This Party's Over

[Phoenix]

Corvo was glad to be done at that party. It hadn't been quite as bad as he'd expected but it certainly wasn't good. He was glad some familiar faces like Kenny were there and it had absolutely been great to see Valin and know that he was safe, but it had also been full of egos and annoying people. Shae had gone off to dance with someone that Corvo found annoying, people gave him obnoxious looks, there was infighting (of sorts) and Shae was, of course, unhappy with him for not being more social. Oh the joys of socializing.

Suffice it to say, Corvo was glad to be back home with (a slightly drunken) Shae next to him. Well, they weren't really home, it was their quarters on Dantooine but no matter where he was, as long as they were together he was at home.

As they came in the door, he plopped down on the couch and shooting her a glance to see what she was doing. After a moment, his eyes glinted with a slightly devious look. She had made certain promises to him to get him to come out to the party and he was certainly interested in cashing in on those but first - or perhaps simultaneous to - he had another idea.

He stood and wandered up behind her, sliding his hands around her waist and planting a kiss on her neck. So, I was wondering.... It's just the two of us tonight since Edin is still looking after Ciri and we don't have any other responsibilities. The sun's going down so what would you say if I asked you if you wanted to go out to those hot springs you found here on world? Just the two of us to get away and relax? he asked with a mischievous smile, spinning her around and giving her a kiss before waiting to see her response.

It seemed like the two of them hadn't had enough time together lately and what they had had had been marked by strain and difficulty. Tonight, he just wanted the two of them to be happy and put the entire rest of the galaxy behind them.

 

[Sreeya]

Shae was quite a bit drunk by the time they finally pulled away from the party. Corvo looked like the holidays had come early when she announced she was ready to leave. She hadn’t missed the glares cast Logan’s way as they left. She only hoped he wouldn’t use his contacts to find ways to sabotage a fellow Jedi.

As they made their way into their quarters, Shae was in a terrific mood. Hopped up on alcohol, knowing Valin was alive and getting to dance had made her night. She was still in her party dress, putting on some music and turning it up right when she felt him slide up behind her. Shae grinned as she felt his kiss, turning around to face him, “You want to go outside and potentially take your clothes off?” There was a mock look of surprise on her face, “Who are you and what have you done to my husband?”

She was half slurring her words, “I’d looooove to go to the hot springs but like….I have to walk so far…..” Shae began to sway to the music, placing her arms around his neck, “Are you sure you don’t know how to dance? Don’t you feeeeeel rhythm?”

 

[Phoenix]

He gave her a smile as she put her arms around his neck. She was certainly in a good mood and although he knew why, it was nice to see them both without too much to worry about. Well, the springs are far enough away from everybody that I don't think anyone will be stumbling across us. Plus, yes, I really would like to take my clothes off as long as you are too... he said with a grin. Oh come on, the walk isn't that far and you know you want to go. Think about how often I'm actually willing to do things with you! It'll be fun and relaxing. Just think about how nice and warm the water will be and we'll be able to look up at the stars and... other things.

As she mentioned dancing and swung her arms around him, he made a slightly disgusted face. Honey, in all the years you've known me, have you ever seen even the slightest indication that I have... any interest in dancing? he said it with a slight smile that said "yeah, no that's not happening." Instead, he took her arm and began to lead her toward the door, Come on, let's go, he said with a hint of friskiness to his voice. He was wholly set on this line of thought and wasn't planning on letting it go easily. Especially if her best argument was "long walk too far." @Sreeya

 

[Sreeya]

Shae groaned in disappointment, “When Ciri grows up and gets married, would you deny her a father daughter dance?” She grinned at him, happily planting that little nugget of horror in his mind for years to come.

She let him guide her out, grumbling the entire way. This was oddly like her attempting to get him to go to the party at all. Shae was leaning heavily on him, almost tripping a few times, “Ugh, it’s soooo far,” She came to a stop as they walked out of the temple, looking at him, “I’ll go if you carry me,” If he was going to be in the mood to go along with things tonight, she would take full advantage of it.

With that, she happily walked to be behind him, “Now lean down so I can hop on, you’re too tall,” She spoke half drunk, half matter of factly. He was going to carry her to the damn springs and that was the only way she would go. Shae’s stubbornness knew no bounds.

 

[Phoenix]

Corvo couldn't help but grimace as she mentioned a dance with Ciri one day. He was not into dancing but he thought he could do a slow dance... nothing else though. If she wanted a father-daughter dance, she was going to get a slow dance. Well, I'm sure we'll get something figured out, wont we?

As they made it out to the temple she began to insist on him carrying her. He was not too excited about that and tried to pull her along with a come on but she was absolutely insistent. Still, he was in a comparably agreeable mood (for him) so he watched as she came around behind him. He bent down with a sigh as she climbed on his back.

As she jumped up he let out a groan and a sigh, Are you happy now? He really wanted to make a fat joke like "have you been putting on weight" but managed to hold his tongue. He figured that while he would find it funny for about three seconds, the fallout of trying to calm her down for the next thirty minutes wouldn't be worth it.

All right, you ready to go? He took off toward the springs but with 117 pounds of wife on his back that was easier said than done. Just as the sun finally made it over the horizon the couple made it to the springs. He bent down to let her dismount and plopped down at the edge of the springs.

Uhh... he let out a groan, Do I get a massage for that? @Sreeya

 

[Sreeya]

Shae all but squealed in delight as he agreed, hopping up a bit too enthusiastically. She almost flew over him. She had her arms around his neck, almost tight enough to lightly choke him on accident, “Yeeessssss very happy! This is so much fun!” She gleefully looked up at the skies and her surroundings as he grumpily carried her, having the time of her life, “You know, I want you to do this more often. This is a lot of fun.”

As he set her down, she kicked off her shoes, walking over to dip her toes into the warm water. Shae turned to him and grinned, “A massage? I could walk on your back if you’d like,” She felt the grass between her toes, looking around to be completely sure they were alone.

Shae sat down on the edge of the springs, dipping her legs in, though she didn’t get in yet. She stared at the bubbling water, glancing back at Corvo, “You knowwww, our last time here didn’t go so well…. “She grimaced slightly remembering that encounter.

 

[Phoenix]

In typical Corvo fashion, he checked around to make sure they were completely alone before kicking back a little bit. He was - of course - more seriously clothed than her since he never went anywhere without armor and started working to remove his boots. As she mentioned the last time they were here, he rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. It had really not been the best experience.

Yeah, I remember. In fact, I'm trying to forget, so let's... not talk about it. As she was dipping her legs in he crawled over to her, unashamed in his intentions.I'm more interested in this encounter, he said with a mischievous grin. He reached out and slid an arm around her stomach and pushed her back to the ground, locking lips with her as he did.

He drew back with a smile, we haven't had anywhere near enough time together lately. I've been missing you. Mmm, maybe I can help you get ready to get in the water by helping you out of those clothes. He leaned down and kissed deeply once more, his heart pattering despite the years they'd spent together.

 

[Sreeya]

Shae looked at him in surprise, “Are you coming onto me? This doesn’t happen very often…” This was the second time tonight she found him slightly suspicious. Nevertheless, it was a welcome surprise. She laid back down on the grass, her green eyes with flecks of gold staring into his, “You know, you still make my heart skip a beat every time. Even now.”

She met his lips when he kissed her, feeling a rush course through her body as they did so. With all the wars and stress they had, this was a welcome break. His words drew another look of surprise, “Help me out of my- Corvo have you been drinking too?” She was completely caught off guard by her broody and grumpy husband suddenly putting the moves on her.

Shae curled her fingers into his hair as she kissed him, her other hand undoing her dress. After pushing it off, she slid away from him, feeling the night chill against her skin. Shae eased into the water and submerged into it, thankful for the warmth against the cold chill outside. She grinned at him, “Coming in?”

 

[Phoenix]

Only a little bit, he said in regards to whether he'd been drinking. He didn't really know what had gotten into him either, but he had missed her desperately so presumably that played into it. As she eased off her dress, his eyes scanned her over, a stupid, boyish grin playing across his face.

As she inquired about his entering as well, he began to strip down to something suitable for swimming, though his clothes were a bit more complicated than hers because armor. Nevertheless, after a moment, he was entering the water as well. It was warm and immediately set to rest the goosebumps that had begun to form across his skin from the cool night air. He slid over to her and put his arms around her, resting his forehead against hers.

Have I told you recently how absolutely exquisite you are? Because you deserve to be told that every day for the rest of your life, he said as he pulled her in close and kissed her.

Overhead the stars had begun to come out and Corvo looked up at them, taking them in. You know, we should get away again. Just the two of us and Ciri. Go to some world we've never been to and just go on a total blackout. No communication with anyone for a couple of days. I mean, look at all those systems out there and so many we've never been to.

 

[Sreeya]

Shae’s smile faded slightly as he stripped down before stepping into the water. As he inched closer, she kissed him back, pulling back for a moment to smile at him, “For all your broodiness, you are exceptionally good at reminding me of how loved I am,” She meant it. He had managed to make it worth it to keep fighting through all her demons. Shae thought back to everything they had been through together, all the hardships, all the pain, all the near destruction. Through it all they always found a way to ground themselves.

Her mind came back to when she saw him take his clothing off. Shae pulled back slightly, fingers tracing over his perfectly toned shoulders and chest, “You have more scars,” There were multiple ones she didn’t recognize. They hadn’t shared a moment like this in so long that she didn’t recognize parts of him, “I feel like I haven’t seen you….in so long.”

Battles and missions had taken up majority of their lives. As he spoke about a getaway, Shae smiled sadly, “Our home is us living in total blackout….look how everything still catches up to us,” She met his gaze, realizing that she was lingering on things again. Shae grabbed his arms and slid them down to her waist, bringing her own up to wrap around his neck, “Jedi sometimes had formals when I was still a padawan. You had to socialize and dance,” She chuckled at the memory, “I bet you didn’t have anything like that with Sith.”

Shae slowly began to sway from side to side, right there in the water, “So we had to dance like idiots. It’s easy. You just step from side to side,” With a coy grin, she moved in closer, pressing her body against his, “See? It’s not…so bad is it?”

 

[Phoenix]

He knew precisely what she meant about their time apart. It seemed like it had been an eternity since they'd been able to slow down and take a breath. His lips turned into a smile as her fingers found the new scars covering his body. When they'd first met, he'd been very uncomfortable with letting her see them but as time had progressed, he'd come to thoroughly enjoy having her fingers trace along them and explore their paths. It always made his heart skip as her finger tips danced across his skin.

As she seemed to transition and took his hands he wasn't sure what she had in mind for maneuvering his hands to her waist but after a moment it became more clear. She was certainly fixated on getting him into dancing. Parties? No, we... didn't really have social gatherings in the Sith. We pretty much just killed people. It was more or less true and he said it in such a deadpan way that even he wasn't sure if it was a grim joke or not.

Nevertheless, as she began to sway back and forth, he moved gently with her. Now this he could do. It was the rambunctious choreographed things that made him want to gag. This was just holding his beautiful wife close to him, which was perfectly acceptable. As she pushed herself up against him, he pulled her in as well.

I can neither confirm nor deny that this is terrible, he muttered with a half smile before leaning in and kissing her again. But! That doesn't mean you're going to get me to go dancing with you... I know how this works, he said as he shook his head. One minute it's you and I alone in a hot spring and the next it's you trying to drag me out to do the salsa... not happening, love.

That being said, is there anything - not dancing - that you would like to do tonight. We've got time just the two of us. I'm all yours, he gave a sly grin.

 

[Sreeya]

Shae stared at him as he muttered about killing people as if it were no big deal, “Well jeeze, sounds like a bunch of happy campers,” As much as she disliked many things about Jedi, she couldn’t imagine being a part of such a broody group growing up. How Corvo didn’t want to jump off a cliff after decades of it was beyond her.

She grinned as she realized he didn’t mind the movements so much, even playing along, “This is more than enough. I know you have to keep up your mean, broody image everywhere else,” She playfully winked at him, happily returning the kiss. The cold night air almost felt good in comparison to the warm water they stood in. Smoke rose around them, and goosebumps rose on her skin.

As he spoke next, she had to chuckle, “Well I hope you’re all mine all the time,” She moved backwards, grasping him by the hands and pulling him along. There was a coy smile on her face as she came to the edge of the springs, pulling him close, “What exactly did you have in mind, dear?”

 

[Phoenix]

No matter what was going on around him, Shae always managed to make him smile like no one else could. She was a source of constant joy and stability in his life and he'd do anything for her. Despite his past as an edgy Sith Lord and his still brooding nature as a Jedi Battlemaster, she was the one that always reminded him of his humanity - something that he knew it was all too easy to lose.

He followed as she led him toward the edge of the pool, gently pushing her back as they came to the side and positioning himself over top of her, staring into her green eyes which had noticeable - and noted - flecks of gold in them. Of course I'm always yours. My body, mind, and soul have belonged to you for years. He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her face and traced his finger along the side and bottom of her jaw. A contented smile spread across his face as he looked down at the beautiful woman in front of him.

Do you know how desperately I love you? He paused for a moment as he thought about her question, a sly grin spreading across his face as he thought about what he might have in mind. Well, Mrs. Vis, perhaps I could... and with that he lowered his lips to brush against her ear and whispered intimate things that need not be shared with anyone but her - the woman who singly owned his heart; the same heart that was now speeding up, pounding against his chest. Pressed up against her, chest to chest, there was no doubt she would feel it too but she'd also no doubt learned long ago that she had a way to make him feel alive that was singularly unique to her.

 

[Sreeya]

Shae was surprised at how caught off guard she was, her heart pounding against her chest, jittery feelings coursing through her body. Getting caught up in the role of a Jedi General, being a parent, and a role model had sapped all her time. She barely ever had the chance to take in sight of Corvo like this, and to feel and savor every little touch. She couldn’t remember the last recent time they had shared an intimate moment without worrying about waking Ciri up.

A pang of nervousness hit her as she glanced around, realizing and sensing that they were entirely alone. This was bold for Corvo, much bolder than he ever would have been without a drink. He was the most private person she knew, and here he was running his fingers through her bare skin and making her blush under the open skies. Shae bit her lip as he gazed into her eyes with the same intensity as the day he had professed his eternal love to her on their wedding day. It was the same intensity as the day in the cave on Moraband, where he made her breath catch after their first kiss.

As he spoke again, Shae could only smile, “Much more than I deserve…” She whispered the words, herself unable to vocalize her own feelings for him. There was agonizing pain as much there was joy. Every step had an obstacle, every bit of progress with its own challenges. In the end, it made every moment like this worth it so much more.

Shae felt the chill of the air as he pushed her back, embracing her with his warmth. She could see the stars glimmer beyond him, see the way his wet hair matted against his face, feel the droplets of water against his skin. As he leaned in to whisper against her ear, she gasped both in surprise and in anticipation, her face growing bright red. She turned her head to kiss along his ear, slowly making her way down his neck, “I wouldn’t mind seeing this side of you more often,” She felt vulnerable then, weak and strong at once. She felt his warmth and the chill of her surroundings all at once. Her fingers curled into the back his head, tenderly grazing down the nape of his neck and between his shoulder blades where she felt the warm water still on him.

 

[Phoenix]

His teeth caught the bottom of her ear for a moment as he finished speaking, before tentatively releasing it. The feeling of her lips against his neck was completely intoxicating. Every brush of her hands across his skin and through his hair made him feel completely alive. The coolness of the night air was a stark contrast to the warmth of the pool they'd just exited from and with the cool air clinging to his wet frame, it made him press in all the closer to Shae's warm form.

His arm slid under her back, simultaneously supporting himself and pulling her body up closer to himself. As she kissed his neck, he nuzzled up against her ear with a slight gasp of pleasure, his voice barely above a whisper, Shae, you are the most beautiful woman... I want to give you whatever you want... his voice trailed off as he was completely overtaken with the feeling of her lips and warm breath against his cooling skin. His hand ran down her side, finding her thigh and pulling it up to rest against his side, his lips now working their way from her ear down to the base of her neck.

He wanted her to know exactly how he saw her and he wanted to make her infinitely happy. If he could take away every hardship and worry that she faced, he would have done it in a heartbeat. From the first time they'd met (and actually had a conversation) the weight of the galaxy had been crushing down on the pair. There was always chaos that surrounded them and even the first time he'd realized he had feelings for her had been against the backdrop of potential death. But for once that weight seemed to be melting away and it was just the two of them with no responsibilities or commitment. In the chaos of a galaxy at war, it was easy for their relationships to take a backseat, but tonight the pair could be united in comparative peace and a oneness that was unparalleled by anything else in existence.

 

[Sreeya]

He always managed to find a way to make her feel frail and vulnerable, both physically and emotionally. She was perplexed by it, and she loved it all the same. His every touch sent jolts that spiraled out throughout her body, making her move closer to him. She felt his hand slip under her back and felt him press close, a light gasp escaping her as he spoke, “You have given me everything I could ever possibly want…”

She spoke the truth, between having a love she couldn’t put into words and a family she would die for. Shae was wrapped around him now, pulling him into her warm embrace, feeling his every move. She felt passion between them, tangible heat growing at his every touch, from having him so close. The ambiance around them played into it, the warm steam rising around them, the stars glittering above. There was no other place in the galaxy she could imagine being at that moment.

Her lips hovered near his ear again, soft gasps of pleasures amidst quiet whispers tickling his skin. Shae pulled back for a moment to look at him, “Just…stay…”

---​

She couldn’t tell how much time had passed, only that her skin was beginning to prune in the water. The stars were as pronounced as ever, complete silence around them except for the sounds of water and the chirping of nearby insects. She gently disentangled herself from Corvo, pulling back to grin at him, “If you were hoping I would stop taking you to parties, you’ll be very disappointed,” She leaned in to kiss him on the lips, slowly easing back to lay down on the grass.

Shae had no qualms with the fact that she was out in the open, laying on the grass without any of her clothing. She had become a germaphobe since the birth of her daughter, but the evening with Corvo had reminded her of her old, carefree personality. Shae sighed contently as she gazed up at the stars, “I don’t want to go back.”

She glanced over at her clothing to the side, grimacing, “I don’t feel like being General Vis or mom right now. I just…” She closed her eyes, taking slow, deep breaths. This was the most relaxed she had felt in a long time. She had an evening to be social, to dance, and top it off with making love in peace. The thought of getting back to the daily grind made her feel sick, “I’ll have to go on a mission by tomorrow.”

 

[Phoenix]

Corvo couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy. With the stress of their lives, the amount of time they got just to themselves was dwindling, but tonight - though he'd had to endure a party - he finally had time to make love to his wife and hold her close without any concern for responsibility. He was perfectly content to sit in silence, embracing her and let the hours of the night slip away but he knew as well as she did that all good things came to an end. The galaxy was still at war and with Vosrik stepping down, the two of them now made up half of the top leadership of the Army.

Nah, I've met my party quota for a while. I don't think I need to go to another party for... at least three months. Probably longer. He moved over next to her but let out a groan as she mentioned going back to their responsibilities, No... tonight neither of us are "General Vis" we're Mr. and Mrs. Vis and we're having... date night, I guess. Look, hun, if there's one thing I learned as Dark Lord it's that you can't burn out... just try to take tonight to relax and maybe don't ship out again tomorrow. We're both only human.

He sat up and looked up at the stars, his mind once again returning to the idea of the two of them getting away somewhere, though he was beginning to realize that Shae wasn't going to go for that. Yep, it's decided. You can ship out to wherever you need to go in two days. Tomorrow, you and I are taking a holiday, no ifs ands or buts about it, his tone was decisive and he was having none of her objections. With that he leaned down to kiss her, both because he wanted to and to cut off the objections he was sure she would raise.

As he pulled back he grinned down at her, partially because he was happy and partially because he enjoyed annoying her and he was sure this would do just that. So, what do you want to do tomorrow?

 

[Sreeya]

Shae couldn’t help but chuckle at his words, “You’re really digging this Mr. and Mrs. Vis thing lately,” She had accepted her new last name so readily she sometimes forgot she ever had a previous one. It had become a part of her identity with all the complexities that came with it. As he leaned in to kiss her, she abruptly whirled around in one fluid motion. She pinned him down on the ground, swinging a leg over to sit on his abdomen, grinning down at him.

“Ship out in two days? Yes, because rescue missions can wait two days. Starving in a cell somewhere while being tortured by Sith? Oh please hang on, my husband wants me to go to the beach with him,” She rolled her eyes at the thought. They had swapped places seemingly, as he was usually the more serious one of the two with her always suggesting they relax. Nevertheless, the prospect of a holiday sounded enticing, “You know what, Corvo? I want to explore some cave or tomb with you,” She smiled at him coyly, “Let’s think about this…. Tomb in Moraband led to our first kiss and…” eventually the first time they made love, a thought that still made her blush, “…then we went to that island and I ended up with barely any clothes on. So you see, our adventures tend to have some interesting endings. And, you know, come with the occasional opportunities to kill things which I know you love.”

She couldn’t believe her own words. In fact, they made no sense. Was this part of the dark side bullshit that was messing with her mind? Was it the alcohol? She knew Corvo would be confused. Shae didn’t budge from where she was, glancing down at his perfectly toned chest and the scars that decorated it. Her fingers brushed along them as she attempted to muffle a laugh, “I wanna get as much adventure and sex out of you as possible. You’re almost 40 kriffin’ years old!” She couldn’t help it, bursting out laughing right there.

 

[Phoenix]

He smiled back at her, perfectly happy with the reversal of positions. Yes, well maybe I just like to be reminded that you and I are one now. That I'm yours and you're mine.

As she went on about rescue missions it was his turn to roll his eyes, Yes, because there's no one else that can do that. The thousands of other Jedi are completely incompetent... his voice trailed off as he realized that he actually did think that but wasn't going to say it and sabotage his own argument. Besides, I think they'd understand if they knew what I was going to do to you on that beach... the corner of his lip turned up in a mischievous smile.

His eyebrow rose as she mentioned the caves. He was about to suggest that they go find another cave until he remembered the darkness that had driven them to abandon the search for the Sith Lady's artifacts. It had severely messed with his mind and wasn't something that the two of them should be revisiting.

Even so, his thoughts were quickly pulled away from his queries when she began mocking him. I. Am. Not almost 40. I'm in my mid-thirties! he said, smiling and poking her side where he knew she was ticklish. He began to roll over and pinned her down, reaching down to her sides and poking and squeezing until she laughed and tried to get away as her "punishment" for mocking his age. In truth, it was something that rarely came up, but he was in fact seven years older than her.

However, if it means that I can keep you in bed all day tomorrow, I will readily claim to be geriatric, he said as he began to laugh.

 

[Sreeya]

Shae shrugged, “I mean they are kind of incompetent. Between you, Valin and I we can probably take on all Sith!” Though it was a joke, there was an odd sense of truth to that. She was about to say more when he abruptly rolled over, tickling her mercilessly, “No stop!” She burst into a fit of giggles, struggling and shoving him while laughing. Shae was horribly ticklish, and he had only discovered this a long time ago by accident during a moment that was supposed to be actually intimate….

She finally managed to roll away, quickly rising to her feet while still recovering from the tickle attack, “You’re terrible! What a low blow!” She couldn’t hide the grin from her face, “Mid 30s? I think you’re much closer to 40 than you are 30,” She winked at him, “Don’t worry, I like the age difference. I can be ignorant and impulsive and you can dazzle me with experience and your dashingly refined qualities.”

Shae walked over to gather up her clothing, her skin drier now from the springs. She had to wipe off the grass and dirt from her body, slowly putting her underclothing on, “Come on, let’s head back. I’m shocked no one spotted us yet. We’re being pretty obvious…” She glanced around, suddenly a little nervous.