The Temple is quiet. Barriss's ears ring with the silence, feeling more than hearing her light footsteps on the carpets. After so many days of loud, it… it feels strange. Her eyes are still seeking the bright light of the hangar, not yet adjusted to the soft little footlamps of the Temple hallways. She just feels… numb, all over. The rainwater soaking into her entire being doesn't help. It's as if her legs and arms and everything else are falling asleep… which sounds very good right now.
No, no, not yet, there's… she has things to take care of, what were they…
Wait, where is she going? The door was back there. She turns around and retraces one, two, three, four steps and there's the door.
She taps clumsily at the keypad, somehow putting in the right number the first time, and the door slides open. The sudden brightness makes her blink; it's not even very bright, but it's brighter than the hallway is at this ungodly hour of… probably not even night anymore, more likely morning.
She steps inside, closes the door behind her. Even the small effort of bending to remove her boots makes her already-sore muscles ache. She fumbles with the clasps, tugs them off (trying not to fling water everywhere) and sets them in their place near the door.
When she straightens up again, Luminara is there. She's dressed for sleep, but she doesn't look like she's been sleeping, and the look on her face is—oh.
Curse her stupid, tired brain, she could've at least remembered the correct quarters— "I—I'm sorry, Master, I—"
"It's all right," Luminara says softly, smiling. "You don't have to call me that, you know."
Barriss sighs; manages a smile back, even as something in her aches. "Force of habit, I suppose."
Luminara nods slightly. She begins to reach her hand up, her eyes asking permission; and after a moment, Barriss takes a step closer, turns in place to let Luminara take her cloak and hang it up.
"Thank you," she murmurs when they come face-to-face again. It's not just for the cloak, and from Luminara's smile and the gentle hand on her shoulder, she knows her master understands.
"Go. Change into something dry." Luminara prompts her gently toward her room—well, not her room anymore, she supposes, and what is she going to change into—but somehow, when she enters, she isn't surprised to find a set of sleep clothes folded neatly on the bed.
One by one, she peels off the drenched layers of her robes. They're somewhat heavy even when not full of water. The sleep clothes are too big, of course, but that almost makes them more comfortable; they're soft and warm and she can almost feel a little of her master's presence wrapping around her.
When she returns to the living room, Luminara is seated on the sofa. She pats the space beside her, shifting to sit cross-legged and sideways, and by habit Barriss settles close beside—in front of her, facing away.
Luminara presses a mug into her hands; a small, wistful smile pulls at her lips as she takes in the familiar warm aroma—it's her favorite, Luminara would always make it for her after missions.
"Thank you," she whispers, taking a sip to soothe the sudden ache in her throat.
"Of course," Luminara says softly. "Hold still for me."
Barriss sips slowly, savoring the gentle sweetness, and tries to stay still as Luminara unpins her hair. It's nice to finally have the tight braids down; it's been a while, and there's something calming about the tender way Luminara works all the tangles out. She can feel her eyes getting heavier.
Luminara's hand touches her shoulder; just the lightest pressure, a gentle prompt, and almost naturally she lets herself lie back. She remembers lying in Luminara's lap before, when she was hurt or sick or just very sleepy, and she knows she's too old for it now, but… in this moment, she feels so much littler, and Luminara doesn't seem to mind.
Warmth settles around her body—the sofa blanket, soft and snug and familiar—and Luminara is upside-down, her hair almost tickling Barriss's face.
"You have a small cut, I'm just going to clean it," she murmurs, gentle fingers brushing Barriss's own hair back and that feels nice and she doesn't think she can keep her eyes open. She nods drowsily, letting her head lean into Luminara's hand.
Something cool touches her cheek, stinging slightly—just a little, but it surprised her and she must've flinched because Luminara is murmuring apology. She sighs quietly, giving her master a small smile to let her know it's okay, and tries to keep her head perfectly still.
Luminara dabs a few more times with the cloth, even gentler than she had already been. Barriss feels the slightest bend in the Force, the quiet rustle of a bandage, and then another little bend—Luminara's using the Force to help, because her other hand is still cradling Barriss's head.
"There you are," she whispers, smoothing the bandage into place.
Barriss sighs. Everything feels so heavy, but she manages to mumble a "Thank you, Master."
"Always for you, my Padawan," she whispers back, her voice just as soft. She's smiling; her fingers still comb tenderly through Barriss's hair. "Go to sleep, dear one."
The endearment makes her heart soar far higher than should be; still, she curls closer, holding tight to the warm glow nestling in her chest. It makes her want to be soothed to sleep and at the same time… not to sleep, to just stay like this forever.
(Because if a part of Luminara is still her Master, maybe it's all right that a part of Barriss will never cease to be her Padawan.)
(And though they've never once said the words aloud, Barriss knows, deep in her heart; and she hopes Luminara knows too.)