Reunion

[Unreliable Genius]

Rosh nodded in agreement of her saying that it was peaceful, getting his own sandwich and a handful of chips before laying down on his stomach and kicking his feet up behind him. Like he was ten again. He kept his shirt off and his wet jeans on, rolled up to his knees, content with letting them dry in the sun.

"It reminds me of when I was a kid. Mom and dad took me to Glee Anslem one summer .. " he grinned for a moment at the memory, before remembering the summer after that. His parents disappeared and his aunt and uncle brought him to live with them on Coruscant. Years later, he found out where his parents had really gone. Another bite of his PBJ sandwich and a 'look' at the crimson-haired girl that he loved were enough to push the thought into the back of his mind -- but it was still there.

"Did your parents do things like that with you?" he asked, crawling a bit closer so that he was next to her, and rolling onto his back, assuming the position that she had with his elbows holding him up.

 

[Tribunal Power]

Kendra watched him as he moved closer to her and laid back, before smiling warmly to the memory he spoke of. When he directed the question at her, she shrugged lightly and replied, "Not that I can really remember. I was taken to the temple when I was very young to start training, and I don't recall much before that. I've only seen my parents one time since then."

She remembered the phase she went through when she hated her parents. During her teenage years, Kendra felt like her parents had taken her to the temple to be rid of her because they didn't want. It was a rebellious side of her, one that Shak'tur was merciless in disciplining out of her, although deep down that nature still persisted sometimes. In the end, Shak'tur had taken her to see her parents on Coruscant, and they had a teary and warm-hearted reunion. Since then, they occasionally communicated through holomessages. Still, even now as an adult, Kendra wondered why she so seldom heard from her parents, or why they never thought to visit; they weren't wealthy, but they could manage a visit perhaps once a year, and even if they couldn't Kendra would help pay for it.

Finishing her sandwich, surprised to see she finished first, she dusted her hands of the crums and leaned her head against Rosh's shoulder, trying to keep most of her weight on her propped elbow to keep from toppling him over.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

Rosh finished his sandwich shortly after she did and washed it down with a long gulp of soda as she leaned on his shoulder. Scooting back a little bit allowed him to lean back on a rock, giving him some more balance so he could wrap an arm around her and gently pull her closer to his chest, smiling.

"I wonder what they're gonna think about their daughter's crazy new boyfriend," he said with a grin and a kiss on the corner of her lips, before reaching for the nearby bag of chips, pulling one out and offering it to her.

He was happy to hear that she had at least a decent relationship with her parents. Rosh couldn't say the same for himself. His aunt and uncle, on the other hand, he still kept in contact with and visited whenever he could spare shoreleave to Coruscant. For all intensive purposes, they were his parents.

"I think my aunt and uncle would love you," he added, "if you ever got to meet. They're great people."

 

[Tribunal Power]

Kendra nipped the chip right out of his hand and looked at him with a playful smile, laying her head against his chest again. She didn't have much to say about what her parents would think-- she didn't really know, as she didn't know her parents very well. But the thought of meeting his 'parents' made her smile, and she tilted her head to look up at him to say, "Really? Why do you say that?"

Wrapping an arm over his chest, she turned to look back toward the peaceful water as a gentle breeze brushed over it. The calming waters made her feel serene, a comfortable outer peace that matched the inner peace that she had worked so long to achieve.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

Rosh kept smiling at her, then snuck an arm underneath her knees to sweep her up and onto his lap if she let him. He kissed her again before answering.

" 'cause you're you," he said simply. "I haven't really .. brought home a girlfriend before. But you're different." He kissed her again. "I love you." He kissed her again. "They'll love you, too .. because you're caring, you're strong .. -- you're pretty damn sexy, Kendra. But I think I'll probably appreciate that more than they will .. "

He showed her a wry smirk, then turned it into a soft smile, bit the corner of his lip. Finding her hands, he squeezed them then slowly guided them to the back of his head, where his blindfold was knotted. Rosh squeezed her hands once more and nodded. He wanted her to take it off.

It was an insecurity of his, as feeble as it might have seemed by Jedi standards, but it was a very real one. Without the blind, he was always afraid what people would think about his empty brow -- more than once he'd felt it was ugly, or strange; it was certainly abnormal. Kendra, though, he trusted.

 

[Tribunal Power]

A quiet yelp slipped out as he swept her up onto his lap. She laughed lightly and squeezed her arms around her, nuzzling her head against his neck as he spoke. His words were sweet enough to make her want to giggle like a stupid schoolgirl, but she just bit her lip and buried her head in his neck. When he kissed her, she lifted her head to find his lips and return the affection. It came as a surprise when he lifted her hand to the knot of his blindfold; at first, she wasn't sure what he wanted, but when she realized, she hesitated. It wasn't that she didn't want to see, but rather that she only just realized she'd never seen him without it before. It occurred to her that it might be a sensitive subject for him, that he had probably dealt with his fair share of bullying throughout his life because of it. She suddenly understood the trust he must have in her to offer her to remove it.

Biting her lip, she tugged at the knot until it came loose, gently lifting the blind away from his face. The gentle convex of his brow where eyes would be did seem strangely absent at first, but it didn't detract from his handsomeness. Kendra looked over him with a soft smile, a hand touching the slope of his brow as she tried to quantify exactly how she felt about it. She never really thought about it before, about what it might actually look like beneath the blindfold, and she supposed that deep down a secret part of her was always a tiny bit afraid that she'd be repulsed by what she saw. But now that she was looking at him, the only things she felt were trust and intimacy, and not any sort of repulsion. In fact, the trust they shared made her more attracted to him, and she certainly found him no less attractive.

As her fingertips trailed over his brow and down his cheek, she pulled him to her for a long and deep kiss. 'No secrets,' she thought to herself, 'the way a relationship should be.'

 

[Unreliable Genius]

He half expected her to turn away, or wince, or at least close her eyes at the sight of him without a blindfold. But she didn't do any of those things. She smiled and an incredible wave of relief washed over him, returning her smile which quickly widened into a grin. Love really is blind, he thought to himself. The kind of trust he put in her, he hadn't put in many other people, and he knew now that she accepted and respected it. And that solidified his love for her all the more. Kendra's kiss was reciprocated as she pulled Rosh closer, their bodies pressed tightly and his breathing in unison with her.

Their lips parted for a moment, allowing Rosh a chance to take a breath through a contented sigh -- he pressed them to hers again as he moved to slowly roll her over onto her back, straddling her hips as he kissed her again and again, each one adding to his carnal emphasis, and ran his hands through her hair, ruffling it into a tangled mess. Now, there was no hesitation like they had on the shuttle, a time that felt so far away than where they were now. Rosh's mouth turned away from hers -- it hovered beneath her ear as he whispered her name twice then told her again that he loved her. His hands trickled down from her hair, across her chest, down to her belt.

"I love you," Rosh whispered once more, the man's trembling fingers slowly starting to unbuckle her belt, making it known to her exactly what he wanted.

 

[Tribunal Power]

His voice in her ear sent a shiver through her body. She smiled intensely, her arms wrapped around him to hold him close as his hand moved away. She felt his touch trail over her body and down her chest, and she inhaled in surprise at the feeling; he rarely touched her that way. It occurred to her then that the moment was changing, that he was acting differently than normal. With his head over her shoulder, she peered into the sky, biting her lip. So long ago, she had foolishly tried to rush things, chasing carnal desires with so little control. But now they were grown, a man and a woman, and things were different. Was she ready-- truly, completely ready?

She lifted her head from the ground to whisper, "I love you too, Rosh," and trail soft kisses down his neck. The feeling of his fingers working at her belt made her whole body tighten in anticipation, and she moved her hand to work at his as well, still damp from the lake, her other hand stopped against his bare chest. The touch of his body felt more intense now that she knew where this was leading. It felt real now, more than just a dream; attainable and tangible, ready to be one with her. The buckle to her belt came loose about the same time as his, which she tugged through the belt loops to get it out of the way. Her deft fingers pushed the button free and yanked at the zipper, beginning the somewhat awkward task of actually pushing them out of the way. Inexperienced green eyes peered eagerly as they prepared to put their final secrets on display to one another.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

Rosh's hands found their way underneath her shirt, which he quickly helped her to lift over her head and arms. Whatever was underneath quickly followed, and he took a moment to pause and admire her -- damn, she looks incredible -- before slowly leaning into her body with another kiss ...

***​

Rosh stirred.

It was evening now. The sunlight filtering through the forest canopy was now moonlight dancing across the lake. There was a cool breeze that tickled his hot skin as he ran a hand through the sweaty mop that was his short, dark hair. His ghostly -- in all honesty, that was an appropriate word to describe it -- gaze trailed downwards to see a naked Kendra Dan-Dover curled up on his chest underneath a blanket, sleeping peacefully after the blissful hours they shared before. He smiled softly when he saw the green riverstone he gave her, dangling around her throat.

Leaning down, he turned away some of the red bangs that had spilled over her face, and pressed a soft kiss against the curve of her lips in an attempt to awaken her, if she hadn't been already. "Hi, Kendra," he added with a grin.

 

[Tribunal Power]

Like a coward on the eve of a war, insomnia had completely abandoned Kendra. After the physically-exhausting activities of the night before in the cool summer meadow, she had fallen asleep entangled in Rosh as though they were one body. Dreams came and went, and she barely stirred at all during the night, until the touch of his lips on hers reminded her of what awaited her in the waking world.

Emerald eyes weakly opened little by little, as her soft lips smiled and lurched for his. Letting out a soft sigh as she opened her eyes fully, she felt the shaky feeling of euphoria still pulsating in her body, making it diffcult to move steadily. "Rosh," she said in a soft and groggy whisper, curling herself up to him again and laying her head on his chest. Her hand lied on his abs, gently trailing a finger back and forth with a utopian smile. Perfect... Everything was perfect.

Even in her waking, she couldn't help but steal a look or three at him, the wicked girl within her being curious. She suspected he was much the same way, and so she felt a little less bashful about wanting to worship his body. With a deep, relaxed breath, she spoke, "Last night was..." Her words failed her, and she giggled softly as she struggled to find the right word. Placing a kiss on his chest, she chose the vocabulary and committed. "Incredible."

 

[Unreliable Genius]

"Incredible, huh?" Rosh grinned at her choice of wording. His exhausted body tensed slightly upon her kiss, before he relaxed, wrapping his arms down about her hips. She was right .. it was perfect. "I'm glad you liked it as much as I did," he said with a soft laugh. "We could go again .. "

The man laughed again after saying it, a joking tone implied .. or was he joking? Rosh's -- well, his everything was sore, really, and he was pretty sure his lover felt the same way, but the way he was feeling, nothing could convince him to pass up going another round with her. It probably wasn't a good idea, but .. he decided to kiss her again, before his lips trailed down her neck to explore her curves, savoring the woman's touch.

And then he pulled away abruptly, heaving a sigh and groaning quietly, arms still hooked around her hips. "I need to leave soon," he said, a hand coming up to stroke her cheek and fiddle with the pendant around her neck. "We uh .. should probably get dressed." he continued, saying it almost as if it were a curse.

Probably. Would it be that bad if he was an hour late to the Warlion, the battle cruiser he was ordered to report to for .. whatever that stupid mission was? He didn't even remember at first, focusing on Kendra's form lying on top of him -- but eventually, his conscience won over, and he reached for the pile of clothes strewn next to them.

 

[Tribunal Power]

She glanced up at him with fire in her eyes, a wicked grin on her lips. The way she moved her body might have made him think she was about to take him up on his offer, but the ache in her hips and the shake in her legs protested clearly enough and she knew her body was a few steps behind her mind, as usual. Letting out a defeated and satisfied sigh, she said, "Don't tempt me."

Then he spat something about getting dressed and leaving, and Kendra slipped her arms around him, squeezing in defiance. She wanted to say something about staying together longer, but at the risk of sounding childish, she just let out a soft mumble and buried her head in his chest. When he reached for his clothes, she finally eased off of him, slinking to find her tunic and undergarments.

"Do you know where you're going this time?" she asked, looking away from him as she slipped the straps of her bra over her shoulders. He rarely knew the destination or nature of his deployment long in advance, but she couldn't help but ask; despite the danger of her own life, and despite the resolution against such emotions, she occasionally gave in to worrying about him on deployment, and she was still learning how a Jedi is to cope with missing someone. The galaxy was at war, after all-- what if she lost him? Kendra wasn't sure she could face his death with the same steel resolution as Ayva Starfall, accepting that they were one with the Force and that they wouldn't want her to focus on their death.

Pushing her mind to brighter thoughts, she smiled faintly at the recollection of the night's activities. It was just her luck to fall in love with a soldier, but nonetheless, she'd be waiting for him when he came back.

 

[Unreliable Genius]

"I'm connecting with a special forces unit on the Warlion," he explained, groaning again as he stretched and grabbed his jeans, pulling them on and lacing his belt back through the loops. His gunbelt carrying his lightsaber and blaster followed as he slung it over his hip. "Probably to one of the border world hotspots. I didn't really get any specifics beyond that, with security it is these days. To save time and all that, we're briefed on the go." Then he pulled his T-shirt back on over his head and produced a fresh, navy blue cloth from his backpack, which he tied over his brow and knotted in the back. Afterwards he went about the business of packing up the food they'd laid out the day before.

Thinking about leaving Kendra again made him pause in his activity and frown. His Jedi side, the dominant side of him now, told him to be patient. It told him that he would see her again and that he shouldn't let his feelings for her distract him from doing his job -- his other side told him to run away from the war and take her with him, and that just might have been what he'd have done if his master hadn't done such a good job of hammering the Jedi Code into his head.

There is no emotion, there is peace, he mentally recited to himself.

Smiling again, he picked up her green tunic off of the sand, shook it out slightly and took the opportunity to offer it to her from behind, hugging his arms lightly around her hips. He planted a soft kiss on the back of her head, enjoying the scent of her red hair while he still could.

"I will come back to you. I promise," he said, with a tone of utmost certainty. He knew it was a promise he might not be able to keep. The Galactic Alliance was not exactly in a position to win this war that they were in, and Rosh knew it. Maybe he didn't want her to worry, or maybe he was just saying it to see her smile.

Or maybe he was just trying to convince himself. At any rate, Rosh intended to keep that promise.

 

[Tribunal Power]

It was hard for Kendra to move as she watched him get dressed. Her body was exhausted, but beyond that, she felt that her moving only facilitated Rosh leaving. It wasn't until he picked up her tunic and offered it to her that she stirred from her propped recline on the ground, standing up to take it from him. She found her panties and stepped into them before pulling the tunic over her head, her hair mussed and frazzled as her clothing came to rest in its natural position on her body. Bending down to grab her belt, she fastened it around her waist and cast a soft, somewhat forlorn look to Rosh.

His promise made her smile softly. Logically she knew he couldn't choose to keep that promise, but knowing that he cared enough to make it meant something to her. Her bare feet swished over the grass as she moved to him and wrapped her arms around him. He was dressed, packed, and ready to leave. Kendra wasn't ready. She could feel the fear of losing him, the emotion of missing him-- it was some of the most potent emotion she'd felt in a long time. She took a deep breath as she leaned her head against him, calming herself to find the peaceful center in which she usually resided. This relationship could not serve to detract from her walk on the Eightfold Path, she would not allow it-- they were both too important, to significant for one to harm the other.

"Just be careful," she murmered, perhaps more sullen than she intended. "and don't forget your promise. I know I won't."