Ask Just Another Day

[Dr Ilana Morata]

If she didn't think about the crunchy bits as being a shell, it wasn't so bad. But... she couldn't let him see how much she wanted to chuck the stick in the nearest garbage can. This was a delicacy after all, and if Yselti Morata had been good with teaching her daughter anything, it had been to be polite and diplomatic at all times. Even at times when she desperately didn't want to be. Managing down the last spicy bite with a suppressed grimace, her eyes narrowed when she realized he didn't hold a stick of his own.

Was he... smirking?

For a fleeting moment, she stared at him with confusion, then anger, which quickly morphed into mortification as his words settled in her ears, I didn't think you were going to do it. And then, her features settled into a blank expression, heat spreading a bright blush over her cheeks and the top of her ears.

And then... a slight huff of laughter. Suddenly, her lips parted and she let out a silvery laugh, then gave a mock scowl, chucking the stick into the nearest waste disposal unit. "What do you mean, I found it delightful," she replied in a sarcastic drawl. However, amber eyes warmed, lips twitching a slight smile as his hand brushed against hers.

As it always did, a warmth ran from her fingertips up, and she could feel her heart pulse a beat faster at the brush, accidental or not. She had stepped past him until noticing he no longer was at her side, and she turned, watching his expression carefully. Suddenly, the smile vanished from her lips, and she stilled, waiting for whatever serious words he would drop on her. What was it? Something about a Jedi mission? The bad news of some kind?

She didn't have long to wait and speculate when his hesitant words rose between them, and her breathing stilled in her chest. She drank it in, the entire sight of it. How he shifted, long fingers playing with the length of his dark hair. She remembered him in Paqualis III when they spoke of mutual desires. His confidence and surety were easily some of his more charismatic traits, along with his coolheadedness, the mutual aloofness they shared in the face of the galaxy. Seeing him in rare moments of being unguarded, anxious even, was a shocking warmth in her.

He cared.

"Should I be?" she asked, stepping forward to close the distance. She paused looking up into silvers as though considering something. Slowly, she reached a hand up, settling it over his own. "No. In fact..." Her lips quirked. "I am proud to walk by your side, Sevrin. I'm sorry... I just didn't want you to be dragged into a world of tabloids. You had mentioned it before, so I thought..." she hesitated again, then gave a light huff of self-deprecating laughter. Her hand began to withdraw, brows drawn in over amber eyes, "that you would have been embarrassed to be around me. What attention might be given to you..."

A faint smile touched her lips as she reached up again, this time to thread her fingers together with his. "No. I am not. You are..." she hesitated. The words threatened to fall from her lips, so many of them, but none of them seemed to fit. Instead, through the bond, she shared her emotions with him. The hidden joy of hearing her name on his lips. The shower, seeing his hair down, him standing over her in the sparring ring. The intense stare of his eyes when he left the Nar Shaddaa apartment, asking her to stay. Through it all, the joy, the sense of peace and contentment, the hidden worry when he left, and the relief when he returned. Brief flashes, but enough to show what she couldn't yet put into words.

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

Sevrin was not someone that grew uncomfortable in situations very often. Amariel had ways to push him out of his comfort zone in the best ways. It unraveled different facets of him he hadn’t even discovered himself. He was dreading her answer when he asked his question, and it took every fiber of his being to keep a straight face and keep from betraying the concern. He knew he couldn’t temper the roiling emotions he felt internally, and she would be able to glimpse it quite easily from how raw they were.

She began to speak and withdrew her hand away. His gaze flicked down, and he desperately wanted to reach out and grasp it. However, it was not in his nature to ever push her in any way, even if it left him reeling. His eyes widened slightly at her words.

“Embarrassed? I’m not worried about what anyone speculates about as long as I know what you want,” Sevrin’s features softened slightly as he gazed at her, “As long as you truly want me as...as I do you,” He felt silly even saying such words, but his voice didn’t falter. His gaze was as intense as ever, giving weight to what he said. The Sephi was firm in his beliefs and he was as unwavering in this as he was about most things.

The Sephi felt her emotions wash over him even if she didn’t finish her sentence. Their fingers entwined and he grasped her hand back. He felt that tidal wave of memories and emotions come over him like a breeze amidst a hot desert. He took it in and welcomed it, his ears swiveling slightly to betray how content he was. Sevrin’s face looked slightly embarrassed as he realized his ears often gave him away even if his face remained stoic.

Sevrin brought up her hand to kiss the knuckles, glancing down for a moment, “Sometimes I fear what we have more than any Sith,” He admitted quietly. It was a thought that weighed on his mind frequently, “I fear for your safety, I fear for enemies you may gather, and most of all I fear for how much I…” He stopped himself there. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest, and he had to remind himself he was a Jedi Knight, not a silly young boy. In the meantime, Amariel was hit with an overwhelming slew of emotions as Sevrin rapidly attempted to reel it in. She would catch the briefest glimpse nevertheless because even he wasn’t that well versed in mental barriers.

"I also fear for how much I don't wish to stop."

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

They were similar in the face of admitting emotions. Being surrounded by others' emotions constantly, she shut down her own out of reflex, content for most of her adult life to never allow full connection to others, with the inevitable risk of something going wrong. And it had. With her mother, Calum, with Malakai and even, to a degree, with Corran. And yet, now, faced with someone who saw her at her darkest, she didn't feel the need to flee, or to build a wall. It might have seemed silly and childish, but there was something about him that inspired safety with her.

She watched his face and ears at his declaration, lips tilting into a slight smile at the surety in his tone and eyes. She was wrong before when she thought them cold; in this light, they were a silver mirror, reflecting his own thoughts so clearly she could see through to what he wanted to say. At the warmth of lips on her knuckles, she drew in a shallow breath, then lightly squeezed his hand.

Still... the rest of his words filtered through, and she stood silent, the smile fading. He was afraid... him? The man who charged into molten lava landscapes, facing the Sith head-on, and before a Sith Lord in space? For a moment, Amariel froze in shock, the words he spoke ringing dully in her ears. A few beats passed by, and she didn't move, staring wide-eyed into his own gaze with a stunned expression. Despite sensing his own emotions, she didn't know she was... a fear for him.

When she could finally remember to take in a breath, her brows dented, and she stepped closer until they were almost pressed together. Her other hand settled over his chest, where his heart beat, and where she had first learned to truly heal. When she finally did speak, her voice was soft, almost hesitant.

"I'm... sorry... for worrying you so much." Pain lanced through her words, as she took another deep breath. "It's no secret that my life is always at risk, Sevrin." Amber eyes stared straight into his, past the glasses. "No matter what I do, that's a risk I have to take. I need to do the best I can..." she paused. "For you. For Silvi. I want to create a galaxy where I know there will be healers, for the wars now and the wars in the future." Her hand tightened on his again, leaning up on the balls of her feet. "But I also want you. You drive me.."

She smiled then, a rare, fully realized smile up at him, before pressing a light kiss to his lips, "To become better than Ilana ever could have been. Do what I can to heal and to be with you." She lowered back down, still holding his hand, "Am I allowed to be a little selfish?" She lightly brushed the hand on his chest up, running her fingers through the ends of his ponytail, which he'd fidgeted with earlier to smooth out the ends. "I want you. And I want to stand with you for as long as I can. I fear for you too, and every time you leave..." Her expression faltered, gaze dropping to their hands.

"...I fear it will be the last time. I don't want to waste a single moment; time isn't kind in the galaxy."

But nothing good ever stayed that way in the galaxy. Already, just as there were eyes prying for a juicy story, there were others preying for a perfect moment.

The sniper settled into her perch eight stories above, beginning to line up her mark and waiting patiently for the moment the male would begin to move. With the number of credits she'd been offered by the Hutts, she would be rich and could retire quietly in some corner of the galaxy, and they would be free of the smug bitch that was Morata. She seemed to get handsy with her guard... did the woman not have any pride?

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

It wasn’t easy for Sevrin to admit any of this. He was reserved by nature as a Sephi, and even moreso because of the way he was raised. He listened to her quietly, his ears flicking in slight irritation at the suggestion that her life was always in danger. He knew that truth, and yet he couldn’t help the involuntary reaction to facts he simply wanted to reject. For all his training in the Shadows and as a Jedi, he couldn’t deny that he was being put to the test with this journey he began with Amariel. He gazed silently into her eyes, the same eyes that once almost invoked a saber, but now filled him with complex emotions he was almost too afraid to give a name to.

He was quiet as she finished speaking, his gaze flicking down to follow her touch. He felt her brush her hand up along his chest and up through his hair. While he was normally very much against anyone touching him, he couldn’t get enough of it from Amariel. The Sephi’s lips curled towards a very small smile, a gesture that was still rare for him.

“We both know you’re too busy and important to spend more time with me than you do already” There was a playful glint in his eye and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. His gaze flicked down to where he held her hand, “I know you can take care of yourself, and I will never overstep. But know that you make me want to be the best version of myself whenever I’m with you,” Sevrin smiled at her then, “And you do that simply by existing and nothing more. No amount of a life of nobility, a lifetime of lectures from my father, Jedi training or Shadow training has managed that.”

The Sephi tilted his head slightly, “I’d normally seal these words off with a kiss but you’ve just eaten an insect,” He grinned teasingly before giving her hand another squeeze and turning to walk again with their fingers still entwined. They would be side by side, giving the sniper a solid shot without either of them realizing.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She huffed at his last words, giving a smirk and lightly nudging him with a shoulder as they walked. "I still can't believe you pulled that on me. But... It wasn't that bad. Better crunchy than slimy." Amber eyes glinted with amusement as she walked. But... something felt off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. She was used to the low level of malice, curiosity, and envy that swirled around when others recognized her in public. Even, occasionally, the faint sparks of desire, of fear, and accepted this as well. With as private as she had been of her personal life, it was to be accepted from her own reputation. But this felt... cold. She held onto Sevrin and found herself looking around curiously, trying to find the source of that feeling.

The Ubese sighed once, relieved that the man sidestepped the woman's clutches, still holding her hand. She wasn't paid to speculate about their possible relationship. When he moved, he offered a clear shot, and she inhaled slowly. Checked her wind marker, the pedestrians. She was told to make this as agonizing death as possible... so her scope lowered from that pretty white head to her back.

Perfect.

Steadily exhaling, she waited for one heartbeat, two heartbeats... then fired before the next pulse.

Amariel couldn't explain it. It was like a tunnel moment, a few seconds of sheer clarity. A sudden dropped feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach, her palms growing cold. She didn't think of her own survival, but mistakenly thought it was his own that was at risk. After all, here he was royalty here. He was also a Jedi. One that had lead invasions, and worked against the Sith. So she reacted on instinct.

She shoved against him hard and shifted, twisting their bodies so that when they fell, he would be beneath her. The shot hit just as she began falling, and she didn't have time. Didn't have time to speak, to tell him everything about how she felt, what she wanted to say, or what was important. The shot had missed its' mark for her heart, but it still bit deep into her back and left side, burning through tissue and into bone. The world faded out of focus, and she collapsed.

The sniper didn't wait to see if it was a successful hit. It would be a matter of time before their location would be spotted. But as she collected her gear, she could hear the startled screams of residents at the sound of the shot, and began to flee out the temporary location, towards their speeder to make a swift exit.

Soon, she would know if the hit was successful or not, but if not it wouldn't matter. She could always wait for another shot. At least if she escaped the woman's guard.

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

It wasn’t easy for anyone to move a man of Sevrin’s size. However, when Amariel frantically twisted and shoved him, he toppled right back with her on top. He had been entirely focused on her and the thread between them to notice their surroundings. It was a mistake he didn’t make often, and it was exactly the kind of mistake he had been warned about many times.

Sevrin felt a sense of dread and he felt her emotions wash over him like a tidal wave. There was surprise, pain, fear and a flurry of other emotions that cut into him past all his layers. He shifted out from underneath her, glancing at her back where smoke began to rise. His eyes widened as he felt as if he had his chest kicked in when he realized what happened and what she tried to do. His breath left him in a sharp exhale, the sight of seeing her like this giving him a more visceral reaction than anything he had felt in a very long time.

He was a Jedi. He needed to adapt to rapidly changing situations. Silver gaze flicked up towards the origin of the shot. His emotions began to subside, replaced with icy, cold and meticulous. It was what allowed him to be a Shadow. His hand hovered above her back as his other hand brought up a comlink. He dialed a few specific numbers.

“Yes,” Sevrin said curtly as the effects of healing began against Amariel’s back, “Around the roof of the red building,” He quietly listened to the voice on the other side, “Do what you need to, but I want them alive. Leave them to me,” There was a dangerous edge to his tone, his face entirely stoic before he clicked off the comlink. The sides of him that were exclusively Shadow emerged more than they ever had before.

The effects of healing were immediate, and he flagged over help. Within seconds, his identity was known and revealed, expediting the entire process of getting her to where she needed to go.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She couldn't breathe.

It felt like someone had stabbed through her with a scalpel, but it burned. Every breath raked claws deep in her chest, and if she had any space to, she would have moaned at the sensations. Everything blurred. Something cool washed over where she had been burned; she wanted to move into it, lean against it, but for some reason, nothing moved. She couldn't shift her legs. But a familiar scent wrapped around her, a voice she knew. She closed her eyes to it, feeling herself drift into it. The pain was still there, but it was easing. Something was wrong. She just couldn't quite put her finger on it... but there was something else.

A biting coldness, an echo of something.. of what?

Frosty silver eyes and a silver hilt.

The healing effect made her eyes close, and there was a soft exhale. Something was spoken, almost quiet enough to be misheard or not heard at all.

"Don't leave."

The assassin began to speed away but didn't notice anyone in pursuit. Instead of feeling relief, the female felt dread deep in her heart and began to press down on the gas, praying to any god to escape. She needed to get out fast before word spread and---

A speeder suddenly careened up towards her from beneath. Letting out a startled cry, she twisted away, attempting to maneuver out of their way and avoid a collision. <<Move out of my way, scum,>> came the uttered snarl, heart racing beneath her jacket. Drivers these days--

Another one managed to collide with her, with more success. With a terrified cry, she gripped onto the damaged controls as it began to plummet, tensing in preparation when she realized with dawning fear she hadn't escaped Morata's guard.

They had been waiting.

<<...Shit.>>

Mercifully, being stunned was less painful after the fourth shot. But one thing she didn't understand, she thought as she blacked out. How did they find her so quickly? Unless... she was successful? She didn't get to contemplate further as she lapsed into hard unconsciousness, slipping off the speeder and into the law's hands.

Meanwhile, Ilana was being transported, but with the Prince's arrival, things had just become all that more complicated. She wanted to assure Sevrin, to talk to him, but the words just wouldn't come. Instead, her eyes met his, even as she was being taken away, and there was a knowledge in them. She knew. She could feel himself closing off, and for some reason that alarmed her far more than the injury did. So she reached out.

Sensations, feelings. When they were preparing to leave, the talk of mutual desires and the knowledge it was so much more than that. Seeing him smile on their camping trip, listening to him talk of the Force. With him, she would be all right.I will be all right. Stay.

@Sreeya

 

[Sevrin Valtiere]

A whole can of worms was opened with his identity being revealed. Media surrounded them on all sides and it was soon exclusive intel that Ilana Morata had been shot with her bodyguard Jedi Valtiere on the scene who was actually the crown prince of Thustra. Though at that point none of it mattered to Sevrin, it certainly created far more bureaucracy than needed. He was surrounded by royal guards arriving on the scene and it put more distance between him and Amariel. The biggest benefit, however, was that she was rushed to the best hospital with the best care in the blink of an eye.

As they rolled her away, Sevrin was back on his comlink, speaking away rapidly as he was given the status on the would be killer. He visibly bristled, chaining back thoughts that were dipping into dangerous territory.

“I will be on my way,” He stated firmly as he watched Amariel being moved back. However, that was when he caught the almost pleading look in her eye. He saw her only looking at him, not an ounce of rage for what happened to her in her eyes. There was no icy chill, nor a fiery desire for vengeance. It was simply a silent request left for him to interpret.

Sevrin stood there as the doors closed, blocking him from her view. She would last see the Sephi standing in the hall and not moving a muscle.

The Sephi had a massive internal conflict within him then. He had a barrage of questions his way, and he had the operation he was running with the assassin. His father, the king, was likely summoning him at any point. He was supposed to be nothing more than a Jedi guard. Sevrin stood there for another moment before clicking the comlink.

“Hold her there. Get what you can out of her,” Sevrin said simply before he stepped through those doors. Amariel would find him back at her side. He had chosen.

Meanwhile, the Ubese would find herself bound firmly in a chair. There were two individuals standing before her with masks on and blasters in their hands. One of them circled around her, a blaster casually slung over his shoulder.

“The Jedi you saw has some very crafty ways of pulling out all the details from that metal head of yours,” He said with his voice modulated, “But we can make this far simpler if you tell us who sent you.”

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Watching him stand there as she was brought in, she didn't tear her eyes from his until it was impossible to see him, when the doors closed and there was nothing but the babble of nurses and medical droids around her. She weakly scowled in annoyance as they talked over her, but when she opened her mouth to talk, to demand they tell her the damage, she could feel the dry, wracking cough, and agony rolled down her spine again, too hard and fast to even allow her to groan.

She shut off the link between them harshly. He wouldn't suffer. She hadn't expected to see him return; she was alone.

"...collapsed lung, a broken rib, some damage to thoracic vertebrae..." It was then, one nurse finally glanced over at her, eyeing her critically. "You're fortunate they missed."

Anger tightened in the Doctor's features. She was fortunate... they missed? Was that what this was? That they had missed? Missed what? Her heart, the majority of her spine? Before she could reply, the doors opened again, and her eyes widened when Sevrin strode through.

In a way she had never really seen him before. Though before he had given hints, clues to his heritage and inheritance, there was no denying it now. The way he stood, the way the room immediately silenced at his approach; there was no denying who that man was to them. But she didn't care about it one bit. To Amariel, it was simple. He wasn't the Thustrian prince coming to visit a medical CEO, or a Jedi checking in on his charge. He was someone she would have done this again for.

The truth hit her hard, fast, and unable to deny it; she loved Sevrin. And though she would never admit it... seeing him there, made the pain ease. He had begun to heal her already, just by making his own choice. Ignoring the room, the doctors and personnel that crowded her, she made her choice as well. She held out her hand to him.

The assassin stared for a moment at her two kidnappers dully, not even attempting to pull against her restraints. There was no way she would make her escape this time; but if she named her bosses, she would live whatever remainder of her life in fear, always looking over her shoulder, however long it would be.

She tilted her head to the nearest one... and began to give a quiet chuckle.

<<The Hutts send their regards.>>

With that, there was an audible crunching sound as she bit down inside her cheek, grunting in pain not only from the thin glass shattering through the meat of her cheek, but the poison beginning to rapidly spread into her system. She convulsed once, gasping in pain as it began to take hold, and began to convulse again. It wouldn't take long to die.

The message was loud and clear; she would rather die than name them exclusively. Let the Jedi try to extract more from a dead assassin then.

@Sreeya