"Atton, I know you want to help me, but I have to do this alone… I'm sorry"
It was funny how she'd pop into his mind at random moments like this. The way she smiled, her laugh, just the way her hair shined in the sun, those bright, innocent blue eyes of hers- and then those words she'd said. Words that hurt more than any blade ever would. Not one goodbye, not one word of warning, not even a look back as she'd walked away, she just left. All he'd gotten was "I'm leaving" and "I'm sorry".
Well that wasn't entirely true. She'd left him one of her favorite pazzak cards- the one she'd gotten from "the champ" at the Nar Shadda pazzak den. With that card and his expert knowledge of the game, he rarely lost. Maybe it wasn't right for a Jedi to play card games to earn their credits, butt he'd never seen Kitt holding back.
He laid down a plus two card and with an almost bored expression looked across the table at his Twi'lek opponent. It had been a while since he'd had a challenge, and no one in this place even seemed worth it.
"You play a very good game- I can see why so few sentients here would challenge you" the Twi'lek said with a small bow of his head.
"Whatever, just hand over the credits, alright?" Atton said as he gathered up his deck. The Twi'lek nodded and transferred the credits owed. "Thanks" the Jedi said as he got up from his seat and headed for the bar.
He laid down a credit on the bar and told the bartender "Juma" then turned and leaned against the counter, idly watching the Twi'lek dancers at the other end of the bar. He stood there, thinking about everything, yet nothing in particular. He was hardly aware from the glass he drank from or his surroundings. He refrained from jumping when he felt a light tap on his shoulder, mentally kicking himself for not using the force to sense this person's presence.
Atton looked over his shoulder to see someone cloaked head to toe in dark robes that covered their face entirely. He could tell she was female by her height and just her aura in general, since he couldn't see practically any of her body or face. She stood there quietly, awaiting a response.
He cleared his throat, "Yeah? Something you want?" He asked, hoping he wasn't sounding too rude. He was still fairly new at this Jedi thing anyways. Her gloved hand silently held up a pazzak deck. Atton shrugged and sighed, "Alright, sure. It's not like I have anything better to do" He followed her as she turned and headed calmly toward a table. He sat in the chair across from her and dealt his hand.
He just played like he played everyone else, but after the second hand was dealt he realized something was different. When they reached their third round it was 1 to 2, he being the losing party. "No sweat," He thought "I'll just switch tactics" They tied at 2 for two more rounds. That rarely happened to him anymore. It was almost like she knew every move he was going to make. He frowned at the card in his hand, then at the dealt cards. Maybe she did. Maybe she was a Jedi. Maybe she could hear him counting cards in his mind. Maybe she wasn't trying to be a good little Jedi and she'd cheat like that. "Well two can play at that game"
He scowled at his hand again, making it seem as though he was trying to focus on the cards and determine his next move, when in reality he was focused on reaching into her mind, at the very least to know if she was doing the same to him. He was met by an eerie silence that filled her mind, like a void. He recoiled his mind, more than a little shocked. She didn't even put up a wall like he did, she was just blank.
With a final sigh he laid down the golden +1/-1 card that he treasured so, simply because it was all he had left of Kitt besides the memories. Something in her aura changed to signal she was grinning, probably mischievously with the way it rippled like that. She laid down a final card. A simple one, even: just a normal +1 card, creating a perfect 20 whereas he only had a 19.
"Nuh-uh…!" Atton said astounded, his mouth hanging open ever so slightly as he leaned forward to inspect the cards. He looked frantically back and forth between the cards in front of him, and those in front of her. How could she have won? Was that even possible?
She snorted and then started laughing, the first noise she'd made all evening. It was a pleasant laugh that reminded him of summer and sweet smelling flowers. It reminded him of her…
"I thought you'd know better by now, Atton. Haven't you figured out yet that you never play pazzak with a Jedi when you know she's prone to listening to you count card in your head?" the girl giggled as she gathered up her deck.
That voice… there was no mistaking it. He'd recognize her voice anywhere. That's why she hadn't spoken before- she was waiting until she knew it was him… waiting to see that card. He had to admit, he did look more than a bit different since the last time they'd been together, but wouldn't she have recognized him anyways? Oh well, that's just the way Kitt was.
"Kitt?" He asked slowly, his eyes trying to penetrate the inky black shadow her hood threw across her face. The cowl had slid back just enough now that if he tilted his head just right he could see the lower half of her face- her soft jaw line and that bemused grin on her lips that she wore when she was genuinely happy or trying to hold back her giggles. She got up and tucked her pazzak deck safely away in her robes before walking around the table to him. He slowly stood, gaping at her. Without really thinking about it he found his hands gently gripping the sides of her hood as he slowly pulled it off of her. Kitt's sky blue eyes stared up at him with just a hint of amusement.
"It is you…!" He said softly, a voice barely above a whisper. He gently touched her cheek with one hand. Her warm smile only got bigger. He started laughing, something he hadn't done since before she left. She giggled with him as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her in response, still chuckling.
"I missed you" she whispered in his ear.
"I missed you too, Kitt" he replied, hugging her tighter.
"I should have told you a long time ago, Atton," the blond Jedi said, pulling away so she could look into his eyes "I love you, and I can't believe what a fool I've been; practically running away for the last few years like I did after the war. It seems like that's all I can every do anymore is just run away from the important things. But I-"
"Kitt," Atton laughed, "You're babbling" Kitt blushed and cast her eyes down. He placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head back up to look at him.
"I'm the one who's a fool, Kitt. I should have gone after you. I loved you since you first walked through that door on Peragus…" He smiled and leaned down and kissed her.
When she pulled away she was grinning "Well, so much for those Jedi rules, I guess. Come on, let's get out of here; we have a lot of catching up to do" He gathered up his pazzak deck, which was still littered across the table, then hurried to catch up to Kitt as she walked out of the Cantina. Maybe it was a bit of the scoundrel in him still, but he couldn't help but slid his arm around her waist as he walked beside her.
"You keep that up and I'm definitely going to show you just exactly how much I missed you when we get back to your place…" was Kitt's only thought as the Cantina doors slid shut behind them.