Ask Lean On Me

[Darth Tiamat]

Dromund Kaas

Tiamat had kept herself occupied with several projects going at once; most of them were planning and brainstorming with the team of xeno-chemical engineers to help her synthesize a new compound to fuel her own hypergate. This would take away the reliance of finding ones remaining by the Gree and allowed by time to continue to function. She would admit during this time, she left a lot of calls and notices unchecked on her comm, clearly leaving a 'read' mark, but would become so occupied with her work until the late hours, she would seldom remember to respond. However, there was one that caught her attention one late evening from Morgan who was following up on her work. This of course lead to a scheduled afternoon to drink, eat and catch up, something she did enjoy doing with Morgan who seemed to have the most resemblance to how life outside the Sith Order tends to function and most familiar to Tiamat.

When the afternoon came, she had invited Morgan to her place, since it was no longer where she housed the entirety of her research and there was ample room for others to visit and sit without stepping on papers or books. It was minimally decorated and Tia felt concern for the lack of much of any furniture or pictures, but she never gave much thought since she was rarely home. She hoped Morgan wouldn't mind either, and reminded herself not to apologize for any messes that didn't exist because nothing was there to make a mess.

Regardless, as she waited for Morgan to arrive, she checked on the curry bread that continued to bake; cooking meals wasn't a strength, but careful following of instruction, she thought she might have pulled it off. She had even taken time to try her talent in tarts, a creamy multi-berry instead of her cupcakes and better quality of wine which she already started on one bottle. Though she did advise if he wanted something stronger to bring it also. The Sith woman slowly combed through her hair with her finger tips as she read through the holonet stories, trying to keep herself occupied until Morgan arrived.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan was on and around Drommund Kaas much more often these days. The Firrerreo took to running and organizing this sector of Sith space very seriously given what he'd done to that authority and position. Especially as it didn't belong to only himself he gave extra care and attention to nurturing and protecting it. Anything less would be a disservice.

So when he headed to Tiamat's place it was shortly after a bit of early day business. He'd at least taken off his outer tunic and kept only the button-up beneath, a mix of Pacanth fashion and the greater norm in old Sith space. While he did like wine it wasn't very strong to his kind so he brought a couple bottles from Firrerre that were really much closer to a brandy by human standards.

Scents of cooking reached him even outside the door, the curry in particular a repeated theme with the two friendly Sith. Morgan grinned a little and rang the door chime. When it was answered he lifted a little basket of extra snacks as well as the Firrerreon wine, but nothing that he'd made himself.

"My afternoon is quite free today," he'd say in greeting before stepping inside.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

She was in the middle of a spacefeed buzzlist when she heard the door chime, alerting the redhead to Morgan's arrival. She pulled her hair back away from her face into a bun on top of her head as she headed to the door and double checked to ensure there were no stains that went unmissed from cooking earlier. She thought she should have changed, but she was the most comfortable in her leggings and oversized sweaters. The door opened and Morgan stood, still always looking his best and with him carried a basket of extra snacks and drinks. He announced his afternoon was free for the day and Tiamat welcomed inside.

"That's great!" she said grinning as she had been worried about him having to be called into impromptu meetings or taking care of business that required his leadership. Tiamat was uncertain how he was able to do it, she could never envision herself overseeing systems; Morgan, Emryc, even Renfry had something attached to the name, and then there was her, what did she have? A lab and a lot of books and notes that she could probably create a castle if she glued them together. When Morgan stepped inside, he would see Tia had become settled rather quickly; most of the wall space was overtaken with books mostly of sciences; the space unoccupied were decorated of show posters from the Corellian Ballet. There was a couch and a Holo in the living room, a door that lead to the bedroom and another to a practice room; it was clear the dining room had been overrun with a large work table and of course the kitchen.

Tiamat helped Morgan with the bottles and the snacks, setting them on the kitchen island and placed the wine on the counter with a glass for him, "I hope the buns turn out ok, its nearly done." she said checking quickly and then her chrono and turned her attention back to Morgan, "How has everything been running?" she asked regarding his responsibilities in this sector of Sith Space.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

A friendly smile graced Morgan's face at his friend's enthusiasm. He paid little mind to her casual attire, rarely one to udge what others wore in their homes. If he'd had more time after his business he'd likely be in something more comfortable as well, although he'd ever been the most fond of wearing sweaters for some reason.

Golden eyes wandered freely around Tiamat's new room, noting the usual collection of books and papers had been organized onto shelves and it had generally been personalized. Morgan approved. A comfortable home was an important thing to have even for Sith Lord in his opinion.

After his basket was put down he looked over at the oven where the buns were baking, an eyebrow rising with a slight smirk. "Trying something new. They smell good." Tia asked about his work and his expression soured a little with annoyance, although it wasn't toward her. "Steadily, but messily. This may come as a surprise," he began dryly before looking at his friend. "But Sith management of systems hasn't been the best." It likely came as a result of being from a different philosophy of Sith, but the method he'd seen on worlds like Sullust reminded him too much of the pointless tyranny of Palpatine rather than the efficient order of the Old Empire.

"Much to re-organize and change. But this sector is important, so it must be done." Morgan sighed softly and popped the top off the wine he'd brought to let it breath a little. "Is your research going well?"

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

He prepared her for his response, describing how it seemed to be a surprise to her, though Tiamat thought nothing could surprise her, she'd seen possibly the worst that had to be offered in the galaxy. Besides, government management being a mess? She could easily say that was typically of several systems and not even government collectives such as the FWA and the Republic were immune to such disorganization. A corner of her cheek curved into a smirk as it seemed even as dry as his statement could be, it seemed even the Sith faltered in a weakness that no entity could seem to overcome. He continued and she listened with interest and awe as he seemed to figure this all out. Could she ever rule like that, let alone just be on a council and make decisions that determine the destiny for millions, if not billions of beings.

Was there an algorithm that she could just plug in?

Luckily the topic switched to her research and her eyebrows rose with interest and excitement as the question nearly gave her permission to open the flood gates on topics. Though, she had been working on her impulsivity and thought carefully on what topics he would understand. "Incredibly well." she started while pouring herself a glass of wine, "Even with the few extra hands, I have been able to start to work on other aspects of the gate. I hope to start testing soon." she explained, thinking about where the Eternal and their researchers sat on their work. It seemed as though it were a race for her now. She was certain her successes will still draw the ire of the Eternal.

"What I'm really pushing is to figure out the space gate, its just large and there are things such as ensuring safety mechanisms are put in place so when ships do go through, it spaces enough time so no one collides." She took a sip of her wine and then turned to check on the buns, "Its a lot of little what ifs that I've been working on while the major manual work is left to the others helping in there."

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgaan listened to Tia's explanation of the gates with care. He hummed quietly in approval at the mention of the team assigned to her research center had sped things up. The fact she'd been doing it on her own for so long was ridiculous in Morgan's mind. How much more quickly and securely could it have been handled all this time?

"Good to hear." Slender fingers tip-tapped a tune vaguely along the table top from some video game or other while he was lost in thought. His face spread into something amused when Tia mentioned space collisions. "An important step. I trust your competence." Among the Sith she was the greatest technical mind that Morgan was aware of. When it came to things like the gates her habit of overthinking actually came in handy.

With a lazy usage of the Force he poured his own wine into a glass. It definitely smelled stronger and more fragrant than common human varieties, nearly a brandy. "I foresee many uses for the gates in future. If you can determine how to build new examples, there may be reason to industrialize them." The Eternal's foresight regarding the gates was limited to being in control of them. Morgan preferred to think ahead. Besides, why alienate the one who knows best how they work? That was something that could easily prove disastrous.

"Are you finding any troubles?" The Firrerreo may not understand all the specific technical details of the gates but he was smart enough to pick up on concepts at the least.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tia grinned when she watched him use the Force to pour his drink into the glass, she could certainly smell it over the baking curry rolls, and was easily convinced it was a liquor that would floor her in a few sips. He spoke about the potential of the gates and Tiamat nodded in agreement. "It will usher in a renaissance of trans-dimensional space travel and I will be on the forefront." Tia paused to think about her own words, hearing them out loud for the first time, "An age of true prosperity, led by the Sith." the redhead grinned as she came back from her daydream. She took a sip of her wine and combed through her memory if any troubles had come up during this process. Her meticulous nature ensured any bumps or barriers were removed before they posed a threat.

"Once I can get the fuel cells developed and stabilized, then the reproductions can begin, its just a time issue." she shrugged, unable to find a better explanation, "Its not just combining one or more mixtures to create something new, its going down to the molecular level and determining if its even compatible to existence." Tia sighed, "Theory doesn't always translate well into reality." she explained and paused, setting down her glass and turning her attention to the oven. She carefully removed the tray with the buns from the oven and set them on the counter to cool.

"They look great..." she said softly, eyeing the golden brown color of the buns, "Time and patience though, we know it can work."

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

A new age of travel across the galaxy. Such a thing couldn't have even been considered in seriousness a few years ago. Now thanks to Tiamat's work on the gates it wasn't even a far-fetched dream to achieve. From what he'd been told the gates were faster than hyperdrives as well, even if only because they didn't need to navigate the same way. Unmitigated trade was a powerful asset.

Morgan decided to find a chair to sit in rather than stand around in the kitchen, lowering himself into it to be nice and comfortable. He sipped his drink a moment and listened to his friend's explanation with interest though he didn't have much commentary of his own. The Firrerreo was smart and learned quickly, but he simply wasn't an engineer. "Reality has a funny way of adding the unexpected," he did add wryly, though what he was thinking of at the time wasn't obvious.

Goldens shifted from a spot on the wall to the curry buns, a pleased little smile showing up on Morgan's face. His head tilted a little to the side, brows furrowing a moment and then back to neutral as a thought drifted through his mind. "Time and patience," he agreed slowly as if talking to himself. Morgan quietly sighed.

Then he seemed again lost in thought, a pensive curl to his lips. His eyes looked toward the buns without really seeing them, a cheek leaning against a hand with elbow propped on a table. Idly and automatically he took another sip of wine.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Indeed, reality did add to the unexpected.

Tiamat grabbed a couple plates from the cabinets and some flatware to eat with, slightly disappointed she did not have additional hands to grab the other utensils she needed. However, the woman had been making it habit to keep her dishes cleaner, more often as she begun to reach a point in her research that did not require her to be present for 20 hours a day. Carefully she moved a bun to his plate and then to her own before grabbing several napkins and placing them down within Morgan's reach. Between him and Emryc, perhaps at some point she would be just as much of a neat freak as they were.

She glanced at her friend as he let her work, distracted by something that took him perhaps far across the stars. Tia pushed a plate to him and then grabbed a bowl of blend of powder spices, "I made them more bland than usual, so if you want more to sprinkle onto the filling, go ahead." she invited with a bit of defeat as to her lack of progress of returning her palette to where she could enjoy extra hot foods.

"It sounds like we both have hands full." she started as she sat down, eager to cut into her food and eat, "How are things going outside building a kingdom?" she asked him in a rather round-about way, seeing if he was doing all right otherwise.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan had noticed how clean and organized everything was, an improvement over some of the prior states of Tia's living spaces. Of course she had a real apartment now and not a small room within a Sith fortress or the inside of a nice, if relatively cramped, courier ship. He wasn't generally one to judge but he did like things to be in order and was used to it being even more so for the comfort of a common visitor to where he lived.

His thoughts returned to the present, the clacking of plates and rustle of napkins, when a bun was put in front of him. Morgan couldn't help the soft chuckle of nostalgia that escaped him. When he'd first arrived at her door as just another marauder, dressed plainly in blacks, he'd brought take out buns as his form of hello. How time moved on.

Goldens looked up at her but he didn't comment on the lack of spice, her words answering any potential questions on their own. Instead he gratefully pinched up some of the spice mix between his fingertips and sprinkled it over the bun, brushing them off on a napkin afterward. "More time, more patience," he added encouragingly.

He'd been about to try the bun when Tia asked her question. Morgan huffed a little and formed a complex expression somewhere between exasperation, cheer, humour, and longing. It evened out to a wry grin after a moment. "Mixed. Sort of." A pause for another sip of wine. "Few things are easy. But it wouldn't be fun if they were, is this not so?" Fingertips tip-tapped on the table for a second or two.

"I've been searching for some things, designing others for myself. And, working to improve my singing." He tutted irritably. "Overdid it some time ago." His tone was fairly conversational but the area around his eyes still tensed up.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

She watched as he gave a little huff and bit her lip in the awkward and poor timing of her question, keeping him from eating for a few moments longer. Though that wouldn't stop her from tasting her food first, just to make sure it was passing in case she needed to spare him from her utter failure. He explained things being easy, but mostly difficult, but that just seemed the nature of life itself, if everything went according to plan, there would be no issue and things would be dull.

He also mentioned his singing as she took another bite, ensuring the bread was covered in curry. She remembered his performance at the Huttball tournament and a small smile pulled at her lip. "I was excited to see you were the half-time entertainment. Spectacular!" she said with a small wiggle in her seat, memories swirling of the Huttball game and everything with it. The woman was quiet for a few moments as she enjoyed the curry and letting Morgan finally, occasionally adding a few pinches of the spice mixture to her own dish as she built back her tolerance.

Tia paused to take few sips of her wine, "How about your boy troubles? Were those finally resolved?" she asked him with curiosity and concern, remembering their last conversation and his aversion to share any further that day. Though it probably was wise to wait, as she was having her own problems play out throughout that afternoon.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan's expression abruptly shifted toward a pleased grin as he remembers the halftime show. It's been something he'd tried to get into doing for a while and the opportunity hadn't been something to pass up lightly especially with the audience watching. Of course he couldn't see everyone gathered around in the crowds and hadn't known Tia had been watching.

"Aha! Thank you. It was worth the effort." He seemed distracted from whatever trouble he'd been having around his singing from the memory and instead focused on the food for now. Slender fingers delicately plucked up the bun and he took a bite, humming contemplatively over the flavour. It tasted almost familiar but with a spice mix to Tiamat's taste combined with the extra heat he'd added atop.

Even without the usual level of heat it was still good. "You may be a match for the bun shop," Morgan said appreciatively while he cleaned his fingers to take a sip of wine.

Then his brows furrowed when boy troubles were mentioned. That whole situation was still complicated, even if not in precisely the same way. "They're improved," he said honestly after hesitating a little. Always steady progress and learning, but Morgan wasn't exactly a relationship expert.

"Some things resolved. Others are... Awkward." Morgan paused. "Will need more wine, I think."

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Her eyebrows rose when he mentioned his troubles have improved, sharing relief in knowing that things were looking up for him. As for her own troubles, it seemed like those had improved too. It had helped that Emryc had shown up first, to better understand why she left, and even with the rush of star dust that fogged her thoughts, she seemed to be able to push pass, and the rest of the time, was surprisingly pleasant. Reflecting back, it was the trust she had allowed herself to have in him that pushed her through the unease and fog.

Morgan continued, elaborating vaguely on what has improved and resolved, but there still remained some awkward incidents. Tia took his invitation for more wine and refilled his glass first and then her own, taking a long drink. "I have plenty of wine." she reassured and finished her last bite of the curry bun and took another sip from her glass to wash it down. "I think talking helps, maybe its not as awkward once you say it out loud." she suggested, trying to think of awkward situations with any of her relationships that she could draw her own knowledge. Though that was a difficult category, she guessed the most awkward she experienced is when she thought she was doing something endearing and it goes completely over Emryc's head. That was probably as awkward as it got, or if she tells off people who are trying too hard for her notice their lust. Internally Tiamat grimaced, "I'm all ears, so what's been so awkward?" she asked.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan was immensely uncomfortable. He finished off the remainder of his bun in silence and was at least partly distracted while he was eating. It was good but his expression was pensive throughout and he kept going back to the wine. Luckily he'd brought a bottle for himself or he'd likely be going through too much of Tiamat's. Goldens glanced at the red-haired woman and then back to his wine.

"Maybe. Doubt it." Not as awkward as other options maybe. Didn't make it easier for him to speak about. He even seemed grumpy about whatever it was, or maybe frustrated. Morgan sipped his wine again. "Conversation for couches," he declared abruptly. At this point a good couch was almost comforting. Somehow or other important conversations seemed to happen often on couches.

The Firrerreo stood from the table and automatically stacked the two dirty plates atop each other, then paused, staring at them. It was a habit he'd gotten into at home. Immediately cleaning things wasn't a quirk of his but his boyfriend appreciated things that way. Morgan frowned again and scooted the plates to the edge of the table, picked up his wine, and without a word walked over to the couch with a small stack of napkins. He put one down as a coaster, sipped his wine, and put the glass down.

Morgan sighed. "Relationships can be complicated," he grumbled unhelpfully. He leaned over on the couch and put his arm on the rest, then his cheek against his palm. Another glance toward Tiamat, another sigh. His mouth opened and then closed again.

"We're friends. Aren't we?"

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Something was off, and she didn't need the Force or any other higher sense to tell her that there was something bothering Morgan. She observed quietly as he finished his bun, frequently picking up his wine glass to take a drink, but yet to say anything that explained his current mood. He glanced at her and Tiamat gave him a concerning look, she swore if he kept it up, it would eventually just explode from him, the tension was that great.

He suggested moving the couch and Tiamat sat still for a moment as though it took a moment longer to process what he had suggested. She glanced to the couch and nodded, agreeing with him and begun to stand when she watched him gather the plates, pause and then leave them on the table's edge. "I can get 'em." she said softly, picking up the plates and placing them in the sink and out of the way to clean later, still watching Morgan as he went to the couch. Her brow narrowed, finding this interaction entirely odd as she wiped her hands on a towel and joined him on the couch with her wine glass.

A long sigh, a mutual understanding that relationships are complicated and turned to look at her, questioning their friendship. Tiamat was taken by surprise at the question, finding it odd thing to ask, when she was certain he was probably one of few that she could trust. "Of course we're friends." she said with a smirk, though suddenly nervous as to where he was going with this, "What's going on? You're quite out of it, Morgan."

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

The Firrerreo's fingers rubbed slowly against his temples while Tia moved the plates to the sink. He stared at his reflection in the holocron across from the couch as if trying to read his own expression. It all certainly felt complicated, the little variables adding up into a greater whole. Many angles, conversations, and dramatic scenarios played briefly through Morgan's head in a matter of moments. Why did it seem complicated and simple at the same time?

After a couple seconds he drank a little more wine and topped off his glass. His head turned partway in Tiamat's direction when he affirmed their friendship, smiling softly over a complicated expression. "This is so." For all the ways he was a monster he was human too, figuratively speaking.

Out of it? "I suppose I am," he agreed wryly. Morgan spent inordinate amounts of time thinking over the things he wanted and didn't like that this conversation was even needed. But still, it was probably for the best in the end. At least the warmth from the wine was helping him relax and find what he needed to say through a fog of doubt.

Morgan moved upright on the couch and turned to face Tiamat, leaning against the armrest, and crossed his legs. The wine was wisely left behind on its improvised napkin coaster. He pursed his lips and goldens beneath furrowed brows found his friend's face.

"Going on? Well," he started, speaking slowly and with deliberate care, "Our boy troubles are... related." His eyes glanced away and back to Tia again. Putting things delicately around this subject was inherently difficult if he also wanted to be honest. Some of his usual self-sure confidence flowed back into him to join the awkwardness.

"Emryc and I are together," Morgan said at last with a breath, a little tension leaving him. He was calmer than he'd expected to be about this but who knew how long that would last? "Since before I knew your feelings." Both of them had been vague about who the 'boy' in question was and it was seeing her and Emryc interact in person that put the pieces together. "Didn't want to bring it up at the time. With everything else happening." He paused, fingers tapping from discomfort against his leg, his shoulders drooping slightly. "I'm sorry, Tia." Not that he was with the man he loved, but that this situation existed at all and he was the one to tell her.

There were other aspects and he expected questions at the very, very least. This was a start.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Her eyebrows raised slowly as she leaned in subtly as Morgan searched for what to say and how to say. She could tell he was taking caution, perhaps care in how he put things, drawing the redhead's interest until he described their boy troubles as related. Her eyebrow twitched as she tried to decipher what that was supposed to mean, questions rising in her mind as she tried to decide which one to ask first, but he continued without prompt, stating he and Emryc were together.

Like...fucking...or like a boyfriend...?

She asked herself, noting the first sounded more like who Emryc was, or at least is, but Morgan spoke more, sounding almost apologetic for bringing up the topic and knowing her own feelings about Emryc despite not saying a word about whatever the problem could be for the Firrerreo. Tiamat slowly sat back up, processing how to handle this revelation, her gaze leaving the golden eyes and starred at the books across from her, falling deep into her thoughts. It made sense of course, for a long time, there were the subtle clues of how Morgan behaved around him even before Denon. Gently, she took a sip from her wine glass as Morgan finally said he was sorry.

Her blue eyes turned to meet him again, there was no emotion that crossed her features as she held his gaze with her own. A silence settled and the tick of a chrono could be heard before the redhead couldn't hold it in any longer. Her cheeks turned bright red as a laugh burst from the Sith woman, "That's it?" she continued to laugh and took a sip from her wine, nearly having tears in her eyes, "Oh, my sweet sweet Alderaanian child."

Tiamat turned slightly, calling his bottle of wine to her palm with the Force and helped his glass, filling it nearly to the top, "I think you have more boy troubles than me." she stated with another smirk, "Together..." she repeated his term with a shake of her head, "Yeah...that's not Emryc." she took a long drink from her glass, her eyes drifting to the table behind Morgan where she and Emryc were just no more than a week ago were kriffing.

"Together," she scoffed at the word, "I think you're imagining a fool's dream there, Morgan."

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Morgan observed the woman sitting across from him, gaze flicking over her as she straightened her posture and sank into thought. While she stared into books the Firrerreo watched the little movements of her face. His glass lay untouched for this pause in conversation.

It was Morgan's turn to straighten up when the quiet was broken by Tiamat's laughter, a curious mixture of bemusement and irritation on his face shown through furrowing brows and lips that turned down at the corners. This reaction of hers felt familiar. Expression without obvious signs of emotion. Even saying some very patronizing things. Tia also filled his glass back up to the very top which just bothered him on principle. This hadn't been the reaction he'd expected.

Golden eyes first widened a little and then narrowed sharply at bright blues, contact only broken when Tia looked somewhere behind him. Tia's cheeks turned red his and Morgan's skin shifted slightly to shades of silver, the muscles around his eyes tensing up. While he could understand what he'd said wasn't something she wanted to hear the way she chose to handle it was utterly insulting.

"Firrerreon, dear," he corrected with a short tut of the tongue, dismissive of her initial mockery. Some of her other commentary struck a very sore spot however and his apologetic air vanished instantly on hearing it. Morgan's chin raised up and his expression became fully indignant, one eyebrow raised. "Of course I do. I'm dating him." He ignored the overfull glass of wine for the moment, not missing her implication or forgetting their talks of long ago.

"Aha, yes. I must have simply imagined the last few years," Morgan replied dryly. Goldens formed the sort of intensity they did when he was truly focused on another person. Sharp eyes that picked up on habits, quirks, minute movements, reactions or lack thereof. Morgan already knew Tiamat wiped her face clear when she was hurt. "Have you decided to start pushing back with me as well, Tiamat?" He snapped in exasperation, referencing something she'd said on Eriadu.

"Fine." If Tiamat wanted to project and play a game around this subject Morgan simply wasn't having it. Slender fingers flicked to stream through the air some of the excess strong wine in his glass back into the bottle with a mighty frown. He plucked it up to take a drink before continuing. "I can say with absolute certainty our feelings are mutual," Morgan informed her icily. "How dare you try to turn this into some joke for the sake of your vindication. Not once have I ridiculed the way you felt nor what you wanted from him." The Firrerreo's nostrils flared, eyes narrowing once again.

"Is our friendship worth so little, Tia, that you must hide tears behind mocking laughter?"

His head tilted very slightly to the side as he finished speaking. Keen ears picked up what sounded like some giant family stampeding down a hallway somewhere outside the apartment. Tiamat likely heard it as well since it was far from subtle.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Her eyebrows rose when he rebutted in his defense of the truth. Tia was still not buying it, it was so far from who she knew Emryc to be that it was nearly delusional. However, she didn't interrupt, allowing Morgan continue who was becoming quite upset; her curiosity remained as she listened intently, her brow slowly relaxing and then narrowing as things were beginning to connect in the red headed sith's mind. The image of Emryc being happily together in something of a traditional relationship seemed mindboggling, him being domesticated? She remembered his response about taming fire. She knew how strong willed Emryc could be, especially when she and him both had their own ideas and clashed like the meeting of the Corellian seas.

But there was something else, and the way that Morgan had said it. There wasn't a we or us, it was I, I'm dating him, and her thoughts drifted to Darth Malicia and the story she heard of the social where she was removed from power. Had he confronted her also about her feelings for Emryc? Was her removal not just for power, but for control? And what about Renfry? Would he dare do the same to the Queen of Dathomir? Tiamat took a sip from her glass, this was now more interesting.

He accused her of hiding her true feelings, but Tiamat wasn't hiding much; sure she was sensitive, often annoyed that her and Emryc did not communicate on the same level. However, it was in no way mocking or ridiculing their friendship, despite the belittling tone he was offering her now.

"I'm not sure what you're reading on me, but it seems just as much out of tune as your perception on this relationship you have with Emryc." she explained and took another sip of wine before setting down the glass, pausing to hear the loud steps in the hallways of the building. She hummed to herself, finding nothing too unusual of the foot traffic. "Date him, whatever, I still love him, Morgan and I'm not going to stop because you want him all to youself."

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Somehow or other Tiamat's maintained calm seemed to be as infectious as it was irritating. There was a slow breath and sip of wine. He still rolled his eyes and looked annoyed as she touched on that same sore spot, but at the same time he looked fairly bewildered. It was enough to tamp down his temper for the moment. The wine probably helped too.

"Never asked you to stop loving him," he replied irritably, brows furrowing. "Only said was that he and I are together." As usual the twinge of jealousy when it came to Tiamat was relatively mild. Morgan blinked once. "We started dating some time ago. I'm aware of how he is." The Firrerreo didn't think he'd ever fully understand the desire to sleep with people one didn't have any feelings for since he just couldn't be interested without at least an emotional connection.

Emryc had made several strong assurances and explained about that sort of thing. Morgan had no reason to believe he'd lied even if it bothered him at times, especially with other facets he'd figured out from there. "My perception of our relationship is on key, thank you," Morgan said a little sharper than intended. Whatever Tiamat might believe her mocking response had belittled their relationship and it was not appreciated.

"Thought you'd be upset to hear my feelings for him were returned." He took another sip of wine and frowned at Tiamat. "Since you're not, what were you laughing for? "Morgan thought he must be missing context somewhere. Her reaction hadn't just been unexpected but also derisive and rudely dismissive. If she didn't care, what was the point of all that? Had he skipped a step in explaining things?

The thundering footsteps grew closer and then quieter. Morgan wasn't paying as much attention to them at this point.

@GABA