Chapter Text
Faie’s not really sure what he’s doing here. One of the few perks of working with Vos is that Vos is such a disaster, he’s never asked to come to events like this, and so, by extension neither is Faie. Neither of them really have the ‘high society manners’ for fancy senate gatherings. And yet, here Faie is, awkwardly lingering alone around the outskirts of a fancy senate gathering. He was supposed to be here with the rest of his squad. Something about misery loves company and all. However, Thire, Stone, and Thorn had all been called away to attend to separate senators who insisted on having an extra security detail in their office before whatever big vote is coming up tomorrow. Then, after an incredibly awkward couple of moments, Hound had been called away over a bombing threat, leaving the only member of the squad not on duty that night awkwardly hanging around the ballroom.
Real squad spirit there, guys. Thanks.
Faie snags a glass of something fizzy from a server passing by. It earns him a few weird looks from senators gathering nearby, but Faie is in just his black uppers and amour lowers, and he definitely isn’t on duty. Faie downs half the drink in one go. It’s not as strong as whatever moonshine Bogey squad made from a mystery fruit found on Kashyyyk.
As another identical-sounding slow waltz begins as another group of human senators enter, and Faie finds himself seriously wishing he had some of that moonshine. Or possibly someone to complain to. If they were still the same cadets they used to be, Faie would have commed Stone to make fun of the senators. But they’re not.
The big wooden doors to the ballroom open, and as Faie watches, all of the other senators turn to pay attention to the new arrivals. They’re vaguely familiar to Faie, in that he’s fairly sure he saw them on the holonet once. There are three of them, all humans. A man stands in the center, with short dark hair, the ghost of a beard, a metal collar, and long silver and gold robes that flow down around his sides. On his left is a female senator with dark hair pulled back into a large, elaborate knot around her head and a dramatic orange dress. On his other side is a female senator who looks young, though she is tall and carries herself with dignity. Her dirty-blonde hair is in a short bob around her hair, and then a long white dress that hung close to her sides. The three of them look nothing alike yet somehow, they look like they’re exactly where they should be together.
When Faie looks at the three of them he’s reminded of his squad. Not Bogey squad, but the core of squad Braal. The three of them are close-knit and forming ranks in front of everyone else the way Stone, Thire, and Thorn always shield each other from the world.
Behind the three senators trails another senator, who is close enough to the other three that there is clearly a connection, but that for some reason, the other woman isn’t a part of the tight-knit squad of the other three. Faie can relate.
Also, she’s unfairly attractive.
The senator has soft pink hair which is pulled back into two neat buns on the back of her head, and each one has an ornate gold pin holding them together. Her pale blue skin complements the strings of deep ocean blue gemstones that hang down from the pins. They hang down all the way to the low back of her gold and pink dress. The colors swirl together in the fabric, which clings to her form in a way that has Faie thinking a host of thoughts he knows he shouldn’t about a senator.
The way the waistline of the dress bunches up into an elaborate knot and then flows down her sides like a waterfall has Faie wanting to do terribly wicked things with her that he has only ever done with civilians he won’t remember in the morning.
Faie watches her as she makes her way across the room. She exchanges brief pleasantries with various senators, but never truly stops to talk to any of them. He can’t help but ponder gorgeous pink hair, like the color of the sugar floss Faie saw Vos get his for his padawan, and her skin as beautifully rare as the cloudless sky on Kamino. Faie’s never seen a species of near-human quite like hers, and he feels drawn to her.
The senator escapes her next conversation, and Faie watches as she plops down in a seat at the bar. It’s not a graceful movement, but it shifts the sleeves on her dress, revealing surprisingly muscular arms. Faie can’t help but wonder just how much she could lift with those. He’s never had a partner strong enough to lift him before. She signals the bartender, who brings her an elaborate orange and red drink.
As if pulled in by her beauty, Faie finds him leaving his nice quiet ballroom corner and moving towards the bar as well. He pries his eyes away from her and slides in at a corner away from her.
“Can I help you?” The bartender asks. He’s a tall, green twi’lek.
“Yes, please. Something strong for me, and another drink for the lady if she’d like it.” Faie gestures to the senator who’s captured his attention. The bartender nods.
“Any preferences?” He asks Faie, who shrugs. Civilian bars have far too many choices.
“Something strong enough that I’ll forget consequences tonight but still know where I am in the morning.” Faie decides. The bartender smirks.
“One Mustafar Mule for you then.” He comments and begins grabbing bottles from the table in front of him.
o – o – o – o
“Another drink, courtesy of the gentleman in soldier’s uniform.” The bartender comments, placing another Tatooine Tusken in front of her. Riyo looks up and sees a clone trooper sitting several seats down from her. He is in fact in a formal grey uniform rather than in armor – likely signaling that he’s off duty for the day. Their eyes catch, and for a moment, all Riyo can think of is how different his eyes look from Commander Stone’s. Stone’s eyes are sorrow but kindness, these eyes are like mysterious pools she could get lost in for days.
Riyo raises her new drink to him in a silent toast, and he raises his back. Riyo throws the drink back, draining half of it in one go. It’s been that kind of week.
She feels the trooper’s eyes fixed on hers, and she locks eyes with him and licks her lips. The attention is lovely. No one has watched her with this level of interest in a long time. These days, when she’s watched it’s usually because Mothma found out that Riyo is blackmailing Lott Dod into leaving Pantora alone, and… disapproves.
Besides, with how well built this trooper is, and those eyes, it’s not like she’s not watching the way he wets his lips as she swallows. Riyo puts her drink down and waves to the bartender.
“I do believe it’s my turn to send a drink to the gentleman at the other end of the bar.” Riyo grins, and the bartender snorts. As he gets to work, Riyo climbs out of her seat and plops down in the one next to the trooper, who starts a little, but his eyes darken.
“Hey there. I’m Riyo.” She extends a hand to him, and he takes it. After a second of consideration, he lifts her hand and kisses it.
“Faie.” He says, and his voice is a little hoarse. The bartender wordlessly passes him the other drink. Riyo leans in a little closer.
“I have to be seen around here for about another hour, but I could use the company. And after, well, I could use someone to… escort me home.” She comments and smirks at Faie.
“I would be… honored,” Faie rasps back in response. Riyo grins at him.