Ask Sinkholes And Zombies

[Edin Frost]

Edin despised the whirlwind of emotions he felt, all of it unfamiliar to him. He had been cool and detached for as long as he could remember. He remembered the cost of his attachments and how it allowed warlords to constantly take advantage of him and have him do their dirty work. He didn’t become such a proficient killer by accident - it had been a devastating curse to mold him into one of the deadliest assassins in the galaxy. He coasted through life on his own terms. He took whatever he wanted from the galaxy and never worried about giving anything back. It had all been so simple. All before he ever used a tiefling to level his shot to pop a bounty. All until he gazed into those golden eyes that forever etched themselves into his mind and heart. All until he felt as if he were the target of a scoped shot instead of him doing the shooting.

The Firrerreo watched the way her tail drooped and there was a visible shift in his posture. His gaze lingered on her, his expression softening as they stood in silence for a long moment. There was nothing but the guttural groans of the undead in the sinkhole. Edin watched in silence as she switched off the bike, his hands drawing away from the bike handles as he watched her demeanor change. Just as she hadn’t seen him withdraw and turn to ice, he hadn’t seen her be anything but her fiery self. Seeing the tail droop and the way her gaze didn’t meet his shattered through whatever walls he put up.

He said nothing when she finally spoke, his gaze still lingering on her. As her eyes turned from his once more, he reached up to gently cup her chin and tilt her face to look at him again. Edin said nothing for a moment, forcing her to look at him, drinking in the sight of her eyes and allowing her to see his own gaze in turn. There was hurt reflected in them both.

“I never want to leave unless you want me to,” Edin said finally after a long moment, “I’m messing up because I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to stay my hand, how to keep my cool like I always do, how to be in control, how to just stop myself from acting when I see you in danger,” He spoke with while still cupping her face, “I don’t know how to be rational when I’m so stupidly in love with you, Amira.”

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

There was no telling what the Firrerreo would do next. He was as stubborn as a falumpaset, as headstrong as one of those goats he despised, and as unpredictable as the weather on Dromund Kaas. He was a drifter, an assassin with no ties and no responsibilities beyond his next paycheck. Men like him—they didn't want to be tied down, particularly after the childhood he had been forced to endure on Tatooine, at the mercy and the whims of slavers. Monsters, who didn't care whether he lived or died. As safe and secure as the Tiefling might have felt every time he held her in his arms, as valued as she might have felt every time he pulled her close and whispered in her ear, there was always that nagging voice in the back of her head. The one that reminded her that he would never allow himself to grow too attached to her, that she'd never mean as much to him as he did to her, that she was nothing more than Master Roth's used up leftovers.

But then the sharpshooter always did the most unexpected thing. This time, he cupped her face in his hand, calloused fingers brushing against her chin, and forced her to look at him again. She could see her own pain reflected in those brilliant blue eyes of his, along with something else that she couldn't quite place yet. All she knew was that whatever it was, it gave her hope, and she would cling to that hope for as long as she could, golden eyes never straying.

The gesture brought her thoughts back to Dantooine, to the impromptu dance they had shared in her living room, when he curled his finger under her chin and murmured against her lips, I'll stay as long as you want.' He'd said it then, in the midst of domestic bliss and contentment, swaying to the rhythm of one of his mother's favorite songs, and he said it now. On an abandoned planet, beset with undead zombies and unchecked natural predators, right after their first real fight. All the available evidence suggested that he meant every word, that his consistency didn't depend on the setting or the situation they found themselves in. He wasn't going anywhere, a permanent fixture in her life—hopefully forever. His past, her past, the baggage they would carry with them into the future—it all felt so insignificant in the moment.

"You haven't messed anything up," she said, her expression slack and her pupils large as they stared at each other. The Champion leaned forward, into his embrace, and wrapped her arms around his neck. One hand stroked the back of his head, slender fingers fiddling with his hair as they often did.
This was like a scene out of one of those sappy holodramas Amira indulged in from time to time, where the love interest would take the leading lady in his arms and whisper words that took her breath away. Words so powerful and so moving as to make her forget about the rest of the world and everyone in it, to the point that she was willing to follow him to the ends of the galaxy, no matter the cost. But this wasn't a holodrama, and it was happening to her, not some actress. This was real, and she knew it was, by the familiar warmth that flooded her body in waves, by the nerve endings that stirred and tingled with every little touch—somehow more overpowering that ever before.

Edin had elicited desire in her before, so strong that it clouded her judgement and left her aching to touch him, but this time it was different. All because of three little words. Three little words that she wasn't sure she would ever hear. "You love me?" she repeated in a small, breathless voice. The Firrerreo would practically be able to feel her racing pulse, her heart hammering against her chest. "You're sure?"

Amira stared at him, golden eyes searching his for any sign, any sliver of indecision or doubt, but she found none. He meant it—just as he always did. The Firrerreo had never been anything less than honest with her, from that first day on Takodana, when he'd told her he was the Basilisk, until now. He'd always been telling her the truth, whether she realized it or not.

This time, the Tiefling was going to ignore that nagging voice in the back of her head. The seeds of doubt planted long ago by her master and her own crushing failures. Edin was the only thing she was going to focus on, allowing his words and the euphoria of every look and touch to ground her in this moment. Nothing mattered but this moment, but the happiness she had never known until now. "You haven't messed anything up," she repeated, leaning against his chest plate, their faces inches away from each other now. The radiant glow of her features couldn't be mistaken for anything less than wholehearted adoration. Her left hand reached upward, to wrap around his, still cupping her cheek.

"Your hands are right where they belong. On me. They're steady, and they're gentle, and I wouldn't change anything about them because..." She laughed, unshed tears welling up in her eyes. "I love you, too, Edin. I love everything about you. I don't ever want you to leave. I want you to stay right here—to be my protector, my lover, and my companion."

The Tiefling erased the distance between them, pressing her lips to Edin's with all of the intensity and craving of a first kiss. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin couldn’t help but give her one of his famous fanged grins when she asked if he was sure, “Why, should I rethink this?” He quipped back right away. It was a heavy topic, but he knew where he stood. He had always known. Saying it out loud was cathartic and liberating for him and he knew it was a shot he wanted to take regardless of where it landed. Seeing the emotions well up in Amira’s face confirmed that he wasn’t alone in this. The Firrerreo welcomed it when she closed the distance between them. As she spoke, it was as if he had been a corpse that had a defibrillator zap it back to life. He hadn’t even known that emotions could course through him like this - like electricity zapping through every neural pathway and jolting him to life.

He leaned into the kiss as she closed the last bit of distance, savoring it as if he had never kissed her before. In some ways, this was the first time. There were no coy smiles, no dancing around the topic, this was when they had laid their souls bare. Of course, it had to be right next to a sinkhole filled with dying infected. The stench of death was lingering strong enough for his sensitive senses to pick up, but he focused only on Amira and breathing her in instead.

His hands wrapped around her, one of them gently brushing against her silky strands as he tugged her close. Passion laced into the way he kissed her, his hands shamelessly traveling along her body. She would know she was desired and that she was his with the way he gripped her. After a moment, he finally drew back to gaze into her eyes.

Without a word, he moved off the bike and kicked down the lock to steady it. Edin’s hands grasped Amira by her slender hips and lifted her up to prop her on the bike, allowing her legs to wrap around his hips as he stood facing her. The Firrerreo stared at her for a moment before shrugging vaguely.

“...Can’t be worse than a barn,” He said simply before tilting his head to grin at her.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

"Absolutely not," Amira laughed as soon as their lips parted, unable to bite back the silly, lovestruck grin that stretched across her lips and made her face glow. She still hadn't come down from the high of hearing Edin say, 'I love you'—her knees week and her stomach fluttering as if a hundred butterflies had been trapped inside—and she hoped that it would be a long, long time before she did. She didn't want the excitement to fade, to fall into domestic drudgery, and hoped that the distance and the months apart that were unavoidable in their line of work would keep that spark alive and thriving. Even if it was torture every time they parted ways, each time she was forced to say goodbye—as long as it meant he would always come back to her, it was worth it.
The Tiefling's amber eyes wandered Edin's face, memorizing every line and every detail all over again. "I have a thousand reasons why you shouldn't change your mind... and I want to show you each and every one of them." There was a part of her that didn't believe those words, and that probably never would, but the way Edin's hands wandered the length of her, the way his aquamarine eyes gazed at her made her feel as if she were the most desired woman in the entire galaxy. More valuable to him than all of the universe's precious gemstones, beskar, and alcohol thrown together. No man had ever made her feel this way. This valued. This needed. This important. This loved. Scars, temper, and all.

Deft, possessive hands reached for the restrictive armor he wore, fumbling with its plating and fabric while her head dipped forward. "Looks like I'll get to ride more than just your bike today," she whispered into his ear, teeth dragging against its pointed rim as tangles of silver hair brushed against his face, giving him a whiff of the Tiefling's jasmine scent. Dark lips traveled down his neck after that, slow and methodical as they sampled his golden skin.

Then, abruptly, she drew back, practically pouting as she stared at his chest plate. Amira had plenty of experience in this department, but never with his armor. It didn't just slip off like his normal clothing did. "I can't get this thing off," she frowned impatiently, anchoring her hand to his belt so he couldn't go very far. She glanced up, her smile gradually returning the longer she stared at him. "Mind helping?" @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin couldn’t help but chuckle as she fumbled against the armor. He tilted his head and grinned at her, “What, only experienced with stormtrooper armors?” The Firrerreo reached down and unclasped pieces of the plating covering him, letting it fall one by one with a thud. However, his desires and urges got the best of him and he didn’t want to be parted with her for any given time. He leaned in to capture her lips once more as he undid his armor.

It wasn’t long before he got to work on her own attire, still keeping her propped against the bike. It was just as emotionally charged as it was physical, and he completely forgot about the infected or their fight earlier. The most important thing was Amira and the sense of liberation he felt from having told her how he felt. He fought against it for so long, and he thought he could run away from it on different instances while they were apart. And yet he found himself back in her arms each time and he knew there was nowhere else he wanted to be. He loved her and there were no ifs or buts about it - for better or worse he belonged to her.

—​

At some point later they found themselves on the ground. Edin gazed up at the night sky, spotting mostly a haze with a star twinkling here and there. He was almost used to the infected stench just barely lingering, but he mostly focused on the jasmine scent of Amira. He had his arm around her, holding her body close and ignoring the discomfort of the ground against his back.

This was certainly a twist from where he expected the night to go from where they started, but a part of him wasn’t entirely surprised. Edin exhaled softly, sweat lining his bare skin from their activities and the hot and humid climate. The Firrerreo’s hair was disheveled and his skin shimmered between gold and silver in contentment, a low purr rumbling deep in his throat.

Edin turned to gaze at her, reaching over to brush aside a few strands of her silvery hair, “I hope this doesn’t mean you expect me to be more likely to stand around doing nothing when I think you’re in danger,” He said with a raised brow, a smile gracing his lips.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

The Tiefling watched Edin carefully, golden eyes intent on every movement he made, unclamping each piece of armor and tugging them free, committing the procedure to memory. Even when he started to kiss her again, his desire palpable, her hands followed the course his took, along the rest of his armor until every last piece of it had been discarded, scattered across the dirt and the sand. Exactly where it belonged. Then her hands wandered to his bare back, stroking the scars that told a story. Stories she would want to hear, when she wasn't otherwise preoccupied.

"Next time I'll undress you myself," she promised, words spoken barely above a whisper as she pulled him close, amber eyes ablaze.

__​

Darkness had fallen over Utapau, and the two lovers stared up at the night sky—a warm, hazy blanket all their own. The air was warm, the night quiet and still, apart from their own labored breathing and the occasional groan of the undead. The zombies, only feet away from them, had completely slipped Amira's mind until this moment. So had the mission, for that matter, but she didn't mind. Both would keep until morning, when the sun had risen and they could plot their next course without distraction. Tonight, all she wanted to do was fall asleep in Edin's arms. It had been weeks since she had, and it wasn't every night the man of your dreams confessed his love for you. The experience they had just shared together had been utterly ethereal, one of a kind—as if it were the first time she'd ever been touched by a man. Loved by man. In many ways, it was.

Eventually, she would need to rummage through her backpack for the sleeping bag and the food she had brought along with her, but for now, she just took a deep, savoring breath and watched the Firrerreo's skin shimmer in the moonlight, changing colors. It was difficult to tear her eyes away from his body, toned and on full display for her and her alone, so she didn't even try, ogling him shamelessly. These moments were already too far and few between for her liking. Edin was like a drug—addictive and intoxicating but without the adverse side effects—and Amira couldn't get enough of him. His voice. His smell. His touch. His striking, boyish features. She almost wished she could take her dataphone out and snap a picture of him right then and there, to never forget what he looked like at this exact moment, but she knew that he would probably protest.

So instead, she just scooted closer to him and slipped her leg in between his, intertwining their bodies. "Of course not," she chuckled softly in reply, fingernails sketching a pattern across his chest. She wanted Edin to come to her rescue, just as much as she wanted to come to his. The Tiefling craned her neck against his shoulder, staring up at him and smiling at the sight of his messy hair, matted to his scalp with sweat. He'd never looked more handsome than at that moment. "I never got to thank you for earlier... that was quite the shot." She shuddered a little at the memory, as if she could still feel the zombie's cold, lifeless hands grip her by the horns.

Brief, tender kisses were pressed along his jawline as she spoke. "You should swing by my place soon, so I can thank you properly. There's something I want to give you." @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin grinned as she scooted closer to him, her leg entwining against his. He didn’t know how she always managed to be so tantalizing without any real effort, but it had been a trait of hers since day one. The Firrerreo quirked a brow as he looked at her, “Oh? I can think of some creative ways you can thank me,” He gave her a playful wink as his hand slid down along her side and towards her thigh. Her kisses along his jawline elicited that familiar purr again that only came out for her. It wasn’t something invoked easily and he no longer stopped it when it happened - just as when he could tell her emotions easily based on the sway or flick of her tail.

“Is it gumbo?” Edin asked abruptly when she mentioned coming over to her place. When he looked at her, she would notice that his eyes lit up like a child on Life Day, “Please tell me it’s your gumbo again,” He said almost excitedly. He hadn’t forgotten that exquisite meal at her house and the thought made his mouth water every time, “And can you keep Vincent outside this time?” He asked, “As thrilling as it is to make love to you while you have cotton balls up your bloody left nostril..” Edin trailed off while shaking his head. Plus the damn goat smell. How could she stand that at all times?

He tilted his head to kiss her tenderly, lingering there for a moment before drawing back, “Come on, I guess we should keep trying to find this idiot,” Edin said with a sigh. He very reluctantly lifted her leg off himself and peeled himself away. He extended a hand down to help her up, “Did you actually manage to salvage anything from the ship?” Edin forgot to ask about that entirely. He hoped there was at least a point to her completely careless behavior that led to their big fight.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

"So can I," she said without hesitation, drawing her lips away from his jawline to stare into those aquamarines of his, her meaning clear and unmistakable. There was hunger and longing in her own eyes still, even after the time they'd spent here tucked between his bike and that sinkhole filled with the dying undead. Her thoughts wandered to Dantooine, to all of the possibilities that awaited them there, her back arching in response.
Then she laughed, shoulders shaking as she stretched out across the ground. Ma had sacrificed so much for Amira over the years and taught her more than she could ever put into words, but perhaps the best gift she'd ever given her daughter was when she'd taught her as a little girl how to make gumbo, simply because of the way Edin's eyes lit up when he talked about it. With all of the innocence and excitement of a child.

"I'll make a big pot of gumbo," she smiled softly, dark hand resting against his chest, feeling the steady pulse of his heart beating within. "Just for you. And no Vincent. I'll even lock Ansella up," she added, remembering his allergic reaction to the Tooka Cat. Not in the bedroom this time. She leaned into the kiss, hand snaking its way up his neck to clutch at his hair with a possessive grip, until he abruptly drew back. Amber eyes followed him, watching as he sat up, skin still shimmering in the moonlight.

All she said next was, "Uh-uh," shaking her head. Grinning, she seized his hand and pulled him back down to the ground with her. He was stronger than her and could easily resist, if he wanted, but she hoped that he wouldn't. If he allowed her to lead, she would throw one leg over his torso and slide onto his stomach, pinning him beneath her. Dark hands were placed on the ground on either side of his head to support her weight as she dipped down. "I haven't seen you in weeks, Edin Frost. That spoiled brat can wait until morning."

It sounded more like an order than a request, but she wouldn't make him stay. Not if he didn't want to. The Tiefling spent every night alone, and she wasn't going to spend the first night she'd had with him for weeks aboard a speeder bike, racing across the desert in search of a lunatic. Not willingly, anyway. She wanted to fall asleep in his arms, and to wake up in the morning with him beside her. Lips dragged against his skin, nipping at his neck and collarbone, teasing him before she finally answered his question.

"I didn't find anything, but he definitely made it off the ship alive." It wasn't much to go on, but at least they knew he hadn't died on impact or been attacked aboard the ship. She jerked her head toward the bike, where her bag was, eyes sparkling. "I brought a sleeping bag. Want me to get it?" @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin was about to get up but was genuinely surprised when she abruptly tugged him back down. There was an almost comical look on his face with his eyes wide with wonder as he glanced at her. However, that soon changed when Amira casually moved to straddle him. The Firrerreo grinned up at her, always reminded of just how feisty she tended to be. It was one of his favorite traits about her. His hands slid along her thighs and towards her hips and along the sides of her body. Her hair fell around him like a silky curtain and he gazed up into those brilliant golden eyes.

“Gods you’re beautiful,” The Firrerreo whispered as he looked up at her, the only words he could manage then in response to her demands. He briefly closed his eyes as he felt her lips drag along his neck and collarbone, that familiar purr resounding yet again. His hands slid back down her body along her back and all the way down, grasping possessively however he pleased.

He forgot about the spoiled brat or his escape from the ship entirely. None of that mattered. One of his hands came up to gently grasp at her hair, “You’re not going anywhere,” He stated flatly as she asked about the sleeping bag. With that, he scooted her to readjust her, at the same time tugging her down to meet her lips. Edin didn’t hold back in his passions, kissing her deeply as he gasped against her mouth. If she wanted to delay here, he was more than happy to oblige.

Edin was lost in that jasmine, drinking from the taste of her and savoring every touch and sensation. It was something he wanted to give into as many times as she desired, and he was willing to throw all caution to the wind. He didn’t care about any of their surroundings or the infected all around them. He was solely focused on the woman he loved and had grown to cherish.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

The Tiefling's tail swung and twisted back and forth involuntarily, until Amira was able to catch her breath and guide it towards the Firrerreo's leg, where it caressed his skin, in fond, fluid motions. "Finally going to let me drive?" she simpered, not referring to the speeder bike that sat unused a few feet away from them. That bike was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. Her hands sought his out, fingers wrapping around his wrists to guide calloused hands across her figure, in all the places she wanted to be touched. Then she leaned closer, staring down at his lips, and whispered, "I love you..." She'd never get tired of saying that to Edin, of hearing him say it back. She'd never tire of hearing him tell her how beautiful she was, even if she'd heard it a thousand times before. From him, with him, it was more than just words.

__​

The sun had just begun to rise, the morning crisp and clear. It wasn't hot—not yet anyway, but it would be, and soon. Utapau was an unforgiving planet. Amira had only been up for a few minutes, just long enough to retrieve some nuna jerky from her bag. She sat on the ground beside Edin, watching his chest rise and fall while he slept. She couldn't believe she hadn't awoken him, as alert and paranoid as he could be. She'd never forget that morning when he'd shot straight up in bed, blaster already in head, ready to snipe a rooster from the window of that bed and breakfast. He wouldn't last two days on Bandomeer. The memory brought a smile to her lips. Neither of them had gotten much sleep the night before, and even after the Tiefling had pulled the sleeping bag out, she'd tossed and turned all night.

Sleeping on the hard, rocky ground could hardly be considered comfortable, but Amira wouldn't complain. She'd fallen asleep in Edin's arms, and that was all that mattered. Sleep could wait until they'd finished this job. There was a familiar, welcoming ache in her muscles that had nothing to do with the zombie that had drug her to the ground before or the explosion that had rocked the yacht and everything to do with Edin.

Amira waited until he started to stir, and then she leaned down over him, slowly not to startle him, and pressed one kiss after another along his hairline. "Good morning, handsome," she smiled against his skin, still on cloud nine. She held up the bag of jerky. "Hungry?" It was a far cry from gumbo or a home cooked breakfast, but it was better than nothing. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin was normally a very light sleeper, but Amira managed to lull him into a whole new sense of relaxation. Anytime he fell asleep with her, he was out like a rock. Of course, he would bolt up if he heard anything. The frosty look to his face was absent when he was asleep, a peaceful bearing there instead. His lips were just very slightly parted so the points of his fangs glinted against the rising sun. Fangs that certainly left their marks all over Amira the night prior, though only in places he would see. He had seen her on Holonet before to know better than to leave affectionate marks on any publicly visible parts of her.

His eyes blinked open when Amira gently kissed him, the animalistic nictitating membranes of his eyes splitting before the familiar sapphires looked at her. Edin yawned briefly before offering a lazy smile, “Hey babe..” He murmured, rubbing his eyes before he rose to sit up. He was always surprised at how deeply he slept with her even out in nonsense places like right next to an infected sinkhole.

He looked over when Amira held up the jerky, his eyes lighting up at once, “Absolutely!” He immediately helped himself, ecstatic about a meat snack. As primarily a carnivore to the point where he ate raw meat sometimes, any kind of meat snack was an immediate hit with him, “Did you make this?”

Edin felt much better after the snack, his mind already wandering back to the mission. The Firrerreo glanced over at his comlink to check the time, shaking his head, “That dude is definitely dead,” He muttered to himself, “We’ll have to be extra careful since it’s daytime and we can be spotted easily by infected,” He prepared to get up and get going at once, but he stopped himself. He knew he was doing it again. He instead looked over at Amira and just admired her. He didn’t think he would ever get used to how attractive she was and how much he desired her.

“Actually..” He said as he gave her a half grin, “I don’t think I’m done with breakfast,” He said as he lightly shoved her shoulder to make her plop back on the sleeping bag on her back. Edin rolled above her, leaning down to kiss down her torso and body. By now he knew exactly how to navigate her, and it wasn’t long before he was down exactly where he wanted to be. He took his time there, savoring every taste and touch. Edin finally drew back only once he was done, giving Amira a teasing grin, “Now that’s much better..” He gave her a wink before finally moving to stand and helping her up.

He got dressed and freshened up quickly enough, though the plates of armor took a few extra minutes. Edin helped pack up anything else around their little campsite before checking the fuel in the bike, “We only have enough for today,” He informed her as he swung his leg over it to take a seat, “You have thoughts on where you want to start looking?”

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

Firrerreo were an uncommon species in the galaxy these days, and one that Amira knew nothing about until she'd met Edin. Everything she knew about them now, everything she continued to learn day in and day out all came from Edin. The first time she'd ever witnessed the translucent layer that covered his eyes, it had startled her. Now that she'd grown accustomed to it, she only focused on the way his eyes lit up as soon as he spotted the jerky in her hands. She loved the peculiarities individual to him and his species, the traits that she got to study and learn, up close and personal. They both accepted each other for what they were, not what the galaxy told them they ought to be. Edin had never run from her—tail, temper, horns, and all—and she would never run from him. He didn't scare her, even if he was the most renowned assassin in the galaxy.

"If I say yes, would you love me more?" she asked, all smiles as she watched him eat. This job was an opportunity she'd jumped at, before the more experienced trackers and bounty hunters could crowd her out of the credits, and she'd had just enough time to pack and catch a lift. There'd been no time to cook, unfortunately. Once they were done eating, the Tiefling just assumed that they would head out. Instead, Edin decided to surprise her with dessert, and she sunk against the sleeping bag without hesitation or resistance, cheeks shining and amber eyes glued to him, watching his every move with undivided attention.
Amira didn't know if Edin could play the guitar, or if he had any musical talent for that matter, but at that moment he was a virtuoso—proficient as he navigated her body, as if she were an instrument that he had played a thousand times before. He'd never missed a single practice, every artistic pursuit nothing less than perfection. He didn't even need sheet music to guide him —every note and every measure memorized and committed to muscle memory. He was a guitarist, up on a stage, and she was the strings he would pluck. This was a solo performance—a one man show with a one woman audience, and no performance had ever moved her to be a melomaniac like this one did.

Head tilted back and eyes pressed shut, she wished she could applaud or cheer him on, but she couldn't say anything—lips parted in a gasp—as her arms slunk above her head, as if to form a victory v, in complete surrender. Adagio bars—with whole notes held out to the full count, agonizingly refrained and played between insufferable rests would give way to allegro bars—rapid passageways, where eight notes were strummed more like sixteenth notes in a beautiful chord progression that took the Tiefling's breath away.

Each string was strummed with complex strokes, every fret held down with care and varying techniques that always kept her in suspense, wondering what might come next until the polyphony, and then the coda. The finale, when the composition Edin had written came to an end. This was one melody that Amira never wanted to forget. She already wanted to ask for an encore.

"Nice riff," she said, beaming as she sat up. "Or should I say lick? You really know how to shred." The musical implication was probably lost on the Firrerreo, who couldn't read minds, but he would know that he had bewitched her by the flush that crept across her chest and the way her taile flicked back and forth.

There wasn't much to pack up—just the sleeping bag and the jerky. "There was a large sinkhole, not far from the yacht." The Tiefling's thoughts still weren't entirely on the mission at hand, but she wasn't going to tell Edin that. He could compartmentalize, switch into business mode at a second's notice. Amira could not, particularly after that performance. There was a spring in her step as she slid onto the bike behind Edin a few minutes later, wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing. "Most of the Amani lived underground before they evacuated the planet. It makes sense that he'd go there first, where there's going to be a lot of infected." Of course, nothing was certain, not when you were dealing with an idiot. "I brought some climbing gear. We can rappel down, look around. See if he's been there lately." @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin flashed her a fanged grin at her question, “I’ll tell you I love you more if you tell me this is Vincent jerky,” He said before quickly dodging in case she retaliated with a smack of her tail. He couldn’t help but laugh to himself, also in a clearly great mood. It was almost uncharacteristic for his normally stoic bearing, but she always drew out rare sides of him.

While her music reference went clear over his head, he chalked it all up to her enjoying what he did. Regardless of what she said, her body certainly told him volumes. As she may have expected, however, he was soon back to all business. His thoughts went right to the mission and he listened as she explained about the sinkhole.

“Descend into a sinkhole?” He asked with a grimace, “That’s just asking to get killed. Are you sure you want to keep pursuing this?” Edin knew it was a rhetorical question. With a sigh, he revved up the engine and began to make his way back towards the yacht and the sinkhole near it. It was a wonder they hadn’t been chased by a giant horde the night prior, but it meant his evasive maneuvers worked.

Because it was daytime, he had to be extra careful and slow in his approach. After almost two hours of stopping and going, they finally arrived near the sinkhole in question. Edin switched off the bike and walked a fair distance, carrying his rifle with him. Once he looked into the sinkhole, confusion marred his face. There was a horde down below, but the infected were walking around as a group single file in a circle. There were multiple layers of concentric circles. It looked almost…coordinated.

“Have you ever seen that before?” Edin whispered to Amira, looking through his scope just to validate, “What the fuck did this guy manage..”

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

Zombies, sinkholes, and the intolerable heat be Kesseled—the Tiefling had never wavered in her resolution to see this assignment through to the end, not even after bandying words with Edin. "Yes," she answered, and although the Firrerreo wouldn't be able to see, she rolled her eyes. "Unless you want to get rained on every time we make love." With the credits she would receive after finding this rich, young heir—dead or alive—she'd be able to purchase enough supplies for ten leaky roofs. Even split down the middle with Edin, it would still be more than what she needed.
By the time they reached their destination, the large sinkhole nearest the abandoned yacht, the Champion was aching to get off the bike. Literally. Stretching out, she turned to look at Edin, grinning as the tip of her tail tussled his hair. "I love your bike, but... I think I prefer to ride you."

The sinkhole was massive—large enough to swallow two or three light freighters whole. A city had been built into the precipice's walls, carved out of clay and stone, with the fossilized bones of what must have, at one time, been massive creatures, with at least five different co-extensive levels. Landing pads jutted out from the cliff walls, and at the middle of it all—a dark, seemingly never ending pit. Even without the scope of the sharpshooter's rifle, Amira could see exactly what was going on below—the undead walking in single file, organized and coordinated—as if they were marching soldiers instead of the mindless zombies that they were.

Amira stared, mouth parted, and blinked a few times—just in case it was some kind of desert mirage. It wasn't. If only she were that lucky. Shaking her head, she replied, "Never." Evidently, they had underestimated this lunatic, and the lengths he was willing to go to. But how had he done it? Sith Alchemy? Impossible. This was unlike anything she'd ever seen. Unlike anything she'd ever heard of.

There was only one way to find out what was really going on. From the bag slung over Edin's speeder, the Tiefling retrieved her climbing gear and fasted the rope she had brought around a large boulder—one that wasn't going anywhere. Then she grabbed the harness, pulling it around her torso and snapping it into place. "I'll bet this is how a lot of your dreams start, huh?" she asked the Firrerreo, winking. Minus the planet infected with zombies, of course. Amira was certainly in a mood after the night they'd shared, and the morning he'd given her.

Using a pair of carabiners, she tethered the harness to the rappelling device she had brought, which she slid the length of rope through. That she kept parallel to her body, pulling out the slack until her weight was on the rope. Knees bent, and feet a shoulder's width apart, she crept down the side of the cliff. Still grinning, she said, "I'll let you know when I'm on solid ground, and you can pull the harness back up." She only intended to rappel down to the top level, and they could work their way down on foot from there.

Then, without warning, the rope snapped in half. If Amira would think back, she might have realized why. That back on Dantooine, after she'd checked her equipment and stuffed it into her bag, Vincent had been poking his head into her things—chewing on her things, as goats tend to do. But she had no time to think, only to react. To panic, arms flailing and eyes wide as she plummeted backwards into the pit, freefalling.

Dice Roll: Amira rappels 2/20 >_> @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin simply stared at her as she made her quips while strapping the harness on. Truth be told, he didn’t have a great feeling about any of this. He was silent as he watched her begin to descend. The Firrerreo held onto the rope to help her ease down, his eyes glancing over towards the infected going in a circle every now and then before focusing back on her, “Easy..” He said, but more to himself than anyone else. She looked to be doing fine so he began to relax. This was something he did rather often on his jobs that involved breaking into buildings to murder his targets.

He smiled back down at Amira when she spoke again and was about to make a quip of his own when the rope snapped. It took every little ounce of willpower, every last fiber of his being, every cell in his body protesting, to keep from shouting after her. He knew if he did so, it would attract the attention of the infected immediately and bring them right to her. His sapphire gaze was wide as he helplessly saw her fall, his knuckles white from holding onto the rope that now grew slack in his hands.

“Amira..” He whispered, his voice breaking slightly as he gazed down. He couldn’t see exactly where she landed. Edin jumped to his feet, pacing back and forth on the edge of the sinkhole to keep from vomiting. It felt as if he had been stabbed repeatedly in the chest and he found it difficult to breathe. For as icy and methodical as he was, he suddenly felt entirely unhinged. He grasped at his hair, exhaling heavily as he attempted to calm himself.

He couldn’t be Edin right now. He needed to be Basilisk.

The Firrerreo pushed back the urge to hurl as he quickly grabbed the other gear and placed it on himself. He didn’t care if it was also likely faulty, he would find her no matter what. Without a second thought, Edin began to rapidly descend down, mentally tempering himself as he reminded himself who he was. He couldn’t afford to be overcome with emotions or even consider the possibility that Amira was dead. Death was his profession, but this felt insurmountable.

It didn’t take him long to descend down into the sinkhole, and he bounced off different platforms until he spotted her on one of them. Edin completely ignored the horde circling just a few grooves down and their groaning. He could smell the rancid stench of death, but he ignored it all. His face grew pale as he unclasped himself from the rope, almost too afraid to move towards her.

“A-Amira?” He said quietly as he slowly began to make his way over.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

There was no time to brace for the fall, and no time for a stroll through memory line like in the holomovies. Amira struck plastocrete and rolled, lurching to a stop feet away from the edge of the landing pad. It was a stroke of fortune that she'd landed there and not continued to fall, plunging deeper into the sinkhole, into the darkness where death surely awaited her.

Fortunate, however, was the last word Amira would've used to describe herself. She felt like one of Pa's tractors—or even a highspeed podracer—had plowed right into her. She felt like she'd been thrown off the spires of 500 Republica and allowed to nosedive into Level 0. More simply, she felt like she was going to die, and more accurately, she felt like she should already be dead. So much and yet so little had changed over the years. In that moment, it was as if she were still on Dorin, tortured within an inch of her life, only to be brought back from the brink at the last possible moment, never allowed to taste release.

The Tiefling passed in and out of consciousness until she heard Edin's voice. She didn't know if he was there or if she was just hearing things, her rapid heartbeat thrashing in her eardrums, but she couldn't stop herself from calling out to him anyway. "Edin," she whimpered, lips trembling, "I can't move... I can't move!"
Saying the words out loud, she started to hyperventilate, drawing in raspy breaths, gasping as she tried in vain to control her own breathing. There was a harried, wild look in her amber eyes that very few had ever seen—the Tiefling consumed with her own terror—as she looked around, trying to spot Edin. She was entirely helpless. Entirely pathetic. All the things she hated with every fiber of her being. All the things she thought she'd left behind her.

Vehemently, she shook her head in denial, as if that would take her pain away. As if that would rewind time and undo the fall she'd just suffered. If the Firrerreo got closer, she would clutch at him, refusing to let go, even though her grasp was frail and unsteady. She was oblivious to their immediate surroundings, of the zombies and the danger they posed. She couldn't concentrate on anything other than her own pain. Her leg and arm were fractured, multiple ribs broken—all on her right side where she'd landed.

Amira's pants were soaked in her own blood, the black liquid hemorrhaging from a deep gash, where bone had torn through skin and tissue. Amber eyes blinked. "Please—please tell me that isn't my bone," she cried, teeth digging into her bottom lip so hard they drew blood. Edin's answer didn't matter. She was hardly listening. Her hand, too weak to hold on to him for another second, slipped away. Spots began to appear, obstructing her vision, so she pressed her eyes shut.

"Don't—don't leave me." Words spoken barely above a whisper, her voice failing her. Looking at her, with beads of sweat lining her forehead as she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks, she looked more like a frightened little girl than a hardened Sith Champion. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

All of Edin’s fear and panic melted away the moment he heard her speak. He crouched down next to her and held her in his arms, doing his best to keep the fear he felt off his face, “I’m not going anywhere, baby,” He said barely above a whisper as he kept his eyes on her. He didn’t say a word about her injuries, nor did he appear concerned or horrified by them. He had to keep her focus on his eyes and on him alone, “I have to get you out of here,” Edin said quietly as he looked around himself. There was no sign of their idiotic target and he couldn’t risk hoping to find a hideout down below. The only real option was to attempt climbing back up.

Edin pulled off his belt and a plate off his armor to make her a makeshift splint, “Just hold onto me..you have to be quiet, okay?” He stared at her, “I…can you tap into the dark side or something?” Edin asked desperately. Wasn’t there some mumbo jumbo about Sith drawing their strengths from pain and anger? They were running out of time, so he tightened the splint around her leg, knowing it would send a jolt of pain through her.

“Hold onto me,” He repeated as he grasped at her harness. He had to improvise quite a bit to keep it fastened on her and then latch it to himself. This was going to take him a while and would be exceptionally difficult, but he would get her out of here one way or another. Once she was securely fastened against him, he gently lifted her into his arms, holding her tightly against him.

It was a testament to his Firrerreo strength that he was able to support her while using one arm to start hoisting himself up. Edin pressed his legs against the sinkhole sides, kicking off and slowly climbing back up. He had to pace his breathing, sweat beginning to line his skin, “You better cook me gumbo for a week after this..” Edin whispered quietly to suppress the absolute terror and exhaustion he felt. Nothing else mattered but getting Amira out.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

This was the moment when Master Roth would pass through the threshold of her own psyche and bring her back from delirium and death. In the back of her mind, Amira realized that it wasn't fair to ask Edin to do the same. As skilled and formidable as he was, he was no Sith Master, and she was dead weight. Every second wasted trying to rescue her from this pit was another second he put himself in danger. Another second he could have used to save himself. He never would leave her to save himself, and Amira couldn't bring herself to ask him to. She didn't want to be abandoned, to bleed out and be eaten by the undead. She didn't want to die. Not yet. Maybe old habits die hard.

Her head bobbed back and forth, like she might pass out at any moment. Her vision was spotty, and she wondered if she could fall asleep, if she might reboot and find the strength need to pull herself out of here. She didn't. And a good thing, too, or she would have gone limp in Edin's arms and made his job that much harder.

The Firrerreo's voice cut through the fog. The dark side? Master Roth's face sprung to mind. Countless hours of training. Years of instruction. Pain is your greatest weapon, and your strongest ally. Use it. Manipulate it. A sentiment shared by many Sith, but few carried it to the degree that he did. Pain was nothing more than a rib, a tool to be utilized, and her body was the clay. Every potter knows clay has to be kneaded and pressed and rolled until it's pliable and yielding, free of all distraction and any impurity that might taint it. Then it can be shaped—she is shaped into a creation stronger and more beautiful than before. Into something unbreakable. That's what she needed to be right now. Stronger than she felt. For Edin. For herself.

Amira's head slumped against the Firrerreo's shoulder, but her mind was racing, and the force flowed in her veins.. Without making a sound, and ignoring the pain in her side when she moved, she slipped her arms around Edin's neck, holding on to him as tightly as she could. "Two weeks," she muttered, ever opening her eyes. It was the least he would deserve if he managed to pull both of them out. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

It took him an agonizingly long time to finally hoist himself over the edge of the sinkhole, but he managed it without the line breaking. He was breathing heavily by the end of it, his entire body drenched in sweat. Edin glanced down at Amira, brushing aside strands of her hair, “Stay with me,” He half whispered through the exhaustion, “I’m taking you back to my ship. We’re leaving this fucking planet,” Edin said as he hoisted her up into his arms and carried her towards his bike. A speeder would have been much better for this, but he would have to manage.

He couldn’t count on her to be conscious the entire time, so he kept her clipped to himself as he moved her to his bike. Edin knew the planet was largely abandoned since the Rangers evacuated some of the last refugee camps. They were out on their own and Amira would have to hold strong till he could get back to his ship.

The journey back thankfully didn’t take too long, and he carried her again back into his ship. The first thing he did was administer a sedative to momentarily let her sleep. Edin wasn’t exactly a medic, but he knew his way around wounds from always being in a dangerous line of profession. He spent the next few hours cleaning and tending to her wounds while also making her a temporary bind for her leg.

By the time Amira woke up again, Edin was in a seat next to her with his head leaned to the side. He had dozed off, but she would feel the familiar rumble of a ship that was traveling through space. She had painkillers in her system and Edin even remembered to use higher doses because of her physiology. The Firrerreo was still covered in grime from his climb and he looked completely exhausted.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

Under any other circumstances, Amira would have protested. She would have dug her heels into the sand, glared at Edin, and made some snide remark about him being a quitter, but she was was in no position to argue or demand that things go her way. The Tiefling simply didn't have the strength to argue, and she lacked the will to see this assignment to the end. As stubborn and headstrong as she was, even she had to admit her own limitations. She had to admit that she couldn't go on—physically or mentally—and that abandoning Utapau was the only choice that remained. She just wouldn't admit that out loud.

The next thing Amira knew, she was lying supine in a sleeper aboard Edin's ship. Amber eyes blinked repeatedly, adjusting to the dark metal paneling and the ceiling lights overhead as she attempted to process what had happened, listening to the steady rumble of the engines as they traveled through hyperspace, presumably toward the nearest medcenter. She didn't know what time it was, how far they'd traveled, or if it was even the same day, but she did realize that she was in a lot less pain than before. Edin's doing, no doubt.

Her attempt to sit up failed, as she swayed back and forth, crumbling onto the sleeper again. There was a dull ache that remained, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this exhausted. This weak. She realized, rather reluctantly, that she wouldn't be able to drag herself up out of this bed, not even if her life depended on it. Her gaze drifted down to her right leg, but she immediately recoiled, leaning further into the pillows to maximize the distance between herself and the protruding bone. Edin had wrapped the wound and bound it, but she could still see the outline of the bone underneath and see the black blood that bled through the wrappings.

Not wanting to let her mind wander to unpleasant possibilities, she averted her gaze. It settled on Edin. The Firrerreo was propped up in a chair beside her, head limp as he slept. He looked dog-tired, his clothing stained with his own sweat and her blood, his face covered in dirt and grime. A soft smile crossed Amira's lips as she watched him. If he wasn't asleep, she would've said something along the lines of, So this is what a girl has to do to get aboard your ship? Break every bone in her body?

The Tiefling was unnaturally quiet as she laid there, replaying everything over in her mind. Edin had never left her side, even though he'd made it abundantly clear more than once that he thought this assignment was idiotic. Not when she'd run into that luxury yacht, not when they'd fought and both said cruel things to each other, and not when she lay at death's door. He could've left her if he'd wanted. He could've chosen not to push his body to its limits, not to put himself at risk by rappelling into that sinkhole after her, but he had anyway. He hadn't even hesitated.

Even now, he refused to leave her. There were more sides to him than she ever could have imagined back on Takodana when they'd first met. More depths than she would have thought possible from an assassin programmed not to get attached, not to take on any unnecessary liabilities. Amira had never been more convinced that she wanted to spend the rest of her life learning each and every side of Edin Frost, diving headfirst into his depths.

An unsteady hand reached out, resting on the Firrerreo's—gentle and slow so as not to wake him. "I love you, Edin Frost," she whispered, thumb stroking his knuckles. Thanks to him, Utapu wouldn't be the end of their story. / end thread @Sreeya