Ask Serennian Summer

[Kalique Baize]

After pulling out whatever seemed necessary she waited for him to give her a task, leaving him in full control of their dish. "You did what?!" her eyes narrowed as she fake-angrily glared at him for a second before she let out a chuckle."I knew it...but well, seems like your trick worked", she then replied playfully, this familiar warmth she had developed immediately back in her gaze.

"I try my best", she softly answered as he glanced up to meet his gaze. She then examined his assortment and began to wash it, not exactly knowing which dish they'd create but since she also left the seasoning to him, she simply started prepping the vegetables for the next step.

She really liked the idea of the questions, actually not having had actual deep talk for a while and so while she began to peel the carrots, she glanced over her shoulder with a warm smile. "Okay, but be prepared to face tough questions yourself". There were still things she wanted to ask him but never had the chance too and she enjoyed the soft, romantic music in the background that accompanied their cooking which simply made for the perfect venue.

His first question was already a complicated one and she took a few moments to consider her choices, playing the scenario in her head. "Hmm okay. I need to ensure my survival and even though I've got the Force with me, I'd bring my lightsaber. It's perfect for cutting, regardless of the substance, so I could start building a shelter, it sheds light and it helps me to defend myself", she explained, outlining the first item.

"As for second...I can purify water by distilling it with fire, but what would come in handy at some point would be a utility belt...It would cover the rest that might be needed" Her first two items were definitely more of the pragmatic kind, but that wasn't all. The most important point was about to come.

"The third thing is most important: you're no thing, so I'm not sure whether that's allowed, but if I could, I'd like to bring you. Isolation can be problematic and we've learned that we work well as a team, regardless of the circumstances" she paused for a moment, emerald eyes meeting his again.

"I believe we could pull it off perfectly, without tools even. I'm not trying to be cheese, but I do think that's the best solution. Also, I absolutely wouldn't mind being stranded with you - as long as there are no amphibians around". Her lips curled into a warm smile before she slightly tilted her head. "If you could have a superpower. Just one specific power, which one would it be and why?".

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

”Yes, my plan is coming together quite nicely.” He said, steepling his fingers menacingly. In reality, he is a good cook but Kalique had likely grown up with much better professional chefs.

“We are going to just season those really simply and put them on a pan and let them roast in the oven.” He said gesturing toward the vegetables.

She seemed excited about the questions, which he thought she would. “Do your worst, Demici” he replied when she said she had some questions of her own.

He moved to start preparing the fish as she answered. The conversation had the pleasant backdrop of soft music, knives on cutting boards, and the clanking of dishes.

The first two answers are what you expect, especially for someone with a considerable amount of survival training. Her third answer caused his smile to widen. He moved to other side of of counter, brushing past her as he retrieved the bowl he was looking for. “That’s sweet.” He said “Totally cheating…but sweet” he said with a chuckle.

There was something amusing about being asked about superpowers by someone who literally had super powers. “Easy! Teleportation! By far the best power.” He responded confidently, obviously having put thought into it in the past.

The first question had been easy. It was time to kick it up a notch. “What’s your most embarrassing childhood memory?” He asked as he started applying his spice mix to the fish as they talked.

 

[Kalique Baize]

Upon his instruction, she did move on with the potatoes, also removing their skin and grated them appropriately, not having any suggestions with his recipe idea, but she was indeed curious about his seasoning. "I do hope you'll find all herbs and spices you need". As the residence wasn't used that often, it wasn't fully stocked, but she had tried to get whatever they might need.

"Oh I will" she whispered menacingly, obviously to tease him, but she really wasn't expecting him to go easy on her either. "Is it though? Why? You haven't elaborated on rules" she interjected with a smirk, still findings her answer satisfying enough, especially because it was true.

"Teleportation?" she repeated amusedly as he blurted out his answer without much thought. "Here I am, giving you so many options and you want to teleport" she playfully replied, obviously seeing plenty of reasons why this would be a useful skill though.

As he shot another question back, she turned to glance up at him, giving him a 'seriously' look before she let out a sigh. "Guess we don't have anything to hide from another, hmm?". She let out a little chuckle as she rummaged through memories, wondering whether he was keen on gathering leverage.

"Okay I do remember that in early teen years, my parents hosted an important fundraiser and one befriended family had a son and I had a huge crush on him" this story already started interestingly and she already couldn't stiffle a chuckle.

"Obviously, he was there too and I insisted on wearing heels...we had a huge fish pond in the garden and while attempting to elegantly descent a flight of stairs, intending to impress him, I tripped and toppled over. I landed in the pond with a splash, not even the Force saved me". Now she did also notice some early patterns in regards to her and stairs. Looking back though, it was a funny story yet back then it had ruined the day.

"Okay...Next one for you" she was done with the potatoes and turned towards the asparagus. "Where exactly do you see yourself in five years? Where are you, what have you accomplished etc.". It was perhaps something similar to an interview question, but they hadn't discussed prospects of the future that often.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He looked through the cabinets. There wasn't everything he needed, but enough to substitute things here and there to make it so you couldn't tell. He had chosen a simple lemon fish dish with roasted vegetables he had often eaten growing up.

"Give me one good reason why teleportation isn't the best superpower." he said, replying back to a somewhat shocked response.

Jon finished covering the fish in a simple spice blend and marinade and let it sit briefly before going into the over. He moved over next to Kalique, plunking a piece of carrot from the tray and eating it. "Oh," he said, leaning against the counter and looking at her. "Are you hiding things?" he asked, joining the laughter a second later.

Kalique moved through her story, and Jon kept a straight face. It was painful in a very relatable way. "Aww.." he said, chuckling. "That's the worst." he said, empathizing with her but enjoying it all the same. "At least you have gained a good amount of grace since then..." he said, pausing "..though I don't think I have ever seen you in heels...." he said, shrugging.

Her question was hard in a totally different way. "Hrrm.." he said thinking. "That's hard. Things have changed so much in the last few months, its hard to even think about what might happen next week." he said honestly, but he wasn't a quitter. He would answer the question. "Well, I would still want to be in the military," he said. He knew that much. "I would like to think I would have been some difference there by then. Let's see..what else.." he said, considering. "I want a family at some point.." he said with a shrug. "Maybe those are lame answers...I never was great at job interviews," he admitted.

He finally moved back to where he had been working on food. He took the seasoned fish, several slices of lemons, and several other spices and herbs and added them to a pan before sliding it into the oven, setting a timer for twenty minutes. "Let's see, if you could do ANYTHING in the galaxy, except for being an Imperial Knight, what would you do?" he asked, turning back towards Kalique.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

"Teleportation is cool and helpful...I'm not saying it isn't cool, but I feel like there's more...like I'd love super healing abilities that could just cure why wounds or sicknesses...or just think about time manipulation! You could simply fast forward or go back in time..." she trailed off here, realizing that they could debate this for hours and she obviously would come back to that at some point. For now she just chuckled as here was much more to ask and answer.

"Heeey...no snacking" she amusedly remarked as he stole a carrot, dramatically glaring at him and his audacity before she shared her little story. "Thank you...I'm not bad with heels now and I'm sure you'll see that one day" she then replied with a warm smile, however realizing that they hadn't encountered many stairs together yet. "It's the stairs part that you need to worry about with me" she admitted with a chuckle.

She attentively listened to his answers about the future and again, what he explained just genuinely made her smile. "That does sound like you...it's not lame. I think it's sweet". She did finish up the vegetables and added them to the pan so that all of their ingredients were in the oven then. "That seasoning smelt very good" she softly admitted as she took his hand into hers again and lead him over to the saloon.

He already had his next question ready, but this one she found indeed very difficult to answer. Her ambitions had always been very clear and she had never done such a thought experiment before. "Honestly, I don't know...I can't imagine my life away from the Empire, so if not with the Knights, I might have stayed in the military..." she did reply after a moment of consideration, leading him back to one of the couches.

Letting herself down on it, knees pulled towards her torso and her body sideways, she did meet his gaze again, another smirk tugging at her lips. "I'm sorry...now that's a boring, overly zealous answer. I guess you would have expected more creativity. I'll keep thinking about it!" she promised, however wondering whether she'd find anything that would drive her like this.

"I've got a more lighthearted one for you, I'm super curious". She playfully tilted her head, a smirk immediately tugging at her lips again. "When did you realize you liked me?" they had been through a lot and had vibed from the beginning, yet somehow she had felt that there was somehow more to it rather quickly.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He pulled his hand back, "Hey now..." he said, rubbing his hand in exaggeration as he was chastised for taking food. "That's not very assistant-like of you." he teased.

"Got it, stairs." Adding a mental note for later if needed.

"Thanks, pretty simple stuff. Sometimes its best not to overcomplicate things. It was something I grew up eating." he said as she commented on the smell. With the food in the oven, they moved back into the sitting room while they waited. He listened as they walked. Her answer seemed exactly what he would have expected her to say. In a lot of ways, they were the same in this regard. Both were very duty-driven, but he had often wondered what drive a person to leave this behind to pursue a military career. He knew why he did it, but maybe he would have made other choices if the opportunity had been there.

They sat on the couch, Jon relaxing back. "No, I get that; I feel the same way. Its who you are..." he said with a nod. She moved on to her more lighthearted question.

"Huh.." he said, buying him a second to think. "That last night on Endor." he said. Jon was pretty terrible at this discussion, but he pressed on. "I was sitting in the medbay while you recovered. It was everything from that mission, though. The kindness and happiness you showed the Ewoks the first night, Your quick thinking and determination in getting us out of that cage. You're unwillingness to give up..." he said, trailing off. "The whole thing just felt...possible with you there," he said, feeling self-conscious. "Its a feeling I have had ever since.." he said, trailing off, tone quieter as he met her eyes.

The moment grew quiet.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Another thing Kalique simply enjoyed was how he understood her. There were not many people who just got her and frankly speaking, she usually didn't let people get close easily, but somehow, it had always been different with him. She had trusted him from the beginning and he made her feel safe. When he was around, she simply felt good, not just understood, but he simply made her feel like she belonged apart from her duties.

"Yes, exactly" she softly added as he mentioned it was simply her and she knew he was just the same in many regards. She had noticed his strong sense of duty from the beginning, which was probably while they had vibed right away. They shared goals and aspirations, yet these were just two aspects of what they really shared.

His answer came rather quickly and it immediately made her smile. Yes, even on Endor she had admittedly started to like him. Duty had been in their way, but she had grown only fond of him right away and had been more than happy when she had run into him on Raxus. She realized how he began to struggle with his words and immediately scooted closer, placing her head on his chest again and her emerald gaze glancing up, meeting his.

His answer was sweet and she was immediately flooded with that familiar warmth he so often triggered. It was something she hadn't felt in ages and even if she hadn't actively looked for it or whatever, it had just happened. She held his gaze, so many emotions coming up as butterflies stirred in her stomach.

She climbed up and softly pressed her lips against his, her right hand gently moving towards the side of his face, a thumb brushing against his cheek. The moment was extraordinary tender with the setting sun shedding a warm, dark orange, although slightly golden light into the room.

She pulled back after another moment, her face still close as she met his gaze again. "That was a sweet answer...I know what you mean though. You haven't left my mind ever since either. You were so determined, yet genuinely kind and even in the most dire situation you didn't fail to make me feel safe...". He had saved her life on Enthralla without hesitation, never failed to make her laugh and just all in all, being with him just felt wonderful.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

She moved closer, and he let out a relaxed breath as she lay against him. The sun cast brilliant colors across the sky as it started to set. It was a striking sight. It gave the moment a dream-like feel.

They kissed, and he felt her soft touch on his face. It was perfect. As she looked back at him, fading sunset danced in her eyes. They appeared to blaze with a brilliant green light.

Jon pulled her close, kissing the top of her head, and held her in the sun's waning light. He was silent; no words could make this moment more perfect, so he said nothing. He just breathed in her presence as they watched the sun fade together, its late shifting to a deeper and deeper orange glow, the sky fading to purple as the first stars began to show through.

Perfect.

More and more stars appeared the light faded over the next minutes. When he spoke, his voice was low, barely over a whisper; it was if he feared anything louder would shatter this fragile, precious moment. "When was the first time you went into space?" he asked as he continued to hold her. It was an innocent question, but this was an innocent moment.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

It wasn't cold, yet as they simply laid there, cuddling, he kept filling her with that pleasant inner warmth of utter comfort. His lips melted against her forehead and she closed her eyes for a while, breathing slowly and in full relaxation as she laid on his chest.

As she reopened them, they watched the sun set and turning the sky from dark orange to deep purple within no time as a beautiful swirl of those vibrant shades colored it. It seemed like time wasn't passing at all, so as if time fully stood still in this perfect moment. There was nothing else she wanted as to stay like this.

As the first stars flecked the imminent night sky Jonathen broke the silence again, asking her to share another early memory that she absolutely didn't mind sharing with him. "Hm...I believe I was around three when my parents took me on my first vacation...jumping into hyperspace for the first time surely is a core memory. Those swirling colors that suddenly zoom past are surely a sight to behold that still doesn't fail to mesmerize".

She slightly tilted her head up, her voice calm and soft. "What is your favorite childhood memory?". She assumed the timer would go off soon, but the moment seemed perfect to share a happy memory.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

He smiled as she shared. He remembered the first time he had left his home world. He had been much older, in his early teenage years. There was something that grabbed him during that trip. He knew he couldn't continue the family farm, not at least before he had seen more of the Galaxy. Years later, that wanderlust eventually prompted him to become a soldier.

Jon thought for a moment. He had a good childhood, though, at the time, he didn't think much of it. "In the late summers, after dark, my dad would take me out into pastures behind our house. The field would light up in small flashes of lights as the fireflies came out. I would chase them around, trying to catch one in a jar so I could watch it. I would sit on his tractor, fixated on this little bug that could create so much light, " he said, fondly remembering those nights. "I'd listen as he told me stories for a while, and then we would open the jar and let them go before going back home," he said, finishing his story.

A moment later, the timer would go off. He buried his face in her hair, holding on to this for just a moment longer.

The smell of food did cause his stomach to rumble slightly, making him laugh. He stood, making his way back to the kitchen before the food was overcooked.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique enjoyed being held by him as he began sharing his beautiful story. She could image well how wonderful it must have looked like and how a much younger version of himself chasing fireflies in the pastures.

"That sounds absolutely lovely" she softly replied, the way he recalled those memories making her even happier. "Do your parents still live on the farm?" she couldn't help but to wonder, her eyes glistening in curiosity.

The air was already filled with a perfect blend of lemon freshness and a fine mixture of spices that resulted in a tasty mixture. By now, she was feeling hungry, too and just a moment later the alarm did go off. "Oh...sounds like dinner time".

She chuckled as he pulled her closer another time before he laughed and let go, and while he took out the pan from the oven, she prepared the plates and cutlery. "How about dining on the porch?" she suggested, knowing how the lanters and lights outside made for a beautiful ambience.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Oh yeah, I don't think you could ever convince them to leave." he said with a chuckle."It's great. Just a tad smaller than here, though." he joked. "We could visit sometime." he offered. "I think you would like it..." he said before they returned to the kitchen.

He pulled the pans out of the oven and set them aside while the plates were gathered. He plated, adding some extra touches and topping it off with just a bit more lemon juice. "That sounds great." he said.

Over the next few moments, they set a table outside on the porch, and he carried the plates out. Jon pulled a chair out for her and then sat across from her.

"So, tell me about your family." he said as he took a bite. It was good; it was a very fresh-tasting dish that completed the pleasant summer night well. Jon was glad that the heat of the day had faded significantly.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

While she had no idea how the farm actually looked like, she had an image in her mind. It was beautiful - she had always loved the countryside and as she never needed the luxury, it seemed so much more peaceful. "I'd really love to" she replied softly, the sheer thought of it already exciting her.

She'd not only love to meet his parents but love to see where he had grown up and it was kind of him to offer. They hadn't spoken about their families too often, but she knew he was closer with his folks than she was with hers. Back in the kitchen, the food was put onto the plates and Kalique prepared the lights.

The string lights that draped from above she simply switched on via voice controls before she set the lanterns on fire by pyrokinesis as it was simply easier. He offered her the chair and she took her seat with a grateful smile, realizing that she even loved those little gestures and so both of them were seated with warm lights all around, the purple, starry night sky ahead and the reflections of the lights reflection in the pool making for a perfectly romantic ambience.

She enjoyed every last bit of it. The food smelt great and as he took his first bit, she tried it too. "That's...perfect. Right on point. I do believe you now", she said to him with a cheeky smirk as if she hadn't believed him in terms of his cooking skills earlier while she had actually never doubted him.

He then turned the conversation towards her own parents and while she didn't mind sharing any of it with him at all, she did still let out a little sigh. "My family is...special. My parents were never happy with me leaving for the army as they had wished for me to stay, yet they had always failed to realize that the Empire wasn't just there. They needed hard working people who kept not only Serenno, but the whole sphere of influence safe and tried everything to let them prosper". Some of this she had already shared, but he deserved more.

"They are alright. Surely, you'd notice how they've always stayed in these noble circles, but whenever I visit the mood is somehow tense. In the end, they just want me to be happy, but you can still notice how every single time they hope I'd stay. They're worried. I'm their only child and family means a lot to them...I never meant to hurt them, but I always followed my own path" she smiled at him before she took another bite, the refreshing, pleasantly spiced flavor filling her mouth again.

"I'd love to introduce you at some point. You know, they've figured out that I wasn't staying here alone and this had genuinely made them smile". Kalique had never officially introduced someone as she hadn't been in something serious for a long time and not even then had she even thought this far. "I'm pretty sure they'd love you. I haven't...introduce someone like this ever before. To me, it would feel right though", she softly admitted. They actually had every right to meet someone this special and they had noticed the way she had become nervous when she edged around whether or not someone was coming to visit her.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

His face lit up with the compliment. There was some nervousness about looking like an idiot in front of her. "Oh good, I've tricked you..." he joked with a relieved look, hand over his heart. "Though after years of ration packs, I am sure your taste buds are as shot as mine. Anything that doesn't come in a pouch tastes amazing." he continued. In reality, he had a strong desire to please her and was relieved she at least made further into the meal than they had in their last.

He listened to her speak about her family. Hers was complicated. It saddened him to know how she had to straddle two different lives, neither fitting with the other. "How do you think they feel now that this world is an Imperial world?" he asked curiously. They were now well outside of Imperial space. "I can imagine they just want what is best for you, even if there is some disagreement as to what that actually is.." he said.

"You really think bringing a grunt like me home someone like me would go over well?" he said with a chuckle. "I would guess they are looking for someone with more...class than me," he said with a grin.

"Do you ever see yourself returning here after your time in the military?" he asked curiously. "What do you think comes next for Lady Demici?" he rephrased the question. She had asked him about his life plans, but he was also curious about hers.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique couldn't help but to chuckle as he kept the joke going. However, she did also realize how he purposely played it down and that's when she started shaking her head. "Nope. That's not it. The fridge and spice drawer were just sparsely equipped, yet you managed to create something delicious and well flavored by balancing those spices perfectly", she gave him another smile, hoping he'd simply accept the genuine compliment.

"I honestly don't know...yes, you are right for sure, but they have a weird way of showing it. I can't blame them for thinking I'm endangering my life, because yes, obviously staying here would be different, but after all those years I'd like to think that they could at least fully accept my choice instead of constantly being so tense...". She had actually accepted that family meeting would always be a little different than others, yet she could live with it. Still, she also assumed that meeting Jonathen would potentially change something after all...she was convinced they'd be much warmer then in order to not deter him immediately.

"Nuh uh" she immediately interjected, shaking her head again. "They once thought they could marry me off to some random rich son of another ruling, noble family, but that was when they were still assuming I'd stay. Now, I believe all they'd want would be to see me happy. They could, however, try to use you to get me off the front lines" she admitted with a chuckle, capable of believing they would actually try to manipulate him to aid their course. Not that Kalique thought Jonathen would carve to whatever they'd try, but maybe it was good to warn him about how manipulate they could be if they assumed it would take them anyway.

He returned the question she had asked earlier and for a moment she pondered on his words. "I don't see myself leaving my duties...Yes, I do want ro start a family too, but it doesn't have to be here on Serenno. Nothing keeps me here. Home is not a place for me, but rather a feeling" and funnily enough, he was capable of giving her this feeling by just being there. "So I'd say it's quite similar to what you've outlined". A warm smile returned to her lips as she picked up a piece of asparagus. "Okay...tell me something you've never told anyone before". She glanced up at him with a smirk tugging at her lips. She had shared a lot of personal stuff and she was also still eager to learn more.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

"Well...I'm glad you like it." he said with a grin, clearly glad she had approved.

Jon listened to her talk about her family. In a lot of ways, her family was much like a lot of other families. No one liked knowing their kid was off fighting in battles, possibly dying. Most parents wanted the best for their child, and he couldn't help but think if he were in their position, he would like staying here would be a much better life. Though he understood where Kalique came from. Forging your own way, devoting yourself to your beliefs and sense of duty. That meant something as well.

"They could try, but..." he said, leaning forward slightly. "If I convinced you to leave the front lines, I wouldn't have anyone to come save my ass." he said with a wink. He wouldn't try and change her, even if he thought that was in the least bit possible. She was stubborn, perhaps even more stubborn than him. It was one of the qualities he deeply admired about her.

"That was beautifully put." he said, nodding before taking another bite. A soldier never really put much stock in places; it was the family, the other soldiers, that meant something. It was something who never had been in the situations they had could probably quite understand, but Jon understood.

Jon opened his mouth, about to make a quick joke, but he stopped himself. She had been truly vulnerable with him. She deserved the same; he wanted to be the same to her. He thought momentarily, trying to piece together something he had locked away.

"I froze during my first battle," he said, eyes somewhat distant. "Completely," he said, the shame obvious in his voice. "When it came time to leave cover, I just...didn't. I couldn't move, couldn't think...I was just afraid.." he said, trailing off memories flooding his brain.

There was a sense of pride among soldiers, or at least with Jon, that nothing would stop you from the mission, especially fear. He hadn't thought about that battle for years until on Entralla. The Demon pulled those memories and used them. He felt the same crippling fear that day. It shamed him how close he had been to let himself become paralyzed again; the thought of what might have happened to Kalique only made it was. "I felt the same thing on Entralla. It wasn't just being afraid; it was more than that. I'm a coward." he finally admitted.

There was nothing more personal in his life, nothing he wanted to hide from everyone more.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Again, Jon proved that he was just getting her. She could even see it in the way he listened and she found it remarkable how he still gently managed to lighten the mood. "Hmm...fair point. Also, who'd try weird food places with you right after?". She quipped back, smirking, however knowing there was much more to it than this. He understood her.

He shared the same vulnerability she had shared with him and even if she had always found it difficult, it was somehow easy with him. The themes were far from pleasant, yet she did enjoy the conversation. Even back than when he had allowed her in into his mind, he had entrusted her with facing his greatest fears and perhaps this was the reason why she didn't have any issues with trusting him either.

He didn't hesitate to answer her question, but as he began speaking, she sympathetically frowned, softly placing a hand on his arm. Again, she noticed how he struggled with his words and how painful those memories still were. "Thank you for sharing that...I know it's still painful, but it's human, you know? That doesn't mean anything. It was your first battle, nothing prepares you for that". Nothing prepared you for your first kill, your first time facing death, the first mental intrusion by a dark sider...it was natural to be afraid.

"You are no coward, Jon. You faced those fears...you disobeyed my order and stormed into the house to save me from that thing. Thats honestly the bravest thing I've ever seen. You had no idea what it was, you couldn't even sense it, yet you've slayed the beast because you knew it had me". Was he truly believing he was a coward? She clearly didn't think so. She gently stroked his arm, also feeling how plenty of emotions boiled up in her. It felt like it was the most difficult thing to share, yet he had chosen to tell her about it. It was just more proof for how this was just different than anything before.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

Flashes of memories of emotions ran over him, causing his skin to prickle slightly. Her soft touch grounded him, bringing him back to the moment.

He nodded as she talked; he appreciated her words, even if he didn't feel them himself. He had been a coward. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have been able to push forward. He would have frozen again on Entralla. Someone would have died because of him. The thought haunted him. Had he overcome his fear? Or had he just found something he was more afraid of - something happening to her? "I don't know about all of that, but we found a way through...We always have." he said with a small smile, gripping the hand on her shoulder and squeezing softly.

As the moment passed, he picked at the last little bit of food on his plate. It did feel good to share with her, and let something go. "Today has been great." he finally said "I can't imagine a more perfect place to be, a more perfect person to be with.." he said, looking back up at her. "Thank you for suggesting this." he said. He truly meant that. He hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time. HE could just be himself with her. He didn't know if she could ever understand how much it meant to him.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

With the intense emotions swirling through both of them, she once again realized that opening up wasn't difficult with him at all. His pain, regret and sorrow hurt her as well as she didn't want him to feel this way, yet somehow this complete vulnerability didn't feel this bad per se.

It was helpful to get such things off ones chest and she was grateful that he fully entrusted her with this, yet her view on it was still different. She understood where it came from as they were similar in this regard. They wanted to fight for what they believed in and protect the ones that loved, yet fear was a powerful emotion and she knew how hard it was to overcome it or the self-criticism that followed.

"We do. We always will", she added softly, his touch so soothing that a faint smile tugged at her lips again.. They finished off their dinner soon after and she met his gaze again, the mood lightening as she replied, "It truly was wonderful. I'm looking forward to the days ahead". She felt just the same and it felt so good to be with him, to be no Knight, but just herself.

"You know, you still haven't even seen the bed room and I guess you're still exhausted from the day. Why don't we go upstairs, put on a holomovie or some music and talk?" she suggested, gently stroking his hand. It was still very pleasant outside but she had no issues with calling it a rather early night today.

@Raydo

 

[Jonathen Baize]

We always will.

There was comfort in those words, even if they knew in their line of work, there was never a guarantee. He chose to let himself believe it for now.

Taking the last bite, he put his fork down, hunger finally satisfied. He was looking forward to the rest of their time together. "Since you are the expert, what do we have to do or see around here before I leave?" he asked, standing to clear the table.

"If that is where my very distractable tour guide thinks we should go next, who am I to disagree?" he said with a smirk. He actually did think it sounded like a fantastic idea.

"Here, let me take that for you." he said, reaching for her plate. "How about I clean up the kitchen really quick, and you can pick out a movie and get that ready?" he suggested. If she agreed, he would set to work washing the handful of dishes and putting them away before moving to clean the counters off, music still playing softly in the background.

@LadyRen