If Torian noticed her hands trembling as she reached for him, he didn't comment on it and Noara loved him all the more for it. Part of her wanted to throw caution to the wind, surrender completely to the racing of her heart and the fire under her skin that begged for him to take her and show her everything she had been missing, everything she hadn't experienced that he had to offer.

But she held back, falling into her lifelong practice of pushing the most intense feelings down. She didn't want to rush this, she didn't want to rush anything with him. Sliding her hand up his chest she smiled when she felt his heartbeat, it was easily pounding as hard as her own.

His hands moved to her hips, holding her close but loose enough that she could pull away if she wanted to. But she didn't want that. Instead she stepped closer, sliding her free hand into his hair and pulling him down gently while reaching up on her toes slightly to reach his mouth.

Her lips brushed against his tentatively, the sensation sending a thrill of pleasure and excitement through her. This part of their relationship was barely days old, but she didn't think she would ever get used to the feel of him kissing her.

And oh, was he kissing her. Once her lips had brushed against his he had moved his hands to cup her face. He kissed her softly, taking her cues, matching her in pressure and intensity. She pulled him closer, arching her back to press against him and urging him to part his lips with her tongue. He groaned as she deepened the kiss, but she could barely hear it over the pounding of her heart in her ears, the rushing of blood as her body reacted to him in ways it never had for anyone before.

He pulled on her hair tie, releasing her pony tail and burying his hand in her loose hair. She gasped into their kiss when he gave her hair a soft, experimental tug. She pulled away from him, face flushed and breathless, and rested her forehead against his shoulder while she tried to calm her breathing.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, rubbing his hand up and down her back to help her calm down. She moved her arms to circle his waist and hugged him tightly, leaning heavily against him.

"Don't apologize cyar'ika. Gar alorir partaylir?"

Noara nodded against his shoulder, "I remember, my pace. It's just, it's a lot to take in all at once." And it was, her heart was still racing and so were her thoughts. She knew setting aside the lessons of her youth would be hard, but it was like she could feel Master Doran's disappointment in her actions burning into the back of her skull.

And, as much as she didn't want to admit it, but part of her was scared.

Scared of how out of control of her emotions she felt around him, how it was hard to breathe, hard to think when he touched her. Scared of not knowing what she was doing, of doing something wrong – of disappointing him. Which she knew was silly, he had told her she couldn't disappoint him and that he didn't mind waiting for her but that didn't stop her anxiety.

Torian leaned back and lifted her chin with his hand so he could see her face before saying, "you know Jalon should have some fresh uj'alayi in the cantina with your name on it."

"Really?" she asked, visibly perking up and smiling.

He nodded, "that's why I was looking for you, but then you distracted me."

"You say that like you didn't like it," she shot him a wink, knowing he was diverting her attention from her anxieties but she was more than happy to let it happen. She stepped away from him, pulling him toward the door by one of his hands, "next time bring dessert with you."

"Ke'gyce jor'lekir cyar'ika," Torian responded seriously.

Noara rolled her eyes as she tugged him out of the room with her, "mir'sheb."

Mando'a Translations:

Cyar'ika – darling/sweetheart

Gar alorir partaylir – Your lead, remember?

Uj'alayi - uj cake - dense, very sweet flat cake made of ground nuts, syrup, pureed dried fruit and spice (It's her favorite treat)

Ke'gyce jor'lekir – Order received

Mir'sheb – smartass

Jalon is an oc of mine that is a Mandalorian cook. Yeah. Someone must make all their food, right? So, when not fighting for his clan and honor he likes to cook and bake and when he saw the state of the kitchens on Odessen basically claimed them as his own. Some people on base liked it better when their dishes weren't quite so spicy but overall it's a welcome improvement.