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[after leaving this conversation, cassian sends a text that's as quick as he's currently walking.]
I'm leaving the garden. Where are you?
I'm leaving the garden. Where are you?
[normally, at this point, cassian would add a sign-off — i love you, like has become so easy for them to exchange — but he doesn't. instead, he shoves his phone into his pocket and keeps walking until he gets to the front.
he moves with singular purpose, locked with tension, until he reaches the front of the house five minutes later, and sees her. until he closes what remains of the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her in close to his chest. his breaths are shaky; there's no hiding that here.
the explanation that he's promised will come. he just needs to ground himself again for a second.]
he moves with singular purpose, locked with tension, until he reaches the front of the house five minutes later, and sees her. until he closes what remains of the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her in close to his chest. his breaths are shaky; there's no hiding that here.
the explanation that he's promised will come. he just needs to ground himself again for a second.]
[ she's already aware that something's got him stressed out, but it does worry her that he doesn't add a sign off to the end of it, at least a little. still, she counts the minutes out until she sees him (with about thirty seconds to spare), zeroed in on her once he sees her.
she holds her arms out and wraps them tight around him as he brings her against his chest, and she can hear how fast his heart is beating and how shaky his breath is now that she's close. one hand comes to the back of his head to stroke through his hair and down the nape of his neck, repeating the motion over and over as she tries to provide a calming, grounded presence. ]
I've got you, [ she says softly before turning her head to kiss his cheek. ] I've got you, we're okay.
she holds her arms out and wraps them tight around him as he brings her against his chest, and she can hear how fast his heart is beating and how shaky his breath is now that she's close. one hand comes to the back of his head to stroke through his hair and down the nape of his neck, repeating the motion over and over as she tries to provide a calming, grounded presence. ]
I've got you, [ she says softly before turning her head to kiss his cheek. ] I've got you, we're okay.
[it all helps, her presence, the motion of her hand stroking over his hair and neck. slowly, his breath begins to steady, and his heart begins to settle. his mind stops racing.
even if he can't fully believe her — not where they are, and especially not after what's just happened — he can believe her enough to nod, enough to start putting thoughts together. they'll have to move eventually, but for now, he wants to stay, tucked in close.
the ground is still too shaky under his feet for her to not be holding onto him.
after a time, he finds his voice, quiet as it is.]
There's someone here who knew my name, without me telling him. [that's as good of a place to start as any.] He knew what I did, in the place I came from.
even if he can't fully believe her — not where they are, and especially not after what's just happened — he can believe her enough to nod, enough to start putting thoughts together. they'll have to move eventually, but for now, he wants to stay, tucked in close.
the ground is still too shaky under his feet for her to not be holding onto him.
after a time, he finds his voice, quiet as it is.]
There's someone here who knew my name, without me telling him. [that's as good of a place to start as any.] He knew what I did, in the place I came from.
[ it takes him a while to calm down, long enough that she starts becoming more worried. cassian's been on edge since they arrived and he's not exactly easy going, but he's not easily frightened, either. so she knows something really would have had to rattle him to render him to this state.
she keeps close even as she feels him prepare to speak, trying to shift to look at him. her eyes go wide as he tells her and something twists in the pit of her stomach; she can't imagine how that must have felt to hear so...cavalierly. ]
How did he know? [ she imagines the kind of thing he helped do would be something that was public knowledge, which could be all this is. but she has a feeling it's not. ] What did he do?
she keeps close even as she feels him prepare to speak, trying to shift to look at him. her eyes go wide as he tells her and something twists in the pit of her stomach; she can't imagine how that must have felt to hear so...cavalierly. ]
How did he know? [ she imagines the kind of thing he helped do would be something that was public knowledge, which could be all this is. but she has a feeling it's not. ] What did he do?
[that night on yavin, with the force healer, seems like something that happened an entire lifetime ago. he's lived, died, lived again; he's loved, lost, loved again. there's no trace of heat or humidity in the air now, even, just enough of a chill to cut through a jacket.
but he's unsettled now, in the same way he'd been then. and even as he calms, as she holds onto him and he holds onto her, that's what he can't quite shake. (the question keeps eating at him: do you think destiny stopped?)
his grip on her tightens, slightly, like he needs that not to stumble.]
He got into my mind. [tipping his chin, his eyes search hers.] He saw things. He knew things. [his eyes drop.] I met someone else who could do that before. Once.
but he's unsettled now, in the same way he'd been then. and even as he calms, as she holds onto him and he holds onto her, that's what he can't quite shake. (the question keeps eating at him: do you think destiny stopped?)
his grip on her tightens, slightly, like he needs that not to stumble.]
He got into my mind. [tipping his chin, his eyes search hers.] He saw things. He knew things. [his eyes drop.] I met someone else who could do that before. Once.
[it's late, when cassian finishes his shift and starts the journey back to their shared room. on the chance that max might be asleep (not likely, but there's a chance, however small), he sends a text first.]
I heard what you called in.
I heard what you called in.
[ if everyone who'd said that time doesn't pass while they're gone is correct, original cindy's fine. but max has never been able to trust that completely and even if she were, it's been almost five years since she'd seen her.
but he's right. this is light. ]
yeah, i did.
there's a few other songs i know that make me think of you.
but he's right. this is light. ]
yeah, i did.
there's a few other songs i know that make me think of you.
[there are so many things that aren't light or easy, especially now, when this new situation has added another layer of complication to the overall picture, but he tries to find what he can.
like this conversation, which he's still continuing over text, even though he's just down the hall from their shared room.]
You'll have to let me hear them sometime.
like this conversation, which he's still continuing over text, even though he's just down the hall from their shared room.]
You'll have to let me hear them sometime.
[ she’s been trying not to think about what being sent somewhere else could mean, if they’re doomed to travel unwillingly from one place to another. but there’s time to consider that later, she doesn’t want to right now. ]
i’d like that, yeah. might be easier to find them in this place.
[ she knows the specifics of the artists and songs about as well as he does, but that means they can discover them (and new ones) together. ]
you almost back yet?
i’d like that, yeah. might be easier to find them in this place.
[ she knows the specifics of the artists and songs about as well as he does, but that means they can discover them (and new ones) together. ]
you almost back yet?
[he could drive himself insane with it all, but they have to have the good. they have to. and this is good — something they can work on discovering, together, that doesn't have some darker implication. when he reads her message, he smiles.
in lieu of answering, he pockets his phone, and turns the knob to open their door. closing (and locking) it behind them after he steps inside, he calls out,]
Hey.
in lieu of answering, he pockets his phone, and turns the knob to open their door. closing (and locking) it behind them after he steps inside, he calls out,]
Hey.
[ she could lose her mind thinking about it too, if she let herself. part of her wonders if there’s an advantage to knowing they’re in england and knowing the year, but that wouldn’t necessarily help them with getting back to their respective homes. maybe it’s something to look into when they’re a little more familiar with things.
for now, she smiles, standing so she can properly greet him. she’s dressed casually for bed, in soft, flared black pants and a black tank, her hair pulled back in a ponytail and leaving the runes and her barcode visible. ]
Hey. [ she wraps her arms around his waist, rising to her toes so she can meet his mouth. ] Glad you’re back.
for now, she smiles, standing so she can properly greet him. she’s dressed casually for bed, in soft, flared black pants and a black tank, her hair pulled back in a ponytail and leaving the runes and her barcode visible. ]
Hey. [ she wraps her arms around his waist, rising to her toes so she can meet his mouth. ] Glad you’re back.
[every max is his favorite max, but maybe it's this, most of all — when she's visibly relaxed, and there's nothing but them. (thankfully, he'd been able to leave that outfit they suggested he wear on-shift tonight back at the hex club dressing room, so there's nothing getting in the way from his end, either.) his smile widens as he meets her in the middle, pulling her in close.
one arm wraps completely around her, with his palm resting between her shoulder blades; the other hand touches her face, grazes over her jaw, and eventually settles at the back of her neck. as they kiss, his thumb moves over the barcode there.]
Me too. [he manages on a breath between kisses.] I missed so much.
[(he'd been gone all of three hours, but who's counting?)]
one arm wraps completely around her, with his palm resting between her shoulder blades; the other hand touches her face, grazes over her jaw, and eventually settles at the back of her neck. as they kiss, his thumb moves over the barcode there.]
Me too. [he manages on a breath between kisses.] I missed so much.
[(he'd been gone all of three hours, but who's counting?)]
[ there's a thrill in her chest that makes her feel warm and her skin feel tingly as he traces over her barcode while kissing her - it's not often that she'd let people see it, even in duplicity, even after exposing herself to the world. it's even rarer that people would touch it. that he's doing it, when he does it to the runes on her back, shoulders, and wrists, reminds her that he knows her, that he loves her.
she smiles, cupping his cheek as she kisses him back. ]
Glad they let you listen at the right time.
she smiles, cupping his cheek as she kisses him back. ]
Glad they let you listen at the right time.
[even if it's only been hours since they last saw each other, he takes in what he can — kissing her until he absolutely needs to breathe, continuing to touch her, continuing to stay close after he does. they'll move to be more comfortable eventually, but for now, this is everything he needs.]
It was a slow night. [one of his shoulders lifts in a shrug.] Maybe people were more interested in this.
[his smile softens.]
I was.
It was a slow night. [one of his shoulders lifts in a shrug.] Maybe people were more interested in this.
[his smile softens.]
I was.
[ it's nice to not feel like they're in a rush to do anything or get anywhere. it isn't very often that they get to feel that way, and she has a feeling that something that might disturb the relative peace might be on the horizon, if what she's found out through the network and from the guide are anything to go by. so she wants to savor the peace when they find it. ]
Good. [ she sneaks in another kiss on the corner of his mouth. ] The phones come pre-loaded with a few songs, too. If you feel like hearing another tonight.
Good. [ she sneaks in another kiss on the corner of his mouth. ] The phones come pre-loaded with a few songs, too. If you feel like hearing another tonight.
[for all they know, it could be tomorrow when whatever peace they've managed to find here is disturbed — and that's something to be prepared for. it's on his mind, always, but tonight it can be background noise, static on a comm channel, rather than his focus.
tonight, he can keep smiling as she sneaks in another kiss to the corner of his mouth. he can take her hand in his, and start to tug her in the direction of the bed.
and the only decision he has to make is:]
I want to hear your favorite.
tonight, he can keep smiling as she sneaks in another kiss to the corner of his mouth. he can take her hand in his, and start to tug her in the direction of the bed.
and the only decision he has to make is:]
I want to hear your favorite.
[ she acquiesces, following him with a smile and squeezing his hand as he leads her to the bed, letting him settle onto it as she searches for the set of headphones the phone had come equipped with and plugging them in before joining him, her knees tucked underneath her as she settles beside him. one of the headphones is passed to him as she takes a second to pull the song up on her phone. ]
Tuck that into your ear, [ she instructs before doing the same with the opposite earpiece. once he's got it placed securely in, she presses 'play', watching for his reaction as the music starts. ]
Tuck that into your ear, [ she instructs before doing the same with the opposite earpiece. once he's got it placed securely in, she presses 'play', watching for his reaction as the music starts. ]
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