Ask Who Dunnit

[Altair Din]

Altair said nothing for a moment, his face set in rigid ice for a moment. He kept his eyes on hers, a calm setting over him that was almost unsettling. He didn’t react even as she grasped him by the collar, his gaze briefly flicking over her shoulder to see if anyone else was watching. Regardless of how he may have felt about her, he wouldn’t allow her to disrespect him in front of his men. When he was sure no one was watching, he reached up to grasp her wrist, plucking it off his collar. Without a word, he tugged her into the crew cabin next to them to keep the privacy. The door closed and he whirled around to face her, genuine irritation on his face as he finally released her hand.

“There is a fine line between stubbornness and outright stupidity,” He stated icily as he glared at her, “This operation was meant to be an invasion to begin with. You jeopardized everything by ignoring that and going in to negotiate. This was going to be an invasion because we knew diplomacy wouldn’t work here. You ignored all that and followed your own agenda. You have only operated on your own agenda without regard to anyone else. Because of you we lost the element of surprise and the supporting warlords had time to cause more damage and go into hiding.”

It was clear he was getting tired of this argument, but he wouldn’t keel over either, “You’ve made it clear you don’t agree with how the Empire operates. You’ve dropped enough hints that you’ll leave one day. So fucking do it, Celeste,” He leaned in closer to her, his face inches away from hers as she was backed up against the wall behind her. There was a dangerous glint in his eye, “Abandon the empire. Ditch me. Just fucking go. Do things your way because you can never accept playing by anyone else’s rules. Because you can’t respect me. Because you can’t respect this regime.”

He stared at her for a moment, “But don’t for one second accuse me of betraying you just because I had to clean up your fucking mess. Because I asked you something many times over and you outright refused because your ego matters more than me being punished for disobedience by the Council. You pushed me to take desperate actions. If you want me to apologize for that, then I will, but I would have done it again."

Altair took a step back and began to undo his armor, letting his Matukai gauntlets fall with a thud to the ground. He didn’t look at her as he began to shed his armor, “I don’t give a rat’s ass what you do. Take a shuttle and go back down there if you want, take a ship and jump to Sith space or hitch a ride directly to Alliance territory for all I care. But I ain’t gonna entertain this argument anymore. The job is done.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

While she furiously glared at him, a hint of wild frustration still glistening in her eyes she moved not the slightest bit, her hand still at his collar. She was usually not necessarily hot-headed, but this damn day and his fuckingly stupid behavior had pushed her over the edge. If she had had a tail as well, it would have madly whipped around the two of them. But here she stood, simply glaring up at the Tiefling with a determined feistiness and a fire burning on the inside. A few weeks ago, there had been a fire in her, too, but while back then it had been passion, it was now pure rage. She let him remove her hand and the way he glanced around told her that he was worried about what the others might think. Was he truly concerned about respect? Had he openly and publicly wanted to prove that he could control her? Was this even about her being a woman? She couldn't quite tell anymore but those thoughts made her even more furious.

Him talking about stupidity simply bounced off her, but it still added more fire to the burning rage. "The fuck do you know about diplomacy?! I would have cracked him, too! If you would have just let me!" she hissed back, but that was only after he had led her into one of thr cabins. The truth was, she was fine with the privacy because then she hadn't hold herself back any longer. As a diplomat, she still had a reputation to maintain as well, but this was personal anyway. "They've been suprised alright! And so was I! Was this about you wanting to prove yourself again?! If you had simply let me handle that, we wouldn't have encountered any issues at all! I have my skills and if my words still hadn't reached him, I would have bended his fucking will in a different way! You took that from me! And all the efforts I had put in! Yes, I had not followed those orders but those orders were stupid! This invasion was unnecessary! This fucking war had only broke out because you arrived with a whole army! Honestly I could have taken them out with a small infiltration group as well!" she started explaining, her words now obviously louder and the anger level still rising. She just knew he hadn't even considered all the other options she had brought with her. Of course diplomacy alone hadn't won them over, but just like him, she had also planned on acquiring leverage to force them into submission.

Was there even a reason in arguing? Not necessarily, but what he said next made her even more furious. "Just because I don't blindly follow orders like a damn dog, you're telling me to leave you behind too?!" she spat, shaking her head in disbelief. "Apparently in contrast to you, I'm fairly capable of separating my private life from my duties! What if I leave, hm? True, I suck at following orders because I still possess a free will and I'm not afraid to assert myself! What does that have to do with you though?!". Of course she had accused him again with her statements, and she had been quite blunt about it, but her ability to remain diplomatic was currently suppressed by that imminent outbreak. She shook her head in disbelief again, frustratedly pressing her palm against her forehead. "I DO RESPECT YOU! I wanted to discuss this, to help you even, but you couldn't do the same! YOU KNOCKED ME OUT!". She reproachfully waved her arms around, however her unstoppable rage was immediately stopped as he started undressing. "Damn it Altair, I know you want to shower but can you not be so damn provocative right now?! This is a serious conversation!" she angrily shot at him, his last words hurting her even more. She forced herself to breathe deeply as she forced herself to walk a few steps. Maybe pacing would help distract her at least a little bit. "So you do want me gone, huh? Okay. Say the word and I'll leave. I'm talking about us here. My other path is not yet chosen, but if you can't bear having me in your life then just say it. Perhaps our paths will never cross again then though" she finally said, her voice definitely calmer. Oddly calm maybe even. She was hurt, deeply hurt even, because after everything they have been through, it now seemed as though he was the one wanting to throw that all away due to heated emotions.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair sighed and looked away as she screamed at him. He was used to loud, angry Sith ladies and he usually managed to keep his composure most of the time. He had said his piece and he wasn’t going to keep arguing with her. He slid his underarmor off, revealing his very bruised torso with cuts all over his body. She had made several good points. They both had valid reasons for the way they felt, but it didn’t make this any easier or fairer for either side. The tiefling listened to what she said and he stopped undressing when he was just down to his pants and belt. He looked at her again, “What do you mean 'us'?” Altair asked her outright.

“On one hand you equate me to a dog that can’t think for itself and then you also claim to respect me,” He said calmly, “Which one is it, Celeste? Pick one,” Altair rolled his eyes, scoffing at the thought. He was used to people insulting him for one reason or another and it hardly bothered him now. Being a tiefling in a galaxy that hated his kind made him have thick skin in that regard.

“I don’t want you gone,” Altair admitted quietly after a long moment of silence, “But that ain’t gonna make you stay, will it?” He met her gaze then.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Even though she had managed to become much calmer, she still knew that it wouldn't have taken much to make her explode again. She was expecting more backtalk, perhaps even more screaming, but a few seconds after her words had left her mouth she had already noticed that something might have slipped out unintentionally. Us . Uh oh.

She watched his demeanor change from one second to the next as she still glared at him as he had removed yet another layer. This strip show was partly on purpose s d attempting to provoke, right?! However, she couldn't even be mad at him as his bruised body made a shiver ran down her spine. His skin was a testament of the intense combat he had been involved in and well yes...she was even partly to blame as he had made a few valid arguments. But before this discussion could continue, of course he was asking what she had just implied.

She opened her mouth and closed it again, softly shaking her head. Damn...that had been truly impulsive. But yes, good question. What had she even meant? What were they even? But before she could even ponder on that, he urged her to make another decision. She let out a deep sigh, knowing that this issue was just extremely complicated. "The latter, of course. I do respect you. I do even respect your decision...you are loyal. I can't blame you for that. I had just assumed you might still trust me and be loyal to me...and with that I don't even mean that you would have let me alone with those bastards, but mostly that you could have taken me with you when it was our plan to kill them anyway". This truly had been the least he could have done, right? Or hadn't he trusted her with that? "Had you been truly afraid that I might have planned on sabotaging that plan further? I had agreed that we would take him out", she asked him, crossing her arms in front of her.

What he said next made sense, but it also opened much more questions. She knew well that he was not just referring to her staying in this very room, because that would have been the easiest part, but he was referring to the much broader scheme after all. "I...I can't even tell" she started, but she knew this wasn't right. She wanted to be honest with him and so she would openly discuss what was on her mind. She didn't want him to feel as though he weren't enough but she was assuming he understood that part anyway. After all, he had been the one who had repeatedly pointed out that maybe she could not stay within the Empire forever.

"This is difficult for me. You know that. I might even get into trouble for what I've done here if anyone finds out, because yes, I have disobeyed direct orders again. Maybe politically, this isn't the right way, but no matter where I finally end up, this will not change anything when it comes to you and what I feel", she admitted truthfully, her voice soft. If she was being honest, she couldn't even fully grasp what she felt, but it was definitely intense and somehow even an unfamiliar feeling. She cared deeply about him and while she was still pissed, she wished she could have healed his injuries somehow and she couldn't even stay fully mad after all. It was weird seeing him like this and having this complete different tension between them and she just wanted that to stop. She walked over to him, her gaze not leaving his and he would see that inner pain glistening inside. "I'm sorry you got hurt again...you shouldn't have gotten involved in that madness" she sympathetically admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper as she softly traced her fingers across his bare, bruised skin. She was immediately reminded of that last time they had met and she craved for that lightheartedness they had back then...it had definitely been easier.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair knew he had caught her saying something that had slipped. While a few years ago this would have gone right over his head, he was far more in tune with reading people now. He saw her open and close her mouth a few times before speaking. The anger began to diffuse between them and he felt the earlier rage ease away. Exhaustion filled him both mentally and physically and her touch was a warm and familiar thing.

However, he knew her destiny would take her far away from Sith space. He knew she would be on the opposite side of him and it brought up unpleasant feelings. Altair listened as she spoke about how they felt and he couldn’t deny it. He hadn’t confessed anything to her aloud, but she was older and more experienced. She could see in his eyes the words he didn’t say.

The tiefling gave her a faint smile when she said he shouldn’t have gotten hurt, “I’m a soldier,” He said quietly, “It’s in the job description. But it doesn’t have to be in yours,” He said as he brought up a hand to cup her face, a sensation he had missed in the time they were apart.

After a moment, he closed that distance to gently kiss her, having missed it for a while. The weight of reality still loomed and his internal fears governed his thoughts. Altair lingered there, gently nudging her into the wall behind her as he kissed her. It was comforting, it was drinking from a glass of water after traveling the desert for a long time, it was inhaling the crisp, cool air of a mountain summit. It was exquisite and it almost made him forget reality. Almost.

Altair drew back from the kiss, his lips still faintly brushing against her, “Celeste,” He whispered softly without meeting her gaze, “Promise me you won’t ever tell me you love me.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste tried not to lose her composure but funnily enough, he had proven a couple of times that there was something on him that made it super difficult for her not to do so. However she was more than relieved that this angry tension was dissolves and that their interactions grew much more tender again.

She hated his reply though...it was so generalized and downplaying everything else around it and also it was not at all personal. Sometimes she was wondering whether he saw himself as just a soldier -that was also how he had put it back then when he had mentioned he was worth nothing- and not who he truly was. Altair. Someone unbelievably special and not just a meaningless cog in a machine. "Sounds like a stupid job..." she obviously teased him now, a mischievous smirk landing on her lips as she closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. Of course she also knew exactly what he meant by that second part, but even if she would fully commit herself to politics, Celeste would never just stand down...And he already knew about her determination and will power, so he definitely knew the answer to that.

It surpsied her a little that he immediately decided to kiss her, but of course she immediately reciprocated the kiss, her own lips softly melting against his while she reached up to the sides of his face. Her kiss slowly turned from affectionately to passionately and he would just know she had held back a few emotions before. She had seen it in his gaze that she had been right about one thing for sure: This wasn't just the occasional hookup for him either, but Celeste still had no idea how the hell they were supposed to continue... this .

The truth was, it would only get much more difficult from now on, that was also true, but as he pulled back he utterly suprised her. At first she assumed this was a joke and she had almost teasingly and provocatively joked "Oh, sorry, but I love you", but oh no. He was dead serious. She couldn't help but to think back to their last conversation on that rooftop and she was convinced the Jedi that had broke his heart had something to do with that. She swallowed, light blue still meeting purple mid air before she softly raised her voice again."I'm sorry that happened to you in the past...but you can't be afraid for all of your life. What if I would have to lie? Would you want that? Blocking out emotions might feel like the easier way, but sooner or later it won't be". She was not trying to educate him here, nor did she think his idea was foolish, but he did try to make this easy. But easy was not good, especially when it came to that. And especially in their case things had already been complicated.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

He knew she was right, but that didn’t make it any easier. He had been torn open from his past and he had to repeatedly go through it. Multiple instances where had let his walls down had gone poorly for him each time. He saw the same future here and he knew this was circling dangerously close to something far more than just casually meeting up and being intimate here and there. Altair met her gaze for a long moment, giving her a bitter smile.

“No one can love me for every side of me,” Altair kept his gaze on hers as he spoke quietly, “The monster in me. The soldier in me. They can only love the farm boy,” He took a step back and then another, “Perhaps that’s for the best. You’re close to the fire now. Why step into the flames?” Altair mused aloud.

He wanted to keep kissing her, but his mind was caught up in the bitterness. Altair continued stepping back till he collapsed backwards on the crew bed. He gazed up vacantly at the ceiling, silently lost in his thoughts. Pain coursed through his body from the bruises and injuries, but he didn’t care.

Her words had stung him, and he thought about them. He had prided himself in being a soldier for the Empire. Did that truly mean he was incapable of thinking for himself? Was he also being foolish because he was falling for her? Knowing that it would inevitably lead to more heartbreak as it did every single time? Altair didn’t move from where he was, feeling defeated on multiple fronts. Though the mission was a success, he felt as if he had failed in the end.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Again, it sounded like their discussion could have gone on for ages, but neither of them decided to continue at this point. Her muscles had relaxed and she had savored their gentle kiss before the brief moment was already over. Because he had purposely ended it with the intention of straightening something out, but in the end it seemed like they could start all over again.

His answer let frustration set in again. He truly seemed obsessed with that idea and she did not appreciate this notion at all. What made him think that he wasn't worth to be loved just the way he was? Had that also been what that Jedi had told him when she broke his heart? She couldn't help but to wonder, but this thought made her slightly angry, even if she would have never admitted that.

She let out a deep sigh and averted her gaze for a moment, chewing her lip as she stared against the wall. What he said was wrong as she had not made that differentiation before, however she realized what point he wanted to make. She looked back at him, not just conflict but also sadness reflecting in her eyes, before she swallowed and a new wave of emotions washed over her.

Without hesitation she stepped forwards, closing the physical distance between the two of them. Finally she stopped in front of him, her eyes searching for his vibrant purple, longing for that passion they usually rel,ected but he seemed utterly shaken. "That is not true. I have never judged you for your decisions unless they were affecting me like they did today. Also, you should know by now that firstly, I'm not afraid to burn myself-" this was of course even more than a metaphor, "and secondly, I'm incredibly stubborn" with that, she got on tiptoes and leaned in, intending to let her lips melt against his once again to continue the passionate kiss he had interrupted due to doubts. For her, there were at least no doubts when it came do her feelings in this exact moment, and they literally told her to continue, because it simply felt right. It didn't matter who had opened that hole in his heart, all she intended was to fix it, if he would let her. Perhaps this was another impulsive thing to do, but she couldn't deny how right that possible mistake felt.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair knew she was right. She hadn’t judged him for being Sith, but he knew that was only a temporary sentiment. Could she truly stomach it when she was Alliance or another body of government? What if she went to the Jedi instead and became his direct enemy? He put duty above all, just as he was taught by his family. His thoughts melted away when she kissed him, as they often did. Being with her took him away from the reality and chaos of war. For those quiet moments they shared, it felt as if the galaxy slowed down and it was just them without any distractions there.

He pulled her close to lay against his chest as he kept kissing her, his arm wrapped around her torso. HIs tail gently swayed back and forth in contentment as the moments passed. Altair drew back for a moment to gaze at her, brushing his fingers against the side of her face, “I’m sorry for knockin’ you out,” He said quietly, though a smile appeared on his face after that, “Though you looked nice and peaceful when I did. Finally not glaring,” Altair chuckled softly at that before stealing another kiss from her.

“Stay with me for a few days,” He said after a moment.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She realized that maybe she felt so attracted to him because while they had many similarities, there was always a fire in their each and every interaction and this just always kept it interesting. Of course also challenging, but while he hadn't even fully openly expressed it yet, she was completely sure that no matter how much he would try to suppress those feelings, he felt that unrelenting pull, too. And also, she loved challenges anyway...and she was definitely up for this one.

They soon found themselves on the bed, affectionately wrapped in each other's embrace as the tension was fully broken by thr continuation of their kiss. "Wait wait wait. I don't want to hurt you" she softly whispered inbetween the kisses, indeed worried that she might hurt him by that. This body was not just bruised, but also scratched and he was definitely exhausted and so regardless of how much she enjoyed their kiss, she was worried.

As he suddenly mentioned that was sorry about the knock out, she softly chuckled. Forgiveness was important and while she still felt slightly betrayed, she wouldn't let him feel the after-effects though. "It's...okay. I'm sorry for yelling at you...and I may have given Lieutenant Aval a hard time, but I'll apologize to him, too" she gently replied as she softly traced her fingertips over his cheek. And yes, she did believe him that when she was unconscious, that usual fire in her glare had been suffocated for a bit. She amusedly tilted her head before she softly brushed her lips against his again, this internal warmth spreading though her whole body while it left this tingly, electric sensation every here and there. His request admittedly surpsied her a little, but there was literally only one answer to that. "I'd like that very much" she whispered as she pulled back for another time, which wasn't the easiest thing to do, but of course she would let him know she would stay. As long as duty didn't call, she would stay in Sith space with him.

@Sreeya