Star Nomad Cast (starnomadnpc) wrote in starnomad, @ 2016-03-12 11:33:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: elix, character: lyric, character: rogan ardellian, date: [62.07], location: mon calamari (dac) |
Who: Rogan Ardellian, Lyric, & Elix
When: 62.07
Where: New Coral City, Dac (Mon Calamari)
What: Elix walks in and isn't super happy about it.
Rating: Low
Status: COMPLETE.
The week had been shortened into five days, which had been all right with Rogan. Also all right with him had been spending that last night before he would be shipped back out, with Lyric once again. It was the one bright point in the off-time, most of it which was being spent more involved in military affairs on base than a true leave would have been. That had been at least partially Rogan's call, but also the call of his superiors. They needed every one on duty as much as possible these days, and the leave granted because of just how badly the last mission had gone, had slowly been eaten away by duties, but Rogan really didn't mind that - it kept his mind off things. At the same time, he was glad he could slide back into Lyric's apartment that last night. He'd brought food - but this time take out from a local place, seafood galore - and it was a lot different from the stew and veggies he'd fixed the first day he was here. And just like before, Elix had been gone, and just like before after Derek had drifted into sleep, he'd found himself pressed into Lyric in ways that were a distraction all of their own. This time he had pushed back a little more, teasing Lyric with the possibility of taking control of every motion tonight, until Lyric has pushed back and he'd found himself content and relaxed on his back looking up at the ceiling of the small bedroom in Lyric's flat. "I had every intention of making certain you didn't forget me," he murmured, still a little breathless. "But I think you've gone and made it work the other way." "You did leave me with a kid." Lyric teased absently as he pressed a soft kiss along his collarbone. Rogan had arrived with news that he'd be heading back out. It was expected if a bit sooner than Lyric would have liked. But this at least was warning if he never saw Rogan again, which was sadly far more likely than seeing him. Even if he wasn't killed in action the fact remained that there were far more places in the galaxy that he would be needed at and who knew how long they'd be on this planet for him to come back to. That train of thought was halted though with the sound of the door in the living room closing. While the apartment was more space and privacy than Lyric was used to, that didn't change the fact that the walls weren't very thick. Elix's voice drifted through. "Lyric?" Rogan chuckled. Of all the things he'd never really wanted to do to anyone, was leave them with an unexpected kid. And yet apparently with Lyric, their relationship had started that way. There was something terrifically amusing about it and he shifted to offer Lyric a grin. "Well, I guess I thought if you were going to be left with a kid, you ought to at least have the fun to go along with it." But the smile dropped at the sound of Elix's voice and Rogan's eyes widened slightly. He had of course figured that there was the possibility that Elix would come back at some point, but he hadn't really thought about it being tonight. The last few times they'd spent together, she'd been out later than he'd been there, and it wasn't so very late tonight. "Shit," he whispered under his breath. As he sat up to try to figure out if he could actually pull on his trousers before Elix walked in the room, he realized that in a strong or particularly bad luck, they'd left them sitting right in front of the door, which meant he could stay put and stay trouserless, or he could risk making a dash for it and ending up flashing Elix. That fun was abruptly cut short by the sound of Elix's voice. Really it was only a matter of time before this happened, though Lyric did wish that it had been when they were a little more clothed. She was supposed to be bothering Han Solo today, but maybe the drunk had busied himself elsewhere and now Elix was home. Still this was more warning than she had ever given Jacen. Lyric was simply resigned to the fact, sighing as he pushed himself off from Rogan to at least allow him to pull a sheet up before the inevitable happened. And the inevitable did happen. The door swung open and Elix stood there, her head tilted slightly with her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene in front of her. Lyric could only imagine the lecture he was going to get now and he was not looking forward to it. "Hello." Elix crossed her arms as she stood in the doorway. Looking down, she saw the trousers piled on the floor. Pointing down she looked at Rogan. "Did you need these?" Rogan was definitely glad that he hadn't made a move for the trousers because he almost certainly would have found himself with a rodian staring at him naked. A rodian? He glanced over at Lyric briefly and then back at Elix, and tried to gather some of the easy going calm that he usually relied on in awkward social situations. This might be more awkward than most of the social situations that he'd found himself in. No, really, it was possibly one of the most awkward. He managed to pull a slightly embarrassed smile to his face. "Yeah, I, uh, I might need those, yes." He looked up to meet her eyes. "You must be Elix." This definitely explained the slight shift in mood that Lyric had. Elix wasn't sure why she hadn't picked up on it before. Back when it was just them, before Rikki or Anakin or Jacen, this happened. They were never brought home but Lyric had his dalliances and his mood changed for the better usually for a little while. Occasionally they'd talk about it, Lyric telling her embarrassing stories or closely guarded warnings. Then Jacen had happened and that stopped. With Jacen gone Elix guessed she shouldn't be too surprised that this would start happening again. Though it didn't need to be happening here. Only Jacen had ever been brought home. And whoever this person was he wasn't Jacen. Elix's eyes stayed narrowed as she watched Rogan. He knew her name, which made this even stranger. Her eyes looked over to Lyric who seemed to just be sitting back and letting this all happen. Of course he was, he had no shame at all. With a loud huff, she kicked the pile of clothes towards the bed before turning and resisting the urge to slam the door behind her. Only seeing Derek curled up happily in a quiet sleep in the living room gave her the strength to do so. Lyric sighed quietly and got up. "Well, she's in a good mood." To say Rogan felt terrible seemed like understating the situation at hand. Of course he hadn't intended on this happening, he'd trusted that Lyric knew the ins and outs and that it wouldn't but he also just hadn't really thought about it that much. With Elix out of the room again he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and retrieved the trousers pulling them up over his hips in an easy motion. "Well if I came home to find an unexpected naked stranger in my house I doubt I'd be in a great mood either," Rogan sighed as he looked after his shirt. "I'm sorry, Lyric," he added. "I could have gotten up a minute or two ago really." Although it was unlikely given just how briefly ago they had finished that it would not have still been obvious what was happening. He slid one arm into the ivory shirt and then the other, fastening it and then finding the vest he'd been wearing to slide over it. Dressed, he still didn't know how best to handle the situation outside that door. It was uniquely a first as no one he'd ever been with before had ever been someone with children. And while Derek had been simple to handle, at most a possible interruption to his and Lyric's activity because of an actual need of some variety, Elix was old enough to have opinions and feelings that probably he ought to have considered more. He pushed a hand up to the back of his neck and turned to Lyric. "Should I go?" Lyric watched Rogan as he dressed and apologized. This soldier was such a curious little soul and Lyric really had no idea what to do with him. That he continued to be so painfully selfless even with the galaxy crumbling, that he cared so much about Lyric's little corner of it, it was strange and enthralling all at the same time. Rogan might not be the sun that shined all its light on him as Jacen did, but he lighted like a moon. While it wasn't as blinding it was still startling that someone could see him. He dressed quietly as Rogan fell into those apologies. Honestly in a different instance Elix would have liked Rogan. He was the reason they had Derek, whom she adored more than Lyric was entirely sure was possible. The soldier cared like Elix did, completely and irrationally. Once he was dressed he reached up, sliding his hand along the back of Rogan's neck to replace the one that was awkwardly there. "Do you want to go?" he asked, calm and honest as he looked into Rogan's eyes. They both knew that when Rogan walked out the front door the chances of him coming back plummeted. This was a last night of freedom for however long or until he joined the rest of the casualties. Lyric's hand was warm against his neck, and Rogan looked up into Lyric's eyes. They were dark, and gentle, and quiet, and he'd come to enjoy having them directed on him. Lyric was quiet, at times Rogan couldn't be certain what the other man was thinking, but he felt as if he'd come out a little bit in the past week and that as these quiet evenings together with Derek, and then with each other, had increased, maybe he'd been able to see Lyric more clearly. Lyric had smiled, at least, and he'd offered companionship and comfort that had been sorely needed, and maybe that meant Rogan knew him a little better than he had. Maybe. Rogan reached over, placing his hands solidly on Lyric's hips, one on each side of him to steady himself and to steady Lyric as well perhaps if he could even give him that sort of reassurance. They both knew that security was a myth in these times, but if he could pretend to offer it, then he would do so, just as he took the pretense that Lyric offered in return and didn't question it. The one thing he knew for certain was how seriously Lyric took Derek, and how much Elix meant to him as well. That had been obvious from the first night throughout the conversations that they'd had. Lyric cared deeply for his kids, and that sort of care and devotion mattered to Rogan. The last thing he had wanted to do was to create difficulties there. It hadn't been why he'd come. The point had been to perhaps make it a little easier with Derek as best as he could. "This isn't about what I want," he said softly, resisting the urge to tilt up to kiss Lyric despite the fact that he might want to. While he didn't want the evening to be over, he also wasn't certain he knew what to say to a teenager who seemed to be rather disgusted at his presence. "This is your family and I didn't come here to disrupt that. I'm willing to stay, and be introduced if you'd like to introduce me, but if you want me to go, then I'll go." "And if you leave, then what?" Lyric asked, the calm of his voice purposeful and trained. If Rogan left then where did that leave any of them? The soldier had never come here seeking this, he'd come to watch after Derek and found Lyrics arms in addition to. This has always been about more than the quick respite in each other's arms. Rogan was right it was about Lyrics small family but part of that family would have died on Coruscant without Rogan guiding him to Lyrics arms. It would be so simple to kiss him, to give in and let himself be distracted until Elix grew angry enough to burst in again. If he were honest Lyric knew he didn't want to face actual reality and that's what Elix brought with her. The annoyance in her eyes hadn't been for rogan, it's been for Lyric and disrupting the family that Jacen had promised them and then left behind with his own death. "You should meet Elix." Lyric offered, seeking some sort of answer in Rogans eyes that wasn't just a goodbye. "She's a good kid." Rogan's lips formed the briefest sort of smile. If he left, well, he'd probably check in the next time he came back, assuming of course, that he did come back and that it wasn't the last time he had leave. But Rogan never liked to spend too much time dwelling on the possibility of it, even if right now he was finding it difficult to not have it float through his mind. Mads and he had always promised each other they'd come back until Mads hadn't. He lifted one hand from Lyric's waist and instead brought it up to Lyric's neck and caressed it gently for an instant. He could kiss him again, but he wouldn't. Instead he would go out and he would meet a young girl that already seemed to not like him very much. He'd do his best to be friendly, but to reassure her that he wasn't here to change anything in her life, because he truly wasn't. "Then I'll come meet Elix," he said warmly, and this time he did reach up and briefly press his lips against Lyric's, before stepping back out of his embrace and pulling himself up into straighter posture. "You'll have to introduce us though." There was a finality to this agreement that Lyric hadn't been expecting. Of course whatever this was had never been intended to spill over to the rest of their lives. Rogan was here for Derek and it was Lyrics misstep for mixing in more to these visits, in taking what comfort he could to feel the thrill of being touched by someone who seemed to see him again. But none of that was Rogans fault, none of that blame could be placed on him. So Lyric gave him the slightest twitch of a reassuring smile before pulling away to open the door. Elix was sitting on the couch, the basket that Derek was napping in pulled close as she looked over the young child. For a moment Lyric marveled at her, at just how much she did love and care for this little boy. Derek was as much Elix's as he was Lyrics and he could never truly forget how quickly she had embraced their newest addition. That quiet moment was shattered though as she looked up with narrowed eyes sparkling in the light of the living room. "Elix, this is Lt Rogan Ardellian." Lyric offered as Rogan entered the room. As he spoke he took his place next to the young rodian on the couch. "He's the pilot who found Derek." If this hadn't been an intended outcome, it was one Rogan should have more easily anticipated. He'd taken note of the small one bedroom apartment, and knew that there wasn't a lot of space. If Elix returned, it'd be obvious he was here. But he hadn't really taken any precautions or done anything differently because of that knowledge, so now he needed to behave like an adult and take the young girl's feelings into account. The feelings were, as best as he could tell, not particularly positive. He knew Rodian's well enough to know when they were mad and she looked mad, and honestly Rogan couldn't blame her for that. He stepped out from behind Lyric, and as Lyric slid down next to Elix on the sofa, Rogan stepped over to offer his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lyric's mentioned a few times how much you've helped with Derek here." Elix looked at the offered hand for a moment. What she had heard about Lt Ardellian, which hadn't included any of this, had mostly been positive. She'd asked around when she could after they had been given Derek. She knew Lyric hadn't bothered really but she talked with some of the pilots, though usually more with the Jedi. There were benefits to hanging out around the hangers when she wasn't supposed to outside of learning more about the ships. But this, this she didn't like. Lyric didn't hide like this from her. Except with Jacen but Jacen was different and there wasn't supposed to be another different person. Jacen was barely gone, there couldn't be another already. So she looked back to Derek without taking Ardellian's hand. She loved Derek but she had no reason to even like this person who was pushing himself into their lives now. She didn't want to be friendly, she didn't want him here. Their family didn't need him. Lyric watched Elix quietly and resisted the urge to sigh. The anger was boiling off of her and Lyric could understand why. While she realized Lyric hid things from her she had never liked when she caught on to it. She was always so stubborn. "Rogan's made dinner if you'd like some." Lyric offered. She answered with a frown, even if her stomach did rumble slightly. Hunger was harder to ignore now that she was used to eating. And food that wasn't just the protein bars or simple meals they had managed to learn to put together sounded wonderful. But that didn't mean she liked him. "Fine." She grumbled, getting to her feet as she sulked to the kitchen. Rogan stuck his hands in his pocket as Elix moved to the kitchen, and offered Lyric a shrug with a small smile. He wasn't terribly offended in the end. He knew he hadn't exactly had the best introduction here, it certainly wasn't the introduction that he would have wanted to have had, so he couldn't blame her for being angry still that she'd walked in on someone in Lyric's bed. He would have liked to have sat down by Lyric, but instead he pulled a chair out and sat down in it to keep the space on the sofa for Elix when she returned with food, and to hopefully show that he really wasn't here to change anything. Derek seemed to still be fast asleep. The little boy was laying out flat on his back, his two arms up by his head, completely unaware of the tension in the room, and Rogan couldn't help but smile as he looked at him. In some ways he envied the boy. He'd had as much stress in his short life as any of the rest of them had been given in the same period of time, but the difference of course, was that Derek just didn't understand enough at this point to really stress about the stress that he'd been given. Others carried that for him - in this case Rogan & Lyric, and also Elix. But he was left uncertain what to say exactly, because he suspected he wasn't going to win her over just by being nice. And maybe it shouldn't even be that easy. I'm sorry, he mouthed to Lyric, and then turned over his shoulder. "Elix," he called softly. "There's some fruit that I put back in the refrigerator so it would keep. If you want some." There was a temptation to reach out to Rogan, to kiss that apology away because there really was no point to it. This was hardly Rogan's fault and really he had no true idea why Elix was angry. It wasn't that Rogan had been there. Certainly Lyric had kept Elix from seeing most of this part of his life but she was aware of it, from him and others in the Undercity. But Rogan wasn't Jacen and that made Lyric's heart squeeze tight in memory. That was why Elix was angry and he knew it. Instead he offered a soft smile of sympathy. It fell away as Elix came back into the room, a bowl of seafood piled high as she took a seat next to Lyric and simply stared with narrowed eyes at Rogan. The rodian had always had a focus that was alarming at times, though it had saved her and Lyric more than once. While Lyric naturally hid, Elix would stand her ground if need be. Who she learned that from Lyric had no idea. "How long are you staying?" Her voice was flat before she took another spoonful. Rogan looked over at Lyric not quite certain how to answer that. But he supposed that the truth was he was leaving entirely tomorrow, so it wasn't as if he was staying long and even tonight he was thinking that he should probably take off sooner rather than later. With Elix back, and with her not being interested in really talking to him... well it seemed like the easier thing to do, no matter how much he'd been wanting to stay and linger in Lyric's arms. The ability to do that had basically been cut short by Elix's arrival. Rogan looked over at Elix and smiled with an easy shrug. "I'm headed out tomorrow again and really I probably ought not stay much longer tonight honestly." "Maybe you shouldn't." Elix glowered as she took another spoonful. She could feel Lyric's darkening mood beside her even as his expression stayed neutral. But so what if he liked this man, he wasn't Jacen and Lyric shouldn't be wasting his time on him anyway. He was just some soldier trying to push his way into their lives and Lyric didn't even like soldiers, she knew for a fact that he thought they were by and large as corrupt as politicians. So why should this one be any different just because he brought them Derek? Quietly Lyric got to his feet. He looked over his shoulder slightly and Elix wilted slightly as the disappointment and sadness twitched at the sides of his eyes. It shouldn't matter though, they didn't need this person and Lyric would be better off with him gone anyway. "You don't have to go." Lyric kept calm, someone who didn't know him likely wouldn't notice the change at all. In fact Elix bet this Ardellian wouldn't notice the small pull of his brow or the shift in tone. "But we won't keep you either." Rogan didn't quite lose the smile at Elix's comment, but it did reinforce the decision he'd made to not stay for much longer. It was really just dragging out a miserable evening for all of them. However much he'd like to make friends with Elix, he wasn't going to do it over-night, and he could contact Lyric when he came back in the next time and hopefully maybe Elix would be less angry whenever it was he managed to get the time to come back. He stood up, his eyes instead on Lyric. Rogan knew what he'd hoped for with the evening and was pretty certain Lyric had been content with that evening before Elix had come in, but he couldn't really change it any more than Lyric could change it. Instead he stepped forward, and his hand gently found Lyric's arm. "I know I don't have to, but..." he shrugged. "I think it might be best." There was a sudden rush of need Lyric couldn't quite explain. He wanted to be able to ask Rogan to come back, to wrangle that promise from the pilot that he wasn't be shot down in some system and left for dust among the stars. But those promises never held true. Jacen had promised to come back and Jacen had the force on his side. All this soldier had was possibly luck. So Lyric kept the promise quiet, tucked away behind his tongue as he still didn't fully understand why he cared enough to have this soldier come back to smile at Derek. Instead he raised his hand, letting it rest against the one on his arm. It likely was for the best, their evening interrupted. This cut down on Lyric's fear of the goodbye that all of this was silently leading to. "Try not to get into too much trouble." Lyric sighed, wondering if maybe he should kiss Rogan for luck. His kiss hadn't brought much luck before. "I'll try my best to stay out of it," Rogan said warmly. He knew Elix was watching them both but he didn't drop the arm for a moment as he looked at Lyric. The other man was warm and had been comforting, and he deserved a bit of happiness of his own, but Rogan couldn't promise anything right now, even if he'd wanted to and there was a part of him that honestly would have liked to. He liked Lyric. More than he'd really anticipated that he would. After just a moment he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Lyric's. "Take care of Derek. I'll check in when I get back on planet." He pulled back, dropping his hand from Lyric's and looked over at Elix. "It was good to meet you, Elix." And with another look back at Lyric, he smiled at him as he headed for the door. "Good night, Lyric." |