(D11, LE Manka Cats Rule) Settling in, Moving Forward

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Manny needs to finish stowing a bunch of his stuff from the other room," Dhel's saying as she presses the button opening the door to her room, a steaming mug in other hand. "Figured you wouldn't mind sharing tonight at least." There's a bit of teasing to her voice, but nothing immediately seductive about it. Every time she's been near enough today, she's kept some kind of physical contact with him, if at all possible. But most of the time, it's seemed more comfort and reassurance seeking than anything.

"Though, I could move this into a corner in the other room if you don't mind the storage room ambience." This, being a sort of large nest of cushions, blankets, and comforters, all of them showing some amount of wear and tear. "The standard beds in here don't fit Phroth either, but there's not really time to get something custom made right now, so..." she shrugs a bit apologetically.

[Deonis Harik]

He followed along easily enough taking in the ship with new eyes now that he was in a way becoming part of it. This was not his first time in her room but it was his first time there in this context, staying there, with her. "The bed will be fine. Slept on smaller. I hope I do not crowd you." He said with a touch of sheepishness. He would fit on the bed well enough but wouldn't leave an abundance of room for the bothan even with how small she is.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"I'd just curl up on top of you, if I weren't worried I'd be poking an injury somewhere," she says, with some humor a touch of worry. "It's going to take some getting used to, caring for folks who run into danger instead of away from it."

[Deonis Harik]

He couldn't deny that he had quite literally charged a woman holding a repeating blaster the night before and it had certainly left a few marks to remember the occasion. Between bacta and synthskin patches they should heal up fine but Deonis wasn't going to forget it anytime soon " I'll be fine. Lots of practice dealing with it. Should be good as new soon." He said with a smile.

"Are you ready to leave?" He asked not saying they needed to leave this moment but rather asking if she was fully prepared to leave Bellionas.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

“Just a few more marks to remember?” Dhel runs a clawed had lightly down his arm, and the reminders of old hurts there. “Even if you’re used to it, I’m not…and I’m, hmm..physical? I like touching, and I don’t want that to hurt, so tell me, if I do?”

That’s more than really needed to be said. It offered time for marshaling her response to his other question; which is a smile over a sigh. “Good little ship, with good friends, and maybe some kind of Imperials trying to grab us while we go see the Galaxy. Why wouldn’t I be ready?” The bravado is a little thin. The question only answered sideways.

[Deonis Harik]

He chuckled a little "have to try a lot harder to hurt me Dhel. I'll be ok." He paused and placed his large red hand over her smaller fur covered one "but ill let you know." He said giving it a small squeeze.

He raised one eyebrow ridge at her answer. He wouldn't claim to be an expert on Dhel after a few days but he had a natural gift to read emotions even if he didn't know it. The thin bravado was seen through instantly. The hand that was over hers moved to her shoulder "You can be honest with me Dhel. Big change. Make sense to be scared or worried."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"It's not you it's hard being honest with," she says, hand tightening a bit, the other scooping easily around his waist. There is something immensely comforting in the solidity of him.

"It wasn't like this last time I left. I'm just...worried? Yeah, that sounds right. I'm abandoning things, everyone, problems. Which, to be fair, has worked ok before, but it's starting to make me uncomfortable these days."

[Deonis Harik]

his thick arm went around her shoulders as she hugged into him he listened and nodded with a thoughtful look "You're not abandoning them Dhel. You're just leaving for now. We'll be back. There is still work to do here."

he gently brushed his lips on top of her head "Things change. We change with them. Do what we must. If the people are important they will understand. If the things are important they will still be there."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"I just hope I don't come back, and find Petra hates me for leaving again, you know?" Dhel looks up at him as he says they'll be back, hopeful. "But I'm really glad to hear you say that we'll be back. That there's work, and you'll be there..." She pauses, nuzzling up beneath his chin. "I'm not used to thinking about 'we' that far ahead."

"I guess that's a change. And thinking of this as home. And suddenly feeling like I should stay after years of talking about gtting out of here."

[Deonis Harik]

"Petra is young. She'll understand one day. She'll know why you had to leave." his arm rubbed gently down her side "I gain some insight. Into the planet. Fixing it may be simpler than I thought. Not easier. but simpler." he said with a voice tinged in hope.

Then he found her eyes with his own "I told you. Where you go I go. As long as you'll have me." he spoke and had a warm smile on his lips "It is good to have a home. Doesn't mean you stay forever. You just always come back."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Where you go, I go For once, that sentiment doesn't make her squirm. Maybe because, for once, it's not based on what she's giving, but...almost...on what she's taking(?). Not quite taking, but requesting, accepting.

Something of that realization shows in her eyes, in the small huff of surprise. "I can't find the words." But she tries. "It's not that you don't want, don't desire...but you're not a bottomless well of those things, and they're so focused, with this quiet in between." Her free hand reaches to cup his cheek, blunt claws resting just behind his eye. "It lets me imagine wanting to keep coming back." She knows he meant that remark to apply to a home and not himself, but is entirely fine taking it this way.

Partly because the thread is still playing out, Dhel simply nods at his assessment of Petra, cautiously. "What have you learned about the imbalance within the planet though? It sounds like good news?"

[Deonis Harik]

He smiles and leans into the touch on his cheek, she said it quite well for not having words and maybe, just maybe he had a bit of double meaning in the words when he had said them. "I desire plenty Dhelih." his voice rumbles out a little, his eyes flare "but yes I want, more, in a way. I am interested in much more than this." his hands ran along her curves suggestively, sensually "as enticing as it is." he grinned as his eyes dimmed back to normal.

"I went to the Spaceport this afternoon. I felt drawn there. The spirit once trapped in the swamp is free. I don't know how. Something to do with an old...friend." he said slowly "but the spirit told me to heal Bellionas simply meant caring for it. The imbalance is a wound. Nothing to do but help the planet heal. inspire hope. foster growth." He chuckled a little "Shoula actually suggested something similar at the party. Seems she was right."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel's eyes half close at the caress, thumb brushing along his cheekbone before bringing her hand down to rest against his heart. "I guess you're getting it. Training seems like a lot more. Yeah? Sometimes spiritual, you said?"

She listens as he speaks of the spirit and the wound. "So...what the resistance is already doing there? That's really heartening to know." There's a pause, thinking. "But this dark spirit loosed into the galaxy now? Will that be worse for more places? Or...will it fester less, being free instead of trapped? Nothing heals in a trap, right?"

[Deonis Harik]

He smiled "well yes, training. But I more meant getting to know you. Learning about you. Sharing experiences together." He explained softly as he held her.

"As for the spirit. She is...interesting. told me about my people's homeworld. Moraband. Might go there. If I have time. She radiates cruelty and hate and malice but also was strangely helpful. I do not know what to think yet. One day we might have to stop her."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Training is an experience," she teases, relaxing against him gently, still on guard against bumping injuries. "Moraband," she says the word, as if it might be more likely to pull up memory that way, but...nothing. Speaking of learning about you though..." Dhel smiles up at him, just able to kiss his chin as she rises onto her toes a bit. "Do you remember it at all?" She steps back a bit, taking his hand to tug toward a comfortable seat in the clutter of bedding and cushions.

Regarding the spirit, she nods. "I've known enough cruel people who'd help where it suited them, Usually where it benefitted them. Be careful of the help you accept?" She didn't say it, but there was something immensely warming in the fact that he'd said 'we might have to stop her.' It was an assumption and confidence she didn't have about her own abilities yet. But he did.

[Deonis Harik]

He follows easily to a comfortable spot to relax a little bit a small sigh releasing some of the tension with the relaxation "No." He answered her first question "I was told I was taken from Tsung. Moraband is where my people originated. I assume." She could have been lying, but to what end?

He then nodded to her point "I do not trust her. She said we would meet again. Warned me not to betray her if we made a deal. Not sure what to think of it all. But I feel, uneasy at best."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"All the way back then. Alone with your thoughts, or do you want company on that trip?" There's no sense that she's attached to either answer, Just checking to see where he's standing. "Uneasy sounds about right with something like what little you've told me, yeah?"

Dhel starts to settle, but pauses a hand on his shoulder. "I really did mean I'd try working on that knot if you like. No real training, just. helping other performers with you know...locked shoulders and tight calves, and so on."

[Deonis Harik]

He thought for a moment before squeezing her gently "Thank you. But I think it is something I must do alone. I appreciate your offer though." He brushed his face against hers.

He smiled at the other offer "I would not say no. I was mostly joking. It will still feel nice though."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

She nods, making a small, happy, 'mrr' as their cheeks brush. After an warm and unhurried kiss, she scoots back a bit, giving his shoulder a bit of a push. "Good, lay down then and I'll get to work. Glad you were joking though. No reason for you to be in pain just to cheer Manny and Sholua."

As he's settling she asks, "What are you hoping to find there? It's ok if that's too personal though. I want to know you better, but not pry."

[Deonis Harik]

He shifted as she spoke and thought for a moment "firstly, I trust you Dhel. Maybe it's crazy. I've only known you a handful of days. But I trust you. Am drawn to you. Nothing you ask will be prying." He explained simply

"Answers." He responded to her second question. "I want to know what they were like. No one in today's world knows anything. At least no one I trust."