Starless Horizon RP File #25
(Vela’s part in italics.)
The next few days did go fast. The busyness helped keep Vela's mind off her worries, but once they had bought all their supplies, packed and loaded everything on the Nova and said goodbye to Orion (with an added grudging farewell from Fera), she was getting nervous again.
[It seems like not long ago when we were headed to Trelos like this,] she remarked, trying to keep her hands from trembling as she gestured. They were both currently watching Hesperus Alpha dwindling in the viewscreen as their ship pulled away from it. She couldn't look away, now, wondering if it would be best to just go back, to forget it all. But her people needed her.
What was this sudden fear?
It wasn't until their trip grew closer, until they were boarding that morning, that Dritz began to feel the beginnings of his own nervousness. He was not too worried about returning home, or seeing his family, but if he were to be honest, he was concerned about how they would react to his relationship with a "human" (because that's probably what they'd see her as), and indeed to the fact that Vela was all he wanted. That part might not be so bad; it wasn't exactly freakish to be monogamous. He reasoned that it wasn't freakish to fall for an alien either, of course, but it was something that hadn't come up before.
"I know, right? But at the same time, doesn't Trelos seem like... a different world entirely? Almost like a dream?" he asked as he engaged the stability controls. "This will be good, though. It's going to be hard work, but I think we can do this." He stood and moved to where Vela was, kneeling in front of her, "It's going to be great. You're going to be great. You're doing a wonderful thing for the Aurians, flower. And I can't wait to show my family the beautiful person who chose me to be hers."
Vela nodded absently, though she turned her gaze to Dritz as he knelt in front of her. The mention of her people helped to remind her that she was doing the right thing, but the mention of his family still raised so many doubts in her mind.
[It does seem different. I have a better feeling about approaching your leaders than I did on Trelos. But your family... I guess I'm worried. I'm very different from a Chrysalan. So different that our... reproductive systems are incompatible.] She might as well state it plainly. Though she had developed the ability to interact with Dritz outwardly, her inner parts were not the same as a Chrysalan female's would be. [And my appearance as well, but I suppose that's of lesser concern. They are not totally unused to offworlders, from what you've told me.]
Still she remained restless, behaving as though very distracted, unusual for her most of the time. And their flight had only just begun, how was she to continually handle this?
Neither of them had ever spoken aloud about their incompatible biology, and it did take Dritz by surprise for a moment. Of course, they needed to talk about it plainly, it was just weird for him to acknowledge.
"Yeah. I'm a bit worried too, flower, so I do understand, I promise," he said softly, stroking her leg with a smile. "But beyond that, you're a sweet person; intelligent and wonderful and, as my family will see, good for me." It felt odd to admit, but she was. Dritz was known to be frivolous, too laid back. He knew Vela would keep him focused and thinking about what was truly important. "They are unused to non-Chrysalans, yes, but what will matter in the end is how we feel about each other, I'm sure of it."
Vela nodded slowly, thinking over Dritz's words. With her own attempt at a smile, she bent down to kiss the top of his head. If she was good for him, if they could see how much he meant to her... of course they would understand. They had to.
[Alright. It's funny, I'm more nervous about this than about talking to your overseers.] She gave Dritz a hand to help him to his feet again, even if he didn't need it. [I'll try not to worry about what your family will think, for now. Maybe we should go over our plan?]
After being certain all systems were reading operational, Vela led Dritz into the Nova's kitchen. She let him have a seat while she began to expertly prepare two cups of the Chrysalan blossom tea, thinking it would be comforting and familiar now.
[What do we do first?] she asked him seriously, after setting a cup down in front of him. [Do we go straight to your family, or an overseer? Will any of them do, or is there a specific one to see?] Maybe knowing which to expect first would help her better prepare.
Dritz allowed himself to be helped up, and they made their way to the kitchen together. He'd been thinking for a long time about what they would need to do.
Pulling his legs up so that he could sit cross-legged on the bench at the table, he sighed softly, "I think I know the course of action to take. We need to go to the offices and see if Szna, the overseer for the district my family lives in, will see us or if we need to get an appointment. But she's a feisty leader, I think she'll be easily persuaded. Like I said though, it'll be the rest of the overseers that will need convincing. We'll escalate it, flower. Don't worry, we will make it work, and Szna will be on side. We'll all fight for the Aurians." He smiled confidently, a great deal of fire in his eyes. "She's very focused on the less fortunate, she organises a lot of support for poorer neighbourhoods, rare as they are. She'll be eager to help; we're lucky she's the first port of call." He quickly added, "It's not really the done thing for a citizen to go to the overseer of another district; it's seen as disrespectful, like you don't believe in their ability to lead."
Dritz's level of determination almost surprised Vela. It was plain to see he felt strongly about helping her people, and she wondered if it was only for her sake, or more that he was a good person. She thought it must be both, in nearly equal measure.
Encouraging Dritz to drink his tea, she smiled back at him. [That is good to know. She will attempt to help us, I'm sure, as you already know what she's like. I hope the other leaders can be persuaded.] For a little while she blew gently at her teacup to cool it, watching the blossom swirl slightly. [So we will go to her first? What is landing on Chrysala like? Will they need to board the ship and inspect it, especially since it's not Chrysalan in origin?] These small matters were helping her take her mind off her bigger worries, and she was glad Dritz was willing to talk through them with her.
Dritz waved a hand dismissively, "Nah. Chrysala doesn't experience a lot of crime, or the like, so they're not too hot on security detail. They'll do a quick scan for hazards and unregistered lifeforms, but that'll be it. We orbit in the import traffic until we're contacted, then we get our clearance and register ourselves and the ship. It might be just a little awkward because they've got me registered to ol' Pappy, but I should be able t' sweet talk them." He smiled, "Hey, and you'll get to hear full Chrysalan. I'll sign everything for you though, so you know what I'm saying. Don't worry, though, every Chrysalan is taught Basic, it's only the very elderly that don't like to speak it. As soon as I ask, they'll switch to Basic. With the ship being alien, I might not even need to ask."
He took an eager gulp of his tea; it was what he referred to as 'perfect chugging temperature.' Gazing at Vela, he reached over and stroked her arm. "I'm honestly excited to show you my homeworld. I love it there. There are more industrial places, remnants of before, when we were strictly all work and no fun, but the further into the cities it gets brighter and more lively. I think we'd do well to go to the offices first though, which will take us through my district."
Dritz seemed to be relaxing slowly, more excited to show Vela the planet than worrying about what might happen. He hoped it was helping her too.
Vela sipped her tea at a slower pace, listening to everything Dritz told her and storing it away to remember later. He seemed to be getting excited about the idea of arriving on Chrysala, and she couldn't help but catch on to a little of that excitement. It did make her happy to see Dritz happy.
[Alright. Thank you, knowing that will help. I look forward to seeing how wonderful it is, and hearing more of your language. I wish that I could learn some but I... can't make those noises at all.] It was difficult enough to speak Basic aloud, but the chirps and buzzes of the Chrysalan language were quite beyond her. At least she might be able to converse in Basic someday, with enough practice.
[There will not be as much to show you, when we finally go to my planet. But my people need a world where they can rebuild their culture first. Someday... we might be able to see what their civilization is like.] They might not get to see the fullness of their plan realized, but setting the groundwork and seeing the beginnings of it would go a long way to settle her mind. [At least you will be able to talk to the other Aurians when we arrive. They may trust you more this way.] If Dritz focused, at least, he was fairly good with her sign language. This gave her another idea. Leaning forward earnestly, she signed again.
[I want to greet some of your people aloud in Basic. Especially your family and your overseer. But I don't want to just say hello, I want to say something to show how glad I am to meet them, something they would be impressed to hear from a stranger to their planet. Do you know what might work? I will need to start practicing before we arrive.]
Dritz shook his head, "It's not about seeing sights, particularly. I want to see where you came from, what shaped something so seemingly perfect. But... I do think it's important for me to understand what life has been like there too, flower." After a serious second, he laughed, "No, and I wouldn't ever expect you to learn Chrysalan. It's remarkable enough that Fera was able to speak it that one time... I don't know the exact science, but I think it's to do with tiny hairs or something? In the throat? I dunno, it's weird. But I should be able to teach you something cultural. Or at least as cultural as it gets."
He shifted, standing and coaxing her to follow. He took both her hands, gently turning them palm-up, "It's not practiced often now, so doing this will really impress older Chrysalans, I tell ya! So, you take their hands and turn them, make sure you're gentle and you smile. This is a sort of... 'I wish to know you' and 'I accept your hospitality'. Hold their hands with your palm to the top of theirs like this, don't grip with your fingers. Then, you tilt your head forward. I'd say that, unless you're intending to flirt, just bow your head a little bit. This is 'I am open to you', because you're offering your antennae, see? If you want something to say with it, I'd just say in Basic, 'I'm pleased to meet you' or something simple like that."
While Vela didn't agree that Aurctas had formed her into someone who seemed perfect by any means, she quietly accepted Dritz's reasoning for wanting to see her planet beyond simply persuading the Aurians to leave. She wanted to see Chrysala for many of the same reasons.
Then he showed her the motions to go through as a special greeting to Chrysalans, and because it mainly used the hands, she watched with a very solemn expression. In a way she gained a feeling of connection, almost as though there was a tiny similarity between her race and Dritz's. Carefully she repeated the motions using his hands, committing it to memory right away, and struggled through the words "I'm... pleased..." before she had to stop. [I will practice. I must say it faster, easier. Thank you for showing me. It means so much to me.]
Since she was already so near, Vela couldn't help but stretch up the short distance to kiss him gratefully. She put her arms around him for a moment, soothed as always by his warmth and presence. Then she leaned back and smiled, returning to the bench at the table and her tea. [How many will there be to meet, in your family? Just your parents and siblings? What about their other partners? Or cousins? Will you need to introduce me to all of them?] This was potentially a lot of greetings to give. Maybe she would limit them to his parents and the overseer, and any other older Chrysalans she might need to interact with, in order to save her energy for speaking aloud.
Delighted, Dritz returned the kiss and held her against him for a moment when she tried to turn away, grinning. When he did let her go, he took his own seat again.
"Ohhh, no no no, I wouldn't expect you to get to know everyone by any means! My parents, maybe my younger siblings if they're not too busy with schooling when we get there. My ma has partners even I've never met. It's sort of... their private thing? Sometimes partners will be more involved, but I think at least a couple of them have families of their own, children to take care of. Usually you'd interact more with your siblings, if your parent and a secondary partner choose to raise another child. It can get a bit in depth and confusing for offworlders. Heck, it gets that way for me too sometimes!" He shook his head, pulling a face.
"So just immediate family, I think," he added, just to confirm. "What about on Aurctas? Will I... meet family?"
Vela nodded again, the relief evident on her face. If she only had to greet a few out loud, it wouldn't be too stressful for her weak vocal cords. She resolved again that they would be stronger someday.
[That's interesting, but it does sound complicated. I do look forward to meeting them. As for myself, I don't have a family.]
She had to pause a moment as she saw the look on Dritz's face. [It's alright. Though we used to have family units long ago according to the records, the practice disappeared sometime after my people arrived on Aurctas. I don't know who my parents are, though they are probably still alive. We are raised by elders, and the ones who raised me, of course...] This time she did shake her head a little sadly. There were about as many elders remaining as there were children born, which was not many.
Vela didn't have a family? The thought almost physically pained Dritz to consider. His own family life was complicated and sometimes a bother, but he adored every single one of them and would never be without them. Even so far away, he knew they were there if he needed them.
[This fills me with sadness,] he signed slowly. "But, consider all of the Aurians to be your brothers and sisters. Because they are, they endured the same things you did, and now you're here to save them from enduring. So that they can live." He squeezed her hands tightly, nodding more to himself. Their family situations were so different, but he thought his own family might make a nice one for Vela.
Seeing Dritz react with concern, Vela's expression softened. She squeezed his hands gently in return as she listened to him, nodding. He seemed to understand that she was not upset about it for herself, but at the same time it was unimaginable for him.
[I will do the best I can. And I think I am, with your help. They are all my siblings... yes, in a way. There are times I feel bad that I escaped when they would not, but there was no choice. I will help them escape too, someday.]
The days passed surprisingly quickly, with Vela practicing her phrase aloud as well as reading all the info she could on Chrysala, passing on the information to Dritz as well, which seemed to amuse him. Almost before they knew it, weeks had gone by and the planet itself was looming in the viewscreen before them.
Vela had dressed as nicely as she could, in dark clothes from Aurctas which were reasonably closer-fitting than most of the rest she owned, wanting to represent her people and yet not wanting to be too uncomfortable. The looser clothes she had tended to wear in the past no longer suited her personal taste as much.
Anxious as she was for herself, she turned a curious expression toward Dritz to see how he felt upon finally arriving, and how he would handle their landing process, as she could not communicate with the other Chrysalans.
Vela practiced relentlessly on her gesture and phrasing, and regularly entertained him with snippets of information, which only made Dritz happy. Her enthusiasm was amusing and endearing, he could see she truly wanted to be welcomed into the community, to impress them as well as earn their help.
Soon enough, as the time passed unbelievably quickly, Dritz was instructing Vela on where to pilot the Nova.
Chrysala from orbit appeared to be a smokey blue green orb, surrounded in stark contrast by a vast station system that was funnelling ship traffic through to the planet. They were hailed almost immediately, a delicate, oval-faced Chrysalan with picture perfect straight hair and immaculate white uniform, wearing a comm headset appeared on the screen. Dritz had situated himself near it in preparation, beaming widely in greeting.
The Chrysalan, with minimal movement of his lips, chirped and clicked having been greeted with one of his own.
"Hey there. Thanks, but could we do Basic, please? My captain doesn't speak Chrys!" He gestured behind him to Vela.
"Absolutely. My apologies, friends," said the operative, bowing his head. His Basic was soft and lilting, less confident that his native tongue. "I will need your manifesto, crew listing and reasons for your visit."
"We ain't carrying anything, the crew is myself and my captain, and we've come to visit," Dritz responded cheerily. He and the operative went through the checking procedures, which took longer than expected as Dritz tried to explain the whereabouts of his registered ship, and needed to be verified as a citizen with their census records. To one side, where the operative would not see, he signed in slow motion to Vela, [Booorrriiing.]
Vela watched and listened to everything carefully, as if she could extract even more information from the exchange with the Chrysalan operative. In the back of her mind she was vaguely thinking how very different this would be from landing on Aurctas, which she had also never done before.
This Chrysalan was different than Dritz in appearance, of course, smaller and more delicate looking, which did not seem to interest Vela in particular. She had not seen any other Chrysalans during her time on Hesperus, from what she could recall. She felt certain Dritz would have mentioned it if he had. Yet she had seen many pictures during her search for information, and knew she should expect a variety of body types as opposed to the Aurians, who were all highly similar.
When Dritz signed to her, she smiled but shook her head. It was a lot of detail to go through, but all of it fascinated her. When it was all concluded and they were allowed to proceed, she carefully began to maneuver the ship forward again while following the instructions she had received from both the operative and Dritz.
Once the operative was off the line with a soft "welcome to Chrysala", Dritz shut the comms off with a sigh.
"That took much longer than it needed! I bet he's new to it, the experienced customs folk would never presume to speak Chrysalan, no matter who answered," he said, plopping back down in his seat and helping Vela (when she needed it, which was rare) move them through the traffic picking its way down to the planet.
The port was vast and bustling, with bays branching out from a central hub in a starburst shape, and they were guided down to bay Q6 by another Chrysalan over their voice comms, this one's gender not so easily identified, but their manner infectiously bright and welcoming.
"Right, are you ready for an explore, my flower?" Dritz asked as they settled and the engines were cooling down. He was acting almost jumpy, visibly a mixture of nerves and excitement.
The navigation down to the port and their docking bay wasn't overly difficult. While the area was crowded with other ships, they were all moving in a reasonably controlled manner, and the layout of the port was well thought out and designed to minimize travel time, or so Vela thought. It was still a relief to finally land and shut the engines down, letting the Nova take a well deserved rest for safely delivering them to Chrysala.
[It's not so much exploring for you, is it?] she signed with a little smile, moving to where he was once everything had been shut down properly. [But I think I am. Where do we go first? Should we get to your overseer right away? How do we get there?] Remembering the transports on Trelos, she gave a little shudder before squeezing Dritz in her arms gently for a moment. [Are you alright? I'm very nervous, too.]
Dritz kissed Vela's temple with a fond roll of his eyes, "Okay, so it's not a grand adventure for me, as such, but it will be for you, and that makes it more explorey." He nuzzled against her, soothing his own worries in a way.
"What say we take it a little bit slower? Maybe go somewhere for some tea and a snack, then make our way over to the overseer?" He offered, smiling. "It's up to you, we could always go to the overseer first, and then have a lot relaxing wander through the city? Oh, transport, yes. There's lifts between the levels, and suspension trams that should be okay for us to grab."
Vela shrugged playfully, leaning against Dritz a little for a moment. It was certainly an adventure for her, but one which worried her more than she might like it to.
The idea to take it slower was appealing. They were not in a true rush now that they were on Chrysala, and Vela nodded as she thought it over. [I suppose so. Tea is always good, and we haven't had much decent to eat while traveling.] She wasn't exactly hungry, but the simple act of eating might settle her somehow.
They left the ship and made their way into the dock, down a lift and onto the ground level. At this point, Vela had to stop and stare at the bustle around her. [There are so many,] she signed weakly, glancing around at everyone walking about on their own business. And this was only a tiny fraction of the population!
The foot traffic outside of the port was even thicker than before, and Dritz was aware that the noise and activity could be overwhelming for Vela, so he kept one arm thrown over her shoulders, keeping her close, but her hands free for signing.
The ground level was dimmer by default, but the smooth, almost metallic streets were lit with strip lights in the roofing that mimicked natural sunlight. Everywhere there were people going about their business; many of them in workwear, and the vast majority of them Chrysalans, though other races weren't particularly rare. The streets were narrow and while everything was clearly built for practicality and cheap with cheap materials, as time advanced, it was obvious they'd been built on and redesigned, with the same uniform base, and signs for shops or services were low and made of neon tubing, with the largest text being in Chrysalan, then a Basic translation beneath.
Dritz led her slowly, picking his way through the streets. Thankfully everyone was as polite as he'd recalled, and everyone was afforded a good amount of space.
"I got you. This is usually the most crowded area, since it's the first port of call after, well, the port! As we make our way in some more, it'll thin out," he promised.
Grateful for the arm around her shoulders to help keep her steady against the noise all around her, Vela leaned into Dritz slightly as they walked. It was similar to being on Hesperus in a way, but the lights were brighter and the sound much louder. It was fairly bewildering to her as someone from a planet with people who did not surround themselves with very much technology.
She watched in something like a daze as a small group of Chrysalans of various skin shades and heights and sizes walked by, all seeming to be chirping and buzzing at the same time as they talked among each other. Offhand she began to wonder if she could at least learn to understand the language even if she couldn't speak it, the way Dritz had learned her sign language for her.
True to Dritz's word, the crowds began to fade the further they walked from the ports. Vela found herself reading every sign they passed, trying to remember the Chrysalan writing along with the translation beneath. The majority so far were repair shops or other small businesses. [Will we need to use that to find a place that sells food?] She had pointed at what looked like a station from what she could tell, though what Dritz had called "trams" had no word in her language.
Dritz found that he was also thankful for the way the crowds were thinning out, feeling more at ease when they could walk with a bit more space. Eventually they approached a tram station, which was a small terminal directing users to which car they would need; each car was lowered to the ground to collect the passengers, then drawn up to a cable to travel above the foot traffic.
"Well, we could probably find somewhere a bit closer," Dritz said, "But if you wanna try out the tram, we could! It's free. I've known kids to get trams just two minutes along the street out of pure laziness, just because it doesn't cost. Heh, I... Uh, I actually did it once. I decided to see how long would take to get from one end of the city to another via the trams. It took a long time." He chuckled, shrugging.
Vela nodded slowly, considering. [I would like to try them. We can go somewhere closer to where your overseer is.] Now that she was able to watch one of the trams moving and could see it was not going at a high speed, she was more than eager to try what she now considered part of Dritz's culture after the story he told her.
As she thought, the ride was smooth and actually pleasant. Of course Dritz knew where to go and was able to make sure they arrived in his own district, and Vela walked off the tram in a new sense of awe. This was where the one she loved had grown up and lived a large part of his life, and she gazed around fondly as if she might be imagining him there.
[Where do we go?] she signed eagerly. Her appetite was returning while she was so excited, for now, so it was best to take advantage of that before her thoughts returned to approaching the overseer and Dritz's family.
The tram rocked gently from side to side as they were lifted and moved above the streets. The interior held advertisements for new fashions, work insurances, some new eatery, and one small, partially scrubbed bit of graffiti which was roughly recognisable as an insult to the next district over. Other than that, however, it was well kept, a long carriage with plenty of hard metal seats. In recent years, the metal had been engraved with a pattern that resembled a map of the city.
Below them, the industrial, darker buildings gave way to sleeker, modern buildings, though some older architecture remained where the owners might not have wished to change. The neon signs became more elaborate, the streets boasting citizens in similar, though more tastefully matched, fashion to Dritz himself. A trend amongst Chrysalan women seemed to be small rings on their antennae, and glittering chains clipped to the tips of their wings, while the most stylish men seemed to favour thick heeled shoes and shades of red. The streets opened up, almost like a collection of town squares, and towards the centre there was a low, plain building in the older style.
"That's where we'll need to be," Dritz said, pulling Vela to look out of their window. "If we get off at the next stop, we can find my favourite place to eat. It's too big a place for them to, say, know your order or your face, but it's really nice food, and they do a huge variety of different blossoming tea!"
The place in question was a large canteen with individually tended tables. A short Chrysalan woman with heavy, and very bright, eye makeup greeted them with a bright smile.
"Hi! I'm Cirtz, I'll be your server," she chirped. She seemed to be eyeing Vela with sparkling curiosity. "Your hair is gorgeous!"
Vela was staring again as she took in all there was to see of the city from the window of the tram, feeling as though it would be impossible to look away. She had not ever experienced anything like it, of course, her only experiences with planets thus far being her own and Trelos. To think of Chrysala having such a long and interesting history, during which all of this was built and rebuilt, was certainly fascinating to her. In fact, she decided to look up as much information as she could about the history of the district later.
They arrived at their destination and Vela sat across from Dritz at one of the tables, still in wide-eyed awe at everything around her. When the woman who introduced herself as Cirtz appeared to take their order, Vela was also staring at her perhaps more intently than would be appropriate. She had seen makeup on others before (leaving Fera aside, he didn't count to her,) but of course not on a Chrysalan. She wondered briefly what makeup would look like on herself before dismissing the idea almost right away. The thought didn't appeal to her.
Smiling shyly, she nodded in acknowledgement of the compliment to her hair, though it surprised her. [Thank you,] she signed as well, having no other choice, and Dritz translated for her as well as helping her make a choice on the menu and decide on one of the tea varieties. It was almost overwhelming, but she felt herself relaxing again once Cirtz had left with their orders.
[How do you feel now that we're here?] she asked Dritz while they waited, before reaching over to gently brush a hand over his.
Cirtz didn't seem to notice Vela's signing, and so there was a glimmer of confusion when Dritz seemed to speak for her. Evidently, though, she didn't think much of it, as she showed them to a table and took their order before scurrying off with a little bow.
She returned shortly with their tea, which was served in a long, clear cup. This blossom, seemingly oddly, was at the bottom, unfurling into silky pink tendrils, tinging the water a light rose colour.
"This kind is pretty sweet, but it shouldn't be unpleasant," Dritz explained, "Well, I hope not anyway. If it's too sweet, we can get another kind!" He stroked her hand and nodded, "It's almost weird to be back, you know? I guess it seemed bigger when I left, as silly as that sounds."
Cirtz returned with their food; an earthy-smelling rice dish peppered with red and yellow flakes and served in a soft, oval vegetable that had been halved and hollowed. Together, they combined sweetness and warm spice.
"I hope you like this, I figured it'd be a good introduction to home," he said, prodding at his own food.
Vela carefully inspected the tea when Cirtz brought it out, finding the cup to be very interesting and strange to her, and the color of the blossom and water quite pretty. She sipped at it before it had cooled enough, being too eager to wait, and shook her head quickly when it came to the taste.
[No, it's fine. It's not too sweet, I will drink it.] The taste lingered over her tongue in a pleasant way that was different from the regular teas she had shared with Dritz before. Similarly, the food was also unique and fascinating to her, with a taste she would be unable to properly put into words, though not for any negative reasons.
[It's delicious,] she signed truthfully after just a few bites. She almost asked what the ingredients were, but decided that she wanted the challenge of finding out on her own later. [But how does it feel strange to be back? I think it sounds normal to feel that way, but of course I'm not sure.] Would Aurctas seem different when she returned?
[I want to try as much Chrysalan food as possible while we're here,] she signed after they had eaten a bit more. [But about the overseer... how will we approach her? Do I sign first, or will you explain why I can't speak to her properly?] She felt bad to bring the subject up while they were still eating, but it seemed her mind would keep returning to it until it was over.
Dritz frowned and set his cutlery down.
"Hey. Don't put it like that. You do talk properly," he said firmly. He re-enforced this with a long, stern gaze before his expression returned to normal and he picked up his fork again. "I personally think it'd be good to represent the Aurians, so I'd sayyy... Sign, and I can translate. Szna is highly knowledgeable on aliens, so she might recognise that you're communicating even if she won't know what. I think she'd appreciate it. I'll obviously translate for you and back you up with my totally important local knowledge!"
After a moment, he realised something else, "Oh, and... As for it being strange, I honestly didn't think I'd be back for many, maaany more years. So the change here is minimal, it's like I never left!"
At first Dritz's response bewildered her, but then she had to smile as he gave her such a stern look. [I'm sorry. Of course. I only meant I can't talk in the same way that you do, but it's perfectly normal for me.] When Dritz's expression relaxed, she nodded in agreement with his next words.
[Alright, I will sign. She sounds very understanding... in fact, like quite a wonderful person. Somehow I'm less afraid of being rejected by her. But I feel I will continue to worry about the rest of the overseers.] Rescuing the Aurians and transporting them to another planet would be a large use of Chrysala's personal resources for what Vela was certain was of very little benefit on their end. The concept of others being willing to help without the expectation of being paid back in some way was unusual to her.
[Really?] she continued, her curiosity roused further to learn more about Dritz, as usual. [Did you ever see yourself as planning to stay here before you left? Or did you always want to travel? What made you decide to leave in the first place? I imagine it wasn't easy to leave your family behind.]
"She was actually one of the youngest Chrysalans to become an overseer. I think she was like, 42? Chrysalans are considered adults at around 50, so she wasn't taken very seriously for a long time. She's good, been the overseer for my lifetime. Apparently before her there was a bit of drug crime in the port area, and she had it nearly halved in two years or so," Dritz said. Talking about his home was strangely comforting, reassuring.
"Nah, I always knew there was more galaxy for me to see. I'm not quite so starry eyed as our pretty ol' human friend," he chuckled, "But I liked the idea of being where the aliens were. As many different folk as I could find. Chrysala has many visitors, but not enough alien residents. I wasn't getting to experience everything I could. It's not the longest life in the galaxy, but a Chrysalan's is long enough, so why not fill it with different things? It... Heh, actually, leaving Tvie was hard. She's my little pal, she used to follow me around when she was very young. But she'll do the same one day, I know it. See now, she is definitely like Ori. Tvie will be outta here the first chance she gets!" He grinned fondly, "I can't wait for you to meet her."
Vela listened in fascination as Dritz talked first about Szna, then about his reasons for leaving home and seeking a new life in the galaxy. His description of Tvie made her smile as she saw how happy the thought made him, and she nodded.
[I look forward to meeting her. I also wanted to see what else the galaxy had to offer, beyond helping my people, and I found more than I ever imagined.] Her own fond smile was directed at Dritz, wondering what she would have done without him. Soon enough, however, she focused on finishing her meal so they could at last locate Szna and attempt to accomplish the main purpose of their visit to Chrysala.
Vela's signs of affection stopped Dritz for a moment. His smile grew and he leaned over to kiss her, narrowly avoiding leaning right into his meal. In the corner one Chrysalan seemed unnecessarily interested, but soon went back to their conversation.
"I know what you mean, flower. I never expected this," he said softly, stroking her cheek lightly.
The two of them remained comfortably quiet, their knees touching under the table, until they had finished and paid. As they left, Dritz bounded to the counter, returning with two small plastic-wrapped parcels.
"Dessert, for later," he beamed, tucking them into his pocket. "They should be fine in there. Shall we start walking?"
The approach was understated, with a small fountain in the centre of the square, surrounded by low, plain metal benches. The humidity seemed especially high there, with real sunlight filtering through the levels.
Inside the building, clean and simple desks flanked a walkway to a staircase. For someone of authority, the decor was very basic, and somewhat older than one might have expected.
Although Vela was curious about whatever it was that Dritz had bought for "dessert," she was more concerned about the meeting with Szna. She soon had forgotten all about it, though it would likely be a pleasant surprise later.
The area Dritz led them to was not as ornate as one might expect to find in the office of someone important, though Vela had held no prior expectations. She was unused to how thick the air felt, especially here, and she found herself wiping at her forehead absently, noticing it was a little damp. This was not any sort of weather she was accustomed to, and she was still dressed too warmly in her Aurian clothing.
She gazed around at the desks in the building and glanced up the staircase, wondering where they would go next but conserving her energy instead of asking. Already her nerves were slightly on edge, though Dritz's familiar form next to her was comforting.
Dritz took her over to the first desk, where an older Chrysalan was peering at them over his glasses in a kindly manner, "Welcome to the offices of Overseer Szna. May I help you, dears?"
"Hiya," Dritz said brightly, "My companion and I have an issue to discuss with the overseer. We would like her to elevate the matter to the counsel, as it is an offworld concern. Does she have a free hour as soon as possible?"
The Chrysalan seemed incredibly interested in this, his eyes twinkling as he looked down at an old, slightly dented datapad, "Ooh, an offworld matter? How thrilling! As it happens, she is returning from a meeting in about an hour or so. You're welcome to wait if you wish, and I can fetch you something to drink? Terribly stuffy in here today." He muttered the last part more to himself as he reached for a small glass of amber juice from his desk.
Dritz turned to Vela to see if she agreed with the idea of waiting. "You wanna do this now? Or come back tomorrow?"
The older Chrysalan behind the desk seemed kind, and Vela smiled at him gratefully before she turned to sign to Dritz.
[Let's wait. I think an hour is better than another day.] To be honest, she wanted this part over with so she could stop being so nervous sooner. Meeting his family seemed to bring a different anxiousness almost entirely. After a moment's hesitation, she added, [Tell him I would like a drink, and thank you. It is a little warm here.]
Once they had their drinks, Vela and Dritz sat together on one of the benches to wait. She wasn't familiar with the liquid in her glass, but it was the same as the other Chrysalan had been drinking, with a warm color and slightest hint of a bitter taste that was somehow refreshing and made her feel less uncomfortable with the temperature. Dritz was telling her more about what an overseer did for their district, and she listened carefully, but her gaze slipped to the door nearly every minute.
"Honestly, it took me so long to understand what it is an overseer does," Dritz had started, managing to make his hopefully comforting rambling sound almost natural, "But it's actually pretty damn simple... or my understanding of it is simplified! It was always important that they were not seen as above the rest of the citizens; hence why their office buildings are usually a bit more understated, or even run down. They can't be seen to be prioritizing themselves when their home needs them. Similarly, it's not very often someone from a different district can become an overseer for another district, you see? Inter-district fighting or prejudice, anything of that nature, doesn't happen, it's just that to become the overseer for a district, you have to have lived there, or how else would you know what works and what doesn't?"
"They consult with new businesses, assist with severe legal disputes; someone building on another's property or something, for example. Mostly they represent the interests of the area for a higher stage, if that makes sense. An overseer listens to her district, and makes sure their needs are communicated to the counsel; then other districts can assist, or she can appeal for funding for her district and stuff. I'm sorry, is this boring?" Thankfully, Vela seemed interested, and he was able to continue explaining up until the doors opened and a Chrysalan woman entered.
She was tall and sinewy, with dark purple hair held in a relaxed, but fairly neat, bun at the side of her head, held in place with a small pin in the shape of a yellow flower. Aside from that, her clothing was dark and plain; clean, crisp worker's overalls and lightweight boots. She was visibly more mature in age than Dritz, but at the same time, her years were hard to determine.
Without even speaking to the clerk from before, she strode up to them, bowing slightly, "You must be my next meeting. I was told you were waiting for me, I'm so sorry I'm a bit later than I needed to be." She was incredibly well spoken, and her smile was soft, but she was looking at Vela with a curious warmth.
"Welcome to Chrysala, friend. I am Szna, and if there is anything I can to for you while you are in my district, please don't hesitate to ask."
When Szna entered the room and introduced herself, Vela felt almost frozen in place briefly. This was the woman she had to speak to in order to help her people further.
Immediately she was rather taken with Szna's appearance, thinking her quite lovely. She hadn't ever studied any female Chrysalan closely, but she kept her gaze earnestly on Szna and was able to easily notice the small differences. It was also impossible not to notice the way Szna was looking at her in specific, seeming to know their visit was mostly about her.
Finally composing herself, Vela stood and moved forward to gracefully hold out her hands. If Szna was surprised, she showed little of that as she also held out her hands so that Vela could clasp them in the way Dritz showed her, bowing her head at the same time. "Pleased to... meet you." It was a shortened form of what she had wanted to say, leaving the "I am" off the front, but those two extra syllables had been making it hard for her. She was reasonably proud of how she had only needed one brief pause in the middle this time as well.
As she drew back from Szna, she was able to add one more word. "Vela." She pointed to herself before signing, [Thank you. I'm honored to be here and to meet you. I'm here on behalf of my people, the Aurians, and we have an important matter to discuss with you.] She nodded at Dritz, indicating that he was included and would translate for her.
Szna's already friendly expression became one of warmth as she was greeted. She bowed her head and responded in kind, "You are welcome here, Vela. I'm very impressed, I don't think I've ever met a Chrysalan who has greeted me traditionally, let alone a friend from offworld."
Dritz began to explain when Szna held up a hand, "Let's go somewhere comfortable, yes? I have a feeling I will want to talk to you for a long time."
She led them up the staircase to a quiet room with a low table and small, rounded armchairs. Taking a seat and pulling her legs up underneath her, she gestured to the two of them to sit. "Now, that's better. Please, do continue. You are their translator?" she said politely, gesturing to Dritz.
"Friend and partner, primarily," Dritz said cheerily, "But yes. I'm Dritz, and it's honestly an honour, ma'am. Anyway. Vela comes on behalf of her people, the Aurians. We have a great deal to discuss with you."
"Then please, discuss," she said, leaning back in her chair and watching Vela with a smile.
Instantly feeling welcomed, Vela followed Szna along with Dritz in something of a daze. Of course she had known she would not be rejected, and there was so much more work to do, but something about the female Chrysalan brought Vela an even greater sense of hope than before.
The room they came to was close and comfortable, and Vela relaxed into her chair as much as she could. After Dritz finished explaining and she had been prompted to begin, she leaned forward to start signing, pausing every now and then so he would not have to translate too much all at once.
[I come from a planet far from here named Aurctas. It is a cold, harsh world where nothing grows and the only means of survival is trade with alien ships. We mine a special metal found only on our planet, but it is hard and dangerous work. The population is declining and may die out completely within the next one hundred years if the current trends hold.]
She shifted in her seat restlessly, trying to find the right words. [The Aurians have lost hope and don't believe they would be better suited to a life elsewhere. My goal is to convince them otherwise. I repaired one of the old ships that brought us to Aurctas and flew alone to the station Hesperus Alpha. I didn't know exactly what I would do, but I met Dritz there and he has helped me with so much. It was his idea that we might come to you for some help.] Vela stopped here, not wanting to continue with her request until Szna had time to process the information so far.
Overseer Szna listened with a frown that didn't speak of anger, but of an understanding of the gravity of what she heard. She focused her attention on Vela, glancing at Dritz occasionally and nodding, ensuring she understood properly. Once Dritz had solemnly translated the information, she leaned back in her chair, her hand on her chin and deep thought in her eyes.
"The situation is a critical, delicate one," she said seriously. "What made you believe Chrysala could assist?"
"Ma'am, while we're not a wealthy planet, we are resourceful, and nothing if not motivated by community. Look at the structure of our families. We have to extend this care and kindness or what use is it?" Dritz said desperately.
"I agree," Szna said, turning back to Vela. "I believe the planet is in a position to help your people. I confess to having never heard anything relating to you. Perhaps if we had been aware of Aurctas we might have intervened sooner. Now isn't the time to lament what could have been done, though."
Szna leaned forward once more, steepling her fingers, "It will take time to escalate this; what aid would you have from us, Vela? I'd like to know what's needed so I can put it to the others."
Vela couldn't help exhaling softly in relief. Szna was taking the subject very seriously, with great care and attentiveness. She should have expected nothing less, but it was good to see it as it actually happened.
[Thank you. Perhaps the reason you have not heard of us is because I think those who trade with Aurctas are dealing unfairly and keeping the information private for their own use. It might have been known we were there some time ago, but not near the lifetime of any of us. We slowly fell from being what I believe was once a great civilization, though with the right assistance I'm sure we can return to that."
It took a few moments for her to collect her thoughts further. [What I'm asking seems fairly simple, but at the same time, I know it is a massive undertaking. We have potentially found a planet to move the Aurians to, called Trelos, though it will take some further negotiation. But they do not have the capability of transporting my people, and that was what I would like to ask of the Chrysalan government: the use of your ships to transport them.] She hesitated again in her worry. [We can't repay you, yet. Someday I think we could, if that's an issue. I mainly ask that it be considered while we finalize matters with both the Trelosians and Aurians. I, for one, would be deeply grateful if you could.]
Finished for now, Vela bowed her head again as she listened to Dritz translate.
"Ah, Trelos. I've not been there, but I have heard minimal information on it," Szna muttered. From her tone it was as though she was too distracted with her thoughts to say much more. She tapped her steepled fingers against her lips, frowning.
"My friend, were the decision mine and mine alone, I would give you everything you need. Transport, food, the promise of future trade agreements to help your people prosper. Unfortunately, that decision is not mine to make," she explained, the frown never leaving her face.
"However, the decision to persuade the counsel is mine, and I will work to ensure we can work with the Aurian in the future. The Aurians do not ask much; ships in peace time are never used." She nodded to herself, "I may need your input at the next meeting."
Of course Szna would agree to help. And she would agree to do so much more, but Vela understood the need to seek approval from the rest of the overseers. Even having been fairly certain in advance, she still sank back into her chair with a weak, relieved feeling before finally being able to sign her gratitude and direct a genuinely happy smile at Dritz.
[I think we would not turn away any help offered,] she signed hesitantly, [but we will only ask for the use of your ships. Dritz and I still need to finalize the negotiations with Trelos, and speak to my people, but I have confidence on both of those matters. It doesn't seem like the ships are much, but I know there is the cost of fuel as well as the time of the pilots who will need to fly them. As I mentioned, we are willing to make repayments for those, as there should be credits from the sale of whatever metal we can carry from Aurctas.]
This was something of a gamble on her part, as she didn't know absolutely that the other Aurians would even agree to migration to another planet. But it was better to cancel negotiations with the others than disappoint her people, and they might need that extra persuasion of resources already being secured for them.
[My input?] she continued curiously. [What would I have to do?] The thought of standing in front of a lot of other Chrysalans and explaining was a bit intimidating, though she was willing to do so if necessary.
"Having a representative from Aurctas adds gravity to their needs," Szna said almost apologetically, "It could be considered an underhanded way to go on my part, but giving them a face, a point of reference, the- excuse the phrase- human face of the Aurian struggle. You may not need to say anything, in fact, especially if it makes you uncomfortable."
Gracefully, the overseer rose and paced for a while, "I won't hear anything to do with negotiation of price. Many years ago small colonies in jeopardy would seek assistance, and the aiding individuals wouldn't ask for payment. We are in peace time, you already said you have a viable planet for your new home... I personally see no difficulty."
It was then that Dritz spoke up, "Ma'am, if I could make a suggestion? I'm not especially up on the laws, but perhaps Overseers Tvek and Vri would be persuaded to view it as a potential for a sister 'nation' and the potential to add to their militia?"
"Are any of your people trained to fight, my friend?" Szna asked with a light frown.
Vela nodded in understanding, pleased that the Chrysalans were honorable enough not to ask for payment from a people who were suffering. The extra credits could be put toward other uses or given to the Trelosians if they required any form of compensation, though she had a feeling they would not either.
Dritz's suggestion did make her pause to think about what she knew of the Aurian's past. [There is no need for it at the moment, so no. However, in the distant past a great war was fought on our original planet, before we migrated to Aurctas. There were skilled warriors in an organized force, then. I think it is something we can learn to do again, but I'm afraid it's not an asset to offer initially.] While it worried her to have so little to offer to potential rescuers, she still hoped they would see that the Aurians were resilient and would be a great people again one day.
[I will stand as a representative in front of the counsel,] she signed decisively, already seeing how good this would be to present their case. [And I will answer questions if they are asked of me. I won't be afraid now, when I've already come so far. How soon will we be able to do this?] She had no idea if the counsel ran on any sort of schedule for meetings, or if one could be called whenever necessary.
Both Chrysalans seemed interested in Vela's answer, with Dritz looking decidedly more intrigued, given his improved understanding of Aurian. Szna, however, seemed to be taking the opportunity to watch her signing rather than worry about what she would be saying. She listened with interest to Dritz's translation.
"That is not an issue to me, friend," she said kindly. "While it was a clever enough suggestion, I do not believe Tvek and Vri will be swayed by that point in particular. I hold out hope they will simply be as taken with the request as I have been. Vela, you are a remarkable individual to come in search of help for your people, and I cannot thank you enough for agreeing to come as a representative."
She pulled a datapad, far older than Dritz's but almost unusually well kept, and tapped out a few things. "I am due to meet with the counsel next week, but in an effort to further emphasise the gravity of the Aurians' plight, I suggest I call one. Waiting would suggest a lack of urgency, and I would like to move on this as soon as possible. I propose two days' time, how is this for you, my friend?" she said, looking at Vela.
Bowing her head, Vela accepted Szna's praise gracefully. [It's all I could do for them, and for the memory of the ones I knew who were lost to a life much too harsh for anyone to be living.]
The idea of a counsel being called early had its appeal. The sooner help for the Aurians was assured, the sooner they could be rescued, not to mention how much easier she would be able to rest. [That sounds like a good idea. I will be able to do that in two days.] She glanced hesitantly at Dritz. [I think we will only be here in the district. I want to see what a wonderful place your world is, and meet more of your people.] Of course by this she mostly meant Dritz's family, but she supposed it went without saying.
[And thank you for agreeing to this. It may not be enough, but you'll have the gratitude of an entire generation of Aurians if this works, and hopefully many more to come.]
Dritz beamed, feeling less of a need to be serious now that their business had concluded favourably. His faith in Szna had not been misplaced, and even more so, he was proud of all Vela was achieving.
With a few more words of determination and reassurance, Szna stood to bid them farewell, gently embracing them each in turn, even going to give Vela a chaste kiss on the cheek and commend her once more.
They were given a time to meet her at the building, and Dritz offered to escort themselves out in case Szna was busy, which it happened she would be.
Alone again, Dritz led Vela out of the building in pleased silence until they were out in the street. There he scooped her up into his arms and spun around, squeezing her.
"You did so well, flower," he breathed, "I am sooo damn proud! Everything went so well! How do you feel?"
Somewhat weak with relief, Vela was glad to let Dritz lead the way out of the building. Szna had been lovely and good to her, the added kiss on her cheek making her a little shy once more. All the details had been set, and even if the real test was to come, she was personally proud of what she had accomplished so far.
She gratefully clung to Dritz as he picked her up and spun her, needing to wait for him to release her before she could sign a response. [It did go well. Thank you. I feel... good, but kind of tired. Like it was draining, somehow.] She smiled at him before leaning up to kiss his lips. [And thank you for being there with me. We'll see it through to the end together, and that means a lot to me.]
Then she hesitated, her smile a bit nervous once more. [So we will go to your home now?]
Leaning in to kiss her forehead, Dritz shook his head, "I dunno, flower... I think maybe we've had enough nervousness and tension for today. Why don't we go tomorrow? There are plenty of places to stay that'll be cheap, and, well... I just don't want to drain you further. We could go and get a room, have a bath and relax for the rest of the day, basking in a job well done, then get up early tomorrow? We have plenty of time, so it's up to you. Cap'n." He smiled and gave her a wink at this.
After a few moments of thought, Vela nodded. [That might be a good idea. We've had a long journey here, and the stress of the meeting with the overseer, though she was very nice. It would be alright to wait for tomorrow. Not that I think getting to see your family will be tense,] she quickly added. [As I said, I'm tired from all we've done already.]
Trusting Dritz to lead them somewhere they could secure a room, she walked a distance before having another realization.
[They won't be expecting you. Is that alright? Or maybe there's a way to contact them beforehand, if you wanted?] She had no idea if Dritz's family appreciated surprises like the one they would surely have when he walked in suddenly with an alien companion who couldn't talk directly to them yet.
Dritz lead Vela through the streets of the district, and on another ride in the suspended trams, to an area with a good deal of greenery in the form of plant boxes lining the streets, containing small shrubs with almost spherical yellow and green leaves that gave off a scent similar to very subtle citrus fruit.
Where he had chosen for them was small and perhaps a bit more modest, but the room was clean and tidy, with a large bathtub (as he requested). Big enough for two, Dritz had noticed with a saucy grin when they inspected it.
Tugging off his shirt and pulling Vela to lie with him on the bed, Dritz sighed happily. "So, to answer your question from earlier- I know, I'm sorry, I got to chatting- I did send my brother a quick note to say that something amaziiiiing would happen soon. He told me I was a cryptic jerk. But honestly, if he's mentioned it to anyone else, they'll know. Kli is one of these... Okay, I love my brother, but he's a little less smart than some. Relies too much on his looks. So he can be a little slow to catch your meaning if you speak to him even remotely cryptically. What I'm sayin' is they may be a bit surprised, but it'll only be a good thing!"
Despite Dritz's chatter, Vela had sometimes found herself lagging almost behind him at certain points during the walk whenever her attention was caught by anything particularly interesting, which was often. The smell of the plants especially made her drift closer to them to inhale more deeply and reach out to touch them with gentle, curious fingers.
She could make no distinction between the building or room and that of more expensive ones, though she obviously would have been fine with anything. The sight of the bathtub even made her relax. She lay down contentedly with Dritz when he directed her to the bed, curling up next to him and closing her eye, resting her head against his bare chest for a long moment as though to recharge. After listening to him talk for a little while, she sat up again to sign.
[If that's enough for you, then I'm alright with it. They will definitely enjoy the surprise of seeing you again.] She didn't add that they might enjoy the surprise of meeting her, as well. [Your brother sounds interesting. Do you think he will like me? How many are living in your parent's home right now?] Already having been reassured that his small sister would have an interest, she turned her worry toward anyone else who might be there.
"Hey, they're enjoy seeing you too, getting to meet someone so important to me will make them happy, I'm sure," Dritz said reassuringly, kissing Vela's forehead. "He's an odd one, quite a bit different to me, even though we grew up together. I'm sure he'll like you, even if he might not show it; we are very different. His idea of affection is a pat on the shoulder or something. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's a good guy, but I love showing affection, I have to force him to hug me." He chuckled, shrugging slightly.
"Ah, there was only the five of us in that particular homestead, but we had another... six living near; my mum's partner and her children, with her primary. They're cute, but I'm not so close with them. Tvie plays with their youngest all the time though, which is pretty cute." After a moment, he added softly, "Are you nervous?"
Dritz's reassurances made Vela smile and nod, finally able to set aside her worries just a little. She decided she would be cautious when it came to Kli, though she had never expected to embrace anyone there as it was. In the end, all she wanted to do was make him comfortable around her.
She listened carefully to everything he said, being sure she would remember it all, but had to answer truthfully when it came to the question of whether she was nervous. [Yes. I'm trying not to feel that way, but it's something that seems impossible to fully control. You probably understand. I want to be sure they have a good impression of me, and simply like me, but I'm sure I shouldn't let it bother me so much.]
Vela leaned over Dritz then, kissing him softly and lingering with her lips near his. "Love you," she forced out in a quiet voice, finding the admission helped steady her further.
Dritz shook his head with a soft smile, "You should feel the way you feel, and no other way. If you're nervous, you have the right to be, flower. That's... well, that's kinda how it is. I'd be just the same with those closest to you. I mean, I will be! I'll probably end up saying something really silly..." He chuckled, grimacing.
He stared at her for a long, quiet moment when she spoke. The rarity of her voice made it all the more precious when he did hear it. He pulled her close, into a soft kiss that grew in heat after a moment, as their kisses tended to. When he pulled away he rested his forehead against hers, his antennae curving forward as though to hide in her hair.
"I love you too, Vela," he sighed, closing his eyes and smiling as he basked in the moment, having her there on his home planet with him.
[Only if you don't keep practicing your signing,] Vela replied in amusement. It was possible he would get one of the motions wrong, but unless he completely changed one sign into another, the other Aurians probably wouldn't notice in their awe of someone who knew more of their language than any of the traders did. [I suppose being nervous is only natural.]
She returned the kiss, feeling her body warming through the longer it lasted. As he pulled away and returned her sentiment, resting their foreheads together, she gave a soft sigh and a slight nod. She knew it, but it never got any less special when she heard it again.
It seemed they lay together cuddling for at least an hour, sharing more kisses and teasing caresses through each other's clothing, though Dritz's shirt being off gave Vela an unfair advantage. She finally sat up with the hint of a playful smile around her lips. [We should take a bath before bed, so we'll be clean for tomorrow.] Which was a silly thing to say, but she thought he knew what she meant by it.
Dritz scrunched his nose up in faux offence, but laughed. He had been practicing at every opportunity just recently, but those times when Vela was not around were rare. He sort of wanted to surprise her with how his signing had improved, but was unsure if it actually had.
Though neither of them were moving towards being more intimate, the desire was almost palpable, and Dritz couldn't fight the lazy smirk that came across his face at the suggestion of a bath together.
"We definitely want to get clean," he said softly, leaning up with her in his arms. He carefully stood and carried her with him to the bathroom, smoothly opening the door and just about managing to start the water while paying special attention to her neck, and what little he could reach of her collarbone.
Vela was momentarily distracted, herself, as Dritz carried her into the bathroom and started the water, enjoying his kisses against her neck. Eventually she did have to nudge him to let her down so she could add soap to the water and finally turn it off, giving them both time to shed their clothes and return their attention to each other.
Taking a moment to admire the colors of their skin together for what must have been the thousandth time (yet never felt like it would get old), Vela stepped away and climbed carefully into the bath, her gaze inviting as she reached out a hand for Dritz to join her.
With Vela naked and beckoning him closer, Dritz needed very little encouragement. He tugged off his remaining clothes and stepped in with her. He immediately leaned in and resumed kissing her deeply, fingers trailing over her lean shoulders and down her arms.
With a sly smile, he trailed kisses down her front, over her collarbone, her breasts and stomach, down to her hips. He knelt in the water, giving her an adoring look before he started kissing her thighs, bringing his warm hands up to stroke the backs of her thighs.
Vela could feel herself beginning to shiver as Dritz kissed his way down her body; not from coldness, as every part of her felt radiant with warmth, but with sheer anticipation of where his lips might next meet her skin, and with a growing desire for more.
As he knelt and began paying attention to the softest skin of her inner thighs, her hands moved automatically to touch his head, fingers lightly trailing through his hair before she used firmer pressure to direct his mouth where she currently most wanted it to be. There was a certain way he had of moving his tongue there, which...
Dritz hadn't needed any further prompting before he nearly rendered her breathless with pleasure, her head tilting back just slightly as his own hands continued to roam at the same time. At last she had to gently push him away, not wanting to feel all of it just yet. She managed to seat herself in the bathtub and lean back, though she still moved restlessly with longing as she held her arms open for him to join her.
Their bath lasted long enough for the water to cool significantly, though by the time they noticed it was only because they had become so flushed, clinging to one another with weak, blissful smiles until Dritz felt one of them (unsure whether it was himself or Vela) begin to shiver.
Lazily, Dritz ran more hot water into the bath and they washed, tempting as it was to simply repeat everything.
As he massaged citrus scented soap into Vela's hair, Dritz kissed her shoulder and chuckled, "I dunno if I told you recently how much I love baths these days..."
With a slight smile, Vela turned her head to look back at Dritz, feeling his hands move to continue soaping her hair. There was little she could do to respond when he couldn't see her signing, so she only nodded in agreement. Their baths really had grown quite extended from what they had been originally, even when it was only Vela by herself enjoying the feeling of being immersed in warm water. It was hard to believe baths could be improved, but she had been happy to find out otherwise.
After having taken turns washing each other's hair and bodies (nearly leading to a repeat of their earlier actions if they hadn't gotten themselves so tired), Vela and Dritz finally left the bath. She attempted to dry him first, then found herself wrapped in a fluffy towel and swept off her feet a second time as Dritz carried her back to bed. They spent the rest of their evening cuddled close, sharing pleasant talk and more soft kisses until at last they both drifted to sleep without too much worry about the next day.
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