Title: Sleepless Slumber

Author: CarthsLostPadwan

Rating: Teen

Summary: Dustil and Raineigh access their situation in the Korriban Sith Academy.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Star Wars characters or places. I only own Raineigh Nyx, she is of my creation so please don't steal her. Also, the quote at the beginning is my own as well, I created it for this little one shot.

A great Sith never sleeps for they never know when a mediocre one may come by to usurp their position.

The silence of the Korriban Sith Academy resonated off the intimidating stone walls making the place seem more like a catacomb than a place of learning. Then again, for many of the students and hopefuls, this place would prove to be their grace so both were – in fact – true.

Thus was the reason for Raineigh Nyx sitting, or rather lounging, in her chain-mounted bunk instead of sleeping this night. Truth be told, she only looked as if she was longingly examining her Sith War Blade. Reality showed a street-smart Corellian girl who'd learned to sleep with her eyes open… and slumber lightly at that.

Even the barely audible sounds of the boy in the dorm next to hers rouse her from her semi-conscious meditation. Her hand gripped her war blade tightly as she sprung from her bed and spun it warningly into an attack position. As futile as the action was seeing as it would take a moment for her eyes to adjust in the lazily flickering candle near her bed, the gesture would surely catch an attacker of guard.

It took only a moment for Rainiegh's crystal blue orbs to focus properly and once she registered that she was safe her duty brought her to the edge of her room to peer around the wall and check on her neighbor. He tossed and turned restlessly as usual as if plagued by nightmares that none-other would ever understand. Many of his nights –or at least as long as Raineigh had known him- were spent thrashing about violently when he slept murmuring only the word Telos, which she had taken to be where he must have come from. The nightmares were why the boy was so eager when his night to stand watch came up.

Dustil Onasi, as the boy was called, and Rainiegh had struck up an agreement soon after she had been moved to his dorm block just a few weeks ago. Both of their respective people who they had followed to the Academy had vanished without a trace, so they formed a sort of bond out of principal. They trained and ate together by day and took turns watching over one another at night. Only too often lately had the news of a young Sith student being slay in their sleep traveled through the barracks. It was a simple little game to survive, but it didn't go without gaining some much needed influence with Master Uthar.

Raineigh cautiously made her way over to Dustil's subliminally troubled form and shook him gently. In an instant he was awake, sweat pouring down his face as if he had a high fever. "You were having a nightmare again." She stated matter-of-factly. The statement granted her one of his trademark condescendingly bored-with-you expressions that while angered her, also made her want to laugh.

"That goes without saying." He groaned as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed with a yawn. He wore only the military issue undershorts and with the pale light coming from the torches in the hall, Raineigh couldn't help but to be mesmerized by his slinder yet muscular physique. He caught her gaze though, and commented as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. "Do you stare at me like this when we're training?"

She shot him a look that could freeze molten carbonite. "Oh get over yourself Onasi." She rolled her eyes so hard she though she might have strained something. Dustil chuckled, a low throaty chuckle that went with still being half asleep, and Raineigh turned pink. It gave her goosebumps up her back and annoyed her all the same. "What is so funny?"

"You. It's ridiculous how much you want me." He smirked conciededly, yet he was amused with their banter. It seemed his amusement only grew as Raineigh's face became and she began to get flustered. Meanwhile, the smile he wore made her heart race.

"Oh like I'd ever fall for a hairless Wookee like you!" She retorted, her temper flaring dangerously at his arrogance. However, her pain seemed to do nothing but provide entertainment for the young man, thus fueling his antics.

"So if I just layed back and offered you full unadulterated access to me, then you'd reject it?" He raised a brow to her now, playing with her head and her emotions.

"Sing sensual gratisfaction without emotional attatchements are a huge no-no in my books, then yes, I'd have no problem rejecting you." She answered truthfully. In her mind, the idea of casual sex appauled her. It wasn't and never would be an option… not like the open-door policy her mother held for the matter.

"Oh. So you're saying had we been dating then you'd totally do me?" Raineigh's reply groan was so loud that she was surprised that she hadn't waken up all of Dreshdae with it as it echoed through the desolate corrodors. Dustil laughed harder as he layed back now, his arms stretched behind his head so to expose the full of his torso. Raineigh fought hard not to take notice.

"I'm saying you're a Gammorean Pig-man with an insanely large head!" Her eyes were on fire now and Dustil nearly felt the urge to restrain himself of anymore comments with fear of breaking her self-control. However, the dark taint of these walls would not allow it – or so he told himself.

"You're not so bad yourself for a young kath hound." He winked at her and that was her cue to lose it. She flew on top of him, arms flailing wildly. It only took a moment though for Dustil to grab her wrists with bruising power and hold them still. She winced, growling at him.

"You're hurting me!" She protested trying to struggle her way away from him. He only tightened his grip more, causing her to cry out. There was an odd look about him, one that Raineigh couldn't read. Something wild within him that both scared and thrilled her.

There was a long moment where only the sound of their breathing could be heard. Finally Dustil broke the silence. "Be my girlfriend." He demanded suddenly and this time it was Raineigh's turn to laugh incrediously.

"What?!" Her aqua-marine eyes found his own honey brown ones and searched their depths. There was not mirth in his gaze.

"You heard me, be my girlfriend." He repeated once more. Raineigh couldn't muster a response, her mouth opening and closing several times but no sound coming out. Dustil had to note mentally that she reminded him a lot of a fish having an oxygen crisis. Once she found her voice, she recovered, but nothing smart alicked came to mind.

"Why?" Was all she could come out with, even then her voice was soft and thoughtful. The sudden change in attitude took Dustil by surprise. He had figured she would have been furious at his request and would try to start hitting him again. The difference brought him to another place emotionally and he let her wrists go, watching as she rubbed them gingerly and noted the purple bruises that formed already.

"I dunno… I figure if I'm going to be protection you then I might as well be dating you. That's what a man is supposed to do." The manner of Dustil's final statement told Raineigh that the matter ran deeper than just sense of duty, but she didn't question him about it.

Just like she didn't question him about Telos.

In her own mind she tried to think of a time in her own life when her parents had protected one another. She couldn't find one. Had her father tried to protect her mother, would her mother still have sought refuge in the bed of a different Corellian cantina regular every night? And had her mother tried to save his father, would he still be a live to day? Maybe she and Dustil could save each other that fate… "Ok."

Dustil blinked at her, unsure by what she had meant by the statement… she'd been quiet for so long. She smiled softly to him and elaborated. "Alright. I'll be your girlfriend." A knowing smile started to grow on Dustil's face and she stopped him. "Oh don't let your ego grow any larger. If anything, this will give me some kind of amusement in my down time here." However, Dustil's smile still didn't face, in fact he turned pink, looking down at where she was still straddling his waist. Following his gaze, she noticed it too and turned pink. "Sorry."

Placing his hands on her hips, he gently lifted her from him and sat her down on the bed as he got up and stretched. He kept his back to her though, pulling on his gray military pants. "You sleep. That nightmare has me wide awake." As do a couple other things… He thought uncharitably to himself. "I'll keep watch for the rest of tonight." Before she could protest, he softly pushed her back on his bed and took her war blade before covering her up. "You are my girl after all."

Rainiegh let out a giggle and watched as Dustil finished dressing, grabbing his blasters and twirling them on his fingers dramatically before putting them away in his holsters. Sure the accomidations weren't ideal, but at least she wasn't alone.

She had him.

Sorry if this kinda sucks… they don't give a lot to go on for Dustil's attitude in KotOR I so I just winged it. Hope this was satisfactory for the contest!