Zavvi returned to the cantina a couple of moments after Xuleena and Corso, and the sisters began to catch up together after some time apart (they did keep in contact over holo, it was easier to elaborate face to face), which meant Corso kept quiet to not interrupt, and even left them to their devices at one point to wander through the station alone. He didn't mind that though, as he had a lot to think about after the private conversation he'd had with the elder sister.

It had explained a lot about Zavvi's rages and just generally about her personality. However, the fact Zavvi had brain damage gave Corso pause; he'd thought her fury was slightly over the top and odd, but he'd never even thought that it might because she'd suffered a blow to the head. He'd never thought of Zavvi as 'vulnerable', but clearly she thought that, if she was trying to shield her heart as she did. A part of him wanted to sweep her into his arms, hold her close and tell her he was there for her, that she didn't need to be worried, that he wouldn't dare break her heart. And yet he was also enamoured with how she managed to carry herself; she never showed an ounce of weakness, never showed even a hint of her past, except for the headband upon her head, yet that only looked like decoration, not something to hide a scar. That was why Corso had fallen for her; somehow she managed to shed the cloak of shadows from her shoulders and walk her own path, not letting her past pull her down; a strength that lit a fire within him.

The mercenary paused in his idle exploration of the station, looking back down at the cantina to where the captain and Jedi were still deep in conversation, the former laughing happily whilst the latter allowed her small, warm smiles. He wondered if the Jedi could sense him watching. It seemed strange she was helping him to try and woo her sister, but she'd been very grateful for Corso saving her younger sibling's life, so it might just be her way of thanking him. And Corso was grateful for that; she'd given him the courage to attempt to ask a question of Zavvi he'd never thought he'd have the nerve to ask.

He felt the tendrils of what he now knew as Xuleena's Force presence gently touch his mind, letting him know she was indeed aware of his presence. The Mantellian shook his head to clear the sensation and joined the two sisters down in the cantina.

"Just in time, farm boy; Xu here's just about to leave." Zavvi told him, getting to her feet.
"Indeed I am. I am needed elsewhere, I am afraid. Namely on Nar Shaddaa." The Jedi replied with a slight name. Corso raised an eyebrow.
"What would a Jedi need on Nar Shaddaa?" He asked curiously. Xuleena waved his question away.
"It will not affect you, Corso. I wouldn't worry about what I am doing."
"Yeah; of the both of us, Xu's the most qualified to fight Sith and all the other crazy things you Jedi deal with. We just shoot gangsters and ship-stealing thieves." Zavvi cut in, shrugging. "Anyhow, I hope it goes well for you. Don't go into the Red Light district and get your organs stolen, and if anyone looks like they wanna grab you and stick you on a stage, Force push 'em off the edge of a platform." She puffed herself up as she said it, and Corso smiled, his captain's defiant spark warming his heart and strengthening his resolve.
Xuleena glanced to him, letting a warm smile spread across her lips. Yes, she'd done a good thing, she thought to herself.
"I'll be sure to do that, Zee. You take care of yourselves as well; I will not be available to aid you for a while yet, but I think you'll be fine by yourselves. Just don't do anything too foolish." She gave her younger sister a look that made her grin innocently.
"You know me, sis; I wouldn't do anything like that!" Xuleena eyed Corso, sensing from his aura there was a few things she wasn't telling her, though she kept her face the careful neutral.
"Perhaps. I will be fine walking to my ship the Songbird by myself. I'm not sure whether Qyzen continues the grudge between Trandoshans and Wookies, and I wouldn't want you to get in trouble just because you have your crew member's scent traces on you." She said, Zavvi pulling a face.
"It's not like I've been hugging Bowdaar ever since he came on my ship, sis! He can't have such strong sense of smell, surely?" The smuggler raised an eyebrow.
"You'll be surprised; I might be able to sense the Force, but Qyzen's senses have never failed us. He is a hunter, not a mercenary, and I've learnt to trust his instincts almost as much as I trust the Force." The consular chided her, brushing away invisible dust from her robes. "It's much like you trusting your gut instinct."
"Huh..." Zavvi nodded, looking pensive before she gave her older sister a great big hug. "Be careful, Xu. I'll talk to you again sometime, yeah?"
"Yes, of course." Xuleena nodded, smiling. "May the Force be with you both."

And with a small wave, she turned around and melded into the crowd above them.

"So, what were you and Xu talkin' about when you two went off together?" Zavvi asked as she drummed in the code for the Skylark, which burbled happily in acceptance. After Skavak, she was always in the habit of locking her ship up tight, no matter where she was or how long she'd been away from the ship. "She didn't fill your head with Jedi nonsense, did she? Last thing I want is you quoting the Code at me!" She chuckled good-naturedly.
Corso felt his cheeks begin to burn. The only things Xuleena had talked to him about were Zavvi and her past and possibly their relationship. He wasn't convinced that she would appreciate being talked about behind her back, and he was sure that the last thing the Twi'lek wanted to hear was 'oh, we talked about that accident that happened which gave you the scar you're hiding'. Riggs couldn't outright lie to Zavvi, as the guilt would rip him into shreds, but he could do something else...

"Oh, well, uh, it wasn't about anythin' really...It was basically just getting to know each other better, 'cos, well, your sister just wanted to know that I wasn't gonna do a Skavak on you or anything." His heart flipped at her little giggle. "She's real nice though, your sis, and in answer to your question, no, she didn't fill my head full of Jedi stuff."
"Good to see you two getting along." The smuggler smiled, closing the hatch door behind them and walking to the bridge with Corso tailing behind her. "We don't meet up often, so it's always an event when we do." A slight wistful look past her eyes. "It's a shame we never had much time together in childhood. We were lucky as well; Xu had a rather sympathetic Jedi Master who let her go home sometimes; apparently some of the kids never see their families again until they become proper Jedi, and even then some don't." The mercenary's brows shot upwards.
"What? I knew the Jedi took young'ns from their parents, but not to let them back?" He said, alarmed. Zavvi shook her head.
"Yeah, I know. I always missed Xu when she went back to Tython; it was always a little lonely without her and especially without my dad..." She sighed briefly, affecting a far-away look. However, she shook her head to dismiss this before Corso had the chance to question her about her parent. "We make up for it now, anyway. Besides, I've got a crew now, so everything's good." She smiled at him, pausing at the computer on the bridge to check the inventory.

Corso wandered up to the main control panels, feeling his heart starting to beat so much that it seemed like it wanted to crawl out of his ribcage. Ask her! Ask her now! Remember what her sister said, remember what her sister said... Corso thought to himself, summoning all the courage he could muster, and silently giving a little prayer to the Force. Here we go, here we go...
He turned, wandering back to her and glancing down the corridor, hoping that Risha wouldn't swan in the middle of what he wanted to do, as he assumed he'd probably die of embarrassment, and if not, then her teasing would be the coup-de-grace. No, stop worrying. He chided himself.

"Uh, Captain, there kinda is something I'd like to ask you..." He began, trying not to speak too quickly in his anxious state. Zavvi regarded him properly, a stance that Corso recognised in that he had her complete attention and that she was taking the matter seriously.
"What is it?" She asked, an undertone of fear to her voice she was doing her best to hide; a part of the young man wanted to just throw the issue away entirely and vacate the room in an effort not to worry the Captain, but thankfully his spine held.
"Well, uh..." Corso took a little breath, and hissed it out as a sigh. "I don't, quite know how to do this with a lady like you, Captain," sudden realization that this could be construed wrongly, "-court you, I-I mean!" He stuttered slightly.
The Twi'lek's eyebrow arched.
"'Court' me?" She asked.
"Yeah." Corso looked at his feet, feeling his confidence starting to shrivel. "Back on Ord Mantell, we, we had rules 'bout that sort of thing. Me and Ariane...we had a few chaperoned dates between dates between our families..." He tried not to show his cringe when he spoke of his ex-fiancée again, wisely knowing it was a sensitive subject at the best of times.
But to his surprise, the smuggler smirked, her eyes still bright.
"Chaperones? Seriously? Why, that's so sweet..." She teased, ruffling his feathers.
"Yeah, well, I know it sounds old-fashioned, but they were for a reason!" He grumbled. "They were so people could get to know each other without pressure, so they wouldn't break each other's hearts." He noted the awkward pause. "Or at least...That's what I was told." Riggs glanced away. That'd been how his dad had reasoned it all to him. 'No pressure'; no pressure but an impending, possibly one-sided marriage. And they expected these dates would kindle some deeply buried desire for their wandering son to settle down and start a family, to somehow silence the stars' call. They muffled it, at best. "I'm sorry Captain, I know it's old-fashioned, it's just-"
"Corso." Somehow, just the way she said his name made him look back to her, and the look in her light green eyes silenced him. She wasn't angry, or annoyed. She was...amused. "I was just teasing." She smiled. "But I'll think you'll find chaperoned dates just will not work here. Besides, I can chaperone myself." The smile became a grin, and the atmosphere was light once more. "Was there anything else you had to do, farm boy?" The Mantellian was slightly bemused by her reaction, but teasing was better than the alternative, so he began to relax.
"Well, I had to get permission from her father first too..." An awkward formality back then, considering the circumstances of the match. Zavvi giggled.
"Why? Can't a girl give herself away?" He winced a little at the ghostly hint of steel to her voice, but she continued with; "'Sides, my dad's way too busy and far away for you to ask him, so you've gotta ask me." A grin.

Corso smiled, but part of him was loudly questioning whether this was actually a good idea; all he'd done is foray into uneasy territory (when he'd promised Zavvi he was going to treat her properly) and brought back memories of Ariane. It felt so wrong to ask Zavvi in the same, jilted means he'd asked her, a woman he didn't love but had to marry, all false promises and broken hearts and-
Hang on one blasted second! Corso thought to himself. I love Zavvi. Ariane, all that stuff is in the past. It doesn't matter anymore. What matters right now is Zavvi. Xuleena was right; I can have a chance with her, but I gotta stop trying to talk myself outta it. I can do this, 'cos it's not like I'm fighting a Sith.

He swallowed, stepping forward to where he could just sense where her private space began, his brown eyes meeting her own.
"I know it's different here, Captain, but..." A beat. "Zavvi," her eyes widened, "may I have permission to seek your hand?"
Her heart skipped, and she felt her cheeks begin to heat with a blush, though she hoped he couldn't see.
"Well, if that means roses, love letters, and sneaking kisses before we're supposed to, I'm all for it, farm boy." She smiled, stepping forward, holding back a smirk as he blushed too.
"I'll have to work on the roses, and the love letters, but the rest I, I think I can manage." He replied, a slight hesitation as he tried not to let the feeling of excitement consume his ability to speak.

Who moved first towards the other wasn't exactly clear, but both were tentative and yet very curious, Corso's hands gently finding their way to Zavvi's back and waist, whilst hers just found places that were out of the way. Zavvi noticed his gaze only broke contact with hers to check where her lips were (which sent a shock of heat down her spine) before they met.
Corso felt his heart performing a somersault as he felt her soft lips against his own; infinitely better than what his imagination could conjure. He wanted to stay like this forever, in this one, perfect moment where the outside galaxy was suddenly at peace, until he perhaps- No, don't ruin the moment by thinking like that, Corso. He chided himself.
The all too soon, Zavvi began to draw away from him, his eyes opening to catch a brief sight of an expression of utter contentment and bliss, before her eyes opened too and the spell was broken. He filed the look on her face back into his memories, vowing to himself that he'd do everything in his power to stop that face from becoming a rarity. The kiss must have had an effect on him, as Corso found himself saying;
"Captain, I uh, I do cuddles as well, if you want them. You know, for the courting and all." The familiar blush blazed over his face, even when he held his arms out to her. The touches he'd had earlier were just not enough. Thankfully, the smuggler smiled at his offer.
"I haven't a hug in a while, farm boy." She admitted, moving back and embracing him, her smile widening as she felt his arms curl around her as well.

Corso gently shifted his position to breathe in her scent; a mixture of things he had no name for, but he found them heady and delightful, making sure to try to commit it to memory, to recall whenever he had some moments to himself. It seemed so unfair that her body nestled so perfectly against his own; smaller, perfectly formed and with this slight undertone of a sleeping strength that could awaken at any moment, should anyone dare even consider her weak. He felt guilty for even letting the thought into his head in mere passing.
He was careful around her lekku, not wanting to hurt her, but as he shifted his grip, the back of his hand brushed against one headtail. It shivered at his touch and his charge breathed out a sigh, though Corso flinched a little, not knowing if he'd done something wrong. However, her grip on him remained firm, and she looked up at him, though the Mantellian swore that her pupils had dilated a tiny bit.
"That was nice..." She murmured softly. He blinked, his tanned skin now starting to show his bright crimson blush.
"Really?" He replied, his surprise clear in his voice.
"Mmhmm. Gentle touches are good. You could say we Twi'lek like getting touched there...a lot..." The way she purred that last part made Corso increasingly aware of the detour his blood was taking, and how lucky he'd been so far.
"O-Okay, C-Captain." He stuttered, now almost the colour of a Sith Pureblood. Then he hesitated. "You'd let me touch you there?" He asked.
It was her turn to blush, though she turned her head to hide it from him.
"...So long as you're gentle." Her words were so soft he barely caught them, but when he did, he felt an electric shiver slink over his body. He had permission to touch them!

Tentatively, he reached forward brushing his hand lightly over the surface. Zavvi breathed in. He traced the patterns of the tattoos over her lekku, following each curve, drawing patterns that made no sense, but were beautifully painted upon her light blue skin. He paused when he heard her soft murmur, but when nothing else came, he boldly curled his hand around the headtail. She tensed, and he stopped. After a beat, he felt her relax, and Corso smoothed his hand upwards, marvelling at the feel. It was quite unlike anything he'd imagined; it was fleshy and smooth, but even with the feather-light touch he had he could sense more beneath the skin, like muscles and the brains most suggested that lurked beneath. It wasn't hair, but somehow Corso found himself liking the feel of Zavvi's lekku more. Though they were most tender, with a simplest of gentle touches he could see his captain almost melt under his fingertips. He felt another surge and quietly prayed for his trousers not to give him away. Please don't ruin this moment. He thought anxiously.

She shifted closer and Corso's heart almost stopped as her body rubbed against his, the temptations in his head starting to get louder and harder to ignore. Is she doing this on purpose? A part of him asked. He glanced down, but only saw a pleasured smile, her eyes closed. A warm smile grew on his lips too at the sight. She seemed so happy, so at peace, and he was unjustifiably proud of the fact it was him that had granted her such feelings. The mercenary was a little less pleased at the feelings she was granting him however, as they seemed to be running in one direction only, and generally being not very appropriate. As much as he'd have loved to stay and hold Zavvi and stroke her lekku, he had a feeling that if he did, things were only going to get a lot more awkward later.

Thankfully, Zavvi herself came to the rescue, as she grunted softly, shifting in his arms. Corso took this as a signal that she'd had enough and released her, trying to flatten the feeling of emptiness as she moved away.
"So, um..." She began, not knowing exactly to say after what just happened. "I need to attend to the ship..."
"Uh, yeah, yeah!" He nodded rather vigorously. "You do that, Captain, I've, um, gotta clean my blasters." The Mantellian strode stiffly off the bridge before the smuggler could say any more.
She looked after him appreciatively until he was out of sight, before going to tend to her beloved Skylark.

On course back to Tatooine to hopefully finish Risha's mission this time, Zavvi decided she'd head back to her quarters and hopefully get in contact with her sister to tell her most of what had happened. She'd not expected Corso to ever ask her out, yet the way he did so wasn't too surprising, being the old-fashioned gentleman he sometimes was. Anyone else who'd asked her that would've been laughed off the stage, but for Corso, it seemed just so right, and it had touched a part of her heart she'd thought she'd hidden away. Somehow that farm boy just seemed to know how to slip past all her defences and get through to her inner self, the one she tried to keep safe from the outside world. She'd been worried and annoyed at this at first, but that had changed, thanks to Tatooine.

The Twi'lek was under no illusions that she could have easily been thrown into the nearest slave ship and smuggled to parts unknown for Force knows what dark and dirty things that she did not dare to consider, just because she'd lost her temper and in an extreme tantrum thrown away her weapons (the ones he gave me) back into his face after saying things that she still regretted to this day. Her rage had made her so foolish and it had almost cost her dearly. And yet, despite it all, despite his heart being broken and smashed and ground into tiny bits, Corso had come to find her. He'd said he'd come just to give her weapons back because he knew she was strongest with them, and while she didn't know if he'd been telling the whole truth or not, Zavvi couldn't've been more grateful to see him in that alleyway. As much as she hated the idea of a 'knight in shining armour' coming to rescue her, it had been sorely needed.

And the fact he had been so loyal as to have come back to her side after she hurt him had struck deep down into Zavvi's core. She couldn't think of another person that wasn't a blood relative (and even then she was doubtful) that would do such a thing for her. She remembered Viidu's dead man message; 'Corso's a loyal kid. You can trust him to watch your back.' Yes, she certainly could, confirmed through combat, but proven for his actions, not just on Tatooine, but before. He'd stopped her from killing Syreena, and that starship merchant. Sure, he'd been annoying with all his talk of being nice to ladies, but there was an impression that his sheltered life before was tripping him up, and he was at least trying to change.
She knew he felt for her, but it was only now she thought to open her armour just a chink, just to see what it was like. She'd slept with enough men to not be inexperienced, but that was only in lust; in love she was as clueless as she thought Corso was. The smuggler was scared of being hurt again...But she trusted Corso. If she was going to open up to anyone, she couldn't see making a better choice than him.

Zavvi thought about his request to court her again. It had been so sweet and so old-fashioned she felt would've felt bad saying no. She wondered briefly where he'd got the courage and idea from, but dismissed it; from what Xuleena had said it was coming, and there it was, just a lot earlier than she'd expected. 'Courting' was a strange idea, though. She assumed it was merely dating, but from the way he'd phrased his request, it sounded like he was trying to woo her into marriage. That made her feel a little uncomfortable, but in her heart she knew that wasn't what he was after; it was just old words being used in a different way, that was all.

And then her mind moved to the kiss. It wasn't as if she hadn't have been kissed before, but Corso's kiss had made her heart skip a couple of beats. She wouldn't pen him as someone experienced, but there was something about that kiss...
Then he'd offered her a hug; it had seemed so silly, but he'd offered so nicely, and she'd always wondered what it'd be like to be in his arms, up close to his chest...So of course she'd accepted. And she'd been justly rewarded, she thought. He'd been warm and his arms gentle around her, and she felt so safe...it faintly reminded her of being held by her father when she was little. She felt the mercenary's muscles beneath his shirt, and she wondered how she'd managed to not blush with them being so close.

Zavvi closed her eyes, pausing outside her quarters, before she thought she heard something. She wandered down the corridor curiously, stopping when she realized the noise she could here was the sound of the water shower she had on the ship. It took a couple of seconds for the significance of the sound to register, to which she grinned. So she had been right! Poor farm boy, he'd probably hoped she wouldn't notice. Her grin softened. No, she wouldn't tease him about it; leave that to Risha if Zavvi decided to give her the gossip. Besides, according to what she felt, the smuggler didn't have anything to complain about.

Returning to her door and entering her quarters, she waited until it closed before she sat on her bed, and brought back the feeling of Corso's calloused hands on her headtails. He'd been the first man she'd let touch them in their sensitive states, and to her surprise, he'd been rather proficient in his touches; light and gentle, and yet somehow those touches had been...it was hard to describe how nice it'd felt, though she knew those strokes had been sending her thoughts sliding in one direction, just like she thought his would've been. She shivered. Zavvi wanted more from Corso; more cuddles, more kissing, more touches to her lekku, just more.

Mind yourself, Zee. She chided herself silently. He's only considered courting you, he's still skittish about anything more. But now I know he's attracted to me in that way...Well, things are gonna get more fun from here on out, I think...

Her holocall whistled, breaking her from her trance. She reached into her pocket and checked the holonumber, her eyes lighting up. She pressed the 'pick up' button, and the image of a Twi'lek trooper flickered into view in front of her. He smiled warmly, eyes twinkling.
"Hello there, titch." He spoke, Zavvi feeling ten years younger.
"Hey Dad." She replied, watching his expression briefly become concerned.
"Your sister told me you've been in a little bit of a nasty fight. You look alright, but is there anything wrong?"
"No, I'm alright now, Dad. It's a long story." She admitted. The trooper smiled.
"I've got some time titch, tell me everything."