Fenig Durak: "GRasping at straws my foot. I
understood perfectly everything that came out of my mouth," she retorted
petulantly.
Shelonei: "I'm not in the mood to argue with
you Fen."
Fenig Durak: "Who's arguing. It makes sense
to me and that's all that really matters." The mocking smile of a petulant
child morphed to a really sincere smile.
Shelonei: He looked at her over the box of curios,
then handed her a few figurines, "Go put these over on that shelf," he
motioned with his chin, and moved to tke the box she'd opened with the
clothes into the bedroom.
Fenig Durak: "In any specific arrangement?" she
asked as she took the knick knacks and carried them gingerly to the shelf.
Shelonei: "No, not really, no," he called over
his shoulder as he disappeared.
Fenig Durak: "Ok, so when we're done here, what
would you like to do?" Arranging the curios in no real pattern or form
of semblance, just how she thougth they looked best, she turned back and
started to remove things from the box.
Shelonei: "Don't know!" he called back.
Fenig Durak: As she pulled things from the box,
her mind wandered back to that shirtless Hobbie from a few minutes ago.
The image her mind had stored made her slow, even completely stop what
she was doing for a moment. Had she been so
Fenig Durak: completely clueless as to the form
her dearest friend lived in? Or had she been that consumed with other things?
Whatever the reason, she'd noticed now, and was staring at a random place
on the floor.
Shelonei: Before returning, his mind wandered
to her form when she'd first come in. Her beautiful hair so very long
and flowing. He sighed., then turned to re-enter. When he did so, he saw
her standing there, lovely in her pensive look.
Shelonei: "Fen?" he questioned softly.
Fenig Durak: She blinked a few times and turned
a semidazed look up at him. In the holovids, that stary haze around someone
was a trick of light and cameras. Right now, Fen would have explained
it away with her eyes being out of focus. Of
Fenig Durak: course, that was providing her mind
got a jump start. "Yeah?" she replied back just as softly.
Shelonei: He looked at her with concern, moving
closer. "Are you feeling alright?"
Fenig Durak: Still hadn't kicked on yet. "Yeah."
A slow smile warmed her cheeks as he neared.
Shelonei: He moved closer and put a hand on
her shoulder, "Fen, you sure?"
Fenig Durak: "Definately," she nodded assuredly.
"I was just daydreaming a little."
Shelonei: He brought a hand up and brushed a
thumb against her cheek, "Okay, you just looked kinda out of it."
Fenig Durak: Before she really thought about
it, she tilted her cheek toward his thumb, that little smile on her face
growing just a bit more content. "Yeah, daydreams'll do that."
Shelonei: He nodded, then moved to bring another
box into the kitchenette. "True that."
Shelonei: As he unpacked things, he called through
the small opening, "Have you decided what you want to do?"
Fenig Durak: "Gawd, Hobbs, these apartments you
and Wes have are so much nicer than the barracks. I'm starting to wonder
if I should find a place of my own." There, that might be an idea. Apartment
hunting? "I dunno, whatever strikes my mood
Fenig Durak: at the time." She looked back down
at the nearly empty box at her feet. "Where do you want some of this stuff?"
Shelonei: "It's an officer thing, I guess," he
said.
Shelonei: "just wherever."
Fenig Durak: "Alright." She picked up a few
of the pictures. "Hanging, or on shelves?"
Shelonei: "Yes."
Shelonei: "Just... wherever."
Fenig Durak: Each picture she placed somewhere
visible, but not somewhere that he would look at everytime he passed by,
angling the frames to catch the best light. The happier pictures, she
smiled at and tried to get a feel for what was going
Fenig Durak: on and hte like. At a picture that
she could pick out three of the four, she guessed on the last one. "Is
this Wedge?"
Shelonei: Hobbie didn't look to see, intent on
picking up a bunch of silverware he'd dropped. "That the one on a beach,
with Wes in a leg cast?"
Fenig Durak: "Yeah. Nice bathing suit by the
way, speedo man." The wink was heavy in her voice, but jovial all the
same.
Shelonei: He chuckled, "Me, Wes, Tycho and Wedge."
Fenig Durak: She whistled like she had when he
was shirtless. "He's a stud. Too bad he's not single." Again, a verbal
wink as she set the picture on a table for now.
Shelonei: "You're a piece of work, Fen."
Fenig Durak: "What? All I said was he's cute."
She laughed a bit and picked up a few more things to set about the apartment.
"Besides, it's not like I have the room in my life for yet another man."
Shelonei: "No, you said he was a stud," he chuckled.
Shelonei: He was silent after her final comment,
dishes clanking as he put them away.
Shelonei: "When we're done, why don't we go
play with Kell's explosives?" he suggested.
Fenig Durak: Emptying her arms of odds and ends,
she joined him in the kitchen, wrapping her arms around his waist as she
hugged him from behind. "We'll see," she replied very softly, her breath
brushing by his ear.
Shelonei: He stiffened slightly when she put
her arms around him, almost dropping the knives he held. Then his body
shuddered slightly as she spoke. "Okay," he replied just as quietly.
Fenig Durak: Her embrace tightened a bit when
he stiffened, her chin resting atop his shoulder. "Hobbs, I'm really sorry."
Shelonei: "What for? you just startled me,
'sall."
Fenig Durak: "No, about everything else."
Shelonei: He set the knives down, but did not
turn, "I dont' understand."
Fenig Durak: "About Wes and this whole baby thing,
and about....well...all of it."
Shelonei: He did turn around then, resting lacing
his fingers at the small of her back with his arms around her. "Fen.
Let's get this one thing through your head. It's not your fault. Okay?"
Fenig Durak: "It's not completely my fault, but
partially. If I wasn't pregnant, or if the baby was...someone elses,
he'd still be here. You two would still be living together. Maybe even
a world of other possibilities that I haven't thought
Fenig Durak: of yet."
Shelonei: "As far as my having moved out, I'd
decided on that before we knew you were pregnant. It just so happened
to happen after you found out."
Shelonei: He shrugged, "For the rest of it...
nobody really can say whether anyone is at fault." He looked down at her
kindly. "But stop worrying about it."
Fenig Durak: She returned the kind gaze, taking
her time rememorizing the color of his eyes. This was the first time she'd
noticed the flecks of other colors in there. "Hey, you know me. Worrying
about something, or blowing it up, and I don't
Fenig Durak: think you want me to blow Wes up,
right?"
Shelonei: He shook his head, "I'm sure his family
would be adverse to that."
Shelonei: Her eyes... such a comfourting shade
of green.
Fenig Durak: She sighed softly, breaking their
gaze to rest her head on his shoulder. They weren't really getting much
done, were they? "It's all more confusing that I really like my life to
be. Y'know? Here I am, carrying the child of a man
Fenig Durak: I know I care very deepy for, but
he doesn't return that, all the while standing in the arms of another man
that feels that way about me, though I'm not sure I return it." Yet.
Shelonei: He sighed a long sigh, resting his
chin atop her head. "It's alright, Fen."
Fenig Durak: "Hobbie?"
Shelonei: "Hm?"
Fenig Durak: "Why do you care about me like that anyway?"
Shelonei: He sighed a long sigh as he thought.
After a short time, he answerd. "I don't really know why - only that
I do."
Fenig Durak: She looked up at him, sliding her
head out from underhis chin. "There isn't anything specific about me,
or about us that started it?" This was sort of a new concept to her.
Shelonei: "Not that I can think of. It just...
happened. Something happened, and I can't really pinpoint a begining place."
Fenig Durak: "Alright, seperating myself from
all emotional attatchment to this -at least for this question- I'd like
to know something."
Shelonei: "yes?"
Fenig Durak: She even had to slip herself from
the strong comfort of his arms, moving a few feet away from him, adopting
more of a 'counsellor' stance. "When you think about Fen, what is it specifically
that you think about?"
Shelonei: He looked down at the empty space,
then turned to start putting the knives in their place. "Bright laughter,
kind words, comfortable
Shelonei: silences, breathtaking beauty..."
with each admission, a knife fell into place as though to punctuate his
words.
Fenig Durak: Her arms uncrossed from their place
over her stomach, the compassionate ease on her face went slack for a moment
before blossoming into something of a realization. Soon enough, the distance
between them was closed again, a warm
Fenig Durak: hand rising to press gently on Hobbie's
back.
Shelonei: He jumped slightly but did not turn,
afraid to look. He rested his hands on the countertop. "Things like that,
Fen. I don't know how you do it,
Shelonei: but every time i try to lie in the
grave I've dug for myself, you stubbornly pull me out again."
Fenig Durak: She wasn't sure if she should take
that as a complement, or complaint. "Would you rather me leave you alone?"
Shelonei: In stead of answering, he turned and
searched her eyes. He wasn't certain just what for, but if he found it,
he'd k now.
Fenig Durak: When he turned, that look of unsurity
on his face, she smiled warmly and slipped her arms around his waist.
Shelonei: He brought a hand up to cup her chin,
his thumb brushing against her cheek. "No," he finally answered quietly.
"No, I wouldn't rather that."
Fenig Durak: "I didn't think so. Do me a little
favor before we get back to work?"
Shelonei: He raised an eyebrow, saying nothing
as his thumb continued stroking her cheek lovingly.
Fenig Durak: She relished the closeness, losing
herself in his eyes, falling to helplessness beneath his touch. Such
went on for minutes more before she named that little favor with a brush
of her lips to his.
Shelonei: He willingly granted that favour,
winning his own in return. Gently he kissed her, his hand moving to gently
cup her cheek as he did so.
Fenig Durak: Again, she let moments tick by before
breaking the kiss, a very sincere and sure smile on her face. "Hey Hobbie?"
Shelonei: Slowly he opened his eyes to look
down at her, "hm?"
Fenig Durak: "I'm sure now."
Shelonei: "Of what?"
Shelonei: he looked mildly confused.
Fenig Durak: "Of this, of us." Her arms tightened
just a bit around his waist, pulling him closer for a quick little kiss.
Shelonei: Slowly, his confusion gave way to
a small smile. In response, he leaned down and claimed her mouth with
a kiss, still gentle, but firey just the same.
Fenig Durak: Well, we all know what kisses can
lead to, so before it gained too much in passion, Fen broke it, brushing
Hobbie's cheek with the back of her fingers. "Suppose we should get back
to unpacking?"
Shelonei: He sighed, reluctantly admitting to
himself she was right. "Yeah," he dropped his hands. "Guess so."
Fenig Durak: He may have dropped his hands, but
she hadn't. The look on her face, that slightly hopeful smile, seemed to
beg for him to think of something else for them to do.
Shelonei: "But I don't want to."
Shelonei: He thought a moment, "Do you know
how to swim?" he asked, though that wasn't the real question..
Fenig Durak: "Course. What do you have in mind?"
Shelonei: "Have you ever gone sailing?"
Shelonei: He waved a hand, "We're not too very
far from the Coruscanti ocean...."
Fenig Durak: "No, never. Never really had any
bodies of water close enough or big enough to when I was a kid. Coruscant
has an ocean?!" News to her.
Shelonei: "Well, more like a huge lake, but it's
big enough you can't see the other side until you're about halfway across."
He half smiled, "Let's go."
Fenig Durak: "Do I need anything? Like a swimsuit
or anything?"
Shelonei: "Well..." he winked with a teasing
smile.
Fenig Durak: She caught on quick, putting on
a rather lecherous grin herself. "Or we could just find a bit of water
not so often visited and go suitless..."
Shelonei: He chuckled, "I don't know if I could
withstand the temptation."
Shelonei: He expertly disengaged himself from
her, turned her and gave her a pat on the bum, "You'd better go get your
swimsuit. I'll meet you at your place."
Fenig Durak: "Uh...one problem."
Shelonei: "What's that?"
Fenig Durak: "I odn't own a swimsuit anymore"
She was fibbing, but there was method to her madness and it was all teasing.
Shelonei: "Hmm, well that IS a problem," he
thought a moment. "Well, there are some shoppes on the shore...."
Fenig Durak: "Yeah, but I'll just outgrow it
in a few months," she grinned a bit, the corners of her lips twitching
as she tried to hide it.
Shelonei: "So get a two piece," he shrugged.
Fenig Durak: "Two piece you say...." she grinned
again. "I think I have one back in my quarters. Meet me there in twenty?"
Shelonei: He chuckled and shook his head ruefully,
"Will do, Fen."
Fenig Durak: She darted for the door and slapped
it open, though spun just as quickly on her toes to dart back to him, pressing
a loving kiss to his lips before she tore herself away, disappearing from
his quarters.
Shelonei: He blinked after her, not sure if he
was more, or less, confused than he'd been when he woke up not long earlier.
With a shrug, he headed to his room to grab the one thing he knew exactly
where it was, and that was his swimsuit.
Shelonei: *
Shelonei: Hobbie knocked on Feni's door, in
stead of pressing the buzz.
Fenig Durak: "It's open Hobbs!" She called out
to him, her voice loud from inside the 'fresher. Door open though. Not
like she was naked.
Shelonei: He entered. He wasn't going to admonish
her about locking the door... the killings had stopped as suddenly as they'd
begun.
Fenig Durak: Fen had heard from Han that Kyp
had left Coruscant, so it sort of made sense. She peeked her head out of
the door for a moment, a bright smile on her face and her hair hanging
loose from her head. "One more moment."
Shelonei: "alright." He moved to stand by the
window, as was his wont, to watch the morning traffic outside.
Fenig Durak: "Alright, so is it still in style?"
To say that her swimsuit was a little old was to say that the Emperor
was a little wrinkled. A two piece in a deep green with white embroidery
along the edges for decoration. A really simple
Fenig Durak: suit.
Shelonei: Hobbie was too busy picking his jaw
from the floor to answer.
Fenig Durak: She giggled softly and moved close
enough to caress his cheek. "I'll take that as a yes."
Shelonei: dumbly, he nodded.
Fenig Durak: She traced his bottom lip with her
thumb, grinning a bit evilly. "Wanna go sailing now?"
Shelonei: Poor mans brain just flew out the
window without giving him any warning. "Uh.... yes?"
Fenig Durak: "Wanna give me a hug and a kiss
before we go?" This was fun, but the amusement would really only last
for about an hour before she wanted her intelligent and witty Hobbie back.
Shelonei: With that he snapped out of it, and
gathered her to himself as he kissed her soundly.
Shelonei: (* and, with a grin, he gathered)
Fenig Durak: Now what kind of girl could resist
that? Her arms swung around his neck, holding him to her and herself in
that sound kiss of his. Who knew Hobbie had a side to him like this?
Shelonei: A few people... all but one were long
dead. He pulled away only when the need for air forced him to. But he
didn't pull far, he leaned his forehead down agasint her.s "Fen?"
Fenig Durak: "Yeah?"
Shelonei: "I forgot." he chuckled, and kissed
her forehead as he stood back to just... look at her. "You should put something
on over that."
Fenig Durak: "Why? Does it look all that bad,
or have a hole somewhere inappropriate?" She turned a bit, trying to get
a better look at the material she swore she'd gone over.
Shelonei: He chuckled, "No, I just dont' want
anyone else looking at you on our way over," he winked.
Fenig Durak: Her cheeks flushed a bit, but she
slipped away from him to grab a hold of her sarong and a tank top.
Shelonei: He chuckled, still in his slacks and
button down, though he had put on his swimsuit beneath, and then held a
hand out to her before they could leave.
Fenig Durak: She slipped her hand into his and
tugged him closer. "Lets go"
Shelonei: He squeezed her hand slightly, and
locking the door behind them, they left.
Shelonei: *
Shelonei: It wasn't too long before they got
to the shore of the artificial Coruscanti ocean. Hobbie rented a sailboat,
and soon they were out on the water. He was definitely in his element.
Colar undoone a few buttons, his sleeves rolled
Shelonei: up... his usually starkly neat hair
blowing about some in the wind.
Fenig Durak: A tousled look that Fen thought
worked very well for him, so she sat at the bow, admiring the new man in
her life.
Shelonei: There were small manufactured islands
dotting the ocean like lake, several were deserted. Hobbie picked one
out, and headed there, tossing a wink at Feni, but saying no words.
