Ask Dantooine What's Cookin'?

[Amira Din]

Dantooine, Outer Rim Territories

Between two major conflicts and the recent rebel uprising incited by the Jedi, Dantooine wasn't on the Hyperlane Herald's Top 10 Planets to Live on in 150. The world had been thrust into a state of unrest, embroiled in skirmishes, espionage, and sabotage as small rebel cells continued to work behind the scenes and the Sith Empire rose time and again to combat them. To reside on Dantooine now was to do so at your own peril.

Dantooine suited the Tiefling. The grasslands that stretched on for miles, the idyllic rivers that flowed through forests teeming with wildlife and mystery. It reminded her of Bandoomer but without all the rocks. Amira had settled here for many reasons, and the landscape was just scratching the surface. With the current climate the way it was, with the fate of the planet so uncertain, families weren't exactly flocking to the Outer Rim planet. Housing was cheap, which meant she could stretch her credits.

Amira was living in a modest geodome on the outskirts of Dantoo Town that butted right up to a large tract of grassland. With wiring more temperamental than a jersey bull, low water pressure, and a roof that leaked during every heavy downpour, it was what you'd call a bit of a fixer upper. A project she could work on in her spare time, something she had less of now that she had re-established herself with the Sith Empire. It was going to be a long term project. But for all its faults and shortcomings, it was her home—for now, at least. She liked the solitude it provided, the peace and quiet that was perfect for meditation and relaxation.

Even with the occasional skirmish or explosion, it was still better than that dank little rathole she'd lived in on Eriadu. The Champion's dinner guest would be arriving soon, so long as he didn't have any trouble following the coordinates she'd sent. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin didn’t expect to find himself back on Dantooine ever again, let alone only weeks after he had assassinated the Sith war master on the planet. On the other hand, he also couldn’t deny he wanted to see Amira again. He normally prided himself in being detached in these situations and he only got out of it what he wanted and moved on. However, the tiefling had managed to catch his attention beyond just a simple fling and he found his mind wandering to her more frequently than he cared to admit. He was practically on autopilot as he made his way to the planet, not allowing himself to think beyond just seeing her. Was he still only casually seeing her? Were they dating? He quelled all of those thoughts for now, ignoring the fact that he was far too selfish to go to another planet for a girl normally.

The Firrerreo had to revert to his journalist persona to keep a low profile. All of his Basilisk armor and weapons were left behind. For all the ways Amira teased him about being the famous assassin, she still didn’t know it for sure. He couldn’t exactly explain why he had to be discreet on the planet.

He arrived right on time, knocking on the door. He was thankful the location was at least on the outskirts and surrounded by empty space instead of being in a packed city. When she opened the door, she would see him in the same disguise he forgot to remove - dorky thick rimmed glasses, a lanyard around his neck with a reporter ID and otherwise normal civilian clothing. Edin was holding a bottle of expensive Outer Rim wine in one hand and a bouquet in the other. It wasn’t flowers, however, but an assortment of chocolates and snacks protruding from edible stems. He figured she’d appreciate it more than flowers that would die in a few days.

“Hey, beautiful,” Edin remarked with a grin as soon she opened the door.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

There was a knock at the door. Right on time. Amira had been looking forward to this dinner all day. For weeks, if she was being honest with herself. The Tiefling bounced over to the door and threw it open, as if she'd just been standing there awaiting his arrival instead of cooking over a hot stove. The wide grin that spread across her lips almost hid her ruddy complexion, frizzled strands of loose hair falling from the braided bun at the back of her head. For a fleeting moment, all distractions were tuned out as she consecrated on the Firrerreo, her gaze sweeping over him. Yellow eyes lingered on the pair of thick rimmed glasses perched on his nose. They looked like something her Ma would have worn at night for her needle work, but they looked a lot better on him. If a little dorky.

"Hey, handsome," she greeted, not missing a beat. "Or should I stay stranger? What's with the getup?" Her grin pulled wider, if that was even possible. "Don't tell me you're embarrassed to be seen with me?"
A yellow and brown Tooka cat rubbed against her calf, poking its head around to stare up at Edin with two dark, beady little eyes. Its long, cone-shaped ears stood straight up, twitching. The Tiefling's first inclination was to throw her arms around Edin and hug him or draw him into a kiss, but she did neither. Two months had passed since they'd parted ways on Ankus, and a lot could change in two months. Instead, she reached out and seized the FIrrerreo by the lanyard, dragging him inside.

Without lifting a finger, the front door swung closed behind the sharpshooter. "Since when are you a journalist?" she probed, turning the ID over in her hands. It begged the question—how many fake identities did he have?

Dying sunlight filtered through the open windows opposite the couple. The geodome was small but open, the kitchen and living room only separated by a narrow island. At the center of the room sat a round fire pit, enclosed with metal and a black flue that extended toward the domed ceiling. A couch and arm chairs faced the fire pit and an old, outdated monitor. Plants had been placed aimlessly across the room—asparagus ferns on the side tables, philodendron tumbling from the windowsills, and potted jade plants tucked into corners. The smell of popcorn drifted from the kitchen.

Amira not-so subtly turned her attention toward the bottle and bouquet in his hands. "Did you come bearing gifts?" @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

It wasn’t till she made her quip that he recalled he was still wearing his disguise. He couldn’t help but chuckle, “This planet doesn’t exactly allow easy entry if you’re not a Sith,” He remarked, “Maybe if you pulled some Empress strings, I wouldn’t have to disguise myself,” He winked at her, “But I’ll have you know, I’m a pretty solid journalist,” He quipped. After all, Basilisk wouldn’t get more jobs without some crucial advertising.

He took in sight of her, noticing the subtle strands of hair out of place and other little signs that he found quite endearing. She wasn’t perfectly dolled up and was just herself in her comfortable dwelling. Edin laughed again when she casually dragged him along by the lanyard, not at all surprised by the gesture. He set down the wine and ‘flowers’, “This is about as far as my contribution goes when it comes to anything home cooked,” Edin said. With the money he had earned, he hadn’t bothered cooking in a very long time and had droids for it all.

The Firrerreo glanced down at the cat, the animal looking at him funny. Firrerreo shared some animalistic traits and no doubt the cat had picked up on it. Of course, Edin’s reaction to the animal was to sneeze, his eyes watering a bit as he wiped them. The rest of the dwelling felt cozy and so far removed from the almost sterile conditions his various apartments were. He hadn’t had a place he called ‘home’ in a very long time. He smelled the popcorn and inhaled it, “We doing popcorn and movies?” Edin asked curiously, pausing to stare at some of the plants.

“This is a cute place,” He said as he looked around, “And I didn’t see any roosters around so that’s a plus,” He added. Edin was still displeased from being woken up by a screeching rooster. He finally removed his dorky glasses and the lanyard, appearing more like himself.

Edin turned back to look at her, thinking for a moment before he took a step forward. He snaked his arm around her waist and tugged her closer to himself so their bodies pressed against one another. The Firrerreo grinned down at her, “By the way, I’m not too porgshit to tell you I missed you, you stubborn bantha.”

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

Amira laughed, eyes sparkling with uninhibited mirth. "I'll see what I can do about it," she played along. She enjoyed this little game of theirs, calling each other Empress and Basilisk while knowing full well neither of them were either. "I'd be very interested to see what you'd write about me. Would it be an op-ed or a tell all?" One eyebrow arched. "Or maybe a review?"
Her gaze drifted to the wine and bouquet of chocolates. "I must warrant at least a seven out of ten," she observed, spying the label on the bottle. "Otherwise you wouldn't have brought the expensive stuff." She smiled softly, oddly relieved to hear that he approved of her home. Maybe that meant he'd swing by more often. "Thank you. It's a bit of a fixer upper, but it keeps me out of trouble." Not strictly true, but Edin probably knew that already. She hadn't had a real home in so long—not since she'd left Bandomeer, really, so it was comforting to know she had her own space. Even if it did leak.

Yellow eyes snapped back to the Firrerreo as soon as he sneezed. Ansella. She hadn't even noticed the Tooka cat at her feet, staring up at Edin like she couldn't make her mind up about him. Edin was the first visitor in... a long time. "Are you allergic? I can lock her in the bedroom." Her features were touched with concern, something he might pick up on if he wasn't too preoccupied wiping away tears. "Or put her outdoors."

When the Firrerreo snaked his arm around her and pulled her close, Amira's heart skipped a beat. Or two. The Tiefling's chest felt lighter, as if the confession 'I missed you' was all it took to lift the weight she had been carrying around with her all day—for weeks. "I missed you too," she admitted, allowing herself to confront the incompatible emotions that stirred within her all at once—vulnerability, excitement, fear, and even joy. Eyes bouncing between his azure eyes and lips, she decided to test the waters. The Tiefling leaned in, slowly at first so he had ample time to respond and retreat if he wanted, and pressed her lips to his. Delicately, as if she was tasting him for the first time, and just long enough for him to breathe in her scent and feel the warmth of her skin against his.

Then she smiled at him, brushing her nose against his. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin sneezed again while the cat was still around, rubbing his eyes, “Evidently I am allergic..” He remarked, a tone of surprise betrayed when he spoke. He couldn’t remember the last time he was around a cat, mostly stray dogs that wandered the lower district alleys of Nar Shaddaa and other scummy places where he took jobs, “I hope it’s not a dealbreaker,” He said with an apologetic smile. His eyes were still a bit red, but he pushed through.

He pulled it together by the time he closed the distance to pull her close. The cat was all but forgotten as he gazed at her, finding himself lost in those golden orbs that frequented his thoughts on more than one occasion. It was this look that he cherished in them - the look when she had her guard down, a mixture of anxious and excitement similar to what he felt. Edin leaned into the kiss, deepening it from where she started. He drank in the taste of her, letting his desires manifest in the way he held her tightly while he kissed her.

Edin nudged her back towards a counter behind her, easily hoisting her up to set her on the edge of it while he stood before her between her legs. The Firrerreo finally pulled back to smile at her, “I wouldn’t do a tell all,” He finally replied in response to her suggestions about his journalism. As he murmured quietly, his hand found her knee and began to very gently slide up along her thigh, "There are too many things only I want to know and keep for myself."

That was precisely when there were a series of beeps coming from the kitchen. His sensitive nose sniffed a few times before he turned to look, “...I hope that’s not dinner..” He remarked with a bit of alarm as he stepped back.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

What began as a chaste, ambivalent kiss surged into something powerful and indescribable. The Tiefling's misgivings, that time and distance would make it awkward or that Edin would arrive on her doorstep a completely different man than the one she had left on Ankus, faded from her mind. Any visible tension melted away, her body going slack in his embrace. One part of her wanted to tip her head back, close her eyes, and focus on his touch. The other part didn't dare take her eyes off him lest this moment they were sharing end.

"It's not a deal breaker..." Dark fingertips twined through his hair, caressing his scalp. She had an odd fixation with his hair. Still breathless from the kiss they had shared, she asked, "Are we... under some kind of understanding?" The Tiefling's tail reached around him, brushing against his back and drawing circles on the fabric.
As soon as the smoke alarm beeped, her eyes went wide. "The roux!" she blurted out, slipping off the island and bobbing into the kitchen. She came to an abrupt stop in front of the stove, picking up the wooden spoon she had abandoned to open the door earlier. The Tiefling shrugged, trying to trivialize the mishap as she stirred the roux, scraping the bits that stuck to the bottom of the pan. "Oh, well. Pa always did say that dinner wasn't ready until the smoke alarm goes off." Mostly, he said that to annoy Ma. The smell of burned popcorn filled the room, but Amira wasn't willing to give up on the dinner she'd planned quiet yet. She wanted tonight to be special.

Between the kissing and the burning, Amira had forgotten to lock Ansella away. The yellow and brown Tooka cat arched its back and circled the sharpshooter, sizing him up. Then it hissed, drawing its lips back to reveal razor sharp teeth before lunging at the Firrerreo's ankle. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin eyed her curiously as she asked if they were under a kind of understanding. He felt her tail brushing against the fabric of his clothing, knowing it could easily tear it, and he smiled at her, “An understanding? Whatever do you mean?” He asked coyly right before the alarms began to beep. And then she was gone in a flash, leaving him standing there confused, “...the hell is a 'roo'?” He mumbled to himself as he stared after her. He smelled burned popcorn and was still lost on why that was such a big deal. Couldn’t she simply pop in another bag? Edin began to walk over when the dreaded cat blocked his path.

The Firrerreo glared at the cat. Normally he solved his problems with his blaster, but he had to behave in his…his…girl? His girl’s place? Is that where he was? No, that was too presumptuous, but he was shocked at his line of thought nonetheless. She would probably put her horns through his gut if he started talking sap like that. Edin focused back on the cat. As it hissed at him, the assassin scowled, “Shoo! Go away!” He waved his hand at it.

When that didn’t work, Edin curled his lips back and bared his sharp fangs. A deep, throaty growl that sounded like a lion’s rumbled and grew into a quiet roar. The unnatural noise was enough to make the cat pause from launching at Edin, the assassin’s appearance far more feral. His pupils were narrowed to slits.

The cat darted from his sight and into a side room and he only hoped Amira didn’t see the whole exchange. Edin quickly remembered himself and straightened up, the nictitating membranes of his eyes flicking across and his pupils rapidly going back to normal. He cleared his throat and stood there awkwardly for a moment before walking towards the kitchen.

“Can I…help?” He asked after a pause, pushing his thoughts aside from that demonic cat. In truth, Edin asked to help out of courtesy - he didn’t know jack shit about anything kitchen related and would be more of a hindrance than help.


@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

How could Amira respond to that? She couldn't just come right out and ask, 'Are we dating?' or 'Would you like to?' Edin was an assassin, a drifter that never committed to any one place or person. He wasn't the kind of guy that would want to tie himself down to one girl, to spend his evenings off curled up on the couch with the same girl week in and week out. Amira didn't want to risk scaring him off by defining this relationship they shared, not now.

So instead, she allowed the conversation to continue naturally. "Roux," she corrected gently, smiling softly to herself. The Tiefling poured the (mostly) silky-smooth sauce into a larger pan alongside the sausage and vegetables she'd already prepared. "I'm making gumbo—and oysters. Two of my ma's famous recipes." Ma was a big cook, both out of delight and necessity. With ten hungry children, you had no choice but to be a big cook. Before each child moved away and struck out on their own, she'd compile their favorite recipes into a little personal cookbook to send with them. Now you can't whine about going hungry, she'd told Amira the day she'd left home as a teenager.
"I haven't really cooked in a few years," she rambled on, completely oblivious of the showdown occuring between Edin and Ansella behind her. "So fingers crossed it's edible." A little warning, just in case it wasn't. Edin's deep, throaty growl drew her attention away from the stove. "Are you okay? Do you need a lozenge or something?"

When the Firrerreo asked if he could help, Amira's features lifted. "Sure." A drawer flung open, and a corkscrew sailed across the island. In the meantime, she reached up and drew two wine glasses from the cabinet above her. "Make yourself useful and open that bottle." She leaned over the island and rested on her elbows, watching him as her tail swished languidly behind her. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin blinked a few times when Amira asked if he needed a lozenge. His mouth opened and closed a few times, genuinely perplexed before he finally responded, “Yeah I was just… showing your cat who’s boss,” He said with a slight flare of his nostrils, “It was about to attack me,” Edin shot a dirty look towards the direction where the hellbeast had run off.

He was still not used to active Force use, and his gaze lingered on the corkscrew moving of its own accord. He walked over to gingerly pick it up as if expecting it to do something or protest in his hand, “Now this is a job I can manage,” Edin said with a hint of relief as he grabbed the wine bottle. He popped the top off and poured them both a glass, “May be a bit drier than the Core stuff, but I think you’ll like it.”

The Firrerreo recalled what she mentioned she was making, “I don’t think I’ve ever had gumbo before,” He admitted. He quietly pondered for a moment before smiling to himself, “You sound like you’re very close to your family,” He remarked quietly. His memories were largely painful and things he preferred blocking out. Edin absentmindedly swished around the liquid in his glass, and it was clear his mind was elsewhere on unpleasant topics. He snapped out of it eventually before looking back at her with a grin.

"So, is gumbo something you make for all the guys you chat up in cantinas or am I special?" He asked teasingly.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

"Ansella?" The Tiefling's shoulders drew up, following his gaze across the room. "Sorry about that. I meant to put her away, but between the roux and the...." Kiss. She meant to say kiss. Why was that so hard? "It totally slipped my mind. She's usually not so temperamental, but I guess she's not used to having company around anymore. Let me go close the door."
While Edin was kind enough to open the bottle of wine and pour each of them a glass, Amira ducked into the bedroom. That was where Ansella usually slunk off to mope, curled up under the bed or hiding in the closet amongst Amira's shoes. "Vincent!" she groaned from inside the bedroom. The sound of a scuffle followed. Then the bedroom door slammed shut, and Amira emerged pulling a goat behind her. She drug it across the living room, a feat only possible through the advantage of the force and sheer willpower, all while it bleated and dug its cloven hooves in. "Sorry about this," she apologized to Edin with a harried expression. The front door flew open, and Vincent was deposited on the front steps. She muttered a quiet apology to the goat that she prayed Edin could not hear, petted him, and then closed the door.
"He's outdoors most of the time, but he must have snuck back in somehow." She rejoined the Firrerreo in the kitchen, wordlessly picking up the glass of wine he had poured and taking a sip. A very long sip. More loose strands of hair tumbled free of the braided bun at the back of her head, displaced by her little encounter with Vincent.

Great. Edin would never want to visit again now, between an angry, territorial Tooka cat attacking him and a goat in the bedroom. At this point, he probably thought she was crazy—some otherworldly hybrid of cat lady and goat lady. All she could do was hope that dinner would save the evening she had so carefully planned and fretted over for days. "You're right," the Tiefling finally spoke. "This is delicious. Very rich. I see you have excellent taste in wine and women." There it was. Her confidence was back. She ran a finger along the rim of the wine glass, stealing a glance at him. "My family is very close. I haven't seen them in a few years, but I plan to remedy that. Once I get settled."

Amira hesitated. The topic of family could be tricky. They'd spoken of family once before, back on Ankus in that wayside cantina. Edin had never answered her question about his own relatives, and either that was because they'd started kissing and it slipped his mind or because it was a touchy subject for him. The Tiefling suspected the latter, and it was obvious that the Firrerreo's mind was elsewhere. Far away from Dantooine, this wine, and the Tiefling in front of him. She didn't dare press him for information now, not when the evening already hung by a string.

The Tiefling set her wine glass down and closed the distance between them. One hand wound its way around the back of the Firrerreo's neck, while the other sought out his free hand. "Someday I'd like to hear about your family." When the time was right. When he was ready. She had no intention of asking Edin about his family history right now, but she would make one thing very clear to him. "You're special, Edin Frost," she added quietly, yellow eyes roaming the length of his face slowly. "But I thought you already knew that. I haven't cooked for a man in a long, long time. And never one quite like you." @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Vincent? Who the hell was Vincent? In her bedroom? Edin’s eyebrow quirked as he heard a bit of commotion, but he remained where he was, sipping from his wine. After a moment, Amira emerged again and appeared to be dragging a….what the hell? Edin’s jaw visibly dropped at the sight, but he said nothing about it. In some ways he wasn’t entirely shocked. In fact, after a moment, he began to crack up. Amira would hear him actually burst out laughing, finding the entire display completely amusing. It was a carefree laugh, a far cry from the normally reserved and almost detached demeanor he usually had.

He was still smiling by the time she walked back, clearly a bit frazzled. The smile widened at her suggestion that he had great taste in both wine and women, “I sure do,” He added in a very quiet voice as he raised the wine glass to his lips to take a sip, his gaze meeting hers over the rim as he spoke. He set the glass down when she came closer to him, savoring her touch once more. Edin’s face was difficult to read for a moment as she remarked about his family and then the admission that she hadn’t cooked for anyone in a while. His eyes met hers for a long moment, one of his hands coming up to tuck an errant strand of her hair behind her ear.

“One of my most vivid memories is a song my mother always used to play,” Edin said, “Very old timey, probably 40 ABY or earlier?” He slid back from her and walked towards where she had her speakers. He connected his comlink to it, “She used to sing it but it was always off key,” He laughed softly, “But I used to listen all the time anyway.”

After a moment, a song began to play from the speakers. Edin listened quietly for a moment, a nostalgic look on his face as he stood there. He glanced over that, walking over to extend his hand to grasp Amira’s. He tugged her close and slid an arm around her waist, grasping her opposite hand. With that, Edin began to slow dance with her right there in her living room to the song. His eyes remained on hers the entire time, a tenderness in them only for her. He lifted his hand up to twirl her gently before pulling her back into the dance.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

The Tiefling stood still as Edin crossed the room to connect his comlink to the old set of speakers she had picked up a few weeks ago at a yard sale. Her tail perked up at the rhythmic, soulful tune that began to play a moment later. The sun had begun to disappear beyond the horizon, the living room left in shadows and the glow of a small antique lamp next to the couch. Amira watched the Firrerreo, lost in thought with his back to her. Memories had probably overtaken him as soon as the song had begun to play—moments of his childhood, of his mother. She couldn't help but wonder if his mother was still alive, living a peaceful live on some faraway planet, or if the galaxy had snatched her away. The look in his eyes made her fear the worst.

These thoughts she kept to herself. Their hands found each other in the darkness, their bodies entangling as easily as gears in a well-crafted timepiece. A second hand rested on his back, each finger spread against the fabric, and her tail swung in time with the music. "Better to sing off key than not to sing at all," she said, glistening yellow eyes staring up at him. The significance of Edin's memory he shared wasn't lost on her. He had opened up to her, in a way he never had before. In a way neither of them had before. It was small, but it was something. A start.
His gaze was tender, never straying from her own. There was an unmatched intensity to it, and she found herself hoping. Hoping desperately, against time and circumstances, that she was the first woman to ever witness the warmth in those icy-blue eyes and that maybe—just maybe—this song spoke the words he couldn't bring himself to share.

Amira took a deep, savoring breath, still staring up at him and letting him lead this impromptu dance. "Where were you born?" she asked, barely above a whisper. If he was in the mood to share, she was going to learn everything she could about him. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin was normally a very guarded man, and in some ways, he still was. He led her through the dance as the song progressed, his gaze never leaving hers. He couldn’t deny to himself that Amira managed to shatter past layers of armor he had built up around himself over the years. In the end, he found it easier to let the guard down than to fight against it. He enjoyed her company and he began to crave the unique sensations she brought him - a far cry from the world of backstabbing and distrust he always experienced. And if this turned out to be just like that? Well, at least he would have experienced the good for now.

He didn’t answer her immediately, the song slowly drawing to a close. He didn’t release her just yet, his arm still around her waist while his hand grasped hers. Edin exhaled softly, glancing down at the ground for a moment, “I was born a slave to slaves on Tatooine,” He said quietly. He said nothing beyond that for now and it was clear the rest would take time. Edin always prided himself in who he was, but his origins were something he grappled with to this day. It was easier to be Basilisk than it was to be that vulnerable boy in the labor camps.

Both of his arms wrapped around her waist and he tugged her close, smiling down at her, “I hope you know I don’t fly across the galaxy for just any woman, Amira Din,” He whispered quietly.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

The old, soulful song concluded, but Amira wished she and Edin could have remained as they were, dancing the whole night through, hang the gumbo on the stove and the cat locked up in her bedroom. Silence followed the Firrerreo's confession, but Amira's mind was anything but. There were a thousand questions she would have liked to ask him—about his mother, his experience, and if the bloodsucking parasites responsible for his enslavement were already dead or if she could personally travel to Tatooine, drive her lightsaber through their hearts, and watch them draw their last breaths as the life faded from their eyes.

He needed to hear none of those things, so she turned her face away, to conceal the furious expression that crept unbidden across her countenance. Her muscles quivered with bridled anger, her pulse racing as she tried her best not to let him notice. In the darkness, he probably wouldn't. When she turned to face him again, her features instantly softened. Studying his face, she realized that he didn't need a Champion, and he didn't need justice or revenge. Not tonight. Tonight, he needed comfort. He needed undivided and wholehearted attention.

She swallowed before she spoke, scared to say the wrong thing. Getting angry and lashing out—that was easy, but this? This was anything but. What could she say that could possibly ameliorate his experience? How could she comfort him properly, after everything he must have gone through at the hands of those lowlifes? The Tiefling wanted to alleviate his pain, if even for just a single moment, but she couldn't, and she hated that with every fiber of her being.

Amira nestled her head against the Firrerreo's chest, long, dark eyelashes brushing against his shirt as she kept one hand firmly on his back. "I'm sorry," she finally said in a small, soothing voice, aware of the statement's insufficiency. He was the one that had just opened up to her, but she realized just how safe and whole she felt in his arms. As if nothing could snatch her away and no one else could possibly touch her. As if they were the only two people in an expansive and thriving galaxy, and she hoped he felt the same way in her arms.
A small smile graced her lips when he said he wouldn't fly across the galaxy for just any girl. "I would certainly hope not," she breathed into his shirt, finally pulling her face away to stare up at him. He'd made himself vulnerable, and she wanted him to know that she wanted—needed him to stay for as long as he was willing to stay. Instead of asking, she told him. She told him exactly what she wanted. "Stay the night, Edin. Please." It wasn't like her to say please. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin glanced at her curiously when she briefly turned away. She was close enough to where he could see the fury on her face. His brows furrowed in confusion and surprise at seeing such a strong reaction to what he said. However, in some ways it pierced right through him, making him tug her closer, “Hey..” He said quietly as he curled a finger under her chin to gently lift her face to look towards him again. As she rested her head against his chest, Edin dropped his hand to wrap both his arms around her tightly.

The Firrerreo looked at her when she drew back and made her request, the simple words sending a rush through him. Edin said nothing for a moment before he smiled, leaning in to kiss her. He lingered there for a while before he softly murmured against her lips, “I’ll stay as long as you want,” He said, surprising even himself, but he didn’t care at that point.

Edin remained there for a bit before he finally pulled back from her, “Okay, let me try this roo gumbo business,” He declared, purposely mispronouncing the word just to tease. He smiled at her before making his way back towards the kitchen. He glanced down at the pot, inhaling the delicious aroma. Edin didn’t hesitate to grab some bowls to scoop some out for them both, “This smells amazing considering you’ve been neglecting it,” He snickered a bit, “I hope you didn’t hold back on the spice. I can handle more than any human men you've had," He flashed her a wink.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

I'll stay as long as you want...

The Tiefling allowed each word to wash over her in waves, slowly and deliberately. They were cleansing, like the hot springs she had once bathed in beneath Muunilisnt. Warmth spread throughout her chest, far stronger than the healing waters of Muunilinst or the raging fires of Mustafar that had terrified her as a teenaer. A growing part of her wanted to believe that a weight had been lifted with that declaration, but the pessimist in her—the realist, as her Master would say—wondered just how long it would last. Did he really mean it? Or was he just wrapped up in the moment?

"Careful, Basilisk," she whispered, voice thick with emotion. "Don't make promises you can't keep. I might decide to hold you to them someday." And someday might come sooner rather than later. A playful smile lifted her features. "Roux," she corrected gently for the second time, her tail swatting his posterior for added measure.
While the Firrerreo dipped two bowls of gumbo, Amira picked up the bowl of fried oysters she'd made earlier, right before he knocked. She stared down at them with a skeptical eye. They were probably cold now. "I don't have a dining table yet, so I hope the couch is okay." She settled onto one of the cushions, criss-cross as she waited for him to join her. "Try the gumbo first," she suggested. Might as well start with the dish she knew was warm.

This was the moment of truth. Hopefully she'd do Ma proud. Yellow eyes hovered on Edin, waiting for the smallest sign to gauge his reaction. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin gazed at her for a moment as she called him Basilisk again. His smile faded just briefly, but he recovered before she could really notice. A part of him just wanted to admit that he truly was the assassin. His line of work would take him away for long periods of time and he despised the thought of never telling her why. Another part of him was shocked he was even entertaining these lines of thought.

He plopped down on the couch with his bowl ,sitting next to her as he smelled the gumbo again. Edin took the first bite and was suddenly frozen in place. His eyes slowly widened as he stared off at nothing. His expression was almost comical, caught in a blank stare as if all brain function had stopped. And then he slowly glanced at her with wonder, suddenly looking lovestruck as if he were going to propose to her right there and then.

“Oh my god..” He blurted out before he shoveled a few more spoonfuls into his mouth, “I’ve never had something so tasty in my life,” Edin said in between bites as he went to town on his bowl. He was completely and utterly hooked. If the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, Amira blazed through that highway. The Firrerreo was completely amazed by the taste, and he wolfed down the first bowl in moments before springing up to get seconds, “You should open a restaurant, Amira, bondye mwen sa bon,” He blurted out, his Firrerroean dialect slipping out for the first time in years.

Second bowl devoured, he went to try the oysters next, savoring those as well. Edin was in heaven. He never had food this delicious and to think that Amira casually whipped it up while barely paying attention to the meal was impossible to comprehend.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

Seconds stretched into an eternity as the Tiefling watched Edin like a hawk, dark dingers winding around the necklace that hung from her neck as if it would save her from the embarrassment that would inevitably follow if the meal she'd prepared tasted exactly like a tauntaun smelled. When the Firrerreo finally blurted out a verdict, Amira nearly jumped.

"Really?" she asked, her smile building with every bite he shoveled into his mouth. Instead of digging into her own meal, she simply sat there, allowing the relief to sink in. The sight of Edin wolfing down something she had made brought her more joy than a mouthful of her own cooking ever would. Ma had always said the way to a man's heart was through his stomach, but she'd never actually believed it until this moment. Was this what domestic bliss was supposed to feel like? She wondered, unable to tear her gaze away from Edin as she began to laugh, the lilt of her voice echoing throughout the house. "If there's any leftovers, I'll send you a doggy bag home." The way he was eating, it wasn't likely.
Eventually, when the Firrerreo rose to get seconds, Amira began to pick at her own bowl. "Bon-hey men sa what?" she repeated, butchering the Firrerroean dialect with her Bandoomer accent. It didn't help that she spoke with her mouthful of fried oysters. Over a year of living on her own hadn't done her table manners any favors.

"You know," she grinned at him, feeling more like her playful self now that she didn't have to worry about dinner. "I saw you on the news the other day." She tilted her head to one side, the strand of hair he'd tucked behind her ear only moments earlier slipping loose again. "Darth Stafros..." One of her own, although she'd never met the Imperial Warmaster personally. "I hope I never make it onto Basilisk's hit list." She gave him a playful nudge. @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin couldn’t remember the last time he wolfed down food and it was an actual positive experience. His childhood memories consisted of quickly shoveling down whatever scraps he could find as a slave before someone else took them from him. He squashed the thought for now, reaching for his wine and sipping from it. He forgot to pair it with the food entirely, focused way too much on that delicious gumbo and the oysters.

He chuckled at her horrible butchering of his language, “It’s Firrerreo,” He explained, “I blurt it out sometimes when I’m excited,” Edin said with a shrug, “That means it was really delicious,” He said as he took a sip of his wine.

When she mentioned Basilisk, his smile faded. He thought for a moment in silence thinking of scenarios where he could be hired to kill her. Would he turn it down? Would that give him away? Would that conflict with his principles as an assassin? Was she becoming a liability? The influx of thoughts tore away at him and he looked away, throwing back the rest of his wine.

“I hope you don’t either,” He said quietly, his tone suddenly more serious and a bit dark. Edin stared off at nothing for a few seconds before he was finally pulled back to the presence. He looked over at Amira, the smile returning. He wasn't quite ready to divulge those truths about himself just yet.

“With food like this, I’m now more convinced to stay than ever,” He said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her close to him on the couch, “So what now? We put on a Holomovie that I pretend to watch for a few minutes before deciding you’re far more interesting?” He gave her a fanged grin.

@llamallove