Cuddle prompt: In the dark. Theron & Xaja
Yavin IV had no reason to be this damned dark. Nighttime was already plenty ominous enough without the overbearing shadows of the jungle and the not-distant-enough growls of animals. It wouldn’t have been so bad if the Alliance’s small base camp hadn’t had such a restriction on the electricity generators.
But unfortunately, light was considered a risk at this hour – nobody wanted to attract more of the wildlife than strictly necessary, after the one unfortunate incident with a prowling Massassi. No matter how much Xaja hated the dark, she was going to have to put up with it for now. She swore she hadn’t been this afraid of the dark before being shoved into a carbonite freezing chamber… I should have sent Sorand on this thing. He’s the one who loves archaeology more. He and Talos would be having the time of their lives with this thing. She scowled and burrowed under her blankets in the small tent set aside for the Alliance Commander, and tried to strain up through the trees in vain for any sign of stars or moons or the gas giant that this forest moon orbited. Damn the trees for blocking everything…
A shadow loomed in what little light there was. Xaja flinched until she recognized Theron’s stride. “It’s just me,” he murmured as he carefully let himself into the tent beside her, muttering a curse as his head made contact with the roof. This tent had been made for someone Xaja’s size, apparently, and not Theron’s. She twisted around to listen as he moved around in the darkness. “I’m half surprised you’re not passed out already,” he said around the sound of rustling leather.Â
Xaja shrugged under the blanket. “Wanted to make sure you got back here okay,” she softly answered.
“Awww.” Theron’s hand landed on her back and felt around until he found her head; Xaja felt a kiss in her hair. “Even though I, unlike you, can actually navigate?”
“Oh, shush. That was one time.” Xaja stuck her tongue out at Theron’s chuckle, even if he couldn’t see it in the darkness. She waited until she felt him lie down beside her; as soon as he was settled, she squirmed over to him and attached herself to his chest. “You’re warm,” she murmured, and tried to pretend that his body heat was her main reason for getting in his space like this.
“And you’re hot as hell.” Theron kissed her hair again and wrapped his arms around her slim shoulders as she smiled. “You doing okay?”
“Besides getting eaten alive by the insects? I’m pretty sure some of those mosquitoes are actually birds.”
“Where’s a damn ginx when we need one?” There was the sensation of her hair being gently carded through lean, deft fingers. “I was more thinking about the dark. I know you don’t like darkness.”
Some days, Xaja wondered why she bothered trying to hide anything from Theron, when the spy had the uncanny talent of figuring everything out despite her best efforts. “Better with you here,” she mumbled into his chest, and felt his arms tighten around her. “It still sucks, but it sucks less.”
“Good.” Theron shifted slightly, pulling the blankets higher over them. “I’m sorry we can’t have any lights on for you…”
“It’s not your fault. I can deal with the dark when you’re here.” Xaja cuddled up closer and felt her legs tangle in with his. It was even more dark with the blankets up to her shoulders and her face in Theron’s chest, but this felt warm and comforting and safe. The darkness was less frightening with her protective spy holding her like this.
