Ask On The Trail

[Edin Frost]

They said criminals often returned to the scene of the crime. While it sounded silly and unlikely, it certainly applied this time. It was late at night and there was a light drizzle. The ambience was somber and there were flashing lights and caution tapes all around. It had been hours since the body was discovered and forensics was collecting evidence. As usual, there was a crowd of spectators standing around to speculate. A rich business mogul turns up dead in a posh, upper scale city district? It was going to draw crowds.

Edin was among the crowds, hanging back just enough to see, but not too close. A cigarra hung from the corner of his lips and the hood of his sweatshirt was drawn. He had picked off the businessman hours prior, right while he was in the middle of a rather scandalous exchange with a mistress. The mistress had avoided the papers and media speculation thus far, but this would blow it wide open. All focus would turn to her or the man’s wife. It would muddy the trail back to him.

Nevertheless, he wanted to see what conclusions were made here, what the forensics were paying attention to. It was the post-mortem analysis that always taught him how to be a few steps ahead. Many would say it was risky to be so close to where you shit, but he thought it was the safest place to be.

A new addition to this, however, was the appearance of two figures coming into the scene. From their attire it was clear they were Jedi. Were the Jedi jointly working with Rangers on everything? Or did Edin leave enough patterns to where this looked like a serial killing? He highly doubted the latter. The half Firrerreo blew out a cloud of smoke, quietly watching things play out.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Ambience
​

Truth be told, Zayn couldn’t deny feeling a tad-bit enthusiastic to be assigned to this case. For months, the Corellian Padawan had spent much of his time cooped up within the confines of the temple back on Yavin - splitting his time between Academy classes and training under the tutelage of Master Dolmar. Their recent assignment into FWA space - working in coordination with the Rangers in this sector, gave him the opportunity to gain some field experience - and brought him right to the scene of this most recent crime.

Even with the light drizzle, Zayn didn’t bother to pull up the dark hood - allowing the cool rain to drop down against his cheeks as he ran a hand through his dark-brown hair. It was an environment that reminded him fondly of the urban districts he called home, even if it had been some time since he had last visited Corellia. He was dressed in standard issue Jedi attire, the metallic hilt of his lightsaber secured to the utility belt on his hip.

He walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Jedi Master Arkan Dolmar, the Miralukan Jedi sporting similar armored robes. The senior Jedi had a reputation for working extensively with Law enforcement to combat the criminal underworld across Alliance territory - harkening back to an era when the Sith were of little concern and the Jedi worked far more closely with law enforcement on a daily basis.

The air was filled with the sounds of police sirens as the pair approached, law enforcement speeders and yellow cautionary tape still clustered around the scene and the body of the business mogul himself. Nevertheless, that hadn’t prevented crowds from gathering to get a glimpse at the murder.

They were greeted with welcoming nods from the Rangers on scene as they approached. “Damn,” Zayn muttered quietly towards the elder Jedi, taking a glance at the business mogul. “Poor guy didn’t even have a chance to get his pants back up. That’s just cold..” His voice was quiet enough that only his master would hear.

Of course, his commentary was met with the Jedi Master turning to briefly ‘stare’ down the Corellian Padawan. Even with the blindfold and blank expression, Zayn could very quickly pick up on the senior Jedi’s disapproving gaze through the Sight.

Flashing a somewhat-apologetic look towards his Master, Zayn quickly moved on - turning his attention to the Rangers who had come up to greet them. The pair were filled on what little details the first-responders had gathered so far over the next couple minutes, met with a few nods from Zayn as they spoke.

The business mogul’s mistress was an immediate suspect, of course - having been on the scene and with the man during the killing. Even if she had been placed in a squad-car and behind tinted windows, on-scene reports had already began to speak of the scandalous scene. Social media and local news-stations would begin to point blame at either her or the wife within hours or less.

But, as Zayn and his master quickly learned, little of the preliminary evidence pointed to her. The woman had seemingly been in a state of shock since the killing, and no weapon was found on her person. It was, however, possible that she had abandoned the weapon by the time authorities had arrived. “And the weapon used?” Master Dolmar asked, crouching down to get a closer observation of the exit wound.

“Hard to say without an official analysis done - but believed to be a high-caliber rifle. Long ranged weapon.” The lead Ranger said, standing close by the pair of Jedi.

“Hm.” The Jedi Master murmured, giving a nod of his head in response. Zayn blinked a few times, shooting a glance towards the Miralukan. There was no words between the two of them, but it was clear they had the same thought. It wasn’t the type of weapon one would expect from a common killer or enraged lover.

“And eye witness reports?” The Ranger shoot his head. “My agents are still in the process of questioning civilians.” He jutted a thumb towards the crowd.

Master Dolmar nodded once more. “Zayn,” He turned to look at his apprentice. The Corellian Padawan glanced up at attention. “Assist in questioning those nearby - see if anyone saw anything.”

“Got it.” He gave a quick nod before turning from where he was standing, eyes cast out over the crowd that had formed. He began to walk in that direction, hazel gaze flicking between those who had gathered. After a few moments, the Padawan’s gaze settled upon Edin near the back of the crowd - randomly selecting the Firrerreo as the first person to question. Edin would see the Padawan starting to make his way over, giving a nod of acknowledgement as he approached.

Zayn, of course, hadn’t the slightest clue he was walking right up to the killer himself.

“Excuse me,” The Padawan stopped right in front of the Firrerreo, waving a hand. He took a moment to get a good look at the man, taking a moment before he continued. “I am Padawan Talis, working with law enforcement. Was hoping I could ask you a couple questions.”

“Did you see anything regarding what happened here?” He asked, gesturing back with his chin towards the taped-off section. “Where were you when it occurred, roughly?”

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

The irony of someone coming to question him was not lost on him. Fortunately, he was well versed in playing a variety of roles. He kept his cool as he was approached by the Jedi, his dark eyes flicking over to survey the guy. Edin looked almost bored at the questions, but he answered nevertheless, “I walked over when I saw everyone else here,” He shrugged vaguely, “But the bigger question is,” He raised his voice so the reporters nearby could hear him, “Why have the Jedi taken a special interest in this case?”

That did the trick. Almost at once, the Jedi would have about five reporters in his face asking the same question. Edin stepped back behind the line of reporters, quietly eyeing the exchange. Truthfully, he was just as curious about the answer, but he wouldn’t linger there forever. He had seen enough. They had nothing on him, and this case had too many suspects for it to ever come back to him.

The half Firrerreo would linger just enough to hear the answer before disappearing into the crowds. The night was still young, and he decided he wanted to go listen to some live music. There was a cantina nearby, and he slowly made his way over through the rain and dark alleys to remove himself from the scene.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn kept his hazel eyes trained onto Edin, offering the half-Firrerreo a small smile and nod as he asked his questions. Naturally, the Padawan lacked any reason whatsoever to suspect Edin was the one that was ultimately behind everything - seeing him as nothing more than a bystander - and, naively, assumed that he would simply answer the questions about the Corellian moved on to the next person. Which, of course, wasn’t going to be the case.

The Corellian nodded along when Edin answered the question about his whereabouts, making a mental note of the information. He was prepared to continue his questioning, only for the half-Firrerreo to interject with one of his own. Zayn couldn’t help but blink a few times, his eyes wide for a split second before narrowing onto the Firrerreo. For all his lack of experience and finesse in the field, the Corellian didn’t miss the way that Edin deliberately raised his voice when he asked that question - hazel eyes flicking over to the swarm of reporters suddenly craning their heads over to stare at them, practically foaming at the mouth of what was going to be some juicy news story.

Within seconds, Zayn was swarmed by reporters - his own personal space invaded and a variety of microphones shoved into his face. Even still, Zayn kept his eyes on Edin for a few seconds - flashing the Firrerreo an unamused stare. His attention was rapidly drawn back to the reporters, the Corellian suddenly flooded with more questions than he could keep up with.

“Why has the Jedi Order taken an interest in his case? Was the victim working with the Jedi?” One reporter asked, stepping up to the Padawan. Zayn exhaled, nodding towards the reporter as he addressed the question as professionally as he could, “The Jedi Order frequently collaborates with local law enforcement. This isn’t a special case - but we will be working with Sector Rangers to see the perpetrator brought to justice.” It was the best answer Zayn could come up with on the fly, hoping that it would quell any additional questions.

Nope.

“Over here, GNN! Do you suspect that the Sith are somehow involved?” Another said, literally shoving the microphone so close it bumped Zayn’s cheek. “Do you believe this killing might be linked to the assassination of the Chancellor?” And another. “Can you tell us the name of the woman he was with? Do you believe she was involved?”

—​

It took close to twenty minutes for the reporters to finally begin to disperse from around Zayn - and even that hadn’t occurred until Master Dolmar had agreed to take a few questions of his own. In the end, their initial investigation of the crime scene had produced little in the way of additional information - save for the fact it was confirmed to be a high caliber rifle, and the location of the entry and exit wound suggested that the shot had come from several stories above where the victim was standing. It crossed the mistress personally off the list, but it did little to narrow down the laundry list of other potential suspects. The wife, an assassin hired by either, or a list of angry businessmen who the victim had recent dealings with.

“We’re getting nowhere.” Zayn muttered dryly, eyes narrowed as he stared ahead. The Padawan had since changed his attire to something a bit more inconspicuous - sporting ripped jeans, a black t-shirt cut low to flaunt the tattoos on his chest, and denim jacket over the top. His dark hair was styled in its usual side faded, combed into place. “What are we even doing here?” He jutted his thumb up ahead.

“Patience,” Master Dolmari said, having too changed into civilian clothes. “You didn’t expect all the answers to just fall into your lap, did you?” The Miralukan said cooly, continuing on towards the cantina. “Establishment like this attract a variety of crowds. Perhaps, someone here could tell us a bit more about our missing assassin.”

Zayn shook his head but otherwise said nothing else about it - having long ago learned that arguing with his master wasn’t going to get him anywhere. Still, shouldn’t they be out in the field versus hanging out at some bar? The pair were quickly waved into the cantina - a motion of the Jedi Master’s hand enough to clear any questions from the bouncers mind. “Keep your eyes open,” The Jedi Master said, giving Zayn a nod before casually walking off towards another side of the cantina. Zaid himself continued towards the cantina bar, hazel eyes scanning the crowd.

Until he found Edin. It was little more than a coincidence running into the same dude that torpedoed his questioning, but there he was.

“Dick move, by the way.” Zayn commented towards the half-Firrerreo as he made his way towards the bar, waving his hand to order a drink from the bartender. Even if Edin had effectively killed any suspicion for the moment, Zayn couldn’t deny being somewhat irked by the half-Firrerreo effectively throwing him to the wolves. His eyes turned ahead towards the live music, watching the band for a moment whilst subtly scanning the crowd around him.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin was already removed from the killing mentally. You couldn’t be an assassin by profession if your job haunted you at all times. The half Firrerreo was at the bar, nursing a rather fruity drink while watching the performances. He was drumming his fingers and thoroughly enjoying himself. His hood was down, revealing his slightly messy hair.

He returned to his drink only to spot a familiar face in the crowd - the older Jedi male that was accompanied by the boy earlier. The sight of him made Edin nervous, but it didn’t manifest on his face. Edin made a mental note to keep tabs on the Jedi Knight. If the man ventured too close to the truth, the assassin would have to eliminate him as well. For now, he returned to his drink, deciding that he didn’t want to make himself too obvious.

Edin noticed someone arrive at the bar next to him, but he didn’t look over until he realized he was being addressed. The half Firrerreo glanced over with his brows slightly raised, surprised to spot the same Jedi that was questioning him earlier crop up next to him again. Clearly he had a change of get up, and it amused him to see one of the monk types dress so casually. Edin took a sip of his drink before flashing him a fanged grin, “Am I a suspect or did you follow me here for fun?” He had long since learned to keep his cool in situations, and this was no different.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn kept his eyes on the bartender for a moment or two longer, watching as the middle-aged Toydarian floated over to pour up the drink the Corellian had requested. While the Padawan kept his eyes open for anything suspicious, he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to get a drink without being carded and enjoy a bit of the live performances in the process. Master Dolmar, for his part, was already engaging in casual conversation with some Transdoshan bounty hunter at the far end of the cantina.

It wasn’t until Edin spoke again that the Corellian turned back to look in his direction, catching a glint of that fanged smile. The Padawans hazel eyes drifted from the Firrereo’s grin to the messy styling of his hair, hanging there for a moment before flicking back down to the man’s dark eyes. “If you were a suspect, I really couldn’t disclose that info, could I?” He said, a grin starting to tug at the corners of his lips. “Maybe a bit of fun.” He shrugged.

As soon as it was placed down onto the counter in front of him, Zayn lifted up his drink - taking a drink before clinking it against Edin’s. “Besides, I never did get a chance to catch your name before you took off.”

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin quirked a brow at the guy. He acted awfully confident for barely meeting the drinking age requirement around these parts. The half Firrerreo simply scoffed as he briefly glanced back at the performance, clapping as the song ended. The band went into the next song and Edin’s eyes flicked over to the Jedi Knight again, watching him going around questioning folks. He appeared like an ordinary patron, and it made him wonder how often he had been around undercover Jedi without ever knowing.

“Edin,” He said as he looked back at the dude, “Going to write that down somewhere?” He quipped, “If you’re lucky I may even tell you my shoe size,” Edin grinned before rolling his eyes. He threw back his drink and ordered another.

“I didn’t think little good boy monks like you could drink,” He remarked, “But I guess you get to chill out while your old man there does all the work, eh?” Edin jutted his chin towards the direction of the Jedi Knight.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn kept his eyes on Edin for several seconds longer, that smirk on his lips pulling a bit wider to flash a hint of toothy expression when the Firrerreo scoffed at his words. For better or worse, the Corellian Padawan had no qualms about being overly confident - even if he was only flying under the radar of the drinking age due to some Jedi mind-tricks. He turned to look back at the band as the song ended, rising up out of his seat a bit as he brought two fingers to his lips - a whistle ringing out in applause for the live performance.

Of course, the Padawan didn’t miss the way that Edin’s eyes flicked away from him and the bar - hazels following until finally fixating onto Master Dolmar across the room. For all intents and purposes, the senior Jedi blended right into the Cantina crowd - from his posture and body language, to the colorful language and laughter that could be vaguely heard from the conversation he was having. It was a skill learned after a lifetime of working within the shady elements of society, often going undercover for weeks at a time while conducting sting operations.

The Corellian Padawan’s eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly, a single brow arching ever-so-slightly. It was clear that the Firrerreo was keeping tabs on the other Jedi in the room - picking him out of the crowd from all the way on the other side of the room. Whether he was unnerved by their presence or something else wasn’t clear, but the dude’s body language certainly didn’t allude to the former. Nevertheless, he made a note of it. Zayn’s attention snapped back when Edin spoke again, properly introducing himself for the first time. “Zayn,” He said in return. The Corellian couldn’t help but raise a brow when Edin made his quip, picking up his drink to take another drink. “Not unless you plan on giving me your number to save it under.” He flashed the Firrerreo a toothy grin before turning back to the bartender to order another drink.

He paused for a moment when Edin made his remark about drinking, scoffing a bit. “Yeah? Maybe I’ll surprise you.” The Padawan said, shrugging his shoulders a bit. “You do seem damn concerned with what the old man is doing, though.” He remarked, making it clear he hadn’t missed the way Edin had been glancing back at Master Dolmar. “Maybe you ought to focus on me instead.” He said with a smirk. “I’m far less boring than the old man.”

With that, the Padawan glanced ahead - watching as the band began to play a new song for the cantina.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin only chuckled when Zayn called him out. He hadn’t even bothered asking the guy his name and it was offered anyway. He was surprised by the boldness he displayed, but he didn’t mind it. Zayn certainly had Edin’s attention now, his focus shifting back to the younger man, “Yeah, who wouldn’t wanna know if there’s a murderer lurking around in here?” He said as he eyed him quietly. Was this all an attempt to throw Edin off the Knight’s trail? If so, he had no qualms with biting. He threw back his second drink, having full confidence in his ability to trace the Knight.

“All right, you have my attention,” He swiveled his chair around to look at Zayn, “You gonna do a magic trick or something?” Truth be told, Jedi made him nervous. Would he know if one was attempting to sway his mind? However, he knew if he simply upped and left, he would make himself out to be an even bigger suspect. Besides, the Jedi wasn’t exactly difficult on the eyes.

The cantina was getting more lively as the music picked up. A few patrons were already drunk and mingling about. Edin didn’t look, but he had a feeling the Knight had disappeared somewhere in the crowd.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn couldn’t help but chuckle, flashing the Firrerreo yet another tooth-filled grin as he glanced back in Edin’s direction. “Don’t sweat it - if the murderer is lurking around here, I’m sure the two experienced Jedi will be able to pick ‘em out.” He said. The Padawan didn’t bother to look back over his shoulder or down at his commlink - but he knew that Master Dolmar would be doing the reconnaissance work for which he was famous.

By this point, the Miralukan Knight had finished his conversation with the Trandoshan mercenary, and he had moved on to conversing with an exceptionally nervous-looking Zabrak woman. It wasn’t long before the two took their conversation to a private booth at the far side of the room - clearing wishing for a bit more privacy for whatever was being said.

Zayn spent a few more seconds listening to the

new song that was being performed by the band - unable to help the way he grooved a bit in his hair and drummed his fingers against his glass. He finally turned his attention back to Edin entirely when the Firrerreo swiveled on his chair, opting to do the same so the two of them were facing each other. He couldn’t help but flash a sideways grin when Edin asked if he was going to do a magic trick.

The Padawan glanced around his surroundings for a moment, hazel eyes scanning the bar, surrounding patrons and the band up ahead. After a moment of patiently waiting for the right opportunity, Zayn subtly lifted his hand towards the HoloScreen above the bar - which, at that precise moment, was playing a high-stakes Huttball game. The subtly handwave was accompanied by a pulse in the Force - disrupting the feed and causing the screen to go to static.

The interruption was met with cries of displeasure from a good portion of those at the bar - the rest of them too focused on the live performance to notice. It meant that - for that very brief moment - no eyes were on Edin and Zayn.

Without another word, Zayn extended and curled the fingers of his hand - reaching out with the Force and coiling invisible tendrils of energy around the base of Edin’s chair. The Firrerreo would feel the chair lift slightly off the ground to avoid scooting loudly before being pulled closer to where the Corellian Padawan was sitting - halting once their chairs touched and faces were just a few feet apart. Zayn didn’t take his eyes off Edin the entire time - hazel eyes piercing right into the Firrereo’s dark gaze. The confident hint of a only tugged just a bit wider.

Only then did Zayn bring up a hand towards Edin - offering the Firrerreo a small shot glass that was filled to the brim, accompanied by one in other hand for himself. It was clear that at some point the Padawan had managed to swipe the two glasses while everyone was focused elsewhere. “Magic,” He said with a confident grin, leaning forward a bit closer before raising his own glass.

“Cheers.” With that. Zayn threw back the shot.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin looked over when the Jedi made it clear he was doing some tricks. The Holo abruptly switched to static and there was a bit of a commotion. He looked back only when he felt his seat beginning to shift. He grasped it out of instinct, a visibly surprised look on his face as he was pulled close. For a moment he said nothing, genuinely caught off guard by the sequence of events. After a moment, the shock gave way to a grin. He grabbed the shot glass and clinked it against Zayn’s before throwing it back.

“Impressive,” He said simply as he rose from his seat, but not before slapping down some crowns for his drinks and also Zayn's. To be honest the dude was probably broke and his magic tricks were fun.

“There’s a club a block down,” Edin said simply before he turned and began to walk. He didn’t offer up anything beyond that, his gaze flicking over towards the direction where the Knight disappeared. He wouldn’t let off the man so easily, but for now he didn’t mind having a little bit of fun.

Whether Zayn came with or not, the half Firrerreo would flash his ID to get in. No doubt the Jedi would find some trick to get in. The club was popping with life, the bass booming and the strobes flashing. Edin stepped in and glanced over his shoulder towards Zayn and flashed him a grin.

“Now this is more my speed,” He said before grasping Zayn by his wrist and tugging him closer. Edin loosely hooked an arm around his neck, beginning to move gently to the rhythm as he looked at him, “Let’s hope your old man has a long leash on you,” Edin smiled broadly, revealing more of those sharp fangs.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn kept his eyes firmly fixed onto Edin throughout the entire sequence, watching the Firrerreo as the chair slid across the floor and their faces were brought closer together. He clearly noted the shocked expression and couldn’t help but grin just a bit wider, throwing in a playful wink before clinking his glass against Edin’s and throwing it back. He gritted his teeth ever-so-slightly as the burn of alcohol went down, exhaling before looking back to the other man.

“Plenty of other tricks up my sleeve,” Zaid said, watching as the Firrerreo rose up from his seat. Of course, all those sly smirks and flirtatious confidence faded for just a moment when Edin slapped down enough Crown for the both of their drinks - paying for them both. It was a move that caught Zayn entirely off-guard, having expected to empty his meager wallet to cover the cost of his own drinks. Even if he was willing to swipe the drinks from behind the counter when no one was looking, Zayn wasn’t a thief and wasn’t going to leave without paying.

For a brief moment, Zayn flashed the Firrerreo an almost sheepish smile of gratitude - lingering for only a moment before the Corellian rose up from his seat, that grin returning when Edin mentioned a club. “I’m game.” Zaid said, stuffing his hands into his pockets before walking after the other man. He gave one last glance back towards where Master Dolmar had vanished, satisfied that the Miralukan was probably in the middle of some important business and Zayn could get away with no disturbing the senior Jedi for a few minutes.

Within minutes they arrived, Zayn following close next to Edin as the Firrerreo flashed his ID. The Corellian Padawan quickly reached into his back pocket, pulling out a fake ID he had scored from one of his older brothers the last time he went home. The resemblance was.. Decent, at best, and Zayn was fully prepared to throw in a little bit of mind trickery if the bouncer looked too unconvinced. Luckily, the burly Trandoshan simply squinted at the ID, looked at Zayn like he was entirely on to the Padawan’s bullshit, and waved him in without another word.

With that, Zayn turned his attention back to Edin - flashing the Firrerreo a sly grin as he stepped into the strobe lights. The multi-colored lights above reflected vibrantly off of the Corellian’s hazel eyes, and he couldn’t help but notice the way they glinted against the Firrerreo’s fangs - far more alluring than Zayn was willing to let on.

“Long enough,” The Corellian said simply, stepping close to Edin when the Firrerreo pulled him in. Zayn’s hands instinctively rose up from his sides, lightly tracing down Edin’s torso before coming to rest against the shorter man’s hips. His fingers splayed wide across the Firrerreo’s lower back as they swayed, his hips gradually starting to rock and move in rhythm with the bopping music. “Don’t plan on running off on me this time, do you?” He said with a grin, keeping his hazel eyes fixed down on Edin as they danced.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Zayn was every bit as bold as Edin had hoped. He felt Zayn’s hands travel up the sides of his torso, the sensation eliciting another grin. He stepped closer, bringing his other arm to loop around his shoulder. One of his hands came up to graze along the back of Zayn’s head, fingernails raking across where the hair was short and felt like velvet. He didn’t dare mess with where it was styled above, but his touch was teasing against where hair met skin, “I probably will run away, yeah,” Edin admitted fully as his fingers slid back from Zayn’s neck, grazing against his jawline before the nails traced beneath his chin, “How else will I make sure you keep chasing me?”

With that, he spun around to face away from him, pressing back against Zayn as he danced. He couldn’t remember the last time he danced like this with another man, his last few encounters having been with women. His rear pressed firmly back against Zayn as he ground himself purposely to the beat. The alcohol was pumping through his system and he felt alive. There was the rush of this and also pulling off a successful kill. He knew his handiwork was displayed across various media just as when he had killed the Chancellor.

Edin tilted his head back slightly, aligning his face along the side of Zayn’s, “If you just made a move on me instead of putting on that interrogation act, I wouldn’t have set the reporters on you,” He said before he chuckled. His hand was once again behind him, fingers casually dragging against the other man’s jawline while he spoke. The entire time he kept swaying, knowing exactly what he was doing as he pressed into Zayn.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn tilted his head down ever-so-slightly when Edin stepped in close, a grin spreading across his lips as he held the Firrerreo’s gaze. Between the bopping music and Edin’s arms around him, thoughts of the investigation or his purposes for being on the planet were distant in the Corellian’s thoughts. Instead, his mind raced with images of those fangs that glinted against the light, the Firrerreo’s alluring dark eyes and the sensation of their bodies close together.

In that moment, Edin had Zayn’s attention completely - whether he realized it or not.

He felt as Edin raked his fingernails against the back of his hair and neck, the sensation enough to elicit an almost involuntary, deep groan from the Corellian Padawan. It caused his heart to beat just a bit faster in his chest, and the Firrerreo would no doubt feel the way that Zayn instinctively gripped onto his hips a bit tighter than before - tugging his lower half just a tad bit closer as they danced. The Corellian Padawan’s hips rocked forward as he swayed to the club beats, shameless in the way he pressed against the other man.

While Zayn kept one hand firmly planted on the Firrerreo’s waist, he allowed the other to gradually slide upwards. The Corellian traced his fingers along the curvature of Edin’s spin, fingernails pressing in just enough to be teasing as he worked his way up to the back of the Firrerreo’s neck - lingering there for a few moments before following his path back down.

Zayn let a low growl roll up his throat, tilting his head down ever-so-slightly and pressing in when Edin ran a finger beneath the Corellian’s chin. “Maybe I like chasing.” He said with a rumble, flashing the Firrerreo a grin.

He couldn’t help the way he was caught slightly off-guard when Edin abruptly spun around, pressing back against the Corellian. Zayn didn’t pull away from it in the slightest, his hands once more digging into Firrerreo’s hips - thumbs looping within Edin’s belt-loops in order to keep him pulled close. Zayn could practically hear his own heart pounding against the confines of his chest, and it felt as if an inferno had been lit beneath his skin.

As they danced, Edin could no doubt be able to feel exactly what he was doing to the Corellian Padawan - especially as Zayn rolled his hips forward and grinded himself shamelessly against the other man. He allowed one hand to boldly dip a bit lower - fingers splaying across the Firrerreo’s rear and digging in with clear desire.

Zayn couldn’t help but smirk when Edin spoke again, glancing down as Edin’s face aligned with his own. The Corellian brought a hand up from the Firrerreo’s waist, grazing across the back of Edin’s neck before working his fingers into the man’s messy hair - curling in to grip and tilt Edin's head back ever-so-slightly. He leaned in close, Zayn’s hot breath brushing against the side of the Firrerreo’s neck and jaw as he spoke.

“I don’t mind how things turned out in the end,” He said with a grin. With that, Zayn released his grip on the Firrerreo’s hair - allowing his hand to wander back down to Edin’s hips and rear.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin only chuckled when he felt Zayn boldly grasp at him. Clearly the boy was oozing confidence, but he certainly didn’t mind it. The half Firrerreo gave a sharp intake of breath when he was tugged by the hair, causing his head to tilt back. He only gave a throaty chuckle in response, revealing the sharp points of his fangs. He didn’t miss the way Zayn had looked at them, and it wasn’t the first time someone had admired those features about him.

He continued dancing like that for a while until the song switched. Without warning, the assassin abruptly slid out of Zayn’s grip and swapped places with him. He casually tugged the other man directly into him, pressing Zayn’s back against his own chest. Edin’s hands slid down to his hips, firmly gripping him and pressing his hips against the other man.

“And where do you want it to go from here?” Edin growled softly near Zayn’s ear. He leaned down and grazed the sharp tips of his fangs against the crook of his neck, knowing fully well it was what was running through Zayn’s mind the moment he set eyes upon him. Edin didn’t bite down, but the points teasingly pressed into skin while they danced.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn tilted his head downward ever-so-slightly, staring down at Edin as the half-Firrerreo chuckled once again. He didn’t miss the flash of those sharpened fangs - clearly noting how the strobe lights glinted and reflected across their razor surface. It was a feature that the Corellian found far more alluring than he ever thought he would, and it manifested clearly enough throughout his body and in the way he exhaled low through his nostrils.

The Corellian couldn’t help the way that his hazel eyes widened when Edin abruptly slipped out of his grasp and switched places with him - positioning himself with Zayn’s back pressed against him. It was a maneuver that caught him entirely off-guard, and Edin would likely catch that bit of surprise etched into his features. Nevertheless, it wasn’t something that Zayn shied away from, either - his hips rolling back to grind against the Firrerreo with the same intensity as he had in the reverse. He brought one hand up to loop around the back of Edin’s neck - fingers teasing tracing across his skin, fingernails dragging from the nape of his hair and across the top of his spine.

He couldn’t help the low groan that escaped his lips when Edin growled against his ear, feeling as the sharpened points of his fangs teasingly pricked against the crook of his neck. It was a sensation that elicited goosebumps across Zayn’s skin, and sent waves of renewed heat to course through every inch of his body.

Without warning, Zayn slipped himself out of Edin’s grasp and spun himself around - turning back to face the Firrerreo in the middle of the dancefloor. Hooking an arm around Edin’s shoulder and pulling him close, Zayn began to cut a path away from the dancefloor - cutting a path towards the other side of the room. There was a distinct ping from his commlink, but the Padawan pointedly ignored it. They finally came to a halt when Zayn reached a wall on the far side of the room - positioning Edin’s back against it with the Corellian standing before him.

“You already know the answer.” He said simply, hazel eyes staring down at the Firrerreo as he hooked a finger into Edin’s beltloop. Even still, he gave the other man enough space to slip away if he so chose.

@Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin gave a very animalistic and primal growl that didn’t sound human at all when Zayn ground himself back against him. It was a stark reminder that he had those vicious Firrerreo traits in him. His fingers pressed into the man’s hips, digging into flesh. Edin looked over at Zayn when spun over, tugging him back with him across the dance floor. The half Firrerreo was light on his feet, practically gliding across the floor with Zayn as he was directed.

He grinned at the other man when he was practically pinned against the wall. There was a glint in his eye as he looked at Zayn, clearly seeing the desire burning there. The music faded into the background and he could only focus on the handsome features of the man before him. His veins were pumping hot and he felt that tug at his beltloop. Edin’s hand traced down the front of Zayn’s chest, his remaining locked with Zayn’s own. His hand didn’t stop, continuing to travel down below the waist and pausing to teasingly brush and grasp as he pleased.

“Oh I can see that..” Edin murmured as he leaned in close to Zayn’s face, “But you’re going to have to work harder than that, boy,” He stated with a grin before he ducked and slipped out of his grip. The half Firrerreo flashed him a teasing grin before pulling up his hood and stepping back into the crowds. He would soon blend in and disappear from sight.

—-​

It was a few weeks later and there had been no progress made on the case beyond the wife being the prime suspect. Nevertheless, Edin still kept tabs on the Jedi Knight. The man was meticulous and had been questioning a lot of people. He was getting a bit too close to the truth - far too close for comfort. For now, however, Edin had a job to focus on. He was still on the same planet, but he chose to pick up some spice running gigs until the case blew over.

It was dark and rainy and he was currently in an alley. He was accompanied with two Rodians, all three working to load up spice for distribution in the black market. They had just arrived from Hutt space. Edin was dressed like a common mercenary, sporting a helmet that hid his features. The Rodians were discussing how much money they would make from this job, but Edin was more concerned about getting this over with before any authorities showed up.

“Is that all of it?” He barked at one of them. The two checked again before spotting just one more bag to grab.

@Altaris

 

[Zayn Talis]

Zayn exhaled sharply through his nostrils as he practically pinned Edin to the wall, hazel eyes fixed unwaveringly onto the half-Firrerreo. He couldn’t help but take in the sight of the other man’s handsome features - from those dark eyes to his perfectly messy hair. He couldn’t help but fixate onto those glinting fangs as they caught the light, and let his mind wander to all the places where specifically he desired to feel them graze. Those hazel eyes never tore off of Edin - irrespective of who was around them or what was going on within the cantina, burning with clear and unchecked desire.

The Corellian’s eyes briefly flicked down when Edin began to drag a hand across his chest, gradually working down Zayn’s torso. He felt as the half-Firrerreo dipped below the waist - a low, primal groan rolling up the Padawan’s throat as Edin grasped as he pleased. Zayn yanked his hips a bit closer in response by the belt loop - his fingers gradually working their way towards the half-Firrerreo’s front in order to undo the top button of his pants. He leaned in close to Edin’s face, that smirk on his lips tugging just a bit wider.

Before he could lean in further and close the distance, Zayn’s eyes widened and he drew back when Edin slipped out from between him and the wall. The Corellian Padawan blinked a few times, turning to catch the teasing smile on Edin’s lips before he began to slip towards the crowd. A part of Zayn wanted to follow and chase down the half-Firrerreo right then and there. But he didn’t. Instead, Zayn merely flashed a smirk as Edin vanished into the crowd, eyes lingering in that direction far longer than was necessary.

Reaching down to make a quick adjustment - courtesy of the uncomfortable position Edin had left him in - Zayn finally turned his attention to the commlink on his wrist. He blinked a few times, saw the multitude of messages he had ignored, and the name attached to them. “…Shit.”

—​

Weeks had passed since Zayn’s little escapade with Edin, and the Padawan still hadn’t completely worked off the debt for it with Master Dolmar. In addition to being meticulous and skilled in dealing in the underworld, the Miralukan Jedi was notoriously strict and didn’t let Zayn get off easily - throwing in no shortage of training exercises, menial tasks and additional rounds of katas that seemed to go on for hours.

Zayn’s body still ached all over, but that certainly wasn’t an excuse to slack with the rest of their duties. The pair of Jedi had received a tip about the trio of Spice smugglers the moment they arrived back onto the planet, and had been quietly tracking them for some time now. Whereas Sector Rangers automatically drew a great deal of attention, the pair of Jedi were able to discretely move as they pleased - and were currently weaving their way through an alleyway that led towards where Edin and his companions were loading their cargo.

One of the Rodian brothers glanced back towards Edin when the half-Firrerreo spoke, large eyes flicking back to double-check. “Nahhh.. One more to go. Then it’s all uphill from here, boys.” He said, his voice practically dripping with glee.

“What’s the matter?” The other Rodian walked up to Edin, planting a slimy hand on the assassin’s shoulder. “You’ve been on edge since we arrived. Don’t worry,” He said with a smirk. “We’ll all be getting paid soon enough.” While the first Rodian took his sweet-ass time of loading the last of the spice, Zayn and his Master were rapidly closing in on the alleyway - prepared to bust the smugglers as soon as they arrived.

@Sreeya