Ask Misadventures

[Emryc Thorne]

This planet being far out in the middle of nowhere and hardly populated meant that Emryc didn’t conceal his identity. The air was chilly, but only in areas of high altitude. Instead of armor, he opted to wear a black, breathable top and tan pants with boots. He had a sporty chrono on his wrist. He also wore a Rancors hat, a camping pack strapped to his back. Weeks had passed since the hospital, and Emryc was recovered save for a few scars.

As promised, Jaikus had actually contacted him in advance before this artifact hunt, and Emryc had a chance to prepare. The planet had sections in it with varying levels of gravity, which allowed for curious sights such as floating mountains and platforms. These were pockets of areas, the surrounding terrain allowing normal gravity. The air was noticeably thinner so hiking needed to be paced. While Emryc was in exceptionally good shape, even he would need the aid of oxygen in some of the higher altitude areas. He could rely on the Force for a lot of it, but he carried supplies just in case.

The two had been going up along a cliff side path for a while and they hadn’t spotted the marker they had been looking for - a stack of rocks arranged in a specific way. There was no service out here and Emryc wanted to conserve their remaining powers, suggesting the use of paper maps. Jaikus had the map as the two men trekked along the path.

The half Sephi paused when they arrived at an overlook, squinting across the valleys, floating mountains and drops below in the distance. But still no sign of the marker. Emryc finally tilted his head to look at Jaikus who was no doubt ready to throw something. The stubborn Axxilan refused to accept any kind of defeat and the half Sephi quietly followed for a while, but hours had passed by now.

“I’m telling you, we’re lost,” He stated flatly at last, “I don’t think you’re as good at navigating as you believe,” Emryc eyed him, fully aware these were dangerous words when the half Sephi was standing so close to the edge of a cliff.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

It had been a few weeks at this point since Jaikus and Emryc had last seen each other at the hospital, giving the half-Sephi time to recover from his injuries. They had kept in touch since then, though there was very little ‘conversation’ in their correspondences. Instead, the two communicated as they usually did – by exchanging series of lighthearted memes back and forth, usually poking fun at the other person in some kind of way.

Jaikus waited until Emryc was long-since discharged from the hospital before he reached out about this current adventure. The planet and artifact associated with it were something Jaikus had been doing some research on for a while now. It was the thing he had been researching the night he heard the HoloNet announcement of Emryc’s kidnapping, and the work had gone untouched until after they parted on Thyferra. The weeks since then had given him time to consolidate his work enough to justify traveling to the planet.

He had sent a small summary of the research and request for Emryc to tag along, only after mulling over the message for a solid half hour. In typical fashion, the message was met with a simple ‘okay’ response from the half-Sephi, and they agreed to rendezvous at the base of the hiking trail not long after.

Living up to his promise made at the hospital, Jaikus actually made an effort to alert Emryc before he showed up – breaking the tradition of abruptly appearing like a Lepusa beneath the half-Sephi’s feet. He gave a few hours notice before he arrived on the strange-yet-beautiful planet, soon thereafter appearing from behind a tree and greeting Emryc at the base of the hiking trail.

Much to Emryc’s surprise, Jaikus wasn’t dressed entirely impractically for their adventure – trading in his usually formal attire and instead opting for something that made more sense to hike in. Atleast in his mind, anyway. The Axxilan wore a simple white t-shirt and black jacket pulled over the top, coupled with slim-fitting jeans and a pair of hiking boots. He smelt faintly of his usual cologne, and as per usual his outfit was accessorized by a chrono on his wrist.

The first few minutes of their hike had actually gone by rather uneventfully – a casual bit of back-and-forth filling the silence as they walked. While Jaikus was dwarfed by the half-Sephi in size, the man was nevertheless in good shape cardio-wise and kept pace with Emryc the entire way. How long his stamina would last remained to be seen, but he hadn’t started to complain quite yet.

At one point or another Jaikus had been gifted the map, and so began the downward spiral that led them to the present moment.

A few hours had passed, and somehow the hike seemed a bit less pleasant than before. A quick look at Jaikus’ face revealed that the man was less-than-pleased with their current situation, and it wasn’t hard to imagine why. He had actually been enjoying himself when the hike began – in no small part due to the person he was traveling with – but the fact that they had gotten themselves lost caused the annoyance was starting to keep up onto his expression. Though, of course, the streak of stubbornness from the Axxilan prevented him from expressing any of this outwardly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He quipped back, his tone exceptionally confident for someone who very clearly hadn’t the slightest clue where he was going. “I am an excellent navigator, and I know exactly where we are.” He pointed out a specific point on the map, gesturing to an exceptionally broad section where the pair likely were.

After walking a bit more, Jaikus stopped abruptly in his tracks – coming to a halt and likely causing Emryc to walk right into the back of him if the half-Sephi wasn’t paying attention. Citrine eyes narrowed harshly upon the map he clearly knew so much about. As if to accentuate that point, Jaikus raised the map out in front of his body to look at it, slowly but surely tilting it clockwise until the paper was practically sideways.

It was a sight that likely made absolutely no sense to Emryc. As if to make the situation worse, Jaikus’ head followed the map as it turned – tilting in what felt like slow motion until he was craning his neck horizontally. After a few seconds of very careful observation, Jaikus nodded confidently. “This way.”

He continued on in the same direction as they had been for the past hour.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc said nothing in response for a moment, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. As Jaikus began walking again, the half Sephi followed. Throughout this entire hike Jaikus acted like some hiking pioneer paving the way to glory. Emryc plodded along, but he knew fully well they were lost. Unfortunately for them both, the half Sephi had a lot of patience and would keep trucking along. He glanced down at his chrono, noting how they wasted at least three hours.

He had been looking down when Jaikus abruptly stopped, causing Emryc to collide against him from behind. A man of his size running into someone meant being trucked by a wall. Jaikus would likely stumble a bit and Emryc instinctively grabbed the Axxilan by the hips to stabilize him. Emryc had a look of pure unamusement on his face as he released him and stepped back, glancing over his head to look at the map.

The half Sephi’s eyes narrowed slightly as he began to wonder if the map was right side up before Jaikus abruptly flipped it to the side. Emryc stared dumbfounded as Jaikus tilted himself entirely to read the map after gesturing vaguely to some random spot. He remained standing even as the Axxilan confidently trekked forth.

“Jaikus, we are on the wrong mountain,” Emryc called out behind him. He rubbed his forehead for a moment before walking behind him, “I’m pretty sure the right mountain is over ten kilometers due south and-” He exhaled, shaking his head. Jaikus wasn’t even listening at this point. Grumbling to himself, Emryc kept following the other man as they reached near the summit of the path an hour later.

Waiting for them was a herd of goats. One of them stared at Jaikus and bleated loudly. There was nothing else up here. A bird called out in the distance somewhere.

Seconds passed.

The sound of a crumpling wrapper erupted behind Jaikus as the half Sephi pulled out a granola bar, a napkin layered beneath his hand to prevent accidental touching. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully for a moment.

“Want to ask the goat for directions?” He asked casually with a deadpan expression, “May have better luck if we give him the map.”

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Minutes seemed to bleed together, and Jaikus continued to forge the path ahead. The man was known for the confident and unapologetic way that he always operated, very rarely allowing doubt or hesitation to play out externally. While it was, in many ways, a positive hallmark of his personality, it also made the Axxilan exceptionally stubborn when he set his mind to something.

He was determined that this was the right way, and there was likely very little Emryc could do to convince him otherwise.

When the half-Sephi collided into the back of him, Jaikus stumbled forward a bit. Entirely fixated on the map infront of him, the Axxilan was somehow not expecting Emryc to walk into the back of him when he stopped abruptly in the road. There had been a puddle right in front of him at that moment, and the half-Sephi’s quick reaction was the only thing that saved Jaikus from likely faceplanting into the mud.

Blinking a few times, Jaikus turned back to give Emryc a nod of thanks before turning back to the road ahead. He carefully stepped over the puddle, once more picking up the pace. Jaikus heard the half-Sephi call out behind him, though he gave no indication that he was listening – instead training his attention upon the map. The Axxilan kept the oversized paper out in front of him most of the time, citrine eyes frequently flicking up to glance at the trail ahead.

Another hour passed, and any hopes that he might’ve been going the right way were summarily dashed when they reached the summit. The Axxilan was positive about the ancient ruins that were supposed to be waiting for them, and instead the pair of men were greeted by a small cluster of grazing goats.

One of the goats bleated loudly at Jaikus, causing the man to blink a few times. The urge to throw something surged again, though it was quickly suppressed. Instead, Jaikus began to carefully consult the map once again, trying very hard to find the point where they had taken a wrong turn.

The realization that Emryc had been right about their directions all along was starting to dawn on him. Considering that Jaikus couldn’t actually remember the last time he read a map before this point, it wasn’t exactly a surprising revelation. Of course, none of this was expressed verbally. Jaikus was going to make-out with that goat before he ever admitted he was lost.

Seconds passed, and Jaikus’ attention was drawn back by the sound of a wrapper crumpling. His head snapped behind him, citrine eyes settling upon the sight of Emryc crunching into a granola bar, as well as the exceptionally weird way he ate with the napkins. He had observed the half-Sephi’s aversion to touching food back on Tattooine, and it still puzzled him to no end.

Jaikus didn’t actually respond for a few seconds. Instead, he simply stared at the granola bar – deciding that he was equally starting to get hungry this far into the hike. Wordlessly, the Axxilan reached into his pocket, pulling out the small ziplock of granola clusters he brought with him. Unlike on Telos, Jaikus actually enjoyed the food he packed for himself, opening the bag and quickly starting to munch on the snack. He picked up each granola cluster delicately with two fingers, popping them into his mouth one by one.

A few seconds of eating would pass before he actually responded. “If you want to bleat at the goat for directions, by all means.” Jaikus narrowed his eyes on Emryc, looking slightly annoyed at the earlier suggestion.

Nevertheless, a ghost of a grin tugged at his lips the longer he thought about the half-Sephi bleating conversationally at the goat. Jaikus munched his granola for a few more minutes before finally stashing it away.

Grumbling under his breath, the Axxilan finally turned on a heel and began to hike back down from the summit, the closest thing that Emryc was going to get to an admission of being wrong. What felt like an eternity would pass as the pair retraced their steps, passing the same landmarks until they reached a fork in the road – the one where they had clearly made a wrong turn.

Another extended period would pass, and the pair finally passed by the stacks of rocks that served as their marker. Jaikus, all the while, continued to blaze a trail as if he had known where he was going the entire time.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc watched with silent horror as Jaikus brought out granola clusters to eat. His distaste was clear on his face as the man picked the food out with his fingers, dropping a few crumbs and making a mess as he did so. Why was it necessary to eat granola that way when there was a perfectly good bar option?

He was internally relieved when Jaikus finally accepted defeat, spinning on his heel to begin hiking back down. Emryc opened his mouth to suggest camping since it would be very late before they got anywhere useful for today, and they would be too exhausted. He looked over his shoulder at the exceptionally flat and great campsite setup overlooking a great view. Minus the goats for company, they couldn’t have found a more ideal place.

And then he saw Jaikus stomping off in a huff.

Emryc decided not to fight that battle, following the other man and leaving behind the stellar campsite. He walked slightly behind Jaikus, munching on his granola as he walked. They walked in silence for a few moments before Emryc finally spoke.

“Tell me a story about Axxila,” He said out of the blue before taking another bite from the granola. Jaikus would be given a few moments to tell a story until Emryc felt a nudge against his leg. Looking down revealed that one of the goats had followed them the entire way, intent on following Jaikus. It must have been the damn granola crumbs the Axxilan spilled all over the place. The goat casually walked over to begin chewing on the bottom of Jaikus’ jeans. Emryc watched with mild amusement, making no moves to help.

Their path took them past a large pond, which to Jaikus was just a bigger puddle. Emryc noticed that the goat had taken quite a liking to Jaikus, lovingly nudging and pushing him along as they walked. The half Sephi simply kept calmly eating his granola, keeping a respectable distance between himself and the sight before him.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus noted the distaste on Emryc’s face, but he didn't seem to pay it any mind or let it prevent him from eating. This was the same man that had eaten fish off of a stick like an uncivilized caveman, and yet touching granola – or a bloody lemon, for that matter – caused the half-Sephi’s face to contort in all sorts of different ways. Jaikus didn't understand it, and continued to delicately pick at pieces of granola as if he never saw the look from Emryc.

Grumpily accepting defeat and coming to the realization that he’d been wrong this entire time, Jaikus was entirely focused on getting as far away from the summit and the goats as possible. He didn’t even notice the ideal campsite with its stunning views, despite the fact that the Axxilan would’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, in all reality. Instead of appreciating the vista, Jaikus huffed and followed the path they had previous blazed, passing each landmark and disturbing puddle as they went. A few minutes of silence passed, and Jaikus paused when Emryc spoke, the request for a story seeming to surprise him.

Jaikus thought for a small bit after that. A story about Axxila? He had dozens of different stories he could tell, having grown up on the planet, but none of them were particular interesting or thought-provoking tales. Instead, Jaikus fixated on one of the few particular stories that stuck out in his mind. “Alright.”

He reached out for a nearby boulder as he started to speak, using it to pull himself up a particularly steep section of the trail. “Well, if you’ve never been to Axxila.. It’s not that dissimilar to Taris or Coruscant. Thousands of different vertical levels stacked up on top of each other – and the higher you got, the wealthier the people got.”

Jaikus cleared his throat. “Well, I grew up on the three-thousand-three-hundred-and-thirty-fifth level – so right up at very top. Literally. The penthouse where my family lived was so high above the surface, that the clouds used to pass below the balcony. Needless to say, neither me or any of my siblings had actually seen the lower levels. So, naturally, we got curious.”

He paused for a moment, correcting himself. “By we, I mean my sister, Hatice, and I. We got curious about visting the Lower Levels, so we - well mostly Hatice, I was actually against it at first - conjured up this idea to steal one of the speeder bikes and go down a few levels – just to see what was down there.”

“I was..” He paused for a moment. “Fourteen or fifteen? I can’t remember, but Hatice was a year younger.” That was a detail he remembered clearly. She was his youngest sibling, trailing him by only a year in age. “Anyway—..Huh?”

Just as Jaikus was in the middle of talking, he felt the goat brush against his leg. They had walked a decent distance at this point, and yet the goat had trailed them the whole way. The Axxilan paused for a moment, watching practically in slow motion as the goat walked over, biting the hem of his jeans and starting to roll the fabric in its teeth.

It took Jaikus a few seconds to actually process what was happening. “W-wait! No, no! BAD GOAT!” Jaikus flailed his leg, pulling his jeans free from the hungry animal. The goat bleated loudly in protest, causing the Axxilan to blink a few times. A part of him wanted to ignore the beast, continuing on as if it was never there.

Instead, Jaikus cautiously reached into his bag of granola, pulling out a few granola pieces with his hands. He dropped them onto the ground, watching as the goat gleefully picked them up immediately afterward. The Axxilan looked back up to Emryc for a moment, staring at the half-Sepi for a moment before he continued – both along the path and with his story.

“…Anyway. So, we steal the speeder bike, right? Neither of us actually knew how to drive properly, so it’s a wonder we didn’t kill ourselves in the process, but we started to make it down a few levels.” Jaikus paused his story once again, glancing back down to his feet. He had continued to drop granola chucks every few seconds, and the goat followed him affectionately – nudging lovingly against his leg.

He didn’t actually admit how cute he thought this all was.

At some point or another during the story, a bright smile had wormed its way onto Jaikus’ face – clear whenever he tilted his head down to drop another granola chunk for the goat. It was clearly a fond memory, one that the Axxilan hadn’t thought about in ages. So much had happened since then, and the stories of his upbringing were something he had pushed to the bottom of his mind.

“You know how I said the higher you got, the wealthier the people got? Well, the same is true the other way around. Go down a few levels, and you start to dip into the less-savory parts of Axxila. Cantinas, brothels, shady casinos, you name it – all of it can be found the further you go down.”

“We were only actually supposed to be gone for a little while – just long enough to explore and then make our way back. Sure enough, just as we were thinking of heading back, the repulsor on the bike started to go out. Sputtered and just died on us, right then and there. Complete hunk of junk after that.”

Jaikus sighed.

“We wandered the Lower Levels for.. I don’t even remember how long – hours at least. Hard to tell the time of day when your so far down, y’know? So just to kill the time, we tried to get a closer look at some of the sights. Hatice had the bright idea try to sneak into a cantina, but that when over about as well as you can expect.”

He shook his head just then. “We lasted for all of five minutes, before this Besalisk bouncer caught on to us. Tried to run but that didn’t work.”

The Axxilan shuddered, as if remembering something genuinely fear-inducing. “Threw us both out on our asses. Literally.” Jaikus grumbled under his breath. “..Threw me in a damn puddle – which on the lower levels are fucking disgusting.”

Jaikus paused as they passed the large pond, stopping to take a look at the clue, crystal clear water. The sun had already started to dip low into the horizon, painting the sky with brilliant shades of purple, orange and red. The sunset was reflected against the water, rippling with the slightly breeze and generating faint, gentle waves that lapped at the shoreline.

It was at this point Jaikus turned back to look at Emryc. He hadn’t done so the entire time he’d been talking, blissfully droning on with the story whether the half-Sephi was listening or not. He stared blankly for a moment, blinking as he realized he’d been talking for several minutes at this point. He cleared his throat once more.

“Anyway.. This all went on for a couple more hours. Eventually security forces caught up to us. The tracker in the bike was still good, and we hadn’t wandered too far from it after it broke down. Needless to say, there was absolute hell to pay when we got back.”

Jaikus turned his attention back to the pond for a moment, looking out over the sunset reflected on the water. Unlike the vistas from before, he actually took the time to appreciate the natural beauty of the current location. Through it all, the goat had followed them the entire way – currently standing between Jaikus’ legs, brushing affectionately against his calf. “Maybe this is a good place to set up for the night..”

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was quiet the entire time Jaikus told his story, walking with the other man as he finished up his granola bar. He neatly folded and rolled up the wrapper before stashing it, not one to litter. Jaikus knew that about him from when he didn’t ditch his empty smoothie container till he ran by a waste bin even during a crisis on Keldooine. The half Sephi surveyed the interactions between Jaikus and the goat, watching how the man actually lit up because of the animal and grew affectionate despite initially scolding it.

Emryc had been toying with the idea of the goat becoming dinner for Jaikus, but clearly that wasn’t going to fly. It served the half Sephi just fine as he wouldn’t have touched it. He kept his gaze on the Axxilan as he told his story, watching the subtle shifts in his expression as he went over each detail. Jaikus didn’t look at him, but Emryc had no qualms with staring his way. The normally frosty expression on his face gave way to something much warmer as he watched the other man. He was temporarily lost in the idle smiles that came from the memories, the way his eyes glinted or the way his tone shifted and changed as he spoke of his sister. Emryc almost tripped over a rock because he had been staring, which he recovered rather smoothly from right away to keep walking.

He walked alongside Jaikus the entire time, briefly wondering what led to Emryc asking such a question in the first place. He was historically not the type to ever ask such things of others. He was simply apathetic and neutral about the history or origins of others. And yet he had asked Jaikus about his without a second thought. In fairness, no one ever asked about Emryc’s own origins either. Likely because there was nothing to tell. No elaborate or fond memories with families. Anyone he came across likely knew he had no story to tell outside of what splashed across Holonet.

Emryc had heard every word of Jaikus’ story, grinning especially at the part about the puddle. This explained the phobia and the distaste for them wherever he went. The half Sephi glanced down briefly at the goat before he finally spoke, “Where is your sister now?”

The half Sephi looked around the site, grimacing slightly. It wasn’t ideal, but it would do. There was a lot of mud and uneven terrain, and he was sure they would be interrupted by snakes or other critters at night. However, there was nothing better close by. Emryc began to take off his pack, unclipping the tent he carried to prepare the site.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

In those minutes as they walked, Jaikus hadn’t even realized that he started to babble. The request for a story had been unexpected, though it clearly wasn’t something the Axxilan was uncomfortable talking about. He delved into the story with vivid detail, suddenly drawn back to a time that seemed so much more plain and simple. To a time before he was truly Sith, carrying with him the weight of all that affiliation brought with it.

Lost in his own words and colorful recollection, Jaikus didn’t even realize how he had begun to smile stupidly, nor did he notice the subtle changes in his expression. He ranted on about his sister for what felt like an eternity, entirely missing the way the half-Sephi stared at him and nearly tripped over a rock while doing so. He kept his eyes trained ahead most of the story, only glancing down to feed the goat that had started to follow them.

When the story came to its end, Jaikus took a moment to inspect the potential campsite that he’d suggested. It was clear that the Axxilan had exceptionally little experience with the outdoors, as whatever problems there was with the terrain went right over his head. Keldooine had been the man’s first time sleeping beneath the stars, and the present moment marked the second.

Jaikus had chosen the location purely for the aesthetic appeal. Had he been paying attention back at the previous summit, he would’ve made his decision to set up camp there for entirely the same reasons – ignoring any practical value that the flat, isolated location provided.

When Emryc started to prepare the site and removed the tent from his pack, Jaikus made his way over to help the man. He didn’t actually know what he was doing, but the Axxilan wasn’t just going to stand around while the other man did all the work. The goat, of course, was right there as well. Bleating at Emryc and likely causing the half-Sephi to reconsider turning the animal into dinner.

The question from Emryc caused Jaikus to pause. Almost immediately, Emryc would be able to see the way that the Axxilan’s smile died, the color seemed to drain from his face slightly. There was no anger or distain that was directed towards the half-Sephi for asking the question, but the pain in his expression was unmistakable.

It was a wound that had been reopened for the first time on Telos, and the question now only tore away a scab that had just started to form.

There was a prolonged moment of silence before he responded. “Well.” Jaikus began, though the man did not sit idle while he spoke – instead choosing to take out supplies and help prepare the site.

“You know, about how Axxila was brought under with territory? The planet wasn’t invaded or annexed through diplomatic negotiations. Instead, the planet waged a bitter civil war amongst itself. Split the government of the planet in half – one faction supporting continued independence, or even membership within the FWA, while the other faction supported aligning with the Sith.” He cleared his throat. “My family had been exceptionally vocal supporters of the latter.”

“The conflict consumed Axxila for months. Split the planet right down the middle when it came to the populace, and there wasn’t anywhere on the planet where the fighting didn’t spread in some way. Entire levels became battlegrounds for the fighting, with each faction constantly vying for control.”

“Eventually, of course, the Sith-affiliated faction won out – in no small part due to support from the Order – but it wasn’t without heavy losses. Towards the end of the conflict, just as the war began to tip in our favor, a plan was devised. Some of the radicals wanted to assassinate the Sith leadership and bureaucrats - thought that by executing the men at the top, it would cause disarray and give them the opportunity to bounce back.”

He chewed on the bottom of his lip. “I wasn’t there, at the time, but my family were among those targeted.”

His voice grew a bit quieter, though still easily audible for the half-Sephi’s sensitive ears. The hints of pain in his voice were unmistakable, and yet he spoke through them. “Most of them were found in the penthouse itself. The apartment complex wasn’t heavily guarded, so.. They overwhelmed the security without much difficulty.” Jaikus didn’t go into the explicit details of what followed, but Emryc would be able to fill in the blanks.

He stared down at his feet, citrine eyes fixating onto his boots as if they were the most interesting things in the world. The hike to this point had done a number on them, caked with mud, and bearing multiple scuff marks across the surface.

“We never actually found Hatice. There were thousands killed in the fighting, and plenty of bodies never resurfaced. We just assumed..” He trailed off for a few seconds. He sighed, shaking his head. “We assumed she suffered the same fate.”

With that, Jaikus fell silent for a while. Citrine eyes rose from his boots, instead choosing to staring out towards the pond. He watched as the sun began to set lower into the sky, falling below the horizon and hiding beneath one of the planets many mountain peaks. Vivid colors grew muted and dim, fading with the sun and giving way to the rich blue night sky.

A few more moments passed before Jaikus finally turned back to Emryc. “Your turn.” He said abruptly, citrine eyes fixing onto the half-Sephi.

“Tell me a story. About where your from or.. Anything, really.”

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Though Jaikus was worthless about the tent, Emryc was exceptionally patient. Not only did he tell Jaikus what went where, but he paused to show the other man how to do it. Right away it would become clear that the half Sephi loved being a teacher at his core. He had a penchant for explaining things and stepping back to observe as the other person attempted. Within moments, Jaikus was expertly helping set up the site and they had one tent up. Emryc was about to ask about the second tent right after his question about the sister, but he paused.

Emryc blinked as Jaikus suddenly looked uncomfortable at his question. The sight bothered him more than he would admit. He immediately wondered if asking was the wrong decision. He had a history of not asking, and now it only drew out discomfort. Emryc was about to mention that the Axxilan owed him no answers when the man began to speak.

He was only vaguely familiar with what happened on Axxila, and he listened quietly. As Jaikus spoke, it became clear this was something the man wanted to share regardless of how he felt. He watched the other man stare down at his feet. The goat, as if picking up on it, gently nudged his leg and lingered for a moment before being distracted by a flower it wanted to eat.

Jaikus knew the kind of connections and power Emryc had. He had the Bothan intelligence network at his fingertips and some of the best spy and recon network in the galaxy. He could easily track down anyone dead or alive. Jaikus could have asked him, but Emryc knew he wouldn’t. Nevertheless, it was a detail he planted away at the back of his mind. There would be a few comm calls made without the Axxilan ever knowing unless it actually yielded anything.

For the moment, Emryc focused on the man as he looked off into the distance. He didn’t need the Force to sense that the topic distressed him greatly. The half Sephi didn’t ask other questions, quiet even after Jaikus asked for his story. Emryc watched Jaikus and the way he stood with the sinking sun behind him.

The half Sephi walked across after a moment and closed the distance, wrapping his arms around the other man without a word and pulling him into a tight embrace. He wasn’t the type to be able to offer words of comfort or say the right things. However, he did have the desire to simply hold Jaikus then until his eyes went back to their usual vibrant and cheerful ways.

“My story doesn’t matter,” He stated quietly while embracing him.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus didn’t quite know why he had felt the need to explain the situation to Emryc, but he did so without thinking twice about it. Since the situation on Axxila had occurred, Jaikus had made a concerted effort to force the memories and the loss to the darkest recesses of his mind - one of the few things the man ever tried to compartmentalize and tuck away. Painful as it was, it was a loss that had begun to grow numb for the Axxilan, up until their shared experiences on Telos.

The visions forced upon him there had torn that wound wide open, twisting his memories and inflicting images upon Jaikus that he had desperately hoped he might learn to forget. Months had passed since leaving that frigid planet, and it was quickly becoming clear that wasn’t possible – remaining a wound that festered just below the surface.

Despite the pain that seemed to lace his words, there was an undeniably sense of relief that same from being able to get it off his chest. It only occurred to Jaikus after he finished speaking that it was the first time he’d talked about the situation – vocalizing a pain and loss that had festered inside up until this point.

Jaikus asked his question about Emryc’s past, and quickly found himself looking back down to his feet when he didn’t immediately get an answer. He barely noticed the goat when it affectionately brushed against his leg, citrine eyes briefly flicking over to watch it munch down a brightly colored wildflower.

A few moments passed, and Jaikus only glanced up from his feet when he heard the half-Sephi move, catching sight of the man closing the distance before suddenly finding himself wrapped in the Emryc's arms. It was the same tender, warm embrace that Jaikus had first felt on Tattooine, and had quickly grown to cherish since that time. As if on instinct, the Axxilan wrapped his arms around the half-Sephi’s neck, tugging him a bit closer in that moment. Without really thinking, Jaikus turned his head to the side and laid it tenderly against Emryc’s shoulder, his eyes closing as he quickly felt himself melting into the other man’s arms.

There were no words that there spoken, for their didn’t need to be. For once, Jaikus had no desire to fill the silence or to be asked any additional questions – though he likely would have answered them if they came. There was meaning and significance behind the way Emryc held him, a comfort more than words likely ever could.

He heard the words that were spoken by the half-Sephi, though he did not respond to them immediately, instead allowing himself to cherish the feeling of the other man’s embrace for a while longer. A few more seconds would pass before the Axxilan finally spoke, breaking the silence.

“It matters to me.” Jaikus muttered quietly.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc felt Jaikus wrap his arms around his neck, the sensation one that he had grown to crave. It was as if his arms always belonged there, and it was a familiar gesture of comfort that pulled him away from the chaos of the galaxy. The worlds could collapse around him, and he would find his peace with the Axxilan’s arms around his neck and shoulders. His own arms were firmly wrapped around the man’s slender form, his smaller frame easily fitting against the much larger half Sephi.

For a moment there was nothing but silence as he felt Jaikus rest his head against his shoulder. Emryc gazed out towards the pond, seeing the gentle ripples in the water as the fish came up every now and then. He saw the sun disappear entirely over the horizon and the blue and pink hues amalgamating to reflect over the water.

There was nothing that needed to be said immediately. There was no rush, no sense of urgency or the pending need to do something. Time was still then, and he knew this was exactly where he wanted to be. It was a moment he wanted to commit to memory as he had done on Tatooine when he thought he never would again. Those mental hesitations and the resistance was slowly easing away, making him realize that the only barriers were ones put up by him.

Emryc said nothing for a few minutes after Jaikus spoke. The words were simple and yet held far more weight than he could ever say. The half Sephi stared vacantly off at the pond, the genuine and tender words echoing within his mind over and over again. He squeezed Jaikus tighter and closer to him before he stepped back.

Without warning, he grabbed Jaikus by the wrist and dragged the man down towards the ground with him. He plopped back on the grass, making the Axxilan lay down on the grass beside him. Emryc gazed up at the skies that rapidly began to turn into a brilliant blue with stars dotting the canvas before disappearing into the hints of pink and purple still lingering behind. Multiple moons could be seen at once.

“I was born on a space station,” Emryc said quietly, “So when I looked out of the windows, I saw nothing but stars. It was pitch black and stars. Day, night, evening. I thought that’s how it looked everywhere at all times. I thought that was all there was to it. I stopped looking at it,” He explained as he stared up above, “When I first set foot on a planet, I spent weeks just gazing up at the sky. I couldn’t believe this was the same sky I saw from up there. And I realized how much people in the galaxy flocked to just stare up at something I had in my backyard. And yet the entire time I spent hours on the space station wondering what it felt like to feel grass under my feet. What it felt like to see clouds move and shift across the sky to remind me that everything moved. That everything passed. Nothing stood still like I thought it did up there. That things changed and became worse or better. But it never stayed the same.”

Emryc realized he too was rambling a bit, and he paused then. However, his gaze never left the skies, watching the changes before his eyes. He also didn’t notice that his hold on Jaikus’ wrist never left. The half Sephi’s expression was difficult to read, the dying rays of the sun reflecting on his gold tinged eyes. He had no tender story about a childhood, he had no sibling to speak of, but he vividly remembered the void of space that was his constant. He remembered that feeling of being trapped in an endless loop with the unmoving and unforgiving eternity of space around him.

"I used to think time standing still was the worst possible thing to experience," Emryc exhaled softly as he continued staring up, his hand squeezing the Axxilan's wrist a bit tighter, "But I've since learned that there are moments I would make as still and unwavering as what I saw up there."

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus felt as Emryc’s arms wrapped firmly around him, and the Axxilan felt himself sinking a bit more into the familiar embrace. His smaller frame fit perfectly against the half-Sephi, slender arms coming to wrap around the back of his neck, tugging firmly and holding the man close, as it seemed time itself began to slow.

In that moment, all his troubles seemed to become a distant memory. The twisted faces and the failures he had seen on Telos began to fade into the background, and the pain that settled into his core began to numb. In its place, there was a comfort and sense of security that washed over the Axxilan, and it was a feeling that Jaikus had come to cherish above few others. There was no other place in the galaxy he would’ve rather been in that moment.

Minutes would pass, and the Axxilan stayed exactly as he was – never moving to break the tender embrace. His eyes finally opened when he felt Emryc take a step back, suddenly feeling the man grab at his wrist. Jaikus allowed his body to be drug gentle to the ground, falling into his back and sinking comfortably into the tall, cool grasses.

The goat, meanwhile, paid none of this any mind. The animal had found a patch of dew-dampened clover it particularly enjoyed, blissfully munching while the two men sprawled out on the ground.

For a few moments, Jaikus found himself staring up into the heavens above – citrine eyes drifting across the sky that rapidly began to change colors. He watches as hazy clouds drifted lethargically across the canvas of rich blue – the rays of eventide color catching against the fluffy white masses. He stared as the stars above started to become clearer, and the multiple moons of the planet became visible for the first time. It was a sight unlike any he’d known on Axxila, where the endless glow of city lights seemed dull all else.

Citrine eyes finally flicked to the left as Emryc began speaking, the Axxilan tilting his head to give the man his full attention. He listened as the half-Sephi began to talk about the space station and the environment that he had always known, and how time seemed to pass differently from above the planets and busy environments that Jaikus had always known.

The man’s face was difficult to read, but Jaikus made no attempts to decipher the subtle meaning behind his expressions – instead choosing to watch the man’s profile silently as he began to ramble a bit. There was something unmistakable soothing about that baritone voice, and Jaikus didn’t even realize the ghost of a smile had started to creep back onto his face. A few moments would pass after Emryc finished speaking, his words lingering at the forefront of Jaikus’ mind, feeling as the other man squeeze his wrist a bit tighter.

Without a word, the Axxilan lifted his body up off the grass slightly, enough to shift where he was positioned. The Axxilan scooted himself a bit closer to Emryc and turned his body, bringing his head to lay against the other man’s chest. “Some moments,” He muttered softly, citrine eyes flicking up towards the sky. “You’d wish might never end.”

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was still pondering on his own word vomit and how unnecessary it was when Jaikus shifted slightly. The half Sephi didn’t move for a moment, but then his arm repositioned instinctively to adjust accordingly. His arm slid under and around Jaikus, wrapping around his torso easily and pulling him close as he moved to rest his head. The gesture felt automatic and natural without Emryc even realizing.

His gaze remained towards the sky as Jaikus spoke softly, sinking against him. He watched the skies slowly change from purple to blue, and all was right with the galaxy just then. He felt the familiar comfort of Jaikus against him, heard his soft breaths that faded against the winds that brushed over them both. The goat bleated quietly in the background now and then before going back to snacking. By now it was snooping through Jaikus’ pack for granola crumbs but both men were oblivious to it.

Emryc tilted his head slightly towards Jaikus, curiously eyeing the other man. He paused for a moment before leaning forth to tenderly kiss against the top of his forehead. His ears twitched as he did so, the subtle gesture unexpectedly filling him with a rush of warmth. Emryc pulled back to gaze up at the sky again, a faint grin appearing on his face.

“Just a few years ago,” He began quietly, “I had hair down to my shoulders. I was shorter than you and probably about your size if not smaller. I used to drive around nobles like you as a space cabbie,” Emryc chuckled softly, “I don’t think you would have liked me then,” He tilted his head to look at the other man, amusement dancing in his eyes. It was likely near impossible to imagine the hulking half Sephi as anything but what he was now.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus felt the arm start to slip under him, and automatically lifted his body slightly in response – allowing Emryc to adjust accordingly before laying his weight back down. He felt the other man pull him close, and automatically he felt at peace. It was a closeness he had come to cherish and crave, and in that moment, the rest of the galaxy - even the reason for coming to this planet - didn’t seem to matter.

Jaikus was exactly where he wanted to be and could’ve stayed in the same position for hours on end, listening to Emryc’s breath and feeling the gentle rise-and-fall of his chest.

There was a brief moment of silence after Jaikus spoke softly. Twilight gave way to nightfall, and suddenly the area around them seemed to come to life a bit more. The faint song of crickets had begun to fill the air, accompanied by the gentle cries of nocturnal birds above. Each cool breeze caused the tall grasses to rustle softly, swaying and bending around the two men.

Meanwhile, both men were completely oblivious as the goat continued riffling through Jaikus’ pack. Eventually it followed the granola crumbs to their source, picking out one of the ziplock bags that the Axxilan had packed for the journey. It didn’t take the goat more than a few seconds to chew through the plastic, happily munching in the background. Its soft bleats were heard in the background, but neither of them seem to pay much attention to it.

He been staring up at the sky, his gaze lazily flicking across the star-littered heavens, when Emryc leaned forward. He felt the half-Sephi plant a kiss against his forehead, and Jaikus couldn’t help but smile a bit wider than. It was a gesture that filled him with warmth and comfort, his heart beating just a bit racer in his chest. In response, he slipped his wrist free from Emryc’s grip - immediately replacing it by lacing with fingers with the half-Sephi’s.

Jaikus listened as the half-Sephi began speaking, his head lifting slightly and tilting to look at the man while he spoke. Emryc started to describe how he was years ago, and the Axxilan couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the words – his characteristic laughter filling the cool air.

“Smaller?” He repeated, amusement glinting in his emerald-tinted eyes. While Jaikus wasn’t ‘small’ by human standards, he was nevertheless dwarfed by the hulking half-Sephi. The thought of Emryc at any point being smaller than himself was very, very difficult to picture in his mind. “I would've like to have seen that.” He smirked, eyeing the half-Sephi playfully.

He laid his head back against Emryc’s chest, pausing for a moment as he thought. “A few years ago, I was still just an acolyte, relatively new to the order. I was.. About as tall as I am now, but a bit skinnier and with longer hair as well.” He nodded. “My eyes were still green the way that you like.” He blurted that last part without really thinking.

He blinked a few times. “I’m sure we would’ve gotten along great.”

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc grinned wider as Jaikus laughed at his words. He glanced over at the Axxilan, watching the way he stared at him as if attempting to imagine a smaller version of him. He gingerly eased his hand away from the other man’s, reaching over for his comlink then. Emryc brought up the screen and began to shift through it, pausing only when Jaikus remarked about the way the half Sephi liked his eyes. Emryc said nothing to that, simply flashing a half grin at the slightly flustered look on Jaikus’ face.

The half Sephi swiped through a few old pictures on his comlink before bringing it up for Jaikus to see. It was an old picture of when Emryc was eighteen. It was him as he described to Jaikus, hair long and completely disheveled. His ears were far more pronounced since he was much skinnier. He was at a Huttball game, a bottle of cheap beer in one hand. He looked completely gleeful, a huge grin on his face with tongue sticking out and eyes almost squinted shut. He was shirtless in the picture, the entire front of his slender torso painted with the Rancor logo. His left arm was slung around a man several inches taller than him. Upon closer inspection, Jaikus would recognize it as 18 year old Amon. He had an equally stupid grin on his face, eyes clearly spiced out. One arm was slung around Emryc’s shoulders, the other holding up his own cheap beer.

“He was just as much of a dumbass back then as he is now,” The half Sephi remarked about Amon, though there was a fondness to his tone. At this point, Amon was someone he considered a brother. He stared at the picture for a moment, wondering if his life truly was bereft of things like family when he had people like that.

Emryc put the comlink away and turned to look at Jaikus, recalling his remark about getting along, “I bet you had that terrible puffer pig snort even then,” He grinned at that, “And the most ridiculous temper,” Emryc chuckled quietly before speaking in a different tone, “Oh my gossshhhh my speeder driver arrived late. Going to just flip the entire speeder over,” He began to crack up, imagining that exact scenario based on how he behaved with the mask, “You would have tried to kill me by day two.”

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus wasn’t sure why he added in that comment about his natural eyes, but the words seemed to spill from his mouth before he could think about it. It was a detail that Emryc had mentioned back on Keldooine, and it was clearly something that stuck with the Axxilan since that moment.

Jaikus couldn’t help but raise a brow inquisitively when he felt Emryc’s wrist pull away, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as the half-Sephi started to swipe through what were clearly old pictures. When he finally brought one up to view, Jaikus eyes widened slightly – a look of surprise clearly etched on his features. He didn’t know what to picture in his mind, but the younger version of Emryc was something that he clearly didn’t expect. The man in the picture looked nothing like he did now. He stared for a couple seconds in silence, taking in every detail of the picture. A wide smirk began to spread across his lips, amusement glinting in his eyes.

“The chest paint is a nice touch – though you look even more like a Gundark than you do now. Maybe a Gundark crossed with a Lannik.” He winked. The exaggerated way the half-Sephi’s ears stuck out was likely the source of that last comment, once more poking fun at the man for one of his most well-known features. He stared at the picture for a moment longer, tilting his head to the side. “I like the way you smile, though.”

His gaze eventually flicked towards Amon, regarding the spiced-out man with a smirk. “Looks like someone was having a blast.” Jaikus didn’t know the man well, but their interactions thus far had been nothing but positive. Amon had been there on that boat, and had been by the Axxilan’s side when they both stormed the compound when Emryc had been kidnapped.

Jaikus watched as Emryc put the commlink away, his smile growing a bit wider when the man made the comment about his characteristic way of laughing. “And here I thought you liked my snorts.” He rolled his eyes at the comment about his temper, brow suddenly arching when Emryc began to speak in an entirely different tone. It was very clear that Jaikus was attempting to keep a straight face as the half-Sephi teased, though he was quickly failing at that endeavor. As soon as Emryc began to crack up, Jaikus couldn’t help but laugh – suddenly losing himself to a fit of ridiculous giggles, each inhale of air seeming to elicit another one of those random snorts.

He wheezed, catching his breath after a few seconds. He rolled his eyes just then, waving a hand dismissively at what was said. “I was not that dramatic.” Oh, yes he was. Jaikus was absolutely that dramatic and short tempered in his younger years and he knew it. While the description was clearly exaggerated, Emryc would’ve easily been able to tell he was spot on by the way the Axxilan dismissed the mockery, as if It was completely inaccurate. “You, on the other hand?”

He cleared his throat, mimicking the change in tone just as Emryc had. The Axxilan suddenly spoke in his best attempt at a baritone voice. “Gaaahhh, Bom Trady suuucckkss.” Jaikus chuckled, still attempting to maintain the voice. “I can sit in the nosebleed section of a Huttball game and eat off a stick, but I can’t touch a stadium pretzel with my bare hands or I might just die.”

The Axxilan shook his head, his voice returning to normal as he playfully nudged the man with his elbow. “As I said. We would’ve gotten along fantastically.” He shook his head, pausing for a moment after that.

“Alright, fair is fair.”

He huffed, lifting his left wrist above him for Emryc to view. He swiped towards the end of the camera roll on his commlink, stopping and enlarging an image that clearly went several years back. It was a group photo, looking as if it had been taken at some kind of formal gala or fundraiser. Notably, all the people within the group had a striking resemblance to one another – sporting the same bronze complexation and dark features. Jaikus pinched the holo-photo, zooming in on the person at the middle of the group – a person that Emryc would very quickly recognize as a younger version of the man laying on his chest – likely in his late teens or early twenties. He had been wearing an exceptionally posh outfit, his lips twisted into a characteristic, shit-eating smirk.

The Axxilan looked much as he did in the present, though there were several key differences. While he appeared to be the same height, Jaikus was significantly skinnier in the photo, with long arms and legs that made the man look exceptionally lanky. His hair, meanwhile, was perfectly straightened with product and parted down the middle, falling down just above his shoulders. True to how he described, Jaikus’ eyes were the natural color that he had been born with – that striking green color that was matched by the others in the group.

"That jacket was terrible." He grimaced at the sight, a faint groan escaping from him.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as Jaikus mentioned he looked slightly like a Lannik. Did he? He thought the drawing some stupid kid made of him looked like a Lannik. He didn’t find Lanniks particularly attractive. Did his ears truly look as if he could fly away using them? He was entirely distracted by Jaikus laughing, the little snorts causing his ears to twitch as the grin returned to his face. He did like that stupid laugh. It had this uncanny ability to put him at ease instantly, and he couldn’t explain it to this day.

He stared at Jaikus as he changed his voice, doing his best attempt at a deep baritone which made him sound like a grandma that smoked one too many. Emryc blinked curiously at him, eyes wide, “But...Bom Trady is terrible because if you look at the trend analysis of his defense when comp-” He paused there as Jaikus went on, blinking a few more times. His face twisted into disgust at the thought of touching a stadium pretzel and the greasy surface. Emryc had a confused look on his face as he suddenly went very silent, doing a lot of analysis at the back of his mind.

The half Sephi looked over again as Jaikus showed the picture of the younger version of himself. He saw the very elitist smirk and the over the top attire. Emryc nodded his head slightly, “Ah yes. The kind of face that makes your hand itch with the urge to slap it,” He took in sight of the long hair, but his gaze lingered mostly on the vivid green eyes. Emryc wanted to zoom out again to see the other faces that were likely his family, but it wasn’t something he would vocalize unless Jaikus proactively did it.

Emryc turned to look back at Jaikus, his thoughts going back to the commentary made earlier. He suddenly looked concerned, “Do you….really think I look like a Lann-” He suddenly paused, eyes going slightly wide. He recalled how Jaikus was giggling the entire time while making those comments. He was mocking him right to his face. It was something no one had done before, even though he had done it to others. The realization was so startling he had a priceless look of shock. This quickly gave way to a rapidly growing grin on his face.

“You little shit!”

He followed this up by flipping over so he was atop the other man. Emryc’s hat had fallen off by now, strands of his disheveled hair falling over his forehead. For a moment he gazed down at Jaikus with a grin, a fire in his eyes. His fingers moved to curl into Jaikus’, pinning both of his hands in the grass beside him. Emryc paused there, staring down at the man with a teasing look in his eye as if he would kiss Jaikus any moment.

However, it was soon revealed to be a ploy. As the goat then stalked over and casually leaned down to start chomping on Jaikus’ hair. Emryc used his weight to keep Jaikus pressed down as the goat slobbered all over his hair and happily chewed away.

“Fuck yeah, Mr. Goat,” Emryc called out in victory, “I knew you were on my side all along,” He began to chuckle at the sight, deciding to pay Jaikus back for his little quips earlier. He would only hold the man down for a few seconds of slobbery torment from the goat before loosening the hold. It was enough for Emryc to start genuinely laughing as he watched the display.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus couldn’t help but grin stupidly as he playfully mocked the half-Sephi, carefully watching his expression for each and every reaction. He knew the attempt at a baritone was downright awful, but he continued anyway. He noted the way that Emryc attempted to justify his distain for Bom Trady, followed by the look of utter disgust that came with mention of stadium pretzels. It was precisely the reaction that Jaikus had hoped to elicit from the man, amusement dancing in his eyes as he poked fun at the half-Sephi.

While Emryc did analysis in the back of his mind, Jaikus began to squinted slightly at the picture of himself. It had been a while since he looked at old pictures of himself, even if he remembered the uncomfortable jacket from that day. He noted the elitist, shit-eating grin on his face, and couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at the comment from Emryc. “Luckily, I’m a bit less slapable now.”

Without Emryc even asking, Jaikus zoomed out of the focus on his face – giving them a better view of the other members of his family. There were five other members of the group, all of them of varying ages close to the Axxilan. “My siblings and I.” He stated, gesturing to the multitude of brothers and sisters huddled together. It was clearly a happy occasion, each of their faces twisted up into a smile or smirk.

Jaikus zoomed in once more briefly, bringing up the face of one of the women in the group. She was strikingly similar to Jaikus in appearance, sporting the same bronze completion, emerald green eyes and thick dark hair. “Hatice,” He stated, staring at the woman’s face for a few seconds.

He didn’t say it, but this had been the first time Jaikus had willed himself to look at any pictures of his family since the incident. He had purposefully stashed away photos and family portraits, believing that the constant reminder would’ve been more painful than trying to forget all together.

Now that he actually looked at the photo, Jaikus couldn’t help but smile faintly - a feeling of nostalgia settling into his stomach.

His attention was drawn elsewhere when he suddenly heard Emryc start talking. Jaikus’ brow raised slightly, catching the look of genuine concern plastered across the half-Sephi’s face. It took him a moment to actually process what the half-Sephi was saying. He opened his mouth to speak – to reassure the man that he didn’t actually look like a Lannik - but immediately was silenced by the sudden realization that playing out across Emryc’s face. Jaikus couldn’t help but grin wickedly, realizing that his jokes had finally hit home.

He yelped when Emryc suddenly flipped them over, unable to help suddenly bursting into a small fit of laughter. He felt himself pinned to the ground beneath the other man, watching the hat tumble to the ground and the wind rustle at Emryc’s hair. For a moment, Jaikus did nothing but stare up at the man – a genuine smile still plastered across his lips.

He noted the teasing look in the other man’s eyes, and for a moment felt his heart beating a bit faster in his chest – waiting to see if the half-Sephi would close that last bit of distance. Jaikus tilted his head slightly, smiling a bit wider. “No, I don’t actually think you look like a Lanni—”

Whatever words of reassurance he was about to speak were abruptly cut off by the feeling of something tugging at his hair. A brief glance upward revealed the source.

“W-what!? No! NO! BAD GOAT! NOT MY HAIR!” He cried out towards the goat, scolding the beast that paid his protests absolutely no mind. Horrified by what was happening, Jaikus attempted to pull his arms free, but the weight of Emryc pressing down onto him made it impossible to move. He could do nothing but thrash his head in vain as the goat happily munched on his hair, soaking that particular section of his head with slobber.

Jaikus groaned, thoroughly betrayed by the goat. “I GAVE YOU GRANOLA! HE DID NOTHING!”

A few seconds of slobbery torment would pass before Emryc mercifully eased his weight. As soon as the hold loosened, Jaikus’ hands immediately shot up to his head. He flailed his hands, swatting away the goat and freeing his hair from its mouth. The beast didn’t seem to mind, very casually walking off as if nothing happened. It bleated happily, finding a patch of violet wildflower that looked more appetizing.

Mortified, Jaikus ran a single hand through his dark hair – which, at this point, were completely disheveled. The particular spot where the goat had been munching comically stuck out in all directions, little bits of granola and grass sticking to his stands of hair, covered in slime that was about as viscous as Emryc’s hair gel.

A loud, overdramatic groan escaped from the Axxilan as he peeled his hand away from the hair, goat-slobber stinging between his fingers and falling to the ground below. Green-tinted eyes fixated back onto Emryc at that moment, suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He listened to the sound of the half-Sephi’s genuine laughter and a wide, stupid smile began to worm its way onto his face once more. There was something about the sound that filled Jaikus with warmth in ways he couldn’t explain, suddenly wishing to do nothing but cherish the sound for a few seconds.

After an extended pause, Jaikus suddenly picked himself up off the ground – reaching forward to grip the shirt Emryc wore, pulling himself back up to a sitting position. He brought his face close to the half-Sephi, staring at him for a few seconds – a grin plastered across his lips. Without any verbal warning, Jaikus brought his other hand – the one still soaked in goat-slobber and bits of granola, and went to plant it firmly onto the back of Emryc’s neck.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was losing it laughing as he watched the goat obliviously chew on Jaikus’ hair. Hearing the Axxilan attempt to desperately reason with the goat and express betrayal only amplified the laugh. The half Sephi rolled off and sat back on the grass, bringing a hand up in an attempt to block his face. The laughter was uncontrollable, and very out of character for him. Through it all, Emryc didn’t miss Jaikus running his fingers through his slobbery hair.

The half Sephi’s laugh slowed down a bit when he glanced up to catch Jaikus with that dorky smile on his face. Emryc tilted his head, blinking a few times while a smile remained on his lips, “What?” He asked quietly, curious about why Jaikus was staring at him like that. He was shortly pulled out of his thoughts when Jaikus abruptly grabbed him by the shirt and hoisted himself up.

Emryc stared at Jaikus as he leaned in close to his face. The half Sephi grinned back, also leaning in close. However, before Jaikus could slap the back of his neck with the gunk, Emryc’s free hand abruptly jerked up to catch the Axxilan’s in a swift Teras Kasi maneuver. The half Sephi ducked and smacked Jaikus’ own hand into his cheek, spreading the goop on his face.

“Think I’d fall for your bullshit twice?” He called out, remembering very well his antics on Keldooine and the speeder bike.

Emryc laughed again as he glanced at Jaikus with a smug expression.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

In that moment, Jaikus had been entirely confident in his little deception-sneak-attack. It had worked well enough on Keldooine, and the Axxilan fully expected this time to be the same. He could practically see the look of horror and disgust plastered across Emryc’s face when that goat-slime made contact with the back of his neck,

He suddenly went wide-eyed when the half-Sephi caught his hand mid-air.

Without a moment to react or dodge out of the way, Jaikus’ own hand made unexpected impact with his face, a sickeningly wet ‘thwap’ echoing across the meadow as goat-slobber suddenly smeared across his clean-shaven cheek. Given that they were face-to-face, Emryc would be able to see the way he practically went cross-eyed and the color in his face seemed to instantaneously vanish.

“EMRYC!” He cried out.

“You fuck!” He groaned. As if he had been fatally shot, Jaikus suddenly fell backwards against the grass, his hand immediately shooting up towards his face to wipe away the goat-slime, followed by running his hands through the grass in an attempt to dispose of the substance. This cycle repeated a few times, a muttered string of profanities passed his lips with every swipe of his hand and pass through the grass. Only after few seconds did Jaikus resort to using the sleeve of his jacket. He pulled the sleeve over his hand, using the fabric to soak up what remained of the goat-slobber from his face.

Meanwhile, the goat in question had returned to blissfully meandering through the meadow. The ravenous animal plucked the last violet from the patch, bleating in the background as it quickly moved along. While neither of the men were paying any attention, the goat turned its attention to the single tent that they had set up. The animal casually strolled along, disappearing into the open tent-flap and out of sight for the first time. Off to do God knows what while the two men laid in the grass.

Jaikus grumbled when he heard Emryc speak, glancing up towards the half-Sephi. “Yes.” He quipped back, his eyes narrowing slightly but a faint smirk tugging at his lips. By this point, the rest of the goop had been successfully removed from his face and hands, though left the sleeve of his jacket soaked with the substance. Repulsed, Jaikus quickly slipped the jacket off his body, chucking it into the grass a few feet away, laying back in the white t-shirt he’d been wearing below. His hair was still uncomfortably damp, but at least it was no longer on his face.

He laid there for a half a minute, emerald-tinted eyes fixated solidly upon the man in front of him. He noted the smug expression still plastered across Emryc’s face, the sound of his baritone laughter still filling his ears and repeating in his mind. For all the ways the Axxilan wanted to find something to retaliate with, there was something about that laughter that was thoroughly infectious and caused Jaikus to smile inadvertently.

“Smug bastard.” He muttered, a playful smirk tugging at his lips now. With clean hands, Jaikus reached forward – grabbing Emryc’s wrists and pulling his weight up from the ground. Once he was upright, Jaikus’ hands shifted to the half-Sephi’s shoulders, gripping each side of him as she shoved his entire weight against the half-Sephi – playfully attempting to topple him over – ending with Jaikus over the top of him. Given his size and strength, Emryc could undoubtedly resist the maneuver and remain upright – though Jaikus would nevertheless end up pressed against him, their faces now much closer together.

Emerald eyes fixated on the man, a teasing look burning in his eyes - much the same way Emryc had looked at Jaikus only moments before. A hand came up to the front of Emryc’s shirt, grabbing a fistful of the material and tugging him just a bit closer. Jaikus' words were spoken with that characteristic drawl, spoken softly and reverberating against the half-Sephi’s sensitive ears.

“I was starting to think you liked my bullshit.”

Without another word, Jaikus leaned forward – closing the distance and pressing his lips gingerly against the half-Sephi’s. He only maintained the embrace for a moment, long enough to sink his teeth into the bottom of Emryc’s lip, tugging back slightly before releasing.

@Sreeya