Bury The Hatchet

[Tagal Saxon]

Tagal hadn't gone for any real medical treatment since their return from Ando Prime.

What he had done instead was steal Skuld's axe when she wasn't looking. She had been putting her kids to bed or something - he didn't know and it didn't matter. He had locked himself into his personal section of the forge aboard the space station and he had set himself to work.

He didn't really feel like it had been almost a full day since he had locked himself in but the datapad he was looking at now confirmed that, yes, he had locked himself into a room and set himself to task a little under 24 hours ago.

Skuld had gotten annoyed, of course, but he didn't much care.

Swapping out the used kolto patch on the burn on his chest for a fresh one, his hissed lightly at the pain from the burn before the kolto began to take effect once again and it became nothing more than just another numb sensation.

With his work done, Tagal finally unlocked the door but didn't move from his workbench, where he stared down at the weapon box he had set the weapon down in. He tapped his com unit, connecting to Skuld almost instantly.

"The door's unlocked now."

He paused for a moment.

"Come alone - I've got something for you."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She noticed her ax was missing from the wall of her personal armory when she returned to her quarters. She had wanted to check on all her weapons and armor for repairs and replacements, but when her favored weapon had disappeared, she gritted her teeth.

She wanted to pound down his door, override his code and thrash him for breaking in to her space without her permission. She wanted to scream, to vent, to shake things down and break something.

So she had disappeared to her own respective corner.

The gym was abandoned at this late hour; it was probably for the best anyhow. Stepping in to one small arena, she chose the closest punching bag. She had swapped out leisure for exercise in a cropped exercise top and leggings, lightweight boots, long hair braided and hands taped. Some people had their therapy with drink.

Hers came with beating things to pieces until she dropped dead of exhaustion. Or, if it was a real enemy, that they just dropped dead. But since there were no living things to punch to oblivion, a bag would do in a pinch.

She had done this for four hours, between high intensity boxing and weight lifting, until she collapsed in bed. She woke up to Tagal still being locked away. So she managed the station, answered comms from Ord Cantrell and Kuat, Gil and others, attempted to work longer on some designs she intended to submit for review and production.

When he at last commed her, she wasn't in her quarters. She was in the gym again.

Thmp, thmp. Muted sounds of fists pounding synth fabric echoed as once again the space was abandoned. When his voice came over the small unit attached to her ear, she didn't respond right away.

She simply turned it off after a clipped "Fine." in response.

But unlike before, when she would hurry to see what he had in mind, she took her time. She gave one last yell and punched hard one last time, hard enough that the impact nearly swung the bag free from its' hook. Sweat slid down her spine and neck, stinging into her eyes, but she stood there, watching it swing until it was still. Then she moved.

She peeled the tape from her skin, unbraided her hair from its' tight cable. She hissed when icy cold water streamed from the shower, but turned it colder and colder, until she began to shudder. All of this was done mechanically, her thoughts elsewhere. Other images flashed in her mind; those that involved him lying in the snow, that rogue Deucalian standing over him. Of his constant barbing, wry humor, and caustic comments. Why the kark did she care? They were partners, nothing more.

She had to keep telling herself that. But she swallowed instead, and continued showering in the icy stream, until all the thoughts in her head swirled down with the water, until she couldn't feel her flesh any longer. She needed to be numb for a little while longer. Otherwise all the anger would resurface, and she needed a clear head.

She dressed again, in a clean change of clothes she always kept in the locker. Braided still-damp hair, tugged on boots.

It was only then that she started to make her way to where he was. She had no idea why he wanted to see her this time, and quite frankly she just wanted to see him and then leave as soon as possible, for her sanity as much as her own precarious state of mind.

When she entered, she stood tall, her expression unreadable as her arms crossed beneath her bust, head tilted slightly. "You needed to see me, Tagal?" She was tempted to glance at his chest, towards the bandage, but instead kept her gaze firmly on his face, keeping her distance.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

He needed to see her?

Could she have made herself sound any more like a petulant student being chewed out by her professor for her behaviour or grades? If she wanted to play it like that then fine. He wasn't about to coddle her just because he had reminded her about the propriety that was required of her as a battlefield commander. If she was expecting him to apologise then she would be sadly disappointed and that would just... well sarcasm would help him make light of the 'burden' of that knowledge.

Still.

He had made something for her for a number of reasons. One of them might be as something close to an apology but if she was going to be petty about this then he wasn't going to stick to that reason. Another reason was that he was tired of seeing Skuld run around with an axe that looked like it had been made for her great-grandfather!

He had checked - it was made especially for her so he hadn't remade a priceless family heirloom at least.

Grabbing the box, he turned to face her and stepped closer to her. She would be able to clearly see the found healing slowly under the kolto patch.

"Here." he told her, pushing the box into her hands, "Open it."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Her arms dropped when he stepped closer, barely managing to capture the box before it would have tumbled from her fingers. A spark of irritation rose in her eyes before she got it back in check. Her gaze flickered to his chest, then back to his face. He looked... tired. Had he been at it a full day? And what did he do?

...The weight was familiar.

She opened the box, then blinked.

For a moment, she did not allow her expression to shift. But then she glanced up to him... and exhaled slowly.

"You were right back there... I am sorry."

She slowly reached in to the box, testing the grip lightly. It seemed almost a caress, her eyes taking in every detail. It must have been almost painstaking in places; the runes were still carved into the thermal metal, the grip was the same material. She would have to adapt the single-head heft, however, but that was no different than a throwing set.

Not that she could possibly ever throw this. She set the box down, relaxing the ax in her grip, letting it hum to life. She frowned at the new color; instead of the blue glow of the thermal chamber, it hummed yellow for the stun prod he had improvised in. For a few beats of silence she said nothing, eyeing at the weapon. Letting its' heft and new balance settle easily within her grip, as though it had been like this since she first held grip to it. He knew her that well, apparently.

She powered it off... and then her gaze flicked up to meet his.

He knew her so well. Better than any other. But when he was struck on the battlefield, she was not rational. She reacted on instinct, prepared to raze down any that stood in her path, even if they were kin. That was not the Deucalian way, nor the way of his people. She knew he was right... but her anger was not focused on him.

It was on herself, for allowing personal feelings to intrude on the battlefield. Never again, though.

And he knew it.

She set the box atop his workbench, then the ax within that once more. She stepped closer to him, her voice low.

"Vhy do you keep doing this? You could have asked." A small smile touched the corner of her lips then... and suddenly the iciness was gone, replaced by a wry amusement. "I would have not killed you. Maybe."

She glanced sideways, where the box lay, then back to him once more, the grin widening a fraction.

"...Like the change, though. It is... unique."

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

A stubborn and argumentative Skuld Stark was a Skuld Stark that Tagal knew and knew he could work with. A Skuld Stark who honestly and genuinely apologised? That was something he had never even thought he would encounter and it showed in just how flat-footed the whole thing caught him. He almost let his mouth hang open for a moment before he managed to reassert control over his facial expressions and managed to keep it to dull surprise.

He was going to have to bank on the idea that this was a rare event because he didn't think he would be able to cope with being surprised by such a version of Skuld on a more regular basis. It actually took him a moment or two to try and react to it properly. In the end, as stubborn as he was, there was only one way to respond.

"I'm sorry too." he admitted, looking away slightly as he did, "I should have waited until we were both clear. Shouldn't have pulled you up like that."

God chick flick moments were the worst.

Thankfully he had made adjustments to one of her weapons so they could talk about that instead. Talking about weapons and his own work on them was something that Tagal could do almost without trying. He sighed gratefully before shrugging as she approached him and asked why he hadn't, well, asked.

"Because you'd have said no. Rather ask forgiveness than permission. But enough with the chick flick moments." he declared brazenly with a smirk, gesturing over his shoulder with a thumb, "Want to kark like kriffers on the workbench?"

He was a simple and direct man.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Her smirk widened at the flush of surprise that marked upon Tagal's features; it was a shame she couldn't take a picture and save it. But with the realization of her responsibilities of being a leader of her clan came with a few other realizations; she had to learn to compromise and be willing to own up to her own responsibility. She would still have her own stubborn moments... but he was right. It galled to admit it, but there was a difference between battle pride and sheer blockheadedness.

Ja, she was learning... but she wasn't about to bend over backward and apologize for anything else in their lives. There was nothing else she had to really apologize for.

...Right?

But she was just as surprised to see him apologize as well; it seemed they both had much to learn again. Things were changed now, but at least she knew he still had her back. And vice versa. She chuckled, one arm wrapping around his shoulders when he mentioned she would have said not to.

"...Maybe. But next time do." A black brow perked, and the grin almost turned wolfish, icy eyes gleaming. "Don't even ask," she muttered, closing the distance between them and dragging him against her, wrapping her legs around his waist. She could work her anger out in other ways, as well.

Yeah, this was better than arguing anyday. The other things on agenda could wait.

--------------------
​

Most preferred receiving flowers, or words of poetry to show emotion and express feeling. But Skuld?

Receiving a new ax was pretty high on her list. But perhaps now, since she had access to her ancestral armory, she could use her father's Kastaöxi instead. But when she finally managed to pull away, she stretched, relishing the soreness that hummed in her limbs. Now that all that aggression had been used, perhaps it was time to straighten up... but not yet.

No, right now she just wanted a few moments to savor being here. This was his domain, but being in here was a nice break. The ship was too quiet sometimes on long jaunts alone, and she needed contact. Perhaps soon, she would have to return to Ando Prime, but right now she needed to be reminded just why she stayed in the first time.

She smirked at him, icy eyes glinting with heated amusement. "Have your fill yet?" she grinned, pulling away a little. "I maybe have forgiven you, but I still need some more convincing."

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Had he had his fill?

Tagal chuckled a little bit as he pulled himself to his feet, crossed the small workshop area, and grabbed a small bottle of water. Downing the water, he tossed the bottle away casually as he looked back at Skuld.

"If I let you, you'd probably leave me as wrung out as a Sith mummy." he replied with a small eyeroll, "You ice brains clearly only think of one thing if you're already up for more."

Of course he was teasing her and they both knew it.

Their insults had developed in that vein for... well it felt like years but honestly Tagal wasn't sure if it was years or merely months at this stage. His life seemed to be just dragging on at this point and, well, it was nice. There were no breakneck speed changes or anything - it was downright sedate.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She grinned shamelessly, rolling over to watch him as he half heartedly complained about her drive, sitting upright to stretch once more. The grin morphed into another smirk as her arms lowered, rolling upright to snag a bottle of her own. She felt almost a bit too warm from the heat of the forge... but she was adapting to it.

They had both changed much since the first time they met.

She rolled the cooler bottle against her chest and neck, smirking still before pulling off the top. Just before taking a drink, however, she arched one brow, chuckling. "You were not complaining about that earlier, malmhaus," she commented, taking down a deep draw of water before sighing in mock exasperation. "As it is, I will have to shower again." She chuckled, rising with a mock sigh of disappointment. "Shame your stamina can't keep up with mine," icy eyes glittered in amusement, hands on her hips.

@Nefieslab

 

[Tagal Saxon]

She was determined to be the death of him wasn't she? Tagal would have complained about that had they not both just finished engaging in activities that made it rather hard for him to be anything but rather relaxed. He flexed slightly, stretching his muscles out a tad. She would doubtlessly see this as something of a challenge, as it was, but it was mainly because he wanted to try and prolong the good feeling that was humming through his entire body right now.

He raised an eyebrow.

"My stamina is not in question, Ice Brain." he joked back to her with a smirk, "But unlike you, I actually have some work to get done you know?"

Smirking, he walked past her, giving her a light swat on the arse as he passed her.

"What with me being a respectable businessman these days."

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She caught the look he gave, and raised her brows slightly, lips curling slightly as he stretched. Even now, she could admire him and even objectively find him attractive, not just by bias or personal taste; it had been some time since they first connected, but it was long enough to realize that he still stirred her just as much as he had back in that bar the first time. A soft hummed chuckle rumbled past her lips as she padded over in his direction, arms crossing beneath her bust.

To say it was a deliberate move was underrated. It was not only deliberate, she did so with a confident smile, head cocked to the side playfully. "I have work too, you know," she retorted, snagging him by the waist when he did pass her, just to pause him long enough to nip at his neck, right at the joining of his shoulder, before releasing him with that smirk still on her lips.

"I do not fly for fun; in fact, respectable Saxon," she teased, suppressing a smug glance in his direction, "I have plans for you to see. Ve are on tight schedule after all, and my partner claims to be respectable and punctual on deadlines," she called over her shoulder, flicking long hair away as she scoured for her top, bending over slightly when she found it.

The ax wasn't forgotten; there were still issues to be talked about. But she just wanted this easiness, just for a little while longer. She would never admit it, but this weird calmness was almost... a good feeling. Admitting it felt good to not be yelling the galleon down would was something she was loathe to admit, however, and he was right. There was always work to be done. But for now, she just didn't want to do work, exactly,

@Nefieslab