The Deal

(( I generally tend to say that I'm only as good an RP'er as those I RP with. In this case, I can only strive to be as good as the RP'er I have the privilege to RP with. The player behind Ragious continues to make this story so much fun, and I'm excited to say we're just getting started. ))

As Aittera keyed the lock and swung the door to her flat open, she was remarkably calm in spite of the storm that raged in her thoughts. The cozy little living space within was warm and inviting with its new furniture; a dark blue couch and armchair set in one corner, and a tiny dining table with two chairs nearer the kitchen. It had that homey, comforting effect for her even though it was still so new, and it already felt like hers.

Leaving Kol to make himself comfortable, she ducked into the tiny kitchen to retrieve two glasses and a fresh bottle of Whyren's while she asked herself one more time what she thought she was doing. There was a Sith Darth out there in her living room, and for all appearances, this was some kind of precursor to a date as though they were just two ordinary people.

Kol made his way over to the armchair, settling down as he watched her enter her kitchen area.  He had left his gloves off from when he had removed them on the promenade, and found himself fighting the urge to wring his hands as he waited.  It was something about her.  He'd never been awkward in social situations before. In fact, they had always brought out his commanding presence.  But this was something else, and he both hated and was fascinated by the effect that Aittera Timm had on him.

When she emerged from the kitchen, her own gloves were gone, and her fingertips brushed his own as she handed him one of the glasses. Normally, she would never stand on ceremony like this - filling each glass from the bottle and setting it aside before taking a seat on the end of the couch nearest his chair. She'd be drinking from the bottle in a mad race to get to the bottom. Yet, here she was, entertaining just as Selus had pointed out that she could do, drawing to mind a distant recollection of the way her parents would sit down at the end of the day to share everything that had happened since they'd kissed goodbye that morning.

"I'm not really sure where this can go," she admits honestly. "Nothing about either of our lives really seems to fit the other."

"It'll go as far as we take it.  As far as we fight to take it."  He smiled over at her and raised the glass to her before taking a drink from it.  His entire life, pretty much every moment was a battle of some sort, and he knew this would be no different.  "I don't think either of us would know what to do if it was any other way."

Aittera smirked as she raised her glass reflexively in response, but didn't take a drink. It was odd how much she didn't need a drink right now. Drinking was usually like breathing for her. "I don't even know what 'it' is."

"It is what ever we decide to make it."  He reached out with one hand, holding it palm up for hers. "I think that is why we're here."

She set her drink aside to slide her palm onto his, curling her fingers around his hand. "To figure it out."

Kol nodded, leaning down so that he could lift her hand to his lips, kissing the backside of her palm before giving her a wink and lowering it back. "What do you want, Aittera?"

The question was jarring. In the past, what she wanted was already long dead, and she had so accepted that as a part of who she was that to even consider wanting something else in its absence seemed inconceivable. "I don't want to rush into this - well, part of me does," she amended with an almost sheepish smile. "But let's set the physical aside for a moment. I've given up something that means a lot to me just to be sitting here with you. I don't take that lightly."

He smiled at her, and it seemed that over time his smile was becoming less and less predatory, less dangerous, and more affectionate. "I know.  If this was merely a physical thing, we'd both be disappointed.  Did you notice that about our dreams?  Yes, it was physical, but it also transcended that.  There was a connection that ran much deeper."

The more affectionate his smile grew, the more it coaxed an unguarded one from her like sunshine peering out from behind spent rain clouds. "Like getting a piece of yourself back that you hadn't even realized you'd been missing?"

"Something like that.  I wouldn't say a piece of myself, it was more a feeling.  And then there was that admission of need for it."  Kol set his own drink down to move from the chair over to the sofa, settling in beside her, and moved an arm behind her to once again take the hand he had been holding.

"It was like when we were together in those dreams. I could let the galaxy melt away, and I could just be happy. I know that is not possible in reality, not even for someone as powerful as I am," he added in a tone that was more sarcastic than serious. "But it was clear about one thing, I can be happy when I'm with you, even for fleeting moments."

"I would think that'd be easier for you anyway. You didn't have to sacrifice anything to get here - and before that gets you riled, let me be clear that I'm not complaining. I just think as proof that this could be good for you is piling up, I'm still sitting here in the wreckage of everything that's led me here." But, oh, isn't it simpler curled up at his side with that muscular arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close?

"And that's why it is very important to me to make sure that this is just as good for you, to make all the sacrifices you've already made worth it."  He leaned his head down to press his lips to her temple. "I never want you to look at what this is, regardless of where, or how far it goes, and regret a moment of it.  I want to not just think I am worth it, but to actually be worth it."

"I have an idea of where you can start, but I don't know that you'll like it or actually do it." The idea had come to her suddenly - as if all of the pieces to a puzzle were falling into place. "Step away from your life. Not forever. Just for a month or two. Take a leave of absence. No war, no wife, no...whatever else. I'm taking a contract that will involve a lot of time we can spend on the Hope, just you and me and an assload of supplies to run past Cartel blockades. Step into my life for a little while."

"I will do this thing you've asked me, happily even.  If when we return, you come on board the Avenger as my guest for a few weeks."  He looked over at her with a smile. "Then you can see that the Empire is not nearly as evil as the propaganda portrays us to be.  Just semi-evil,"  he teased. There was something serious underlying his tone; he truly wanted to show her that things could be good for them wherever they were.

"Deal," she answered without hesitation. "In the meantime - and I realize you'll need to make some kind of arrangements before we leave - will you stay on Nar as much as you can? Taking it slow is one thing, but taking it slow when you're cooped up on a freighter for days at a time is more than I think I could bear." She looked up at him with a mirthful smile. "It'd be nice to get to the point where we're ready to share a bed before there's really only one bed to share."

Kol nodded, smiling back at her. "I'd already planned to stay here for the foreseeable future.  I will need to shuttle back to the Avenger and make the arrangements for staying on the planet instead of the ship.  Then, I'll need at least a week before we can leave, but the initial arrangements shouldn't take more than half a day."

"You might want some less...polished clothing too," she smirked, tapping her finger on his armor over his chest. "The whole point of what we'll be doing is to not draw attention to yourself."

"I remember what wearing regular robes is like.  I'll do it again, for you."  He grinned and then added, "Plus, they'll be much easier to remove than this is.  And I know how much you're going to enjoy doing that."

Aittera laughed as she lifted a hand to his cheek, drawing him into a warm, affectionate kiss that in no way diminished the seemingly continuous electric undercurrent between them, and he squeezed her hand as he kissed her back with a warm smile.

"Would you like to be the one to shuttle me up to the Avenger?"

Much as they had accomplished in the short time since his arrival, trust was still something she was reminding herself that he had to earn. Besides, she was not quite sure she trusted herself in this situation either as her gut had refused to weigh in since that first kiss on the Promenade earlier in the evening. "Not this time. If I can't make myself say goodbye and let you leave, this whole 'taking it slow' idea is going to go right out the airlock."

Kol smiled and placed a light, affectionate kiss on her lips. "You know, now that you mention it, it probably is a good idea not to this first time.  I wouldn't want to have to execute any subordinates that give you weird looks," he teased. "And I think that is where we should say goodbye, for now."

(( Added to Aittera and the Dark Lord ))