Today was the first day that clouds filled the sky. The past few days consist eyed of a bright blue expanse that stretched on for miles. But today, puffy white clouds dotted the heavens, occasionally sliding in front of the sun.

Jayden and Ahsoka had spent four days surviving on Scarif so far and could only hope Jayden's calculation of only spending eight days here would be true. So far, surviving was no issue, but they were starting to show signs of being away from civilization for too long.

Ahsoka's clothes had grown slightly sun-bleached, coming off a lot paler than their normally darker, earthy hues. She was afraid they might start to fray and dearly hoped that she would be rescued long before she had to think about changing her attire.

Jayden's armour had started to become stained with sand, dirt, and other stuff from hunting in the woods, even his mask was starting to become stained and he didn;t like that. His face also showed the passage of time, being that his short hair was starting to grow out again, and a beard was starting to grow. Jayden always liked to be clean shaven, as he wouldn't suit a damn beard, but he had nothing to get rid of the stubble that was appearing, threatening to become a full beard.

When he gets back on the Rogue Shadow, first thing he is doing is cutting his hair back to the short length again, and then shaving once again.

Suffice to say, both teens had enjoyed their little impromptu-vacation, but knew they needed to get back to their respective sides and soon.

Having spent all day yesterday gathering up food for the days to come, Jayden had set up a drying rack in an attempt to turn some of the meat into jerky, questioning if they had enough resources to make such a thing possible. They'd also found a myriad of different fruits to sample and try, improving the variety in their diet.

"Too bad we don't have what it takes to make a smoothie or something." Jayden commented.

"Oh! That would be so good!" Ahsoka readily agreed.

"Had one before?" Jayden inquired, loving how light-hearted Ahsoka was being.

"There's a couple of cafes in the senate district, Anakin and sometimes Padm- Senator Amidala go there with me to grab something." Ahsoka answered, between bites of her tart yet tasty fruit. "I've had a few different flavours, but they're all pretty good."

"Is that so...?" Jayden replied, biting into his own sweet piece, choosing to ignore Ahsoka's comment about Skywalker and Senator Amidala. Ahsoka emphatically nodded, juices staining her chin and lips. "If we had the drinks, all we'd need is the swim time."

"The spring doesn't count?"

"Nah, I'm thinking we take a dip in the ocean."

"If only we had swimsuits... or wetsuits for that matter."

"What? Not a fan of skinny-dipping?" Jayden joked. Ahsoka turned blood-orange at the notion and looked away, clearly flustered and embarrassed. "I'm just kidding, Ahsoka. You're right, we don't have what it takes to go for a swim."

"Oh... Y-Yeah, right. Okay." Ahsoka stuttered out, giving a sheepish laugh as she avoided his gaze. The fact that her blush didn't vanish wasn't helping things and the Togruta was starting to feel very much on-the-spot. Seeing her expression of awkwardness, Jayden was starting to wonder if his innocent joke had somehow caused her Urge to kick in.

"You alright?" He wondered.

"I-It's nothing. I just..." Ahsoka stammered before growing lost. After a joke like that, she couldn't help but wonder about his true intentions for her again. She needed to know. "Why do you care about me?" She blurted out.

"Hm?" Jayden wondered with eyebrows raised, caught mid-bite.

"You say you care, but why?" Ahsoka pressed. "Is it because you think I'm attractive? Because you could do better."

"What does that-"

"I mean, surely someone else like Master Secura or Master Ti are much more beautiful than me. Surely, you'd want them instead..." The Togruta suggested. She expected Jayden to come up with a response of some kind, or worse, stay silent.

Instead, he burst into laughter.

Ahsoka watched as jayden rolled around on the ground, laughing all the while. it was an odd sight, to see such a powerful and feared Sith Lord... acting his age. Her lips twitched into a small smile as she watched Jayden laugh until he managed to calm down.

"Oh Force, haven't laughed like that in ages." Jayden said as he wiped a tear away from the laughter. "Seriously, Ahsoka, what kind of question is that? You do know I'm a year older than you, seventeen, while those two Jedi are adults and much older than I am, right? I doubt they'd replicate my advances because A) I'm a Sith. And B) I'm a teenager and nowhere near their ages."

Up until now, Ahsoka had never thought that Jayden's age could be one of the reasons for his attraction to her. He was a year older than her, he was a teenager, going through all typical teenage stuff and she was the only girl around his age that he's most likely been around the most.

"As for your question..." Jayden paused a she tried to think up a good answer, an excuse, or the truth. "It's... hard to explain. But... you make my heart soar. For some reason, since that day we first met, my heart skipped several beats."

"That doesn't answer my question." Ahsoka replied, casting the rind of her fruit aside. "That's how you care about me, not why." Without waiting for him to answer, Ahsoka got up and started walking away. "I'm gonna go meditate for a bit."

"...okay." Jayden quietly answered. As Ahsoka disappeared into the foliage, the Sith Apprentice was left alone with his thoughts.

'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' Jayden thought with annoyance at himself. 'Why can't you just tell her the truth?! You don't just care for her, you LOVE her! Goddammit, I can't live without her in my life and I can't even explain properly WHY I care for her! Why does love have to be so fucking complicated?'

A few thoughts ran through his mind as he marked down some ideas as to how to set up the moment. She was asking for his motivation, he really shouldn't be holding back.

But was he ready to handle her response?

Jayden was still largely convinced that Ahsoka would turn him away upon learning that he didn't just like her but in fact loved her. And that sole thought was enough to hold him back in many regards.

Standing up and grabbing his spear, Jayden decided he'd go hunting. He knew Ahsoka liked those little creatures... maybe he could whip her up something special for dinner tonight.

Little did he realize that destiny had different plans in store for that evening...

As Ahsoka walked, she sighed and attempted to use the Force to clear her mind. But no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts drifted back to one subject: Jayden. To her, it seemed like he was dodging her question, indicating that he did not have an answer that would satisfy her. This seemed to perfectly tie into what Anakin had said, reinforcing their point even more.

And yet Jayden did have some goodness about him, Ahsoka wouldn't deny him that. While part of her viewed it to be an act that contributed to the desire to bed her, the rest of her deemed it as him genuinely being himself. Surely these wholesome acts were borne of wholesome intentions, right?

If he was as evil, cold-hearted and remorseless as the Sith truly are, then he would've killed her already. He would've forced himself on her and then killed her, right?

There lay the divide and her source of turmoil. She didn't know what to believe. Jayden seemed to prove one notion right and then another later. But there wasn't enough evidence to prove either notion right.

With a heavy sigh, Ahsoka then hoped that she would be rescued soon. The Jedi didn't teach her how to understand men like Jayden and she didn't think she couldn't handle such close interactions for much longer.

She needed a break.

Instead of finding a place to meditate like she planned, Ahsoka decided she needed to bathe. The idea of cold, refreshing water soaking her body and washing her worries away was a far more appealing idea and she chose to act on it, changing direction and heading for the spring. Her only worry would be Jayden stumbling across her, since he was under the impression she was doing something else. But if his intentions towards her were truly wholesome, then he would giver her privacy and respect her modesty and decency... or lack thereof.

She had no idea that destiny had a different turn of events in mind...

"Hope there's some good game out here today." Jayden muttered to himself as he walked through the woods in search of prey, his makeshift spear in hand, his crossguard Lightsaber in his other hand, while his purple Lightsaber was clipped to his belt.

The clouds obscuring the sun was having an effect on the creatures Wraith was hunting. It seemed they enjoyed the warmth the sun provided and willingly came into the open, and when things were shady, they scattered.

Today being partly cloudy, they weren't exactly making themselves readily available.

So far, all Jayden speared were some leaves, certainly not good enough for a full meal. He was having trouble pinpointing the creatures as they hid, the dense underbrush and broad leaves making for remarkable hiding places.

"Should've brought my damn mask with me for this." Jayden muttered to himself as he continued walking, his boots crumping grass, twigs and mud underneath. He then sighed. "How the hell would I even tell Ahsoka how I feel? 'Hey Ahsoka, I've been in love with you for more than a year now. How do you feel about me?' Force, that's fucking terrible."

After several minutes of walking and talking to himself and grumbling about how fruitless his attempts at setting up the right moment were, Jayden was headed for trouble.

Lost in his own thoughts, Jayden lost his sense of direction as the green of the foliage started to blur together. He thought he knew where he was going, but his feet were leading him somewhere else altogether.

As he pushed through a bush and looked ahead, Jayden froze in his tracks like he had been spotted by a Rancor, but his reason for freezing like that was for a whole different reason.

For a fraction of a second, he saw a sight that would be burned into his memory for eternity. There in the spring, he saw familiar blue and white striped headtails and the smooth expanse of Ahsoka's toned orange back. She was waist deep in the water, anything from her hips down completely obscured from view.

But that didn't stop Jayden from losing all coherent thought and becoming completely frozen in mesmerized awe.

"Woah...!" He breathed, absolutely stunned by the sight in front of him. He dropped his spear, thinking of nothing else other than the beauty that was before him.

And then she turned and Jayden got a very brief glance of her curving chest and toned, slim waist. Jayden barely managed to recognize that he was trapped in a very compromising position when Ahsoka's blue gaze met his and widened.

"EEEEEK! JAYDEN!" She screamed, instinctively covering herself, cheeks turning red.

"Uh oh!" Jayden gasped as he whirled around, turning away from her.

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STANDING THERE?!" She shrieked.

"ItwasnomorethanthreesecondsIswear!" He speedily replied.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Jayden did as ordered and bolted, making a beeline for the beach.

"Oh Force...! Oh Force...!" He gasped, moving at a sprint, the green foliage becoming a blurr. He hadn't meant to stare for so long, but his mind had simply clammed up and refused to act.

Force... she was beautiful...

Jayden kept running until he was sure he was far away and leaned against a tree, breathing heavily, his eyes wide. His mind wouldn't get rid of the image that was now planted and burning in his mind.

"Fuck, I'm in trouble." Jayden muttered. He had a feeling Ahsoka would come back and want to tear a strip off of him. He was doubtful she would even be willing to hear out his explanation... but he'd have to try.

Even still... would she ever be willing to listen to him ever again?

Bracing for what was to come and composing himself, Jayden looked down, seeing a certain part of his body had reacted. "Oh dammit again..."

Jayden paced back and fourth, trying to soothe his trouble mind and mood. He was so screwed when Ahsoka gets back. He didn't even know she was there! She said she was just going for a walk!

He'd have to confront Ahsoka sooner or later and he was dreading that confrontation.

But it came sooner than he would've liked.

Brow creased in a deep frown, Ahsoka came tromping out of the jungle and stomped over to Jayden, her headtails glistening with droplets of still-drying water.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST PEEPED ON ME!" She shouted.

"Ahsoka, I'm sorry! I swear it was-"

"HONESTLY!" She shouted again. "Seriously! What the kriff is wrong with you?!" She demanded, giving Jayden a murderous stare. The Sith struggled for an answer.

"I... Well... Um..." Crossing her arms, Ahsoka's piercing blue gaze fixated on him, conveying truckloads of mistrust and total dismissal.

"Anakin was right, you don't care! You just want me so you can put a notch on your bed post, that's all!" She declared

"Seriously?! Didn't we already have this talk?! Ahsoka, that's not how I see you nor will I EVER see you as some sexual conquest to satisfy carnal desires!" Jayden retorted, refusing to let that pass. "Honestly! Skywalker would say ANYTHING if it means you don't come near me or just try and kill me and have me out of your life!"

"Well, he was clearly right after what just happened!" Ahsoka retorted. "I want to believe you, that you do really care for me and not see me as some sexual desire But so long as you keep telling me 'I care, I care', I can't! I want to know why! What motivates you?!"

Jayden looked away, struggling to keep the true depth of his feelings from becoming evident. He cared so much for Ahsoka... and he knew the reason why, but was reluctant to tell her for fear of her rejection of him. That and he wished to wait for better circumstances.

But maybe she wouldn't leave him with any choice.

"Tell me why Jayden! I want to know!" Ahsoka emphatically continued. "Why do you care so damn much about me?!"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

The instant he shouted the words, everything changed.

Ahsoka's demeanor dramatically shifted from interrogative to speechless, her eyes widening as he made his profession. Everything suddenly went quiet as Jayden realized what he said.

"Dammit! Fuck! Shit! Stupid!" Jayden yelled at himself as he walked off, facepalming with both hands.

This was not how he wanted to tell her.

'Why? Why? WHY?! Why did it have to get out of hand like this?!' Jayden thought to himself as he kicked a log over before sitting down on it with a groan.

Ahsoka watched his change in expression, still very much in shock. His revelation rocked the very foundations on which she stood and suddenly threw his every action into a whole new light. The opinion of Anakin suddenly felt meaningless in light of this new evidence. And yet the way he was acting now denoted something was wrong. Testing his presence with the Force, Ahsoka sensed he was in a state of turmoil. Worry and anxiety were radiating from him.

He was scared. But why?

"You... Y-You love me?" She repeated with a stammer, still feeling quite shocked. "I... I-I thought you just had a crush on me?" Jayden didn't reply. He didn't even look up. He remained still and motionless, not saying a word. Then, with a deep sigh, he finally did.

"That's what it once was." He said softly and quietly. "it started the first time we met so very long ago, I thought it was just curiosity or the chance to have a rival to torment. I don't know how it changed, or if that's what I felt for you at the time, all i know is that seeing you made my heart beat faster than normal. At first I thought it was nothing more than me desiring your beauty, but as time went on and I grew more attracted to who you are as a person; how tenacious you are, how compassionate you are as you try to redeem me or make me turn away from the Sith, how you're so energetic and powerful, how you have a fire like the one that burns within me. And like a moth to a flame I started desiring you with every fibre of my being until I was past the point of no return... and fell for you so hard I can never get back up again."

Now it was Ahsoka's turn to remain silent. She could feel the absolute certainty in his words, the confidence behind them. He didn't just like her. He loved her.

Jayden looked at her, his eyes tired from everything yet there seemed to be a bit of relief at him finally saying this aloud, letting it all out. "I love you, Ahsoka Tano. I care for you because I love you."

Ahsoka was still stunned. Standing there, speechless, still in a state of shock, processing all of his words, she still couldn't believe he'd said it. All of a sudden, his every action towards her started to make sense. Him going out of his way for her, his purposefully making himself available so they could talk when she needed to, he did it all because he loved her.

No one just went and did such things, especially such treasonous things, without a good reason. Being in love with someone was certainly reason enough.

But Jayden still looked so forlorn and troubled. Ahsoka had no idea what was bothering him. Maybe talking would reveal the answer.

"I... I had no idea. E-E-Everyone just made it sound like your feelings for me were superficial." She told him. Then her gaze fell as shame built within her. "I thought they were too... I... I didn't..."

"It's fine." He mumbled. "I didn't want you to know."

"Why not?" Ahsoka asked, dropping to her knees next to him.

"I'm scared... scared of how you'll respond." Jayden quietly said as his fists clenched. "We're different, Ahsoka. You are a Jedi, I'm a Sith, we're meant to be enemies, and we are on opposite sides in this damn war. Jedi... Jedi aren't allowed to love, part of their 'no attachments' rule because of the danger it can have in making one fall to the Dark Side. I love you... and I want you to love me, but I know you can't."

Without another word, Jayden stood and walked away, leaving a shell-shocked Ahsoka sitting there on her knees. How was she supposed to respond to this? ven before all of this, she was uncertain as to her feelings for Jayden. She thought that they'd been resolved after talking with Anakin... but now she wasn't so sure. But she didn't know how to answer him. This was all so sudden, she needed time to think, she needed time to sort herself out.

Ahsoka watched Jayden go, not seeing a Sith lord that was meant to be her enemy, but seeing a young teenager her age with hopes and feelings of his own. he had revealed something very important to her, something will change the way they see each other forever, and now it was up to her to think this over and decide where they go from here...

And that's it for this chapter everyone.