Ask [Garos] Like Day and Night

[Hailee Lightwood]

Hailee had felt rather bad about forcing Caelian to stay put in the cargo hold for hours. Perhaps his sarcastic Droid comparison hadn't been too bad after all. Because of him, she had put aside her usual moral standards and had pushed the ship to its top speed, not wasting anytime before doing the jump into hyperspace.

While the ship had been on autopilot she had allowed herself a quick snack as well while she had continued her talks with Maura until she had finally dropped the young padawan off. She had still not freed Caelian because she had wanted him to be safe, and so he would have to wait until they would find themselves in hyperspace again.

It was a good thing that she had refueled the vessel back on Onderon because this way she didn't had to wait on Yavin to get another load of fuel while her secret passenger was still desperate waiting to be freed.

When she finally moved back into the direction of the cargo hold that apologetic smile had landed on her lips before she had even called him and they were already on the direct course to Garos IV.

"I hope you haven't fallen asleep!" she loudly proclaimed while she wondered where he had even chosen to stay. "Oh also: Maura has been gone for a while, I've just forgotten to tell you" she teasingly added, which was of course a lie, but she wasn't sure whether he had noticed the landing approach and their hasty departure or weather he had actually napped.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

It had been a long trip indeed, trapped in the back of a Jedi ship heading in secret to a Jedi planet before being whisked off again to some unknown neutral place. The room itself was temperate, which was fortunate considering that it was a cargo bay after all, however there weren't a lot of entertaining things to keep an Echani occupied in there.

For the first wee while, Caelian stared at the room counting any oddities that he could perceive, the number of bolts in the wall, any alterations of colour where the paint had been scratched or poorly coated. Did all the lights in the room have the same wattage, could he tell without using the force of their lumen output?

There was fortunately a holopad that he had access to, which he used to scroll through switter and swoutube. There were some banging tunes that he couldn't listen to without a connected comm piece, instead he watched along reading the subtitles and playing out their sounds in his head. An interesting channel showed some intriguing nature documentaries following a Nexu pride deep within an unknown remote jungle world, the words vividly described the scenes so well that he wondered if there was any need for sound at all.

He could feel the stopping and starting of the ship as it left the atmosphere again, Caelian had been so drawn into the holopad that he didn't even notice Hailee sneak up on him and speak. Her question arrived at a very tense part of the show, and it jump scared him something chronic. "Oh Kriff it's just you, thank goodness. You scared me there for a second." His eyes darted around to check that there wasn't some hidden Nexu or, worse, Maura hidden and ready to pounce before returning his gaze to hers.

He turned the tablet around and moved it toward her hands. Her comment that Maura had been gone for some time and that she simply forgot to let him know made him roll his eyes, "Thanks for letting me know, I'll prefer to imagine it was because you were so busy making that three-course meal you promised."

Caelian had consumed some of the rations that Hailee had left for him, careful not to over feed himself after a long period of not eating. The food was decently nutritious, but had left him longing for some real food, as it had been some time since he'd had any. He hoped that perhaps they would find something on Garos, a planet he knew almost nothing about.

Looking toward Hailee indirectly, he spoke, "So what's this Garos place got that made you want to choose it? Or did you just pull that one out of a hat? & when do you plan on giving me back my stuff?" His face was smirking, but he did hope she hadn't thrown out his gear, that stuff was annoying to replace.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

She had wondered what he had been up to the whole time. Unfortunately, it had been a few hours and she felt slightly bad and she knew far too well that she would have been bored as kark back here, but apart from the initial shock, he seemed alright.

"Scared you? Whom did you expect?" she amusedly asked, raising a brow in curiosity at him. Her gaze quickly flicked down to the nature documentary and the Nexu didn't escape her gaze. "Ah, I see. You were afraid a wild cat might jump at you" she playfully kept teasing as he handed her the holopad.

She really wondered whether he had been too focused on the documentary to notice her approach, or whether there had been anything else he had been cautious of. Had he even known that they had been on Yavin for a few minutes? Perhaps it was better not to tell him anyway. She was just glad that everything had gone so smoothly.

His remark immediately made her snicker and while she led him back to the cockpit, she couldn't help but to keep on quipped. "Ooof, sorry. I shared that all with my Jedi friend and since I'm not hungry anymore and I don't think we need dinner", she apologetically smiled at him before she sat down into the pilot's seat and checked the map again.

"Hmm...seems like you know as much as I do. It was close and looked quite nice. It supposedly possesses beautiful valleys and mountains, so I thought that might be a good place to grab something to eat" she then replied with a smirk, emerald eyes resting on the Echani.

Funnily enough, the mood had now shifted again and it felt like they had been friends for ages...It was truly hard to believe that the invasion hadn't even been a day ago. But that reminded her of something else. That, and his demanding remark. "I'm not quite sure actually. Don't worry though, I'm keeping it safe for now" she gave him a cheeky wink, not revealing too much about his stuff after all.

The truth was, that she had made some interesting findings after all because she had been a bit too curious and she slightly felt bad for it. She definitely planned on handing his possessions back, yet she wasn't quite sure when. "We will arrive in about half an hour. You still wanted clothes, right? Follow me and I'll see what I can find". With that she got up again, hoping that he would follow her into the direction of the cabins.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

Caelian was relieved to be finally free of his self imprisonment in the cargo hold of Hailee's nondescript shuttle and choosing to not answer her question and feline commentary. Arriving back in the cockpit, he could see that they were still in hyperspace en route to some unknown world, but one surely to provide an interesting adventure.

Watching from behind the co-pilot's seat, he placed his hands on his hips after her revelation that they wouldn't be eating. Damnit! I should have eaten more of those rations, he grumbled internally. Before he could say anything, she continued and teased that she had, in fact, not actually eaten. "Well I'm about ready to eat just about anything at this point, those rations kept me alive, but it's just not the same." His pale blue eyes watching her relaxed movements in the chair.

She most of hidden his gear somewhere on this ship, he pondered. Perhaps a hidden closet or wall safe with a complex code like 1-0-1-0, a standard default pin. The joke almost broke through, forcing himself not to burst out with a chuckle as he tried to remain focused on what Hailee was saying in case she gave away a clue.

Without his armour, there was an air of vulnerability, as the clothes he wore under it were more suited to being undergarments than streetware. Modest as they were, the fact that they had also been pierced by blaster fire did nothing for their comfort, exposing a small amount of his chest and arm to the elements. Caelian was happy for the opportunity to change and turned to follow Hailee towards the cabins in search of replacements.

Standing in front of the most basic set of wardrobe that he had ever seen, it was as if the designers of the ship had decided that this was where they wanted to finally spare expense. The dull white blended with the illumination provided by the overhead halo light and did no favours to whomever had attempted to claim that they had a degree in interior design. While he idly stood, Hailee had been busy picking out an assortment of clothes for him, something basic he thought, but comfy.

Clothes begun flying out of the dimly lit closet, a pair of jeans hit him in the chest, which he caught one-handed. A white polo, undergarments and a jacket followed to complete the look. Catching all the clothes, he sheepishly looked for Hailee in the closet as she re-emerged. "Uh thanks for these, I guess I better go find somewhere to change." He assumed the cabin would have some kind of bathroom, however small, that would be suitable. Then at last they would be able to find something to eat.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

For a brief moment she wondered whether he had snooped around on that holopad for a while, but regardless of how distrusting she usually was, she decided to trust him on that for now. He was probably still avoiding to piss her off as she was still in possession of his belongings-and especially both lightsaber- but he was also not risking their new found trust and truce, she assumed.

"Don't worry, we'll soon have our food" she replied with a grin, before something else came to her mind, making herngrin even wider. "Uhm...so I've heard that however loses a fight, pays" she cheekily teased him while getting up before she let him towards one of the cabins.

She immediately started rummaging through the drawers, the cheeky grin still on her lips while she tried to find something appropriate. She was aware that she wouldn't find anything fancy, yet she was hoping for something at least fit for a restaurant.

With a quick glance over her shoulder she assessed his built again, but she couldn't keep herself from teasing him again. "I always thought I'm pale...but I haven't met an Echani before. We should visit a beach someday so that I could tease you with my tan". Was that mean? Perhaps, but she knew he could take this little banter.

"Here, this should fit and suit you" she happily proclaimed as she handed him a pile of clothes before she picked up what she had chosen herself. She had purposely chosen Jedi robes, but slightly more casual, lighter ones that would rather fit the occasion as something too formal.

It might have been hard to explain but by choosing not to wear normal clothes she was somehow hoping she would remind herself of where she had come from...and as far as she knew even though Garos was independent, it was rather fond of the Jedi so she was not expecting any trouble.

"I'll be right back. Just change here I'd say, I'll leave you to it" she answered with a smirk, "Don't worry, I won't peek" she added with a cheeky wink before she turned and headed to the passenger cabin right next to his to quickly change as well.

Once done, she retrieved his possession, everything but his lightsaber of course, and proudly presented it to him as soon as he would step out of the cabin. "You'll get your toy once I drop you off again" she quipped amusedly, knowing perfectly well that she was teasing him again. It was not like they were expecting any trouble, so it seemed like he didn't need one. De facto she was carrying both hilts on her hip anyway, cleverly concealed by the flowy fabric in case there would be any troubles though.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

There was an electric feeling in the air, although Caelian couldn't quite tell if it was static produced by the clothes thrown at him, an uncontrolled manipulation of the force or just the cheekiness of it all. Either way, a dumb grin found its way across his face as she quipped, he returned equally cheeky, "Oh so that's how it's gunna be huh, you win one fight and hang that over my head forever?"

Caelian stood there watching Hailee rummage through the closet, and seeing her staring back toward him. There seemed to be no end to her banter, which only served to lighten the mood further. He'd started to adjust to how relaxed she had become, himself feeling similarly and enjoying every second. "Hey, what's wrong with being pale? although you might need sunglasses so I don't blind you." he chuckled, "I'm down, but fair warning I'll burn easily without lots of sunscreen."

He watched attentively as she began searching for something to wear herself, his gaze pulling away but seemingly drifting back momentarily. For all their time spent together, first in heated combat and then in the chilled room where emotions had been both high and low, he noticed her.

Holding the pile in front of himself, his azure eyes blissfully locked with her emerald eyes, twirling in an unfamiliar knot and throwing him a little as she swore that she wouldn't peek before adding in a little wink. Caelian felt his throat dry and gulped as she turned to walk away, her confident stride spelling trouble, but try as he might, he couldn't look away.

The door closed behind her, breaking the spell and allowing Caelian to return to his senses. Taking the clothes to the bed and standing near a full mirror, he pulled the damaged shirt up and over his head and looked at the healed mark on his chest. It was remarkable how the force could be used in such foreign ways, to mend not break, the concept was something that he would never grasp, but it remained interesting to him.

Normally, Caelian could immediately tell if he was interested in pursuing a woman, sometimes successfully and others not. With all that had gone on, he found himself becoming so invested in how their stories were aligned, their physical combat paled in comparison to the mental battles they had fought so valiantly. This was different somehow in a way that he didn't quite yet understand and that annoyed him. She was beautiful, funny and that would normally be enough to secure his interest, but something seemed to overshadow that and distract him long enough that he had only just noticed his own reaction.

Sighing, the rest of his clothes quickly followed suit and were discarded to the floor without thought. Caelian looked at himself in the mirror with annoyance, judging what he saw. The flaws in his body were superficial at best, but he had always been so hard upon himself and continually strove to improve. Each year that passed saw another scar or burn added to his pale skin, each telling their own story of failure or triumph and reminding him of how far he had yet to go.

He broke away from such thoughts and dressed and slipping into some appropriate shoes for their adventure to come, and exited the cabin, surprised to see Hailee waiting for him so eagerly. In her hands he could see a number of familiar things, taking each back and pocketing them without a word. She'd seen what they were and said nothing, both providing comfort and terror at the thought, but keeping his silence.

"Don't forget to, although it didn't seem much help against you, maybe there's something wrong with it." he replied sarcastically about his lightsaber. He tried to distract himself from the teasing she continued to lay on, trying not to read too much into it. She'd gone for a blended Jedi but neutral look, which she naturally pulled off in style. There was nothing provocative about it, and yet he couldn't help but sheepishly glance, trying not to be caught as they spoke.

"Shall we?" he politely extended his elbow out for her to take if she so wished, otherwise he would return the arm to his side as they walked back towards the cockpit and presumably the outside once they had arrived at their destination.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

Of course Hailee wouldn't stop bantering and teasing...it was quite fun being that playful and it even felt like that was just another reason that ensured the peace between the two of them. It was almost ironic that they literally seemed to share the same humor anyway, but she enjoyed it a lot anyway.

"Uhm yes sure, what did you think? The only reason we're hopping to another planet is that I can keep rubing it into your face" she teasingly quipped, but he would definitely hear that she was joking. In fact, she was indeed looking forward to an amusing night, a delicious dinner and some more deep, philosophical discussions if they would come up again.

Surprisingly, after she had brought him onto her ship, every minute spent so far had been oddly refreshing and perhaps that was why she couldn't stop smiling right now. "Sunglasses on the beach day with Caelian and litres of sunscreen...okay noted" she playfully teased while she pretended not type that into the holopad he had given back before.

It didn't go unnoticed that his gaze had lingered on her for longer than expected, but she left it uncommented and only left the cabin with a smirk before she changed as well. Once reunited, however, he immediately made her laugh with his remark again. "Don't forget to give it back...maybe I'll just keep it as a trophy, especially if you say there might be something wrong with it" she playfully stuck out her tongue before she shrugged and nonchalantly spun on her heels to return to the cockpit with him in tow.

However, before she had fully turned she already stopped in the middle of her movement, slightly confused by his extended elbow and the remark. Now she really couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud and even if she caught herself somehow, the giggling continued as she gratefully accepted his arm with an overdramatic curtsey. "Ah, what a distinguished gentleman. I've never had someone safely escorting me...to the cockpit" she replied amusedly, wondering whether he had forgotten or not noticed that they were still in hyperspace.

Still, she guided him back as dramatically as possible, even though they barely made a few meters. "I thank you kindly" she thanked him with a polite bow before she let go of his arm and got back into the pilot's chair where she starting taking over control. "I'm pulling us out of hyperspace now. We'll land in a few minutes" she then exclaimed with another grin in his direction.

"Last chance to change your mind...once I land you'll be stuck on that planet for a while and forced to have dinner with the fearsome Jedi who kicked your butt" she cheekily teased once again, giving him a playful wink before she focused on the ship's controls. "Have I told you that this is literally just my third flight". She was not trying to worry him, but she wanted to give him a disclaimer in case this decent would be slightly rockier.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

A distinguished gentleman indeed, for all of the ten steps from the hall way into the cockpit. Each step the same distance as the last, perfectly escorting the VIP safely with Hailee by his side. She'd made an amused comment, causing him to reply similarly, "Well, it's a dangerous job, but someone had to do it."

After they entered the cockpit, he stood quietly off to the side while she got to work taking control of the ship and planning the last few stages, of what was necessary. Only a few more minutes, she said, which wasn't that long considering the hours that he had been stuck hiding from the scary little one.

Caelian watched out through the ship's view ports out into the deep space that compressed itself as the ship zoomed through hyperspace. Whole worlds and clusters filled with millions of sentient lives, animals and everything in between living out their entire lives and all those trillions of connections happening on a tiny spec on the screen that he would only be able to glimpse at momentarily. The galaxy as a whole was as massive as it was varied, and the thought of exploring a world that he knew nothing about filled him with excitement.

Hailee tried to rile him up with a cheeky comment, but Caelian was lost in thought for a moment before realising that he should reply. "Technically, you won, sure. Hopefully this time your buddy doesn't shoot me in the chest again, though." he'd die on that hill that he lost an outnumbered fight and in fact their armed contest had not been fairly decided, at least he said so to himself.

His eyes widened after Hailee commented on her vast flight experience, "Oh so that's why you said we'll be stuck on landing huh?" he chucked in a touch of snarkiness. He quickly moved towards the other chair next to the pilot's seat and buckled himself in, pretending that he wasn't just doing it because of what she said. "I'm sure you'll be fine, you didn't crash the first two, right?" he responded, somewhat nervously.

To her credit, Hailee pulled the vessel out of hyperspace and toward the planet without much drama. The planet before them appeared temperate, with large bodies of water and what appeared to be decently sized cities spread out over the vast tracts of land. A light bumping shook the cockpit, which brought a small worry to his face, but once they breached the atmosphere it seemed to smooth out as their descent continued in the dark toward one of the smaller spaceports on the edge of a large city.

The illuminated area rose to greet them and shortly after the ship landed with a light bump signalling that at last they had reached their destination. Wandering his gaze back over toward her, hungrily saying, "I'm hungry, but I think I saw a restaurant nearby that still looks open. Wanna take a look?" Getting up from the seat, he waited for her to complete anything left to do in the cockpit before making their way toward the exit and into the outside world. It felt like it had been forever since he had felt the sensation of natural air hitting his face, but in reality it was much less than that.

The leisurely stroll into town took them past a number of street vendors offering all sort of goods, some food, others potentially totally legit* stock. Perhaps later he'd take a look at something, he thought. The idea of a nice hot meal in a comfy building was too tempting to give up right now, and so he continued, only stopping if Hailee did. "I think we're getting close" he commented, totally not lost.

The dual moons lit up the sky above them and blended with the assorted number of lights along the pathway, there was a happy mood in the air as the bustling movement of the city was winding down as the night marched on, and its people began to sleep. Entering what appeared to be the restaurant that they had been looking for, there appeared to be a moderate amount of people still dining within, showcasing a mix of a party and jovial vibe. A waiter at the door bowed politely, Caelian nodded and inquired for a "table for two with a good view, for the pretty lady, if you will."

He half expected a jab in the ribs or something, before the well-dressed man took the pair in and directing them toward a small table on an intricate balcony with a scenic water view and of the city beyond. A moment or two later, wait staff begun bringing table items and menus over for both of them. Ignoring this initially, Caelian's azure eyes crossed paths once more with her delightful emeralds as he thought up a quip to start the night off strong. "If this is what losing a fight with a Jedi means, perhaps I should do it more often."

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

While he courteously escorted her back towards the cockpit, she couldn't hold back her laughter at his humorous remark as the two of them stepped through the halls as it was something special. It seemed like it was not just their humor that matched, but their derpiness was also of similar extent.

Once at the cockpit, she got back into the pilot's chair before strapping herself in, her concentration immediately focusing on the controls, even though his bantering was indeed a little distracting in a very humorous way.

"If that makes you feel better...okay let's put it this way. In my opinion, I had you waaay before my companion joined the party. But well...perhaps we should try that out another time" she cheekily replied, shooting him a challenging grin while she mischievously glanced over again. However then she had to focus for now, concentrating on how to start their landing approach as this hadn't exactly been a routine for her yet.

"Don't pee yourself. We'll be fine" she confidently teased back, her usual optimism shining through the surface again. In fact, she was quite confident about her skills indeed, but she had disclosed that fair warning as she had literally had flying lessons once. After that, it had more been a learning by doing experience for her.

Luckily however, the descent was indeed rather smooth and once on the ground, her lips curled into a slightly triumphant grin. "It would have been ironic if we had both died in the tragedy of a crash landing, right?" she playfully teased while she unbuckled herself before she enthusiastically sprang out of the chair.

"Oh definitely! Let's go!" she replied perhaps a bit too excited. The sudden prospect of a fun night and a tasty dinner had almost made her forget about turning important things off...like the engine. "Whoops...wait a sec" she interjected, hovering over the controls while she tried to recall everything she had been taught. She flipped a few switches, turned of the engined, pushed a few buttons here and there and shrugged in the end. "Ok. Should be fine" she declared confidently again, however overplaying that she was not fully sure right now, but she interpreted it as a good sign that the humming of the ship had stopped.

After they had descended the ramp, she locked the vessel and so they already started strolling into the streets. Her mood was good and it seemed like the atmosphere the two of them was extremely light, what was more than pleasant in regard to their first encounter on Onderon. The city was filled with the usual hustle and bustle, but she enjoyed that it was definitely less busy than Corellia. The street vendors, however, still reminded her of the planet she had been born on, but before any unpleasant memories could find their way back to the surface, she simply swallowed those thoughts.

"A Jedi and a Sith walk into a restaurant...could be the beginning of a funny joke" she remarked with a wink as they were getting closer, chuckling to herself while their admittedly usual backstory amused her again. For outsiders, the unusual pairing looked probably fairly inconspicuous, like a couple that enjoyed the night off together instead of two opponents that had met on a battlefield on contested territory not long ago...It was, however, definitely easier if people followed that first interpretation and so despite wearing Jedi robes, Hailee was not planning on sharing their story with others here.

Once they had reached the restaurant, she was almost a little lost in thoughts, but she had definitely heard his remark. Once the waiter had turned around to guide them to her table, she stopped him by the elbow for a moment, a cheeky glint in her emerald eyes again."If you had been so charming on Onderon, perhaps I hadn't attempted to knock you out" she playfully teased before she let go of him, throwing him another coquettish glance over the shoulder while she had already started following the waiter.

Their designated table was in an admittedly stunning spot overlooking the busy city below while a slighlty chilly wind of night air caressed her skin. Her gaze immediately found his way back to his somehow mesmerizing azure orbs, the cheeky smirk still on her lips. "Oh don't get used to it. I mean, I would be lying if I said that wouldn't be helpful to some extent, but I'm afraid you might be forced to devour prison food sooner or later" she replied with a chuckle, not yet paying attention to the menu.

"I feel sorry for Wodan. It's hospital food for him after all", but admittedly, Maura was probably not the type to have dinner with Sith anyway. Funnily enough, it seemed like Hailee was. "I'm afraid they don't offer Sith food here though...I don't see baby blood on the wine menu", she remarked with another snicker as she briefly glanced down to skim the daily recommendations. Perhaps that was a bit distasteful, but he seemed like someone that could dark humor.

But another question was on thr back of her mind. "You've got to tell me something. I just started to wonder whether we aren't both a bit...naive. Look at us having dinner here. Isn't it funny how we immediately started trusting each other after that...intense talk? I haven't even given you back your weapon...". She raised a brow in curiosity. She was not trying to start deep philosophical discussions just yet, but she found it indeed remarkable that he had blindly trusted her by staying hidden in the cargo hold and now jumping over to a different planet.


@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

Caelian had enjoyed their leisurely stroll through the streets, the playful joking between them felt a good change of pace from his usual dull and moody brethren. Listening to Hailee's setup for a joke, he added, "Perhaps, assuming you don't force them." he inflected purposefully, while rolling his own eyes at the pun.

As they moved into the building, he felt her touch his elbow and speak with the usual cheek in her voice. "Oh, is that so." was all he could muster while keeping his composure as she reminded him of Onderon. Perhaps instead of trying to toast her with lightning he should have popped a wine bottle out, she seemed more amicable to such toasting, he chuckled internally.

The outdoor venue was true to its word, providing a wondrous view of the city and skyline, while also giving the pair sufficient privacy. A smile returned to his lips as Hailee kept up her insistence of superiority, and that was something he had come to like about her. She seemed to possess a strong will and sense of humour beyond her years, darkened by such horrible things in her past, but through it, she rose to the challenge. "I don't imagine I'd do well in prison, with just one thing to wear all the time beside, orange just isn't my colour." he added a smirk in there for her.

They'd seem to come a long way in such a short time. The mention of Wodan was a sobering reminder once more of their falling not long past on Onderon, but he was trying to bury that thought at the same time. "I'm sure he'll be quickly over the nurses poking and prodding his healing wound also, heck he might even have run off by now, who knows?" He did hope the fellow Sith would get off world alright.

She broke through the uncomfortable barrier with a joke that he wouldn't have expected to hear coming from such an innocent looking Jedi, but after the past day and all they had shared, he wasn't unaware of where such humour nested, and instead the exchange drew a hearty laugh from the previously dejected Echani.

Another feature they shared, when emotions seemed to bring them down they could easily switch back to humour to bring the mood back up, albeit in a messed up kinda way. "Oh really? Well they're only getting one star out of me then, terrible place. Unfortunately for you, I don't see anything fit for a Jedi either, there's no Dromund Kaas Academies listed." The bombing, still somewhat fresh in mind, he hoped was perhaps an appropriate counter-burn.

Hailee's next question somewhat caught him off guard too, it was a deep, meaningful one wrapped in an enigma of doubt. He sat there looking straight toward her, thinking carefully on what she had said. "The force works in mysterious ways, Hailee. Was it merely coincidence that in a battlefield of hundreds, we just happen to meet? Or perhaps there was more to such things than we can understand."

Okay, perhaps that was going off the deep end. A stronger voice peeled back his thoughts as he continued solemnly. "No, I don't think it was naivety, for all the...darkness..." he lingered upon the word..." That you have inside you, it's natural for you to feel compelled to help strangers, even if such compulsions are borne of weakness." He didn't mean to come off so harshly, but he recalled the dark seed of doubt that lay deep down in her concious about why she had helped an enemy.

"Honesty breeds trust, does it not? In our worst place, we shed our shields and laid bare our souls to a stranger in the hopes of finding a measure of comfort. Perhaps you withhold my weapon because you fear that I will use it against you, to avenge my honour and kill, as you imagine a Sith would do. But perhaps it is something else entirely."

He paused for a few moments to consider his words, "It is true that I took a risk, and perhaps I still do.." he looked down and glanced at her side through the table, as if to be looking directly at his lightsaber hilt that rested snugly against her. His emotional azure eyes returned to hers, wondering. "Are you willing to do the same?" he dared her with a serious tone to his voice, quite aware of the danger such an action would place her in.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

The pun he included was true dad joke level and yet it made her chuckle, however with a roll of her vibrant green eyes. "Hmm...technically you had no choice, so maybe it's right to assume I forced you to have dinner with me" she replied with a playful tilt of the head. "You're welcome though" she added, cheekily blowing him a kiss with a wink, "Thanks to me, you've got a date for tonight at least". Oh, the bantering wouldn't stop...

She really considered adding that next joke, however she literally couldn't held it back as his remark was way to tempting. "Just...don't drop the soap I guess" she cheekily muttered before she cleared her throat. "Aaaanyway. Enough distasteful jokes for now" she threw him an apologetic grin while internally cursing at herself. She sometimes hated that she had been in terrible company for so many years.

She was quite happy about the change of subjects when it got back at Wodan. "Oh...thinking about that, yes. He might have released himself by just storming off. Perhaps you should call him later on just to check in" after all that dark humor, her caring, empathetic side was back and a sweet smile graced her lips now as she began to skim the pages on the menu.

After the next bantering she raised a brow in curiosity, immediately shaking her head. "Oh no no no. Is that what they have told you?" she shook her head half amused, half in disbelief. "Dromund Kaas? The Jedi? We weren't involved at all...the senator of Onderon did that...this Graves guy. Thinking about that now, maybe that was why the Empire decided to strike back. I wonder whether the senator had made it out alive..." she suddenly wondered, already a bit thoughtful.

As he raised this next question, the thought was of a deep, philosophical nature again, which she appreciated on the one hand, but on the other hand she was afraid it would dim the light mood they had right now. "No...perhaps that was fate. We've both made it out alive and vastly unscathed. Isn't that what balance is supposed to mean?". It was merely a rhetorical question, but what she knew was that it had been a good thing that they had met each other there, because others would have probably not spared each other's lives.

What he said next left her speechless for a moment in which she just stared at him. She opened her mouth to say something, yet she decided to listen to the rest first. "Wanting to help...is no weakness. It's the Jedi's way. I wanted to prepare the damage I had dealt" she clarified, her gaze still intensely lingering on him.

She then pondered on his words for a moment before she decided to give him a honest reply. "No...to be honest I don't think you would ever hurt me again now" it was not just a feeling that derived from the truce...or that they had talked about starting an unusual friendship, it was something even more, something stronger. She could just feel it. He wouldn't ever use that lightsaber against her. So why was she withholding his weapon though? It was also no demonstration of power for her after all...was she trying to prevent him from shedding more blood, perhaps the blood of others? She couldn't quite tell, but him mentioning the darkness had immediately sent a shiver down her spine again while her throat had instantaneously went dry.

She let her words sink in, trying to suppress the nervousity his words had provoked. She did not want to spiral again so she quickly glanced down to the menu, exhaling deeply before emeralds and azures clashed midair once again. "I took that risk when I brought you to the ship. I took a risk when I started to heal you. I took a risk when I completely collapsed, presenting myself in the most vulnerable position. But yes, I'd do it again. There is trust. And true, honesty breeds it, but I'm happy we agree there" she finally replied, her voice soft and lowered as the waiter was already approaching them with a smile, completely unaware of the heavy, impactful words they had just exchanged again. "For me a local wine please" she told the Zeltron after he had asked for beverages. She needed alcohol. Just a bit perhaps. She then expectantly glanced at Caelian, the smile on her lips returning. She would still need a bit of time to decide on her meal, so the waiter hurried away after having noted down his drink order as well.

"Okay okay...it's to early to get serious again. Let's have some fun" she urged him with a grin, hoping that he would have a humorous idea on what to dwell on instead.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

It was such a nice outing, the atmosphere of the place and weather played along in symphony, it was busy but not crowded and their conversation flowed along nicely between the different topics. Caelian enjoyed how easily they could slip between such heavy topics and blend in humour and fun anecdotes.

He listened intently as Hailee spoke about Senator Graves, electing to withhold that the fact that the Sith knew they likely no longer shared the same mortal coil. Caelian had overheard that Darth Raze had his own plans for the Senator, and those generally didn't end too pleasantly for the recipient. Thinking on this for a moment, he decided to spare her the worry, especially as he wouldn't know for sure himself.

Hailee spoke about fate and balance, both deeply philosophical theories, and she would see the shape of his face change as it piqued his interest strongly. It was not a question that could be answered so easily, and would require much thought to do so appropriately, so instead he simply said, "Every time I think I understand you Hailee, you continue to surprise." A warm smile broke out across his face to match the compliment.

The Sith and Jedi in general would never see eye to eye on all things, he could understand her feelings on wanting to help, after all he wasn't a monster. But the Sith way was strongly imprinted upon the Echani from years of bullying, training and instilment. To aid a friend was one thing, but the way Hailee felt responsible and obligated to help someone that she had struck, was not among such tenets taught. Better yet, that the struck rose up themselves with their own strength and overcame the strong.

Did accepting Hailee's help and healing make Caelian weak? Did it make him less of a Sith? The idea lingered in his mind, but he tried to pay it less attention. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't the Sith way, but that would only invite further discussion, and he didn't want to get into a heated debate that would almost certainly ruin dinner. So for now he held that one close to his chest, watching her, watching him.

Caelian's light blue eyes widened as she confessed that she didn't think he would hurt her. She was wrong, he thought instantly. The idea went against ever fiber of his being, his training and the code. They had spent their entire lives dedicating to fighting each other, and had in fact done so just a short while ago. It wasn't just that he should hurt her, but there was an obligation to do so, he thought.

Yet. The frustrating part that had no rational explanation was that she was also right.

His wounds were healed, and enough time had passed that he was feeling stronger once more and perhaps capable of fighting once more, and yet he had not raised his hand against her. His stomach was tied in knots, as she continued to speak about the risks she took with him. There was no longer a black and white decision to be made, a line had been crossed without the knowledge of how or why nor what it truly meant, but for the Echani, the conflict burned internally. Their shared vulnerability espoused the best of his roots, before he joined the Sith and took the oath.

Her truth struck at his core, revealing to himself that there were indeed the barest hints that their shared trauma had impacted him and how in the slightest way, he began to feel protective. Such thoughts conflicted with his feelings, and it showed. She would know that he struggled with this truth, and the fact that it was, unsettled him.

As the waiter approached, Caelian broke away and looked at the gentleman attending their table. Perusing the menu, he settled upon a regional drink that he had not heard, but liked the sound of. "A bottle of your finest Trenwythian wine, please." The man disappeared back into the building to prepare their drinks while they continued to ponder on what to order for dinner.

Caelian nodded in agreement with her about how serious their conversation had been and that they could shift to something lighter. He thought for a moment before asking, "How's your swimming? I saw a lake nearby that might be fun to go visit later at the end of a trail. Fortunately, it seemed like a warm enough night for a stroll."

There were a number of things they could do in town also, depending on what they decided to do. It wasn't entirely clear how long they would be on the world, but it made sense to enjoy it while they could. "Or perhaps there's something in town that you'd like to do? Hmm, or what's something fun youve always wanted to do?"

The waiter returned with two bottles of wine and a pair of glasses, taking care to pour them and present for their approval. Caelian nodded, taking it to his nose to get a sense of his purchase. Looking back toward Hailee he said with a hint of cheek, "what do you think you'll enjoy tonight?" He was of course speaking of the menu, but left enough subtly to try and amuse her.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

She wasn't quite sure how to interpret the silence that followed after...did he knew more about the aftermath of Onderon? She doubted that he had used any coms, especially because he hadn't even had access to any despite the holopad she had given him, so maybe they had given him important details beforehand...She was curious, yet she was not planning on poking him...Maybe he would share details sooner or later on, otherwise she would get her details another way.

"I'm hope I do...surprises are fantastic, aren't they? I mean...as long as they are positive" she sweetly grinned at him, playfully tilting her head to the side with her emeralds still resting on his azures. His face at changed once again and it seemed like he was truly delighted, but the truth was, that she was happy too.

Another silence followed, but it was not at all awkward. He seemed contemplative and she let him follow his thoughts, although she remained super curious about what he had in mind. It seemed like he was fine with the change to a lighter topic and so she let their deep, philosophical discussions rest for now, although knowing that they would probably come up sooner or later anyway.

She was quite surpised at his choice of beverage and she couldn't help but the raise a brow while she couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Oh...so I was right. A distinguished gentleman indeed" she sarcastically teased, slightly mocking him about his choice but in a very humorous, playful way.

And then he suddenly suprised her even more. "I like your way of thinking" she remarked with a mischievous smirk, assuming that this was probably no public swimming lake, but she didn't mind that at all. "That sounds absolutely fantastic!" she then added enthusiastically, literally looking forward to a maybe slightly prohibited, thrilling dip."Oh we should do a race while swimming!" she added with a wink, just subtly hinting at a possible second defeat of his. "Only if your ego can take it, of course" she kept on bantering.

For her, it was much easier with that lightened atmosphere and as he kept on asking what else to do, she started laughing again. "Oh there are plenty of things! I don't like huge cities to much", because they literally reminded her of Corellia, "But we could explore some exciting night markets, too".

She quickly pondered on his question for a moment. "We could also go for a drink". The moment the words had kept her mouth she immediately regretted. First of all, she wouldn't fly a ship back off that planet after a few drinks and she had no idea whether staying was a good idea, but second of all and most importantly, drinks were never a great idea...or that was what the immediate past had proven.

She didn't comment on it though, simply hoping he wouldn't like the suggestion anyway. Getting drunk was admittedly a crazy thought because lowered inhibitions were not what they needed. She focused on the question about the food instead, as the waiter was already eager to take their order anyway. "Many dishes sound fantastic...I'll probably go with a pasta dish though. You? she returned the question curiously, the grin still on her lips. In fact, she did go for a lighter, slightly fruity pasta dish as she didn't want to be too stuffed if they wanted to do something active tonight, so she avoided blue cream.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

What was the point in living if there wasn't a little excitement here and there, a little risk and a little fun mixed together could result in a good time, or an even better memory. Each day spent wrote a page of history, their characters woven along a path, crossing and blending together to produce their own story, their legacy. What might they say about the Sith Caelian or the Jedi Hailee? Would their deeds be marked by pen to paper like in the days of old, or would they be footnotes in the pages of others?

Hailee seemed enthused about his ideas for recreation, the dangerous lure of the deep unknown calling the pair. An adventure in the night, the chilling secrets that lay below the waterline and lost to time, were tempting all the same. "Oh, you're on, I'll swim circles around you." He said, with a grin, confidence was required, considering his ego lay bruised and fragile. The idea of a nice walk in the moonlight after a well-earned dinner sounded delightful, and all the more so with present company included.

There was a hint of worry in her answer about avoiding cities, but it quickly faded as she continued to speak. Sitting up in his chair to stretch out his arms slightly, he replied, "Ah yes, just judging from what we saw already, I'm sure there are plenty more interesting things to see."

Barely a moment after he spoke, it seemed, she dangled the provocative suggestion of adding drinks to the mix. His eyebrows raised slightly, a smile formed once more as the enticing idea was considered. "We could take a few bottles to the lake later, if you want. I think the view there would be even better than here." He playfully spoke, letting the idea linger in the air for a few moments to see how she might receive it as they stared each other down.

At the mention of food, Caelian looked down toward the menu. "Ah, well…" he hadn't given much actual thought to the question yet, his hand lifting from the table to his hair and gliding along the locks as he pondered. Hailee suggested that she would be picking a pasta dish, and his face turned to agreement. "That actually does sound good, I'll have what she's having too."

The waiter scribed their orders down and returned toward the kitchen, It would take a little time for their food to arrive and so their conversation could continue in peace for the moment. He thought for a little while about what to say first, occasionally catching her eyes, which only served to delay his thoughts. Finally, he arrived at something he hoped she'd find funny, although quite dry to start with, "The Empress and Grand Master walk into a bar and stare at each other for a whole minute before both incredulously asking What? Is this some kind of joke?"

He'd understand if she threw a glass of wine his way, but he didn't mind taking a fool's approach tonight. Everything just seemed fun, and the night continued to march along to this tune. Thinking of something a little less dry, he asked, "Okay, okay, what's a skill or talent that you have that you think would surprise me? Healing doesn't count, since I already know about that." His tone was slightly sarcastic, but his hand traced across the bruise on his chest where she had earlier done so.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

She wondered what else he had in mind...not just in terms of their further plans and shenanigans, but also in terms what he had mentioned before. If he was assuming he would be able to lure her back into the dark or convince her of his ideas, he was wrong.

Yes, she had relapsed and that constant inner conflict was still an ongoing battle, but she felt as though being with him made her focus on the light more...it was just a feeling and she couldn't even fully explain it to herself, but it was the fact that he was a Sith that constantly reminded her of what she was.

They got along great, she enjoyed that evening so far and she was super excited for what came next, but she also knew that she wouldn't be tempted again. She was over it. Or so she thought for now at least.

His teasing immediately made her smirk again. "Oh you wish...I'll reach the other side before you've completed your second strike..." she cockily teased back, playfully tilting her head to the side as she spoke with over-exaggerated confidence.

As he mentioned the interesting things, her mind immediately sprang back to the first impressions she had gained here so far. There had been many curiosities offered in the various vendor stands and perhaps she would still grab a snack of something exotic. Unlike past Hailee, she would pay the vendors though...yet another dark memory was triggered. No, no...stealing and pickpocketting was over.

His alcohol remark immediately made her nervous...Yes, that was admittedly a good idea, but she still doubted that lowered inhibitions and a looser tongue was a great idea. "The view would surely be stunning" she replied, overplaying that triggered nervousitynd focusing on the prospect of taking a dip in a wonderful lake instead.

After the waiter had written down their orders, he left again and a short silence spread. Sue didn't find it awkward, but he did apparently and so he decided to break it with a very bad joke. She still started laughing, wondering how the kark such a thing had gotten in his head though. "Where does that humor come from? Did they teach you that at the academy?" she curiously asked, still giggling. "That would have been a great ice breaker on the battlefield" she then humorously admitted, the thought of him cracking a joke while fighting just making her laugh again.

But very soon, she managed to caught her breath as she raised a truly interesting question. "Oh so you want to learn more about me to figure out my weaknesses...clever" she teased, narrowing her eyes in a serious manner for a moment before she chuckled yet again. She was covinced he wasn't acting out of bad intentions. "No okay...I'll tell you".

The blonde cleared her throat, leaning in closer and lowering her voice accordingly. "I'm excellent and pickpocketting and distracting" she disclosed honestly, a mischievous smirk on her lips. Yup...that was surely something she had acquired in the depths of Corellia's underground. "But I'll gladly return that question. Surprise me! I bet you're an excellent baker or something" she then added, playfully teasing him yet again.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

Whether it was luck, fate or some other type of deterministic opportunism at play in the galaxy, two similar opposites sat across from each other, separate yet in tandem. One of the light and the other of the dark, but despite this lay a thickening layer of common ground between them. The revealing moonlight cast down upon the pair from behind Caelian's shoulder, causing his shadow to wander over the table and Hailee's behind her. An otherwise meaningless object of light refraction, and yet providing an interesting piece of symbolism for no one to see.

An evening dinner outside on a balcony overlooking the city and waters below was certainly an upgrade from being locked in the back of a foreign shuttle, in fact, he might even be willing to admit that he had been enjoying the time spent with his former enemy. The emerald eyed delight continued to surprise and impress the Echani, she had certainly turned out to be a more interesting person to speak with than anyone that he had recently encountered, and as such he was determined to savour whatever time left they had together.

Although she did laugh at his terrible attempt of a joke, she happily returned one back at him. Caelian smiled and went a little red in the face, "No, unfortunately, that one's an original." The idea of trying to hit it off on the battlefield was quite amusing, causing him to chuckle in return. "Oh totally, next time I battle I'll introduce myself and ask if they'd like to hang out and share trauma stories instead, although I don't know they'll be as hospitable as you were."

Hailee pondered his next question with her signature sense of humor, he awaited something boring and mundane. Perhaps she had skipped class once or twice, been late returning a library book, but no, her answer surprised him once more. His mouth opened slightly as she revealed her thievery talents, it was certainly not in the top five of things that he would have guessed she would have said. He thought for a moment, staring into her pretty eyes before commenting, "I best watch my pockets then, as I have been distracted for some time." His words were smoothly spoken and perhaps left something to the imagination as to their true meaning.

She'd returned the question back in his direction, Caelian raised his eyebrows as if to ponder how he could answer this. She knew so much about him and yet so little, there were plenty of things that flickered across his mind, but choosing just one proved to be harder than he first thought.

"Something that would surprise you hmm...well don't laugh, but I find carpentry relaxing. Usually it's either a small carving or repairing the odd broken thing, but I'm hoping to someday be good enough to build a cabin out in the middle of nowhere with my own hands. My own little piece of freedom away from the galaxy's troubles."

Caelian decided to take the opportunity to drink from the wine glass and savour the intricate flavour, it was something that he was unfamiliar with but felt it start to grow on him. There was a change of music emanating from the restaurant as the live band changed, bring with it a welcome change in pace for the diners inside to dance. His gaze looked up from the table and looked at Hailee's once more, with a smile on his face. "Who do you think's a better dancer, you or me?"

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

As a slight, pleasant breeze drifted through the air and danced around them for a moment a few strands of blonde hair were sent flying and she quickly brushed them behind her ears before she faced him again with a grin.

"I hope the wind doesn't continue...we will be shivering when we leave the water" she mused aloud, however quite optimistic that it wouldn't be too chilly as the air was still pleasantly warm and after all, alcohol warmed from the inside...

There is was again. Why was she already tempted by the idea of drinking? They were having a wonderful time without it, why would she want to get loopy? Perhaps because she was hoping the alcohol would simply lighten the mood further and they wouldn't be tempted to jump back to super serious issues? But why would she want that after she had enjoyed their deep philosophical discussions so much?

She swallowed down all the doubts and this stupid overthinking and forced herself to stay focused on the conversation with her admitting charming companion, immediately chuckling at his remark about the sharing of the trauma."I don't want to take a way that illusion...but I think you've been pretty lucky. I highly doubt there are more Jedi - Sith pairings sharing dinner like beasties right now" she replied amusedly, however keeping her voice lower to avoid rasing any suspicions about their affiliations.

She had been already convinced that he would quip about her pickpocketting skills and of course he didn't disappoint her in that regard. "Oh don't worry. I already stole what could be of use". She cheekily winked at him, keeping her tone rather serious but still playful before she couldn't wait for him to share his secret talents.

"Laugh?", she repeated in disbelief. "Are you crazy? That's super cool! A cool skill and a very cool idea" there was a definite shimmer in her eyes as the blonde Jedi enthusiastically commented on his answer. "You definitely have to show me some of your works!" she then almost demanded of him, however grinning all innocently.

It seemed like it wouldn't even take much longer until the waiter would already bring them there food, but for now he kept her quite busy with another interesting question. "Hmm...that's a good question. Are you talking about classic dances?" she curiously asked with a playful tilt of the head, not listing the second option of the casual, filthy bump and grind of the party dance floors, but the thought made her chuckle a bit. "I'd say either way there's just one way to find out..." she suggested with a wink, her offer playful yet she wasn't actually aversed to that idea.

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

While they patiently waited for the food to arrive, there was plenty of time for questions to go back and forth between them. The waiter had come back out to inform them that it would be running a little behind, but providing compensatory starters for the delay. A small spread of toasted breadsticks, salad nibbles and a cheese dish were presented in the middle of the table to much apology.

Caelian didn't pay too much mind to this, however, as his attention was focused on Hailee, and the answers she evoked. He gently laughed as she spoke about their orders intermingling. It was probably happening more often than their masters would have liked, but there didn't seem to be many consequences for such actions that he had heard of. "Perhaps we should, though."

Caelian stopped to consider the thought for a moment. "The orders are too far apart to agree on most things, but surely if enough bonded as we have, perhaps we would be a tad bit less fighty." It was a dangerous position to hold, and not one likely to be taken seriously by either side, but the one thing that ideologues excelled at was dreaming itself. There were certainly Sith that he could think of that would sooner slash him with a lighsaber than consider befriending a Jedi, after all.

Hailee's replies managed to keep the conversation back toward the less intense, more fun side of things. She playfully evaded his comments like an expert and added her own to the mix. The absolute cheek of it, she knew what she was doing, and he loved every second of it, smiling like a damn fool.

As she spoke so positively of his hobbies, it lit a fire in his soul. He beamed with joy as she seemed to revel in what he had revealed, even asking to see some of what he was working on. "Oh, well, I don't have anything with me to show yet but a sharp knife and a piece of wood, and I'll see what I can do." They'd be heading to the lake later, he thought. If he'd be able to knick a knife on the way there, he could try and make something while they weren't too busy.

When she asked whether he spoke of classic dances, he nodded. Not that he had anything against the more adventurous kind, but it hardly seemed the appropriate venue for such activity, not to mention all the potential onlookers. Not wanting to turn down what he took to mean a playful dare, Caelian stood up, grinning once more, and extended his left hand to take hers.

If she accepted the dare, they would move from the table to the space between it and the end of the balcony. There wasn't a terribly large area for dancing wildly, but with a more close, slow style it would be plentiful. Gently, he stood in front, facing her with a warm smile on his face as he pulled her in closer. His right hand moved behind to rest softly above the small of her back and taking a moment to allow her to take position.

His smile lingered as his light azure eyes glimmered under the moonlight, taking a second to take in the wondrous sight before him before taking their first steps in rhythm. Caelian slowly moved to the beat of the music that found its way out from the inside, guiding the pair across the dimly lit floor. Words failed to form as they continued to move, an occasional misstep but nothing that he couldn't recover from - a small embarrassed smile came across his face.

After a short period of dancing, the pair seemed to find their grove, he felt the confidence to try to throw a twirl in there for effect, giving her a slow lead up that she could catch on to what he was trying to accomplish. If he didn't mess it up, she would find herself twirling back into his arms once more.

To some, combat was a form of dancing, one that he wasn't particularly skilled in. This one felt a little safer from stray lightersaber attacks, but the intensity was the same. He would feel his heart rate pick up as their dance progressed, equal parts excited, slightly intimidated but confidence building if he did well.

@LadyRen

 

[Hailee Lightwood]

Even though she had already voiced a remark, there was much more going on in her head. Their conversations and their exchange of opinions had not only been refreshing, but extremely insightful and even though they came from two different backgrounds, they shared more than they had initially assumed.

The warm smile still hadn't left her lips while she was savoring their exciting, lively conversation, but as the waiter offered some appetizers she couldn't help but to reach for a toasted bread stick. "I hope you don't mind" she politely remarked, as that was something she had picked up during her time with the Order, but even if he would joke around and mentioned he would mind that indeed, she'd take a bite anyway.

"True...I doubt the majority would get along so peacefully, but perhaps there would be a few interesting conversations....although I highly doubt they would be as emotional as ours" she replied with a smirk, but there was a slight hint of sadness in that statement too. She was not planning on letting those memories come up again, yet the sheer thought stirred up her emotions a little bit.

She kept chewing on the breadsticks as their conversation moved towards the area of his surprising hobby and that was when the sadness was immediately forgotten again. She was actually excited to hear him talk about it, but it did seem like he wouldn't be able to demonstrate his skills right away.

"Wait..." she muttered with a mischievous smirk before she moved her chair closer to his and peeled up a bit of fabric on her waist only for him to see. His gaze would meet the dagger she always carried around as a self defense weapon, which was slightly ironic because there were literally two lightsabers clicked to thr other side of her hip, but what mattered was that she had one. "Seems like you don't have a choice. Once we're done with dinner, it's carving time" she declared enthusiastically while she gave him a cheeky wink, immediately hiding her dagger again.

She kept chuckling to herself and her emerald eyes flicked onto the bowl of breadsticks before he suddenly stood up and offered his hand to her. She slowly turned her head, immediately raising an eyebrow in disbelief before his smug grin told her that he was completely serious. "Wait...here? Now?" she was obviously quite startled, but she did not allow herself to fully loose composure.

Without reconsidering it, she reached out and took it, immediately back to her confident self, but she did snicker amusedly. "Alrighty Mister. Let's see what moves you have..." she playfully teased him while she got in position herself, immediately remembering where and how to but her hands. Emeralds met azures mid air again and her grin got even wider as he started to move and she adjusted her movements accordingly.

Probably unexpected for him, Hailee was indeed quite alright with dancing because her former bosses had made her dance every now and then and so it was easy to follow his lead. Whenever he missstepped, she simply ignored that and kept picking up the move as soon as he was back in his grove and after a few moments they actually got along quite well. She was blocking out the prying eyes that stared at them, probably wondering why the kark they were dancing on this balcony, but really couldn't care less.

It was quite fun for her to get back into dancing and the breezy nightair left a pleasant, refreshing sensation on her bare skin while he let her twirl. At this point, she was laughing, but not because it was amusing, but because she suddenly realized that she was quite happy with everything that had happened today. She was overly happy with her pleasant company, especially because their humors matched perfectly and she also knew that they could immediately hop back into deep conversations if necessary.

After a few minutes, it seemed like the current sound that was softly in the background was coming to an end and so she led herself into a final dip as the music actually faded away, and after leaning back up to him, the smile on her lips had gotten even wider. "I'd...call that a tie" she said to him, but her voice was somehow barely louder than a whisper.

Her eyes kept lingering on his and her body was suddenly flooded with a warm electric sensation while she just savored that wonderful moment for a bit longer than expected. It was as if she was somehow caught in that breathtakingly amazing moment, completely mesmerized by his eyes and somehow also by him and just...everything he was, but then a slighlty familiar voice chimed in from the background. "Uhm...Mister and Mrs...eh your main dish is served". With that the waiter awkwardly waved from their designated table, the food already placed on the table before he left with a sheepish grin. Hailee cleared her throat, suddenly not so distracted anymore while her body was still close to his. "Oh...right. Hungry?"

@Xorism

 

[Caelian]

It seemed that there would be time after all for some arts and crafts, her knife kept by her side and revealed for all but a second. There was no time to respond to such thoughts, as Hailee immediately was surprised by the offer to dance before they dined, but was glad when she did decide to join him. It was an opportunity to impress, and he took it to heart, albeit with a number of errors early on, but eventually finding his footing.

Hailee's graceful skill across the dance floor did not go unnoticed by Caelian, he was impressed even as she was showing him up a little. That didn't matter so much to Echani, as he enjoyed their short little moment together, slowly getting the hang of everything and working extra hard to avoid stepping on her toes.

The cool air was a kind reminder that they were outdoors and in full view of any passer-by, not that Caelian minded the attention. It was a happy, silent duet as the pair moved across the floor in time with the rhythm, entranced with each other without a care in the world. It was a magical feeling that was only interrupted by the music beginning to fade, their finale was fitting as Hailee twirled in place and whispered asking for a truce once more.

He felt like she was being generous considering how he had started out, but wouldn't show it, instead smiling as she drew nearer. "I'll take it." Caelian held her in place as if they would continue to dance, but they didn't move, he couldn't determine if the warmth felt was coming from the exertion or something much, much deeper within. It was a tranquil feeling and the most exciting at the same time, their eyes locked, with neither wanting it to end.

Of course, the waiter would shatter the magic spell and interrupt the moment. Caelian turned with a scowl across his face, the situation saved by Hailee speaking and defusing things. He looked back towards her, pulling her in a little bit closer before agreeing. "Yeah, you could say that." He cheekily suggested, before lifting his free hand toward the table as they started to return toward their seats.

Caelian's dish was served on a fine plate and appealed to all of his senses at once. Sitting down at the same time as Hailee and taking a fork in hand, he began to move the pasta around the plate a little to mix it within itself and the sauces before taking a small portion to try it. His face lit up and an expression of intense approval appeared from ear to ear, he looked toward her with a smile - the food was well received and cooked to perfection. "This is amazing, what the.." before continuing to take another morsel into his mouth.

After they had both had an opportunity to sate their hunger a little, Caelian returned to the wine for a short little break from eating. The evening had been going swimmingly and they both seemed to have enjoyed each other's company thus far. He sat there with another smile on his face, considering a question to ask her and recalling the comment from earlier. "What did you have in mind for a carving? And I'll see what I can do."

The waiter returned to ensure that their meal was going well, Caelian nodded, thanking the man. Despite his rude interruption of such a moment, the food was amazing as promised. Adding nothing to the bill, the waiter would disappear after speaking with Hailee and some time would pass before he asked her another question.

"The wind seems to be dying down, a little walk by the lake sounds perfect right about now, I think I won't finish this anyway, you know, in case I need to kick your butt in swimming soon. I don't want to be full and slumped like a well-fed nexu slowing me down. What do you say?"

@LadyRen