tried to teach me to play the piano, claiming that I had the fingers for it." Clove lifted her free hand into the air, wiggling her slim and elegant fingers. "But I was never too invested, especially when my father claimed they were surgeon's fingers." She smiled at the memories. "So I hadn't really done much music-wise until I got into ballet. I do want to learn an instrument though."

"How about you? Obviously, you sin' an' you play the guitar, both incredibly well for that matter!I really love that song you just played... But did somebody ever teach you? Or are you self-taught?" Clove's gaze returned to the journal, her pencil dancing across the page as she began to doodle. But despite her lowered gaze, her entire posture and twitching ears gave away that she was very much paying attention to him.

"Aside from your Sith an' Imperial Order goals, do you have any other dreams?" Clove smiled softly and lifted her gaze for a moment. There was no judgment for him having strong Sith dreams and goals, but she realized they never really sat down and discussed more mundane things like... dreams they had outside of their jobs. The closest they'd gotten was Kashyyyk, where they shared their fears, disappointments, and reasons for getting out of bed. But not big dreams.

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 21, 2022

Altair couldn’t imagine Clove’s mother being okay with her prancing about in a tank and sweatpants. The woman seemed just as put together as Clove normally wore, but her father seemed more easygoing. That day felt like years ago. He was a different person back then - perhaps even just a boy. Altair felt like a man now, for better or worse. His thoughts drifted for a moment as he continued to pluck the strings. There was a quiet comfort to simply relaxing here with her. She was one of the few people he could simply exist with and not feel the need to actively entertain.

“My Pa used to play,” Altair explained, “He was in a band and everything. Had a goofy hairstyle,” He chuckled to himself, “Was hyped when I showed an interest in wantin’ to play. He could only show me for a bit since I got so many siblings. From there on I learned on my own,” He tilted his head to look at her, watching her doodle for a moment. After a few seconds, he sat upright, “You wanna try?”

If she said yes, he would cross over to plop down next to her and gesture for her to take the guitar. Her question gave her a brief pause - truthfully he hadn’t even thought about it in a while since his life revolved around Imperial duties lately. Altair stared off vaguely before smiling, “Well first I always wanted to open a bakery..called… Devil’s Good Cake,” He snickered as if his own joke and a play on words was the most hysterical of all, “Shut up, I was young when I came up with it,” Altair grinned, “And then of course I wanted to become a famous musician. I love performin’ for the crowds. I feel like I own the stage when I do,” She had seen him do just that at the social function. And of course, the massive group of screaming girls he gathered.

“All right, now grab it like this,” Altair said as he gently guided her hand to grab the neck of the guitar, “This is called a fretboard, and these are frets,” He walked her through the basic anatomy of the guitar, “And you strum across the strings you press down with your fingers,” Altair reached into his pocket and brought out a guitar pick, “Since you got soft fingers,” He said with a grin. His callouses allowed him to play effortlessly, “Try strummin’.”

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 21, 2022

Clove's lips curled up as Altair began to explain how his father was the one who taught him the fundamentals, which paved the way for Altair's passion for music. It was endearing to imagine Altair on the lap of a big Tiefling with wild hair, being taught how to play a guitar far too big for him. She laughed softly. "That's the cutest story. I'm glad your father was there for you from the start." She wanted to know more about the band but was stopped by his offer to play his guitar.

She gave it some thought and decided, why not? "I'd like that! I promise to be gentle with your guitar." She smiled at him as she started to re-insert the pencil into her journal.

"Devil's Good Cake." She repeated while closing the journal. She looked at him for a few seconds before giggling. "No, no, that'd be such a cute name for a bakery!" She smiled. "It's a good pun, Altair. If you ever retire you should chase that dream. Maybe combine both dreams an' open a bakery with a live ban'! I'm sure you'd attract visitors from all over the galaxy." She said with confidence because she meant it; people would flock for both his singing and baking abilities.

The half-Annfyn shuffled closer to the Tiefling on the sofa, allowing him to guide her hand while being mindful of what she was touching. The anatomy of the guitar seemed simple enough; make the different notes on the frets and strum the strings beneath it. "Okay, that all makes sense." She nodded and took the guitar pick in her left hand. If Altair allowed it, she'd carefully lift up the guitar and place it on her right thigh, the neck of the guitar in her right hand, as she'd seen him do. "... Like this?" She looked up at Altair for a moment to make sure she wasn't holding the guitar incorrectly.

Then, a little too softly at first, she strung the strings with the pick. But once she was confident that she wouldn't snap the strings anytime soon, she somewhat increased the power of her strumming, allowing the notes to resonate more clearly in the air.

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 22, 2022

Altair was normally very particular about letting anyone touch his guitar, let alone play it. Yet here she was strumming away. He listened briefly before reaching over to press her fingers a bit more on the strings, “I know it don’t feel so good at first, but it sounds better,” He explained. For someone that had never played, the strings would cut into soft fingertips and feel uncomfortable. After a moment, he realized how close his face was to hers and withdrew, his cheeks heating up a bit as he cleared his throat, “Yeah like that,” He said with a smile at her playing.

He showed her a few basic chords and scooted away to give her space to play as she pleased. Altair watched her for a moment before he chuckled to himself, “I can’t believe you took a mic and started singin’,” Altair finally blurted out, addressing that entire sequence for the first time. Initially he was convinced the whole thing was an acid trip because in no universe would Clove sing on stage or dance with Aadya.

“Though… if you can forgive Aadya, I can’t really hold onto New Alderaan I guess..” He muttered as he gazed off for a moment. Altair jutted his chin towards her journal, “Whatcha got there? Is that like your diary or somethin’? Got our names written there with hearts next to ‘em?” He snickered at the thought.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 22, 2022

The strings cutting ever so slightly against her fingertips were mildly uncomfortable, just as Altair had warned her. And her always perfectly manicured nails didn't help either, making it difficult not to hit the wrong strings. But she gave it her all and didn't complain, instead focusing on trying to repeat the chords the Tiefling showed her. And every now and then, she managed to successfully play the chord, causing her to smile brightly. She was so focused on trying to learn that she hadn't noticed how close he was to her. That is until she lifted her gaze and saw him scoot away.

Her lips were painted with a small, shy smile, and her gaze lingered on his for a moment, realizing just how much she appreciated this moment. But, before she made it awkward, she returned her gaze to the fretboard and continued to try to piece together some chords. It didn't sound like anything, and unlike the Tiefling, the guitar didn't come naturally to her, but it was clear she was having fun.

"Weeeell, I had a little too much to drink!" Clove laughed brightly, recalling how she yanked the cables from the instruments so the fabric lady couldn't interject. To be honest, she would have done it even if she hadn't had champagne coursing through her veins. Something that night made her realize she was tired of standing still and watching the world go by without her. "But, I'm somewhat glad I did it. Minus that horrendous song choice. Boy do I regret that song. Also, what about you?! That performance you gave me?!" She giggled, remembering vividly how his hand snuck up her thigh. "It was one of the best wake-up calls I've ever received."

Then Altair continued and for a moment her fingers froze on the strings.

Her big brown eyes were drawn to his violets. "Hmm... Altair, I wouldn't blame you if you do hold onto it. Because I still hold it against myself. Some thin' take time an' effort to heal, an' while I promised myself that I'd put in every ounce of effort to show you how much I regret my mistakes an' how much I want to make thin' right... it'll also just come down to time. An' even then..." She shrugged softly. Who knew if time would heal everything? Still. With a gentle smile, she shook her head. "What I mean is... it's fine if you can't let go. An' if you want to talk about it, ask questions or just yell at me, that's fine too." She paused, before giggling. "Although I'd prefer if you don't yell. Also, Jeez, I began to ramble there. I'm sorry!"

"It's, uhm... I guess it's a diary?" Her cheeks lit up as she realized how nearly everything she had experienced since joining the Jedi order was in there. Meeting Crix, Ruz, and Arctus, fighting Aadya twice and the horrors that haunted her ever since and plenty of doodles of Altair, some with sadness and regret, but many with hearts and butterflies. She considered grabbing it and stuffing it back into her bag, but then she remembered... wasn't she done fleeing from her life? And didn't she want to re-earn Altair's trust? If so, why worry about showing him something so personal? Especially after he also taught her something very personal. "You can look if you want." She gave him another shy smile before lowering her gaze back to the guitar. "There are some hearts in there though, so don't say I didn't warn you!"

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 22, 2022

Altair stared at her as she spoke and then began to ramble. He was already slightly blazed and the rambling made his eyes visibly glaze over, “I wanna be over it,” He cut in halfway through her speech, “I can’t be mad at you. I know what you did..” He sighed as he looked away, “You gave up everythin’ you knew. You gave up the Jedi Order,” His gaze flicked over to her journal, “You prolly had to distance yourself from your friends,” Even if she kept in touch with them, it would never be the same as if she were still a Jedi, “Even if I weren’t over it, what could I ask you to do? I can’t ask anything worse than you already did to yourself.”

The tiefling’s face burned hot when she outright admitted to the hearts in her journal. He had only made a joke but he realized she was opening up something very personal to her. Altair shifted for a moment, his gaze lingering on the journal. After a beat, he glanced up at her, “Naw,” He decided, “I only wanna know what you tell me yourself,” Altair smiled at her, “Even if it’s gotta be in song form,” He flashed her a wink, “Besides you prolly drew me way more good lookin’ than I actually am.”

Altair made himself comfortable on the couch, putting his feet up against the edge of the table in front of them, “All right, what do ya wanna do? We can watch a movie, go to the pool area, eat in the dining area…or whatever you got in mind,” He looked back at her. They had options on the ship, but they were slightly limited. Altair felt comfortable enough to do just about anything.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 23, 2022

Maybe one day she'd tell Altair how much these words meant to her; a confirmation that everything she'd done since had been the right decision, and that he wasn't mad at her, at least not anymore. That day, however, was not today; she was already far too emotional and sappy. But while Clove was already more relaxed than she'd been in months, it was clear that a weight had been lifted from her shoulders after he interrupted her speech. "Okay... Well, in that case, thank you." She spoke in a lower voice, a bright and warm smile on her lips as she looked at him for a moment.

Clove was leaning back against the pillow, the guitar still on her thigh, by the time the focus shifted to the journal. Lazily and relaxed, she continued to try to replicate the chords. "Heh. Well. I suppose I'll have to learn to sing." She grinned back at him, returning his wink as smoothly as she could; it wasn't smooth at all. But, hey, she'd never done a proper wink before any of this. So at the very least, she tried! "Well, if you do ever get curious." She shrugged with a giggle.

She listened to him list the things they could do. And then she heard the words "pool area". Clove's ears perked up almost instantly. Carefully she lowered the guitar until it rested on her lap before leaning in closer to Altair. "You have a pool?! I'd love to go swimming!" Nothing soothed her aching legs like a relaxing bathtub or a swim in the pool. And she couldn't deny that the idea of swimming with Altair sounded alluring. She never got that chance at his birthday party all those years ago. "How about we do that first, and then get somethin' to eat after we've finished swimmin'?"

"Here." She said while carefully returning the guitar to him. "Thank you for teachin' me, I really enjoyed it!" She scooted to the edge of the sofa and grabbed her leather bag, stuffing her journal back inside. While she was at it, she decided to see if she had brought a swimsuit by chance. But no matter how deep she dug into the bag, there was nothing beyond her armor and pencil dress. Oh well, she could always swim in her underwear.

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 23, 2022

Altair took the guitar and carefully put it back in the case, closing it. It was obvious he took great care of his instrument from how well maintained everything was despite age. He glanced at Clove and nodded, “A heated pool too,” He said with a grin. It was no secret that he liked everything warm or hot by and a pool was no exception.

He noticed she didn’t have any luck pulling out swimwear, “I mean… I got extra swimming shorts. My lucky porg shorts. You’ll drown in ‘em but they got a drawstring,” Altair said with a laugh. Regardless of what she chose, they made their way over to the pool area. It was large enough to have a pool and even a small jacuzzi off to the side. The room was slightly steamy and warm just from Altair’s temperature preferences.

The tiefling dipped his toe into the pool before walking over and turning the heat down a bit. Altair disappeared for a moment and emerged in form fitting swimming shorts, his muscular frame briefly on display before he did a cannon ball jump right into the water. Altair came up and shook his head, wading in the pool as he glanced at Clove.

“Feels great! Come on in!” He called out cheerfully.

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 23, 2022

"... Lucky porg shorts?" Clove raised an eyebrow and looked at him for a second before laughing with him. "You know what, why not! Lucky porg shorts in a heated pool it is." She followed him cheerfully towards the pool area, trying not to stare with widened eyes, especially when the pool and jacuzzi came into view. The air was almost damp against her skin, and it was warm. But, unlike Mustafar's surface, this warmth was soothing and relaxing. As long as the water didn't boil her skin. Thankfully, Altair felt the water and lowered the temperature for her.

After looking around in a panic, she walked over what seemed to be the dressing rooms for girls... or she guessed they were for girls because Altair went the opposite way. In retrospect, perhaps they were the standard dressing rooms and Altair had his own? She'd never know. Regardless, she jumped out of her clothes until she was only wearing her black bralette and pulled the shorts up her legs.

And Altair was correct. She drowned in them.

While the drawstring tied the top around her waist, the shorts fell below her knees. The fabric itself was loose around her legs, resembling a flared skirt rather than actual shorts. But Clove walked out of the changing area and went back to the pool with all the confidence in the world. Because she's worn far stranger things than oversized shorts.

She arrived just in time to catch a glimpse of Altair's muscular frame before he jumped into the water with a cannonball, causing water to splatter everywhere. When his head re-emerged from the water, his black hair dancing on the surface and water droplets reflecting on his ash skin, the half-Annfyn giggled, her gaze lingering on him. It was an oddly gorgeous sight. Clove shook her head, shaking any thoughts away, and placed her hands on her hips. "How do you like my new look?" She struck a dramatic model pose, looking away into the sky with a serious pout, just like all the catwalk models. "I call it pool wear chic!" She managed to hold that pose for a split second before bursting out laughing. "Okay okay, I'm done! I'll join you!"

While still giggling Clove walked over to the pool's edge. And, without hesitation, she jumped into the warm water. As she went under, the streams of water swirled past her skin, and she expected to bounce back up to the surface layer. But instead, she began to sink to the bottom. Oh. Sugar. She had completely forgotten about the weight of her metallic spine. If she could sigh underwater, she would've. Thankfully, this wasn't an ocean or a lake, but a swimming pool, so it didn't take long for her feet to touch the ground. She knelt slightly before pushing herself off the floor, allowing the momentum of her 'jump' to boost her toward the surface of the water.

While she had to swim near the end because her momentum had worn off, she made it to the surface. She popped her head out of the water, but the weight of her spine threatened to drag her under again. Gravity was a donkey's butt. All she could do was hope and pray that Altair was nearby to help her.

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 24, 2022

Altair simply stared at her for a moment, taking in sight of her top and then his ridiculous swimming shorts. Any sexiness from her upper torso was counterbalanced by the brightly colored porg shorts that went down to her shins. He chuckled to himself as she did her little model walk, “Beautiful,” He called out and he meant it. No matter what she wore, he knew he would always find her attractive.

He watched as she jumped into the water…and didn’t emerge right away. In a flash, he remembered that she had that cybernetic spine. Cursing to himself, Altair quickly dove underwater, snaking an arm around her waist and swimming up before she came to surface. The tiefling cut across the water with one arm till he arrived at the edge of the pool, ensuring that Clove could grasp onto the sides.

Altair stopped holding her only when he was sure she wouldn’t sink, “You all right?” He asked, concern bleeding into his tone, “The hell was that superhero landin’ underwater?!” Altair asked with confusion on his face.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 24, 2022

It was a blessing to feel Altair's arm hook around her waist before she even reached the surface. She quickly wrapped her arms around his chest, holding him tightly as he brought her to the surface of the water, and then to the pool's edge. She would have marveled at being so close to his skin on any other day, but now all she could think about was trying to cling closely and not let go. When the pool's edge was within reach, Clove let go of his torso and grasped the side tightly.

"Oh man, sorry, sorry!" The half-already Annfyn's large eyes were twice as wide when she finally looked up at him, her breathing a little faster. "I forgot about my spine!" A flash of shame flashed across her face, followed by some embarrassment. "I've gotten so used to it that I sometimes forget I'm wearin' a pure metal secondary spine." She huffed, leaning against the wall. "Thank you, for havin' my back." She gave him a soft smile of gratitude. She knew she wouldn't die in the pool; in the worst-case scenario, she could have used the Force to propel herself like a dolphin. But she couldn't deny that she was incredibly grateful to Altair for helping her.

Her attention was drawn to an orange pool noodle in a corner with some other floaties after she had calmed down a little. Perfect! Clove swirled her finger, guiding the Force to the noodle and grasping it. Then, with a yank, it flew away from the corner and straight towards the water, landing with a blop next to them. Clove let go of the railing and quickly grabbed a pool noodle, tucking it beneath her armpits and leaning on it. "Crisis solved!" She said happily. While the noodle sunk slightly, it was enough to keep her up, especially once she started using her arms and legs to peddle gently. That's when the reality of the warm water began to sink in; it was so nice and warm but not boiling. Her muscles started to soften, almost melting like butter. And any leg or back pain began to fade gradually, leaving behind a blissful sense of comfort.

Clove sighed deeply and smiled peacefully. "Oh, that's a lot better." She almost purred, closing her eyes for a second. She floated there for a moment before reopening her eyes and returning her gaze to Altair, a grin on her lips. "So, what do you like to do in a pool? Any games or somethin'?"

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 24, 2022

Altair’s face displayed concern until she said ‘thank you for having my back’. His eyes narrowed briefly and he splashed water in her face, “That’s for your terrible pun,” He said with a straight face before he started laughing. He purposely dunked himself underwater before she could retaliate, resurfacing a short distance away. She appeared more steady with the pool noodles and looked ridiculous with that and the giant shorts that flared up slightly around her.

“I just like to chill,” He said as he floated on his back, his eyes closing, “I like playin’ chicken when it’s a party. Did you do that on my birthday?” His birthday felt like centuries ago - it was when Aadya asked him out and before he realized he felt the way he did about Clove.

“I got some sturdy ass shoulders,” Altair said with a grin, “And I always win,” He boasted happily before tilting his head to look at her. He dove underwater abruptly and out of sight, his tail the last to go under the surface.

Without warning, he came up from under her and she would suddenly be lifted out of the water perched atop his shoulders, pool noodle included. Altair could barely stand on his toes here, but it was enough to keep them up, “See? And you got the horns to steady yourself,” He explained casually.

“But damn..suddenly…I feel…feel so weak..I can’t..” He said dramatically, “I think I’m gonna faaaaaaaaaallllll,” He called out loud in an almost sing song voice as he launched himself backwards. This would send them both hurtling backwards into the water and topple Clove right off. While she would have her noodle to help her resurface, it would still suddenly surprise her. Altair was in a playful mood and he was likely one of the few people that didn’t treat Clove like a fragile doll, having no qualms with messing with her.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 26, 2022

Clove giggled straight away when the Tiefling pointed out the unintentional pun she had made. "No, that's fa-" She couldn't finish her sentence because the Tiefling dove underwater to create some distance from her. She raised an eyebrow, amused. "Are you afraid I'll splash you back?" She continued giggling.

"Hmmm..." Clove hummed, thinking about the party. To be fair, she hadn't played chicken in a long time. The last time must've been with her father when she was ten. "No, I didn't play chicken on your birthday!" She returned his smile before he vanished again. Gosh. Altair was truly slippery in a pool.

Clove wasn't sure what she expected him to do, but she was clearly startled when she felt his hands around her legs, lifting her out of the water and onto his shoulders. She instinctively held onto his right horn, having spent enough time on his shoulders to know how to sit and maintain her balance. And the startle of a second ago vanished, replaced by a feeling of trust. "Heh. I can see why you'd always win." She said with a clear smile in her voice. "It's almost cheatin', with your horns an' broad shoulders!"

There was no time to dwell on that thought because Altair's body abruptly began to shift backward while he dramatically called out how he was falling. Clove was so surprised that she let out a proper yelp before falling off his shoulders and straight back into the water, back first. She clung to the noodle with her eyes closed, allowing it to bop her back to the surface. She didn't reopen her chocolate brown eyes until her head popped out of the water, water droplets dripping from her ears, nose, and eyelashes. Because of the yelp she caught a mouthful of water, which she coughed up, but she was clearly fine beyond that.

She took a breath and blinked a few more times before abruptly turning to look at Altair. She stared at him in silence for a few seconds before her lips curled into a smile. And that smile turned into a laugh, which began quietly at first. But she was laughing loudly within a matter of seconds, her ears long fluted joyfully dancing up and down as her voice echoed throughout the pool room. "Oh, you butt!" She called out happily.

However, two people could play those games. Sure, she wasn't strong or tall like him. But! She was small and most importantly, quick. While still laughing, she subtly shifted backward, getting closer to one of the edges. Then, without warning, she leaned forward on the noodle, the Force coiling through her own body. And as she leaned forward, her legs lifted behind her torso until her feet touched the wall. She didn't hesitate and released the Force in her legs, slightly strengthening her muscles as she pushed herself off the wall and launched herself forward. The half-Annfyn shot through the water, heading straight to Altair, all in a matter of seconds.

As soon as she was in striking distance, she approached him carefully but quickly with her noodle in an attempt to use her momentum to push him underwater. Regardless of whether she had enough strength to get him under, she collided with his chest noodle first in an obvious attempt to avoid hurting him.

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 27, 2022

Altair started laughing as she flopped around in the water before reorienting herself. He didn’t know what was funnier - her reaction or that the worst insult she could muster was ‘butt’. The tiefling was full on chortling, completely missing how Clove was preparing herself for a launch. Altair was clearing some of the hair from his eyes when she abruptly darted at him. Lavender eyes just barely widened before she collided with him pool noodle first.

It was his turn to tumble into the water unexpectedly, swallowing a bit of it and having some go up his nose. He flailed a bit, but his tail abruptly jutted out to hook around her ankle to drag her with. They would emerge moments later and he was still laughing in between coughing and hacking.

“You definitely cheated,” Altair accused her with a grin, “No way your tiny ass could come chargin’ like that without the Force,” He said as he shook his head to send droplets flying everywhere. His gaze lingered on hers for a moment while he still had a dorky smile on his face. Altair recovered shortly, clearing his throat as he started floating on his back again.

“Wanna try the hot tub?” He asked after a few minutes as he floated to the edge and got out of the pool. Once again, he walked over to ensure the temperature wasn't still to his liking and a bit more reasonable for Clove. In the meantime, he walked over to make himself a drink, “Made sure I could have my own party area,” He called out as he gathered the ingredients for a refreshing mojito. He sprinkled in the mint leaves before carrying two glasses over to set by the edge of the hot tub. Altair slipped into the water and took a sip. And immediately grimaced. It was a bit on the sour side and he realized this was absolutely not his forte. Nevertheless, he kept a straight face and said nothing about it, waiting to see if Clove joined him.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 27, 2022

Clove was so satisfied to see him go down that she let down her guard and didn't consider Altair could strike back. But he did, pulling her down with him after wrapping his tail around her ankle. She went under with a splash and reappeared not long after. She was coughing and giggling as she clung to the pool noodle for dear life. Her bun had come undone by this point after going under three times. Her shoulder-length curls drooped around her face before falling like a fan into the water.

The half-gaze Annfyn's returned to the Tieflings, all the while she smiled ever so brightly and warmly. She hadn't missed his lingering gaze or his goofy dorky smile, and it was enough to send a whirlwind of butterflies through her stomach. But for the time being, she ignored it and responded instead. "Pfsh! You should see me out there! I'm like zzzmm zzzmmmm!" She made some noises that sounded like speed to her. In reality, it sounded like a shrieking mosquito. "... Buuuut you are right. I cheated." She grinned. "There's no way I'm goin' to tackle someone like you without some help!"

While the few minutes she spent lazily hanging on the pool noodle and drifting on the still water were extremely relaxing, the prospect of entering the hot tub made her eyes light up. "Oh, sure! That would be great!" It took her a second to drift to the pool's edge, and an even longer second to get to her feet. While she used to carry herself with grace and elegance, she now resembled a half-drowned porg trying to crawl onto land. Thankfully, by the time Altair had finished making the drinks, Clove managed to get on her feet. "Look at you, all fancy with a party bar!" She grinned as she walked over to the hot tub.

She joined Altair in the water, which was a little too hot for her taste, but she didn't complain. Especially when the first few jets collided with her legs, gently massaging them. Her eyes closed for a split second as she sighed out in bliss, before returning her attention to Altair and the drinks. She grabbed the second glass and pressed it to her lips, taking a sip. And her blissful expression vanished in an instant, her face crumbling and her eyes squinting to a close. Not only was it the strongest alcoholic drink she'd ever had, but it was also sour. And Clove didn't do sour well. She turned her chocolate brown eyes to Altair's violets, desperately trying to relax the muscles in her face. "It's a bit sour." She eventually admitted before taking another brave sip. Nop. Still sour. "But it is refreshin'!"

Clove kept the glass in her hand and sunk a little deeper into the tub, not wanting to offend him or his choice of drinks. "I needed this, so badly." She nearly purred. In some ways, this was the most relaxed Clove had ever been while surrounded by Altair.

tag @Sreeya

Altair Din · Oct 28, 2022

Altair burst out laughing as he saw her try hard not to make a face, “I suck at makin’ drinks,” He declared, taking another sip from his sour mojito, “But you can try if you want,” He pointed to the bar area behind her. It had all the items to make most mixed drinks. The jets felt incredible against his muscles that were often sore these days. For a moment, he said nothing, submerging himself in the warm water and relaxing.

“Me too,” He agreed with her, staring up at the ceiling, “I don’t get too many chances to use the luxuries I get,” Altair admitted. A lot of things had changed since he became Commander - it came with luxuries that he seldom had the time to enjoy and a workload that stressed him out nonstop. He pushed those thoughts aside, tilting his head down to look at Clove. Did he know how to be only friends with her? He had managed it in the past, and yet it felt almost awkward to go right back to that strictly.

Altair sipped from his drink again. He had different topics to bring up, but they were all angsty - about her time away from Jedi, the decisions that led there, what she had done during that time. All of it sounded like stuff that would take her away from relaxing, “So…how are you likin’ doing this Star Guardian stuff?” He asked. That sounded like a safe topic and hopefully not too awkward.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 28, 2022

Clove's eyes followed his gesture to the bar, and she was visibly thinking about it. But instead, she sank deeper into the tub, until her chin was almost touching the water. "That requires standin' up, which I'm far too lazy to do." She said it with a smile. "Plus, this is... my... tenth drink in my life?" She knew nothing except a fancy Naboo wine and champagne. And whatever she drank at Altair's birthday party, which she couldn't recall. "I can make you a killer wine though!"

She met Altair's gaze and found herself stuck staring into his eyes. Hanging out with him like this reminded her of why she fell so deeply in love with him. But before it became too awkward or uncomfortable, she shifted her gaze to the bubbling water. "I can imagine. You must always be incredibly busy as a commander. It's a shame you can't enjoy somethin' as luxurious as this on a regular basis." She smiled in his direction. "I hope you enjoy bein' a commander at least a little bit?"

"Hmmmmm." She thought about it for a moment while taking another sip of the drink that gave her a sour face, making sure the glass didn't get dunked in the water. Did she like the Star Guardians stuff? "For the most part! I really like the aspect of helpin'. Havin' my own rules, the authority to tell people to back off an' the ability to protect people. An' all of this is why I ended up creatin' the Star Guardians, right? But... it is extremely expensive an' requires a lot of fundin'. An' I need approvals from faction leaders in general, as well as from Senators an' Governors to build on their planets... So there are a lot of anxious conversations with people who look at me like I'm twelve." She huffed out. "I have a meetin' with the Sibyl in a week. SIBYL! Meetin' her will be even worse than meetin' Raze!"

She fell silent for a few moments before sighing and speaking again. "But, you know, it could have been worse. All complaints aside. I get to follow my dreams an' do somethin' for the galaxy in ways I think is right." Her lips formed a small but content smile. "And that's worth some uncomfortable conversations." Her gaze finally returned to Altair. "It's partly because of you, you know." She shrugged her shoulders, almost shyly. "I remember you tellin' me on Kashyyyk that I could help people without the Jedi Order. An' after what happened on Dantooine an' New Alderaan... I decided it was time to reclaim some control an' break out of prison, like you told me. An' I don't regret a single second of that."

"... I really need to stop ramblin' whenever I'm around you." Clove smiled at him. She had begun to control her ramblings around most people, but something about Altair disarmed her, kicked away her filter and let her talk for hours on end.

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Altair Din · Oct 28, 2022

Altair listened to every word, though he was normally the type to zone out if anyone talked too long. She would notice he eagerly listened the entire time and smiled, his tail wagging energetically. It felt good to hear her talk about her passions. Altair finished up his drink and floated over the jug he had made, placing it by the hot tub, “Damn Clove,” He said, “You sound more passionate about this than you ever did about Jedi.”

He poured himself another drink, still surprised at how she credited some of her path choices to him, “I feel like I’m…still figurin’ out what makes me tick,” Altair said, “But…my ambitions…” He chuckled to himself, taking a long sip, “Sometimes sound crazy even to me. I mean…what would you do if I became uh…” Altair shifted for a moment in the water, “Became Emperor?”

It sounded insane to say it. The word carried negative connotations, but also powerful ones. He watched her face for how she would react. This wasn’t the social - he wasn’t drugged and drunk and she was calm as well. Would she see him as a Palpatine in the making? Would she see him as a monster? Would she see him as some silly idiot boy with unobtainable dreams? In a way Altair almost despised how much it mattered what she thought.

@LilyNion

Clove Vanhoop · Oct 28, 2022

The way he smiled at her, the movement she felt underwater from his tail, it was all enough to make Clove blush again. When he mentioned how passionate she sounded, she took an unnecessary long sip to tell her brain to shut up and give him an answer. "Heh. Yeh. I am!" were the only words she finally managed to utter.

Thankfully, Altair began to pour himself a drink and changed the subject, allowing her to relax a little and focus on him instead. She wasn't surprised when he asked that question. She knew it was going to happen one way or another. However, the timing caught her off guard. Still, Clove kept her cool and hummed for a second, digging through her thoughts. Then she turned around in the water, completely facing him, a calm expression on her face.

"Do you want an honest answer? Because I've been thinkin' about it." She paused for a moment. "I believe the war will be fought regardless. Even if someone nukes every single Jedi an' Sith alive, some wet cabbage will find the Jedi an' Sith manuscripts an' rebuild them. If they don't, new sects preachin' the Darkide an' the Lightside will emerge." It wasn't the most optimistic viewpoint, but she'd learned by now that this war had no end in sight. "An' if the war must be fought, I'd rather see a compassionate an' carin' Sith on the throne than an icecold killer." Her lips curled into a gentle smile as she looked at him.

"So, as Clove, I don't have any issues with it. I know you'll have to do thin' that will either hurt or sadden me a little. My former family an' friends are your enemies. It would be foolish to deny that, an' I already cry watchin' nature documentaries, so it's not difficult to make me sad," Clove let out a soft giggle, But that's already a part of who you are an' will be, whether as a Sith Master or Emperor." Clove took a moment to look down at her own legs in the water before returning her gaze to him. "But I mostly hope you don't lose your compassion an' care. Because that is the you I adore. An' as long as that's there, even if it's just a little bit, I'll be there for you."

She averted her gaze for a moment, making an irritated expression. "It does introduce a minor issue in the form of the Star Guardians. Because as leader of the Star Guardians, I can't just show up an' say, "Hi, I'm besties with the Emperor of the Sith, kisses!" because, well, I'm neutral. I can get away with it now, but the higher rank you get, the tougher it'll be. An' it's not that I care about people an' their opinions, people an' their opinions be damned, but doin' so will make the Star Guardians a target. An' I don't want innocent people to get hurt over it." She took another sip from her glass, clearly annoyed that she had to say any of this. It wasn't because of Altair, but because people were donkeys and she disliked the fact that being incredibly close friends with a Sith would equal people whining. "So... As much as it bothers me, any close friendship or whatever we may have might have to stay between us. I... hope that doesn't hurt you or annoy you." She sighed deeply, having finished saying the thoughts that had been circling her head since he drunkenly mentioned becoming Emperor.

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