[D2, LE, around the corner, expecting]

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin had been thrilled to see the racing community again, even the people he hated like that Twi'lek jerk, Tozza, but he'd really been hoping to see someone else. He was dragging out his post-race routine with Ruby, hoping she'd turn up, but as the crowd thinned -- winners going to celebrate, losers slinking off to sulk or retool -- the abandoned parking lot two blocks from the Rebyk was starting to look as deserted as it had before the bikers and their entourages had started arriving.

Thankful that tonight's racing hadn't drawn any official attention, Korvin leaned down to polish another spot on Ruby, though he could probably already see himself in the shiny metal at this point.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Thin sandals tap across the parking lot, making no attempt at silence. "Only caught the word at the end of shift, hard to see a race on this catch as catch can schedule. Couldn't miss Ruby at the end there though, could I?" She pauses a few feet away, letting her eyes shift from the bike, to Korvin...down then slowly up to catch his eyes with her own.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin doesn't immediately realize that it's Dhel, but when he looks at her his face lights up brilliantly.

"Dhel! You made it!" His smile beams, even as he tones it down a little as he thinks to play it cool. He stands up straight and runs a hand through his hair.

"I'm glad you got to see Ruby," he says excitedly. "I mean, that wasn't our best," he starts to babble a little, showing much relief that she's arrived. "Like, we probably shoulda done better, even after being away, but third by a nose -- like a nose isn't much, but third is still third, right? So that's pretty..."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel continues forward, letting her hands settle at the boy's waist as she steps close. "Course I made it. Just took a bit to get free." She looks over his shoulder at Ruby, fur just tickling against his cheek. "And third is third, however you count it."

"How do you win by a nose with bikes? Is it...the rider's nose? Or is there some part on the bike you call a nose?" she asks, pulling back a bit to look up at him.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

There's a heartbeat of pause as she approaches, then Korvin calms at Dhel's touch. With an exhale of tension, he says quietly, "I'm glad you made it."

When she asks about the expression, he chuckles happily. "Well... I guess it's mostly just a saying for 'really close,'" he says thoughtfully. "Although," he adds, putting an arm around her shoulders and pivoting them both toward the front end of Ruby, "I'd say Ruby's nose is that front repulsor unit casing." He points at a triangular structure at the end of the front arms of Ruby's frame. It is, of course, a highly polished red.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel slips gracefully beneath Korvin's arm, her own slipping behind to rest along his waist as she leans against him."Repulsor...that's what pushes it? Right?" Reaching toward the cleaned to a reflective shine surface, Dhel adds, "this is clean enough to eat off of...cleaner than some of the dishes I've seen in the shops, honestly. Lot of work, isn't it? "

[Korvin Hikarrin]

"Right. Repulsorlifts to get her up off the ground, so that the engine can really make her go fast," Korvin says with a smile. "As you saw the other night."

Korvin beams at the compliment on his polishing. "I mean, it is a lot of work." His voice shifts a little quieter again. "I take good care of the things I care about." He squeezed gently around her shoulders to emphasize his meaning.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel leans against him with a sigh, enjoying that bittersweet sense of potential for a moment, arm tightening around his waist. The sense that nothing good lasts is locked up tight before she looks up with a grin. "Is that so? Trying to tell me something? Just so you know, Bothan don't polish well...takes the fur off," she teases, bringing her palm to his cheek.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin chuckles a little, smiling and leaning into her hand on his cheek. His eyes smolder with affection.

"Well, polish isn't the answer to everything. And I like to think I know when to polish and when a... gentler touch... is the way to go." He brushes the back of a single finger on her cheek, just to prove his point.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Still teasing. "Hmm, so you're saying you care?" She leans into the touch, turning to nip playfully at his finger, "but what does taking care of a Dhel even mean to you?" It's teasing, but there's a serious undertone. It wasn't that long back she was a bit stranded by someone who thought they had a great answer to that question.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin smiles at the nip.

"Well, I know I have plenty to learn to get everything right," he says warmly. "But I bet 'exciting while keeping you safe' and 'being here like I said I would' are a pretty good start." Korvin smiles like he's happy to hear more on this topic.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Yeah," Her smile gentles as she pulls him close. "That's a good start. Excitement. A little wind in my skirts. Keeping promises." She nuzzles against his throat for a moment before stepping back, holding a hand out for his. "So where are we riding tonight? Someplace a little quiet? Good to talk? Mmmm...good for more than talking?"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin's breathing gets a little ragged as she nuzzles him, so it's a small relief when she steps away. The look in his eyes, though, suggests he would rather have the torture than the relief.

"Yes, let us away," he says energetically, and he gives her a small spin after taking her hand. "I think first to dessert and good talking. I want to make sure I'm well fueled for the most important part of my night," he says with a smirk.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

She laughs with the spin, sundress flaring wide. "Second dessert of the night, sounds fantastic. Something cold?" Letting the momentum from the twirl bring her close again, she says, "and talking, there's a fair bit to say before the rest of the night."

Glancing at Ruby, she adds, "it's nice to have something like Ruby. Just...able to scoot away at top speed when you just need to be someplace else"

[Korvin Hikarrin]

"Cold dessert, all the dessert, whatever," he jokes lightly. "That race made me really hungry."

Korvin guides her toward the bike, giving a hand of support when she's ready to sit.

"I haven't needed to do that, but it's one of the reasons that Ruby is 100 percent my money," he confides. "If I had to..." He looks at Dhel solemnly. "If you and I needed to," he corrects, a little quietly, but with earnestness in his eyes. "We could just go."

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

Dhel climbs aboard, steadying herself with the Korvin's grip. "Never needed to just...be anyplace beside the spot you were standing?" Dhel sounds disbelieving. "Well, that's alright. She's also good for just taking us where we do want to be."

She scoots back a bit, leaving space, though she'll scoot forward again once he's aboard, wrapping her arms around and resting her head between his shoulder blades for the moments before they get going. "And you need to be someplace with real food, it sounds like. Try cafe Sol? Real food and amped down from the race a smidge."

[Korvin Hikarrin]

Korvin chuckles, "Well, yes, sometimes you need to get a little space from the sore loser whose money you just won, or... Ruby's very helpful in a range of situations," he smiles as he watches her scoot.

Taking his own seat, he slows the process of getting going to enjoy her embrace longer. Finally, he fires up Ruby and they rise and slip out of the now nearly deserted lot.

"Cafe Sol is actually just what I was thinking," he says, though it's not easy to hear as warm air rushes past them. He tries to flash a smile over his shoulder, but it's a brief effort as he's keeping his attention firmly on the road and the safety of his passenger.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

"Folks actually get bent about that? I mean...it's not even like cards where you can cheat, can you?" That embrace never entirely ends, as her hands slip to his waist, holding her steady as they zip along streets growing quieter. Her large ears have no trouble catching conversation over the wind they create, and her height lets her use him as a buffer.

"mmm, thinking alike then." she says, leaning to speak as close to his ear as she can manage.

[Korvin Hikarrin]

With her keen hearing, Dhel catches him saying somewhat grimly, "Some people will find a way to cheat at anything."

With traffic low at this hour, Ruby makes good time even without showing any speed. Almost before realizing, the couple is in and seated at Cafe Sol. Korvin takes Dhel's suggestion to heart, ordering a full plate of food plus dessert for himself, which the cafe staff take in stride. They're clearly used to Korvin or just the tendency of young men to take a fourth meal at certain hours.

"And whatever she would like," he says with a broad grin, not presuming to order for her.

[Dhelih Dotaivi]

There's time for speed when they've got more distance to move through. Still the generated breeze is nice in the heat. After all the meals today, and the heat, Dhel slips into the booth beside Korvin, shoulder brushing his before awareness of the heat reminds her to leave a little space.

She orders shaved ice with a bright blue synthetic syrup that supposedly tastes like berries that have certainly never grown on Bellionas, and a sugary-sweet grain porridge topping that probably are grown someplace.

"Mmm, so what've you been up to besides racing and hanging out with cute Bothan girls today?" she asks, once the order's taken, letting her hand seek his.