Last time: Kyr and Cien took down Ikari, finally putting an end to her.
Now: They take a chance to relax.
Chapter 18- The Beach
The ocean waves washed up the beach, and the colors of the auroras danced across both the starlit sky above and the ocean that spread before them on the second night of their stay. Their blanket was above the tide line, back on the soft sand that still held the warmth from the sunlight that had disappeared in a brilliant display across the horizon hours before. Cien had landed the fighter down the beach a ways, and it sat there, looking more like a protective dragon watching over them in the night rather than the sinister shape it was meant to evoke.
They were laying beside each other on their blanket, their armor off, Kyr in his flight suit and Cien in a comfortable long sleeved blouse that she had gotten when they had stopped to get supplies along with additional wardrobe items so she had more than just her armor or her old Acolyte clothing that had been left in the fighter all these years. They were picking at a basket of zherries that Kyr had insisted they get at the same market, and Cien had certainly not argued.
"You want to go home tomorrow?" Kyr asked, idly, hoping she might suggest staying another night.
She turned her head to look at him, and then looked back up at the stars, enjoying the spectacular sight of the nebula that covered a swath of the sky like a painting. "A long time ago, Sasha and I spoke and she said that her home was wherever Viran and Oppie were." She paused, "at the time, I didn't really understand what she meant. But I do now." Her hand reached over and found his, "We can go back to Haven, but I'm already home."
Kyr turned his head to look at her, as she still stared up at the stars, a little smile on her face. He didn't know what to say, so he just squeezed her hand and looked back up at the galactic core in all its brilliance.
"Do you really think Op will make cookies again?" She asked idly. She felt a wash of embarrassment from him, and she looked over at him. "What?" She asked, curious what it was.
"I'm sure he will, especially if we ask."
"What was it about the cookies though?" She asked puzzled as she kept her gaze on him.
"I just…" He started, and she couldn't help but smile in amusement. "I feel dumb I offered you that, you just seemed so upset after I made that grandiose statement about you not being alone, about us being there to watch your back. It was the only thing I could think of to try to make you happy again." He said, embarrassed.
She rolled over and propped herself up on her elbow, her spray drenched hair cascading around her face in soft curls. "You've been worried about that for almost eight years?" She asked, surprised.
He looked over at her. "Yeah." He said ruefully.
She just looked at him, "you know that was the first cookie I ever had?"
He looked at her, and then his eyes darted away, and she could feel a sense of sadness from him. "No, but I guess I'm not surprised the Sith weren't that much into cookies." He admitted.
"It was also the first thing that anyone ever offered me out of kindness. To make me feel better because you cared if I was happy or not." She continued, quietly. "It meant a lot to me, Kyr." And she held her gaze on him. "I go back to that evening often in my memory, and when you offered that to me. If I were to think about it, that would be the moment I started thinking of you… Differently. Even if I didn't know it at the time." She stared into his eyes with a small smile, and he looked at her, blinking in surprise.
"Oh." He said, finally. And she laughed and kissed him. Then she settled back onto the blanket next to him, looking up at the stars.
"Can we stay one more night?" She asked. In the back of her mind, she realized this was the first time she had asked for something simply because she wanted it. Not as an Empress ordering something, not as a Sith Lord or an Acolyte demanding something. Not asking for something because it was necessary or needed. Just asking to stay in this beautiful place for one more day and a night because it made her happy.
"Of course, cyar'ika." Kyr answered. She snuggled closer to him and he curled his arm around her shoulders. He thought of that moment as well. "It was your smile that night." He said quietly.
"Hmm?" She responded from the crook of his arm.
"The first most beautiful thing, it was when you smiled at me for the first time that night. I can't even remember what joke I made, but I'm glad I did." He admitted. Finally answering her question since he thought she had it close, but hadn't figured it out yet. "That was when I started thinking of you differently as well." He said, smiling at her wording.
Her only response was to snuggle in even closer to him and smile, which was fine by him.
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