Ask We All Love Cannons

[Carrick]

No such thing as a downgrade huh? Well he was glad that she didn't think he was downgrading in her estimation at all either - and that she was still quite fun to tease about things even if they were in a relationship. Some people he had spoken to had told him that 'the spark' left relationships when the 'courting' element of it was done but he wasn't sure what kind of relationships they had been having because his with Reiel still had enough of that ever-elusive spark to keep him happy.

Seeing Reiel 'blue screen' underneath the helmet never got old either - he was able to tell by how she just seemed to stiffen to durasteel underneath her armour. Smirking ever so slightly, he did his best to pretend as though he hadn't noticed.

He'd use it to tease her later, of course.

"I'm offended that you believe that I, a notable political figure, would lie about an offer." he joked easily, raising an eyebrow as he smirked, "And as a politician I shall happily cower behind my bodyguard as her immediate family try to ensure I have several new holes across my person."

She was either kidding or he was probably going to need to remember to make sure his lightsaber was ready to go when he arrived to meet the family as it were. Luckily for him (unluckily for Reiel) there wasn't a mother to meet - he didn't doubt that the mother was likely to be the far harder family member to convince he meant no harm. Female Mandalorians, in his experience, had proven themselves to be the most passionate by half.

"Who said I invited you to spend time with me just for the guns and armor?" he asked her back, challenging her with a husky, seductive, voice of his own as he pressed his body against hers, "But the other part...?"

He leaned in to whisper against the side of her helmet.

"Involves me showing you the new house I bought in secret."

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

His continued joking and teasing might have prompted her to blush even harder, but Reiel wouldn't go down without a fight. Even if she always did end up losing in the end, there was no way she would let him swipe yet another win right out of her hands.

"But is it not a politician's way? Lure the masses with their sweet, sweet words, only to drown them in a sea of bitter lies in the end?" the small Mandalorian teased back with a snicker. "Still, I am duty-bound to protect you, oh esteemed Governor and Defense Secretary, from the wrath of my kin." Lowering her voice, she added, "But for every blaster bolt I'd tank, know that you'll have to pay me in kisses."

Laughing brightly at the deal she'd brokered, Reiel regarded her sorcerer for a moment. She didn't expect that she would be even happier as their relationship deepened. The small Mandalorian had kept her word about making Carrick fall for her, and while it was an end result she wanted to gain she made sure that her methods weren't forceful. All she did was – cliché it might sound – to be herself, to respect his wishes, and to not take kark even from him. Just because she loved him didn't mean that she would turn a blind eye to his faults. Others might have allowed themselves to be blinded by their love for their significant other, but Reiel wasn't one of them.

Even if she sometimes looked as if she would hung the moon and the stars for him, really.

Her laughter turned into a mix of nervous and excited giggle when his voice took a seductive tone, gloved hands finding purchase on his hips when he pressed his body against hers. Reiel would be lying if she didn't like the sudden turn in the discussion but she held her ground, not giving in to Carrick's seduction. At least not yet. Damn this pretty, sexy bastard, acting all seductive all of a sudden. Tilting her helmeted head up, her hands squeezed lightly and she let out another breathy giggle.

"Oh? There's an ulterior motive behind this professional and business-like meeting?" She withdrew her hands and took a step back, one hand reaching up to cup his cheek. "How devious!"

Reiel visibly perked up when he revealed that he'd bought a new house. And in secret? In a way she understood the reason for the secrecy. Press these days would jump on anything these days, and she wouldn't be surprised if some journalists published tabloids and made news reports about the ISC's Secretary of Defense's purchase if it wasn't made in secret. She could already see the headlines, something along the lines of using ill-gotten wealth to buy a property. Just look at what the press did to that New Republic Chancellor.

The thought of news of Carrick having his own harem both terrified and angered her.

(Reiel wasn't possessive, no. Just a little jealous, that's all. Just a smidge, really.)

"A new house?" she whisper-yelled, making a show of looking around as if someone was eavesdropping on the conversation. "I'd love to get a look! Where is it? In a city? The countryside? Is it on Tinnel IV or another planet? Want me to layout a defense plan for the house in case anyone's foolish enough to tresspass?"

The fact that she had immediately plotting defensive measures for his new house proved that her thoughts were far from... well, dirty.

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Ah she was going to end up as cynical about politicians as he was if she kept this up and he whole-heartedly approved. The problem with most people in the Galaxy was that they wanted to believe in other people and that was something that any halfway decent politician learned to manipulate. Sometimes it was with lies and other times it was by telling the truth – both to shock and to show that they were worthy of the trust that was instinctively invested.

At least Reiel knew better.

“Absolutely.” He agreed without a hint of hesitation or remorse with a wicked grin, “Maybe you’ve just been suckered into my re-election campaign. Can I count on your vote come winter then voter?”

A thought struck him.

“You are registered to vote on Tinnel IV right? You’re not going to actually NOT vote for me in winter, right?”

That was actually a rather amusing thought and, likely, one that Reiel herself had not thought about too much. Of course, he had thoroughly distracted her with the talk of his new home. He had ensured that the only people who knew about it were himself, his lawyer and the seller of the house. That said seller had only ever interacted with his lawyer meant that there were, actually, only two people who knew the whole story.

Back to being three with Reiel being brought into the secret of course.

"It's not on Tinnel IV actually - another reason to keep it quiet." he joked before shrugging, trying not to act like he was very proud of his find, "Naboo highlands actually. Quite remote but very beautiful - interested in a visit?"

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Honestly speaking she really hadn't thought too much about being a registered voter on Tinnel IV, but her steadfast assistant and friend made sure that she had considered registering not only because of her status as the Governor's chief of security but more on the fact that she had been staying on the planet longer than she did on her own homeworld nowadays. Nirem thought that it would make for good PR even if they hadn't planned on making it even newsworthy, but more so out of practicality. Still, she didn't get the chance to joke about voting someone else given that he'd distracted her by answering her questions.

Hearing that the house in question wasn't on Tinnel IV excited her even further.

"That's cool! It's nice to have a place of your own to fall back to. Somewhere nice and quiet – away from the media's prying eyes."

Because he had been doing that a lot – facing the press. Not to mention the Galactic Senate proceedings that always required his attendance. Reiel understood that Carrick had been rather stressed lately due to work. The small Mandalorian had done what she could to help him fight off the stress, and she was glad that she was able to somehow help him with work today. He worked hard, so it was only fair to say that he deserved the peace and quiet he would surely find while spending time in his newly-brought home.

"Naboo, huh? I heard there are scenic spots in there," she mused with a smile. The smile turned even brighter when he asked if she was interested in a visit. Excitedly, she replied with a bright "Of course!"

Visiting his new house meant spending more time with him, and Reiel wouldn't ask for anything more. If the location was as remote as he'd mentioned, then maybe she could spend even just an entire day out of her helmet and armor. An entire day spent in civilian clothing – Reiel had always fancied the prospect of wearing dresses...

Maybe she would finally be able to do so during her visit to Carrick's new house? The thought alone made her bounce happily on her booted feet.

"I'd love to pay a visit, cyare!"

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

If he had a therapist, they would probably say that he had issues with trusting people but Carrick would argue that he had no issues with trusting people who had proven themselves worthy of said trust. Reiel had proven herself to be trustworthy time and time again, with enough emotional investment into his well-being as a person that he was absolutely certain that she would not betray him.

It sounded like damning his Mando with faint praise but it really wasn’t – he was telling her where he was going to be living and he hadn’t told anyone that. Hell, he didn’t even need to tell the President where his residence was because he could reasonably argue that it was a security risk.

Emryc had been kidnapped after all, whereas telling his chief of security just made sense.

From a non-career point of view?

He just didn’t trust anyone like he trusted Reiel.

“You’re going to be the only person who knows I’m living there.” He told her with a small smile, thankful that the two of them were alone within the industrial sized armory, “I’ll ping you the location and the codes to get past the security features.”

There weren’t many security features but just enough that it could give him a moment or two to figure out what to do if someone unexpected showed up.

“It’ll just be us for… well a few dozen miles in any direction really. We should have some vacation days I think.”

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Being told that she would be the only person who knew that he'd actually be living in the house he secretly bought earned him a happy smile from the small Mandalorian, and Reiel didn't even bother suppressing a bright laugh from escaping her. She could look at this show of trust in two ways, the first being that Carrick was only telling her because she was his chief of security, and thus it was her duty and responsibility to know where he almost always was. The second – and one she liked even more – was because he trusted her more than anyone he'd been working with the ISC; that he didn't trust anyone like he did with her.

Reiel was aware of the things she did with him and for him to earn Carrick's trust, but instead of feeling proud for what she had earned she felt humility instead. Trust, as she had been taught growing up, was a beautiful and fragile thing to bestow and earn. The house he bought for himself and it's location meant that it would be a place where he could be himself, where he would be able to put his guard and mask down. She felt it her privilege to be given the opportunity to visit this house – this home – and more so knowing that he trusted her enough to tell her where it was.


Left hand sweeping up to her chest, the small Mandalorian dipped her head in a playful bow, though the gesture carried the gratitude she felt for being given such privilege.

“I shall carry this knowledge to the grave, ner cyare turjylir,” she teased him, though she knew he could easily tell that she meant it.

Then, unable to help herself any longer, Reiel crossed the distance between them once again and gently took one of Carrick's hands in hers. She knew that they were alone in the armory, and if his seductive approach earlier hadn't convinced her then she wouldn't have had any idea what would.

“That sounds lovely,“ Reiel agreed with a smile, cheeks flushed at the thought of spending vacation days alone with her sorcerer. “You, of all people, deserve a break. Maker knows how busy you've been these past few weeks.“ Her free hand cupped his cheek, thumb brushing skin tenderly. “And the press have been a terrible nightmare. I still marvel how you manage to keep your cool even when being bombarded with absurd questions...“

Smile turning into an impish grin, she couldn't help but joke again, “Care to tell me your secrets on how you manage to keep a calm composure in front of the press, Mister Defense Secretary?“

@Nefieslab