Out of Time [Star Wars Story]

24. Peace is a Lie

For the first time in a long time, Lorash was the first awake. She slipped out of Seia's grasp as carefully as she dared, a few muscles twinging with wonderful soreness. The scratches on her back itched as she moved, fishing Seia's shirt from the night before off the floor and pulling it on, just to be covered. She buttoned it thoughtfully, shivering in the colder air beyond the blankets. She turned to look at Seia and felt her heart catch in her throat.

The sith rolled onto her side facing the jedi padawan, one arm looping around Lorash's hips. Seia was caught in some dream, but for once it seemed pleasant: eyelashes fluttering slightly and a tiny, secret smile on her lips. Lorash wanted to lean down and kiss her temple, but Seia's grip even in sleep remained iron. Instead, she threaded her fingers through the sith's hair, savoring the closeness of the touch. They'd been awake most of the night, so Lorash didn't begrudge the sith her sleep.

"Is it morning?" Seia mumbled, squeezing Lorash a little tighter for a moment.

"Mhm." Lorash smiled a little. "What were you dreaming about?"

"You." Seia opened her eyes and looked up, a smile ghosting across her lips. "You know, that shirt looks better on you than it did on me."

Lorash scoffed. "I find that hard to believe."

"Let me be the judge."

The jedi padawan squeaked in surprise when Seia pulled her down in the bed, back under the covers. "What about Corr?" she protested, half-hearted as it was.

"He can wait. You are far more important, asha." Seia's lips ghosted over various lovebites she'd left on Lorash's shoulders. As was her custom, the sith could be rough, but she'd tended to everything the night before. Lorash had only ever felt adored. "How is your back?"

Lorash blushed. "Fine. It reminds me of you."

Seia kissed her under the covers. "And some other things, I imagine," the sith drawled playfully once they'd broken apart to breathe.

"I could use a reminder."

The sith clucked her tongue, but her grin was anything but disapproving. "And to think you called me insatiable."

The jedi padawan crossed her arms. "Am I wrong?"

"No. I seem to recall someone asking for it, though. Rather...vocally."

Lorash huffed in embarrassment. "You are altogether too smug and I don't care to speak to you."

Seia's dextrous, if scarred, fingers toyed with the shirt buttons. "You love it."

"I'm not sure there's room in this bed for me and your ego."

A playful glint hit those golden eyes. "Well, if that's the case..." Seia slid neatly out of bed before Lorash could even react, stretching with catlike grace and the play of muscle under scars and tattoos. "...you can enjoy the view."

"Seia!"

The sith grinned impishly even as she picked up clothes stacked on the side of the dresser in the bedroom. "You sound so scandalized, Lorash. It's only the two of us here...and I'm quite confident you like what you see."

Lorash blushed furiously, unable to really argue with that logic. There was something wonderful about having Seia all to herself. They weren't likely to get times like this often on the ship with Eso and Yyrfh. She climbed out of bed all the same, walking up to Seia's back with all the confidence she could muster. The sith didn't react despite her normal awareness of things behind her, busy dressing with a deliberate gradual ease that was clearly meant as a challenge. "Are you really getting dressed already?"