closed ☾

[noch]

WHO: Merrin + Cal, Merrin + Cobb
WHERE: Cal's workshop, those houses Cobb is fixing up
WHAT: Everything's just hunky dory here, nothing to worry about.
WHEN: Just after the superhero city event!
WARNINGS: Mentions of slavery and genocide in the thread with Cobb.

[ haha just kidding starters in comments below ]

Comments

[noch]

Something about his words seems to stream through the gaps in her ribs and settle in her chest with significance, with weight. Cal is telling her, in his own way, that she isn't alone anymore, not as long as he's around. And... and it surprises her how much she almost... needed to hear that. How much it affects her.

She breathes in almost shakily, her eyes tracing the familiar lines and planes of his face, her hands curling at her sides with a foolish impulse to reach out to him and... something. They're still standing close together, close enough that she see those faint freckles of his, and it makes her smile, gentle and warm.

"Then I will not," she says decisively, meaningfully. And then, after a moment of consideration, she adds, "And afterwards, I will make sure to haunt you, as a spirit. At least until you can join me again." She uses that tone that makes it almost impossible to tell if she's joking or not, but this time there's warmth underneath.

[out_of_order]

It could have easily been but a simple quip, but Cal's aware he meant what he'd said even as he'd said it. And even when the silence falls again between them, he finds that he doesn't feel nearly so awkward for it, even as they look at each other.

Her words may sound like a threat, especially given the way she says it, but it brings another quirk to his lips, that crooked smile of his. "At least I'd be in good company," he laughs. "But maybe we should focus on the staying alive part while we can."

[noch]

There it is—his smile and laugh. This one sends a warm, fizzy feeling to the pit of her stomach, like potion bubbling in a cauldron. She feels like she... should step back a little more, but at the same time...

"We? You seem to have more trouble with that than I do, Cal Kestis," she teases, her tone arch, thinking of that moment she fished him out of an ocean with a lightsaber wound through his chest, even if he hasn't experienced it yet. But, well—it's still applicable. He does seem to end up in a lot of perilous situations, some of which she's even been responsible for.

[out_of_order]

"You're the one talking about haunting me!" Cal counters, laughing. Not that he will deny he's seen his share of trouble, but he figures it goes hand in hand with being a Jedi, especially in this day and age- well, maybe not here, but even without an Empire on his heels after his head, there are still things that come up here. The difference is that it can happen to anyone. All the more reason to be vigilant, not only for himself, but for his friends and everyone here who might find their own spot of trouble.

Still, for all their jesting, he doesn't much like dwelling on the idea of her eventual death, much less her speaking as though he'll be the one left behind. Again... A bitter addendum that he quickly quashes with the thoughts of their earlier conversation. Not alone though. Never alone. He smiles, a softer smile but still one he feels he doesn't have to force.

Hearing BD-1's inquisitive beeping by the foot of the table, Cal glances over with a twitch of a grin. "Have you seen the plant you helped BeeDee with? We thought it might have gotten neglected with everything that happened, but turns out, it's the exact opposite," he says as he reaches for Merrin's hand, eager to lead her towards the back as BD-1 skitters ahead.