(D11 MM) Where Do We Go From Here? (Closed)

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Does if feel better if you were the action-packed distraction while they rescued Mara's brother?" Dhel attempts some small humor. "But, hey..." She closes her thumbs gently around Petra's wrists, running her hands up to the girl's elbows and back to take her hands. "You're important to a lot of us. and you were reachable there, for a moment. Someday we blow open all the prisons. But for today? We pulled you right out from under their noses, and that's something."

"You're bigger than you now. Things moved. You set the sparks and we did it and now we know that we can." She tries to catch Petra's eyes. "_I_ wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, you know? I'd still be rolling my eyes at 'politics' and waiting tables and petting egos for the chance to earn a little more in someone's room and figuring that was good enough till I wasn't pretty enough for anything but the waiting tables part to work, ok?"

[Petra]

Dhel's speech of sorts claims the entirety of Petra's attention. As she speaks she can see it in her eyes, how they regard her fully. Hanging on every word like hearing the next meant the world and more, a smile rising on her expression to match. It wasn't as bright as it might have been once but it was a smile and after everything that was more than she'd ever expressed since Dhel's seen her. There is a peace that rushes over her as connections start to make themselves and all of it culminates in that one word to finish it all, "ok." In the wake of it she looks to Dhel with a seemingly distant state but it wasn't distant, in fact it was inward. A realization of the exact right time and place to say something she'd thought about for some time.

"I love you," and then it was over, and in the aftermath she sat there like she was hanging amid emptiness.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel doesn't even breathe until her body screams for it and force-boots her brain out of its frozen holding pattern. Blinking, she uses her hold on Petra's hands to drag her into an embrace that would be rib-crushing, if the Bothan were stronger than a half-grown kitten.

"Idiot. How? When you know what I'm like? Better than anybody." Her cheek against her friend's she's surprised to feel her hands shaking, and holds that little bit tighter to still them. "You know..." she says with the soft despair of knowing things that she hasn't told Petra yet, that feel cruel now.

[Petra]

Brought into an embrace there's a little grunt that escapes as it surprises her a little. Petra's own arms tightening around Dhel a little and just burying her head against her, "I- well that's kinda the point though right? Normally.. you figure out what someone's like and decide you love them?" she said, that half-awkward uncertainty of how to act which kept her mum bubbling up again. Anxiety flaring a little.

"You always-" she hesitates, contorting her face a little but that wasn't visible as she was buried against her a bit and holding tight. "I never.. there's a lot to it but.. yea," she says, stumbling through a little. "I wasn't always sure but.. I am- now, I am," she says, the ease in her voice coming to a close as the anxiety revs up, a speed to her voice. "I just... I almost didn't wanna tell you cause I didn't want to mess up your life and it's not even fair for me to say it now after everything like what if you didn't like me back and I'm just dropping this on you after everything that's happened and you can't really say no or tell me the truth cause you don't feel like you can because of everything that happened and I just-"

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel rocks a bit with her as the words tumble on, tears tracking through fur where Petra can't see them yet as one hand slides up to cradle her head. "You didn't mess anything up, and I'm glad I know, and I love you or I couldn't have done any of that getting tossed onto buildings and huddling in that scary little boat and...but...but...I also never stay and I can't... There's hunters."

She takes a ragged breath. "Which is not how I wanted to tell you that either." She sits back a bit, not letting go, "I'm coming back. There's too much still to do."

[Petra]

With Dhel's hands cradling her the first statement brought tears to her eyes, welling up with little puddles that didn't quite stream right away. Filled with that very volatile mixture of emotions. With the return of an I love you the started to stream, a sniffle but she didn't break from Dhel's hold despite that urge to wipe her face.

"R-ight.." she says, the briefly warm look going a little distant as the realization of that sits in. Heavy in the chest as it was. "Right.." she glances down a little, forearms wresting around Dhel a little, giving that bit of space for her to sit back. "Leaving again.." she says, that defeated tone mixing with guilt from hearing herself. Going silent as she tries to parse both emotions and thoughts together at the same time.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Her hands brush at Petra's shoulders, not meeting her eyes. "I know I'm broken...I don't love they way everyone else does. Hanging on...wanting to be held onto. Those don't make any sense in my head. Doesn't mean.." She swallows, brushing the wet from one eye, back through her fur. It's not the most effective maneuver. "I'm sorry. For once, I'm sorry I'm like this."

Brushing at the other side, she continues. "That's not why I'm going this time though. The timing is shit..."

[Petra]

Wearing big clothes to hide bruises and scars was beneficial for one other thing, bringing a hand up she pulls a bit of the sleeve into her palm and carefully tries to dab into where Dhel was attempting to brush away the tears. Soaking them up instead absently as she process, "You're not broken. I'm not really like-" she says, shaking her head, a sniffle. Something she could bring up more later, for now, priorities.

"I.. I mean," she felt her heart raise into her throat again, anxiety chasing it up there with the question. "I- I always watched you go but.. maybe this time? You don't have to stay or.. I- I could go with you? Maybe.."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel 'helps' by rubbing up against her hand as she wipes the tears, reaching to brush the damp from Petra's face with the fur on the back of her hand. "I'd have to kick someone off, and it's not my ship to make that call." Reversing her hand, she cups Petra's cheek, "And even I can see they need you here. You're the one that got away. You're hope." Leaning in, she kisses the redhead. Quick. Almost a question more than an answer. But maybe the only chance she'll have given the temper she kind of expects next.

"But I'm coming back. I promise. It's my home, and we've just started to heal it." She bites her lip. Takes a breath "Someone's got to keep an eye on Korvin anyway," says faux offhandedly, the effect kind of spoiled with a sniffle through that long Bothan nose. "I mean, I warned him, but I still feel a little responsible for the mess he's gonna be. You, I trust to actually slap sense into him."

[Petra]

Petra smiles briefly, at the kiss, but it fades with that thoughtful expression. There's a spark in there, in her eyes, she hates the idea and Dhel can feel it almost more than she can see it but it calms. From what Dhel can feel.. almost naturally, at least with Petra, is there isn't that famous rage of hers there. A heavy lumo in her throat she swallows and brushes through Dhel's fur absently.

Speaking again, Dhel can hear the disappointment in both Petra and her tone. "I've... watched you go before, I guess, before I said anything.." she shrugs, looking up to Dhel she smiles briefly again. Bringing up her other hand she does the same thing with her other sleeve on the other side. Sniffling as she settled her hands down into Dhel's lap between them.

"Clara's.. back at least. Guess.. while you're gone I can actually spend some time with my sister," she chuckles briefly, awkwardly, and it's tinged with that same disappointment, the rock in her chest. Answering the possible question of the first Petra leans in and kisses Dhel in turn.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

For a split second, Dhel considers saying more, before instincts honed over the years convince her to simply accept the opportunity first, hand shifting behind Petra's head to encourage her to stay a moment and give a thorough answer. This was another sort of home, she realized. She'd been coming back for years without recognizing that. She tried to say as much without words.

As they part, her hand stays, toying with the short, red hair and she rests her forehead against Petra's. "You don't need to do anything else to convince me to come back." Her tone is teasing, but the serious extra meaning laces through it with he concern in her eyes. She only wants as much as Petra can stand to lose after today. She glances at the sun through the windows. "But I have half the day still, for...whatever..."

[Petra]

Petra was slow to warm to the longer kiss. Finding the pace and the machination of it piece by piece rather than naturally but she did her best to keep to pace. When the kids broke she smiles warmly but already a thought seems to dash across which freezes it a little. Reaching for Dhel's other hand she takes it, pulling it down into her lap and with a soft sigh works toward...

"There's.. one other thing," she looks down, sheepish. "I'm not so... Uh, we can like.. do that stuff sometimes if you want but you should kinda know.." she brushes both thumbs along the back of Dhel's hand. Affectionate little massaging was something she could certainly manage.

A swallow, "I'm not as.. so- a lot of why I wasn't sure for a long time was all the vids kinda say you're supposed to be attracted to the person in like-" she looks off to the side, back to Dhel, "uh.. that way? W-we can.. now even... Give it a shot but like it's not really..." she looks down again, at her hand brushing the back of Dhel's hand.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel looks a little confused, but shakes her head. "Hey, nothing you don't want. I...maybe read the kissing wrong?" Not feeling that sort of attraction was a bit alien to her since she could fall into lust with an appropriately shaped tree with just a few vision-blurring drinks. "Or...sorry...pushed the kissing wrong?"

She places her hand over Petra's where they massage hers. "And touching? Like...I like it a lot, but...humans don't do it sos much as much as Bothans, so there's never enough outside of folks who see it as..well, always about sex. But if it's not comfortable, then it's not."

"I meant it, really. You don't need to do anything else. I'm coming back."

[Petra]

"I know, I know," she says, looking up to her quickly with that. Matching eyes with a brief and more full smile, at the moment she still had her worries but the haunting ones were distracted. There was a warmth there that hadn't been since before she was taken.

"I believe you, I promise. I- don't.. I'm not suggesting we do anything just to make sure you come back," she chuckles, awkwardly. "I just... struggled with this a while, and I don't really.. I mean I saw how you were with people sometimes and how they reacted? But I've never.. felt that," she smiles briefly, "and I'm pretty sure if I was going to I would know by now," she shakes her head, a very brief laugh.

"I don't mind trying... It's not uncomfortable, I just.. I don't know if I can do what you'll be expecting? Or- ya know just.. I just wont get what you get out of it which is fine- I just- I want you to be happy, and... around me, with me and stuff," she says, an awkward chuckle not quite sure if she's making sense.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"I..." Dhel laughs a bit. "I don't know what I'm expecting now. My head's a bit jumbled." She rests her other hand across Petra's "We'll figure it out though. Don't...compare yourself to the folks I draw. I'm kind of fishing for the ones who react like that, you know? Not a fair comparison."

She shakes her head slightly, looking up with a growing sense of wonder at just what her life has become. "Maybe we should eat something though...and talk about it, and...I'll tell you why I need to go, and ...we'll figure it out?"

[Petra]

"Yea, we'll figure it out," she smiles brightly, sniffling a bit as she nods her head and rises up a bit in her seat. Squaring out her shoulders a little she continues to nod a couple more times while looking at Dhel. "Everything's all just a little kriffed huh?" she chuckles, shaking her head. "I-.. wish we could go out somewhere, like Dol's but.." she shakes her head again, sighs.

A pause.. a moment, and then recognition, "Wait- what was that about you before? Hunters? Kriff you do while I was- uh.." she shakes her head, "Whatever. You're telling me about that too- alright?" she says, with that tinge of a familiar Petra-bite to her tone.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Yeah," she laughs a little, squeezing Petra's knee. "It's all just a little bit of a mess. We are, the planet, all the things going on... But I have hope we'll figure it out, you know?" She starts to rise, raises a hand, "Not me being hunted, at least not directly, not yet, but..." she blows out a cheek-puffing breath. "Yeah, that's part of what I've got to tell you. Parts are pretty secret, but I wanted you to know...you know, even before all this."

Now she does rise. Reaching down to offer a hand. "Over...pancakes? Not as good as stuff from Dol's but...I dunno, it seems like good figuring stuff out breakfast food?"

[Petra]

"Over pancakes," she says, reaching up and taking Dhel's hand. With the help ip she looks to her with a smile. "Making it together? Cause.. then, yea-" she laughs, shaking her head. "Sounds perfect," she says, stepping up and wrapping Dhel into what she plans to be a very quick hug before letting her go.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel holds the hug a bit longer than expected, definitely harder. But really...she's quite good at letting go. "Together? You weren't just going to let me do all the work while you hunted for syrup? I'm shocked." She says as she steps back, grinning. "Perfect is right then."

She leads the way to breakfast, and so much conversation.

/scene?

[Petra]

"Shut up," she says with a quick chuckle, walking to Dhel's side and nudging her with an elbow. From there.. the rest of the morning could be left to them, and them alone.

/scene!