Forces of Destiny

[Malon]

They had moved.

Multiple days had passed since the "incident" (as Kalen was now mentally referring to it) in Mon Safdie. Though neither had said a word about it, both Kalen and Leon had seemingly psychically agreed that they needed a break from the bustle of the city. So, Kalen used some of the scant funds he had on him to rent them a wooden cabin in the mountains outside the city.

The view was not as spectacular here, but Kalen found that the cabin and its locale was beautiful in its own way. The canopy of the coniferous forest that surrounded it shielded them from the sunlight. The light that broke through did so in thin beams that cast an eerie glow on their surroundings and caused the small waterfall the cabin sat near to glimmer beautifully.

Kalen was taking a break from his work to absorb the natural beauty around him, which he could see from his advantageously position bedroom window. The glow of his computer monitors was behind him, along with the lengthy data he had been sifting through. The bed sitting adjacent to his workstation was a cluster of messy blankets and comforters—not the most luxurious in their craftsmanship, but he had taken what he had gotten... as had the man who was currently snoozing beneath them.

In the days since the "incident," he and Leon had transversed a number of confusing phases that he was still grasping to understand. At first, they had avoided each other. Kalen searched for a quiet retreat from the city, where he could do his research and Leon, Gene, and his fellow pirates could do... whatever pirates did on their downtime. Finally, after locating a place, Kalen had managed to get up the nerve to talk to the pirate captain again, though not without enduring disgusted glares from Giles and not-so-subtle smirks from Natalia.

They know, he had thought, much to his mortification.

The awkwardness turned into drunkenness their first night in the cabin. Kalen was so confused by what had happened and the feelings surrounding it that he had taken Natalia up on her offer to sit out by the babbling brook, just outside their cabin, and drink. What he didn't know was that she had also invited Leon and planned to use Gene as an excuse to escape and leave the two of them alone. With alcohol, the two soon opened up a bit about "the incident," which led to a repeat incident in this very bedroom.

After that, it was just assumed (much to the amusement of Natalia and the further disgust of Giles) that the two would be sharing the room until the end of their stay—which, given Kalen's fast dwindling money supply, would be sooner rather than later.

And Kalen? He didn't know what to feel.

His research was going well. He believed that he was on the threshold of discovering the whereabouts of these spider-things' homeworld. The sooner they found and destroyed these things, the sooner all of this was over. And yet... What happened then? He glanced away from the window, and the nature beyond it, and looked back at the mess of a bed. Leon was somewhere beneath the clump of sheets, snoozing well into the early afternoons as he usually did. Though Kalen could not hear the other man's gentle breaths, he could feel his life force, vibrant and exhilarating, in the currents of the Force and hated to admit (even to himself) that he found it soothing.

What is this? he found himself thinking. And what does it mean?

He was too afraid to ask Leon. Too afraid he might receive an answer he didn't want to hear... whatever that might be. So, he decided to settle for what it was now, however physically and emotionally charged it was, an figure out the particulars later. Feeling suddenly drowsy, he decided that a nap would probably not hurt him. He could finish the day's research later. Tossing off the loose fabric tunic that he often wore with the rest of his Jedi ensemble, he crawled into the bed (and over Leon, who simply grumbled and pulled the sheets more tightly around himself) and found himself a space not presently occupied to settle.

When he was sufficiently comfortable, he rolled over and traced Leon's sleeping features with his eyes. The pirate looked harmless in his sleep. Kalen would never tell Leon to his face, but, sleeping, the pirate looked particularly cute. The thought of telling Leon how utterly pitiful he looked asleep brought a soft smirk to Kalen's face. Leon prided himself on commanding authority, through fear or sternness or whatever else, and would be horrified to discover the Jedi found him anything but. On instinct, he leaned in a planted a chaste kiss on Leon's lips and then rolled back over to focus on sleep.

His mind settled and he quietly drifted into a Force-imbued dream... @Deviant

 

[Deviant]

Cool.​

The cider liquor in his hand, the air of the room. In the the belly of the beast that was Stardust, the ship of his elder captain, Leon’s face burned red with intoxication. Surrounded by his friends, the sting of alcohol sloshed in his mouth. Next to him, he can hear Natalia and Giles laughing breathlessly, arms around one another in delight. Other pirates also gathered around, grinning as their fists beat against the table. “Chug, chug, chug!” He heard them clamor, only to be eclipsed too in laughter. Thrill and excitement coursed through his veins. Then, with a bellow, he smacked the now empty container onto the table. Silence ensued, followed by a choir of cheers from the surrounding crew.

Cold.​

That was all Leon knew as he carved through the blizzard. Snowflakes peppered his eyelashes, gilding his view with each and every tiny glacial star. Frost kissed his cheeks as blood clung to the surface. His bare fingers stung with the cold and shivered against its touch. This was Hoth, where the sun was but a distant flicker and its peaks were just spires of ice. It was a strange, foreign world, but with an all too familiar memory. He stepped forward, and the snow crunched beneath his heels. In the distance, there was a distant flame. Like the light at the end of a tunnel, he pushed ahead. Against the howling wind and the bitter cold, he inched ever so closely to the source of light. Then, squinting his eyes, he saw it.

Warm.​

Leon woke to the warmth of the sheets and a sleeping Kalen inches from his face. He blinked, dazed from his dreams, as a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his head. Throat dry, he shuffled through the tangle of sheets, most of which remained tight around his frame. Sliding out from the fabric, he pressed his feet into the chapped, wooden floor. From the crack in the nearby window, cool air brushed against his exposed shoulders. He shuddered before looking back to Kalen, his eyes closed and mind engrossed in some aimless dream. A streak of light lit up his features, and Leon smirked. Even when he was entangled in sleep, he was dreamy. Still, he wondered why he slept with the Jedi at all.

Leon heaved off from the edge of the bed. The two were polar opposites. He was a pirate captain who rose to infamy off the shoulders of weaker men, and Kalen was a principled Jedi Knight who fought for what he thought was right. Sure, the moments they shared together were unique, if not destined. Each had not only saved the other’s life, but laid bare their own fears and worries. In time, no matter how brief or rare, the two men grew close. Then, next thing Leon knew, he was on top of the Jedi in the ass-end of his freighter, driven forward by wanton lust. Afterward, he tried to deny it ever happening, avoiding the Knight on a near-constant basis in hopes that he would just disappear altogether.

But, destiny was a bitch. A nosy, meddlesome bitch. Because in the end, Leon found himself back where he was before. Half-naked and hungover beside someone he’d once consider nothing more than moronic, similarly exposed and draped across the bed. “Life is a strange thing,” he murmured to himself.

Leon drifted toward the window. Birds chirped, leaves rustled. Uncut stalks and vines clung to its edges, and the sound of the nearby waterfall resounded through. He was unfamiliar with the serenity of the cabin, having been more accustomed to the bustle of city life or the hum of his ship’s engines. But he wasn’t complaining. As a matter of fact, he relished in the peace. Wrapped in his own thoughts, settled in a whimsical cabin in the forest and alone with the best looking, if not the most peculiar, man in the known galaxy— that was the peace he savored.

His eyes scanned over the mess of papers and holotapes splayed over the nearby desk. The computer monitors hummed to life as he approached, lighting up his shaded features. A small grimace was lined across his lips. Leon knew this charade, these escapades with the Jedi, wasn’t bound to last forever. Once the pair fought and stamped out those godforsaken beasts from the Unknown Regions, they would part ways. At least, Leon would. He was a pirate, and Kalen was a Jedi. The two were poles apart. There was no way both men could escape that truth.

None.​

 

[Malon]

Rain.

Kalen smelled it before he saw or felt it. The moment his eyes shut, and sleep took him, the world inverted and he heard distant shouts echoing across the fabrics of time. And then he saw it. A world of blackness and torrential rain. He stumbled through the squall and, surveying his surroundings, saw Leon's ship sitting of a bluff in the distance. The shouts returned, but they were louder now.

"NO!" A girl's.

Kalen whirled to see the source and found himself horrified to see Gene, drenched by rainfall, yet with obvious tears in her eyes, screaming by her lonesome. The bodies of Leon's crew lay nearby, but Kalen could not tell if they were merely unconscious or dead (though he feared the worst). The vision shifted; Kalen saw who she was screaming for. Leon stumbled out of the rainfall—impaled—dripping blood from his chest, which soaked through his clothing.

It is where you are from, a voice, deep, and fearsome whispered from another era—some distant tomorrow, yet echoing out through the Force. What you are made of...

Then Kalen heard it—the chittering that had chilled his bones in the Unknown Regions; and he saw what had killed Leon. Their shadows numbered ten thousand upon ten thousand more. And, though lightning never flashed, Kalen knew that they were the same monsters he and Leon had faced back then; and he knew they were coming—

The dark side...

—that this was his future. Their future if he did not do something. Leon...

...and the light.

The distant snap-hiss of a lightsaber coming to life sounded off behind him, and he felt the icy breath of Hoth's winds, but then the vision was no more. Yet, from across space and time, the voice reached out once again, stronger this time... and with an edge that made Kalen's stomach churn.

Go back...

Kalen woke with a start like he never had before. Sweat was pooled in the sheets around him. He had never experienced a Force vision like that before, or at all really. But the vision wasn't his immediate concern. When he didn't see Leon in bed beside him, he frantically searched the room, though he didn't have to for long. The pirate captain looked bewildered, perhaps perplexed with Kalen's... state of affairs. The Jedi had no time to process how ridiculous he looked. He certainly didn't know how he was going to explain what he just saw to Leon, much less interpret it for himself. All he knew was that he had seen Leon die, and yet there he was, in the flesh, alive again.

The relief that swept through Kalen would be unnerving to him later, but, in the heat of the moment, all he could think about was getting out of bed and touching the other man—to insure he was real, he told himself. So he shoved back sheets and blankets, leaped to his feat, and surged forward. Doubtful Leon had a bit of warning what was coming until Kalen was near him, pulling him close. And when the Jedi realized that a simple hug could not satisfy him, he dragged the pirate in for a rough kiss.

And, for that moment, the world was right again.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

The kiss came without warning. Fingers tight around the collar of his wrinkled shirt, Leon was pulled into Kalen. His eyes widened in bewilderment as their lips met, and his mind ruptured into a thousand puzzled thoughts. His body tilted back on both heels as he sought clarity. He felt himself stumble back into the desk. Both of his hands stiffened against its rough edge, struggling to find support else he trip and fall from surprise. But he was already falling. At least into the other man’s clutches. He was plummeting into the aimless kiss, and melting into his arms. He couldn’t resist it.

Leon had met the lips of well over a hundred, if not more, strangers. A lingerie-clad Twi’lek dancer, her lips like cherry wine and complexion orange like fire. A charlatan and gambler from the Coruscant underworld, smirking before they escaped in their ship— with all of Leon’s belongings and twelve thousand credits. There was even Natalia, heartbroken from an argument with her former lover and desperate for attention and newfound affection. Each had their own effect on Leon, and their own unique appeal, but none were like Kalen’s. It didn’t taste like half-hearted lechery, or like someone had just stolen all his shit. And it certainly didn’t taste like onion chips and tears.

Rather, there was a spark. An inviting pull and welcoming peace that Leon reveled in. It made his hair rise, spine tingle, and fingers fidget. It was why he relented, and gave in to the surprise attack, letting his eyelids wilt to a close as he sank deeper into the embrace. He allowed his right hand to drift to Kalen’s side, while his other stirred along the desk for continued support. However, his fingers slipped on the papers strewn across it and jostled into an empty glass. It teetered off the brink before smashing into the floor. Leon recoiled back. His eyes wandered down to the mess. “Oops,” he chuckled.

He let his head droop, but his lips formed into a smirk. “Though would you mind telling me what that was for?” He said, in reference to the unusually bizarre greeting.

@Malon​

 

[Malon]

That... was harder to explain, and it showed. A look of uncertainty crossed Kalen's countenance. Leon was great, but he wasn't keen to the Jedi thing. The Force was not his cup of juma juice; and Kalen wasn't sure that a Force dream would register as a valid reason to kiss him like that. But—Kalen realized with a sigh—that was all he had.

His eyes flicked up to meet Leon's and a shy smile pulled at the corner of his lips. "Just... a bad dream, I guess." His expression melted into something else the longer he looked into Leon's eyes. Something more contemplative and serious. He saw the images from the dream again, but this time he resisted the urge to express his concern. "You're here now, though. That's what matters." And then, when he was more composed, he added, "I hope I didn't wake you?"

In the meantime, he reached out with the Force and touched the broken glass beneath them with his mind. The shards levitated until they were safely on the desk, where no one could accidentally step on them and cut their foot open. A simple thing, he thought, in a not so simple situation.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

“No, no,” Leon answered softly. “I’ve been having some strange dreams myself, but nothing I can’t handle.” He waved one hand nonchalantly, as if the very thought of his nightmare was simply rubbish. Although to the pirate, it was. They were only distant memories from a distant past. Still, as seemingly infinitesimal as it was to Leon, those thoughts still haunted him. His old crew, each drinking into a graceless, whimsical stupor? They were all dead now. The colony he had razed along with its inhabitants back on Hoth? No different. He may have learned to tuck those memories into the back of his head, but he still had yet to overcome them.

In time though, he hoped, those dreams would fade into oblivion. And with Leon only a breadth from enacting wrathful vengeance on the nightmares that killed his crew, perhaps then he could find some semblance of peace. Who knew, maybe if everything turned out right, Leon might settle down into a secluded chateau outside of the city and rooted deep into the forest, where he would live out his days with Kalen at his side.

He bit back a chuckle. Yeah, right. Leon had already decided on leaving the Jedi behind. As he had realized beforehand, the two were nothing alike. This— everything —was just the product of an unlikely alliance against a common enemy. His heart may flutter and his skin crawl whenever he was with Kalen, but what difference did that make? Love, whatever it was, never lasted in a galaxy as cold and ruthless as his own. And Leon knew he couldn’t hide his wicked past forever. Eventually, it would catch up to him, and the Jedi would be the one to leave.

He glanced down the cluttered desk and managed a smile. “So— your research. Have you found anything interesting on those Inferius?”

 

[Malon]

Kalen's smile drooped somewhat. Sighing through his nose, he shuffled passed Leon and plucked a map reader—a small, disc-like device—from among the clutter of the desk. Using his powers of the Force, he pulled the curtains to with a thought, darkening the room. Only then did he activate the reader, causing a holographic map of the galaxy to fill the contours of the room.

"We," he began, walking over to the endtable near Leon's side of the bed and indicating to a small planet floating just above the lamp, "were here when we met. When we encountered those things. The planet has no name that I can find. The worlds of the Unknown Regions are rarely given names unless the Order deems them important, like Ilum." His gaze shifted upwards, towards a cluster of stars surrounding the indicated planet, and he stroked the dark facial hair growing on his jawline. "I don't believe it is a coincidence that they were there. I think we discovered the edge of something."

Moving again, he shifted until he was standing next to the computer screen. Using it, he pulled up several tabs worth of data and information taken from the Jedi Archives on Dantooine. "They were an empire once, spreading dangerously close to the Outer Rim. Their mounds, much like the Killiks of the Core, can be found on many worlds surrounding ours." As he spoke, images of mounds, ancient and seemingly dormant appeared over the holographic specks that indicated the worlds the images originated from. "Something stopped them. The records do not indicate what. The Jedi Order encountered them ages ago, after their empire fell, but did nothing to stop them. At the time, they were not expanding, and perhaps the Order knew it would be in over its head to wage a war in the Unknown Regions... Either way, they left the records to be buried... and now we're all paying for it."

He cut off the holograms and used the Force to open up the curtains so that light again flooded the room. A moment of awkward silence passed before Kalen could speak again. "There are two possibilities. Either these things suddenly decided to start conquering again after thousands of years in their holes, or... or something has disturbed their nests... and they're fleeing something." His eyes met Leon's. "I don't rather like either."

Another pause.

He considered telling Leon about the dreams—their true meaning. But would the pirate even listen? Would he care that Kalen cared for him? He couldn't be certain. Even with his vast abilities to understand the feelings of others, Leon remained difficult to read at times. And, yet, whatever this was, he knew Leon—for all his toughness and snark—enjoyed tenderness. So he stepped forward and caressed the side of his face gently and, in so doing, his smile returned ever so softly.

"So what do we do?"

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

Stars shimmered to life within the cool confines of the room. Thin lines of asteroid belts and intricate, pocket-sized worlds fluttered before a dazzled Leon. He smiled. As Kalen mapped out a cluster of stars and explained his take on the enemy, the pirate stared down onto a microscopic Ord Antalaha. His fingertips brushed along its round edges. It was so small, so insignificant, in comparison to the rest of the galaxy. Yet, it meant more to him than any other world. It was here that he launched forward into fame as a pirate, where he had met Natalia and Giles hand-in-hand at a bar, and above all, where he first truly met Kalen as he was.

Life is a strange thing, he reiterated to himself.

The marble of a planet flickered and vanished back into nothing. His eyes wandered away from his now empty hands, locking onto Kalen’s own. The curtains slipped back and Leon took in his features one more time. I’m a lucky man, he thought. It’s not often you find a man good with a sword.

Leon bit back another chuckle from his own subtle joke, before placing one hand on his hip. He softened to his touch, but he remained stalwart, stiff. Now was not the time for sentiment. Both men had work to do, and spiders to kill. At least, that was what Leon liked to tell himself. In truth, he didn't want to grow anymore attached to the man than he already has— hard decisions needed to be made after all was said and done, and he didn’t want to make things even harder.

Still, he smirked. “I thought you’d know by now that I’m not much of a planner.” He shifted away from the Knight, taking a moment to consider their options. Not that they even had any, given his knowledge on the subject. So, he shrugged. “I’m not sure, Kalen, but I say we find whatever godforsaken monstrosity leads those spiders and blow the shit out of it.” It wasn’t exactly some cutting-edge plan, but… it was something. Although Leon knew with his suggestion, one of them was bound to end up minced and mangled. "But, hey, if you have anything better in mind, fire away."

 

[Malon]

"Simple as always, Leon," Kalen replied with a twisted smirk. "But... I think you might be on to something. Think back... back there. To that place. The more those things killed, the more that joined them. They caused the dead to walk and even the living turned into their puppets." Suddenly, Kalen's face lit up with realization. "Perhaps they are more like the Killiks than I thought! I bet you they have a hivemind. Theoretically, then, if we find the queen, we can snuff them out."

He remembered the dream. Go back...

His smile melted away. "That means we have to go back. I don't know if the queen is there—I doubt it; if it was their homeworld, the locals would've known sooner—but we might be able to find clues. And," he hesitated, "we might be able to give Eve some closure."

Tell him, a voice in the back of his mind said. And, of course, he knew, it was about the dream again; but he was distracted. Leon's thoughts were... distant. And not because he wanted them to be. There was conflict, the kind of conflict that made Kalen's stomach churn with concern.

"There's something else," Kalen said, though this time his voice was soft and soothing, like the caress of a gentle breeze. "Something's bothering you. What is it? You can tell me."

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

Nosy. Was the Jedi prying into his mind, or picking up the scent of guilt he now reeked of? His eyebrows knitted together. A hint of irritation seeped past his once content smile, now shifting into a grimace. Leon knew he couldn’t hide the truth forever. He knew, eventually, he would either have to come clean with his past, or leave Kalen altogether. Still, he didn’t want to tell the man now, not when they were so close to retribution. Leon couldn’t do that to him— nor to himself. “It’s nothing,” he said, waving his hand dismissively once again. “I’m just worried about Eve, is all.” His mind echoed. And you.

Leon drifted back toward the bed and picked up his classic smuggler’s jacket. Slipping into it with ease, he stretched out his arms and moved to the door, where his shoes and gear awaited for his departure. They couldn’t waste any more time. Every second lost meant those things were just a second closer to consuming another world, if not, the galaxy. And as much as he liked to think that he didn’t care for it— there was no denying his desire for revenge, as well as his promise to Kalen. Well, and because he was among the idiots who lived in it.

He fastened his utility belt, weapons and all, around his waist. Burying his thoughts even further into the back of his mind, Leon refused to lock his gaze with Kalen. He didn’t have the balls to look him into the eye and lie— not again. Not now. “Come on then, Jedi. Those spiders aren’t going to kill themselves. Natalia and Eve are probably waiting for us, too.”

 

[Malon]

"Wait!" The word is out before he can stop himself, and then it's too late to take it back. "There's more."

He sighed. He had to tell him. He had to tell Leon because he was beginning to realize that he didn't just want this to be a short-term thing. He actually cared for the man in front of him. And if Corvo and Shae Vis could be happy—two former Sith among Jedi—then he wasn't going to let the Code retrain him either. And that required the truth. "It's about... my dream." And now there really was no stopping.

"It wasn't just a nightmare, Leon. It was a premonition... something of the Force. I saw your crew. I..." Suddenly, his tongue was thick with emotion. So this is why Jedi were told to be careful of love. "I saw you. I don't know if there's a way to stop what I saw. And—" Lay it bare, Kalen. You've come this far. "—I don't know if can accept that."

There. It was said. The implications were there, if Leon chose to see them. If he chose to accept them. If he didn't, then Kalen was losing more than just an ally in this conflict. He might also be losing someone he was beginning to develop feelings for. And that was almost more than he could bear.

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

His hand hovered over the handle to the door. He paused. Then, his fingers tightened into a fist, and he smacked it into the wooden frame. A splinter pricked into his knuckles, now pale, but Leon showed no concern for it. His mind, his eyes, reeled back toward Kalen. Instead of seething anger, there was only heartache, pain. Leon wanted to hide away, ignore the nightmares of his own past, and move on. He wanted to kill those damned monsters, to avenge Eve, his crew, and in a way, himself. He wanted redemption, even if it meant dying.

Jaw tightened, Leon glowered icily at the Knight. “I know what I’m getting into, Kalen. I know the risks that come with fighting powers beyond even my comprehension. I know I’m stubborn, thick-headed, and irresponsible.” His voice cracked. “But I’ve done things you couldn’t imagine. These hands—“ He looked down to them, and a thin line of blood trickled off the side. “—my hands, are stained with the blood of innocent people.” Anger, anguish, and shame saturated his mind.

With one finger, he knocked the side of his head. “Look inside me Kalen, and tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’m not a liar, a cheat, and a killer.” His eyes burrowed into his sockets as he shook his head. “There’s no running away from that, but you know what? I don’t care if I die. I don’t care if those damned nightmares rip me apart limb by limb. I deserve it, but at least I can die for a cause greater than myself. At least I can die redeemed.”

Leon didn’t want to care, but he did. Deep down, past that cold, nonchalant visage, there was a broken heart. Years of duct taping it together with drinks, friends, and wealth did nothing to restore it all together. He was still hurt. It wasn’t until he found Kalen that he discovered an opportunity to not only feel whole again, but a chance to make amends for the many he had wronged before. For his crew, for those on Hoth and in the Unknown Regions. For everyone.

 

[Malon]

Kalen's first instinct was to grab Leon and hold him until someone came and forced them apart. Instead, his approach was more measured. He took Leon's bleeding hand in his own and applied the Force until he felt the broken skin began to heal. "I can't give you redemption," he said plainly, though there was an edge of sympathy to his voice. "Redemption is personal. It's for you; you have to find it and you alone can claim it."

Redemption from what, though? Kalen couldn't help from wondering. Leon had been an unapologetic pirate until... Until they met. Was there something to that? Kalen refused to believe there was something transformative about his skills in bed. Guilt hung thick in the air. Leon's guilt. There was something else. Something the pirate wasn't telling him. Unconsciously, Kalen touched the Force, and the physical touch became electric as he was drawn into the coldness of Leon's memories. There was only a flash, but he saw what he needed to see, and suddenly he understood why his own dream had been so cold.

Hoth.

The realization hits him like a freighter. "You were there. On Hoth. All those years ago..." His eyes glazed over as his own mind worked to peel back the years. To peer back onto that frozen tundra. If Leon had been there when the villagers were massacred, Kalen couldn't remember him. "And that's what you're really seeking redemption from, because... you're afraid of what I'd think. What I'd do."

It is what you are made of... "Leon—" Where you are from. "I still can't offer you redemption." Once you start down the dark path, other voices were joining those from the vision. The Force was growing more potent. "But I cannot condemn you either." forever will it dominate your destiny.

"The Force, it brought us together," he continued, "just as it brought my Master to me on Hoth. You once helped kill the villagers on Hoth. The villagers my Master and I were sworn to protect. The villagers I failed." He paused. "And now, we're both grown, and we've learned many things since then. Perhaps, now, we can save lives. Perhaps, this time, we won't fail." He didn't realize he was leaning in close to Leon until the last words were on his tongue and his breath was dusting the other man's lips. Pain stabbed at him. The pain his younger self had felt at losing the villagers. And he felt the dark side whisper to him, Make him suffer. Take your revenge. Instead, he pressed his lips to Leon's gently, and then pulled away.

"And, when it's over, when we've won," he stepped back and raised his palm towards the endtable, where his lightsaber responded and flew into his grip. "We'll sort out what it is this 'thing' is between us and leave the past in the frozen wastes of Hoth, where it belongs."

@Deviant

 

[Deviant]

His eyes were welded shut, fighting back the anguish that threatened to seep through. But he wasn’t met with the smack of Kalen’s hand, a voice steeped in anger, or the scathing end of his blade. Instead, there was compassion, love, and above all, forgiveness. A love that Leon had not felt for the totality of his life, and a forgiveness he had yearned years for but never expected. Kalen was entrusted with the protection of the colony, a colony that Leon helped to bury in fire and ice. Even still, he sought instead to bury the hatchet. Unlike Leon, he chose to move beyond blind vengeance. He chose to forgive.

As soon as the other man recoiled back from the kiss, Leon opened his eyes. This time, he couldn’t hold back his tears. Though rather than weighed down by overwhelming regret, there was a ray of comfort. He offered a thin smile, and wrapped Kalen into a hug. His fingertips frayed against his back and he pressed his nose into his shoulder. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered into the fabric of his shirt, voice mellow. He wanted to stay in this embrace forever, knowing once they stepped through that door, neither would come back the same. And if Kalen’s vision was true, then only one of them would return at all.

Better him than me. His thoughts echoed. Still, now more than ever, Leon wanted to live. Not for the treasures of the Outer-Rim or the sweet taste of glory, but for Kalen. Perhaps the two truly weren’t poles apart. Perhaps they were both only human— each stumbling in the dark in search for relief. And with the Knight, Leon found that relief. Suddenly, he didn’t want to leave him anymore. He didn’t want to leave his warm embrace behind for the sake of a hollow future. He wanted a future worth more than any number of credits, and Kalen offered just that.

Leon moved back out of the hug and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He smiled. "Sorry, I..." A pause. "Thank you."

 

[Malon]

Kalen accepted Leon's hug gratefully and chuckled softly when the pirate recited his 'worthiness.' "I am not so sure either of us deserves the other," he admitted truthfully. "Wish it wasn't so, but we both know it to be true. Others would say so, at least, certainly some among your crew." A smirk touched his lips. "Had I cared about that, though, I would have stopped pursuing you in one of the ample opportunities you've given me to do so."

As Leon stepped away from him, the smirk on his face blossomed into a genuine smile. "Leon, everyone deserves some manner of happiness—and I don't mean the five to ten minutes you were planning on spending with me in that brothel." The smile became a smirk and he raised an eyebrow before clipping his lightsaber to his belt and readjusting his tunic. He could laugh about that now. They both could. "I'm just glad you had a Change of Heart."

Then he held out his hand for Leon to take, answering his Thank you with a ravishing smile. "Let's go. We have plans to make and bugs to squash."

@Deviant