Sagitta shivered as she tried to make herself small as possible. The tall green Mirialan had her knees up against her chest as she wrapped her arms around it. “I’m okay, I’m okay..” She repeated herself, so scared. She wanted to go home. But they couldn’t dock because of the storm and Sagitta was too frightened to even more to find a hotel.
“I’m okay, AH!” She cried out as a clap of thunder boomed, rattling the bus shelter. New fear unlocked. Was the shelter going to blow away!? She shivered at the rain hard pelt against her skin, the wind was harsh and blowing them inside since the little shelter can offer no protection or help. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” She went back to repeating, her face completely buried in her knees, “I’m okay…”
It was supposed to be a rainy day. High winds. How the kriff had they missed the fact it was a thunder storm on the forecast. Cole had already gotten out to the ship yard before he realised the state of the weather. The clouds were clashing over head and while he didn’t mind being soaked, though regretting the white shirt admittedly, he did mind the flashes of light cascading from above.
A crash of thunder sounded out, and Cole knew he only had a few seconds. He wasn’t under cover- kark. There was a cry from within the shelter, but the hate of being seen weak was easily overcome by the timer.
He slipped inside the shelter and flinched, closing his eyes and still able to see the pink of his eye lids as the lightning struck.
Only once it passed, did he pay heed to the other occupant. She was barely coherent.
Another strike of lighting made him cuss, and retreat to the same corner. She had taken it up, but at least from a respectfuk few feet away it was the deeper point of shelter. The darkest. Maybe she wouldn’t be able to see the fact he was as afraid as she was.
He sat with one knee up, the other stretched out in some attempt to appear calm. But Coles gaze was firmly on his hand, which he kept opening and closing into a fist, squeezing before releasing.
Sagitta cried out again when she heard thunder and saw a flash of lightning. Her eyelids squeezed shut. Wait. Wasn’t there a voice? Did one of her family or friends come to save her from this torment!? Her head rose and she saw an unfamiliar face. Then another thunder roll as she immediately launched to cling to Cole, only miscalculating how far she was from him, and ended up faceplanting into his chest. No matter. Those arms of hers went around him as she attempt to curl up to him like a massive animal to a very smol bed.
Cole did not expect that.
He stiffened as she grabbed him, and if she hadn’t have been as scared and got an actual grip kn him hed have surely been dragged. Alas, he simply ended up with her face in his chest.
He almost shoved her away, especially as a crack of lightning followed, but instead he simply put a single arm around her shoulders. It wasn’t like he could ignore her now.
Thankfully, even though she was significantly taller than him, she was still quite slim. He didn’t have to stretch and could remain in the same position which felt a lot safer than anything else.
There was no restriction. Almost an embrace. An arm went around her shoulder and she curled up against him even more. “S-sorry. I hate s-storms. I’m not usually like this I promise,” she sniffled, “I’ve been shot, stabbed-” Another cry when there was a loud clap of thunder. She shivered up against Cole.
“I want home…. please…” Sagitta begged.
Cole had no idea on how to handle this.
She was curling into him further, apologising to him. But apparently this was her vice too. But there wasn’t anything he could do that would comfort himself. How could he possibly begin to comfort someone else?
Maybe relating? If he started talking at least itd distract her.
His voice was raspier than he’d like, but other than when the lightning strikes flashed across the sky line, brightening the room enough to highlight the pairs features for a moment, it was steady. In those moments he stuttered. Physically he could hide it, but it was obvious in his voice. Still, as if able to feel his fathers disapproving stare kn the back of his neck he forced himself to face toward the storm, to watch the flashes. To try and overcome it. He kept flexing his hand, the one not around her.
“At least were both in the same boat then. I’ve been.. shot, burned- stabbed, slashed… blown up. Poisoned.”
Sagitta has no idea that she was messing up his fine clothes. All she knew that he’s there and he’s warm. Soft sobs were buried in his chest.
A small whimper as the thunder rolled for quite a bit and then the loud crack of this lightning made her jump.
She heard him. She finally looked at him as she smiled weakly. He would’ve noticed the burn scar on the side of her face. “Y-you have?”
Then a loud thunder that rattled the shelter caused her to cry out and attempted to climb onto him more. “P-please how much longer? Do you live nearby? Please…” she started to hyperventilate.
The burn was notable. Fuck- what an awful place. He’d never been burnt there majorly, just gotten grazed by blasters and that was bad enough.
She would have seen in that moment that he saw her scar the mass of them that occupied his skin. His face was primarily smaller ones, though two large slashes tore diagnolly over his right eye and another across his lips. In the flickers of light that followed the rattle of the shelter, Cole curled in as well, pulling her tighter without quite realising it as his own heart rate increased. His nails dug into his palm.
For what little of the rest of him that Sagitta could see, if she even would, was the continuation of the scarring on his face across his body. The soaked white shirt didn’t do much to actually cover him anymore afterall.
Cole debated as she started to try and climb into his lap. Really, he shouldn’t let her. What little logic was there to process knew it was inappropriate. But at the same time, she was just acting like a frightened child and he was just holding her. It was only inappropriate on assumption.
Admittedly, the woman did help him in that he had something to focus on. Something that wasn’t the lightning. He was still panicking, but it was easier to bottle it away and deal with the inevitable panic attack. Also a lot harder to even allow himself to have one when someone was present. So even with shaking hands, barely evading hyperventilating himself, Cole lowered his leg and sat up so she could koala onto him.
There wasn’t anything true that he could say to her, so he simply didn’t response. The initial question was.. difficult to respond to, but the begging for him to end something like the weather was.. beyond his abilities. So, he stayed silent and acted as a human tree for her with one arm around her shoulders still.
What little Sagitta saw, she didn’t think of it. All she knows is that she was so scared, felt extremely unsafe, and her breathing was going out of control. Then the dull electronic voice came on, barely audible in this storm. “Due to thunderstorms and heavy showers, arriving and departing are not advisable for the next two hours.”
“Frack!”
—- Two hours later —-
The rain still came down but it was more soft and light. The thunders stilled and the lightning was gone. With an exhausted sigh, she sat up and realized how close they were. “OH!” She yelped before scrambling to get off of him without hurting him.
“I-I’m so sorry-” She paused as she got a really good look at him. Scars. If she had her way, people wouldn’t get scars, especially good people. He was good to her. Comforted her and let her basically cling to him.
They both were soaking wet from the wind-pushed rain. She smiled at him, a warm smile pure of joy and love. No wonder why for that geometric sun marking on her chest.
“I’m Sagitta. I am really… sorry about earlier. I’m not usually like that! I swear! I just don’t like thunder and lightning. It’s a bit of a long story.” Then her smile brightened, “But rain! Rain is fun!” She laughed as she stepped out of the shelter a bit and spun around. Pink irises looked at Cole, “I’m… am very sorry about your clothes. They looked very fancy. Are you heading anywhere? Do you have an appointment? We could find a hotel? I’ll help you get those dry. I am partially responsible for it after all! Okay, that sounds good, let’s find a hotel. I think I remember there’s one nearby. Reminds me of the time that my family and I were stuck at a hotel and we didn’t have any spare clothes so we learned how to make a makeshift clothesline and washed it in the tub. Quite funny and stupid really. As I was saying, I would be able to help with that.”
Cole had closed his eyes at some point, finally relenting to the panic and doing what he could to hide from the flashes. It bore down on him as a failure, but there was a point of hearing your own heart beat steadily get faster and faster where failure was really the only result to come.
Her sudden movement, the yelp, made him jump initially but she continued talking enough that it probably went missed. He hoped. It clicked that the worst of the storm had passed, and he looked to his palm as she span out of the shelter. Cole was listening, but the small divots were leaking blood. He wiped it away on his slacks and stood up, rolling his shoulders to release the tension. He was still shaken.
Holy she-akks, this lady could talk. It was easy for distraction, which would be useful while she was still here at least.
“Cole.” He supplied his name in one of the earlier pauses. It took a moment to even consider what to repsond to after that. “I was headed onto a ship, where I live. I’ll be waiting here for them to land. I’m really not your responsbility, once everyone’s landed I’ll be able to change, clean up. If you need a hotel, or fresh clothes yourself, I could advise you on it. I’m.. somewhat a regular visitor to Estle.”
He looked down at his clothes. Nothing was damaged, but they were definitely dirty and still soaked. Why was she sorry?
Sagitta’s tilted her head in confusion, “Cole? Right? I didn’t say you’re my responsibility! I just…. wanted to help a stranger that helped me out a lot. I don’t know- no - rather, I don’t want to think what would happen if you didn’t show up as you did and helped me out!” Never mind the fact that it was the Mirialan that was desperately clinging to him. She blinked at him. Once. Twice. “Huh?” She looked down at her own clothes, which were… also wet and dirty. “Oh. Good point. That reminds me of a time I was chasing a guy and somehow ended up in the pool. Don’t ask. Long story.”
“I want to give you something though!” she pouted slightly. “How about dinner? Ice cream? We can stop by a store and I can help buy food or-” She stopped. Behold! An idea! “Okay. If you really don’t want me to help you dry up your clothes, how about you take me to the hotel you are thinking of then?” Perfect. She can try to convince him to at least stay with her so she could help dry and clean those clothes. They desperately needed it and she felt so bad for doing such dirtiness to what was once, she assumed, crisp and clean clothes.
The second long story she referenced. This was going to be a trait.
Cole peered out of the shelter. The rain was still intense, the Voidbreaker would be able to land likely despite it but she-
He looked at her. She wanted.. to take him to dinner. Cole couldn’t help but wonder if she was thinking about the things she was saying before they came out. It was amusing. The pout was cute even. But it was easy to assume this habit was probably a regular issue for her.
It was blatant that there was more to the hotel idea than her just finding a place to stay for the night. 100% a trap of some kind, but it wasn’t like he could take some random chick onto the Voidbreaker because she was in a rough state from the storm. People would assume the worst likely. If she hadn’t spent the last two hours panicking against his chest he’d be worried of what her trap was going to be, but it was not going to be malicious.
He spoke, before he could over think it too much, “Alright. It’s not far.”
Stepping out of the shelter, Cole orientated himself and took a few steps towards the way out of the shipyard before looking back to make sure she was following.
Perfect! Now I need to convince him to let me help with the clothes Sagitta smiled as she had a bounce in her step and followed Cole. “Give me a moment, let me message my family that I’ll stay in a hotel!” She started to do so, “Last time I didn’t message them at all and you would think they would’ve completely destroyed everything trying to find me. I have a few sisters. So that doesn’t help either.” When she was done she sighed softly. She felt so tired and drained from having to ride through that.
But!
She was not going to let that show! “So where are we going? I hope it has a restaurant nearby or inside! I am practically famished. Oooh, maybe food service? I can order us some food service! You know, as a thank you!” She started to scheme in her brain. How to get him to take off his clothes so she could clean them up and dry them for him. Maybe if she gets something fruity to drink and accidentally spills it on him.
Cole stayed put until the text was sent, politely keeping his gaze away from her and slipping his hands into his pockets. Still, once she turned back around it was obvious she was tired, to him at least. It was in the little things, ones that he’d often seen in himself, but also others. A tightness of the posture, tone, a general look around the ways. From Zuza, he’d long learned how to tell various smiles apart. There were similiarities laid there and it took a lot to not frown openly. Still, he managed to keep the sudden drop in his mood at thinking about that from showing blatantly.
He nodded to her, before as a pair they started to walk back into the city proper.
“There’s a few nearby. I think at least one of them does delivery. If not, it definitely allows people to order and take the food out of the restaurant to eat. It’s a good place, not too pricey for what it does.” He shrugged, “You’re very determined to thank me, aren’t you?”
“A few! Well, that would make things harder. Hmm.” She tapped her finger on her chain, lost in thought. She was bouncing between ideas of how to get him to get his clothes off and get some food.
With a smile and a nod, “Yep!” Then she leaned forward slightly and look at him while walking, “How could I not?” She sighed. “Most people would laugh or make fun of being so scared of something so natural. You didn’t. You helped. You didn’t push me off or cuss at me or even kicked me. So yes, I want to thank you! And to add on it, why don’t you pick a place and we can grab the food and go back to the hotel. Or if it does delivery, can always go to the hotel first and we can order from there!”
“Money is no object!” She added with a warm smile. Surely he doesn’t have that much an expensive taste despite his now-soaked suit.
….
Does he?
“I considered pushing you off.” Cole admitted bluntly, wondering if that would help her out a bit. Either way, it was true. To an extent.
He wasn’t going to argue the point of restaurant either way, simply nodding. “We should be able to order from the hotel. May be best to go there sooner than later anyway. I doubt we’ll be the only ones taking shelter from the weather.”
Sagitta froze in her steps. She would be lying if she wasn’t taken off guard by that fact. “Wha-” Then her brows furrowed as she jogged and caught up easily, “I guess being honest isn’t a bad thing. Why didn’t you then? You had a chance and you didn’t. So.. thank you. Really.” She faced forward to watch her walking for now. “Sounds good! Hopefully, it’s good food. The last time my family and I went to the hotel, it was at- ah frack where was it. Ah well, Asani dared me to eat something really spicy and I took it on! There were tears in my eyes, it was so spicy. Nothing helped tamed it for hours.”
Then a sly smile appeared on her face. ‘He said we!’
She had won the first battle! He was going to join her!
Now to strip him down.
Did she really care about why? The fact she didn’t focus on the question implied she didn’t. There was about.. 4? Maybe 5 at least minor topic changes within a very short amount of time.
“There are spicy options. There are also plenty of normal options too.” He shrugged, “Like I said. It’s not expensive, there’s nothing stupid on there, but there’s enough of a range that it’s popular. It’s quite busy usually.”
The smile was concerning.
“Oh! Busy and popular! That sounds great! I cannot wait to try their food. We should look up the menu when we get there. Oh, sorry, Asani is one of my few sisters. We’re-” She stopped as she noticed a rather tall building. “Oh! I’m guessing this is the hotel you were talking about? It looks really nice!” She reached to grab his hand so they could run in!
But he removed his hand before she could grab it as she quickly held her hands up. To show him she meant no harm. “Sorry. Habit. I get really excited! To me, this is going on an adventure! Did you know I’m named after one of the popular books? Adventures of Sagitta? Buir loves that book so he named me after the main character. Well! Come on!”
Cole had been checking the street. It was busier than he expected, but he didn’t miss someone reaching out for him. He had shifted before it clicked that the hand belong to Sagitta. He didn’t have time to try and apologise, as Sagitta kept talking. It was a bit much, as the rambling continued onwards without trouble.
“Named after a story book. That’s.. sweet.” Cole commented, meaning it but not sure how it came up. Oh well. Just roll with it. He followed her in, and within a few minutes a hotel room was sorted out. One bed, for the one woman to be residing there that night. Still, he made sure to find a menu out and allowed her to lead the way up towards it.
“You should read this, make it easier to make a decision so this isn’t ordered too late.”
“Thank you so much! Have a wonder-“ Sagitta stopped as she looked at Cole. “Oh?” Then she smiled as she took the menu, “That sounds great! Okay let’s see, oh wow this is good options. Hmm.” She puzzled for a moment as she walked towards the elevator. “Let’s see-“
Sagitta nearly ran into the corner of the wall there and ended up hitting her elbow slightly. “Heh. Sorry. Cant walk and read you know. Okay, I’ll just have rice and fried Nuna legs with it. What about you? Oh I should get the meiloorun fruit juice too!”
Perfect. It’s red and I can easily clean it off if he lets me do that right away. Should make him strip his clothes so I can work on my magic touches.
She pushed the button and they went up, “What about you, Cole? What do you like?”
“..Rice and Bantha loin for myself.” Cole commented, standing beside her. Once they stepped out of the elevator, he spoke again, “I’ll just have water, from the room. They purify the water here nicely enough.”
As she continued to look around and waver around the corridor, Cole led the way to the room. This was an odd situation, following a woman to her room in a hotel. Getting a meal. This was likely the first time he’d done this without other intentions in lieu of it.
Sagitta nodded as they enter into the room, “We’ll just have to order together, I’ll pay! It’s just uh, I may forget what you wanted heh.” She explained scratching her cheek.
Once they ordered, Sagitta also requested more towels from the front desk. She took the ones from the bathroom and handed Cole one. She started to shiver.
“Frack!” With that she quickly turned down the air conditioner and took off her jacket and started to dry herself with the towel. “I don’t know why it’s always so cold in these hotel rooms.” The door knocked as she quickly answered and and got the towels and food.
“Foods here!” She said with a smile and towel around her shoulders. Then she paused. “Wait. I remember you mentioned something, you were poisoned?” Her brows furrowed.
Who would poison such a sweet guy?!
Cole let her pay for the food. He’d handled the hotel room after all. He took one of the towels, rubbing his face with it first then his hair before letting it rest over his shoulders. It was cold. Staying in wet clothes was never ideal but oh well. The towel was welcome and at least his hair had a chance.
Kriff. He’d forgotten he mentioned that. A grimace crossed the man’s face, and he shook his head, “Not a story you’d want to hear.”
Not one he wanted to tell either. It was best she didn’t know much about him. Still, a prickle of anxiety ran through him. Of all the times to think of that, right before dinner wasn’t the most ideal one. Oh well.
“Nor a well timed one considering there’s food now.” He attempted to more.. gracefully turn her attention away from it, “Is there any forks or anything in the bag?”
Sagitta squinted at Cole for a moment then shrugged. She’ll respect his boundaries but geez. Who the heck wants to hurt him? The scars on him may have not been battle scars after all. “Yes.” She got out a fork and handed it to him. She became quiet. Eerily quiet for those that know her as she eats.
Little does Cole know that she was working on a step-by-step how to spill the juice on him.
She sat on the desk because she doesn’t want to spill the food on the bed. Her pink eyes watched him sit down on the bed. Great. Now she had to be really careful. Her eyes looked around while casually eating and plotting it out.
Behold! A trash can. Perfect. She could carry the drink in one hand and food in the other and just happen to stumble on him. Once she finished eating, she got up and turned around, he would only see her back. She messed with the lid and made it weak enough for it to ‘pop’ open.
With that, the plan had set into motion!
The Mirialan turned around with trash in one hand and the drink in the other as she pretended to drink out of it. She couldn’t simply plan and walk at the same time. Once she’s at the spot that she mentally marked X on the floor, she gasped while tripping on her own feet and the drink went flying and spilled onto Cole.
“Oh! Frack!! I am so sorry! Frack! Damn! Hold on!” She scrambled and got up while running to the bathroom with a smile on her face.
Plan executed.
Her smile was gone when she was back out with two towels. “You need to take them off and I’ll get it fast before the juice sets and it’s cold, come on, hurry hurry!” She was hoping with her urging the rush would have him comply with her.
Cole had been enjoying his food. He was finished really, just poking at any last grains of rice but mostly considering how best tk leave. The Voidbreaker would be landed by now, and he’d already spent a few nights off board. He should-
Sagitta, while trying to put her empty containers in the trash, managed to spill her drink over him. It was cold. Dammit it was just finishing drying on its own!
He was already unbuttoning the shirt when she came out, having dumped the now ruined scraps of rice into the trash with little concern. He had enough white shirts, but still, it would suck to lose one to a spillage of all things.
He looked up at her as she urged him, raising and eyebrow and continuing with a exaggerated undoing a button before continuing normally.
He was a little annoyed, he had to admit. But shed already apologised and it was just a shirt. Kriff.
He stood up and slipped it off, held it out, “Guess you got to clean them up after all.”
How the kark was gonna deal with the slacks. Thered be no visible stain hut itd be a sticky mess if he left it… probably best to wet some toilet paper and just wipe what he could. Hed wait until she was done. It wouldn’t stain, so less urgency.
It did still confuse him how eager she was to do it for him.
And why she brought two towels.
Sagitta holds the shirt and snapped her fingers at Cole, “Them too, let’s go. Come on.” She said and then added, “Two birds with one stone. Let’s go!”
“You really don’t have to. They’ll just be sticky.”
Cole looked at her with confusion, eyebrows furrowed.
What was.. the angle here?
“Come on, Cole, please. Let me clean both of them. And they won’t be sticky, are you judging my cleaning skills? Let me prove you wrong then.”
Her hand that was out started to shake with urgency towards him.
Cole blinked. Once. Twice
He unclipped a holster from his belt, one that was set so it tucked on the inside of the slacks. A blaster pistol, small but easily recognisable, was clipped into it. He slipped off his belt, and then undid the button and zip.
All the while, side eyeing her with.. no quite suspicion. He wasn’t sure if she was capable of malicious intent yet, though while it was always a possibility, he was fairly sure whatever afoot was just weird.
He held them out to her, grabbing the towels.
Just stood in his underwear, it was clear the damage done to Cole was far from specific to one locale or era. The scars were across his entire body, and some were a lot more faded than others. The only prominent ones, still pink, were a few blaster burns. One to his lower stomach, his back and lower leg.
Sagitta was a bit surprised to see the blaster. “Well, if we’re being honest.” She used her free hand and removes her from behind too and set it down. She grimaced softly as her expression changed from urgent to calm. “You weren’t kidding, huh?” She said as she went into the bathroom and started the cold water while checking the soap and shampoo. Sometimes the soap would be too harsh but this one was perfect.
“So, what line of work do you do to get all those wounds?” She asked while she was going to make sure not a god damn dirt or speck was left in these clothes.
Cole was surprised to her blaster. That.. complicated the idea he had of who she was. To know to hide it meant she knew how to use it most likely. Though that sense considering her own scars and build.
He wrapped a towel around his waist, and sat back on the bed.
“Hm?” The question came when hed been sat trying to work out what in the galaxy was going on. The way this had started meant it could be an assassination attempt. Though those weren’t exactly likely anymore considering everyone thatd try thought he was dead. Which left genuine concern for his clothes, or she was trying to have sex with him. If she was trying to achieve the latter, this was the WEIRDEST way of doing it he’d ever come across.
The question clicked and he sighed softly. It was a fair one, and well. What harm in answering. Kriff it.
“I believe in courts theyd call it organised crime. Gang wars. Though thats.. a very slang term for it.” His lips curled slightly, distasteful of even calling it that. He shook his head, “Lots of fighting, lot of people at each others throats.” He spoke as if describing an accounting role, bored.
Sagitta frowned as she was hyper-focusing on the clothes. Why was this fuckin grime so bloody stubborn? It clicked that he respond to her question. Her brows furrowed. “Gangs…” She said softly. All her life she was told to avoid those situations. And here she was. A member of organized crime. On the bed. Wearing only underwear.
Splash
Yelp
WEARING ONLY UNDERWEAR!? Her cheeks immediately turned reddish brown as she cleared her throat and focused on the clothes. Focus. Focus!
“Families.” Cole corrected. Hed been avoiding staring at what she was doing, but his gaze wandered.
The frown wasn’t unexpected. It was common response normal people had to it all.
And it was in taking moment to look at her that he saw the sudden panic, and blush, and realised that yes. This was innocent.
He chuckled, looking away again. What a situation this must be for her.
Sagitta cleared her throat as she managed to focus back on his clothes. “Families, huh? I know a thing or two about that. Hard to break out of I’m sure.”
*Good. Keep talking. Don’t get distracted. *
She smiled as she hold up his white shirt that was now, very much white. Her head poked out from the side of the shirt, “Ta-da! Was that so hard to comply and agree with me? Doesn’t take long and it looks good as new!” She said as she turned back towards the sink. Leaning over, she gently squeezed the water out and made sure to rinse it well before hanging it over the shower bar. She didn’t realize what she just said could be a hint to Cole that it was her plan all along.
….ah.
Comply.
“…was this all about cleaning my clothes after the storm?” He asked slowly, amusement thick in his tone. A touch of exasperation as well. It was impressive how far she went for it. In a concerning way.
He didn’t bother to continue the previous conversation. In fact, between the flush in her cheeks and the triumph here, he had a pretty decent grasp on how to keep her attention elsewhere.
Sagitta froze during the rinse as she cleared her throat. Frack. Did she really make it obvious? Well. No use in avoiding the question. She’s washing the clothes and she got her goal. “Look, I felt bad okay? I wasn’t sure if I was going to ever meet you again to reply a thank you for helping me.” She turned around and hung the shirt over the shower bar and made sure it was just right so it wouldn’t be wrinkled when it dried up. “I just can’t let you leave with a simple thank you and nothing else.”
“I really am sorry for spilling the juice on you though. Had to get you out-” She stopped, slightly horrified.
“Frack.”
She really couldn’t keep her mouth shut. Grumbling, she started to wash his pants.
His pants
The blush went down to her bare shoulders as there was a hint of muddy red (thanks atty) covering it.
For frack’s sake, focus.
“..of my clothes?”
Cole leaned his chin on his hand, now contently watching her battle with herself.
“If you wanted me naked you just had to say.”
It was a joke, it very clearly wasn’t her intent, but kriff it was gonna be funny.
He stood up, towel still secure around his waist but moving up to the bathroom door and leaning his arm on the wall beside the door.
‘Of my clothes?’
Sagitta cleared her throat, her eyelids close as she exhaled. Trying to calm herself down. “Yes, I-” Then she sputtered when he added that all she had to was say it. Her brows furrowed as she turned to look at him and her eyes definitely roamed a bit as she looked at him, down and up. Then she stomped her foot slightly as if it was a way to compose herself. It wasn’t working.
“I did try to get your clothes off!” She said, exasperated. Then she froze, “No, not like that, what I meant to say - I did try to get your clothes off- I meant for the cleaning not the- I did ask you but you refused- But not in that kind of naked - oh kriff, I’m rambling again.” While rambling, her soapy hands were flinging a little bit of soap and water around.
He tried not to laugh. But as she carried on and on, it got more and more difficult until he was just stood there against the doorframe chuckling.
Once he has contained himself again, he shook his head at her, “I know. But if I didn’t, it would certainly look that way.”
He paused, looking at his shirt hanging on the shower rail. “Especially considering its not just getting me naked, its getting me naked and then soaking my clothes so I’m stuck here for at least an hour or so while they dry. One coild say it was a trap, if they didn’t know better.”
Sagitta pouted as he was chuckling. Chuckling. It wasn’t a bad pout. She was glad he was having a good time despite finding out that she had been planning it all along.
Then her jaw dropped.
Muddy red blush crept further away, “You make that sound worse than it actually is!” Sagitta tried desperately to defend herself but those muddy red cheeks were not going away. “Oh geez. You’re right. This does look… um.” She tries to find the words but was unable. Shaking her head, “Hush, I’m trying to finish up here.” She slightly picked up his pants to remind him that she still needed to clean those too.
Cole shook his head, turning away from the doorway, “I’ll stop distracting you from my trousers then.”
He couldn’t help another chuckle. This was beyond an absurb situation to end up in. Cole left the towel wrapped around his waist, sitting back on thr bed but by thr pillows now so he could lean against the headboard.
He looked down at his hands.
Oh yeah. There were little scabs kn his palm now. Hm. Ah well.
The mercenary let himself relax as much as ever could, his blaster still within arms reach.
Sagitta turned to look at him and made sure he saw her stick her tongue out at him for making such a lame joke. Sagitta let out a soft exhale with relief as he seemed to comply and let her focus. ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ She finished up and hung the pants on the bed. Her pants were still damp and rather cold so she took hers off and hung hers on the towel rack.
She used the spare towel and dried her boyshorts as much as possible before stepping out. Just seeing him on the bed brought up everything they mentioned earlier and her blush betrayed her as she cleared her throat. “Well. We got time to kill!” She hopped onto the bed, “Sorry, tradition! Give me a bit!” She bounced on the bed three times before sitting down next to him. “Okay, so I don’t have any books with me but I can keep us occupied with me trying to do storytelling or we can watch something.” Her smile got brighter, “Improv Sleepover!”
It was hard not to notice that she was also less dressed now. How in the stars was she this oblivious would be a thought that occupied his mind for a while, he imagined.
If she ever stopped being so innocent about it, he’d be glad to get a better look at her. Alas. Cole simply steadied himself as she jumped onto the bed, straightening back up again once the mattress was no longer bouncing.
Improv sleepover. Huh.
He considered the options, icy eyes casting over the holo set up. And then he shrugged, “You did have a few stories that you said were too long to cover in short.”
Hopefully it was her story time. He somehow doubted shed like his stories.
Sagitta smiled, “Okay!” Then she froze. Frowned. “Frack. I don’t remember what the stories were that you are talking about. Maybe you know?” She asked him as she straighten one leg and brought her right knee up. Hugging her knee, she rested her head on top of it.
“Uh.. you mentioned one about getting chased by a guy and ending up in a pool?” Cole spoke slowly, trying to remember. Sagitta said a lot things, so it made it interesting to keep up. He was fairly sure that right.
He was sat with one leg hanging off the bed and the other foot tucked under the thigh. It looked like he was about to stand up, despite the fact he was leaning against the headboard and not doing so.
“Oh wow! Yes, okay so had this assignment to work on my tracking skills. The people who set up the assignment wanted to find someone. What they didn’t tell me however was, that it was a Nautolan. I had my Mandolarian armor and was doing fantastic in the tracking skills. Then I tripped over- You know what. That’s actually embarrassing. I’m not continuing.” She frowned as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She had an earful that day. “I think that was a mission that I felt… incompetent in my abilities.” She smiled as she looked at Cole, “I’m okay though. After all, you can’t wait for life to stop being hard before you decide to be happy.”
Cole was listening carefully. So whoever it was she lived with also gave out missions. Did training. Training missions even. Not so unfamiliar.
He had even chuckled slightly at the notion of falling over before quietening as she continued.
He didn’t quite understand why the finishing words struck him as they did. But they did. Even as that ripped through him in ways he didn’t quite understand himself, Cole kept on a slight smile as he had before, as if nothing had happened before. It was something he was good at.
“Quite a motto to have. Its good to rise above things, its.. Hard disappointing those you look up to most.”
Sagitta sighed, “Hi. My name is Sagitta. I have no memory of what my real name is and my biological father was the one that burnt my face.” She smiled softly at him, “Because I talked too much. Cant always please everyone so just…have to do the best that I’m capable of.”
She suddenly remembered something as she nudged him, “So why didn’t you? I mean- why didn’t you push me off at the stop?”
Cole frowned. Her father did that to her?! His eyes glanced over the scar. He knew it must’ve been horrible, such a wound would have to be. He’d been burned before, it sucked. But for it to be done by a family member?
“That man wasn’t a father.” The mercenary spoke quietly, with a cold edge to his words. Trevor Farrow may not have been the most patient or loving father. But kriff, there were standards. And he knew from Zuza that his bar was low. It was hard to go that far below it.
The nudge drew him out of it, the physical touch making it easy to return to the moment. A moment containing a question he didn’t really want to answer. It was probably the best one she could ask, so he relented, sighing away the anger into a more casual tone, albiet weighted down.
“Well. Frankly, you clearly weren’t doing anything other than seek comfort. I wasn’t going anywhere.” Cole shrugged, adding on a little hastily, as if saying it before he thought better of it, “And.. you weren’t the only one who was afraid.”
He’d admitted the fear to exactly two people before this. And for the third time, as with the others, it happened due to it being unavoidable. Supposedly telling people about things made it better, but so far he called bullshit. It always seemed to lead to more questions for him.
Sagitta frowned as she tilted her head and then clapped her hands, “No one knows I’m terrified of storms except you and my family.” Then she smiled, her hand extending for him to shake, “We won’t tell anyone else, deal? I may talk a lot but I do know how to keep secrets. Can’t be pried out of me!”
“I.. thatd be nice. Thank you.” Cole nodded his head toward her, considering the hand and after a moment leaning forward to shake it, grasping her hand with a firm hold.
“Cole Farrow. A man of many secrets old and knew. What a pair this makes us, huh?” He chuckled.
Sagitta smiled, “Nice to meet-” Then she frowned. Quickly she turned his hand over and look at his palms. They looked fresh. Even some hint of smeared blood. “Frack, what?” She said confused. No matter. She was going to help her friend. Her other hand extended then she stopped. What if he wasn’t comfortable? She had met some with such disdain and hatred towards Force Users.
“May I heal it?” She asked him softly. The look on the Mirialan’s face showed that if he said no, they were going to have another showdown just like he said no to her washing his clothes originally.
Ah.
Cole nodded to offer, a little cautious. He knew of the Force. And how to battle foes with the ability to wield it. It made more sense now that she knew to defend herself if she had it. He’d been healed before, so it was good to know what to expect.
“Sure.” He relaxed his arm, his face reflecting the analysis he just went through. Glancing her over. The look in her face urged him to explain a little, at least, “I forgot about it, honestly. It happened in the bus shelter.”
Sagitta gave him a blank stare as she sighed, “Hopefully, you’re not too distracting. I always struggle with the Force. Part of my upbringing.” She closed her eyes while her other hand rested on top of his. Sagitta actually focused. A rarity. Her hands glowed as his hand was quickly healed considering the wound wasn’t that bad. “All done! I like hanging out with you, Cole Farrow. It’s nice to keep away from-” Then she frowned. What was she trying to say? She loves her life but she also hated it. “I guess normality? Not a bad thing! Another adventure in the books for me!” She didn’t realize she was still holding his hand.
“I’m distracting hm?” He noted with amusement once she was done, able to feel that the little pinprickles were gone. It was easy to note that she had no recognition of his last name. That was unsurprising but ultimately a good thing.
“What an adventure its been. Huddled in a travel shelter, all thr way to this. Its been interesting.”
Certainly a better day than he would have had otherwise. As much as he’d hated being visible in his fear, having the distraction had made it.. less bad. Mostly. And everything since then had been a damn sight better than returning to the Voidbreaker. It was a nice break from reality.
Icy eyes looked down to their hands, and he shifted to hold hers in his more properly.
He glanced up to her, curious. If she did nothing, that’d be it. A small moment of thanks was all it had to be.
But there was more it could be as well.
Sagitta slightly caught the amusement in his tone as she playfully pouted at him, “Don’t flatter yourself. But yes, you are distracting.” She laughed softly with a nod, “Hiding from a storm. You know, actually, this would make a good book. Might add more adventure stuff. Like maybe make it a cave instead of shelter and the storm could be-” She cut off when he shifted his hands, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Their eyes met.
Her cheeks started to turn muddy red.
“Oh.”
Then she inhaled even more and then whispered another, “Oh.”
Then fear set in. What if he wanted more? “Wait, I’m not looking for commitment!” She didn’t want him to get the wrong impression.
Cole shook his head, “Neither am I. This is only an offer if you want it to be. No strings, nothing attached.”
She didn’t pull away. He let his hold loosen slightly as he spoke, emphasising that this was her decision to make.
“Thank frack,” she pulled him towards her before pushing him on his shoulders to lay on his back. The tall Mirialan smirked as she gently grasped his wrists and placed his hands by his head. Leaning in for a kiss, she stopped, a coy smile played on her lips.
“Didn’t think some member of the family gang war would be so easily ever taken.”
Cole chuckled slightly at the push, letting her. But then she grabbed his wrists, and that just wouldn’t do.
As she finished teasing him, he easily hooked his leg around hers and with a push rolled them both so he was on top of her. His hands, whether or not she was still holding his wrists, were planted either side of her and he took his turn to lean down.
He murmured into her ear, “Never underestimate an opponent,” before putting his lips to hers.
Sagitta’s brows furrowed as she opened her eyelids. She winced softly as if she was smelling something awful. ‘It’s a dream. Just a dream.’ The smell from that memory faded away as she stretched and turn her head, seeing Cole sleeping. A smirked play on her lips. That helped her feel better about waking up from such a rude dream. ‘Huh. He’s cute when sleeping.’ Her cheeks flushed to muddy red from recollecting last night’s events as she threw the covers back gently in hopes of not waking him in case he wanted his sleep. She started to look around for her clothes and put them on.
The movement was enough to wake him, eyes blearily opening as it took him a second to orientate. That.. had been peaceful. Calm sleep were rare these days. What had… Sagitta puttering around explained it, bringing back the memories of the night before. While he still glanced over the room just in case, it put him at ease. What a strange time it had been.
The Human sat up, letting himself lean agians the headboard and vaguely remembering where his boxers had ended up. He spotted them, noting it. For now however, he enjoyed the view and let the sleep slowly fade away into alertness instead of rushing to his feet for once.
“Morning.”
Sagitta smiled at hearing his voice, “Morning! Looks like a good day.” She tilted her head towards the window. The sun peeking and the clouds were breaking. Then she turned to look at him and laughed softly, “Like what you’re seeing? Better absorb it. I doubt we would see each other again.” On a big planet like this, what are the odds? She went into the bathroom and got his clothes and set them at the foot of his bed.
“Ta-da! Perfectly clean!” She did a chef’s kiss motion. “I like to believe I did a good job. To both things.” Making sure she got everything, she grabbed her blaster and put it in its hidden spot. Quickly and impulsively, she went up to Cole before kissing deeply in the mouth. “Hmm. That’s a good breakfast.” With a wink, she turned around and leave.
He hadn’t hesistated to return the kiss. It was best to enjoy these brief things.
“We likely won’t meet again. But I hope it makes for a good story for you.” Cole smiled, watching her go. Considering he wasn’t even always on planet, he truly had no belief in coming across her again. But it had been a good night. Once the door had clicked shut again, Cole got up from the bed to get ready. He shot a message to Doon, informing the Captain that he’d be back on board by midday. It didn’t particularly matter, but manners were a thing.
The Human set out of the hotel, slipping the mask of uncaring back on in preparation for returning to reality.
What an adventure it had been indeed.