Captain Howzer Short Story

2.

Friday night couldn't come soon enough. Hera was being a handful this week as she didn't want to do her school lessons. "Hera, I told you if you did the lesson with good effort I would help you chair fly."
"But that isn't even flying!" Hera protested.
"I know, but it will get you there. Practice makes-"
"-Perfect. I know," Hera said as she rolled her eyes with a huff.
"Now, have you finished all your chores? I am going out tonight and would like to get ready." Pyxis said sternly.
Hera's eyes lit up as a devious smile appeared.  "Who is he?"
"None of your business, but if you must know, it's Captain Howzer." Pyxis was turned away from Hera but watched her from the corner of her eye.
Hera flopped back on her bed as she rolled her eyes. "Ugh. It's about time. I see you two, always making googly eyes at each other."
"Can you blame me? He's nice to look at," Pyxis said as she tossed a shirt at Hera. "Go wash up for dinner and be good for your parents," Pyxis told her as she left the room.

Pyxis sat under one of her favorite trees while she waited for Howzer to arrive. He was running a little late but hadn't called ahead. He finally arrived in a small speeder and hopped out. He was dressed in civilian clothes- tan pants and a dark blue shirt. He started to walk towards Pyxis, but then remembered something in the speeder and turned back. He reached in for a bouquet of flowers for her and approached.

"Here, I got these for you," he said in a rush. "I'm so sorry I'm late. There were a few things I had to do and then the guys-"

Pyxis shushed him by touching her fingers to his lips and lightly laughed. "It's ok. You're here and that's all that matters," she said. "Thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful." Her eyes sparkled in the fading light. He grasped her hand and kissed the top of her fingers, making her blush.

Howzer was grateful she wasn't angry or put off by his tardiness. "Shall we?" he gestured towards the speeder and helped her inside.

"So where are we going?" Pyxis asked him as they drove down the hill.
"You'll see," he said as he slightly smiled at her.

They arrived at a lush green field of grass where a few of the wild life were grazing. There was a small pond and birds around it and the scene was truly breathtaking. The setting sun continued the ambiance for the evening.

"Oh, Howzer, this is beautiful," she said to him.
"Not as beautiful as you," he said with a smile. Pyxis blushed and looked down.
He unpacked a few bags from the speeder, unfolding a blanket and opening a picnic basket filled with food and drink. They dove into the meal and sipped on their drinks as Howzer told her about his day. It was pretty boring, but Pyxis loved to hear the soft timber of his voice. told him about her family life before the crash. They watched the sun set and as Pyxis had her hands resting on her lap, Howzer gently grabbed her hand and interlaced their fingers. His hands were warm, and a little sweaty, but Pyxis couldn't blame him. She glanced over at him with a small smile and he was intently staring at her. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Howzer thought about what he could say that wouldn't scare her off. He knew he didn't have much to offer as a clone, but he still wanted to try and have a relationship. He knew she was attracted to him and wanted to explore what that would mean.
"I just...have never been drawn to anyone like I am to you. You're beautiful and smart and I see the work you do for Eleni and Hera. They adore you," he said as he looked down at their hands. "You're always so kind to me when I come by the house." With his other hand, he traced the lines near her eyes and caressed her cheek. She watched his eyes flick from her eyes to her lips. He began to lean in closer until she could feel his breath on her face. "May I kiss you?" he asked in a shaky whisper.
Her eyes fluttered closed as she breathed, "yes."
He gently pressed his lips to hers, feeling their warmth and softness. She placed her hand over his as they relished the feel of each other's kisses. He deepened the kiss, feeling a surge of butterflies and electricity buzz in his chest. She felt softer and tasted better than he could have ever dreamed. After a moment he broke away, resting his forehead against hers. He pressed another kiss to her lips, tangling his fingers in her hair with the desire to devour her. Her hand caressed his face and trailed down his firm chest. Pyxis pulled away and held his hand as they both stared into each other's eyes. Pyxis tried to calm her breathing as she said, "Wow. That was really nice for my first kiss."
Hozer's eyebrows shot up as his heart warmed. He looked down shyly as he said, "That was my first kiss, too."
Pyxis wanted to say something funny about how he was too handsome to not have had a first kiss, but then she remembered where he came from. He was technically still a child and had been living less years than she had. She also knew the clones weren't really supposed to have relationships, but things were a little more relaxed on Ryloth.

Pyxis put both her hands on the sides of his face and he looked up at her. She leaned forward and kissed him again knowing they were sharing a special moment.

After a few more minutes of shared kisses and whispers, they were enveloped in darkness from the setting sun. Howzer noticed and said, "We should get going. But don't worry, our evening doesn't have to end." He made his way to the speeder and turned on the lights so they could pack up the picnic blanket.

Once they were finished, he drove the speeder to a cliff that overlooked the city. The skyline was beautiful with the shining lights and colors. If one didn't think about it too long, you could forget the Empire was slowly and insidiously worming its way into the planet.

Howzer parked the speeder and turned off the lights so they could enjoy the view. He grasped Pyxis' hand in his, enjoying sharing the scenic view with another person.

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