Ask Yavin IV Scars within. Scars without.

[Xiann]

With a loud ‘thunk’ Xiann replaced the cover onto the Air Conditioning unit she’d been fixing. It had been acting up for weeks. It hadn’t been cooling the air in her shed at all, instead just making loud clattering noises which were both annoying and distracting. She’d been putting off fixing it for ages but with this current heat rolling in, it was impossible to train without it. After attaching the power back to the unit, she switched it on and it hummed to life. No loud clattering at least, that was a good sign, and after a few moments the air in front of it began to cool and pretty soon a breeze could be felt as the cold air was pushed out of the front of the shed into the warm outdoors.

Xiann let out a satisfied sigh and, one by one, put all her tools away to their rightful place. When she looked outside towards the clearing in the forest to check if she had left anything out there she realised how late it had gotten. It was already late afternoon and the shadows of the surrounding trees completely covered the ground, though they did little to alleviate the ambient heat of the air itself.

The Twi’lek let out another sigh as she began to rummage through one of the cupboards to find something to snack. Her hand finally pulled out a large packet of cookies from the cupboard. It wasn’t exactly a healthy meal, but it would sate her appetite for now at least. Next she moved to the refrigeration unit for a drink. Lots of cold water and juice, but no alcohol. Not even a single beer or bottle of wine. She’d have to get her stash refilled soon, nothing was better on a hot evening than a cool refreshing beer.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

The sun had begun to set, yet it failed to cool the warm Yavin IV sky.

Clove had dashed out of her dorm room, slamming the door shut behind her. The room was small enough as it was, but it became unbearable during the hot evenings. As she took a few frustrated steps back and forth, her hands curled up into her hair. She was at a loss for what to do with herself. Normally, she would seek out other people's company, go to the medbay, train in the training rooms or daydream the evening away. But none of them sounded appealing, and she was still trying to recover from her encounter with Ruz and Arctus.

It didn't help that she became increasingly angry, angry that she'd been abandoned on Dantooine, angry that no one had helped her except Crix, angry that she couldn't even sleep for an hour without being awoken by those terrifying dreams. Angry at how weak she was.

Angry at killing that child—

Another blow to the stomach robbed her of her breath and stung her eyes. No, she had to put a stop to the thoughts. Distract herself from those thoughts before they take over her mind once more.

Her therapist had suggested her to do something to keep herself busy. Like meditation, an artistic hobby, or even simple physical activities like walking or training could all be used as a moving form of mindfulness. Meditations were a complete failure because she couldn't close her eyes for more than a few seconds, so they were crossed off the list. Clove had looked into finding some dance lessons as a possible hobby. However, the thought of being surrounded by people put her off for the time being.

So that left her with taking a walk.

She didn't know where her legs were taking her at first; she was simply walking for the sake of walking. But then the memory of the lovely bright glade came back to Clove, and she felt a strong desire to visit it. The last time she went there, it was so peaceful and quiet, remote from anybody. She might even be able to train there. And she was certain that Xi wouldn't mind if she hid there. It was also a relatively short hike, which her still-recovering body appreciated.

It didn't take long for her to find herself in the beautiful forests of Yavin IV, which made her feel safe even in the dim light. And she found Xi's glade even faster than that.

The half-Sephi had been so fixated with her goal of reaching the shed that she hadn't noticed the cool breeze, the humming of the air conditioner, or Xi herself standing in the shed, rummaging through the cupboards. In truth, it wasn't until she stepped into the shed's doorway that she noticed the blue Twi'lek standing with her back to her.

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann inspected each bottle of cold drink hoping there was at least something alcoholic left in here, anything would do. Water, water, Sparkling water, Rainforest juice, more water. “Really, nothing at all? Did Drast get in here again?” Then she spotted a bottle she didn’t recognise and pulled it out to look at the label, but before she could she heard the footsteps of someone entering the shed and she spun around to identify the intruder.

In the entrance stood Clove. Or at least someone that looked like her. There was no smile, no happy demeanor, no overwhelming positivity. Just stress, exhaustion and a face that was all too familiar. The same face Xiann used to see in the mirror every day and still saw more often than she would like to admit. “Oh, hi Clo. I was about to sit and relax in the cool breeze, if you want to join me.” She raised the overly large bag of cookies, “I have cookies and…” She lifted the bottle and finally looked at the label, “... Ranshu Juice? The Frakk is Ranshu juice?” She shook her head in confusion, “Anyway, Ranshu juice and cookies sound good?”

She placed the objects on one of the worktops and opened a cupboard to fetch a pair of cups. Placing them next to the juice it was clear that Xi had made these herself. They were constructed from bits of scrap metal welded together and had been filed and smoothed down. They weren’t the prettiest of cups, but they definitely fit the whole aesthetic of the shed.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

She was paralyzed on her feet. Clove locked her gaze on the back of the Twi'leks' head for what seemed like an eternity. She had to do something, didn't she? Say hello to let Xi know she's there, or just flee before she notices her?

It didn't matter because Xi had turned around and stared at her for a split second before realizing Clove wasn't an intruder.

The half-Sephi opened her mouth to form a sentence, but what was she going to say to her friend? 'Hello, I'm sorry for disappearing from the planet's surface. I didn't want to see you because I didn't want to see you. I simply did not want to see you or anyone else.' Because, yes, that is an excellent way to begin a conversation. But thankfully she didn't have to because Xi had already begun the conversation and acted like everything was fine. She even offered cookies.

It felt good to be treated like a normal person after being treated as if she were a wounded porg by so many people.

It at least kept the tears at bay.

"Cookies and Ranshu juice sound delicious." Her voice was still hoarse, and she spoke with unease, as if she was still testing the waters. But the weeks of silence had at least aided in the recovery of her vocal cords, allowing her to test the waters in the first place.

The handmade cups were adorable and perfectly complemented the shed's aesthetic. It did make her wonder why Xi didn't just buy a few cups and make them herself, but she didn't want to question her. They were also, once again, adorable. So why not?

Clove stepped out of the shed's door and sat in the grass, her legs crossed and her back to the air conditioner. The feeling of cold air brushing against her shoulders and neck, cooling her down after such a hot day, was better than she could ever describe. And, to be honest, something she desperately needed. "Thank you; this is lovely."

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann smiled as she carried the cookies and juice over to where Clove sat down and joined her, back to the breeze. She let out a small sigh of joy as she began to cool down a bit, “That’s much better. Stupid thing has been acting up for weeks.” Rolling her shoulders slightly, she reveled in the chill and respite from the oppressive heat of the day before filling one of cups with the Ranshu juice and offering it to Clo, “It’s not exactly a cold beer, but it’ll probably help with everything.”

The Twi’lek opened up the bag of cookies and for a moment the scent of sweet cookie goodness hung in the air before being carried away by the wind. She took one for herself before placing the bag between the two and jostling it slightly in Clo’s direction, “Help yourself. I still have ice cream too if these are a bit rough on your throat.”

Xiann bit into her cookie and let out a little sigh of delight, delicious. Not quite on the level of Maiko, but still damn good. “So, did you come here to practice or to hide? Or are you taking after me and doing both?” She threw an understanding smile at Clo. Xi was curious how her friend was holding up, but didn’t want to force the issue too much. But a small poke would be fine, right?

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove carefully took the cup, making sure to carry the weight on the palm of her hands and not her fingers. "Thank you. It's fine, I don't drink alcohol anyway."

Even now, alcohol did sound appealing. Not only did she loathe the taste, but she'd seen plenty of people losing themselves and injuring themselves as a consequence, and that didn't sit well with her. So, a nice cold cup of, err, Ranshu juice? It was good enough.

Although she had no idea what Ranshu juice was, maybe it was alcoholic as well.

The aroma of the sweet cookies was the most delicious thing she'd smelled in weeks. Although that wasn't difficult to beat, she had barely eaten anything since being released from the hospital. And she couldn't remember what she had eaten for the first week or two. As a result, her ears perked up a little when the blissful scent hit her nose. Was a crumbling cookie going to be good for her throat? No. Did she give a damn? No.

It took everything she had not to grab the entire bag of cookies rather than just one, especially after the first bite and the deliciousness hit her tastebuds.

And then came the question Clove knew she couldn't avoid. At the very least, she had some mellow company and a tasty treat.

"Erhm. Both, really." Before lowering her gaze to the cookie in her hands, the half-Sephi gave her friend a faint and painfully fake smile. "I couldn't stand being in my room any longer, but I couldn't bear being around the other Jedi either. Sooo... here I am."

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann returned continued her friendly smile as Clove’s answer reflected exactly how the Twi’lek had felt all those months ago and even followed her actions. “Ah, yes. Avoiding others. Their sympathy, their pity, their heavy handed help.” She leaned heavily on the word ‘help’. After filling her own cup with juice she took a large swig. Unfortunately it had no alcohol in it, but it’s sweet flavour did lend some comfort. “That’s why I made this place. My place to hide from everyone. My little workshop to work on my tinkerings.”

The Twi’lek took another cookie and waved at Clo for a moment, “And now yours too. I think I sent you the codes and stuff right? Just put the tools and stuff away when you’re done. Keep the place tidy, you know.” She turned and looked at the shed which to most would look like a bomb had gone off in it, “Well, tidy ish at least.” She chuckled a little before turning back to Clo.

She gave the Selphi a weak smile, “I understand. I do. And you’re always welcome here. Or if you just want company you can stop by my room too if you would rather hide there.” She waved the cookie she had at Clo as her smile widened again.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

A sigh of relief rolled over her lips. Xi knew what she was talking about.

"Yes. I know they mean well, you know? And the first few times it was nice. Force, I completely lost it when I saw Arctus and Ruz. Their hug was incredibly nice. But there's only so many times you can be told 'it's okay, you are safe,' before it gets too much. Because I know I'm safe, that's not the problem. If it was that easy nobody would have any traumas whatsoever!" She had to stop herself before it became a proper vomit of anger.

It wasn't fair to get angry at the people who tried to help, even if they had no idea what they were on about.

"I mean. Thank you, for allowing me to hide here. And I understand why you made this place now, yeh. Your own little safe haven. I'll keep it as tidy as possible."

She smiled faintly back before taking another bite off her cookie. "I would like your company now, so that's good. But I'll keep that in mind."

The half-Sephi was at a loss for what to do next. If she wanted to talk about it with someone who knew what she was going through, or if she just wanted to eat the cookie and enjoy the silence in the breeze. Or even where she should go once she'd left the glade or anything beyond that. This little bit of peace served as a stark reminder of how lost she was.

But if her therapist had taught her anything over the last few weeks, it was to be open and honest whenever she was lost or uncertain. To ask for help. So that's exactly what she did. "What now, Xi? I... don't know what to do."

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann nodded along as Clove described how she felt, even letting a bit of emotion soak the words. She wasn’t wrong a lot of people tend to offer sympathies because its make them feel better rather than the one who actually needs help. “Hey, you know I will always be honest with you. If you do well, I’ll tell you. If you frakk up, I’ll tell you too. So listen closely, you are safe now, but you are not okay. I’m still not okay either. But as long as we know and accept that we can deal with it. The moment you think you are okay is the moment you ignore everything that isn’t okay.”

The Twi’lek rolled forward on her knees and layed down on her side in front of Clo, using her elbow to prop her up slightly. “I’m glad you like my company, I am certainly glad of yours.” Then came the hard question, what should she do now? Does anybody know exactly what to do after something like this? Is there even a right thing to do?

Xiann looked over Clove’s form, taking in the injuries and scarring, “I don’t know what you should do now. But I can tell you what I did, and maybe you will get an idea.” She took a deep breath as she thought back to how broken she was when she first came back to the temple, “I hid. From everyone and everything. Even myself.” Another breath, “I used to be very proud of my looks. Very proud. But then I got this.“ She gestured to the scar over her eye, “And for a long time I couldn’t even look at my own reflection. I covered all the mirrors in my room, and even after making this place I made sure everything had oil or grease or something on it so I wouldn’t even accidentally see myself. And this isn’t even the worst one, just the most obvious.”

She took a moment to drink some juice and to collect herself before her emotions spilled over too, “I used to be able to rely on my looks to get me out of all sorts of trouble, now I can’t even use them to get into trouble.” The woman seemed to visibly deflate a little when she said the last part. She looked back up to lock eyes with Clo, “The only advice I can recommend now, is to look at your scars. Don’t hide from them. They are part of you now and always will be, so you should try to get used to them.” She smiled weakly, clearly just as upset by the topic as Clove was, “But don’t rush, it will take time. I’m still not used to mine. Some still make me feel like fresh Rankor vomit when I look at them.”

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

The sight of Xi laying down on her side so casually, held up with nothing but her elbow, caused her to chuckle. And, after hearing her say that she enjoyed Clove's company as well, she followed Xi's lead and lay down in the grass. Unlike the Twi'lek, however, clove lay on top of her belly, her free hand tucked beneath her chin, her other hand in a perfect position to feed herself that cookie.

It was a lovely position to be in while listening to the beautiful Twi'lek explain how she felt, how she had hidden away for everyone, including herself.

The desire to hide from the world, the embarrassment that followed the attack, and the shattered pride were all things she could relate to. Because, as much as she didn't care about the physical scars, the same could be said of the mental ones. Scars that would most likely never heal and would be a part of her no matter what she did or where she went. And that was a very tough pill to swallow.

You can glue the shards of a shattered mirror together and polish the glass to restore its reflection, but the cracks that define the fracture can never be removed.

Clove locked eyes gaze with Xi, who appeared to be in the same state of sadness and pain as she was. An embrace would have been the right thing to do, and she would have offered one on any other day, but the weight of the words lingered in the air, keeping her rooted to the ground. So she did the next best thing and responded to Xi.

"For what's worth. I think you are still pretty. Even with the scars. I hadn't even noticed them when we met at the party."

The half-Sephi shrugged as much as she could while balancing on her elbows, broke eye contact and gazed off into the distance. "And you're totally right. I'm not okay. Not at all. Going outside has definitely proven that point. I feel like I'm about to unravel at any minute." With a quiet sigh, she buried her cheek into the palm of her hand, attempting to swallow the lump in her throat. "You're also right in saying that instead of hiding from my scars, I need to learn to accept them. It's just—"

Just what? She had to finish her thoughts; it was only fair after Xi had poured out her heart.

"I... feel so weak, Xi. I really, really messed up back there on Dantooine, and I can't blame anybody but myself for being so weak. And I'm afraid to accept those scars because there's no going back once I accept them. It means accepting Dantooine. And I can't. I refuse to accept what happened because I do not want it to be true." Clove inhaled deeply before biting her lower lip. She had been terrified of saying those words aloud. But they were out in the open now. "I don't want to believe those nightmares are real, Xi." Her voice soared an octave higher, and the chewed-on lip trembled.

"Ugh I'm sorry, can't go anywhere without spilling some tears." She laughed stiffly, and brought her sleeve up to the growing tears, stopping them before they had the chance to roll down her cheeks.

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann was caught off guard by the compliment on her looks, so much so that she began to blush. She could feel the blood rushing to her face as her normal blue colour steadily turned darker and tinged towards purple. Why was she blushing? Plenty of people have complimented her before and it never bothered her, so why did this time make it feel like someone was inflating her cheeks like balloons?

Thankfully Clove returned to the topic at hand and the seriousness brought her back to normal, though her cheek were slow to change back. “Well if you must unravel, tell me first and I’ll try to weave you back into a lovely sweater, or perhaps a hugging crop top.” She flashed a quick smile. A little bit of levity to stop the pair from spiralling into the dark abyss the conversion was currently circling.

As she listened to the Selphi border a freak out, the Twi’lek shuffled closer to her and spoke softly, “Hey, the nightmares will fade. I know they suck, so much, but they will fade. And they can’t hurt you, they’re just nightmares.” She had the overwhelming urge to give Clove a light kiss. Kisses had always helped Xiann to calm down, but somehow she felt the sweet little Clove might not take it so lightly.

Xiann instead offered an understanding smile, “And as for your actions, don’t think of them as weak or that everything was your fault. Just think, did you do your best? That’s all anyone can ask of you, to do your best. The S-” She paused, the word she wanted felt like hot lead in her mouth. Her physical injuries may have healed over, but her mental ones were still wide open. “They are strong, yes. Way stronger than you and me, but so are the Knights here at the temple.” As she spoke the words as a comfort for Clove, they only acted as a reminder to her of the toll of Ajan Kloss. One lost limb, two deaths and two more just vanishing without a trace, not to mention the injuries to herself and Lani and destruction of Rusty. And with only three opponents against them. “One day we will be there too.”

She smiled lightly as Clove fought back her tears, “You don’t have to force yourself when you’re with me. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to shoot, shoot. Frakk, we’re in the middle of our own little sanctuary in the forest, you can run around naked for all it matters to anyone else.” She hadn’t intended for the last example to be any sort of provocation or agenda, but when the image hit her mind, the blush returned to her cheeks.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Turn her into a lovely sweater? Hah. Better be lilac in that case. The sudden light joke was enough for her to snort and give Xi a more genuine smile before continuing with the gloom.

Xi had shuffled closer to her and gently reminded her that the nightmares would pass. Rather than deny how real they were, as the majority of people did, she promised they'd fade. And that was much more relaxing than anything else. Because they were real, at least the memories connected with them were. "Yeh?" she asked, a quick smile on her face before looking down at the grass. "I hope so."

Clove returned to silence, and the memory began to replay itself. This time, it wasn't to haunt her, though that was an unavoidable side effect, but to research it. Objectively.

She'd held her ground when the Sith arrived, and she'd survived the visions when they first appeared in her head. She even locked them up as tightly as she could. As her father had taught her. It allowed her to get back on her feet and buy more time for the evacuation ships. However, Aadya's taunting words and the energy ball against her shoulder shattered those locks, sending everything into a downward spiral. And by the time the kid's head was ripped into a thousand pieces, it was nearly impossible to remain objective.

Clove ended up grunting and lowering her head to the point where her forehead brushed against the grass. It was much softer than Dantooine's grass. "I tried my best. Is that the same?" Her voice was muffled but loud enough for Xi's sensitive hearing cones to pick up. "I truly hope so. I'd like to show everyone that I'm more than just... Pink and lilac and purple. It's not that I won't wear pink. Or Lilac. But I'd like to be strong while doing so, you know?"

"The joke's on you, I don't care about nudity. Perks of growing up in a clinic!" Despite her attempts to lightheartedly reply to Xi's remark, the tears she had been fighting began to break free and dripped on top of the grass leaves and into the dirt. There were no sobs or sniffles, or any clown face she had tortured Ruz and Arctus with. No, only tears. And they felt so incredibly freeing, knowing that no one would judge them or think they were weak or tragic. There was only Xi, a Twi'lek who had experienced the same agony and knew what it was like, and the safety of the sanctuary.

Xiann really must've gone through hell herself as well, to know so much about this subject. And she was so incredibly kind to help her out like this.

"I hope your nightmares are gone by now, Xi. Or starting to disappear."

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann waited as Clove seemed to stop for a few moments to organise her thoughts. She pulled out a pair of cookies just as Clove spoke again, “Well if you tried your best, that’s good enough for me. And as long as you learn and grow from the experience, the failure won’t have been in vain. Failure is the stepping stone to success, or so the Jedi teach anyway."

She got a wicked grin at the nudity comment, “I see. So full nakedness for the next training session then, yeah? See how you do with absolutely no armour.” She chuckled lightly before noticing the tears hitting the floor. “My nightmares are still around. They wake me up some nights. But I am affected by them less and less over time. Though recently some of them have been replaced with much nicer dreams, not entirely unrelated to something we have mentioned.” Her wicked grin reappeared as she took a bite out of one of the cookies she was holding. She gently prodded the top of Clo’s head with the other cookies, “Don’t forget to munch and talk or I’m going to end up looking like a Hutt. And nobody wants that, do they?”

Xiann lowered her head to the ground so she could try and see Clove’s face and give her another light smile, “See, this is why the odd beer can be good. Lets you get all those pent up emotions out. As long as you do so safely. Though Working in a clinic you saw your fair share of unsafely too.” She thought back to her younger years of seeing all the injuries the various gangs inflicted on each other and the poor medical workers who had to deal with them.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Failure is a stepping stone to success. It sounded like something she'd tell her friends because she wholeheartedly agreed with it when it came down to others. Accepting it for herself, on the other hand? Another difficult-to-swallow pill had been added to the pile. And maybe having a pile of difficult-to-swallow pills was okay. It gave her a new goal, at the very least.

Clove began to laugh softly in between tears, and she looked past a couple of grass leaves at Xi, who was smiling wickedly. There was no amount of innocence in the world that could shield her from the implications. On any other day, she'd throw the cookie she was holding at Xi while laughing hysterically and yelling "EW EW EW." But she was so tired that the only thing she could muster was a giggle. "Well, I'm glad your nightmares are starting to bother you less, Xi. Hopefully, you'll have even more nice dreams in the future."

With a scrunch in her nose and cheeks, the half-Sephi lifted her chin from the grass, her free hand reaching up to feel her tangled mane of hair. Did Xi just smack her in the head with a cookie? She did, didn't she?! But it was a good reminder; she had her own cookie in her hand and it was longingly looking at her to get eaten. "I doubt you'll be able to transform into a hutt, but it's a good idea." She sank her teeth into the cookie and snatched a far too large chunk, but Force it was a good big chunk.

She looked at Xi, who smiled lightly, while chewing in a less flattering manner than she would have liked. "Oh, yeh," Clove swallowed the far too large bite awkwardly, avoiding the urge to cough due to the sensitive throat, before continuing. "Especially since the clinic was attached to a tourist resort. We got about five wounded drunk people a night during prime time. Because most of the injuries were fall related, it was useful for learning how to stitch a wound. But boy do I dislike alcohol thanks to it."

Clove rolled over until she was lying on her back close to Xi, tears still quietly streaming down her face as if there was no end in sight. "Can I stay here tonight? I don't want to go back to my dorm room. Plus, it's very peaceful here, so I might be able to sleep for once. I tried to sleep in the gardens but a janitor noticed me and shooed me off."

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann smiled as she remembered all the drunk tourists fondly, “Ah yes, drunken idiots bumbling around. Getting into stupid fights, falling over and injuring themselves, losing all their money. I doubt I would have been able to afford anything if it hadn’t been for their… clumsiness, shall we say.” She let out a chuckle. “Though I can’t say it was all fun and games. Some were a bit too handsy for my liking, though they often learned their lesson while being carried to a nearby clinic like yours.”

The question of Clove staying out here at the shed was a sudden one, but not entirely unexpected, “Of course you can. I’ll grab us some blankets from the box if it gets a little too cool.” The Twi’lek sat up and scanned around the shed, “Hmm. There’s nothing soft to sleep on I’m afraid, unless you want a make-shift mattress made from my spare clothes.” She looked back down at Clo, “Do you want me to see if I have anything you can use as nightwear? Though I’m not sure what I have in that area, they’re not my style usually.”

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Xi reminiscing about her own memories of drunken tourists was a lovely distraction and kickstarted her own fond memories if the days spent with her father in the clinic. "That does explain the few injured drunks who had a bruised eye." Clove smiled faintly back at Xi. "Gross how they weren't able to keep their hands to themselves though. I'm glad you taught them a lesson."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine with just a blanket! I don't mind sleeping on the ground at all." Did she though? Dantooine's last memory of her was crawling through dirt and grass until she passed out. And given how many times she'd fallen to the ground and how even now she felt somewhat on edge despite the grass behind so much softer, it's safe to say she and the ground didn't have the best of relationships. They needed some serious couple counseling. Still, that was minor in comparison to everything else; developing a fear of dirt and grass was the last thing she needed, and she knew she had to get it out of the way straight away. So, yes. She didn't mind.

Nightwear? Oh right. Nightwear. "Oh, erhmm. Hm. Sure? If you don't mind, of course."

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann sat up right, leaned forward over her friend and caught her gaze, “Are you sure? I can clear a worktop or something. Most of it can just be put in drawers.” She smiled and rolled back onto her feet and stood up straight. She let out a moan as she stretched followed by a satisfied sigh, “I’ll see what we have for nightwear.” She stepped over into the shed and opened the container that she used to store her clothes, “I can’t promise much, I don’t often have a need for it.”

She sifted around and pulled out a few things, “Leather trousers? You said they were a bit snug last time, but I thought they looked pretty good on you. How about a long sleeved top?” She looked at the top, over to Clove, then looked down and back at Clove, “It might fit you. Might not.” Another sift, her hand finding something near the bottom and pulling it up, “Aha! Or how about a big pink fluffy nightgown?” With a flick to straighten out the clothing, it was indeed a pink fluffy nightgown. “Drast got me it as a joke, knowing full well I would never wear it. Want to give it a try and I’ll find some ice cream to put on our cookies?”

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Clove softly smiled back at Xiann, and nodded her head. "Yeh, 100%, but thank you for willing to clean it for me. Still! I'm fine in the grass! Although maybe we'd need a towel to lie on, just so your clothing won't get dirty because of the grass." Slowly she crawled on her feet and rubbed her cheeks dry with her sleeve. The tears had stopped sometime during the conversation, although she wasn't exactly sure when.

Curiously she followed Xiann into the shed and looked at the clothing pieces she pulled out of the container. "I don't think the leather pants are comfortable to sleep in." The long-sleeved top wasn't a bad idea, her usual pajamas consisted of a simple top and just some underwear.

But then Xiann revealed the holy grail. It was beauty itself. A pink fluffy nightgown. Her mother would've screamed with pure delight at the sight of the fluffy cuffs, the swirling fabric and the body-hugging bodice with ribbon to tie it all together. And in all fairness, Clove would have done the same if she had been in a better mood. But still, even in her current state, she couldn't deny it was a work of art. "... Xi- I'd love to give that a try."

Clove took the pink fluffy nightgown out of Xi's hands, making sure to not jerk it because that'd be impolite, and walked to a corner in the shed. With her back towards Xi she began to take off most of her clothing while thinking about the cookies with ice cream. "Hmmm, I haven't had cookies and ice cream in ages. Speaking of Drast. How did you meet him?"

The half-Sephi gave her own body a quick look to note the healing progression of her wounds and bruises, before sliding the night robe over her pale skin. It was so soft and comfortable! She quickly tied the ribbon around her waist to keep the gown in place and turned around to Xi. "Drast has some great taste."

---

​

Tag @Xian ​

 

[Xiann]

Xiann smiled as the Selphi practically lit up when she saw the nightgown. “Of course, let’s see how it fits.” As the other found a corner to change in, the Twi’lek popped open the refrigeration unit and pulled out a large tub of ice cream. When she shut the door and looked up Clove was already undressed and beginning to put on the nightgown. She knew she should look away, it would be polite to look away. She did not look away. Instead becoming transfixed by the pale and smooth skin.

She quickly snapped out of it when Clo turned around. She smiled, “You look good in that. Tastiest snack here.” She gave her a wink and placed the ice cream on the counter. Xiann turned and opened a cabinet under one of the worktable revealing several blankets and pillows. She grabbed a pair of blankets and turned back to Clove, “Well then, shall we get to snacking and chatting again?”

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

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Clove's gaze lowered to the swirly fabric around her legs, and she tugged on it, amazed at how satisfying it flowed. "Thank you for letting me wear this, Xi. It's very beautiful." Xi winked again by the time Clove raised her eyes to meet hers. The Twi'lek was winking quite a bit. It looked cute though. "Thank you," she said shyly, turning towards the cabinet to grab some pillows because Xi's arms looked to be full.

"Yeah, what kind of ice cream is it?" the half-Sephi asked as she exited the shed and returned to the open air. Her tangled hair was blown over her shoulder by the cold breeze, exposing her warm neck to the wind, causing her to sigh. "That air conditioner really does wonders."

Being unsure of where to drop the pillows, she held them locked in her arms until Xi had finished setting up the blankets.

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Tag @Xian ​