Ask Second Chances

[Varyn Atrix]

It had been a difficult time for Varyn. He'd lost his father and nearly lost his way entirely. He'd lashed out in anger, helping to destroy insurgents on Dantooine. He'd managed to take mostly mundane jobs since then, but the anger and resentment over the people who had killed his father still lingered under the surface.

But the person that had been there to help him through had been Vahliri. Sith or not, she'd supported him. She'd been there to help him, and she'd never asked questions. Given their last meet up had sort of fallen apart, Varyn had dropped everything to meet up with her when he heard she was on Raxus Secondus.

There were some things he wanted to do and some things he wanted to say. He'd made his way to her hotel and headed up to knock on her door. He'd dressed in a button down shirt similar to last time, but this time he felt... different. At least within him, and he could only assume that was the results of everything that had happened to him.

He knocked on the door and took a step back, waiting and bouncing slightly on his heels as he looked up and down the hotel hallway.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Much had occurred since Vahliri had been to Coruscant and seen Varyn last. The half-Annfyn had been there when the fellow Champion’s father was found, and she had helped to mercilessly exact vengeance against the gang who had been responsible for his death. There was little she could do to remedy that loss, but as much was possible in that moment, she had attempted to support Varyn through that tragedy.

Since then, the half-Annfyn was restlessly thrown herself into her duties for the Empire - a combination of Imperial missions and her admittance to the university on Ziost leaving her with less and less free time of late. It had only been a short few weeks since her return from Asog, and even less since she had personally led the invasion in hopes of re-capturing Eriadu for the Empire. Piece by piece, Vahliri had begun to establish a reputation throughout the Empire - one that she took an immense amount of pride in.

She was only scheduled to be on Raxus for a few days, and had already gotten more than comfortable within her hotel room and even had few people over in the days preceding - the south-facing balcony giving her a perfect view of the Raxus skyline and autumnal colors that the planet was known for. The hotel and room number was promptly texted over to Varyn when the fellow Champion reached out to her, patiently waiting in her room
until he arrived.

Varyn wouldn’t be left waiting at the door for more than a few seconds - a bit shuffling heard behind the door before the handle finally turned - opening to reveal Vahliri on the other side. The half-Annfyn was dressed in her usual style - sporting a

pair of jeans and a white, off-the-shoulder crop top. Her black hair was tied back away from her face, pulled into a long braid that draped down her right shoulder.

Almost at once, Vahliri’s lips tugged up towards a smile as she leaned in to hug him - amber eyes meeting Varyn’s own before flicking down to the button-down he was wearing. “Hey Varyn!” She said brightly, gesturing down to his attire, “You look nice,” The half-Annfyn jutted her chin back, gesturing for him to follow her inside the room. She closed the door behind him once he stepped inside, turning her attention back to the room itself. Unsurprisingly, Vahliri had kept the room immaculate since arriving - save for the multiple suitcases in the corner and some folded clothes that had been laid out on top.

“How have you been?” She asked, leaning against a corner of the wall.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

His mind still mulled over what happened on Coruscant. Vahl had attacked - reasonably so - and Varyn had defended her... the fact that it resulted in some lethal action was merely a "coincidence" Varyn told himself. He knew it was only partially true, but it had gotten him to sleep. He hadn't been killing in cold blood... he didn't know how the Jedi would feel about it all, but he hadn't exactly told them.

And one thing still stood out to him: Vahl had been there for him when no one else was. All the concerns seemed to melt quickly away as she opened the door. He saw her standing there, looking beautiful, and his mouth broke into a smile. He accepted the hug quickly, wrapping his arms around her as well.

She pulled back and welcomed him inside. Everything was - of course - in its place and he glanced around at how nice the room was. She'd gotten the Sith to put her up somewhere nice this time, or maybe she'd used some of her richie money.

Vahl, I wanted to say thanks for having my back recently, he said, moving toward her. She could probably guess where this was going to go, and she had ever chance to back away. For his part, he had already made up his mind before he arrived.

As he drew closer, he reached up and placed a hand on her cheek. And I wanted to express my gratitude in person, he said quietly, leaning forward and placing his lips gently against hers.

 

[Darth Tempest]

For all that had occurred on Coruscant on that fateful day, Vahliri hadn’t given a second thought to her actions. The men in that alley were cold blooded killers and nothing more. They had killed Varyn’s father - they had deeply hurt someone that the half-Annfyn had begun to care about - and she was more than happy to reciprocate in kind. Whatever justifications Varyn told himself to reassure himself, Vahliri slept better knowing those men had died at her hands.

She didn’t miss the way that Varyn's expression brightened upon seeing her, and the half-Annfyn’s own lips tugged upwards in response - flashing that sideways smile before pulling him into a hug. She maintained that embrace for a long moment, holding the fellow Champion close and against the floral perfume that she seemingly always wore. Only after a few seconds did she move further into the hotel room - leaning against the wall while keeping her eyes on Varyn.

Vahliri couldn’t help but observe him curiously - watching as the fellow Champion stepped in to close that distance once more - his words heard a bit more distant in her fluted ears. She didn’t immediately draw back, and before she could respond to what was said, the half-Annfyn felt the hand that came to brush her cheek - resting gently against her skin as Varyn leaned in capture her lips.

For just that moment, Vahliri felt Varyn’s tenderly leave into that embrace - her own breath brushing against his own in that moment. The half-Annfyn couldn’t have guessed what Varyn had in mind when he arrived, entirely caught off-guard by the fellow Champion’s advances.

All the same, she didn’t press back against that embrace - instead bringing her hand to press against Varyn’s chest. After only a moment, Vahliri drew back ever-so-slightly - her gaze meeting his own for a long moment. She couldn’t mask the surprise on her expression at that moment, blinking a few times as she stared back at him. “Varyn..” She began, a brow arching. “You‘re throwing me through a loop.. I was starting to think you weren’t interested, and now?” The half-Annfyn eyes him curiously, shaking her head a bit. For all that they’d been through, the half-Annfyn hadn’t quite been able to figure him out - least of all how he might’ve deeply felt about her. And to simply kiss her, the moment he saw her, only multiplied the questions in her mind.

“And is that all you wish? To expressing your gratitude?” She asked him quietly, her eyes not leaving his until he answered. She didn’t move to close that distance again yet, and nor did she pull back further - her face, for once, difficult to read.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

As Varyn kissed her, his heart sped up and he felt for a moment almost like he was walking on air. But his senses in the Force never really turned off, and he didn't get the same impression from her. He felt her hand against his chest, not forcing him back, but placing space between them.

She didn't step back, but he did. His face started to flush and he suddenly felt quite foolish and a bit horrible. It didn't help that he wasn't really sure which of a couple directions her question was insinuating was actually the correct one.

I really like you and I care about you, and I thought... his voice trailed off. Oh, and now he was feeling almost violently nauseous. I think I misread things. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, he said, taking another step back. Whatever brief confidence he had mustered was quickly melting away. Another thing he had stepped in. Recent days had not been marked by much success for him, and now he had managed to do something that was evidently entirely crossing the line. His mind swirled and began to plummet down a spiral that was neither helpful nor entirely factual.

I can leave if you want... or we can try to pretend this never happened, he said. Oh yeah because that's how that works you twit-wad, he thought to himself, knowing how stupid that sounded as soon as he said it.

He suddenly found himself wanting to just turn and leave, feeling all around terrible about everything that had happened in the last 30 seconds and wishing the Force gave him some way to turn back time. Maybe this was the Force trying to tell him something. Maybe "hey Varyn, don't get involved with a Sith you moron."

He wanted to go look out the window or change the subject or something, anything to alleviate the awkwardness, but everything he could think of just seemed like it would make things worse. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[Darth Tempest]

In that moment, Vahliri deliberately didn’t avert her gaze from Varyn - quietly observing the Champion while her amber eyes lingered on his own. Even when he took a step backwards, the half-Annfyn didn’t budge from where she was standing - clear that she wasn’t going to move closer or away from the man.

For some time now, Vahliri hadn’t been able to figure Varyn out - unable to decipher what deeper feelings might have existed, or whether her previous flirtations had interested him at all. His decision to kiss her - right then and in that moment - was a move that caught her entirely off guard, and she couldn’t help but wonder if what he desired from her was something purely physical.

She watched as Varyn took another step back, her lips twitching down as his face turned a deeper shade of red. Even still, the half-Annfyn couldn’t help but linger for a long moment on the words he spoke - that simple declaration of his feelings for her lingering at the forefront of Vahliri’s mind. There was a faint movement of her ears just then, expressive in ways that her face wasn’t at that moment. It was a confirmation of what Vahliri had only wondered about in the past, and it was all she needed to hear.

Before the Champion had the opportunity to suggest leaving, Vahliri took a calm step forward - closing the distance that he had placed between them. Her hand rose to find his own - her fingers interlacing with Varyn’s own and giving them a squeeze. "Var.." Her face lingered only a few inches from his own, amber eyes fixed onto him and glinting against the light of the hotel room. “Lead with that, next time.”

The half-Annfyn whispered, a smile faintly tracing her features before finally leaning in to reciprocate the kiss from before - briefly capturing the Champion’s lips.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn was still in the midst of feeling terrible when she moved toward him again. Her fingers found his and the anxiety seemed to subside the moment they did. He squeezed her hand in return and for a moment saw that spark in her eye and then everything melted away as she kissed him. It lasted a long moment and he savored every feeling of it, taking it all in and realizing he never wanted to do anything else ever again.

After several seconds he broke off the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

Yeah, well, in case you can't tell I'm new at this, he said with a laugh, finally responding to her "reprimand." He pulled her tighter against him, placing a kiss on her forehead for a long moment before placing another on her temple and then her cheek.

Did I mention how beautiful you look? he said. No, of course he hadn't because he'd led in with kissing her. It was sort of implied, though, right? Just kidding.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Just a few moments passed, and Vahliri was in no rush to pull away from that embrace - pressing into Varyn’s lips and the warmth that seemed to wash over her in that moment. She didn’t want to think about what it meant, or what their relationship would look like going forward. All of them questions she didn’t have an immediate answer to, and all she wanted was to simply linger upon what she felt just then.

Her eyes opened once more when Varyn broke away from that embrace - taking a moment to simply gaze upon the Champion as he pressed his forehead to hers. There was something shockingly tender about that simple gesture, and Vahliri couldn’t help the way her fluted ears swiveled the faintest bit.

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind to hear you say it more often,” The half-Annfyn smirked, bringing a hand up to idly brush back a bit of his hair.

“Don’t suppose this means getting out of that dance you owe me,”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

He smiled at her words, content to just stay there and once again feeling uncertain whether he should press things further or not. He certainly wanted to - definitely wanted to - but given how his last attempt at assertion had gone... well, it had at least turned out in the end.

His heart jumped with every touch, even the way she brushed his hair back. At the back of his mind, something told him this was unwise. That he was still a Jedi, and that there was no way this could end well, but he pushed it back, shoving it fully out of his mind. How long had he lived among the Sith now, and sometimes new lines of thought were as hard to break as old ones.

Well maybe you shouldn't have wandered off. I'd have given you a dance to never forget, he said. He leaned in and captured her lips once again, deepening the kiss. His hands slid down her back as he held her, heart pounding against her chest as they kissed.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri didn’t draw back from Varyn - allowing herself to linger against the other Champion in that close embrace. There was no internal struggle or thoughts of anything outside that room - her focus strictly fixed to the present. Exceedingly confident, the half-Annfyn knew what she wanted and what she didn’t, and there was no hesitation to her movements.

“Oh?” She smirked as Varyn spoke of giving her a dance she’d never forget, arching a brow before once more leaning into his lips. The half-Annfyn pressed deeply into that embrace, cherishing the taste of his lips and the warmth of his breath against her own. She felt the way his hand slid down her lower back, and her own band rose to sprawl across Varyn’s shoulder blade, holding that embrace for a few seconds more.

She finally broke from that kiss, amber eyes locking with his own, “Then maybe..” Vahliri whispered against his lips, “I will hold you to that, and cash in on that dance.” With that, the half-Annfyn slipped from the fellow Champion’s arms - flashing him a grin as she turned towards the door of the hotel, her hand lingering long enough to tug at the fabric of his shirt.

“Unless you have something else more important to do, of course.” She tilted her head a bit while regarding him, a bit of playfulness dancing in her eyes. Whatever other plans she had were put on hold for the moment.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn couldn't help but smile even as she pulled back. He memorized everything about the moment from the feeling of her back under his hands to her arms on his shoulders. The feeling of her breath against his lips and her body pressed up against his. He took a moment to catch his breath that had everything to do with the emotions that were washing over him.

She pulled back after a moment and tugged at him as well, a gentle pull toward the door, that he was ever-so-slightly disappointed by, but the thought passed fleetingly. He couldn't help but smirk slightly and roll his eyes at her. Not because he was angry, but because he knew he was playing into her hands.

I'm sure there's nothing else I could think of us doing here, he said with a laugh and headed for the door, holding it open for her as he stepped outside. He closed it behind them and headed down the hall. He couldn't quite shut out the feeling that he shouldn't be dragging her into this. That it was selfish of him, and he almost paused as the thought went through his mind, but he was... happy. For the first time he could remember, she made him happy.

And so he pushed the thought from his mind once again, and instead reached out, snagging her hand in his.

Alright, alright, so we're on a beautiful planet, and we've got no responsibilities, he said. We could go dancing, but that's so loud. How about dinner? I saw a nice little Corellian place on the way in, you like Corellian? he asked. He could already almost hear her objecting to him not dancing with her, but he could play this game, too. He may not have been great at dates, but he was a quick learner. He had to be to do what he did as a Jedi.

They made their way out side and down the street. A street band was playing in the distance, and a light breeze blew over the area as the sun started to slink toward the horizon in the distance.

You know, this is the kind of place I need to get stationed. But no, instead we've got Korriban, Moraband, and Ziost, he said. A common theme of planets that had been destroyed by the Sith. Never a Naboo.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Almost immediately, Vahliri’s lips began to tug upwards and into a smirk - that bit of playfulness dancing within her amber eyes just when Varyn made his comment about staying in - fully aware of where his mind and intentions had been leading. Even as she moved towards the door progressively, the half-Annfyn allowed her gaze to linger on the fellow Champion the entire time, breaking contact with his eyes only to glance down when he took hold of her hand before continuing on to the door.

There was something about that little gesture that caused the half-Annfyn’s lips to tug just a touch wider - a fond and warm expression left etched into her features. Her fingers squeezed just a bit, lacing around his own before following him out of the hotel.

The half-Annfyn tugged Varyn close, glancing over towards him when he mentioned going out to dinner instead. “It’s loud, but in a good way.” It was no secret that dancing and music was a passion for the half-Annfyn. Due to her sensitive hearing, she often experienced both things differently than others - down to the vibrations that reverberated in her fluted ears. There was a part of her that was prepared to argue that point and insist on her dancing - but in the end she merely grinned - knowing exactly what he was doing. “Alright, dinner it is,” She gave a small shrug when he mentioned liking Corellian food, “I am open to trying new things,”

“Tell me about it,” She said, “Seems like every Imperial mission takes me out to some planet that is either creepy as fuck or tries to kill you the moment you step foot on it. Kinda like those Hssiss back on Korriban,” The half-Annfyn added, slipping that detail in very nonchalantly. “Other than Serenno, Raxus is the first planet I’ve stayed on that is just.. Nice.” A lifetime spent on Indupar - and a career spent on the barren desolation that the Sith seemed to trend - had left the half-Annfyn homesick for the more picturesque landscapes she had always known.

“Not in too much of a rush, are you?” She grinned over at him, detouring ever-so-slightly to get a peak at the band that was playing on the street corner. Music filled the air, and there was an involuntary little twitch of the half-Annfyn’s ears as that moment - reacting on their own accord to the song that was being sung. For a few seconds, she merely took her time to listen to the song - lightly bobbing her head.

“Almost every night, there are musicians who set up in the main plazas back home,” She began, turning back to face Varyn, “Playing for tourists or anyone else walking around. I used to sneak out when I was little - get away just long enough to go listen to them play.” Vahliri reached into her pocket after a long moment, placing a few Crowns into a hat that was set out by one of the musicians, turning back towards Varyn and the restaurant where they were headed.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn watched everything she did. The way she smiled, the way she squeezed his hand, the way her ears twitched, the look on her face. He didn't want to forget any of it, etching it into his mind and wondering... wondering if it could last forever, and what it would take. It was silly. It was a stupid and irresponsible thought, but it was the thought he didn't want to abandon even if it was so new in... whatever this was. Relationship seemed like such a strong word to invoke. But he knew he wanted to find a way to be with her.

Well you deserve to be somewhere nice, he said. She'd been working hard and climbing her way up the ladder. He was glad she'd gotten to be somewhere nicer. He didn't take her bait about the Hississ, though. Since they hadn't even run into Hssiss!

As they walked, he could see she was drawn to the music. Though he had never been quite as touched by music as most, he found the way her ears moved and twitched along with it to be adorable all by itself.

He smiled and let out a quiet breath as they stood and listened to the music. Before she could continue onward, he tugged lightly at her hand and spun smoothly toward her so they were facing each other. He started moving with the music, not caring that they were out in the open.

Would you care to dance? he asked, though the words were all but whispered against her ear. He moved along to the music, knowing she would fall into step with him because she simply wouldn't be able to resist the music. And as it turned out, he couldn't resist a request from her.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Even as they walked down the city street, Vahliri didn’t miss the way that Varyn seemed to look at her - the affection that seemed to luminese in his azure eyes, and the way that he almost seemed to commit every moment to memory. It was difficult to tell what was going through the fellow Champion’s head at that moment, and for the moment the half-Annfyn didn’t attempt to dig deeper - the smile lingering on her lips as she simply enjoyed their stroll together without a care in the Galaxy.

There was the faintest tug at her lips when Varyn commented that she deserved to be somewhere nice, a warmth in that small comment that almost caught her off guard. She didn’t say anything in response at that moment, but he would see the way her expression brightened ever-so-slightly, and he could feel the way her fingers lightly squeezed at his own. Of course, none of that meant she didn’t try her hardest to slip in that comment about the Hssiss - thoroughly rolling her eyes when Varyn promptly didn’t fall for the bait.

For just a few moments, Vahliri seemed to lose herself in the music that played - her fingers tapping against her thighs as her head bobbed to the beat - lingering there before finally deciding to continue towards that diner. Before she could, however, the half-Annfyn felt as Varyn tugged her back - spinning around to face the fellow Champion in the middle of the street. She didn’t care in the slightest who was watching or what was going on around them - and for just that moment, her attention was fixed solely onto him.

There was an immediate movement of Vahliri’s fluted ears when Varyn leaned in close - his voice reverberating against her sensitive hearing and sending jolts of electricity throughout her entire body. It was entirely involuntary - a point of weakness that the Champion likely didn’t even know he had closed in on. After only a moment, Vahliri took a step backwards and into the open pathway - her smile tugging wide as she pulled Varyn close. “I have for a while now,”

Without another word, the half-Annfyn began to sink into the music - her hips starting to sway and her body moving in rhythm with the beat. She was entirely at home and comfortable as she danced - a finesse that was almost hypnotic that laced into every movement of her body. She maintained her grip on Varyn’s hand, while the other slid backwards and came to rest on the fellow Champion’s shoulderblade - pulling him close as they danced.

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn's gaze was intent on her, and he noticed the way she looked at him. The way her eyes brightened just a bit as he spoke, how her head moved to the music, and she returned his prompt to dance. She was enjoying this, and that warmed his heart. He wanted to bring that to her all the time. He wanted to make her happy.

Her hips moved and her arms came up to wrap around him. He looked down, gaining his proper footing and smiling. His one hand still held hers, and he squeezed her hand tightly between their interlaced fingers. His other hand fell down, sliding down her side to her hip where he let it rest as they moved.

The musicians seemed thoroughly intent on helping the pair to lose themselves in the music, and the tempo quickened for a moment. His steps accelerated with her, moving and letting her spin out away from him before tugging back and pulling her in to him so that her back would be pressed up against him.

His hand came around, once again momentarily resting on her hip, and as he had her held there for the briefest moment, he placed a kiss directly on her cheek before spinning her again so that they were facing one another again.

His heart was racing and it had nothing to do with the physicality of the dance. His eyes looked almost bright and there was a broad smile on his face. He felt... he felt alive.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Song​

For just that moment, there was no masking the almost giddy smile that tugged wide on Vahliri’s lips - stretching from ear-to-ear and to where her fluted ears flicked and twitched in response to the music. All the confidence and assertiveness melted right away - and it was clear that the half-Annfyn was genuinely happy. Happy to spend that moment with Varyn, and to allow herself to sink deeply into the music - allowing everyone and everything else to blur into the background as they danced.

Vahliri maintained her grip on Varyn’s hand, slender fingers interweaving with his own as her body began to move languidly to the rhythm - undulating forward and rolling with slow, hypnotic waves that grinded against the fellow Champion’s body with only the clothes and not an inch of distance between them. Her free hand rose up above her hand, fingers snapping and arm swaying with almost serpentine grace in perfect harmony with her lower half. There was a practiced finesse to the half-Annfyn’s every movement, making it abundantly clear she was in control of her every muscle.

Her eyes never left Varyn for long - even as the song began to pick up in speed and their steps accelerated to match. As he stepped away, Vahliri rose up onto the balls of her feet - using her grip on the fellow Champion’s hand to spin fluidly a full two rotations - her dark, silken hair whipping up to follow her every movement, until she was finally pulled back against Varyn. Her free hand sank low just then, gliding across the back of the fellow Champion’s scalp and coming to rest against his neck. Manicured nails clung a bit deeper, dragging at a downward angle just as Varyn planted that kiss against her cheek - leaving the faintest marks against his skin as her fingers passed.

The smile never faded from the half-Annfyn’s lips, least of all the moment she came back to face Varyn. Without much warning, Vahliri lifted their hands up by her own accord - using the leverage to pull the fellow Champion onto the balls of his feet, switching the roles to spin him a few times beneath her arm. Just as he came back to face her, Vahliri pulled the fellow Champion close against the front of her body - her face lingering only a few inches from his own as they danced across the street. She lowered their conjoined hands behind her head, guiding Varyn’s own hand to rest on the back of her neck before stepping back, spinning once more as a conjoined unit.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn had always fancied himself a duelist above most other skills that a Jedi or Sith learned. He was graceful with a saber, and he found his rhythm most when he was in step with another person. Normally, it was judging their movements against his, but with Vahliri it was a whole different game. They were moving as one. They weren't competing with one another but complimenting each other. Every movement they made was as a single unit. It was a harmony in its own way.

His eyes met hers at every opportunity, and he didn't need to see her movements to know what to do next. He could feel them, and he could feel one of the first real, genuine connections he'd made to another person in years in that moment. If the eyes were a window to the soul, then their souls were connected in that moment.

He twirled adeptly, his movements and footing betraying his athleticism. He felt the way her nails dug into his neck, the almost possessive-quality to the movement, and he had no qualms with it. In fact, he seemed to lean into it in a way, his breath catching as her body pressed up against his.

They moved in synchrony as the song came to a close, and though the musicians were smiling broadly at the pair, Varyn didn't notice. His attention was fixed on the gorgeous woman in front of him. The girlish look in her eyes that wasn't normally there, the way her smile glowed, the way her ears twitched slightly, it all was etched into his memory.

And then he remembered he needed to actually breathe. It had caught in his throat as if even the faintest push of air might blow this away forever, and he couldn't bear the thought of it.

You're amazing, was all he could manage. An underwhelming comment that certainly lacked poetry, but the sincerity couldn't have been more pronounced.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Oblivious to the bystanders and musicians who watched them, Vahliri couldn’t help the way that she smiled at that moment - the simple and pure glee manifesting on her expression as she moved in perfect harmony with Varyn. It was skill and instinct at once, and it was abundantly clear that the half-Annfyn couldn’t be more in her own element.

With every touch and grind of their bodies, the half-Annfyn could feel the way that the fellow Champion seemed to press into her almost possessively, that simple gesture speaking volumes where words were absent. With every languid sway of Vahliri’s body or percussion drop of her hips, the rest of the Galaxy seems to melt away. There was no Sith or Jedi. No Empire or war on the horizon. Every bit of her focus was locked into that dance, that moment, and Vahliri took the time to appreciate the man who stood at the other half of it all - even as they twirled and ground against one another.

Vahliri allowed her amber gaze to linger upon the fellow Champion - as if engraving every detail she didn’t want to forget. The vibrant way that he smiled back at her, and the way that his breath seemed to hitch with her every brush against him. She felt a warmth from him that simply hadn’t been present in any of their previous missions or adventures together, and the connection they had formed all its own.

And for just a while, Vahliri simply stared back at him - not a word passing from her lips, even as the song came to a close and the music began to fade. Her eyes lingered, and her expression only seems to ignite upon hearing that simple compliment - the dimples of her smile on full display as she met Varyn’s azure gaze. Without a word, Vahliri leaned in to plant a brief kiss against the fellow knight’s lips before drawing back. “You were right, you know,” She muttered softly, tilting her face towards him.

“A dance I’ll never forget,”

The words were whispered against his skin, lingering there before the half-Annfyn tugged him back. “And maybe in time to still catch that dinner after all?” She grinned while pulling Varyn along, glancing towards the musicians and bystanders that had stopped to watch.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

She leaned in to capture his lips, and he leaned into it as well, not pulling away from her touch in the slightest. As she said that it was a dance she'd never forget, he smiled warmly.

Told you. Shouldn't have ditched me at the party, he teased lightly. Of no surprise to anyone who knew him, while attempting to talk to Vahl, his intentions had been misconstrued for hitting on someone else. Typical Varyn, really.

They lingered there for a few moments more before she mentioned dinner and he nodded. Yeah, let's do it, he said, once again taking her hand and pulling her along as he dropped some credits in the musicians donations as well. After all, they deserved some credit for facilitating such a wonderful moment.

The sun was on the latter part of its arc and a check of his chrono told Varyn it'd be setting in around an hour. Already the sky was beginning to glow a beautiful orange and yellow as they walked down the streets.

You know, this is the kind of place I could retire, he said. Of course, this was comical given the fact that he was only nineteen, but that didn't stop someone from dreaming.

You ever going to retire or are you one of those "work til you're dead" people? he asked her curiously. She struck him as the type to work forever, and honestly, he couldn't blame anyone for doing that. At least being somewhat active was almost a necessity to stave off boredom. Though, as a Jedi he doubted he'd ever retire. More likely he'd be killed before this war was over. It was a more grim thought than he had intended.

 

[Darth Tempest]

As they walked, Vahliri tugged Varyn just a tough closer to her stride - her slender fingers interlacing and squeezing his own as they distanced from the musicians still playing in the background. In truth, the half-Annfyn could’ve happily danced until she collapsed from exhaustion and had no regrets in the end.. But she was equally eager to see what Varyn had planned. Or to simply see where the night took them, however long it lasted.

For just a few moments, Vahliri watched as the sun began to dip below the horizon - the last rays of daylight shining between the picturesque architecture and cityshape of Raxus. The light shone brilliantly within the half-Annfyn’s amber eyes, turning them into glittering pools of dark honey. She felt the cool air that brushed across her face, whipping her dark hair around ever-so-slightly. “It’s beautiful here,” She said softly in response, glancing over when Varyn spoke, “Certainly one of the better destinations to retire."

The half-Annfyn paused for a few moments at his question. It wasn’t one that the half-Annfyn had considered much in the past, and it wasn’t an answer that was readily available in her mind. After a pause, Vahliri gave the smallest shrug of her shoulders. “Not many Sith get the option,” She said, a grim answer and yet one that was entirely accurate.

“I am a Sith by choice, and the Empire is my home,” She began, continuing to stroll down the sidewalk with her hand coiled with Varyn’s own. “Everything I do - this life.. It’s because I want to be here.” The strength she gained with every victory. The prestige and legacy she built for herself. The pathway to greater things that was laid out right before her, so long as she kept driving herself forward. “So.. I think I’ll do it forever. Or until I have a better reason not to, if it doesn’t kill me first,” There weren’t many Sith who had left the Order in the past and lived to tell the tale, but the half-Annfyn could only assume that their reasons for doing so were valid. There was no telling what her future held, or what choices she would be forced to make.

“Where do you hope it takes you?” She asked him curiously, glancing over as they walked. There were as many motivations amongst the Sith as there were members of the Sith. And for all the time they’d known each other, the half-Annfyn had been entirely unable to understand Varyn’s own.