Author's Note: Well, y'all can officially call me DFM23 BA 'cause I've got a degree under my belt! Now that that's all done, time to reward all of you for your patience with new chapters on a regular basis! Trust me, this is just the beginning. Hope y'all enjoy!
Also, if any of you have seen Rise of Skywalker, give me your thoughts. i hear it's bad...
-Chapter 71: All I Want for Life Day-
Location: Derenath
"Holidays are best spent with loved ones."
It was Life Day Eve. And that was all Ahsoka could think about.
Returning from a somewhat acceptable stalemate in the Outer Rim, she and Anakin had been busy attempting to turn a shifting tide on Cato Neimodia. The droids forces had dug in, and dug in deep, prolonging the engagement and forcing the 501st to fight harder in order to make some gains and keep the Separatist-aligned Neimodians in check... for now.
But with the 501st suffering a resource depletion, it was time for a change and that meant the exhausted army was going back to Coruscant, something Ahsoka couldn't have been happier about. It meant they would be back in time for Life Day. She always did enjoy Life Day and was afraid she'd have to spend it out on a battlefield. But it seemed like luck had turned and they were headed back, meaning she'd get to enjoy all the decorations and festivities she enjoyed so much.
Strolling through the corridors, the Padawan was making her way to the ship's bridge, where her master had summoned her. She wasn't quite sure what it was Anakin wanted, probably just to recap about everything that happened on Cato Neimodia.
Little did she realize that his request would set in motion a very different Life Day than what she was anticipating.
Arriving on the bridge, Ahsoka strode right up to Anakin's side.
"What's up Skyguy?" She wondered.
"We need you to do us a favor." Anakin promptly replied. "Intel has apparently picked up word that the Separatists are up to something on Derenath. We're passing by that system now, so if you take a ship and give the planet a once over we can kill two birds with one stone." He explained. The news disheartened Ahsoka. A routine patrol would likely take some time, especially if she needed to give the whole planet a once over. And if she was forced to wait for a pickup, she likely wouldn't be able to return to Coruscant in time for Life Day.
"Oh... Okay..." She replied, sounding more than a little dejected. Anakin took note of her fallen expression. He knew how much his apprentice enjoyed Life Day, even if the Jedi Order didn't completely lose themselves in the festivities.
Fortunately for her, he'd already thought about that.
"Don't worry, you can take one of the ships that has a hyperdrive and make it back to Coruscant in time for Life Day." He added, reassuring her. Ahsoka immediately brightened, quite happy to know that she would be able to make it back for Life Day.
"Alright! I'll get right on it Master." She agreed, beaming. Anakin smirked, glad to see she was back in high spirits.
"We'll pull out of hyperspace and drop you off, but from there you're on your own." He informed her.
A short while later, Derenath orbit...
Anakin's cruiser dropped out of hyperspace just long enough to open its forward hangar doors and allow the crimson Delta Interceptor to fly out, locked within a red-shaded hyperspace ring. Piloting her starfighter with expert ease, Ahsoka maneuvered her craft away from the Republic cruiser.
"I'm all clear, Skyguy. See you a few hours." She stated over her comms.
"May the Force be with you Snips." Anakin replied. Moments later, the cruiser disappeared from behind her with a flash of light as it re-entered hyperspace. Ahsoka gave a quick exhale.
"Okay, let's get this over with." She mused, going through the procedure to detach her ship from the ring. Her starfighter's hyperspace ring would remain in orbit over the planet, the plan being she would return to it upon completion in order to get back to Coruscant. Getting clear of the ring, Ahsoka aimed her ship and gunned the thrusters, rocketing down to the icy planet below.
Derenath was barren, nothing more than ice and rock and a lot of it. Sheer nothingness spread out for miles and miles, stretching from horizon to horizon with only the odd set of hills to break up the otherwise flat, icy and uninviting terrain. Keeping her ship a good few kilometres above the surface, Ahsoka let her astromech unit do the scanning while she set up a crisscross path around the planet. Kicking her engines into a higher gear, Ahsoka gave her ship a boost of speed, wanting to get this finished as soon as possible. "How's things so far, R-Five?" She asked. Her unit beeped in response. "Yeah, that's what I thought too. I mean, Derenath would be perfect for hiding something. But I'm pretty sure it's colder than Pantora's moon here." She mused, peering out the transparisteel bubble of her cockpit hatch. The ice and snow-covered terrain sprawled out beneath her, boasting no droids or any other lifeforms to speak of. "Yeah... Nothing so far... and brr is it cold!" The Togruta shivered, the cold metal lining of her cockpit enough of an indicator, as it was freezing to the touch. "I would hate to be out in that weather." She absentmindedly mused. The cockpit of her ship was temperate controlled, ensuring she would be warm and snug and untouched by the frigid climate outside. But even putting her skin near the seal of the duraglass screen told her just how frigid it was outside. Her instruments indicated the weather was slowly deteriorating, likely due to an incoming snowstorm or something similar. Either way, it meant the outside would get a lot colder than she'd prefer, all the more reason to hurry up and finish this search. "Can you scan faster R-Five? Or even broaden your perimeter?" Ahsoka asked, now feeling a tad anxious and even a little fidgety. R5 beeped and blipped a response that caused her to sigh. "Well, do what you can." She replied, adjusting some systems on her consoles, settling in for what would be a longer mission than she'd like. R5 beeped a response of his own and continued scanning.
Time ticked by as Ahsoka continued her patrol, her anxious feelings escalating as minutes turned to a half-hour, then a whole hour. She hated missions like this where she was all alone. Togrutas were very social creatures and anyone who chose to leave a clan or village and wander alone was considered strange and peculiar. It was a fairly well known fact that Togrutas forced into situations involving isolation eventually fell into a depressed state and started suffering from mental ailments after a prolonged period. Ahsoka, being as young as she was, was prone to feeling the effects of isolation far quicker and had learned to take along some holovids so that she at least had some form of interaction. Droids kind of helped, but they weren't nearly as personable as another organic being could be.
This was one of those missions where she didn't have an opportunity to watch a holovid, making things even harder for her.
Pressing back into her seat, Ahsoka breathed deeply and stifled yet another sigh, trying not to seem so repetitive. Glancing out her cockpit, she took in the wintry nothingness of Derenath before checking her instruments and recognizing the freezing temperature outside. Ahsoka shivered as she realized just how cold it was beyond the confines of her cockpit.
And then, all of a sudden, her once-empty scanner came alive with four new targets.
Steady alarms jarred Ahsoka from her boredom as she went on high alert, gripping her controls tightly as she assessed the situation. They weren't big enough to be fighters, suggesting they were something smaller, designed to protect the perimeter. Streaks of red lasers flashed by overhead, forcing Ahsoka to bank right as her pursuers streaked past her. "Hunter droids...? No, probe droids!" She realized. The droids were marked with blue and white Separatist emblems and were similar in design to the protector droids used to defend the Citadel. Clearly they were deployed from a base of operations. "Hang tight R-Five!" Ahsoka called, gunning her engines as she took off after the droids. They might be smaller and more nimble than her, but her ship could take the hits and dish out a lot more punishment. Ahsoka's stick responded to each of her movements, her starfighter sliding to the right and leveling out as her targeting systems slid over the nearest probe droid. Turning yellow and then red, Ahsoka quickly squeezed the trigger and sent two bursts of green energy streaking towards the droid, which exploded moments later. "Too easy!" Ahsoka remarked with a grin as she pulled to the left and started targeting the next droid. Ahsoka didn't even wait for the reticle to turn red and fired, clipping the droid with one shot. It was enough to create smoke and flames in its wake and send the droid spiralling down to the ground. "You think they'll make me a Jedi Ace after the war?" Ahsoka wondered. R-Five beeped a rebuttal. "Probe droids do count!" Ahsoka retorted, moving to get a lock on the third droid. "I know they're not starfighters, but-" Interrupted by the jarring of her starfighter, Ahsoka shook of the jolting strike as she realized a fifth probe droid had arrived and attacked her from behind. A few shots from the droid's built-in blaster had scorched her hull, one of them hitting her port thruster. Sparks and smoke started trailing from the damaged engine, indicating the lucky shot had managed to tear through her systems. "Sithspit!" Ahsoka growled, now struggling with the controls. The damage was quite great and she needed her engines functional... especially if she wanted to make it back to Coruscant in time for Life Day. "R-Five, divert power to rear shields and see if you can get that thruster working-" She started to instruct. But that's when the fourth droid she'd been pursuing turned around and started attacking, one of it's blasts tearing clean through her astromech's head. R-Five screeched in pain as it was rendered offline. "R-Five!" The Togruta cried. Firing reflexively, her twin blasts managed to vape the droid in front of her. But without her astromech, there was no way she could try to salvage her damaged systems.
The probe droid behind her fired again, striking her unprotected aft multiple times. Each time Ahsoka felt her craft shudder as more warnings blared across her console. "No... No!" She cried, fighting to regain control. The droid was merciless and blasted her engines to pieces until thick plumes of smoke and flames were belching from her destroyed thrusters. The controls no longer obeying her, Ahsoka's ship began to drop, the Togruta desperately fighting to stay in the fight despite the growing despair within her. The snowy terrain grew closer and closer, Ahsoka pressed back into her seat as the g-forces of her downward fall took their toll. After what felt like an eternity, a harsh and jarring jolt rocked her body, her restraints digging in painfully as her starfighter skidded across the ground, kicking up a cloud of snow and ice as it did. Finally lurking to a halt, Ahsoka groaned as everything suddenly fell still, shaking her head and freeing herself from her taut restraints. "Ow..." She mumbled, working her body to limber up after the crash. Using the Force, she opened her cracked cockpit bubble and tossed it away, instantly hit with a blast of sub-zero air. A shiver rolled through her body as Ahsoka inhaled sharply. "Brr! Cold cold cold!" She muttered, feeling everything within her contract as she felt the insane cold of Derenath for the first time. Reluctantly leaving the confines of her controls, Ahsoka landed in the snow and turned to examine her crashed ship. A few sparse flames licked at the blackened remains of her engines, a sizeable hole torn through the electronics of her ship's aft. "Oh... for Force sake!" Ahsoka grumbled, kicking the hull out of frustration. Of course she had to crash on this iceball! Of course she had to mess up on Life Day!
Life Day... unless someone came back for her, she would likely miss it.
"Of all the-..." Trailing off, Ahsoka let out a very loud growl of frustration, clenching her fists and seriously considering hitting something. But before she could, the remaining probe droids circled around, appearing to make for the crash site. Knowing that getting captured would do her no good and that Anakin would likely come back for her, Ahsoka turned and started running. "I can't let them find me...!" She determined, moving deeper into Derenath's frozen wastes.
One hour later...
The probe droids were still scanning over the wreckage of the crashed Delta-B when a STAP arrived on the scene, bearing with it a very powerful individual. Wearing an arctic-camouflage jacket very reminiscent of his old armored duster, his helmet and boots a much brighter shade of silver, The Wraith was clearly prepped for the harsh, freezing environment. Stepping over to the ruins of the snubfighter, Wraith looked it over through his crimson optics.
"Republic... Jedi starfighter too. Someone important's here." He determined, his gaze sweeping across the wreckage and the debris field. It was then that he switched to his thermal sensors and picked up a trail of footprints leading away from the wreck, the ones further away hotter than those closest to the crashsite. "Good, I can track them. I still have to hurry, without proper equipment you can die out here." He mused, climbing back on his STAP. "And I'd rather have answers than a corpse." With that, he gunned the engine and took off after the trail.
The few clouds that dotted the sky earlier had quickly accumulated and combined to form a dark, ominous storm cloud. It wasn't long after that said cloud started to unleash frigid winds and several metric tones of snow...
All of it right on top of Ahsoka.
Clutching herself to try and keep warm in the sub-zero environment, the teenage Togruta struggled onwards, not knowing where to go or what to do. This mission had been intended to be quick and secretive. Now the secrecy portion had been flung out the nearest viewport and everything boiled down to whether or not she would survive long enough to be found by the Separatists. Snow was already starting to cling to her features and it was only thanks to her survival training that she'd kept going for this long without proper protection.
"Stupid stupid stupid..." She muttered through chattering teeth, shivering as another strong wind whipped around her, piercing her body with the force of a thousand freezing knives. Ahsoka hated this. She hated everything about this. She should be back on Coruscant right now, enjoying a cup of cocoa with Barriss and taking in the few decorations scattered throughout the Temple's common rooms, not here in a frozen wasteland freezing to death. She didn't even think to bring a robe and the fact that her outfit left portions of her skin exposed, especially her back, didn't help. Tripping on a particularly hard piece of frozen snow, Ahsoka fell forward with a cry and landed right in the cold stuff. The sudden shock forced her to her hands and knees before the cold set in, driving her already-miserable mood down further into the depths. Her body was starting to feel numb, her teeth were chattering, the tips of her headtails were starting to hurt. She would've liked nothing more than to stop, but Ahsoka knew she had to keep moving. She couldn't let the Separatists find her.
Crawling to her feet with much effort, her body further chilled after her spill, Ahsoka hugged herself and put one foot in front of the other.
"This will be the worst Life Day ever..." she grumbled, trudging onwards.
His speeder was quick, but the cold was even quicker.
He'd been following this trail for close to twenty minutes, and the weather had taken a decided turn for the worst. The cold was causing a rapid deterioration of any heat signatures, the footprints he'd been following starting to disappear thanks to the bitter cold and freshly fallen snow. If he didn't act quickly, Wraith would likely lose whoever this was.
His insulated jacket kept him from feeling the extreme weather, something that reminded him to thank Scipio when he got back to the Dominance. He certainly hoped this individual was also equipped to survive. They'd been out here long enough to easily start suffering from frostbite or hypothermia, an analogue to an early grave if not treated properly. Pressing the throttle, Wraith's STAP zipped across the ground as the thermal trail he was following grew a shade dimmer with the decreasing temperature.
Suddenly, the trail turned up ahead, veering behind a snowy embankment. Slowing his airspeeder, Wraith hopped off and approached on foot. Reaching for his waist, he flipped on the charge for his pistols, keeping them primed just in case whoever this was decided to fight back. He advanced carefully, his thermals detecting a small source of radiation. Blending in with the blizzard, save for his blindingly red optics, Wraith rounded the mound of snow and looked around. He saw no one before him... then he looked down.
There, huddled up on the ground, was Ahsoka, snow and ice clinging to almost every part of her.
"H-H-H-Hey Wr-Wr-Wraith..." She greeted through chattering teeth, shivering as another icy wind whipped past them and too cold to care that she had been found.
"Ahsoka? By the Force! How long have you been out here for?" Wraith exclaimed, dropping to her side.
"T-T-Too long... I-I-I g-guess..." She replied. Wraith adjusted his scanners and gave Ahsoka a once over. She hadn't sustained any major damage during the crash, which was good, but his thermal sensors had made the alarming discovery that her core body temperature was dangerously low. Acting quickly, Wraith stripped off his jacket and wrapped it around her.
"This is insulated. It'll keep you warm for the time being." He explained. Ahsoka nodded and pulled his jacket tightly around her. He was easily three times her size so his duster fit her like a blanket. Wraith's bio scanners then revealed to him the state of her condition. "You're suffering from hypothermia." He stated next, worry lacing his synthesized voice. "If I don't get you somewhere safe and warm you up, frostbite will be next." Pulling Ahsoka close, he adjusted his scanners once again and looked around, surveying the landscape. He didn't want to take her back to base, nor did he believe she would survive the trek back. She needed shelter and heat immediately. His scans picked up a cave not far away and, given how barren and lifeless Derenath was, it seemed like his best and only option. Assessing his own inventory and realizing he had the necessary equipment to keep Ahsoka both warm and alive, Wraith picked up the freezing Togruta in his arms and set out to find this cave.
"W-W-Where ar-are we g-g-going?" She asked stammering as the cold continued to take its toll.
"To what I hope will serve as a makeshift shelter for the time being." He answered. Unable to argue and really not wanting to, Ahsoka simply settled into his arms and pulled his jacket a little closer around her as Wraith trudged through the snow, following his scanners. The tips of her montrals as well as her fingertips were completely numb, a dull pain registering in her extremities. She suddenly realized their elevation had changed as Wraith trudged uphill in only a thicker long-sleeved thermal shirt. Ahsoka had to wonder how he was able to handle the weather, but then assumed he was properly equipped for stuff like this, unlike her who had a bunch of skin exposed.
Thank the Force he'd come along now.
They kept moving, Wraith following the path highlighted by his optics. They drew closer to the cave hollowed out in the icy cliffside, the super-soldier guessing that some sort of geological or weather-based phenomenon caused its creation instead of an unknown life form. Now would be the worst time to discover Derenath had a native species. Arriving at the entrance, Wraith quickly surveyed the ice-bound entrance and the unblemished snow covering the ground.
Everything seemed to be undisturbed...
Taking a few steps into the cave, Wraith moved deep until the biting cold had been reduced, the wind's potency lost the further in he travelled. Once the wind was only a chill at his back, Wraith stopped and looked around.
"This'll do." He surmised. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. Lowering himself to the ground, Wraith laid Ahsoka down, "Hang tight, I'll get a fire going." He promised, rising again.
"Y-Y-You can d-do that?" She wondered, shivering as she lay there.
"In a sense. I most certainly have the means." Wraith replied, reaching behind him. Igniting Tyth, he stabbed his blade into the frozen ground, the sword's flame burning a bright yellow. "There. That should give us some heat." Leaving his blade be, Wraith returned to Ahsoka's side and pulled her into his lap as he sat down, retracting his mouthguard as well. "Come, my dear. My body heat will help you thaw out." Ahsoka needed to be warmed slowly, this he knew from his medical training. Too much too quickly and her body would react strongly, with many negative symptoms befalling her. Between the heat coming from Tyth and his own natural body heat, Wraith believed this was be suitable for her. Retracting his mouthguard had offered him a sampling of how cold the air really was. He could only imagine how Ahsoka felt.
"Th-Th-Th-Thank y-y-you." She shivered in reply, instinctively cuddling closer to his warmth. Ahsoka wished she could stop trembling, she felt so helpless and vulnerable... and like a failure. "W-W-Why d-does this always ha-happen to m-m-me?"
"Maybe the Force is telling you it's time for a career change." Wraith joked. Ahsoka managed a giggle, despite shivering.
"Y-Y-Yeah r-right. B-But... f-f-first Scarif a-and now this? I r-really ho... h-h-hope I'm n-not s-s-stuck here f-for a w-w-week."
"Derenath is a barren world, devoid of life. If they're observant, the Republic will realize you've been gone too long and will come and find you." Wraith replied.
"And... i-i-if they d-don't?"
"I'll come up with something." He answered, leaning back. "I'm due to be posted here for a few more days."
"D-Doing w-what?" Ahsoka wondered.
"Wouldn't you like to know." Wraith replied with a grin. Ahsoka managed a small smile back, of course he wouldn't reveal what he was doing. But that gave her enough information to know that the Seppies were up to something.
Little did she realize that the Separatists were in fact up to something... but on a different world entirely. What the Republic had detected here on Derenath was all part of an elaborate ploy to keep them away from the real operation taking place on the world of Fest. Wraith knew this and was here to help maintain the ruse.
They sat there for some time, just taking a moment to rest and recover. The flames from Tyth remained steady and burned brightly, their heat melting the icy ground and creating a bare patch. The warming heat also helped Ahsoka's condition improve and her shivering grew less consistent as did the chattering of her teeth. Wraith's jacket remained tightly pulled around her and she felt no need to leave her comfortable seat in his lap. His arms around her, one hand idly stroking her clothed shoulder, Ahsoka was grateful her circumstances had changed... but they could still be better. The light outside was dimming, signalling the end of a day on Derenath, meaning Life Day would be right around the corner... and she was missing it. Ahsoka let out an audible sigh at the thought. "You okay?" Wraith asked.
"Just... thinking about today." She answered. "I never even wanted to be here. All I wanted was to be back on Coruscant celebrating Life Day with everybody." If it weren't for her having to run a surveillance mission, she would already be back on Coruscant, in the Temple, taking in the season.
"'Life Day', hm?" Wraith queried.
"Yeah. Wait," Ahsoka paused, looking up into his optics, "you mean you don't know what Life Day is?" She asked.
"I'm... familiar with it. But I've never truly participated." Wraith honestly explained. The holiday had been relegated to simple fact and not a thing worth partaking in. His life was to revolve around strategy and battle. To pause to celebrate something so trivial was a sign of weakness... but now, Wraith was curious as to why an entire facet of society would set aside time to commemorate such a thing. "Think you could enlighten me?"
"Sure! Life Day is a yearly celebration of, well, life. It's a special time to commemorate those who live and those who came before. It's a season of giving." Ahsoka informed him.
"Giving?"
"Yeah. We give each other presents." The Togruta clarified. "Let me guess, you've never done that before." Wraith shook his head.
"Never."
"You've been missing out!" Ahsoka exclaimed.
"Perhaps I have been." Wraith mused. "Tell me, there is a difference between 'Life Day' and 'Life day' correct?" He asked.
"If you're referring to someone's day of birth, then yeah. This Life Day is a pretty big celebration that takes place across the galaxy, not nearly as personal." Ahsoka told him. Wraith hummed thoughtfully.
"I see... So, what's your 'Life day' my dear?" He asked.
"September twenty-second, thirty-six sixteen." Ahsoka replied with a smile. "You?"
"August fifteenth, thirty-six seventeen." Wraith responded.
"You are a year older than me."
"You doubted me?" He wondered in mock-dismay. Ahsoka chuckled.
"Sometimes you just look a lot older." She responded. Curling up a little closer to him, Ahsoka paused as she took in Wraith's helmet. It was shiny and sleek... but it was so... inhuman as well. It didn't have the same emotion his face did, in fact, it hid it. Ahsoka felt like she was talking to a computer, or a droid. His optics just didn't have that same life and light in them. The glow they cast was synthetic, not organic in anyway. "Wraith? Please show me your face." She quietly asked, desiring to see the real him. Wraith glanced to her, his mouth pressed into a thin line. It seemed like he was hesitant to answer her request, pondering whether or not it was a good idea. But it didn't take long for him to reach his decision and, raising his hand to the side of his helmet, Wraith pressed the trigger to power down his optics and unlock his headpiece. Panels opened and extended, freeing his head. He slid it off with one hand, auburn hair falling loosely around his face as it was freed from his helm. He gave his head a quick shake as his helmet landed on the frozen ground with a clunk, trying to remove some of his longer bangs from in front of his eyes. Ahsoka smiled a little and reached up to hold his face. "There you are..." She whispered, her thumb slowly stroking his cheek in a circular motion. Wraith chuckled lightly, his amber eyes sparkling with his laughter.
"You like this, hm?" He wondered with a slight smirk, unconsciously leaning in to her touch.
"You look so much nicer without your helmet." Ahsoka replied, her voice soft.
"Now that's the hypothermia talking." Wraith joked. Ahsoka realized what she'd said, but decided to embrace it.
"I'm... being serious..." She slowly answered, feeling fresh warmth bloom across her cheeks. "I prefer hair and skin to metal. Especially when it looks... a-as good as you do..." She added with a stammer.
"You think so?" Wraith quietly wondered.
"It's you. The real you. And the real you looks so much better than durasteel." Ahsoka admitted. Wraith gave a slow nod and smiled.
"Thank you, my love." Ahsoka smiled back and pressed into him. She curled up to his body, her head coming to rest in the crook of his neck. She loved the feeling of his stray hairs against her montrals, a new sensation for a woman from a hairless species. Her hand spread across his broad chest, feeling the contours of his body beneath his shirt. There was something so enticing about being able to feel solid muscle beneath her... and Wraith had the added perk of being hot like a blast furnace! The simply contact of her body against his, minus his jacket, warmed her more than the flames of Tyth could. She snuggled closer to him, her cheek on the sin of his neck almost burning from his natural temperature.
Force, he was so warm!
"I don't wanna move." She whispered, loving the feeling of being curled up close to a fire.
"I can't say as I blame you." Wraith mused, shifting his posture ever so slightly to better their current position. "Any heat source must feel nicer than the biting cold you endured." Ahsoka giggled at his words.
"And here I thought you were going to say something else." She said with a smile, believing he was about to stroke his ego a little. They settled into another comfortable silence, both of them watching the dancing, flickering flames created by Tyth. Ahsoka internally thanked the Force for small blessings like this. As much as she had been regretting and even cursing her inability to be back on Coruscant, this moment alone with Wraith was pleasant, maybe even better than the holiday festivities. She would miss being there, of course, but being able to enjoy another moment alone with Wraith... that was an opportunity she wouldn't say no to. After her nightmare on the Dauntless on the way back to Coruscant, Ahsoka had come to heavily appreciate Wraith's presence, especially after coming to understand his intentions towards her. The more she thought about it, the more she realized Wraith meant a lot to her. So a moment like this was something she'd treasure and was thankful there was someone in the galaxy who could understand her in such a personal way. Most people didn't understand Togrutas and their needs entirely. But Wraith did and even the subtle things he did around Ahsoka helped her feel fulfilled as a species. "You know, at first I wanted nothing more than to be back on Coruscant, celebrating Life Day with the rest of the Jedi." She said aloud, comfortably resting in his arms. "But this... this is nice." She admitted.
"I find it's the simple things in life that are the most enjoyable." Wraith mused. He eyed Ahsoka for a moment, noting how still and calm she was. "You gonna be okay?" He asked.
"Yeah." Ahsoka absentmindedly replied, glancing up at him. "I'm alright." Wraith nodded and leaned back, content to rest with Ahsoka pulled close and Tyth burning brightly before them. As he sat, not really thinking about anything in general, Ahsoka's mind was busy.
She thought about her and him and everything they'd been through so far. She remembered the interactions they shared through Force-calls, like the one time they talked until she fell asleep or the little check-ups he'd made to see how she was coping with her PTSD. She remembered the first time she saw his face after the battle that had scarred him. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't get his face out of her mind. She remembered the time they worked together on Wasskah and how he had discovered her cutting problem. But he hadn't been condescending about it. Instead he'd been helpful and kind and understanding, moreso than any Jedi had ever been concerning her flaws. They wanted them rooted out of her as soon as possible.
He wanted to help her overcome them.
He put her first, did what he could. Ahsoka could only imagine that if there were no limitations, no issues or problems, that Wraith would do everything humanly possible. That fact that he was willing to go out of his way, to put his own directive in jeopardy for her sake... it made her feel something so unique...
She felt cared for. She felt wanted. She felt loved.
Looking back, it all made sense. Wraith loved her, did what he could to make her feel the way she did. He made an effort and she appreciated it. Her gaze returning to his still expression, Ahsoka felt her heart flutter and her emotions stir just from thinking about him. She felt like she had a man in her life, even if her thoughts on romance were still hazy and clouded. She appreciated him, and realized that he had yet to have someone thank the Force for his life. Maybe she could brighten his day a little... maybe she could give him something for Life Day that was a true expression of her gratefulness for his presence.
His superior may think of him as only a tool... but she thought so much more of him.
Shifting her posture, Ahsoka sat up a little. "Wraith?" She softly asked, gaining his attention. His gaze locked with hers and they regarded each other for a moment, Ahsoka's hand idly feeling the scars on his cheek and moving around to nestle in his thick hair. "Can I... give you something? For Life Day?" She asked.
"If you want." He agreed with a slight nod. Ahsoka nodded again and lightly inhaled, working up the courage to follow through with her plan. Just thinking about it made her feel giddy with anticipation yet scared all at once. She started slowly by setting her hands on both sides of his face, ensuring she'd captured Wraith's attention. Then she started to lean forward ever so slightly, eyes growing half-lidded as she forced herself past the wall of nervousness, heading for the point of no return. Wraith saw her motions and let her continue, though his heartrate did quicken as he made the realization. His own eyes started to close as Ahsoka got closer, parting her lips a little as they drew together. The soft touch of her lips pressing against his in a gentle embrace absorbed all of their thoughts for a moment, and the cold of Derenath was suddenly a long ways away.
At first, all Ahsoka wanted was to give him a simple loving kiss. But the longer they stayed pressed together, parting for the briefest of milliseconds to catch her breath, the more she wanted to keep this going. She did so by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself closer, deepening the kiss. Wraith reciprocated by kissed her back with equal energy, gently holding her in place with one hand. Ahsoka whimpered a little as the intensity of the kiss escalated, moaning into it as Wraith's hand brushed her lekku. She felt even warmer when he pulled back, a hot blush covering her face. The back of his hand was still lightly stroking her rear headtail, making her feel good.
"Oh Wraith..." She whimpered, voice heavy.
"Ahsoka..." He whispered in reply. She could feel his hot breath against her skin, coming in puffs as he steadied himself. They both leaned in at the same time, renewing the embrace as Wraith pulled Ahsoka as close as physically possible. She didn't have much experience when it came to kissing, Wraith being the only individual she'd engaged in it with, but she knew enough to wish that her lekku were long enough to wrap around his head, completing the most intimate embrace a Togruta could partake in. But that required age, so until she was older, Ahsoka would simply have to express herself through her actions. She did so by moaning against Wraith as her body pressed right up against his, his hands still holding the back of her neck while brushing her sensitive lekku. By the time they parted, Ahsoka's cheeks were definitely flushed, her eyes half-lidded as the sudden fervor of the moment slowly died down. His hands on her, keeping her close, were a feeling she didn't want to lose. "That... That's some gift." Wraith managed in a whisper. Ahsoka breathily chuckled.
"You like it?" She wondered.
"I wouldn't mind getting this... multiple times a year." Wraith suggested with a wink.
"I'll be sure to give you another for New Years." Ahsoka teased with a giggle. She pressed a brief kiss to his lips again before cozying up to Wraith, the two of them now much closer. Ahsoka hugged Wraith and pressed into his scars, kissing his cheek as she did. They sat there for a moment, cheek to cheek as they held one another. Basking in Wraith's presence, Ahsoka longed for occasions like this to come more frequently. But she knew they'd return to their individual sides eventually, meaning happiness like this would never be permanent. "I don't want this to end." She whispered, voicing her longing.
"Who says it has to end?" Wraith quietly responded, slightly turning towards her.
"I mean this. I don't want this moment to end." Ahsoka elaborated, shifting so their eyes locked. Wraith pulled off one of his gloves and cupped her face.
"The best things in life are fleeting. It's best to enjoy them while they last." He told her. "They are what make existence... memorable." Ahsoka's gaze fell. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. "But I promise you, as my gift to you on Life Day, that I will endeavor to maintain what we have, repeating it as often as possible." Wraith vowed, causing her gaze to perk up again. Ahsoka grinned and kissed him again, holding his face in her hands. Her touch brushed his strands of hair, feeling the coarseness of his stubble and the silkiness of his bangs, a myriad of sensations she didn't want to lose.
But presents didn't last forever. Wraith was right, they were best enjoyed while they were around.
Lenaing forward, her forehead met his as she rested against him.
"Happy Life Day, Wraith." Ahsoka whispered, spurred on by impulse. Wraith softly smiled back.
"Happy Life Day, Ahsoka." He repeated to her.
Hours later...
Ahsoka was roused from her slumber when a helmeted Wraith woke her with a kiss. "I'm reading multiple heat signatures outside. They're not droids." He reported. Shaking off her sleep, Ahsoka realized that the Republic had come for her. She'd hadn't been napping long, maybe she'd still get to enjoy Life Day back on Coruscant.
"Then... I-I guess this is good-bye." She shakily replied, not wanting to leave Wraith so soon.
"For the moment." He responded, taking her hand in his. "Some moments might be temporary, but they can always be repeated to some degree." With that reassurance, Ahsoka smiled and stood with him, Wraith escorting her to the cave entrance. The blizzard had died down somewhat and Ahsoka could barely make out the sweeping lights cast by Clone helmets. Her hand slipping from his, the Togruta took a few steps into the open, the sharpness in the cold air a total contrast to the warmth of the cave as he boots met the fresh snow.
"I love you." Wraith said as she left. Ahsoka paused and turned back, giving him a smile.
"I know." She answered.
Ahsoka returned to Coruscant that morning, missing Life Day Eve but was just in time to celebrate the true holiday. She basked in the true holiday spirit, enjoying the festive decorations adorning the Jedi Temple (including the large tree set up in the main hall) as well as the snow generated by Coruscant's planetary weather systems. She did get to enjoy a mug of hot cocoa with Barriss and even a box of sweets from Anakin. She even received several praises from high-ranking masters, each of them commending her ability to survive and readiness to overcome challenges. They all agreed she was well on her way to becoming a Jedi Knight. All in all, it was another wonderful Life Day.
But as she returned to her quarters that night, Ahsoka had one more gift she wasn't expecting. Closing the door behind her, she found a small box with a simple bow on top waiting on her bed. Curious, she sat down and opened it, sliding off the ribbon and sliding the top off. Giving a quiet gasp, she reached in and pulled out a small silver pendent. Her forehead markings had been carved into it, making it a unique custom job. Ahsoka couldn't imagine who had gone to such lengths to prepare such a special gift for her, until she saw a scrap of paper resting on the bottom of the box. Lifting it out, she unfolded it and was met with a lush, exquisite looking black ink script. Written in Aurebesh, she read the simple note with ease.
For the love of my life. Happy Life Day. -W
"Aw." She whispered with a smile, recognizing the letter at the bottom. It bore no lightning bolt, but she'd seen it enough to know who had written it. Turning the pendent over in her hands, she regarded the treasure with a newfound sense of affection, a token from her secret admirer. Unfortunately, she couldn't wear it out in the open for fear of arousing suspicion. But maybe she could turn it into a charm of some sort. Tucking it into her belt, Ahsoka patted the spot fondly. "For luck." She said with a smile.
Author's Note: and a happy 'Life Day' to you all!
