Class: Jedi Consular

When: Episode III, before the Javelin

Felix leans against the doorway from the ship's bridge, waiting for the hallway to clear out. Zenith is speaking to one of the Voss commandos, discussing tactics. Once again Felix curses the designer of this ship, having the captain's cabin entrance right off of the main hallway. Any other boat, he could slip into his girlfriend's room without anyone being the wiser.

Sure, V'ryss told him to come and go as he pleases, saying she knows the Jedi Council will catch wind of their relationship sooner or later. Secrecy isn't the worth the effort, in her opinion. But as he watches Tharan walk from the conference room to the stairs leading to the lower levels, he wonders why invite trouble?

Finally Zenith and the commando leave the hallway and Felix grabs his chance and briskly walks to V'ryss's door. It opens at once, recognizing his biometrics and he enters, only to see V'ryss sitting at the edge of the bed, sobbing.

His heart constricts. Felix has seen her hurt, seen her upset, but he has never, ever seen her cry before. Part of him thought Jedi couldn't cry, though he knows that's foolish. Jedi feel every emotion under the sun, just don't let themselves be ruled by it.

"V'ryss?" he asks, his voice soft. He feels a moment of doubt, one he hopes disappears one of these days, and wonders if she's changed her mind, about him, about them. He forces the errant thought away. She loves him. Felix knows this. He refuses to doubt.

She sits up straight, a hand wiping away her tears. "Felix," she says, holding out her hand to him.

The sight of her blue skin next to his dark brown never ceases to amaze him. He takes her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. It's the hand she holds her Light Saber and he can feel the calluses on her fingertips. Gently, he brings her fingertips to his lips and gives them a kiss. The move works and she smiles, clutching the bundle of furs she holds in her lap.

During dark times, which happen more often than he cares to admit, Felix thinks of himself as tainted, thanks to the holocron of Sith knowledge in his head. But all V'ryss has to do is smile at him, that smile he's never seen directed anywhere but to him, and he knows he's not. She is the brightest thing in his life and he knows she will fight through star stuff to keep him safe. And he'll do the same for her.

He sits next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, glad he's wearing a BDU instead of his heavy armor. She relaxes against him at once and Felix holds her a little tighter, soaking her slightly elevated skin temperature. Kissing her temple, he whispers, "What's wrong?"

V'ryss lifts the fur she's holding. "This is," she says, her voice empty.

Felix reaches out and strokes the fur. It's not from an animal he recognizes, but in a galaxy as large as theirs, that's to be expected. "What is it?" he asks.

Resting her head on his shoulder, V'ryss says, "A Wookie pelt."

All Felix can do is blink. V'ryss hates hunting. It's the one major disagreement between them. There's nothing more relaxing to Felix than being in the wild looking for trophies. To V'ryss, hunting for sport is wasteful and makes a mockery of the Force. And yet she travels with a Trandoshan who considers V'ryss a Herald for his religion. Felix called her out on her hypocrisy once. They finally agreed to disagree before words were spoke that couldn't be taken back.

"Why do you have a Wookie pelt?" he asks. For a moment, he wonders if she meant to give it to him; she's given him gifts he'd considered trophies before, like that ID for that crime lord on Nar Shaddaa or the Krayt Dragon Pearl. But never something like a pelt.

"Qyzen gave it to me."

"Wait…" Felix trailed off and looked at V'ryss. He and Qyzen get along well and talk shop a lot during the long stretches of travel. From these conversations, Felix knows that giving someone a Wookie pelt like this is a romantic gesture for a Trandoshan, something you would only do for a mate.

Waving her hand, V'ryss says, "It's not what you think." She almost cracks a smile at that. "He gave it to me so I could give it to you."

"And the thought makes you cry?" Felix says, letting his voice deadpan a bit.

She punches him lightly on the shoulder. "Now you're just being silly." Leaning forward, she presses her lips against his. Felix closes his eyes and kisses her back. For a moment, he doesn't think of anything except her. When V'ryss pulls away, she hugs the pelt to her chest. "I just keep thinking… This was a sentient creature at some point. They had hopes and dreams, maybe a family. What if they left a mate behind or children…" V'ryss flops back onto the bed and sighs. Times like this he remembers how young she really is. "And now this beautiful pelt represents a trophy instead of someone's life."

Felix lays beside her, on his side, running his hands through her hair. He can't keep the pelt, he know this. The last thing he wants to accept a gift that causes her so much pain. "There's an organization I know of," he says quietly. "For hunters. They take part of kills that a hunter can't use, like bone or fur or even extra meat, and gives them away to people in need."

Her red eyes light up slightly and he can tell her interest is piqued. Amazing how when he first was assigned to Hoth how he thought the only word he would ever use to describe Chiss eyes was 'creepy.' Now he can't think of another set of eyes as beautiful as hers. "This organization could use the pelt?"

He nods, enjoying the feeling of her hair between his fingers. She hardly ever wears it down, but she does, he needs to take advantage. "There's a lot they could do with a pelt this size. A blanket, lining for coats, hats, that sort of thing."

"Could we donate it?" she asks, grabbing his hand. "Please?" Her mouth opens to say something else but she stops. "Wait. This is a gift. A gift for you. If you want to keep-"

"We'll donate it," Felix says, in a voice he knows books no disagreement. Thought he must admit, part of him thrilled over saying the word 'we.' Even with everything the galaxy is throwing at them, they are together, and they are fighting for each other. She and he truly have become 'we.'

He's rewarded with a smile and a quick kiss on the lips. "Thank you," she says softly. "I know Qyzen meant well and I try so hard to be tolerate, but sometimes…"

"He'll never have to know," Felix says, taking the pelt from her arms. Standing up, Felix folds the pelt respectfully and places it in the dresser drawer that has become his. "Now." Felix turns to face V'ryss and he sees the hungry look in her eyes, a look he's sure reflected in his own. "Perhaps we have some time so I can show you my gratitude for receiving such a gift?"

V'ryss's smile lights up her whole face and she reaches for him, even as she's lying on her back. Felix joins her on the bed and then the only gifts they think about for a time are the ones they can experience right here and right now.