Ask Part Of Your World

[Prani Shalrazi]

Unlike the last few times, Prani didn’t protest when he effortlessly took her heavy bag. She still gave him that same fond smile whenever he did it. It was one of those little swoon-worthy things he always did that made her feel as if she was prancing on clouds. Who needed A Court of Vines and Daisies when Shaw made her feel like she was living a romantic fantasy every day.

Her daydreaming as she stared at him was interrupted when she felt him vigorously fight to wipe the soot off her face. Prani shook out of her reverie, giggling to herself, “You know there’s gonna be a test on that next week, right? I’ll help ya study if you want,” She said. Of course, since it was Prani, she actually did mean studying.

When Shaw asked about the fair, Prani nodded enthusiastically. When Alina said no, she didn’t exactly try to make her go. Prani rolled her eyes and laughed as she walked away, “Maybe if you learn that soda doesn’t work on plants!” She called out.

Prani turned back to Shaw, “Let me go change!” She said excitedly, walking with him to her dorm. Once there, she had him wait outside while she took her bag and ducked inside.

She emerged a bit later, wearing a dress that was her style but with just a tad more chest. Alina had insisted on Prani buying it for her next date with Shaw, and the fair counted as a date, right? Wait, what if it didn’t count as- No! Prani actively stopped the spiral this time, holding a straw hat in her hand that completed her outfit. She was definitely nervous about wearing something even remotely revealing, even though she was still dressed like a nun compared to most girls at the temple that went out on the town.

“I’m ready!” She said as she looked at Shaw, getting on her tip-toes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, “And we’ll be sure to avoid any of the animal-related stuff they got there,” Prani said with a giggle.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"A test?" Prani would probably be able to tell by the look on his face that Shaw had completely forgotten about the upcoming test. It wasn't that he wasn't applying himself. Master Valtiere had pushed him, challenged him to do better. He was studying harder now than he ever had in his entire life, but it was just so easy to get distracted. Shaw was gonna have to kick the lifetime habit of mediocracy and kick it into overdrive instead. To go on x games mode. "Uhhhh," he faltered, but Prani came to his rescue like she always did. "For real? You sure you don't mind?" he asked, just to make sure. Between this and the offer to clean his room, which he had turned down, he didn't want her to start feeling like she was his mom or his maid or something. He wanted her to feel like Prani, his girlfriend.

Shaw stood outside in the hallway while Prani disappeared inside her dorm room to change clothes and probably to wash off the rest of the soot which Shaw hadn't been able to wipe away. Normally he would've scrolled his dataphone to pass the time, but he couldn't get his mind off of Prani and the fair. Whatever distractions his dataphone held weren't gonna cut it. Only a message from Master Valtiere himself could have prompted the teenager to pull the device out of his pocket, and he knew that wasn't going to happen.

Bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, Shaw was impatient. Shaw was excited. The door flew open. Shaw was turned on? Prani stood there in a low cut floral dress. Shaw just stood there staring at her with a dumb look on his face, somehow a combination of two different expressions at once. The teenager was so out of it that he didn't register the kiss she leaned up and planted on his cheek until red hot heat crept up his neck and settled in his face.

The last time Shaw had picked Prani up for a formal date he had actually been able to come up with something sort of romantic to say. At least Prani had seemed to like it, which was all that mattered. He had told her that she looked like summer. What could he possibly say now? That she looked like a hot summer's day? This time Shaw could barely string together two syllables much less multiple words.

Realizing that he had just been openly staring at her for several prolonged seconds like a total creep, Shaw panicked and closed the tabs in his brain and cleared his throat. "Soooo," he fumbled, breathless before they had even started walking. "You uhhh excited for the fair?" he started to ask but gulped unintentionally midsentence. He forgot that they had already talked about that. The warmth that had flooded his face had overtaken his whole body now, and he had to force himself just to put one foot in front of the other without stumbling over them. "Animals are okay..." Animals are okay? What did that even mean?

Had he ever told her she looked h—nice? He hadn't, had he? Shaw dared to look over at her, and his heart skipped a beat. "You look real—real—" He averted his gaze again, desperately trying to figure out where to look. "Looking real snatched tonight."
He knew her face would probably scrunch up because she didn't know what it meant, but it was the best he could come up with on the spot. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Shaw was staring at her and for a moment she thought there was something wrong. Prani glanced down at her attire and then back up at him. A moment of studying his face reminded her that this was his good vacantly staring face. He had several modes of vacant staring, and this one made her blush furiously. When he finally spoke, Prani began to giggle, looking away, “Yes, Shaw, I’m very..hyped about this fair,” She kept laughing, using one of his favorite terms.

When he finally commented on her appearance, Prani couldn’t help but laugh again, “I don’t know what that means, but…thanks,” She said with a smile. She grasped his hand and started walking down the hall, “And don’t worry, I um…likewhenyoulookatme,” Prani blurted out all as one word so fast she wasn’t sure he understood. Her face was bright red and hot and she was not going to repeat herself.

The shuttle ride to the fair was uneventful, but she was ecstatic the moment they arrived. Prani practically dragged Shaw off the shuttle, almost making him trip because she was so excited to go, “Look at that Ferris wheel!” She cried out, pointing, “That’s one of the biggest ones I’ve seen!” Prani said cheerfully, wondering if Shaw had ever seen one before.

The entire place was bustling with people, large tents set up for different activities, and a variety of rides. The delicious aroma of food drifted through the air and the ambience was cheerful. Live music erupted from stages at different corners. Prani already had credits out to cover them both, earning them each a wristband for their entrance. If Shaw tried to pay, she'd physically bat his hand away.

“There’s sooo much to do!” Prani said, a skip in her step as she looked around, “You wanna try some games?” She asked with a smile, leading him towards a booth that was set up for archery. The top prize row had giant stuffed animals that gradually got smaller with how well the guest scored. It was a bowcaster with a harmless bolt to shoot at rows of balloons moving back and forth.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw hadn't realized just how severely he wanted to touch and be touched by Prani until she slid her hand in his and the ache in his fingers subsided. He just hoped she didn't realize how clammy his palms were at that moment. His whole body felt like it was on fire, and they hadn't even made it out of the air conditioning yet. Prani really was like a summer day. A hot summer day. Red hot. Scorching—

"So did you make the dress?" he asked before he could stop himself. He regretted the question as soon as he said it. Way to make it obvious what he was thinking about! He thought he had closed that tab, but who was he kidding? The tabs just kept multiplying, and it was really making him lag. The teenager cleared his throat and looked away. It took him a few seconds to process what Prani had blurted out, gaze pointedly avoiding her so he could concentrate. "And I like looking at you," he mumbled back once he had pieced it together, unconsciously squeezing her hand a little tighter for courage.

Walking through the entrance gates to the fair was liking walking into a childhood dream. There was no end to the rides, the attractions, the sights and lights, and the food. Shaw's eyes bounced from one attraction to the next like a child in a candy store. This was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The kind of stuff you saw in movies but never experienced in real life. He didn't know where to look, didn't know what to do first. Luckily Prani helped him out with both, and he followed her line of sight to the ferris wheel in the distance. "Whoa!" he grinned, glancing over at her. "Think we could ride it later?"

As for what to do first, Shaw was always up for games. Their first stop was a archery booth. "Step right up! Step right up!" the carnie behind the booth shouted, a practiced smile on his lips as he ushered the two teenagers closer. He looked the part, with suspenders and a lopsided bowtie and a half smoked cigarra sticking out the side of his mouth. "Trying to win a prize for the little lady?" he winked at Shaw, shoving two bowcaster's into the waiting hands of both teenagers. He pointed to a prize on the top row, one of the oversized stuffed animals. "Those little dokmas are always a hit! Rules are simple. Three shots! Three chances!"

Shaw grinned over at Prani and then took aim. He had never used a bowcaster in his life, and it showed. The first two shots missed the balloons by several inches. The third shot struck the booth operator's piping hot cup of coffee, which toppled and spilled all over the ground. Shaw cringed.

"Hey! Watch it! Sheeeeeesh!" the carnie growled before he could stop himself, muttering something under his breath about working an all night shift without his caf. By the time his attention turned to Prani that practiced smile had returned. "Looks like it's up to you, little lady!" @Sreeya

6/20

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani grinned at his question, “I didn’t make it…but I know what kinda stuff to make next,” She said with a smirk, giving him a playful nudge with her elbow. Prani was clueless about a lot of things, but she wasn’t oblivious to when her boyfriend liked something. In fact, it was only then that she realized he had a similar reaction to when they were doing their roleplaying and she was posing as the mischievous ranger. Prani was entirely too nervous to ask about that, but she filed the thought away for now.

She watched Shaw step up and aim the bowcaster, “You got this!” She cheered, though it didn’t do much good. Prani winced when he hit the coffee with the last one. She watched in silence before gently patting him on the arm, “Not bad for a first try..” Prani said, not unlike when he played the hallikset for the first time.

She stared at him for a moment before she broke into a grin, “I’m kiddin’,” She said suddenly, “Boy you ate and left all the crumbs,” Prani added before she burst into giggles, unable to help herself. She gave him a smile that let him know she was giving him a hard time, feeling comfortable enough to crack jokes at his expense once in a while.

Prani took the bowcaster from Shaw, loading it up with the bolts. The first she missed by half an inch, but the next two she landed perfectly. She clapped and cheered, ecstatic at her performance. The carnie gave a look. Prani pointed up at one of the adorable stuffed porgs, “I’ll be takin’ one of them prizes for my big fella,” She told the carnie with a grin, answering his earlier question.

The carnie grabbed it and handed it Prani. She took it and handed it to Shaw with a smirk, “For you, boo,” She said with pure amusement.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Shaw blinked, a grin gradually building and spreading across his lips as he realized that Prani was making fun of him. Actually making fun of him. "Did... did you just roast me?" he laughed, actually impressed. It was cute the way she tried to use some of the slang she had picked up from him. Even cuter when she got it mixed up. "Okay, okay. I left all the crumbs." And spilled the coffee. "Let's see how you do!" he challenged, grin only growing as he stepped aside to give her extra room.

How did Prani do? A lot freakin better than he did, that was for sure! Even the carnie was impressed, edged out only by Shaw who gave a sharp whistle. "Alright, alright—I see you over there, Legolas! How many other secret talents you been hiding from me?" There were so many parts of her that he didn't know yet. So much left to discover about her talents and her hopes and her fears and her disappointments, and he couldn't wait for every piece of the puzzle of Prani Shalrazi to eventually fall into place.

There was a smirk on her lips when she handed Shaw the stuffed porg, and he could feel the carnie worker's gaze burning a hole through him. He reveled in her attention, drinking in the smug look on her face. It was a new look. A new look for Prani anyway. The ranger was another matter. "What? You think I'm too insecure to carry around a big porg? Real mean aren't afraid of stuffed animals." Or 'big fellas' for that matter. This wouldn't be the first time Shaw had carried a stuffed animal around. It would just be the first time it was his stuffed animal and not his sister's. And they had never been quite this big either... No matter. Shaw ran a hand along one of the porg's big flippers. "His name is.... Crumble! Crumbs for short." So his naming wasn't quite as original as Prani's but he was new to this.

A carousel was the attraction that caught Shaw's eye next. This one he was actually familiar with. His little sister was obsessed with carousels and insisted they ride one every time they had visited the mall back on Coruscant. "Come on!" he grinned excitedly, grabbing Prani by the hand and pulling her along. They hopped onto the carousel right before it began to spin, and Shaw didn't waste a second slipping one arm around Prani's waist, lifting her onto the saddle of of a fathier to ride. He didn't even think about it, caught up in the moment and the excitement. If he had thought about it he probably would have gotten embarrassed and started apologizing. Instead he just wrapped his free hand around the pole and stood next to Prani, grinning down at her. "My little sister loves these things." He had forgotten they were called fathiers, but Prani would probably know. "I think it's the long, pointy ears that she likes."

A little boy on a nearby tauntaun snickered at Shaw, still clutching the massive stuffed porg. Shaw looked over at Prani, expecting to see that same smug look on her face. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he chuckled. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani smiled at him, “Shaw,” She said, tapping the colorful bracelets on his wrist, “You are the least insecure boy I know,” Prani said, “It’s always been one of my favorite things about ya,” If Shaw had his fears, he didn’t make a show of pretending he didn’t have any. That, in her book, was a sign of a guy that wasn’t insecure.

“Crumbs!” She said cheerfully, scratching the top of the porg’s head, “He’s almost as cute as you,” She said as she looked at Shaw fondly.

Prani was surprised when Shaw picked her up to help her on the fathier, but she didn’t mind it. The sensation of his arm gripping her waist, however, sent her mind into a frenzy. How did he scoop her up so easily? Was he always that tough? How buff was he actually? “Wow..you’re real strong…” She blurted out flustered before she could help it. WHO SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT? Prani cleared her throat, “Fathiers,” She said quickly, her voice a pitch higher for some reason, “They’re called fathiers..”

The carousel began to turn and Prani was overjoyed at riding on it. Shaw didn’t get on one, but she found she actually liked him standing so close. She heard the kid snickering at Shaw, glancing back down at her boyfriend. Prani leaned down to steal a kiss while she was closer, drawing back only when her ride rose, “Definitely enjoyin’ it,” She added with a smile, surprised at her boldness. She had always felt comfortable around him, whether it was playing a song, telling him about Genassa, confessing to her fears, and now, just plain showing affection. It always came easy with him and she began to stop letting her own head get in the way.

Eventually, the ride ended, and she slipped off, grasping his hand to keep walking. Prani heard some catchy live music and began to walk in that direction. She could see several people dancing already before she glanced at Shaw, “You better be up for some dancin’,” Prani said with a quirked brow. She didn’t say it out loud, but there was definitely some underlying salt and jealousy about having provided the background music for him dancing with another girl at that ill-fated party.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Glancing down at the friendship bracelet and the boo bracelet around his wrist, Shaw smiled to himself. How come everything meant so much more coming from Prani? Every admission, every compliment, and every admonishment too? "You know what one of my favorite things about you is?" Fair was fair after all. Prani didn't hype herself up half as much as she should, so it was up to Shaw when she didn't.

"You're the most selfless person I've ever known. Always thinking about everyone else. Always putting everyone else first. You're the first one to build me up." Even when he didn't deserve it. "And you're the first one to call me out when I screw everything up." He smiled and shrugged playfully. "Which is pretty often." He would never forget that they wouldn't even be here now enjoying this moment together without that second chance she had given him. "Just don't forget to look after Prani too, okay?" Master Valtiere would be here in a couple of weeks to pick him up, and the distance was gonna kill him. Being so far away from her, unable to be there for her.

Prani's comment about him being strong made him perk up. He thought back to just a few days ago, when she had traced a finger up his arm and commented on how much he had been working out. It had surprised him then, since he'd never really thought that Prani noticed or cared about stuff like that. Now he knew that she definitely did. And it definitely was a boost to his confidence. The first response that came to mind was something about letting him show her just how strong he could be, but he quickly—and luckily—killed that sentence in his throat. He didn't just kill it. He strangled it. "You know I'd send you a gym pic if I thought you'd check your phone," he dared to tease, grinning from ear to ear but also gauging her reaction. Too much? He wasn't sure. But he knew that she could make him feel like a million credits with the simplest compliment and the barest touch.

Once the carousel ride was over, Prani drifted toward the live music. Shaw wasn't surprised since Prani loved music. His heart skipped a beat when she suggested they dance. "So long as you know I'm not a very good dancer," he couldn't help but be honest, posture open and welcoming as they reached the center of the dance floor where there was an opening. "Shaw Tours is many things, but excellent dancers is not one of them."

This time Shaw slipped both arms around her waist and pulled her close, the stuffed porg floating a few inches to their left, suspended in place by the force. "Hope you don't mind if I don't leave room for Crumbs," he smiled. He felt the familiar, relaxed pull of his shoulders now that they were so close. Prani really centered him. He wondered if she realized that.

One of the porg's flippers raised and waved at Prani. "I think he's jealous," Shaw whispered in a playful tone. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

It was incredible how good Shaw was at saying just the perfect things. People teased her for being too nice or weak, but he always reminded her of the strength in kindness. Through him, she could see the value of how her family raised her and it anchored her back whenever she began to falter in her faith.

All of that was disrupted by his next comment, her eyes suddenly wide. Her mind exploded with images of Shaw all muscular and slick with sweat in a gym tanktop. Prani’s face burned hot and she was pretty sure she was going to pass out, “I always look when it’s from you so send me whatever!” She blurted out quickly, fiddling with her hair as she spoke, “I got…a ring tone just for you..” She admitted shyly. Her dataphone habits remained unchanged, but she made an effort solely for him.

When she felt his arms wrap around her waist, her heart began to pound. Prani looked up at him, gingerly wrapping her arms around his neck. They had kissed and stared at one another many times, but it always took her breath away when she gazed into his eyes and gave him her undivided attention.

“Sometimes I still can’t believe you’re my boyfriend,” Prani said quietly with her face still flushed as they moved to an easy tune, “I feel like the luckiest girl in the galaxy,” She said with a smile.

Her gaze flicked over to the floating porg, watching the little wave, “You know that’s some real complex Force use, right?” Prani asked, wondering if he even realized how much skill it took to do that, “I’m proud of ya,” She said, stepping a bit closer to him.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"Really?" Shaw's eyes lit up. "I got my own ringtone and everything?" That meant a lot more to him than he would let on. Prani was old school and, unlike the majority of the other padawans, Shaw included, wasn't addicted to her dataphone. She hardly ever checked it, so going to the trouble of setting a special ringtone just for him was a big deal, and Shaw knew it. Heart warmed with the new information, he would make a thoughtful face and tease her a little bit, "Hmmm probably something like I'm Bringing Sexy Back, am I right?" The grin that broke across his face afterwards let her know right away that he was giving her a hard time and didn't actually expect an answer. He wouldn't leave her on the hook for long, not when her face was already as red as a tomato. "Gym pics it is." And he would try to send her pictures while he was away too, so long as he had the chance. He hoped she would do the same.

The teenager cocked his head to one side when she said she couldn't believe he was her boyfriend. "Why?" he asked, even though he felt the exact same way about her. Sometimes he found himself just staring at Prani and wondering how he had gotten so lucky. He felt like the luckiest guy in the galaxy and had told her so the night they had made it official and 'booed each other up.' "You know straight up that I'm the lucky one, right?"

Crumbs the porg continued to float beside them as they danced, a slow moving sway that wasn't very complicated but let them keep their eyes on each other and not get too distracted with their footwork. "Naaah," Shaw shrugged off her comment about it being complex. "Nothing complex about Crumbs. It's like muscle memory after I had to climb that mountain every day. Trust me. Crumbs looks waaay better than that fruit did." Shaw had never seen an uglier fruit. The unfortunate produce had been dropped, beaten, and bruised, entirely inedible by the first time Shaw had made it to the mountaintop.

The prog waved another flipper at Prani. "Save the next dance for me!" Shaw said out of the corner of his mouth in an unattractive, high pitched voice that was supposed to pass for Crumbs. It was official. Ventriloquism could not be added to the list of Shaw Tours talents. Shaw grinned down at Prani like a kid. "See? Told you he was jealous."

A nearby dancer gave them a look that clearly said what is wrong with kids these days?? but Shaw didn't notice. He was too wrapped up with Prani and the four words she had just said. "You are?" his breath hitched in his throat when she stepped closer, and he had to swallow to get the next words out. "There's no one I want to make prouder." Other than his family and Master Valtiere of course, but giving out a list would kind of ruin the moment. She knew what he meant. A dazed look crossed over his eyes as he dipped his head down, lips parting of their own accord. "No one..."

Shaw already had his eyes closed, lips parted and aching to press against Prani's when they would hear someone calling to them. "SHAW! PRANI! HEY! SHAAAW! PRAAANI!" Simon's towering frame waltzed right up to them, a replica of the death star made exclusively out of used bubble gum wrappers folded and woven together in hand. He held a ribbon in the other and had just come out of the exhibit hall. "Look! First place!" he beamed. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani started laughing at his guess at the ringtone. In response, she pulled out the dataphone and played it. He would hear the beginning riff of a familiar song that she played and one she often heard him humming subconsciously when he thought she wasn’t listening. Prani smiled up at him, “For my wolf,” She added with a small giggle, realizing how silly it probably sounded.

When he spoke for Crumbs, Prani turned towards the porg, “Well, now you’re just too temptin’!” She called out, distracted while Shaw was leaning in to kiss her. Prani was about to pretend to dance with Crumbs when Simon popped out of seemingly nowhere. This would have been enough to break Shaw out of his focus, poor Crumbs landing with a heavy thump on the ground.

“Hey Simon! Congrats!” Prani called out, walking over to hoist Crumbs up.

“Oooooh, won that for you, did he?” Simon asked excitedly, looking at Shaw.

“Sure did!” Prani replied, subtly rolling her eyes. Was it so impossible for the girl to win the big prizes at these things?! She got over it immediately, the smile returning as she brushed the dirt off Crumbs.

Simon casually stepped in between Prani and Shaw, giving a big lick to his ice cream cone with some of it melting onto his fingers, “So what’s up guys?!” He asked cheerfully, entirely oblivious that he was interrupting a date.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

My wolf? Shaw just stared. He didn't think it sounded silly at all. It was kinda hot—but there was that word again. It was like his search engine had a one track mind when it came time to type into the search bar.

Shaw's lips pinched together for the briefest of moments, but any frustration at being interrupted faded in the face of Simon's excitement. "Whaaaaat? That's awesome, dude!" Shaw grinned, genuinely excited, taking a look at the first prize ribbon and clapping the taller teenager on the back. Just how many packs of bubble gum had bro had to buy to make that death star replica? And had he chewed it all? That was some real commitment.

Shaw looked between Prani, Crumbs, and Simon with a confused look on his face. He scratched the back of his head. Why had Prani just lied about the stuffed porg? It seemed like a silly thing to lie about, a stuffed animal! Sometimes Shaw really couldn't figure Prani out. "Nah dude," he said like it was obvious, still confused. "Prani won it for me." Speaking of which... He reached out and plucked Crumbs from Prani's arms, shooting her a playful look and mouthing the word Mine! with a wink.

"You guys seen Regina around?" Simon asked between licks of ice cream. "Thought she was gonna be here getting signatures for that petition." Simon was just one of the many padawans that had a crush on Regina and made puppy dog eyes at her whenever she walked by. "I wanna show her my prize." Shaw made a face, not convinced that Regina would give two bantha ticks about a death start constructed from thousands of bubble gum wrappers, but he wasn't going to shatter Simon's bubble. Pun intended.

"Haven't seen her around," Shaw answered honestly, but Simon was already off on another topic.

Finishing off the last of his ice cream cone, he threw an arm around each of their shoulders and pulled them close on either side of him. "We really went through it, huh?" He was referring to their experience at the lake. "Feel like it's really..." He sniffed, starting to get emotional. "It's really brought the three of us together, you know?" Another sniff. "And I just—I just can't tell you guys—" More sniffing.

"Oh... don't—don't do that, dude," Shaw said awkwardly, patting the big guy on the back. "It's okay. Don't think about it."

It didn't take Simon long to perk back up again, but he didn't relinquish his hold on the other two teenagers either. "Hey! There's an amateur nerf riding competition tonight! Cash prize to the winner! You've signed up right?" he asked Shaw.

Shaw and animals didn't mix. Not even a little bit, and that last experience at the petting zoo had certainly sealed the deal. But Shaw couldn't deny that it sounded exciting all the same, even if it did terrify him a little bit, and he also couldn't deny that something about Prani in that dress really made him want to go all out tonight and impress her. Of course to a teenage boy going all out and impressing a girl had to involve something dangerous. He grinned over at Prani, as if to say what do you think? @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

“Regina’s workin’ the dunk tank for charity,” Prani said, having spotted a crowd by the event as they walked here. It was Regina wearing a white t-shirt while in a dunk tank so people were actually paying to get a show. Prani would never understand it, but she had to admire the amount of credits Regina was raising. A little clicker at the top constantly rose on the funds she allocated.

When Simon mentioned the nerf riding contest, Prani’s gaze immediately shifted to Shaw. She fully expected him to turn it down, but he instead had a smile on his face. Prani’s jaw dropped. If they were alone, she would have let him hear it, but with Simon standing right there, she gave a forced smile, “Sounds..like a great idea,” She said, silently staring at Shaw the moment Simon looked away. Prani wasn’t going to act like Shaw’s mother, but she couldn’t help but find it baffling that he would take up any activity with animals after all his mishaps. Boys were so weird.

With their date more or less prematurely ended, Prani walked with the boys to the nerf sign up area. She could smell the herd well before they arrived and she wondered how Shaw would fare just from that, “That smell will be on your clothes for a week, so just remember that,” She told them both, “Use the Force to calm them and don’t scare them. They…shoot out some goop if they get scared and that’s a real mess to deal with,” Prani explained.

Once they arrived, more of the padawan teens were standing nearby. Stacy spotted the trio and glared, “Gonna try and impress your girlfriend, Shaw?” She asked hotly, crossing her arms over her chest, “Just because you know how to wave a saber around doesn’t mean you won’t eat poodoo doing this,” She laughed bitterly, “Good luck!”

Prani suddenly gasped and pointed behind Stacy, “A quosit!” She cried out, the name of the giant beetles that were released at the party.

Stacy screamed and dropped her snack, ducking for cover, before she looked over her shoulder and spotted nothing. She stomped her foot in irritation as a few people laughed around her, “Screw you, nature freak!” She shrieked before storming off.

Prani simply shrugged in response. She didn’t feel too terrible about this - it wasn’t like she called Stacy any names or harmed her. Shaw probably was going to eat poodoo trying this, but Prani wasn’t going to stand around and let her boyfriend get mocked.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

A perplexed look crossed Shaw's face when Prani gave him that look, trying to figure out if she really thought it was a good idea or not. He was getting mixed signals, and Shaw didn't do well with mixed signals.

Simon burst out laughing at Stacy's reaction, practically doubling over before abruptly stopping mid chortle, coughing up some bubblegum. He had been on the receiving end of Stacy's domineering personality many times himself, but it occurred to him that he shouldn't be laughing at one of Regina's best friends if he wanted to get on her good side. Then again were they even still friends? He started laughing again while Shaw just grinned over at Prani. "Didn't know you had it in you!" he teased, but knowing that Prani was probably going to beat herself up later for what was really just a mild joke gave Prani a look to thank her. It was nice to know that Prani would stand up for him, even if Stacy was probably right about him eating poodoo.

"Wish me luck!" Shaw grinned when they reached the small arena, leaning it to peck Prani on the cheek, but Simon assumed that he was talking to him and pulled Shaw into a bear hug. "GOOD LUCK MAN!" "Aren't you coming?" "And smell like a nerf when I go see Regina? No way. But don't worry. Stacy doesn't know what she's talking about." Simon was totally lying through his teeth, but hey that was what friends do.

Crumbs was left with Prani for safekeeping, and Shaw went to sign up just as the last contestants were being entered. Was Shaw terrified? Absolutely. Was he gonna do it anyway? Also absolutely. He had to sign some kind of waiver that he didn't actually bother to read, something about the fair not being responsible for accidents, injuries, maiming, or death. Never a bad sign.

The space cowboy standing by the bucking chute didn't have the energy to deal with another young buck that had brought their balls but left their brains at home, so he didn't even question Shaw when he rolled up with no gloves, no helmet, and no spurs. He just rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut. This was amateur night after all. "Gotta stay on for eight seconds," the cowboy explained, "After that you're judged for how long and how well ya can ride. Amateur night so not too complicated."

Shaw took a deep breath and climbed atop the male nerf, trying to ignore the insects that crawled through its messy, tangled hair as he wrapped a hand around the braided rope. What had Prani said? Oh yeah. Try to calm it with the force and not let it get scared. It probably already was. Shaw leaned down and rubbed its neck, trying to duplicate the magic Prani had worked on those spamels the best he could by reaching out to the animal through the force. "I'm not trying to hurt you," he whispered to it, "Just trying to impress my girl. From one guy to another, you know how it is..." He glanced over at Simon and Prani on the other side of the fence. Maybe the nerf didn't know. After all female nerfs definitely never wore dresses like that.

"When you get bucked," the cowboy instructed, "Don't try to be a hero, kid. Run for it. Last guy got gored."

Gored?? Before Shaw could reply, the chute door flung open and the nerf ran out into the arena. It spun and kicked and attempted to buck its rider off, all while Shaw leaned forward and squared his chest with the nerf's shoulders, the force guiding every movement, but after a few seconds Shaw started to get the feeling that it was all just for show. That the nerf wasn't actually trying to buck him off. That it wasn't scared like it had been with the other riders. Shaw didn't know if it was just delusion, a gut feeling, or if he had actually connected with the animal through the force, but whatever it was, it was working. Perhaps working a little bit too well.

"Come on, man. Gotta make it look realist—" Shaw started to say inbetween breaths, grip loosening, and the animal immediately bucked him. Shaw went skidding across the dirt arena. The clowns rushed out to distract the nerf, but it wasn't necessary as the animal just gave a snort and trotted off in the opposite direction. Shaw sat up grinning like an idiot, covered in dirt.

"AAAAND WE HAVE A NEW WINNER!" came the announcer's voice. @Sreeya

dice roll 16/20

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

“Good luck..” Prani mumbled, looking unenthusiastic even when Shaw kissed her cheek. She feared for him, especially when he strutted right up to ride without any kind of protection. When it became clear Simon wasn’t going to participate, Prani scowled at him, but said nothing. She was nervous about this, clutching onto the stuffed porg as a source of comfort. An angry nerf was no joke and Shaw could get seriously hurt and even trampled.

There was a massive crowd gathered, people shouting and cheering. Since Shaw was already popular, an even bigger crowd gathered. Fortunately, he was used to all the attention on him and didn’t seem to lose his nerves. Prani always marveled at that - if she had so many eyes on her or had the attention that Shaw had on him at all times, she would have anxiety attacks and need to go into hiding.

Prani chewed nervously on her lip, Simon next to her.

“Oh man that nerf looks so mad!” He yelped, “DUDE that thing is gonna TRAMPLE Shaw! BROOOO THIS IS INTENSE!”

“WOULD YA SHUT IT?” Prani snapped, her palms sweaty and clammy from nerves and Simon’s unhelpful commentary. Simon stared at her in shock. Prani was surprised at herself, but she kept her eyes fixed on Shaw.

“I’m sorry! I don’t want Shaw to die!”

Prani ignored him, panicking internally as the rodeo began. To her shock, and that of almost everyone else, Shaw kept steady, the aggressive nerf actually tempered and moving with its rider instead of against it. Shaw cut an impressive figure perched atop the nerf, the entire sight catching Prani’s attention. She had been to enough of these to see countless disasters, and the cool confidence Shaw displayed whether intentional or not made her feel some type of way. As Shaw blazed past the record timer, Prani screamed in surprise, turning to Simon who was screaming just as loud. Both of them started to jump up and down, along with the crowds.

“GOOO AMARIS!” She could hear a bunch of the padawans chanting and clapping. Prani still winced when he was finally bucked off, but he sprang to his feet shortly after. She stayed back while everyone else crowded him, gushing over the display. Simon gave Shaw a hug that was almost enough to crush bones, “DUDE YOU’RE SUCH A BOSS!” He shouted.

After Shaw finally made his way through the crowds, Prani was waiting for him with Crumbs. She gave him a shy smile, uncaring that he was covered in dirt and smelled unpleasant, “That was…” Prani began before she quickly covered Crumbs’ ears, “that was..sexy..” She mumbled, her face tomato red. Unfortunately, Simon wasn’t showing up to interject or distract, too busy convincing the crowd that Shaw was his best friend and he was popular by association.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

The moment Shaw slipped through the arena fencing to meet back up with Prani and Simon he was surrounded by other padawans. He hadn't even realized that a group of them had gathered to watch until now. Simon, naturally, was the first to reach him, elbowing a few of the others out of the way as he squeezed Shaw so tight that he was convinced that the big guy had knocked a layer of dust off of him because he immediately began coughing. Some of the other padawans shook his hand or clapped him on the back, but his gaze were searching for Prani the entire time. Hers was the only reaction he really cared about. She was the only reason he had accepted the challenge in the first place.

Brown eyes lit up as soon as he spotted her, standing at the back of the crowd and clutching Crumbs. There was a shy smile on her face that made his heart skip a beat when he finally reached her. "For you!" he beamed, hanging the medal he had won around her neck. It wasn't anything special by any stretch of the imagination, and he wasn't kidding himself. It was just a fake gold medal on some blue ribbon, but Shaw was proud of it anyway. In case she protested, insisting that he keep it or something, "You know I only did that to impress you, right?" he informed her without any hesitation, a grin breaking across his face. He wasn't sure if admitting that would somehow make the whole thing less impressive, but he didn't care. He wanted her to know.

There were lots of things Shaw had been hoping to hear Prani say. That she was proud of him, that she couldn't believe he had won, something like that. What she actually said surpassed all his expectations by leaps and bounds. Somehow it said all of that and more. Sexy. It was the last word he could have anticipated, but for Shaw, it was without a doubt the best word she could have used. Shaw's pulse was racing, and in spite of all the dust he had swallowed moments earlier he was aware that his mouth was suddenly very moist.

Not waiting for the moment to pass them by, Shaw swept Prani off her feet just like he had that day on Lothal, up in the bell tower where they had first confessed to liking the other, expect this time he captured her lips with his, exploring and just a little bit greedy. If it hadn't been for Crumbs squeezed in between them Prani would have been able to feel Shaw's heart pounding in his chest. Shaw didn't think about the fact that he was covered in a layer of dust and smelled bad enough to give any girl the serious ick. All he could think about was Prani. And all he could smell was Prani. All he could taste was Prani.

"Come on," Shaw breathed when they broke apart, seizing her hand and their chance to get away from the other padawans while Simon had them all preoccupied. "I want you all to myself." They were being honest now, right? Tugging her away from the crowd, Shaw would look back over his shoulder and grin at her. That was when the smell hit him and he took a whiff of himself. Uh oh. "Be real with me," he frowned, "Just how bad do I smell right now?" @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani felt her heart flutter when he put the medal around her neck. She had to ignore the fact that many eyes were on her now, especially since Shaw left behind a crowd to seek her out. Prani giggled at his question, “There are lots of less dangerous ways of impressin’ me, Shaw,” She said with a smile as she reached over to wipe away some dirt off his face.

She could only gasp as he abruptly picked her up and spun her around. This time, however, he pulled her into a kiss. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back, her heart thundering against her chest. It felt like the scene out of a movie, her hair draping down over him as their lips met.

With all eyes on them, several people cheered and gave wolf whistles, while many girls glared or huffed. Prani was surprised by the intensity of the kiss, going far beyond the casual superficial brush of their lips. Her entire body was ablaze and new, unfamiliar sensations channeled through her. With so many people watching, she was suddenly glad Crumbs was smooshed between them.

When he set her down, Prani was completely red in the face, idly fiddling with her hair, “Wow..” She whispered, slightly dazed. Prani was thankful that Shaw broke the silence first, his words drawing out a smile. She was privately very thankful about this after their date was interrupted. When he asked about the smell, Prani began to giggle. In truth, she hardly noticed at first, but her threshold was much higher than the average person's.

“You…smell pretty bad,” She admitted, “Do you wanna head back to the temple?”

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

"None of em ever got you to tell me I'm s...sexy though," he countered, trying to sound more confident saying the four letter word than he felt. Of course he didn't turn beet red like Prani had when he said it, but there was still an uncomfortable warmth that crept up his neck and settled in his face. Just for that one little word spoken in Prani's voice he... he would ride a hundred angry nerfs. "I—I never knew you thought about me like that," he said out loud before he could stop himself, avoiding eye contact with her as they walked.

His eyes bounced from a cotton candy machine to a little girl crying over her spilled ice cream to Drew, who was over by the petting zoo chatting up a girl who looked completely uninterested. Trying to play it off more like a joke, he cleared his throat and grinned, "You always think of me like that or just when I remind you of one of those cowboys from a romance novel?" He knew that most of what she read was fantasy, but there had to be a story about a hunky rodeo star mixed in here and there amongst her collection.

Prani's question about heading back to the temple made him look at her. "Not really," he admitted with a frown. He didn't want the night to end. The credits he had won were burning a hole in his pocket to be spent on something nice for Prani, but he supposed she was right. There was an indisputable smell about him, and he was starting to get weird looks from some of the people they passed by. "But I do smell kinda rank don't I?" He scrunched his nose up playfully and squeezed her hand, chuckling. Hopefully nothing a hot shower wouldn't cure.

Before they could leave the fair Shaw would stop off at a food trunk for tacos since they hadn't eaten dinner yet. When he rejoined Prani the line to the taco truck had dispersed and the workers inside were searching for the source of the foul odor in the air. Shaw was oblivious, handing Prani her taco as they headed for the gate. "Don't worry!" he assured her before biting into his own. "Got you a tofu one." Hopefully she liked tofu. @Sreeya

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani was still reeling from their very heated kiss, her mind drifting to places she had to actively close off, “Hmm?” She asked, slightly distracted. Prani didn’t miss how he appeared to struggle with the word, and it only made her flustered again. Had she said something wrong? Prani opened her mouth for another long apology ramble when he spoke further, and she finally began to work out that he was just excited. She heaved a sigh of relief, but this also put her on the spot.

“Um…” She blinked, fidgeting with her hair, “Well yeah..I always thought you were….hot,” She mumbled, “But I didn’t think you’d ever like me or think of me that way. I mean you probably still don’t but..” She stopped herself from ranting, clearing her throat, “Oh Shaw, don’t play dumb, you know you’re sexy. Look at all them girls always tryin’ to get you and tellin' you that all the time,” Prani said, lightly shoving him, “You ain’t gotta fish for attention with me, I’ll give it to ya for free,” She teased him with a laugh. Clearly he knew he was sexy. Right?

“But…seein’ you do country boy stuff..um..” Prani trailed off, actually mimicking Shaw’s habit of rubbing the back of her neck when feeling flustered, “Well it was just somethin’ else,” She said with a sheepish smile.

Prani graciously accepted the taco, smiling when he reminded her it was tofu, “Thanks!” She said, taking a bite. She marveled at the taste, always enjoying a break from the temple cafeteria. Prani could tell he wasn’t thrilled about leaving the fair, but they didn’t necessarily have to stop spending time together.

“Hmm, we could watch a movie in my room after you come by after a shower?” Prani suggested, “Maybe somethin’ spooky!” She said, suddenly excited.

@throwitintothefire

 

[Shaw Amaris]

Hot? Shaw immediately perked up. Had Prani just called him hot? On top of calling him sexy? Shaw had to blink a few times just to make sure he had heard her right. That he wasn't actually dreaming because this felt way too good to be true. But why should he be so surprised about that? It had all felt too good to be true, from the moment Prani had agreed to go out with him up in that bell tower to now. It all felt like a dream. Prani was like a dream, whether she realized it or not.

"Sorry," he swallowed, face impossibly hot at this point. Had he been fishing for attention? He supposed he had been. He couldn't deny it. It was hard not to when he wanted her attention more than just about anything. "It just... it means something coming from you, you know?" He hoped she understood what he meant, but he sure was awful at putting things into words. "Regina and Stacy—they find just about anybody hot, you know? I don't really care what other girls think about me. Sure, it's nice to know I'm not repulsive or something," he would admit. He wasn't going to deny that. But who didn't like to know that people found them attractive? "But you're the only one I really care about," he added, brown eyes soft and settling on her. "You're the only one I want to hear say those things. Yours is the only opinion I'd do just about anything to win." He really had put her on the spot, so it was only fair that he was honest with her too.

Prani might have stopped herself before she could spiral into a ramble, but that didn't mean Shaw hadn't heard her. How could she not know how attractive he found her? Couldn't she see the way he looked at her? The way his eyes drifted to places he knew they shouldn't sometimes before he could stop himself? Maybe she just needed to hear it, just like he had needed to hear it. Prani had mustered up the courage, so it was about time he did too.

"Come here, Prani." He tugged her over to him, wrapping both arms around her waist and staring down into her brown eyes. Crumbles was still squished between them. It was beginning to be a habit. "You remember how I told you you're beautiful?" he asked her, shoving down the butterflies that threatened to take flight in his stomach. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on, Prani." He dipped his head lower, to really emphasize the point. "I'm being straight up with you. I really mean it. You're—you're real sexy too," he continued, not shying away from the word this time even if his voice hitched a little bit in his throat. She wanted to hear him say it, so there was nothing wrong with him saying it was there? He didn't run the risk of scaring her off, right? "Like so hot I can't keep my eyes off you." Not quite as elegant as she had put it, but Shaw wasn't known for being an elegant guy. His heart skipped a beat. "When you came out of your room earlier wearing that dress, all I could think about was—" Nope. That was a hard nope. Shaw was being a little too honest now. An alarm bell went off in his head. Time to switch tracks and jump onto another train. "Just trust me on this, okay? I'm not the only guy that thinks so. Anyone with working eyes can see how beautiful you are."

They had reached the temple, so Shaw cleared his throat. "A movie sounds dope," he admitted with a grin. "The spookier the better! I'll—I'll run and take a shower real quick and change my clothes, okay? Don't wanna stink up the girl's dorms," he teased. And they parted ways, Shaw with a little extra pep in his step as he headed for the boy's dormitories, playing everything Prani had said over and over again in his mind. @Sreeya