Many had come to the rooms of the citadel in preparation for the Halloween festival in the grounds below.
Cole was buckling his belt, shirt not yet on. They had to go get make up done still, but that was elsewhere anyway. Itd be at the event. They had time at least.
He glanced over to Sofila, smiling slightly before moving to grab his shirt. It was one of his black ones. Hed been wary of coming to the event but between Sofila’s excitement and the knowledge that he did need to get out more he couldn’t have denied this. Especially the grin shed give him when he said yes.
“Okay, so I just need to- wait where did I put- wah- found it!” She grabbed the orange flower and placed it by the sink.
“Karkin’ suns, why is hair so hard? This is why I just do ponytail. Or leave it down.” Sofila huffed under her breath. “Buir taught me a lot about hair, you would think I can just do a simple side braid but noooooo, been at this for- oh kriff, what time is it?!” Sofila slightly panicked before she glanced over the clock. Oh. She had time. That was good.
“So, loop this over here and- wait, did I pack my shoes?” She glanced over to look down at the floor to find her shoes. Then she remembered she needed to focus on her hair.
“Oh. Right.” She looked back to the mirror and tucked in her side braid into the messy bun and it does look better. Huh. Leda was right. Few messy strands made her look better. Her pink eyes glanced over to movement and she could see Cole. Her eyes narrowed at him being shirtless but then softened when he smiled at her.
Unless-
“What? Do I have something on my face? Did I miss a spot on my hair?” She leaned forward more to check her face.
“No- Sofila no.” He chuckled, slipping his arms into the sleeves. He shrugged it up onto his shoulders.
“It looks great. For what little I know about hair at least.”
Sofila grinned as she nodded and stepped away from the mirror. She reached over to the orange flower that rested on the sink. That was, until she watched him.
“Ah, let me-” She quickly made her way over to him. Her fingertips grasped the buttons gently and started to button him up.
“Ah, hands away!” she playfully batted at his hands when he attempted to button.
“I much rather the other way, but we don’t have time,” Sofila smirked. And it’s been awhile. Kark. She should’ve let him button up his shirt.
Why was she like this?!
“Okay, so we need to go see them before everything starts so they can put the facepaint on me. But I have few more things I should so. I shouldn’t take much longer. I think.” Her brows furrowed while she actually took her time in buttoning up Cole.
Cole held his hands up for a moment after they were bapped away, shaking his head but letting them fall loose at his sides. He watched her, the focus in her gaze as she took her time with each button.
“I was thinking, maybe I should do the face paint too? Cover some of my scars, fit in with your theme a bit better. Maybe just a half face, its not my traditions but they’re yours now.” His voice was low, eyes on hers to see her reaction. Cole doubted shed mind but it felt awkward asking.
Sofila paused on his buttons as her face softened. She was going to protest, not because of tradition but more because she thought, for a second there, he was ashamed of his scars.
But that wasn’t Cole. If anything, it was more her than Cole. It took Cole weeks to get her comfortable with her burn scar on her face. And not long with the one on her chest. A parting gift from a certain jerk.
Her gaze went from his last button to his icy blue eyes. Being focused in this moment and knowing there was children in the event, she had remember some kids hid behind adults or cringed when they see her until they realize how friendly she was.
She gets it.
Sofila nodded as she kissed Cole on the forehead and stroked his cheek softly.
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Cole closed his eyes for a moment as she kissed him, turning his head toward her after and kissing the palm of her hand before stepping back to start tucking the shirt in.
“Its a plan then. I should imagine there’ll be a few people painting, Leda barely tolerates me as it is so, ill find someone while she’s doing yours.”
It was for the children more than anything. He wouldn’t consider asking anyone else to cover up but st the same time, he didn’t like the fear some children seemed to have from seeing him. He got it and in day to day life he didn’t mind, but at an event where there were so many kids going to be present… well. Something had to make up for them. Sofila had her personality. This would be his for today.
Sofila nodded as she made her way back to the mirror.
“She- what?” Sofila asked confused. Why does Leda not like Cole?
“Cole, are you sure?” Sofila asked cautiously as she put the orange flower into her hair and got few bobby pins to keep it in place. That was so odd. Why would Leda have a problem with Cole? Have they met? She wasn’t aware of this.
“Yknow how me and Zuza met, and I freaked Zuza out when I first arrived in Arcona?” Cole started, not quite recalling if she was aware of that or not.
He grabbed the vest, pulling it on and buttoning it.
“Well, she was there. Stood in front of Zuza to protect her, actually. She’s.. lost some of the outward contempt, we’ve crossed paths once since, but she was more tolerating me out of pity.” He chuckled, “I’m fine with it. There’s a lot of people in this galaxy that don’t like me.”
Sofila grimaced. Ah. That’ll do it.
But, being raised by Ruka and Cora, maybe Leda will start to slowly see the good side in Cole.
The one that Sofila loves so much.
“It’s been two years…. I hope that she understands that we all lose our cool in the heat of the moment. I know I do more than I can count.”
‘There’s a lot of people in this galaxy that don’t like me.’
Sofila angrily huffed, created a fog on the mirror. There’s that other side after all. She strode over to the bed where the robes were. Then she remembered something.
She grabbed her soft belt with a dagger sheath and wrapped it around her waist. She made sure it was snug. When done, she slid her beskar dagger into the sheath and kept it in place.
Her arms slipped through the sleeves. She was getting a bit aggressive in her actions.
“I was essentially accusing her friend of murder while simultaneously threatening to kill said friend. I thought zuza was the one who… It was a bad assumption but it was also less than 48 hours after everything had happened. I karked up.” He said it casually, grabbing the hat shed found for him.
“As I said, less angry than she used to be after two years. Ruka brought Cora and the kids when I was in hospital. They watched a movie with me, it was- weird. Neither of them seemed happy to be there but Ruka apparently told them I had no one else and that overrode any dislike. Like I said, pity. Or.. misplaced empathy. Either way, I wouldn’t impose myself on her for longer than need be.”
He got in front of the mirror, pulling the flat cap on.
Why Sofila was angry was beyond him but he was sure she’d say soon enough.
Sofila… did not know how to feel. Or act. Or…
Kark. What the-
She exhaled sharply and looked up to the ceiling for a moment. Her hands on her hips and her robe still open. He’s talking more. She’s learning more.
And she still hasn’t talk to him about the hospital visit.
And the man just casually dropped in more things they haven’t talk about. That Sofila, honestly, either forgets or that it wasn’t the right time because she doesn’t want to push him anymore.
Not a damn thing she can do about it right now. She was on time frame and they needed to go to get their facepaint done. Sofila lowered her head, she stared at the back of Cole’s head while closing her robe and getting the white sash around it.
Cole got the hat positioned right, the flower resecured so it wasn’t jabbing into his scalp before turning around.
He noticed her staring, pausing in place. Then it clicked. That was a kist tonne of things he wasn’t even sure she knew about never mind-
“That was probably a bit much wasn’t it? I’m sorry, I didn’t think-” Cole cut off, awkwardness filling in and unsure what to do now. They were still on time with some to spare but not that much.
“It’s fine.” Sofila said quickly before she gave him a reassuring smile.
Kark that stupid kriffin’ habit of his-
Another time. Sofila reminded herself. Tonight was not the night. Sofila grinned as she finished up getting dressed and looked over to Cole.
“Mmmm. You look really good.”
He smiled, relieved. He was sure itd be a problem for later but that was fine.
Cole walked to the bed, picking up the gloves and pulling them on. They were the same purple as his vest.
“So do you. I think ill prefer undoing that sash later though.” He leaned up, pecking her lips before moving away again. “Do you have your bag or are just using your pockets?”
Warmth slowly crept to her cheeks as she gave Cole a playful stare when he teased her and gave a peck on the lips which she returned quickly.
“I hate it when you do that.”
She cleared her throat. “Just my pockets.”
Cole felt himself grin for a moment, shaking his head and turning away.
“You have your flower. Your sash is on. Just your shoes now and we can go.” He pointed to where they were still sitting next to her bag.
“Oh. Right,” she made her way over and grabbed them. Sofila sat at the edge of the bed and started to slip the black shoes on and made sure they were snug.
Cole walked to his bag, pulling out his sheathed hunters knife and securing the sheath to the inside of his vest, off to the side. The lump would be visible only if you knew what to look for. Itd be easily missed otherwise.
Sofila looked over to him and laughed gently.
“Two different sides of the same coin, mmm?”
Cole chuckled, “I think that’s accurate.”
He crossed to the door, contently waiting.
Sofila nodded with an excited grin, “Let’s go have fun!” She skipped to the door and stumbled a bit, having get used to the robes.
“I got this.”
“You do.” He pecked her cheek, opening the door for her.
Once she was through, he flicked the light off and closed it behind with him a sharp, click.