Ask Side Hustles

[Altair Din]

Altair’s head was pounding and he felt a surge of emotions as he made his way through the club. This brought up all kinds of memories of girls pretending to be interested in him only to pose pictures of themselves by his horns and brag about meeting a demon to post on social media. He was treated like some sort of zoo animal. Some even made excuses just to see if ‘looked the same down there’. While he didn’t put up with bullshit as much anymore, it still stung. He opted instead to remove himself from the situation and forget it.

He was shaken from his thoughts when he felt someone grasp his wrist. His brows furrowed and he whirled around expecting a fight of some sort, but he spotted Vahliri. His face relaxed, eyes betraying surprise as he saw her balancing the drinks while keeping a firm grip on him. Altair heard her fiery words, growing all too familiar with that tone. His eyes widened even more when she declared she had meant the words. He blinked a few times, looking down at the drink before taking it.

For a moment, he said nothing. A few seconds passed before he finally looked up at her, his face burning hot, “You…you really think I’m that hot?” He asked quietly, the beginnings of a shy smile forming on his face. Now that she wasn’t all fired up, she was being confronted with exactly what she said.

Altair looked back down at the drink and threw it back in one go. He set the glass down on a nearby table before tugging on Vahiliri’s wrist, “Come on, let’s get outta here.”

The Devaronian knew she had never been to this side of the city before. For all the ways it was poor, the people here knew how to party. Altair led Vahliri out of the club and out through the crowds in the streets. The Devaronian was seemingly in a much better mood, his eyes vibrant and a smile on his face as he led the half Sephi through the districts.

There was a festival going on up ahead, a personalized one that was different from the official one in the upper districts. Altair drew closer to where there was a band performing on stage. It was an Axxilan band playing a song mixed with Basic, the crowds dancing and cheering as they gathered in front.

Altair walked right past it initially, moving towards an alley. He glanced back at her, “Just trust me, okay?” He reassured her before glancing up. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close before crouching and springing up into the air with the Force. Altair grasped onto a ledge and jumped up again, landing on the building roof. He grabbed her by the hand again to lead her to the opposite edge of the roof.

The height brought them to where they had the best view of the band, and the panoramic view of the festival itself. Altair gave her a smug grin before sitting down on the roof with his legs dangling over the edge, inviting her to sit next to him.

“Best seat in the house,” He gazed out ahead of himself as he watched the performance, “For the most beautiful girl on Indupar,” Altair said with a cheesy grin as he looked at her while the song resounded all around them.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

The moment that Altair confronted Vahliri with her own words, she couldn’t help the flush that immediately seemed to spread across her face – shades of red overtaking her naturally bronze complexion. There was that characteristic movement of her ears as she she smiled up at him, staring into those vibrant violet eyes. “I do,” She said simply.

Her smile grew a bit wider when Altair suggested leaving the club, giving him a nod. Just as he had, the half-Sephi threw back her drink in a single go rather than hauling it around - though she couldn’t help but grimace slightly as the burn of alcohol went down her throat.

Just as Altair gussed, despite growing up within the confined of the Induparan capital, Vahliri hadn’t stepped foot within the poorer districts of Dahonis City. It was exactly the kind of neighborhoods that her family tried to avoid and warned her to stay away from, and it all contributed to her own curiosity as she walked with Altair through the busy street.

Her honeyed gaze wandered across the festival that was taking close within this part of the city. There were no merchant stalls or foreign street performers to put on some extravagant display, but it was lively none-the-less – filled with the same dancing and music that Vahliri had grown to love about her home planet.

At one point or another, Vahliri glanced back to Altair – unable to miss the way his eyes lit up and a smile brushed against his features. The half-Sephi quietly smiled at the sight, holding his hand firmly as they wove through the districts and crowds of people. She hadn’t the slightest clue where they were going, but that didn’t really matter to her at the moment.

She couldn’t help but eye him suspiciously when the Devaronian cut into an alley, squinting ever-so-slightly – though his words of reassurance were enough to get a nod of consent from the half-Sephi. Even still, Vahliri couldn’t help but let out a squeak when Altair wrapped an arm around her waist and leapt into the air. Instinctively, her arms wrapped around his mid-section tightly – practically squeezing the life out of him in the process.

The moment Vahliri’s feet were on solid ground once again, she immediately narrowed her eyes on Altair and his smug grin. Nevertheless, her harsh looks immediately faded when she glanced up just ahead – looking towards the breathtaking view of the city all around them. "Woah.."

After a moment of staring, Vahliri took a step forward and plopped down on the edge – letting her feet dangle in the air. Even with the sun having set over the city, the air was still warm enough that the half-Sephi was entirely comfortable without a coat. She purposefully positioned herself right next to Altair on the ledge – pressing her shoulder against his while gazing out towards the band.

She heard first few words, though it wasn’t until he threw in that compliment that Vahliri whipped around to look at him – going completely wide eyed. Within moments, that redness returned to Vahliri’s cheeks – and the half-Sephi couldn’t help the way her ears swiveled more than ever. She glanced downwards, a smile spreading across her face that seemed to stretch from fluted ear to fluted ear. A few more seconds, and the girl reached up idly with one hand – once again indulging in that little habit of twirling a strand of her loose hair.

“You really mean that?” She said after a few moments, glancing up at him with that wide smile.

Vahliri stared at him for a few seconds more before turning back to the view – kicking her feet idly. She purposefully scooted herself a bit closer to the Devaronian, leaning her shoulder against his own. It wasn’t long before the half-Sephi began to hum along to the Axxilan music with her own melodic voice – roughly following along despite not really speaking the language.

She paused after a few moments. “I grew up in this city, you know..” She said softly, looking back out over the crowds that packed together for the festival. Her honeyed gaze traveled across pairs dancing to the song that was being played, and others laughing together. “I grew up seeing its glittering plazas and wide, open air gardens. The lantern-lined canals filled with gondolas. But never this.” She said simply, jutting her chin out towards the view of the poorer districts.

She smiled almost shyly when she glanced back at him. "Come on." Vahliri abruptly pushed herself to her feet, reaching down to grab his hand as she stood up. "The night is still young, and I haven't gotten all my dancing in for the evening." If he got up as she wished, the half-Sephi would pull him close - wrapping her arms around him to slowly begin to sway her body to a slower dance. There was no flashing club lights, but the lights of the city all around them were enough to dimly illuminate the rooftop where they moved.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair gazed at her as she asked if he meant it, and he only smiled in return, “Every word, Vahliri,” He said quietly. He was painfully aware of her shoulder pressed against his, and the heat that surged through his entire body. However, he was entirely transfixed by the way the lights illuminated her face, the wind brushing against her wavy locks. He followed her gaze to look at the festivals and crowds.

“I grew up on a farm,” He said, shaking his head, “All of this is….so much,” Altair said as he took it all in, “But the stars are way prettier where I’m from,” He said with a grin, glancing up at the skies. While the moon was vibrant, there was a layer of smog that rose to obscure a lot of the stars. Nevertheless, it was still a beautiful sight. He looked at her again when she motioned for him to get up. Dancing on top of a roof was admittedly something he had never done before.

Altair allowed her to lead him into the dance, but he fell into rhythm shortly. The song by the band was almost over, but he picked up the beat right away. Unlike most men, he didn’t stiffly stand there when she began to dance with her arms around him. His own hand found her waist, tugging her close as his hips swayed to the song. He kept his gaze on hers, a fondness appearing in the violets as he looked into her eyes.

The band changed to another song that was a mix of Induparan and Axxilan, changing up the instruments a bit. Altair didn’t miss a beat, swaying with lazy and gentle grace. He grasped Vahliri by the hand and nudged her out so she faced across from him with their hands extended horizontally. Altair raised their hands and gave her the cue to spin under his arm and tug close to him again.

He twirled her again and brought her back, this time a bit quicker than intended. He wasn’t an expert by any means, and his tug caused her to collide with her back against his chest, her foot stomping on his. Altair gazed over her shoulder and began to chuckle to himself, embarrassed but also highly entertained. He wrapped both arms around her from behind, gently swaying side to side like that.

“Aren’t you afraid of me?” Altair asked quietly, genuinely curious and baffled. He never stopped moving, and there was clear desire in the way he held her tightly to himself, but always loose to where she could spin out however she pleased. Through the entire dance, his heart was thundering against his chest.

@Altaris

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help but smile when Altair mentioned his own upbringing. He didn’t go into great detail, but she listened intently all the same - tilting her head up to stare at the sky when he mentioned the stars back home. “They are better out in the countryside,” She said softly, pointing up towards the skies above them.

There weren’t many stars visible above the smog, but the half-Sephi pointed them out all the same. “Away from the city lights, surrounded by the waterfalls.. Nothing better.” There was a fond look on the half-Sephi’s face for a long moment, lingering until she motioned for him to dance.

Dancing on a rooftop, in the middle of the night, above a festival, wasn’t something Vahliri had done before. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop the half-Sephi from pulling the Devaronian close without even an ounce of hesitation - slowly starting to move their bodies to the Induparan and Axxilan music. She kept her honeyed gaze fixated onto Altair the entire time, staring into those vibrant violet eyes at the end of every spin and with every conjoined sway of their bodies.

Whenever indicated, the half-Sephi raised up onto the balls of her feet and spin beneath his arm - her wavey locks of black hair splashing against her shoulders with the rapid rotation. She kept her body close whenever he tugged her back in - grasping one of his hands while the other rested against his back.

In that moment, she couldn’t help the way her heart pounded against the confines of her chest. Close as they were, Altair would be able to smell the floral perfume she always wore and clearly see the redness that lingered on her cheeks.

When Vahliri came in too quickly and misstepped, she couldn’t help but tense a bit, immediately glancing down to the Devaronian’s toe that she’d just stomped on. There was an apologetic look etched into her features as she looked back up at him, though it faded the moment she heard his chuckles at the entire situation.

Vahliri couldn’t help but arch a brow at the question that was asked, staring up at him in silence for a few seconds as their bodies swayed. It was clear that reaction - that inherent fear - was something that Altair expected by default from everyone he met. And yet the half-Sephi didn’t feel any of that in the slightest.

“Why would I be?” She asked after a long moment, glancing up at him with a faint smile. Her arms came up to loop around his shoulders, taking a moment to hum along to the song before she continued speaking. “I don’t see you are some demon or devil.” She said simply, making clear reference to what she had said about him already. It was clear that Altair kept her loose enough to pull away if she opted to do so, but the half-Sephi made no moves in that direction. “I was being honest about what I said in that club. You're sweet, you make me laugh and smile, and I’ve had more fun dancing with you, on a rooftop, in a district I’ve never been to - than I have in years.”

“How could I be afraid of you?”

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair gazed at her after she turned to face him again, though purposely staying within his grasp. His hands lowered to her hips, noting the faint smile on her face as her arms looped around his shoulders. The Devaronian kept swaying from side to side, hearing her out. She was clearly bold and fiery in every regard, self assured in a way most women he came across were not. Altair tilted his head slightly as he kept his gaze on hers. One of his hands traced up along her back, his heart still thundering as his face heated up.

“Afraid because of how I’m making you feel right now,” He said very quietly. Vahliri could say whatever she wanted, but she was wholly unaware of how often her ears betrayed her. How the subtle flicks and twitches revealed her thoughts more than her words ever could. Altair had been reading them in silence the entire time.

Altair didn’t know what this was. She had been a random girl that barged into his dance routine and then it was some fun club outing. And now he found himself here, his entire body ablaze. The Devaronian drew his hand back from her back, raising it to brush back some of her hair that draped over shoulders. He gazed over the smooth, bronze skin, but he also noticed the goosebumps beginning to line there.

He stared at the sight for a moment before another one of his mother's naggy lessons clicked into his head from his memories. The Devaronian stepped back from her then, taking his jacket off and putting it on her. The air had gotten much cooler than when they first arrived here. Altair was left in his t shirt, revealing more of his muscled frame. He awkwardly ran a hand through his hair, glancing down as his face continued to feel hot.

“It’s really late..” He said quietly, “I don’t wanna get you in trouble,” Altair said. It really was quite late for any teen to stay out, “Can I take you hom-” He cleared his throat, “I mean.. You probably need to call a driver or..something..” He rambled off, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Who was he kidding? Walking her home with the way he looked? He would be attacked on the street.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri was silent for a few moments after speaking, allowing herself to focus on their slow dance. Her eyes remained on Altair the entire time they danced – her head tilted upwards ever-so-slightly to gaze into those vibrant, amethyst-colored eyes, while her arms hung loosely around his shoulders and knitted together behind him – keeping their bodies close as they swayed. She felt the Devaronian’s hand trace up her back, sending jolts of electricity that fanned out across her body - causing her heart to thunder against her chest and her skin to feel as if it had been set ablaze.

For all the ways that Vahliri was fiery and self confident, the half-Sephi was completely taken aback by the Devaronian’s simple response to her question. There was no question that she was expression by her very nature, often without her even knowing it. While it had been on full display for Altair the entire time, it was something that Vahliri didn’t notice she was even doing - an entirely involuntary reaction that betrayed exactly how she felt in any given situation.

She didn’t understand it fully, and yet the half-Sephi couldn’t deny how she was feeling in that moment. Hours ago, the Devaronian had just been another street performer amidst the holiday festivitie. And now here she was - dancing on a rooftop with his arms around her hips. She couldn’t deny how her heart pounded in her chest when he drew close or placed his arms around her, or how she wanted their dance to last far, far longer than it would.

“I..” She started, redness covering every inch of her bronze complexion. Being openly confronted with whatever she was feeling wasn’t something Vahliri expected, but the half-Sephi wasn’t going to shy away from it now. “Am not afraid of what I feel.” She tugged his body closer to her own, swaying their bodies in perfect sync from side to just - just as the song started to come to an end. “And I am not afraid of those who make me feel it.”

Vahliri couldn’t help but smile slightly when Altair brushed that strand of hair from her shoulder, though the feeling of the cool air causing a shiver to run across the half-Sephi’s skin. As if on que, she watched as the Devaronian removed his own jacket and placed it over her torso.

The half-Sephi criss crossed her arms over her chest, grasping onto either side of the jacket to pull it warmly over her exposed shoulders. "Thank you." She couldn’t help but take a moment to admire more of his muscular physique, honeyed eyes lingering for a few seconds before flicking back upwards when he spoke.

“I don’t have anyone waiting on me,” She shook her head, offering him a bit of a smile. While she had arranged for a place to stay while attending the festival, the half-Sephi had pointedly avoided making contact with her own family. For any reason. “I am only in the city for a few days before I head back to the academy.” She didn’t, for the moment, specify which academy that was.

She smiled. “I would love you to walk me home,” Vahliri completely brushed off the possibility of calling a driver or a Spuber to pick her up, reaching out to hook an arm around Altair’s elbow just as she had when they entered the club. “It’s a bit of a walk, though..” She said, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “So I hope you don’t mind taking the scenic route.” It wasn’t hard to decipher that Vahliri was entirely pleased with the prospect of spending more time with the Devaronian, even if it was walking back to where she was staying.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair didn’t miss how she mentioned an academy. Truthfully, he didn’t want to ask. He thought of all the potential complications if it was the Jedi academy. However, based on her little tricks in making people eat shit with the Force, he doubted she was one of those boy scout Jedi. The Devaronian smiled at her, “It’ll be an honor,” He said purposely dramatically as she took his arm. He felt his face heat up, but it was obvious he was in a great mood.

Within no time, they were back down to the street levels of the building. The music was still going and the air was cooler. However, he remained unbothered for now, Vahliri still on his arm as they walked. Every now and then he stole glances at her, watching the way the wind brushed against her hair or the city lights illuminated her tattoo. Altair was still in disbelief that he had a girl like this on his arm, a mild sense of anxiety bubbling deep within his chest. However, he remained cool externally, taking her along the path she indicated.

“You know..” He began quietly, “You seem different than most people from the upper districts. I wasn’t sure you were gonna show to Karma at all honestly,” He smiled sheepishly, “You’re…well it’s like you’re from a different galaxy than me,” Altair said awkwardly, running his free hand through his voluminous hair.

“But you’re actually really cool,” He added after a moment, “And you definitely made up for barging into my stage,” He gave a soft chuckle.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri smiled as Altair spoke dramatically, the warmth bleeding right into her expression. "Such a gentleman." There was an immediate flush of redness that brushed against Vahliri’s cheeks, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the cold. She hooked her arm around his elbow and walked arm-in-arm with the Devaronian, her other hand coming to rest gingerly against his bicep.

With Altair’s jacket around her shoulders and clinging to his arm, Vahliri was entirely unbothered by the chilly temperatures – her face still bright and cheery as they walked through the festival taking place within one of the poorer districts, cutting along a path that led them towards the wealthier parts of Dahonis City. She couldn’t help but look over towards him every now-and-again, honeyed eyes lingering on the piercing that ran up the cartilage of his ears, his horns and those violet eyes that were all the more vibrant against the light of street lanterns.

It was all more alluring than Vahliri could adequately put into words, but it was commensurately reflected in the movements of her fluted ears and the fond expression that etched itself onto her face

She glanced towards him properly when the Devaronian started to speak, unable to help giggling softly at his words. “Yeah?” The half-Sephi nudged him playfully, arching a brow. “Not the stuck up, ditzy, ‘my shoes cost more than your life’ types your used to?” Vahliri allowed herself to giggle again before shaking her head a bit.

“Yeah.. I never really fit in with the crowd up there. Unlike them, I don’t have a constant stick up my ass.” There was a clear air of amusement to her words, though there was a grain of truth amongst it. Her own mixed parentage had ensured that Vahliri was largely an outcast amongst her kin and peers, ostracized if not overshadowed entirely. As and the girl’s resentment and rebellious streak developed, so too did the rift between her and her family.

She smiled, giving his arm a bit of a squeeze. “I happen to think you’re pretty great too.” The words were accompanied by a little ear movement, almost shyly glancing over at him before looking straight again once more.

As promised, Vahliri’s set path wasn’t a quick one – taking them down multiple turns multiple lanes of the city in order to reach wherever the girl was staying. Within minutes, the pair had left the poorer districts and made their way into a wealthier part of the city – made evident by the stunning views all around them.

They walked right along the side of a wide river canal that flowed right through the middle of Dahonis City – lanterns of colored glass running the length of the shore and illuminating the paved pathway that Altair and Vahliri walked along. Domed buildings and private residences were built close to the water, with night-blooming flowers that hung from wide open balconies – filling the air sweetly.

Vahliri glanced to her left and past Altair, honeyed gaze drifting across the water. Even during the night, there were a multitude of gondola’s that lazily drifted up and down the canal – filled with couples enjoying the private time together and tourists taking in the nighttime views of the city.

And the pair got more than a few glances from passers by and couples that lingered on the edge of the waterside. Rather than turning her face or attempting to dissociate, however, Vahliri kept her eyes straight ahead when she wasn’t looking at Altair – her head held high as to not so much as dignify the looks with any kind of response.

After a few moments, the half-Sephi finally broke her silence. “Tell me about yourself,” She said, glancing over towards him with a smile. “Where you’re from, what you like do to..” Vahliri once again playfully nudged him. “Where you learned to magically move strawberries off a girl’s plate.”

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was more than a little surprised to hear Vahliri’s sentiments about the upper echelons. Despite it, he couldn’t help but wonder if she truly knew what it was like on the other side. He stayed in a grimy hostel that smelled funky with one bathroom to share among ten people. Then again, if she entertained coming out to Karma, that was a big step in itself. Most of the elites wouldn’t even set foot in this district.

He was taken out of his thoughts when she complimented him, giving his arm a squeeze. Altair’s gaze widened, heat rushing to his face. His free hand came up to run through his hair, which he forgot was styled, “I..uh…thanks,” He said with a smile, almost tripping over a step since he was staring at her.

For a moment, Altair was vacantly looking at all his surroundings. He was taken aback by the breathtaking canals, the gondolas lazily coasting along the crystal clear water and all the lanterns and waterfront houses. They were all things he could never imagine himself in or ever afford. He couldn’t help but look at the gondolas and think about how much even such a simple thing could cost. Altair pushed those thoughts aside for now, not wanting his insecurities to rise to surface.

“I’m from Bandomeer,” He said, glancing at her, “A…Sith planet, I know,” Altair looked for her reaction, “I grew up on a farm. I got three older bros and a little sis. Uhhh I like to perform and play music,” He explained, thinking of his hobbies, “I uhhh like going to the gym I guess. I follow the Emryc Thorne fitness routine,” He said with a hint of pride. It was a tough routine to keep up with, and he was pleased with himself for keeping up so far. Maybe it would impress her, “Well I knew the strawberry trick for a while,” He smiled at her, “I grew up practicing Matukai back in my village, and we use the Force differently than the Jedi or Sith. I moved to the Sith academy not long after the planet came under Sith rule,” He shrugged, not ashamed to speak about what he was. If she wanted to hightail it, she could do so any chance.

“What do you like to do?” Altair asked quietly, genuinely curious, “And….why isn’t your family waiting for you?” He asked much quieter after a while. If his family knew he was back on Bandomeer, there would be so much fanfare and cheer about it including his extended relatives, he would want to turn into a puddle from embarrassment.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri gazed up at Altair when he spoke, watching as the Devaronian ran his fingers through his hair in response to her compliment. It was a subtle little reaction that she had witnessed from his on multiple occassions at this point, and the half-Sephi really couldn't help the way she smiled a bit wider in response. Her honeyed eyed snapped down towards the smooth stones beneath them when the Devaronian almost tripped over that step, a bit of amusement and mischief dancing in her eyes as she exhaled through her nostrils.

For several seconds, the half-Sephi simply walked alongside him - taking in a breath of the fragrant air, listening to the gentle sounds of water lapping against the canals. She didn't miss the way the Devaronian's eyes lingered on the gondolas, and Vahliri soon found herself doing the same - except the half-Sephi wasn't looking at those currently on the water - but rather the cluster of boats that were tied to the shore just up ahead. There was a very thoughtful expression on the half-Sephi's face for a few moments, and it was almost as if one could see the cogwheels turning behind her eyes.

She glanced back to Altair when he started to speak, giving the Devaronian her full attention. From the glint in her eyes to the way she turned to watch him the entire time he spoke, it wasn't dificult to decern that Vahliri was genuinely curious and interested in what he had to say. Despite what he might've been expecting, there was no negative reaction from Vahliri when he mentioned his origins on a Sith planet - not so much as a flinch or recoil manifesting outwardly. Quite the opposite, there was a very subtle twitch of her lips upwards - the beginnings of a smirk, as if the girl was pleased by that bit of information.

She continued to listen along as he went into detail about his family history and the hobbies that he enjoyed. The half-Sephi paused for a moment when he mentioned his choice of fitness plan. "Really?" She said with a hint of surprise, the expression on her face betraying that she was genuinely impressed. "I hear it isn't easy to follow." The half-Sephi said with a nod. Truthfully, she had seen her own older brothers try - alongside billions of other fans of the ISC President - to stick to the man's rigid and grueling workout plan, only to fall off by week four after hardly being able to drag their asses out of bed. Vahliri glanced down at the Devaronian's muscular physique, allowing her gaze to linger for a few moments longer than necessary.

"Well, it sure is paying off." She gave his bicep a nudge, smirking up at him before turning back to the path ahead.

As they continued to walk, Vahliri gave Altair's arm a subtle tug - pulling them off the main roadway and towards a stone bench that was poised just a few feet away - tucked beneath the balcony of one of the waterfront buildings. There was some more of those blossoming, hanging plants that cascaded from above them - reaching down just a few feet above their heads and out of reach. Without a word, the half-Sephi plopped herself down and tugged Altair to sit down with her. There wasn't an explaination given for why she was stopping.

"Matukai?" She asked inquisitively, looking up at him for a moment. "It’s like.. Martial arts, right? Using the Force to enhance your own bodies?” The half-Sephi had briefly heard about the practice at one point or another at the Academy library, though any of the details were largely lost on her. Nevertheless, there was a genuine flair of curiosity that tinged her words. The half-Sephi blinked a few times when he mentioned joining the Sith Academy, though there was otherwise no visceral reaction to the relevation. Once again, Vahliri smiled softly but otherwise said nothing yet.

“Me?” Vahliri blinked a few times when the topic turned to herself, taking a moment to actually think about her hobbies. “I.. Uhhh. I love to dance, as you saw first dance when I invaded your stage,” She said with a grin, snickering softly before continuing. “I like to sing but I’m not much of a performer.” It was a talent the girl had developed largely on her own, and it wasn’t something she openly flaunted in front of crowds. “I like to study..” She said quietly, reaching up to tug at one of those loose strands of black hair. A life-time of being kept out of the spotlight meant that Vahliri had plenty of time to seclude herself into the depths of her family library, developing into a bit of a bookworm in the process.

“OH!” She said a bit loudly, grasping his forearm as she turned to face him. “I love to cook. And I know what your thinking, ‘don’t you have servants to do all that’,” She said, tinging her voice to give off the best Altair impression possible. “And the answer is… Yes. But I still like to do it! And I’m damn good, too.” The half-Sephi said exceptionally confidently.

The topic turned to the half-Sephi’s family, and Vahliri couldn’t help but tug on her hair awkwardly “I didn’t actually tell them that I was back on the planet.” She sighed a bit. “I have six siblings – two brothers, three sisters. I’m the third oldest out of the bunch. But, I’m the only one with these,” She pointed to her fluted ears, flicking ever-so-slightly as if to illustrate her point. “I love 'em and all, didn’t really do me any favors when it came to fitting in with the rest of ‘em or other the other rich kids.” She shrugged her shoulders a bit. “My mom and I have been fighting since.. Well as long as I can remember, really. Eventually she decided she wanted to ship me off-planet to study aboard, just so I didn’t cause any more trouble here.”

She glanced back towards the waterfront. “I’m sure some of my siblings were enjoying the festivals going on in the wealthy districts watching the parades from the galleries.”

Vahliri glanced around cautiously, ensuring that there was no one around watching the pair. Only once the half-Sephi was confident they wouldn't be noticed did she extend her hand, the faintest tendrils of the Force extending outward from her fingertips. One of the palm-sized, white flowers was yanked free from the vines that dangled above - pulling towards her hand to be grasped by the bit of stem between two fingers. She buried her nose between the petals, twirling the bloom between her fingers for a few moments. "I knew since I was pretty young, but kept it to myself and my dad. Didn’t need to anything else to make me different from my siblings, y’know?” She gave a small shrug.

“It wasn’t until I joined the Sith Academy that I actually started to train and utilize it.” The half-Sephi said all of this nonchalantly, though she wasn’t blind to the weight of the revelation she had just dropped. She glanced up at Altair, giving him a knowing smirk as she watched for his reaction to the news. “It was.. My escape, really. My chance to be something more, and succeed on my own.”

With that, Vahliri finally rose up from the bench where she had led Altair, giving the Devaronian a tug of the arm to follow. “You knowww,” The half-Sephi started to walk slowly. “My hotel is pretty far going by foot. It’ll take us a while to get there walking. But, if we take a gondola, we can use the waterways to get there faster while talking some more.” There wasn’t much actual truth to that statement. The riverboats didn’t move much faster than anyone could walk, and it all equaled out to about the same amount of time spent in transit. But never mind that detail of actual facts.

“Soo,” Without much warning, Vahliri stopped dead in her tracks again and grabbed Altair’s arm, crouching down behind a large, blooming planter that was positioned against a corner and the rest of the road – effectively hiding the pair from anyone watching them from the road. Of course, the tips of Altair’s horns sticking up around the plant where the only real flaw in the attempted camouflage. “Let’s take one.” She said without an ounce of shame, skipping right over the option of actually paying to rent a boat and going right to blatant thievery.

The half-Sephi stuck her arms dramatically through the plant, parting the branched in order for the pair to be able to look through the shrubbery. “You see those boats over there?” She pointed a finger towards the unoccupied boats tied to the shore. There was a single vendor sat behind a stall in front of the boats, looking over the boats that weren’t on the water at the time. “There are always more boats than there are gondoliers, so they keep the unused ones tied to shore and looked after.”

There was a clear glint of mischief in the half-Sephi’s eyes when she glanced over to Altair, gauging his reaction to the entire batshit idea before proceeding right along. “Security ain’t that tight, is what I’m saying. If we can distract that guy and get him to move,” Vahliri once again pointed to the plump vendor – the guy practically looking half-asleep as he sat behind his wooden counter. “We can sneak onto one of the boats, unhook it from shore, and take it wherever we want. Once we’re on the water we’ll blend right in.”

Vahliri offered him a smirk, arching a brow. “Or we can keep walking, if you aren’t up for it.”

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair internally patted himself on the back as she remarked the Thorne regimen was working. He blushed, though it wasn’t exactly visible, when she nudged his bicep. He allowed Vahliri to lead the way, tugging him along wherever she pleased.

“Yeah,” He said with a tone of surprise. Normally people hadn’t even heard of Matukai, “We channel the Force through our bodies so our bodies are our weapons. I use these quite a bit,” He pointed up at his horns, “We also don’t lightsabers. I use a collapsible polearm.”

The Devaronian didn’t miss how she was surprised he flipped the question on her. However, when she mentioned cooking, his eyebrows shot up, “Damn.. well..” He said sheepishly, “I can heat up a mean cup of Maren Noodles,” He said proudly, giving her a toothy grin. He wasn’t entirely surprised by the other things she listed off. As a wealthy girl, no doubt she had private education and access to tons of books. He wasn’t very studious, but he did have plans to attend university if he could afford it.

Altair’s face scrunched up, “Why would you be alienated by your family just because of the ears? Doesn’t your mom or dad have them too? Doesn’t the freakin’ President of the ISC have them?” He shook his head, “No offense, but that’s the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard and that’s coming from someone whose entire family gets asked if they’re the farm animals or the farm owners,” He pointed to his horns to illustrate his point. The way he smiled at that revealed he clearly harbored no ill feelings towards the sentiment and found it funny at this point.

“And I promise you we had a better view than any of your siblings tonight,” He said proudly with a smile.

He almost ate shit when she abruptly stopped since he almost kept walking. He planted one foot ahead, his reflex thankfully sparing him. Altair looked up inquisitively as Vahliri dragged him over, making them crouch down behind a plant that his horns clearly protruded out from. He listened to her lay out the whole plan and turned to stare at her.

“You are…so full of surprise,” He said as he blinked a few times. Altair cleared his throat and cracked his knuckles before casually standing up, “I don’t need to distract anyone. I can just be myself. Watch.”

With that, he strolled right up to the vendor. The man was looking down at his dataphone and almost dozing off. Altair walked up to him and brought his hands up to wiggle his clawed fingers while growling at the man and looking threatening with his sharp teeth and horns with menacing violet eyes.

The vendor gave an unnaturally high pitched squeal, dropped his dataphone and promptly ran away from the scene. Altair looked over where Vahliri was hiding, giving her a sad smile and a shrug. He turned and walked towards the boat, untying it and holding it place till Vahliri stepped in.

“Is this a bad time to mention I’ve never navigated a boat before?” He muttered as he tried to get in without tipping the entire thing over. He grabbed the paddle and looked at her, “So I guess you’re supposed to sit there like a lazy shit and I'll taxi your ass over, huh?” He chuckled as he stood where the gondoliers usually did.

The moment he took a step, he managed to step into some part of the boat that disbalanced them. Altair yelped as the entire thing flipped over, sending them both not only underwater, but trapping them under the hull of the boat.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

There was a very distinct way that Vahliri lit up when Altair confirmed her guess about Matukai, clearly picking up on his tone of surprise. The half-Sephi was far more studious than she ever let on with most people, and there was an undeniable bit of pride that surged through her when her studies had paid off - even if she wasn’t some expert on the philosophy or their practices.

The detail about not using a lightsaber earned a raised brow from the half-Sephi. “Do you plan on always using a polearm instead of a lightsaber?” Her tone wasn’t accusatory or critical so much as it was genuinely curious.

Vahliri flashed him a wide smile when the Devaronian mentioned his own cooking abilities. “Can’t go wrong with Maren Noodles.” She nodded, giving his arm a little squeeze. “It definitely has its perks, though. You wouldn’t believe what you can get your roommates to do even you offer them home cooked food.” There was a large grain of truth to the half-Sephi’s amused tone. On more than one occasion, food has been used as a bargaining chip to get out of doing many of the daily, manual tasks that were demanded of Acolytes.

She didn’t miss the way the Devaronian’s face scrunched up when the topic turned to her family, and Vahliri couldn’t help but blink a few times in response to his words on the way they had often alienated her due to her mixed heritage. It was something that the half-Sephi had grown entirely accustomed to after a lifetime of experience, and yet there was something about the way Altair spoke that brought a faint smile to her lips. “I guess it is pretty stupid.” She glanced over towards him, tugging on his bicep a bit closer.

Vahliri glanced up at him when he mentioned the view, smiling back and giving a confident nod in return. “Best view on Indupar, and the most handsome guy to boot.” She couldn’t help the way her cheeks turned a bit red when she thought back to the first time he had mentioned the view, and the compliment towards her that followed.

Vahliri flashed Altair a wide grin when he mentioned she was full of surprises, looking entirely smug and satisfied with her abrupt plan. “Yeah? I got plenty more up my sleeve.” Of course, the half-Sephi was entirely unaware of Altair’s horns protruding from around the planter or the fact that her own foot was sticking out a bit past the large stone container - giving passers by a full view of a mysterious high heel randomly sticking out from nowhere. Which wasn’t suspicious as all.

She watched as Altair proclaimed not needing to provide a distraction, honeyed eyes following the Devaronian as he confidently strode towards the vendor and proceeded to scare the ever-living shit out of the dude. Something about that reaction sent a distinct spike of irritation through the half-Sephi.

As she rose up from behind the planter, Vahliri shook her head. “People are assholes..” She muttered under her breath. Even if Altair’s strategy had been entirely effective, there was something about his sad smile and shrug left the half-Sephi irritated with the vendor more than anything else. As she passed, she placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze before proceeding towards the boat.

Vahliri gingerly stepped down into the Gondola, rolling her eyes a bit at his last minute confession session. “Probably would’ve been a good tidbit before I sat my ass down.” She said this, knowing full well she had not a single ounce more experience navigating one of these boats and probably would’ve tipped it over within minutes. Was she going to vocalize that fact, though? Absolutely not.

“Pretty much,” She said in response to his question about her doing absolutely nothing at all, flashing him a smug grin. As the half-Sephi settled into her seat, she turned in order to look at Altair rather than facing away - taking a moment to note his muscular physique and the way the city lights reflected against his violet eyes. She gestured up towards him. “But hey, look at this viewwwwaAAAHHH!” The half-Sephi cried out as the boat suddenly flipped underneath her, throwing the half-Sephi and Devaronian into the frigid water below.

There was a brief moment of panic when Vahliri’s head dipped below the surface of the water - her body tensing up as she was submerged in the frigid temperatures. She flailed for a few moments before reaching out to grasp Altair’s hand and yanked him upwards - finding the seating area of the boat which contained a small pocket of air. “Fuck..” She muttered once her head was above the water.

She quickly looked around, realizing that attempting to physically flip the boat back around would be impossible. It took the half-Sephi a few moments of consideration before an idea finally struck her. “Hang on to me,” She said, reaching out to snake her arm around the Devaronian.

With that, Vahliri extended her other hand towards the boat - the Force gathering and coiling around the hull. After a few moments of concentration, the half-Sephi violently rotated her wrist clockwise - using her grasp with the Force to spin the boat back upright on the surface of the canal. With the two acolytes huddled together inside the pocket of the seating area, the flipping motion of the boat was enough to scoop them up in the process - pulling them upright and back into the boat.

As soon as the boat steadied itself, Vahliri turned her body to face Altair. They were both soaking wet, the half-Sephi’s hair plastered down in front of her face and goosebumps starting to line her skin. Vahliri blinked a few times, staring right at the Devaronian. After a moment, Vahliri reached forward - proceeding to gingerly pull away a wet leaf that had gotten stuck in the Devaronian’s horns in the process of flipping back upright.

Slowly but surely, her lips began to twitch upwards and pull into a smile - flashing a row of white teeth in the process. Despite her attempts to restrain it, Vahliri couldn’t help the way she started to snicker and giggle under her breath, sounds which rapidly began devolve into outright laughter at the entire situation - betraying no sense of anger or frustration at anything that had just happened.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair splashed around in the water, completely startled by the abrupt flip. On top of that, the water was cold and miserable. He flailed around wildly for a moment before getting his bearings. He took a big gasp of air when he came up above the surface, and he didn’t hesitate to move closer to Vahliri when she gestured. His long hair draped over his face and he couldn’t see, which only exacerbated the crisis he was in.

The Devaronian gripped her almost desperately as the entire boat flipped over, and he landed like a sack of potatoes once it was upright. For a moment he was plopped across the boat, coughing and sputtering from the water he swallowed. He shuffled to sit up, spotting Vahliri across from him. To say that he was mortified was an understatement. He scooped his hair out of his face, looking extremely flustered. Altair felt ridiculous, his hair looking like a wet mop.

“Vahliri, I’m.. so sorry..” He said in the middle of his teeth chattering from the cold. While he could do hot weather and fire well, icy cold got right to his bones. He was beyond embarrassed at completely messing up what was supposed to be a cute boat trip down the canal.

Altair paused for a moment when she reached over to pluck the leaves from his horns. In turn, Altair grabbed some stringy plants from her hair to chuck it aside. He blinked a few times, “I completely fucked up, Vahliri, I-” He noticed she was beginning to smile. Altair opened his mouth to continue apologizing, but she began to giggle at that point. He couldn’t help the way his own lips began to curve towards a smile.

“Damn it, I’m trying to be mopey right now and you’re-” He gave up then, bursting into laughter right alongside her. They both looked ridiculous, completely drenched and hair in disarray. Altair could only focus on the sound of her laugh and the way the lantern lights and moonlight shined against her skin.

Altair finally calmed down from the laughing and adjusted his hair again, the grin still remaining on his face. For a moment he looked a little shy, “So….I hope this didn’t ruin my chances of getting your number,” He smiled sheepishly at that.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Despite the unexpected and poor situation they found themselves in, Vahliri couldn’t help the way her face lit up and contorted with laughter within seconds of the boat flipping back upright and herself and Altair landing in the very small, cramped passenger seats - built for couples to be snuggled together side by side, facing out towards the canals.

While her hair has been meticulously brushed and blown into place to cascade down her shoulders, those black locks now resembled one of those creepy-ass girls who crawls out of a well in those Horror movie Holo’s - plastered down to Vahliri’s face and comically covering her eyes. It took her using both hands to push her locks back in order to actually get a look at the Devaronian.

He looked ridiculous, she looked ridiculous, and it was enough to get the girl to nearly double over from the entire situation - even as goosebumps lined her skin and her teeth clattered together between giggles and snickering. Of course, Altair’s attempts to apologize and self proclaimed mopeyness only made the half-Sephi’s laughter more intense.

It took the half-Sephi a solid minute to regain her composure and calm down from her fit of laughter. Her hand came up cover her mouth as she took on a few deep breaths to finally relax, shaking her head a bit.

Vahliri glanced up at Altair, just as she went to ring the water out of her hair. Of all the things she was expecting him to say at that moment, him mentioning getting her number wasn’t one of them. Nevertheless, his almost sheepish words brought a faint redness to her cheeks and a smile to her lips.

Without a word, Vahliri reached into her dress pocket - silently taking a moment to appreciate the deep pockets and zipper that kept things safely tucked away. After a moment she pulled out her data pad and punched in her passcode, bringing up her contact list before handing it over to Altair - her number easily visible for him to copy down.

“Just so long as you plan to use that number sometime soon,” She smirked, giving him a wink.

After a few moments, Vahliri glanced back over her shoulder - keen ears picking up on a bit of commotion back on shore. While Altair’s little stunt was enough to scare off the ticket vendor for a few minutes, it didn’t take the man long to realize that he wasn’t being chased and Altair didn’t, in fact, want to eat him limb from limb - and so he gradually started to make his way back to the stall.

Moreover, the sight of a gondola flipping over and that same Devaronian sitting inside of it meant that the vendor very quickly put two and two together.

Vahliri could see the vendor flailing his arms and pointing in their direction, and her sensitive hearing easily detecting the string of creative profanities that there lobbed their way. She was even impressed when the man started to spice it up by switching languages mid-rant. Basic, Induparan.. Was that even some Huttese slurs she heard in there? It was downright poetic, really - and somewhat amusing convincing that they were well into the water by now.

Much of her amusement died the moment the vendor turned on a heel and started to very grumpily March towards one of the waterside buildings. Her honeyed eyes followed, eventually settling on a sigh written in Induparan script that read: DAHONIS CITY POLICE in large characters.

“Ope,” Vahliri blurted out, rapidly turning back ahead. “Annnndddd it’s time to goo.” The half-Sephi rapidly glanced around, realizing that the oar to their boat has fallen in the water during their barrel roll. Thinking for a few moments, the half-Sephi reached out and coiled the Force around the boat, giving it a light push forward - sending it gliding across the water slowly. With Altair’s help alternating pushes, the faint Force usage would render the a gondolier completely obsolete.

And once they turned out a few bends in the canal, they would blend right in with the rest of the boats - essentially invisible to police.

Right..?

Once they started moving, Vahliri turned to face Altair - flashing the Devaronian a sly smirk. “Not what you expected from a snooty rich girl?” The half-Sephi snickered, fully aware that Altair was undoubtedly caught off guard by her willingness to go criminal in less than a minute of consideration.

As they sailed down the canal, the faint-yet-gradually-getting-louder-gaining on their asses sound of police boats could be heard somewhere in the background. Nothing to worry about, of course.

@Sreeya