#fipes

A little prequel to this and this

CT-9075 and the mysterious holographer aren't done yet with GAR Goth Night! The ploth thickens; but don't forget to read the ALT texts to stay updated! 👀

A massive thank you to @eclec-tech for writing the amazing ALT texts <3

Taglist (read to join): @diamondluna2 @aknightreaderr @returnofthepineapple @sunshinesdaydream @thecoffeelorian @star-wars-lycanwing-bat @bixlasagna @dreamie411 @heidnspeak @earlgreyci

to my dearest twin, thank you for being you ✨ @lonewolflupe

It didn’t matter if they were granted another hour for preparations; they would always find more to arrange, to improve, to perfect. Some decoration that needed a more prominent placing, an additional cocktail recipe available at the bar, or some songs added to the setlist. But time didn’t care for their devotion to the cause, and neither did the crowd outside. When it was finally time, the entrance got unlocked, and it didn’t take long for the place to get swamped by a crowd not as colourful as usual.

Tonight marked 79’s very first GAR Goth Night, a theme celebrating the culture, music and art known around the galaxy as gothic. A theme fit for drama and melancholy, for romance and the macabre. A theme to lose oneself to, to forget about the tragedies of war, but also to get close to those you felt attracted to.

And the person Lupe felt attracted to just entered the scene. She had just placed another box of stale peanuts behind the bar’s counter, and when she peeked over the counter, she noticed him. His blacks seemingly tighter around his torso than usual - she wasn’t aware there was a smaller size available to the clones -, the sleeves cut from it, allowing the cantina’s neon lighting to shine on his heavenly biceps. Of course he was wearing a kama, because he knew what it did to her. And he was wearing the most impressive platform boots - 501st blue accents included.

He looked a little lost within the crowd, like some lone cadet wandering the Kaminoan corridors all alone, as she noticed how Jesse and Kix made for the back of the bar to find an empty booth to start their evening, leaving a seat for him. He was definitely still the confident ARC trooper she knew and had fallen in love with, but he looked like he was searching for something - or someone. She waited a bit longer before appearing from behind the bar, because his lost look was endearing to her, and a rare sight to behold.

Once she got to her feet and left her spot behind the counter, he laid eyes on her, and even from this distance she noticed the sparkle in those eyes. They slowly walked towards each other, clearly beholding their unusual outfits for the night. The place was already crowded, but somehow, they both forgot about everyone else around them - and only had eyes for each other. When they finally reached each other somewhere in the middle of the place, they almost forgot to halt and nearly bumped into each other.

"Lupe, General- you look.. You're breathtaking," Fives stammered in a whisper, just loud enough for her to hear. He looked down at her, taking in her attire - she looked ethereal to him. Black boots, black cargo pants - her lightsaber attached to a belt with metal studs -, a skinny, sleeveless black shirt, with - he paused his stare right there for a moment - two slits above her cleavage. A dark grey scarf bandana around her neck, and seperate sleeves with cuts in them; five on each side. He huffed in amusement when he realised.

"You're a real eye catcher yourself, ARC Trooper," Lupe shot at him with a smirk, and at that moment, looking back at her face, he noticed the black makeup on it: black eyeliner and eyeshadow for a mysterious look, black face painting with stylised fangs for a fierce look, and black lipstick - making him long for her even more.

"Yeah?" he said softly, slowly closing the gap between them, as she responded with another soft ‘yeah’. Their eyes were lost in each other, their hands begging to be all over their skins, lips yearning to touch. Lupe let out a trembling sigh through parted lips, closing her eyelids to fully indulge herself in the upcoming moment.

Which got disrupted by a thunderous voice calling her name.

Lupe almost didn’t notice; only when she didn’t feel Fives’ lips on hers, she blinked her eyes in confusion, only to see him standing a decent and sensible distance from her with a grin adorning his handsome face. "I think someone's asking for your attention,” he shot at her, giving a sharp nod in the direction of the bar. She didn’t bother turning around, as she was still dreamily looking into his eyes, noticing how the neon lights painted a vivid spectacle in them.

"I think someone has my attention,” she whispered absently, feeling a warmth washing over her when she heard him chuckle in response. "Some other one," he elaborated, gently grabbing her shoulders in an attempt to drag her back into reality. It worked, but not to her liking. She blinked a few times and grimaced when she realised they were out in the public, and they should watch their steps more carefully. She moved her weight to her toes and reached towards his ear, and he slightly tilted his head to level with her.

"What about you're the one?" she whispered, suppressing a playful giggle by biting her lower lip. Her remark made for another chuckle, and he deliberately brushed his cheek against hers when he pulled his head back in a subtle sign of affection. He looked her in the eyes again, and she could see the mischievous lights dancing in his eyes clearer than ever. "What about we continue this when you're done with your responsibilities for tonight?" he suggested, the corners of his lips twitching as he tried his hardest to keep them in a serious expression.

He put his hands on her cheeks, softly caressing her skin with his thumbs as he lost himself in her again. He raised an eyebrow when her lips suddenly curled into a cheeky grin. "What about we make you my responsibility for tonight?" she dared him, and he could barely refrain himself from grabbing her in his arms and running off to find some private place as he laughed a warming chuckle. "I like the sound of that. But don't let Fox hear it," he grinned at her, earning him a raised eyebrow when she responded: "I have a feeling Fox has someone else on his mind tonight."

...

"You sure this isn't too much?" Lupe questioned the decorations, as she activated the holocandles on the counter. Aev scoffed at Lupe’s skepticism, tossing a few more of the holoprojects on the counter for the Jedi to activate. "You kidding? This is the perfect mood setter," she shot at Lupe, followed by a playful smirk. “Besides, this doesn’t burn the place down when tossed over by some drunk.”

It granted Aev a roll of the eyes, but Lupe’s lips curled into the broadest smile anyway. "Alright, I have complete trust in your judgement on the matter," she sighed, as she adjusted some of the holocandles’ colour settings into something more fitting to tonight’s theme. "Speaking about trusting my judgement..," Aev started slowly, resulting in Lupe mumbling an ‘Oh Force, here it comes’ under her breath, "..you could totally hook up with a Commander."

The young Jedi General blinked her eyes a few times, before shooting the Mandalorian a deadpan look. "What?" she grumbled to the Mandalorian in a low voice, but the latter wasn’t finished yet. "If you wanted to," Aev added, casually shrugging her shoulders whilst pouring both of them a shot. "I don-"

"I mean, not all of them are still available," Aev interrupted, and the way her lipsticked lips slightly curled into a smirk wasn’t lost on Lupe. Now it was her time to poke around. "You're talking about Fox?" she chuckled, leaning closer towards Aev against the bar to reach for her freshly poured drink. "Oooh definitely, he's out of the game," the Mandalorian laughed, her long, black mohawk hair bouncing on top of her shoulders. Lupe just shook her head in amusement, continuing: "I think Fox throwing me in a cell must have been a deal-breaker anyway." Aev chuckled at the casual tone the Jedi was using, raising an eyebrow. "You sure you're a Jedi?" Lupe shrugged and downed the shot in one go, before commenting: "I bet that question has crossed the Council's agenda too, once or twice."

"Sooo what about.. Wolffe?" Aev continued after finishing her own shot, and reached for the bottle for a refill. An unsuspecting cough left Lupe’s throat, and she was glad she wasn’t drinking when Aev dropped the absurd suggestion. "Are you kidding? He's like my older brother!” Lupe wheezed, and as soon as she caught her breath again, added in a low, subtle voice: “An intimidating, judgemental older brother, that is." Aev just snorted before throwing the next commander into the mix. "Fair enough. What about.. Cody?"

"Taken."

"You sure?"

"Yup."

"Interesting..," Aev said slowly, brushing her chin with the tips of her fingers whilst keeping an awaiting stare at her friend. With her lips pressed into a thin line, Lupe just grabbed the next shot to finish it, not giving away any more information on the subject. "You're not going to elaborate?" Aev said at last, making sure to sound as disappointed as possible, but Lupe just shrugged with a smug smile on her face. "Nope." Aev shook her head and grabbed her shot. "You're cold, vod," came her reply before she knocked back her shot. Lupe turned towards the Mandalorian, and with a pedantic tone to her voice, managing to keep a straight face just long enough, remarked: "Well, as a Jedi, I'm a protector of the people." Aev snorted, almost spitting out her drink. "Now you're just acting like one whenever it suits you.”

Going for their last refill - because as hostesses, they were expected to mingle -, Lupe shook her head with a genuine smile before looking at her friend. "Aev, I appreciate your efforts, but I'm fine.” She paused for a moment, burning to tell Aev the truth but knowing she couldn’t be more careful, especially in the current setting. “You.. You know as a Jedi I'm not supposed to grow attachments, but between you and me.. my heart's already been taken," she added softly, making sure Aev was the sole person hearing her words.

Instead of shooting her a surprised look, Aev’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. "I know, I was just toying with you," came the Mandalorian’s response. Confused, Lupe looked at her, blinking a few times. "Wait- you know? We never talked about it," she shot cautiously, being careful to keep their conversation theirs, and theirs alone. Aev leaned over the counter, making sure to aid her friend in her secrecy. "I know because I see the look on your face whenever he enters the room, or when he's being mentioned in a conversation,” she confessed, the smirk on her face only growing wider as she spoke the words. Bewildered, Lupe frowned her bushy eyebrows as she turned towards her friend. “What look on my face?”

“You start radiating."

…

They would have liked to spend some more time together, but the theme night was starting and they needed to show their faces around, to make sure everything would run smoothly and everyone was having a great time. Empty shot glasses on the counter, they encouraged each other with a forearm shake, smirking at each other in their excitement about what the night would bring.

"Have fun with your Marshal Commander tonight," Lupe grinned at Aev, her teeth visible in an amused grin. "Will do, vod,” she winked at her friend. Just when they were about to release their friendly shake, Lupe tightened her grasp around Aev’s arm. "And if he worries; tell him I won't be causing any trouble tonight," she shot at her friend, hoping Fives wouldn’t either. Aev responded with a genuine laugh, and before they finally released their grasps to be off into the night, she said: "Please, for my sanity; go cause some. A little, at least!”