Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Atton or the right to KotOR 2. Obsidian does…worship them for creating the ever so awesome Atton.
Author's Note: A little one shot that came to me while I'm working on my many different projects. I now have to add this to a much larger work. :) Enjoy. Oh, beware, contains spoilers for the game. I mean, it is based on the part where the PC learns to read minds. Ye have been warned.
Raven "Siren's Muse"
In My Head
"If you lay that card down I'd win the hand." he instructed flashing me one of his easy smiles.
"How do you know, the next card could be a two or a three." I reminded him.
"Ah, but how much luck do you think you have? You may be a Jedi, but you're lousy at Pazaak."
He had a point, but I'd never tell him that. The thing with Atton is, you can only give him a few compliments a day or his ego will become the size of a small moon. Yes, I do know this from experience. I often wonder if Atton knows exactly how much I know about him. With all his attempts to block people from his mind, I still end up knowing what he's thinking about. It's when he's playing Pazaak in his head that he's the most vulnerable. "Ni? Hey, Ni, you paying attention? Don't tell me that old witch is in your head again."
My mind flashed back to him. "Oh, no, she's not. Sorry I was thinking."
"Not scanning my mind were you, you know how far you'd get with that!" he joked as he set down his cards and stretched his back.
"No." I was only thinking about you. I was insanely grateful he hadn't learned how to read minds.
"Well if she tries, just keep playing Pazaak."
With you. I wanted to say, but didn't.
"You've got that look on your face again." he commented, looking up from the cards he'd picked back up and begun to read.
I ignored him and let the force flow through me. I wouldn't get anything. He'd be thinking Kreia is scanning minds and would most likely start protecting his own. But it was worth a shot. Whispers filled my mind and this time, I heard none of the familiar scoring numbers that I so often heard when I meditated.
"I wish I knew what she was thinking. What was going on behind those amazing grey eyes of hers. Niamh, if only you knew."
It was as clear as if he'd said it out loud. So clear that I broke from my semi-trance and asked, "What do you mean?" aloud.
"What are you talking about?" he questioned, a strange look crossing his eyes.
I had gone this far, I might as well find out. He'd probably hate me for going into his mind...but my curiosity was too great. "If only I knew what?"
His face became a study of emotions. His emotions were so loud that I could feel them without trying. I was sure Disciple, Visas, and Kreia could feel them too. They'd probably come running soon. "You were in my mind?" he asked incredulously.
I was suddenly aware of how much sadness he was projecting. Suddenly shamed, all I could do was nod.
"Well I do wish I knew how to use that handy little trick you Jedi use." he confirmed rather bitterly.
Anger was another emotion that swept around me. I had no right at all. In retrospect, I could have stumbled over something worse. A memory of his assassin days. The torture of some Jedi. I was broken from my thoughts when I realized the emotions had stopped resounding so loudly. Instead, Atton was staring down at our forgotten Pazaak cards. "I'm sorry. I was just worried that you find--it was stupid of me. You didn't mean to."
Actually I HAD meant to. "What did you mean?" I asked finally.
"If you only knew how much...I admired your luck in Pazaak. I wish I had that kind of luck." he was grinning like a fool now, all traces of strong emotion were gone.
I found myself returning his smile. "Oh look," I announced as I turned over my next card. "A two. I believe that means I've won."
Ah well, I rather like hearing him play Pazaak with me in his mind.