#warplanet.

visor, that had been protecting her from the sparks of fire on metal, raises. it's not often that bix finds herself flustered. that a blush dares to bloom across her cheeks. not for years. not since - no, that's far too painful to think of. instead she allows her head to shake slightly, a playful laugh to fall from her lips. after all, cara is pretty irresistible herself. ❝ oh yeah? ❞ she removes the visor completely now, placing it on the workbench beside her tools. she keeps her gaze down, allowing a moment to enjoy this. to enjoy feeling desirable again.

❝ i consider myself lucky for many reasons. ❞ corde settles herself beside arra, their bodies outlined by the tall grass that covers most of maridun. their home, now. her head rests on arra's chest, eyes trained to the night sky. this is the only place where she feels truly safe, in the arms of her love. the only place she cannot be betrayed, or hunted, or taken. home is not a planet, it is not a pile of stone, but the heart that beats in tandem with her own. above them a flash shoots across the sky, seeming to weave around the stars. asteroids passing too close to the atmosphere.

the inquisitor, they called her. a powerful and strong woman who led the people that needed her — how could he not be drawn to such a cause? it was that or let the world die in the end. the decision was easy, even if mystra did not agree. “ i'm curious, inquisitor. ” he begins, taking another step into her... office? yes, that must be what it is. “ you don't mind my curiosity, do you? ” gale waits a moment, then proceeds. “ regarding the conclave... it must have been powerful magic that was able to produce such an event. is there anything you can remember from it? anything at all? ” he asks to help solve this, of course — but the rest of him yearns to know. damn that endless craving for more knowledge.

“ A better question would be how didn't I hear it, Miss Kelso. ” There was something that entertained Tony when it came to revealing certain pieces of information he held close to his chest — sometimes, it seemed like places were bending over backwards to give it to him or hide it. No matter what they wanted, though, he always got it. “ Besides, I know everything going on in this building. Only reason your agents got in is because I left the door open for them. Find what you were looking for? ”

the light of two suns breaks through the cloth that hands over the small window. corde wakes with a start as the world around her starts to make sense again. as the remains of a dream, a loved one gone and a battle lost, starts to ebb out of consciousness. one she's had before, that she's tried to hold onto and make sense of but it always slips out of her grasp. alert eyes take in the room. small, tinged yellow, and bare. they never needed much. she's right beside her, the person she would give everything up for. she's whispering soothing words and running a finger down her cheek. corde instantly relaxes.

head falls back against the flat pillow, hand lazily reaching out but finding nothing. arra's moved from her side and now her legs rest either side of her body, arms bracing against the bed as gaze meet. oh, she's more beautiful then any moon or star. she would put all the planets to shame. there's barely time for a smile to grace her lips before it's silenced. fingers running along arra's thighs, up her sides, to find perch in the curve of her cheek. this is freedom. this is everything they fought so hard to have. this is all corde wants for the rest of her life, no matter how long or short it may be.

chest heaves. breaths leaving her lips in short huffs. eyes ablaze with anger and longing. how much longer can they do this? how much longer can they rehash what's already done? amani was resolved to move on. she was determined to not let it get between them anymore for the sake of the child. but it seems that such a thing was far easier said than done. that every step forward came with two steps back. and here they stand again, chest to chest, with tears stinging in her eyes. there's no taking back what she said. the words echoing around the rooms. go, leave! it's what you do best.

the world has fallen silent. it's only the sounds of their breathing that breaks through. how long has it been since she spoke? minutes? it feels like hours. ❝ i - ❞ but whatever she was about to say, be it an apology or a continuation of her jabs, is silenced by a pair of lips on hers. by her body being pulled against another. it doesn't take long for hands to find their way into curled locks. for every ounce of pent up passion to pour into such a simple action. lips move together in harmony, breaking apart only momentarily for gasps of air. it's everything she remembered. it's a shiver down her spine, it's colour bursting behind her eyelids, it's nothing else mattering anymore.