Ch 8 of my Luke Skywalker x OC fic. First chapter and a brief explanation of wtf is this, here
It’s been a long time coming. Maybe the next one comes faster since I spent weeks being completely lost on this one...or, maybe not :/
Something possibly has changed with Tumblr’s editor since last I posted an update, for some of the spacing I wanted on this, I simply could not achieve. Hopefully this has not overly jarred my flow.
Credit to @saradika for creating the lightsaber dividers - thank you!
tagging @dailydragon08, @a-midwinter-night-dream-86
_
Afterbirth
When she opened her eyes, she was in her bed, and light, was streaming in through the curtains of her great windows. Comfort, suffused her form.
..Then as she blinked, and came more aware… She realized his absence, and abruptly ached.
He'd been holding her…. he'd exposed something, he had gently uncovered something painful and oozing in her, and then he'd held her, and spoken to her, in a way that had slowly sopped it up. -Something about that, was so special, like it was a form of magic. Special like his Force.
-She'd kissed him! He'd kissed her.. Finally. Thoroughly. It had been, the most enjoyable thing, she had ever experienced. And then he'd spoken to her, and held her like that, and she'd drifted off, into the universe's most comfortable glow.
And now he was gone.
She blinked in confusion at the ache, and shifted. The movement made her realize that she was still wearing her leathers. Only her feet, were unclad.
She sat up, and looked around. Her things were as she'd left them… her notebook, there upon her writing desk in the corner; the clothing, strewn over the chair and the doors of her leaf-carved wardrobe. The light was magnified by its passage through the weighted glass upon her desk, and shone in a bright circle cast over the papers there.
There was a note, and a strange object, on the table beside her bed. The object was roughly oblong, of silver and black; small enough to fit easily in her hand when she palmed it. The note was on her paper - and doubtless of her ink. She picked it up.
It read,
Ciri,
Thank you, for spending your evening with me. ..I hesitate to write down, just what it meant to me. I'll have to tell you in person. As ever, I crave your companionship above all else. I hope the good outweighed the sad, from your perspective. …You fell asleep, and I didn't want to wake you. So I brought you back, and did my best to tuck you in; I hope you don't mind, and that you sleep alright. I'll find you, soon as I can.
I left you a comlink. It'll keep us connected. I'll show you how to use it, soon. Maybe tonight?
..I miss you.
-Luke
She looked to the item nestled in her hand… the comlink. It was a bit different, to the one she'd seen him use before. And she thought back again, to what had happened, the night before.
She blushed, there alone in her bed, and raised her fingers to her mouth.. as though there might still be some evidence, lingering. But his saliva had long dried.
..And he'd told her…
He'd told her she wouldn't lose him, in outer space.
She looked again at the comlink.. hefted it, closed her hand around it… Laid herself back down in bed, and curled herself up around its promise.
..It was oddly hard to think he'd not go, now that she had reason to… though she'd so quietly longed for him not to, when she'd must needs believed that he would.
When she rose, she gathered a few things in her pack and went out to the woods, and spent the rest of the morning picking flowers for him.
As she passed under the darkened trees, she thought of him…reliving memories of him, again, in a whole new light, turning him over like a favored stone within her mind - And with each turn, he seemed all the more precious to her. She wanted to hold him, or speak to him, in just the right way, to express that.. but feared she wasn't large enough, or gifted in tongue, enough. Now and again, she’d seen a hopeful man present a lady of the court with flowers… she sought to mimic that gesture, though she didn’t know where their flowers typically came from.
..The palace grounds boasted many big, showy beds, carefully maintained and exotically sourced, of great beauty.
But it didn't seem right, to present him those cultivated blooms… Instead, she picked the little wildflowers, from the sunny clearings and inbetwixt the smaller trees. They were beautiful too; you just had to look a little closer to see it, since they were so small. The delicate pale blue points of the western meadowstar, the tiny complexity of the red pixie twizzler; and the little purple rory, whose mouth was dotted all about with yellow anther - all that, she found in just the first clearing she visited. In the next she found more.. And by the creek she found the stands of clover were flowering, and she carefully, carefully dug one out and urged the earth from its roots, and introduced it gently to her waterskin, which she had filled and was using as a sort of vase.
She thought of him as she worked, without even a trace of anxiety, for like to the first time… his smile, and his voice, and the gentleness of his hands' touch. His warmth, against her. And his words, and his taste. She looked forward to seeing him again… And that did give her a whole pit of nervous little butterflies, at last, and she really didn't know what she'd do or say.
After all, she'd kissed him last night. What did one do, after something like that?
She'd always kind of assumed she would die without doing such a thing. So thinking past it, was proving a little bit impossible.
…Well, hopefully it just didn't matter, is what she had to conclude. After all, she'd been nervous with him before, and in the end it hadn't mattered. So. ..She just hoped he'd like it. -The flowers, that is.
And she moved on, from spot to spot, through shade into sun, her selection slowly burgeoning. And when her arrangement was finished, she wandered.
Her steps led her to the gazebo…she hopped up on the railing with the flowers beside her, and settled in to wait.
The water gently lapped, leaves fluttered in an occasional breeze, and time passed beyond mind, as the dappling of the greenery upon the river's surface slowly shifted. The tranquility was effacing, and she vanished inside of it.
She heard the thud and creak of his boots on the wood, first, and came alert, with sudden surprise. What would she say? -What should she-
"Hey Ciri!" he exclaimed cheerfully, taking the steps up two at a time and swiftly crossing to her. ..Her mind was still racing when he suddenly materialized against her back, making her gasp, and cutting her thoughts short. Without hesitation, his arms had wrapped around her ribcage and pulled her securely to his torso. His cheek rubbed against her hair. "-How are you today, beautiful!"
His good cheer was infectious, and despite herself, she all the sudden laughed. "I'm good, Luke!"
The uncertainty she’d felt rise, at the imminent prospect of meeting him again, was dissolving in the sunshine of his bright mood.
He kissed her temple. "That's wonderful to hear!"
"-But Luke, wait..!" she gasped, recalling the skein of flowers, she still held. "There's something I… I made something, for you."
"..oh, Ciri.." he soughed, with plaintive curiosity.
He released his hug with a kiss pressed to her hair and stepped back, giving her space. She missed him, instantly.
But she turned round on the railing, and hopped down, his flowers carefully clutched in her hand. Her concoction was pretty, despite its short stature, dotted all over with reds and purples and blues, accented with delicate fungi she’d found bursting from the bark of a fallen tree, and with the clover providing a backdrop and tumbling down over her hand, and almost a halo of tiny silvery pleandrons waving in the air around it, stems left long… His eyes fallen to it, she watched as his cheeks began to bloom, with a delicate pink, that soon spread up his ears and out to the tip of his nose…and deepened to red, as she began to speak.
She hadn’t counted, on him being affected, so.
"L-Luke Skywalker," she announced - and he gulped, adorably. Unwilling to lose her momentum, she held the waterskin up to him. "I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me! Thank you.. and I appreciate you, so much!"
For a moment he simply gazed upon her offering, flushing fantastically. His eyes were soft, and when he blinked, she saw in the light reflected off their surface that they’d gone wet. ..What had she done?
"..Ciri Sturmgirten…" he murmured gently, and he delicately collected his present from her proffering grasp, "-These are beautiful..! Thank you.."
He carefully raised the flowers to his nose, and inhaled their scent. The sight of his reddened, softly lined cheeks and satin lips spangled with the tiny petals nearly stopped her heart.
He raised his eyes, and they shone – Nothing she'd given him could match their crystal blue.
"..No one's ever given me flowers, before, princess,” he said smiling. And she’d never seen a smile quite like that - happy, almost embarrassedly so, yet almost just the tiniest bit sad. “I don't know what to say.. I love them!"
Things were strange, inside her chest, thanks to those flowers.
"-Will you watch a holo with me?" he blurted out… and his manner was such that she began nodding her agreement immediately, though she hadn’t understood his question at all.
She laughed, at them both. "W-what's a holo, Luke?"
The look on his face was positively victorious. "It's a story people watch! And if you watch one with me, I am gonna hold you so close the entire time..!"
His naked enthusiasm turned her stomach to mush, and any residual tension she might've harbored swiftly followed suit. She would love, to be held by him. “Yes, please!” she chirped, and if she’d thought he was smiling a lot before… she reevaluated that assessment. “-Thank you, Ciri! C'mon..!”
He reached for her hand, and she gave it to him readily.
As they walked, he spoke not a word of holos, but immediately began asking after the bouquet's components.. wishing to know each flower's name, and something that she knew of it. She obliged him, and it seemed to please him greatly.. And his pleasure, made her insides sing.
As they drew closer, they began passing the grand palatial flower beds. The contrast between the delicate wildflowers he held in his hand, and the fist-sized, brilliantly colored roses, and tulips, and so forth that they passed, was something to which he seemed utterly oblivious - so much so, that she herself forgot to feel sheepish.
And presently, they were strolling down the halls on the way to the pantries - for she meant to collect him a proper vase, before any else.
Chatting, making each other laugh, and each with eyes primarily for the other…they did not notice until late, that they were not alone.
Luke was the first to glance up. "Majesty!" he exclaimed. -Ciri's head shot up too, hearing that title.
Her dad was there, surveying them from just a few feet away. They'd all come to a halt.
Luke greeted him with a polite bow, to which he inclined his head. She never bowed to her father. He looked directly at her as he greeted them, "Master Skywalker. Daughter… I had report you two were getting along."
Her hand was still in Luke's. She didn't know why, her father’s presence made her want to tighten her grip, and press herself to Luke's side.
"–Y-you heard correctly. We're friends. H-hey, dad."
It wasn’t a lie. She didn’t know how to tell him, the full truth. She was hardly sure how to state it to herself, concisely. Precisely…
“I see,” he remarked, “It’s unlike you, to take an interest in someone.. Surpassing strange..”
"Well, I'm very grateful to be an exception, Majesty," Luke stepped in to reply, with an easy smile, "Your daughter means a great deal to me."
“As you say..” he acknowledged. The look on the king’s face was inscrutable..
"-Luke's been showing me the Force!" she blurted, into the ensuing silence.
"Oh..? How do you mean?" And she could tell that his curiosity was genuinely piqued - not an easy feat, with her father.
"He can sense where the animals are… a-and he showed me h-how to.. meditate." -She’d realized, in time to stop herself, that her father might find it concerning to know of Luke's ability to eavesdrop on other minds.
"Well…you must enjoy that," her father allowed, referring to the animals she was sure. The interest in his tone waned quickly as it appeared that she was not, actually, learning how to use this strange ‘force’ magic.. just searching the woods for critters and sitting quietly.
"…I've been able to learn much, of the local flora and fauna, from her," Luke chimed in, "Ciri is quite educated on the topic."
She flushed. "..N-not formally," she stipulated.
“Self-educated,” Luke countered, glancing her way with a friendly smile, “All the more impressive. -Have you seen her work, Majesty?”
Her father had. He’d glanced it over, now and again. “Yes. Quality drawings,” he declared, “My daughter is a talented artist.”
“With respect, you may wish to look again someday, Majesty,” Luke suggested, “It is a compendium of the local wildlife, organized as a simple phylogeny.”
Her father laughed. “Truly? I didn't make much of it past a woodsy girl's sketch book,” he easily admitted.
"–I-It's just a hobby," she put in, embarrassed.
"Ciri, please..," Luke protested lightly with a squeeze of her hand, "don't undercut yourself. ..And after all, the origin of science is in rich men's hobbies.”
Her father inclined his head in acknowledgment of that. "Perhaps I had too quickly judged."
She swallowed, a little uncomfortably. Luke shot her an encouraging grin. "I have…t-tried to be accurate," she allowed.
"That, I had observed. …And what are you up to, now, daughter?" her father asked her.
“…g-g-Getting.. A vase,” she answered haltingly, feeling somehow exposed, and subconsciously nestling further into her companion’s side.
“..Did you pick those, Skywalker?” her dad asked, voice casual but, somehow, she felt, deceptively so.
“They’re a gift,” Luke corrected him happily, “from Ciri. Aren’t they beautiful?”
“..Hmm. I see. They have their charm.” He paused, seeming to consider his words. “…Do be kind to her, Skywalker,” he concluded, a light warning in his tone, and eyes fixed on Luke.
"-Luke's very kind!" she protested.
But Luke just replied, with an agreeable incline of his head, "Of course, Majesty. Your daughter's well-being is my top priority."
She looked up at Luke, a little confused. When he turned his eyes on her, they softened, and he smiled, tenderly. ..She hesitated, then returned it.
Her father nodded to himself, looking at them. "...Good, then. ..Well. Enjoy yourselves," he dismissed.
"Thank you, Majesty," Luke returned, with a short bow. She looked back to him, saying, "Bye, Dad," automatically.
"Evening, Ciri," he returned.
He did not commonly use her name.
..The king had already resumed walking. She glanced after him wonderingly, then turned back to Luke, who smiled at her sweetly, with full eyes… and then she grinned at him back, and knocked familiarly against him, and they were on their way again, too.
As they passed out of earshot, she asked him with uncertainty, "Luke..? What do you think that was about? ..He was acting… kinda weird."
He looked down at her with a smile. "Your dad's worried about you, princess, that's all."
She frowned. "..Worried? Why?" Surely her dad should merely be happy, to see her with someone.. With anyone, but especially with someone so respectable as ‘Master Skywalker’.
Luke seemed to be considering his response. "..He could tell how you feel about me, Ciri,” he said gently, at last, “..He was telling me not to play with your heart, when he told me to be kind.”
She felt herself flush. "O-oh…" she mouthed, a little weakly. Her heart wasn’t something she thought of, much.
..But, it was true, wasn’t it, and hadn’t she just brushed against the truth of it last night - that her heart had become rather inextricably involved, in their relationship. Is that why her father had been strange? Is that why she’d felt strange, in his presence?
She frowned again, with obstinance. "-How would he know, how I feel?" She barely saw her father anyway.
That made him laugh, lightly, and stop walking. He turned into her, leaving his flowers floating in the air beside them, and slipped his gloved hand gently onto her neck.. allowing his leathered thumb, to sedately stroke her jaw, as he gazed into her eyes, with his warmly brimming blues. The lopsided grin pulling at his lips was full of amused affection. She felt herself caught, suspended, within the sweetness of his attention… as though it were a veil, closing off the world.
Voice velvety soft, eyes earnest, he grazed, "..You were holding my hand, and pressing yourself up against my side, like I'm the one you're trusting to keep you safe…princess.."
Cheeks flaring and mouth slipping open, she gawked - unaware that particular impulse had been so legible, to others. She managed an edified, "-O-o-oh..!" that made his grin pull the wider.
"…I love your innocence, precious," he whispered, and leaned in till his lips softly pressed her forehead. Her heart fluttered.
“..Th-th-thanks..!” she tried, through her still-burgeoning embarrassment..flattered in spite of herself. And very happy, to be given that appellation by him, once again.
But as he drew back a little, letting his gloved hand fall, her disconcertment grew… It was agonizing, a bit, to have her feelings for him laid bare before a third party. Especially if that third party was her father, for some reason.
..He seemed to realize it, for he squeezed her hand, rubbed his forehead lightly against hers, and murmured, "It's Ok, Ciri.. you don't have to be embarrassed about this, princess. I thought it was adorable, and your father.. Well, even if he's worried, I know part of him is also just happy, to see you happy. …I know it makes you nervous, but I was glad for him to recognize it, because I hope it makes him think well of me."
…Of course, she wanted that too!
–And no matter the embarrassment, really, she supposed upon reflection. She made a small sound of acknowledgement, and gave him a nod, returning his hand's squeeze.
And in a moment she was able to proceed. “…s-so, it was…Good, then, you think?” she asked, of their just-past interaction.
He smiled at her, with such sweetness. “You know him better than I do, Ciri,” he reminded her gently, resuming their stroll. “-But, I think so.”
“-You do?” she asked hopefully, keeping pace by his side.
“Mm-hmm,” he mused optimistically, “…He said, ‘good, then’. -That sounds good, to me.”
“..Yeah…” Her voice betrayed a lingering unsurety.
“..Well, and plus, he’s already talked to me about you,” Luke disclosed.
"-Huh?" She blinked, taken rather aback. “What do you mean?”
He hesitated, the beginnings of a blush grazing his cheeks.
“He took me aside, a few weeks ago, and told me about his ‘reports’. …He wanted to know what I want with you. ..Then what I like, about you.. He was looking for some assurance, that I'm not ignobly inclined. I did my best to provide it. ..By the end I felt… he realizes, that we could be good, together.” His words had become almost hopefully soft by that last statement, as he glanced at her sidelong. Color had splashed across his face.
His voice firmed some as he concluded, “..Anyway, it's an odd situation for him, but I thought he's trying to accept it."
“…W-wh-what..” she stammered, “what did you tell him?” Her insides seemed to have drained of their density and then swollen, to prod uncomfortably at the boundary imposed by her skin. ..Thinking about Luke’s side of the conversation made her nearly need to have been a fly on that wall… while thinking about her father’s made her stomach shrivel, unaccountably.
"-Um," he began, then swallowed audibly, glancing down to his boots.
And didn’t resume his answer, for a surprisingly long time.
When she looked over at him, the timid uncertainty she found stamped across his pretty, hopelessly reddened face, brought her up short. He matched her halt, hardly seeming to notice.
-What on earth had he said? Even when embarrassed, he was forthcoming and remarkably composed. It made her chest hurt, to see him like that, and she almost entreated him to forget it, that it didn't matter so, no matter it might concern her or how she longed for the knowledge of it.
But before she could politely retract her question, he spoke. A tiny, earnest tremble disturbed his tone. “…I was very frank with him, Ciri. ….I’d rather not repeat, exactly, what I said to him, just now,” and he met her eyes.
There was something almost supplicant, in his… And, she thought, something hidden, behind. For some reason she was put in mind of a small creature shrinking from revelation, lest there be a flight… though she couldn't say whose, and that made no sense at all.
She swiftly nodded her acceptance. "Of course! -P-please.. Forgive my prying, Luke. I-it was between the two of you,” she affirmed, wishing to dispel his troubles. She smoothed her free hand over his that was occupied holding her other.
“Thank you,” he mouthed gratefully, squeezing her back, “..I appreciate it, Ciri. Sorry.. to be reticent.” He finished his apology with a small, sheepish grin.
Still curious, yet feeling now a bit guilty over her wish moments prior, she rubbed her thumb over his knuckles, assuringly. “..but of course..! I.. I could never begrudge you the privacy, Luke. But… um… -Are you ok?”
…His smile suddenly filled out, gorgeously. “Yeah, Ciri, I'm fine. Thank you.” …And he extricated his hand from her grasp and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her in tight, and resting his chin atop her hair. “Everything is fine,” he told her softly, “I’m very, very happy..” His fingers gently traced along her back. ..She noticed absently that the flowers she'd given him were floating in the air, by their side.
“Are you ok?" he checked, "..With your dad…?”
She thought, and nodded, and sighed, settling into the comfort of their physical contact. “Yeah, I'm… I’m glad you talked to him. E-even if, seeing him just now made me nervous… -Well, maybe especially, then.”
He nodded, too. And held onto her, as the moments slipped by.
“…Ciri..?” he asked, after a while.
“Mm?”
“-I am going to keep you safe,” he whispered.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she was so pleased, that she didn’t know what to do.
So she tightened their hug. “imagine telling me a thing like that! …w…Well, what about you?” she asked softly in reply.
She felt him rumble, with a quiet chuckle. His arms squeezed, and shifted…and relaxed. "..I'll be safe, with you!" he announced merrily, as he released her and stepped back. His grin was so innocently pleased.
She couldn’t help, but return his laugh. "Well I like your confidence," she assessed, as he swiftly dipped back in to kiss her temple, and they resumed their walk, all his cares seemingly melted away.
She took him to the pantries, and commandeered a vase - a little one, of crystal, with geometric patterns cut into its internal walls so that it nonetheless remained smooth to the touch. Then walked with him back to his rooms, where he transferred his bouquet, careful not to disrupt its arrangement or the roots. He placed the finished product proudly on the table beside his bed, with a smile, and her heart twinged, for it to be kept there, so close to him. He kissed her forehead, and thanked her for it sweetly once again.
Then he hunted up some equipment from his bags, and they left, for hers - for upon his query, she'd told him it was her preference.
And as they arrived, he slipped an arm about her waist, softly kissed her temple, and queried her further, asking lowly, “..Well, Ciri? Where do you wanna cuddle up?”
She blushed intensely, thinking of the spot she desired most, and almost chickened out… but mentally squared her shoulders, and wouldn't let herself do it. “Through here,” she said with a confidence she didn't fully feel, and led him back to her bedroom.
He followed. When she glanced back to him, he was blushing redly. She stood by her bed and pronounced, "H-here," gesturing to indicate it so that there could be no doubt.
Rosy cheeks notwithstanding, he couldn't contain the mischief in his smirk. "As my princess wishes," he murmured playfully, kissing her forehead - and promptly plopped down onto her duvet and began removing his boots.
That had been easy!
She followed suit, and set to building them a pillow mound, to lay against. -Next thing she knew, he was using it.
And soon, she was nestled between his legs, his broad chest warm at her back and his strong arms pulling her in securely against it. "Comfy?" he checked, and she nodded happily, an affirmative thrum sounding in her throat. "Mm-hmm!"
He chuckled, and gave her ear a familiar kiss. “Me, too. Super comfy.” Her heart squeezed, for him to be there, in a space that was so hers, and she was so glad that she’d been brave.
One of the objects he’d brought and left on the duvet, lifted into the air of its own accord. "Put out your hands," he suggested softly. She did as he asked, and he let the item come to rest within her grasp. It was nondescript in its exoticism - a mess of minor surface features she did not comprehend.
"It's a projector," he murmured, "-This is the front." The projector gently urged itself round into the correct orientation within her hands, making her smile. "It will project an image out the top…push the center button?" His voice vibrated quietly beside her ear. Both of his arms were wrapped snugly about her middle.
She pushed the button he indicated, and the unit flickered to life. A cube of light appeared in the air above it, just as he'd said. Streaked with dark lines, it was static, a pale blue-grey, and improbably 3d. She blinked at it. ..Then he showed her which controls adjusted the image’s size, and position. “We’ll optimize it in a moment..” he concluded. She nodded. She loved the way his voice felt, susurrating against the shell of her ear.
He sighed, breath flaring warmly against her skin, as he reluctantly released one arm from around her abdomen, squeezing her tighter with the other in compensation. She briefly closed her eyes and rubbed her head against his cheek, and felt him respond… Somehow, cuddling with him today was even more delicious than normal. She felt almost cocooned by him. Meanwhile the second device floated over and came to rest upon her thigh. It was wide, flat and smooth.
He touched its black surface with the fingers of his freed hand, and it kindled to life, with cold blue light. “This one’s my datapad,” he enlightened her, "it stores and processes information.. it can do a lot. Including access the HoloNet. And play our holo.”
“-What’s the Holonet?” she asked warmly.
“It's an intragalactic communications network," he answered, with a fond smile. His fingers were moving on the screen, as he spoke, the images displayed changing in response. "..It allows the exchange of data, over distance.. Through a system of satellites… Large amounts, audio, and visual… I don't use it much, except for messaging. But, that’s where we’re going to find this thing. -I’ll show it to you in more detail, if you’d like?” he paused, for her answer.
"mm. Later…"
"Of course." She felt his nose, and then his lips, buss her ear. "…I already picked out, what I wanna watch with you… I’m hoping it won't be too bewildering… and that you'll like it.. It is for children," he murmured in admittance.
She smiled. It was cute of him, to have chosen a children's story. She felt utterly surrounded by him, and so cared for. "Sounds perfect," she said.
He grinned, where she couldn't see. "Great."
Then he was showing her how to feed the datapad's output to the projector and adjust the size and position of the projection, and using the Force to position it down by their feet. Finally he set the datapad down beside them and started it up, rewrapping his arm around her with a kiss.
The block of greyish light in the air above them, was swiftly replaced by vibrant colors, which formed into an image and began to move, while an unfamiliar music issued from the projector's little speakers.
The holo he'd selected for them was funny, cute, and entertaining. The story structure was very simple, which was good, because the universe depicted was full of things that were totally novel to her, and his soft, low voice was in her ear frequently, explaining them. His explanations - and the picture she was starting to build, of the galaxy beyond the stars - were entrancing. Now and again, she asked questions.. at least once, purely from a desire to feel the velvety hum of his voice brush her skin, yet one more time. It made her shiver, in his embrace, and that made him follow up his words with sweet little kisses, his lips seeming merely to be the natural continuation of that hum.
By the time the story ended, happily with a family reunion, and the projected light filled with his people's strange crawling text, she thought that she knew both more and less about his world than she ever had.
"..well, my lovely princess? What did you think?"
She started laughing, quietly, in his embrace. "You know you're so special, Luke.. I love every moment that I'm with you." She rubbed herself back into him, indulgently, and felt his whole body tighten around her. "Thank you for teaching me about where you come from!"
"Ciri… you're sweet. I have never been this happy.." Amusement entered his voice, "-Was I that transparent?"
She laughed again. Probably somewhat more than half of the holo had played without his voice in her ear, explaining something. -To the point that at times she'd felt she was watching something educational, before a child's story. "Only a little!"
"..Then I'll have to be 10% more mysterious, in the future. Did you like the story, though? was it too childish.."
"It was fun. You're cute. -I don't know how to separate them. Yes, I liked it very much!"
That made him chuckle, and nuzzle into her ear, giving her a slightly wet kiss. "I'm very glad to hear that, sweet girl.. you are absolutely adorable.." And he nibbled lightly on her neck, just beneath her ear, making her laugh delightedly - which only encouraged him.
Once again, despite his heat and the solidity of his body all around her, she felt that she simply could not get close enough to him. ..It caused her a brief twinge of frustrated need, and then she was doing something about it.
She squirmed in his arms until she was sat atop him, straddling his hips and lain out upon his chest.. his hands had assisted her, unquestioningly. She supported herself with her forearm upon his collarbone, and let her other hand drift up to gently brush along his cheek. He smiled at her, fondly. "Hey there.. pretty girl.." his voice whispered. She felt his palm, smoothing up her back.
"hey," she answered him. "–Y-you know.. I think you're really pretty! W-when you blush.."
Her heart beat faster, to speak to him so, and the color kindled all across his cheeks. "thank you.. for saying so," he breathed shyly.
She delicately laid her palm flat against his reddened skin… and discovered it burning, with his blood. It made her smile.
"You're warm," she said.
Her observation caused his blush to intensify. "-I'm.." He seemed to hesitate, his tongue briefly appearing between his svelte, generous lips, his eyes closing… Then he deliberately nudged his cheek, into her hand, and fixed her with his gaze. "I'm putty, in your hands," he announced.
Those words made her lips come apart, made little sparks race down her torso and gather at the pit of her belly.
Blinking, she closed the small distance between her mouth and his, with a kiss.
…How, was he so soft?
And in a moment he was moving against her, too…moving slow and smooth like water.. tenderly meeting her affection, with his.
She let her tongue slip over his lip, before their next kiss, and he deepened it, in reply.
She felt his fingers enter her hair and run along her scalp, until he firmly held her skull in his palm. His tongue entered her mouth, and ran alongside hers. She whimpered, and it made him sigh. His arm had wrapped around her back to hold her and pull her up into him, while she clutched his clothing.
She tried to lick her tongue along his bottom lip and back into his mouth and missed, swathing down onto his chin instead. He laughed brightly.
Surprised, her chest tightening and cheeks flaring with embarrassment, she abruptly let him go. But as she drew breath to apologize, he reached out and licked her in return, boldly running his tongue from the point of her chin all the way up to the tip of her nose, as she sharply gasped… A gasp, which shortly turned into a giggle of delight. Laughter rumbled lowly through his chest, in reply.
She caught a brief glimpse of his furrowed brow, as he reclaimed her lips, kissing her harder and more deeply than before, suckling her lip strongly into his mouth and nearly crushing her to his body.. Nearly sucking her breath away.
He released her, after, so they both could draw down air. Her gaze seemed hazed over… and his, too. A hedonistic languor had come over his expression, softening his fine features like a veil.
Now, she reached up, to touch… delicately, his chin, its cleft, his soft lips, his smile lines… his skin was smooth… his breath softly exhaled against her fingertips, and his eyes fell shut.. and he swallowed, cartilage bobbing in his throat. He was beautiful. Beyond measure. The way he behaved only made it stronger.
She briefly brought her other hand up to her chin… and felt the lingering moisture of this beautiful man's saliva.
Then she let her hand travel down, the column of his throat.. careful to touch him utterly gently, here, over the cartilage of his airway. It was a piece of animalistic intimacy, in a way that kissing him wasn’t.
She let her fingers find his collar, and track along its middle till she could get her grip onto each panel of his tunic, and pull. The stays holding it came undone, and just like that she had exposed a triangle of his chest, and made him whimper with surprise.
They both blinked, as she eased her palm onto it, and felt his velvety skin… His fingers had clutched, strongly, into her clothing. He was glancing, from her face, down to her hand on his bared chest, and back. "is this.. Ok?" she whispered. He nodded swiftly, wordless.. so she slid her hand slowly along his sternum. She turned so her fingers brushed under the side of his tunic and up onto the gentle swell of his pectoral.. He watched her, dazedly, and gulped. Tiny catches were audible, now and again, as he breathed. The muscle was warm, and firm, and yielding, and dimly she thought that his responsiveness to her shy, inexperienced touch was the most exorbitant privilege she might receive.
"C-can I.." she started.
"–you may touch me howsoever you desire, Princess," he husked, before she could finish. Her eyes widened…for surely he couldn't mean that..
She felt as though her entire body was blushing, as she gripped more of his tunic and pulled it open, to expose his bare torso. His hold on her hips and the small of her back was tight, like an anchor. She could see his chest gently moving, in time to his quickened breath.. Carefully, she let her palms rest on his pectorals, and then delicately explored downwards…identifying the curving muscles' lower borders, and then passing over the shelf of his ribs, onto the softly sloping, mobile plain of his abdomen. He was slightly biting his lip with his eyes lidded, color blazoned across his face. She passed back up across the boundary from the other direction…arrested by the abrupt transition in the foundations beneath his skin, formed by his bones. Like the continental shelf of a landmass, bordered by the roving, roiling sea.
And presently, she moved to finish pulling apart his top, exposing his belly. And then, he was rising from the bed.. lifting her with him until they both were sat upright. His nose bumped into her cheek, and then his lips were on her, kissing her, softly insistent. He sucked her lip deep into his mouth and gave her his teeth. He made her whimper, and did it again, and again, and again.
Gradually, she let her fingers splay up into his thick hair and close, grasping a firm handful of his golden-brown strands… and letting that grip ground her, as he explored her mouth with his. A groan dragged out of him in response as she tugged him. It felt like she'd wanted to touch him like this forever. His mane was cool and silky-smooth, and everything she'd imagined it could be. His wet tongue dipped into her mouth. This amount of closeness with him was shocking…
When he released her, sucking in deep breath and looking half dazed, it was only to pull his tunic back off his shoulders. ..She realized he was trying to remove it for her, and watched his muscles rippling in speechless anticipation.
He got stuck while trying to shimmy the sleeves down off his arms, and struggled briefly before abruptly losing his balance and collapsing backwards onto the bed with his arms trapped underneath him.
She heard his laughter's clear tinkling ring out from the pillows, and couldn't help but join in. For him to be so clumsy, was nigh unprecedented.
Her mirth gradually settled, into an awareness of him. ..It was him. The man she'd wanted, who was too beautiful to hope for, and who'd been too kind to avoid. Now, somehow, he was half-naked in her bed, looking frankly like a god. Surely, this was more like unto a waking dream, than reality.
Her hand tentatively reached out, so that her fingertips brushed against the gently pitching surface of his belly. His breath left him, as he felt her touch, her palm sliding fully onto him and cupping the lightly rounded skin. He relaxed, back onto the duvet.. no longer even trying to free himself from his tangled shirt. His surrender was so sweet…like receiving trust. Her fingers teased around his belly button, which seemed to her surely the very center of his vulnerability, and a soft moan issued gently from his throat.
She bit her lip, everything about the situation converging onto her heart and squeezing it tight within her chest. Her hand rose almost subconsciously to cover her mouth, as the fingers she'd lain upon him stroked and felt his skin shiver…marveling, that this was hers to do.
Careful to touch him only lightly where he was so soft, she delicately explored the gentle topography of his stomach, tracing its rise and fall with each tremulous breath. He watched her through lidded eyes, and let her do it.
After a time, she bent over and kissed his skin, wetly, letting her tongue move against it and feeling it tremble underneath her splayed hands and hearing the sharp intake of air into his lungs. He was delectable. She did it again, and again, licking down his abdomen to his belly while he so quietly vocalized, and when she reached his belly button she couldn't stop herself from trying to suck the skin just beside up into her mouth, which pulled from him a soft, broken moan. "th-thank you, Highness," he offered her, plaintive and polite, as she released him.
Those words, his stutter, that tone - it did something, to her guts. Tied them up into a cute little bow, mayhap. She rose, running her hands up his body, and leaving a trail of small kisses, until she reached his head and found his mouth. Moving on instinct, she gave him a deep, messy kiss, carelessly smearing saliva onto his cheek and chin.
"-Thank you for what?" she asked, careful to hold herself up over him and not put extra weight onto him while his arms were caught beneath him.
His cheeks blossomed with embarrassment. "m-marking me," he breathed, delicate and shy.
"-Did I?" she said in surprise. ..Flushed and utterly beautiful, he nodded, "I'm sure.."
She sat up, on his pelvis, and looked. The spot she'd sucked on had filled in with pink. She raised her hand to her mouth. "-Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't realize I was.."
He frowned, and she felt his hips pitch underneath her as he struggled with the sleeves of his tunic.. then heard the fabric yank and snap, as he abruptly pulled it off his arms with the Force. Freed, he swiftly sat up and tugged off the glove covering his prosthetic hand, tossing it carelessly aside…then ran his hand into her hair, holding her jaw, and kissed her.
Thoughts of guilt over hurting him momentarily dissolved, in the urgent heat of his kiss. She returned the gesture… And for a time thought of nothing else, but his lips, and his tongue, and his teeth, clamping her gently.
When he eventually released her, and they shared tremulous breath, he bashfully corrected, "well, please don't- Please don't apologize… a-fter all, it makes me.. incontestably happy, to have you leave reminders of you, upon my body."
"..b-but, doesn't it..hurt?" she asked, a little miserably, despite how winning his behavior.
"..it'll bruise.." he admitted, "it doesn't hurt."
She was mortified, to think of that little spot on his sensitive belly turning colors as the blood she'd unwittingly released from his capillaries degraded under his skin. Despite his assurances, she looked at him with big eyes, in silent apology.
The corner of his pretty mouth curled into a grin. "shhh… sweet little princess.." He nudged his nose into hers, cutely. "so sensitive, my precious girl.. but it's alright. …you didn’t hurt me…" And he gently, gently kissed her.. as though she might be made of crystal, and shatter.
"b-but your pretty tummy.."
"aww.." he sighed, at her description, and snuffed with delight. "…please trust me, Ciri.." And he claimed her lips, with another soft kiss.
Blinking moisture from her eyes at how he made her feel – treasured, damnably – she nodded, her acknowledgement. "k… st-still… I'd rather.." she trailed off.
Then, she reached into her tresses and plucked a few strands. She twirled them together into one, and wordlessly tied them about his wrist, while he watched curiously. Their eyes met, when she was done.
His had cleared, to limpid blue. The wan light streaming in through her windows filled them up, and made them glow. …It was strange, how that despite his eyes were so brightly colored, yet sometimes they seemed so pale as to pick up and mirror whatever ambient light had wandered into them.
"..Well, so h-here's a reminder, that's not.. U-um, s-so bruising."
Eyes going wet, he slipped his arms about her and gathered her in, and resumed his soft kisses.
He leaned back onto the bed, carrying her down with him, being very careful with his mouth on hers; and soon after he rolled them over, onto their sides, and pulled her tight in against his chest, curling himself around her. "thank you, sweetheart," he whispered into her ear. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him, tight.
Time slipped along, but enclosed in the heady circle of his body, she barely noticed. …It felt so very different, hugging him like this. With his soft bare skin, everywhere underneath her hands. ..She touched every bit of it, sides and shoulders and back and chest, every bit of him that she could. He was miraculously smooth, and warm, and pliant. She loved feeling the structures of his bone and muscle as they shifted under his skin, like ghosts. She took time to divine their nature. She kissed him, leisurely, all over his mouth and face and neck, and he let her do it..let her, direct his head, however she wished it, and always kissed her back whenever he'd been left within range. His hands casually roamed her in return… remaining respectfully atop her clothing and away from her chest, but sumptuously squeezing her wherever they fell, nonetheless. Meanwhile the sun gently set, and the room's light lowered.
"…I was nervous, a little," she confessed to him quietly, later, gently stroking his face after having spent the entirety of the sun's remaining light caressing him to her heart's content.
He'd reached out with the Force as the room grew dark, to switch on her light. Now its warm glow bathed his skin in gold.
"…nervous about what?" he whispered back.
"...that things would be…," she searched for the right word. "…That I wouldn't know, h-how to be, with you."
He paused, considering. The cool fingers of his prosthetic lightly stroked her neck, and ear, and gently teased into her hair. His other arm was wrapped tightly around her, holding her against him.
"…you were worried about that, last night, too," he observed. "..yet, here we are…"
She smiled. Yes, here they were. "Looks like I'm doing alright," she agreed.
"Looks like you're doing great," he returned. "..I couldn't possibly complain.."
She grinned, pleased. Then lightly grimaced with embarrassment. "–I could have been doing this the whole time, huh?" she asked, a little ruefully.
His returning grin sparked crookedly with mischief. "Basically," he admitted.
"…But.. I have very much enjoyed, slowly growing closer, with you," he added softly, more serious, "-I wouldn't change a thing.."
For some reason, the comment filled her with appreciation.
"good… M-me too! ..e-even if it was a… little hard, at times."
His pretty face tightened in a wince. "-Well, except for that. ..I'd take your worries back, if I could, Ciri…"
She snuffed and shook her head, "no, don't worry about it. I really don't think that would be realistic."
His gaze flicked over her face, studying. After a while he mouthed, "...k."
A moment passed, as she pondered how the little lines of his cheek, limned in the light.
"..I suppose…" he added quietly, a small smile playing gently at his lips and deepening the lines, his eyes gone soft, "..I have kinda enjoyed some of those hard times… for myself."
She sniffed, and smiled nonplussed. "-what do you mean?"
His blue eyes watched her, as a blush stole into his cheeks. "…it's been a bit tantalizing… the way you've made me ache."
Her face reddened, in turn… to think of him aching, over her. "..o-oh.. Um, y-yeah um… I guess that has been rather nice. ..I hadn't really thought of it, l-like that, before.."
"…well I've spent kind of a long time, hoping to feel that way over someone, and not," he said wryly.
"I guess I'd…not. h-hoped.." she said quietly.
He tenderly thumbed her lower lip. "..We are so similar, in our difference.." he breathed.
She gazed into his eyes, captivated.
Then his mouth tweaked in another cute grin. "so… Are you still nervous?"
She gave him a shy grin back and shook her head, no. "n-not.. Right now, anyways.."
His grin broadened. "..Well, don't worry about it, princess," he teased, "-When I see you next I'll just give you a kiss, and hold you real tight, and you'll remember… what it felt like, right now."
She chuckled, bashfully. "T-thanks.. Good looking out."
"My pleasure," he said proudly, and her laughter deepened, making his smile blossom triumphantly.
He cupped her neck, and carefully silenced her, with a kiss.
“….what does it feel like?” he breathed, afterwards. "..my fake hand.."
“it feels good,” she breathed back simply. It made his face tinge pink again…
“…I mean, is it different? ..from my other. My real one.”
She nodded, against the smooth synthskin of his palm. “It’s cooler..”
“..Is it uncanny? Your skin feels so warm…”
She shook her head, careful not to dislodge him, then took hold of his wrist, and turned her face to rub into his palm. “No…Just different,” she said. And she kissed it, the way he’d kissed hers, the night before. She felt a shudder pass through him, and watched his thick lashes fall languidly closed. …He truly was a delight, to behold. She knew that he was incomparably strong, and yet he seemed so delicate, sometimes..
Teasing, she lathed her tongue wantonly across his prosthetic palm, wetting every fold. And watched, his lips part and breathing hitch. She gave him a nibble, at the base of a finger, and it made him laugh…which made her snicker, lightly.
-She realized that she wasn’t used to seeing him, in this temperature of light. She usually saw him in the bright light of the sun, or the failing shadows of dusk; but not in the yellow-orange manufactured glow of cozy indoor spaces after sundown. It made him seem…homey.
Actually, the entire room had never seemed so hospitable to her, before. And it was her room.
His eyes slitted open. The yellow had kindled them to sapphire. “..What are you thinking?” he asked her softly. The hand she’d just kissed lightly caressed her jaw, and brushed her bottom lip.
She blushed. “That it's nice having you here. …Um… you m-make my room feel cozy,” she confessed, soft as a breath.
He blushed back, color stealing richly into his skin, as he slowly blinked.
“I do?” he asked quietly, such a soft poignance in his voice that it seemed to run through and tug directly on her heart.
Silently, she nodded.
He smiled, to himself, with pleasure. "I don't know what to say… it's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, Ciri.."
"oh," she emitted smally, "s-surely it's not.."
"..sweetheart.. But it is. …you know, it made me feel very, very special, when you wanted to cuddle here, with me."
That made a neat little fire kindle, within her belly, and invite her to warm herself at it. She smiled, and knew that it was dopey. "I… I’m very, very glad to have you here too, L-Luke."
His face split, sunnily, and his nose nudged hers. "I'm thrilled," he replied, before tenderly finding her lips, once again.
And when he released her, they spent a quiet moment just looking at each other, feeling peaceful.
“…so..” he breathed after a time, “while we're on the topic, of coziness…t-there’s something, that’s always seemed like it would probably be so cozy, to me...”
He was blushing, fiercely. His bashfulness, made her grin bare, with enjoyment. “oh, Luke.. you’re terribly cute,” she couldn’t restrain a happy little laugh, “what is it, pretty boy?”
She heard his breath softly flutter, at her teasing, and blushed, realizing what she’d just called him. Then she forgot to worry, because he was tightening his grip around her back, holding her jaw and gently, slowly licking over her lips and kissing her, with a humming sigh into her mouth, "..pr'tty girl.." She deepened and returned his kiss… And he took charge of her lip, and hung on to it, as he drew back, til it popped out of his mouth, wetly.
Then he said, smally, “…u-m, well… watch a horror holo with me?"
The contrast of that uncertain little request, with that kiss.. It was adorable. Still a little breathless, she couldn't stop from smiling appreciatively at him, “-what’s that?”
"..It's a holo, that's supposed to be scary," he whispered.
She was puzzled. “..Would a story really scare you, Luke? You’ve lived through… so many real things..”
She knew, that he'd seen terrible things. ..Done terrible things, even, when necessary.. Though for the life of her she couldn't imagine this sweet man, ever being angry, or violent, at all.
“..Um, the point is more, to scare you,” he admitted sheepishly.
“Me?”
He nodded. “…And then I squeeze you, and make you feel better,” he breathed. Her skin warmed, uncontrollably.
And she nodded, quietly.
The corner of his mouth tugged, gently up. “Yeah?” he confirmed, with sly pleasure.
“Y-yeah,” she agreed.
His face crinkled as it split, into a big happy smile that traveled all the way up into his eyes. “thank you, Ciri… It’s…," he broke into a sheepish laugh, "-it's something I used to hear about, back on Tattooine…but I never had anyone, I wished to comfort, just for fun.”
She felt her blush deepen. She’d rarely ever been comforted, before him. Now that he’d come into her life, it was becoming a matter of routine…and even, of entertainment? The reversal was stunning.
“It’s fun?” she asked innocently.
He nodded. “it’s fun..,” he confirmed.. then clarified, “-It’s fun when you’re not really that upset."
"...you'll need to not really let me get scared, then," she teased.
"sweetling, I won't," he promised somberly.
She blushed. She was acquiring terms of endearment faster than belief.
"…so, d-do you have… Something already picked out for this, too?" she asked, by way of recovery.
He shook his head, "Not for this… I thought we could look at teasers?"
She nodded, unquestioningly, and he smiled. "great…let's get ourselves resituated, shall we princess?"
..They had to untangle, a little, in order to sit up, again. She fixed their pillows, which had become strewn during their canoodling. Then he gathered her into his lap and kissed her neck, and picked up the datapad.
All that beautiful skin of his that she'd bravely exposed, was now at her back, where she quite disappointingly couldn't feel it. She dithered a moment, in her mind, while he navigated the Net.
When she gave his encircling forearm a tug, he easily released it. "J-just a moment… I'll be right back," she said, scooting off the bed. He hummed his acknowledgement, continuing his task.
She grabbed a couple of garments from where they were hung over the door of her wardrobe, and went into her bathroom to change. She emerged in a set of soft sleepclothes, thinner and much more comfortable than her leathers, which she tossed aside.
He beamed at her as she reclaimed her spot, between his legs, and he repositioned his arm around her, drawing her close up against him. "..better?" he asked her ear.
She agreed, "m-much better."
"I quite agree… You're much warmer, like this."
She blushed, and smiled with pleasure. "So are you."
"...I've got a few of these things, cued up… Let me know, if something catches your attention."
She nodded, and he switched off the lights and began playing teasers for her on the datapad…the name turned out to be fairly self-explanatory.
They were on an island, now, she felt, in the black. One built out of softness and their body heat, its edges defined by this strange little light that spilled onto their faces and hands but couldn't travel past. She wanted to hold something of his, so she slipped her arm over his leg and hooked his inner thigh. ..She'd never touched him there, before. It made her heart beat faster, to do it, and he didn't seem to mind at all.
"..I don't think I've felt anything succeeding on you yet," he murmured after a few.
"Um, I've been… a little more interested, than frightened," she admitted.
"Need to find something uninteresting… I get it," he mused playfully. "-Well we've barely scratched the surface."
They went through genres, until her stomach clenched and she realized that she was viewing more effective material. She was surprised that it was a supernatural teaser, they were watching. -Because she had always looked down on people who held such beliefs. But something about the unnaturalness of the imagery was potently unsettling to her.
When he noticed what it was doing to her to watch it, he grinned happily. "I think we may have found your kind of horror, princess." Then he leaned in to whisper into her ear, "I think it's kind of cute… that it's this that makes your heart pick up its pace… I know what you think of this sort of thing. Sweet little scientist."
She blushed. "A-atheist, you mean. ..I-I don't really understand it, myself," she said.
"Well, where I'm from most people I know are atheists. It doesn't seem to impair the genre's popularity at all. Let's look at some more of these," he said, and proceeded to select several more.
They ended up choosing a horror-thriller set in an isolated locale, undergirded by a sinister mystery and ghosts. He rerouted the image to the projector, and set it on the covers before them. She shifted in his lap, as it began, and rubbed against him contentedly as she felt his arms wrapping around her and snugging her in tight. He pressed his lips to the shell of her ear, and she put her arms over his, holding him back.
"..Ciri.." he whispered, before long, "may I..?" His hand had found the hem of her shirt, and one of his fingertips quested up underneath it.
Her stomach filled with anticipatory flutters. "Y-yes," she invited, "-P-please."
…And his hand snaked under the fabric, to cup her bare abdomen, in his palm.
..It was his real hand, and astonishingly warm. Against her will, she heard the breath whine quietly in her throat, as he deliberately rubbed his thumb along her stomach…alongside his ragged sigh, into her ear. "..what a cute little belly.." he whispered, lightly biting the lobe. And he gave her a gentle, yet assertive squeeze, eliciting a delicate whimper from her lips, which she promptly bit to restrain any future such utterances. Something had kindled in her innards, underneath his touch, and absolutely refused to go out.
This, surely, was the ultimate indulgence. She'd thought that touching him was nice.
"th-thank you, Luke.." she stuttered weakly, her skin aflame under his hand.
"-thank you," he breathed in return, with a frankly teasing kiss.
…And as the holo played, his constant touches and softly brushing lips made it quite difficult for her to become overly frightened, just as he'd promised. There was far less for him to explain, this time around, partly because of all the things he'd already gone over, and partly due to the limited scenery in play. But everytime something unfamiliar appeared in the projection, she would eagerly anticipate the hum of his soft voice in her ear. And this time, the kisses he placed on her ear and neck to follow up his explanations were very forward, indeed; full of tonguings, nips, and suckles.
Everytime the holo made her tense, anticipating a scare, he'd tighten his arms and stroke her with his fingers, and 'shhhh' soothingly into her ear. And when the tension broke, with a grotesque spirit popping from out of nowhere into close view, and making her try to escape backwards into his bare chest... he'd squeeze her tightly in, happily laughing - not bothering to conceal his enjoyment. His warmth penetrated the fabric of her shirt as though it were nothing, and he’d begin licking and nibbling her neck, by way of distraction, and she would relax back into him as the moment passed.
The final jump scare, cheesily marking the precise end of the tale, made both of them laugh as it faded into scrolling attributions.
"w-well, I hope taking care of me was as rewarding as you hoped it would be, Luke," she ventured with minor insecurity, as they calmed.
"It was much more rewarding than that," he said with self-satisfaction, and she couldn't help a pleased laugh. "-What about you? Worth it, being frightened for my amusement?"
She felt very silly, but she had to nod that it was. "Super worth it."
"Wonderful," he affirmed, "-Those kids on Tatooine knew what they were talking about, after all."
It made her snort. "You're a good deal more innocent, sometimes, than one might think.. yourself," she told him.
He chuckled. "I am? Well. -You make me feel like a farmboy, I can't help it. I love it.." his voice went soft, and he sucked on her earlobe, in recompense.
It made the breath leave her, messily. "y-you make me feel… like an entirely different person," she mumbled.
"..I hope that's a good thing.. What do you mean?"
She blinked through the haze of a blush.
"..Y-you make me feel like someone, w-wantable," she confessed. Someone, she had always known that she was not.
He paused, and she felt him swallow. "that's not someone different, Ciri," he declared. Then he flipped back on the friendly light, ending the holo's lingering spell, and shifted with preternatural ease out from under her, depositing her onto the bed…and swung himself over her, straddling her hips and supporting himself with an elbow above her head…pressing down onto her, enough to let her know he was there, without crushing her. She blinked, in surprise, looking up into his pretty blue eyes.
He dipped down, to kiss her, fervidly. His free hand cupped her face. She moaned into the kiss, helplessly. "You are who you are.." he mumbled against her lips, "..if you weren't, I wouldn't be attracted.." And put out his tongue, to use inside her mouth.
She briefly lost track of her surroundings, as all of her focus was consumed by him, and what he was doing, and doing it back.
"...You make it awful difficult for me to leave you alone in this bed, little princess.." he murmured finally. It had grown quite late, she was sure. His use of the diminutive made her tingle everywhere, underneath him.
"-y-you don't have, to do that," she couldn't help saying.
He bit his lip.
"..I think I do.." he replied at last, "..I don't wanna move too fast." She sighed. He laughed, and stopped her with a kiss. "..don't worry about it, Ciri. Ask me later. Everything's gonna work out."
"…well, at least let me walk you home," she suggested - then flushed at her use of the word. This wasn't his home. The truth was, she had no idea what place he might consider home, or where it might lie, with regard to her little planet. Did he ever get to spend much time there?
"mmm… I'd be honored," he said, giving her one last, searching kiss… and sat up.
She missed the weight of his torso, instantly.
"..Luke?" she asked.
"Ciri?"
"Where is your home?"
He hesitated.. then shrugged. "I'm not sure I know. I have rooms in the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. That's where Leia lives. ..But I feel more comfortable in my X-wing.. I'm used to being on the move, I suppose."
"...that's sad," she said softly.
He smiled at her, faintly rueful. "..I'm a sad man."
She swallowed, and sat up.. let her fingers run into his hair and pulled him down, and kissed him gently. And he whispered, "..you haven't noticed, cuz you've been keeping me so happy…thank you, Ciri…I'm in your debt.."
"posh," she protested. He smiled.
"..just promise I'm seeing you, tomorrow morning."
"you know you are.."
"..thank you, sweetling."
"you're very polite."
His face split, crookedly. "-That's my job!"
She smiled, and laughed. "..let me take you back, cute boy."
Eyes soft, he almost preened. Nodding, he scooted off of her, so she could move, and retrieved his boots… Then his tunic, and once she'd gotten her own boots on she stood, and handed him his glove.
Then something she'd forgotten, occurred to her. "-Oh, Luke, your comlink!" she blurted.
"..You mean your comlink," he corrected with a smile. "-Bring it, tomorrow. We can test it out. And your notebook.. I just know, you're gonna wanna take notes.." He finished pulling back on his glove. He'd put on his tunic, as well, but hadn't bothered closing it.
"k…," she trailed, momentarily distracted by the slitted flesh of his chest.
When she looked back up at him, he was lopsidedly smirking. She felt her cheeks heat.
He stood.
"-Y-your projector, and..," she mumbled, as he stepped in to kiss her.
"keep it," he mouthed, "..mess around with it, if you wish. I don't think you can break it." He gave her another wet, indulgent kiss.
She nodded. "o.. ok!"
It made him smile, again, the lines on his cheeks pulling taut. -He seemed to enjoy, what he was doing to her, she reflected. She laughed at herself, quietly, and took his hand.
..Soon they'd left her room, and made their way down the hallways to his. It felt odd, to be walking him, rather than the other way around… She kind of liked it. Though she didn't relish, the prospect of the return journey, alone.
She reflected that it was a journey he made, routinely, and wondered how he typically felt, along the way… but did not ask.
When they arrived at his door, she held up his hand to her lips, as he'd done so many times with hers, and delicately bussed his knuckles. Something flowered, in his eyes…Some poignancy. He stepped in closer and nuzzled in against her. "..thank you for my day, Ciri," he murmured gratefully, "thanks for watching silly holos with me, and inviting me to your bed, and for touching me.. And thank you for my flowers."
She shivered, hearing his thanks, and then his hands were on her… touching her waist, smoothing up her sides, pulling her in, and finally slipping round her back to anchor her against him.
She hugged him back, possessively, running her arms under the panels of his shirt, to feel the bare skin of his back one more time. "y-you're welcome, Luke.." she mumbled shyly.
"..you're gonna be ok?" he checked softly… then added, teasingly, "-You're not gonna have bad dreams, from that horror holo, are you?"
She laughed, "-no, I don't think so, Luke." And nodded, "..yeah, I'll be fine." And sighed, against his skin.
"..k."
"…what about you?"
He nodded. "..Me, too, Ciri."
And he kept hugging her, quietly, for minutes.
…Eventually she couldn't restrain a yawn.
He stirred, gently releasing her, with a rueful chuckle.
"Sorry to always do this.."
"always do what?"
"..keep you out past your bedtime, sweet princess," he answered, gently teasing.
She snorted. "Don't mention it."
-He kissed her, rather than mention more.
And when he let her go, he kept close to whisper a confession into her ear, "...I love, how it's so exhausting, to have every night I spend with you be the best night of my life."
She burned, quietly.. stunned. ..Meanwhile he was kissing her cheek, taking her hand, and pulling back.
"Good night, Ciri," he said gently, and gave her hand a squeeze, "..I'll see you tomorrow, princess."
She recovered herself in time to squeeze back, and return, "G-good night, Luke..! S-sleep well.."
He smiled, affectionately… And stepped back, into his door, which opened behind him on its own behalf.
..He winked, before the door's closing removed him from sight.
The walk back to her quarters was actually not near so long as she had expected… occupied, as she was, with what he'd just said. Was this what he'd meant, in his letter? What he hadn't wished, to commit to paper.. had he just obliquely committed it to her ear, instead, at the last?
The improbability of the sentiment, alone, was enough to make her blush.
Though it was very certainly true, the other way around.
4 notes
·
View notes