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The sun hung over the undulating sea that surrounded the island of Pabu, golden sparkles twinkling in its wake.
“The water looks like one of these Life Day ornaments!” the adolescent girl, Omega, exclaimed with wonder. She held the ornament up, a ball as big as her hand, covered in some sort of shiny, golden particles that did indeed look similar to the sun sparkles on the water.
You smiled at her. “I think you're right. I don't know why we don't just have these nice little decorations up all year round.” You held one up and let it spin and sparkle in the sun rays before placing it on the tree, one of many that were in the process of getting the same treatment situated on the upper island commons in a spot that overlooked the eastern rise.
Omega's eyes widened at the thought.
Her brother, Crosshair, on the other hand... His eyes rolled and he sneered as he placed a new toothpick in his mouth. “Goody,” he replied snidely.
Omega ignored him as she was used to his no-fun demeanor and her attention returned to the tree she was assigned by Mayor Shep Hazard to decorate for Life Day festivities.
You, however, had trouble ignoring Crosshair, even though many times that's exactly what he deserved. It was true. He could be mean, sarcastic, smug, and anti-social.
But there was another side to him that you noticed that maybe others didn't. He was very protective of Omega, doting even. He seemed loyal to his brothers and stoic as well. Maybe all of those good traits overshadowed the bad because you couldn't help finding him to be attractive. Tall, confident, and eyes that were dark and mysterious as they were contemplative and sensitive. You often wondered what he was wondering about as his eyes mindlessly focused on nothing at all.
There was a smattering of silver that covered his head and reflected just as brilliantly as one of the Life Day baubles, but when you first met him, he had been bald and a scar peppered the left side of his head that you didn't know too much about, perhaps the same way he lost his hand. He never mentioned much about it and you were too polite to ask. It seemed he had many scars besides that, hidden beneath his gruff exterior, and you felt like you wanted to know more, maybe so you could attempt the hopeless cliché of fixing him. You huffed a laugh to herself. How silly. He didn't need to be fixed, but maybe you did.
His brother, Tech strolled up, goggled eyes glued to his datapad. “I was under the impression that Life Day ornaments should represent the blue orbs they have on Kashyyyk. These gold and red toned globes are not traditional nor are these other variously shaped oddities.” He picked up a scalloped seashell with fish etched on to it.
“Oh, Tech!” Omega chided. “Life Day isn't about the color of the ornaments. It's about being together!” She hooked one arm with Crosshair, and the other with Tech, holding them close so they formed a line facing the decorated tree. “I think it looks great! And anyway, we aren't the only ones with oddities!”
In his mind, Crosshair thought, speak for yourself. In general, he had been indifferent to Life Day, but just to be at annoyingly at odds with his equally annoying brother, and also supportive of Omega, he grunted a slightly more positive than neutral agreement.
Tech tweaked his goggles and acquiesced. “I suppose it does look acceptable. A tradition that originates in one location with one culture may evolve in to many over time and space.”
“That's the spirit!” Omega hugged her brothers' arms closer to her. She let go and picked up the tree topper, a golden 'star' with many pointy protrusions, and got on her tippy toes. The ornaments jingled as she brushed against the tree branches trying to reach the top, but she was just too short.
“Auuughhhhh...” Crosshair sighed as he came up behind her, grabbed her waist and lifted her so she could finally place the star on top.
For a moment you felt a little jealous, but just a moment, because after Crosshair gently placed Omega back on the ground and stepped back, you marveled at how lovely the tree looked and how it sparkled as much as Omega's eyes and smile when she turned to you excitedly.
“Looks amazing. Good job, Omega!” you complimented her eye for detail.
“Couldn't have done it with out you two!” she chirped cheerily. “I'm going to take the leftover ornaments to Mrs. and Mr. Junperi.”
Crosshair picked up the crate before Omega could. “Why don't you go help those two,” he said referring to Tech and Phee. “I'll take care of this.”
“Really? Okay! Thanks, Crosshair!” Omega ran off, excited to be able to decorate more.
You watched Phee greet Omega from afar with delight, knowing Omega would get a cool story about pirates or legends and definitely more Life Day history from Tech. And Crosshair was doing the favor for the Junperis which left you alone and kind of not knowing what to do next. You squinted at the glistening ornaments thinking about it.
“You coming or what?” Crosshair half turned as you lingered behind.
You thought he had left already! He stood there staring at you as your mind flustered. “Um.... Sure. Or do you want me to take it so you can spend time with your family?” You looked over toward Omega, Tech, Phee, and Wrecker who had joined them.
His eyes squinted as he looked toward them, all chatting and enthusiastically decorating. Out of all of his brothers, he had not expected it to be Tech to have a sweetheart, let alone attracted one in the first place. Crosshair heaved a sullen sigh. Maybe he was jealous which made him even more distraught because it was Tech after all. “I've heard my fill of Life Day trivia.” He rolled his eyes with boredom.
Those eyes now met yours and kept their gaze for a few moments, waiting for you, pleading for you to take the lead because ever since getting back from Wayland, he realized it wasn't his strong suit. He might have been envious before of Hunter's rank as sergeant, but Crosshair's own play at Commander ended up hurting a lot of people. Besides, you were better at the small talk that went along with living on a small tight knit island community.
The more he stared, the more mesmerized he became, your eyes sparkling just as much as the ornaments on the stupid tree. “Well?” he prodded again. "You have something better to do?"
"Better than tagging along with you?" You made a mock disgusted face and rolled your eyes like he was a champion at. When the ever faintest sign of a smile appeared on his lips, you grinned and walked towards him.
You had spent a decent amount of time together after getting to know him when he came to the bar you worked at. First he came in for drinks to do as most beings did, drink away his sorrows. Then you would catch him at the docks with Wrecker and nod respectfully at each other in passing. Then he would help to bring crates of supplies up to the bar for the owner. Then he would come around to do odd jobs every now and then with Tech, and that is when you really got to know him and he got to know you. After hours, you would sit and have a night cap with him. Though you made sure he knew what he meant to you, it never went beyond that, and you didn't press it. You knew he had been through a lot and he needed his space.
But you also didn't want him to think you were disinterested in accompanying him. After all, you knew he wouldn't have invited too many other people along, probably only Omega come to think about it, and that flattered you. You stepped beside him with a smile and his shoulders seemed to relax a little.
With an upturn of his chin, he gestured for you to lead so you did. Once there, Mrs. Junperi asked Crosshair to help get their tree in its stand since her husband had a bad back and also hang some garland. He wasn't necessarily eager, but he willingly did, as you cordially chitchatted with the old woman.
Crosshair didn't like to say more than he had to to the other refugees on the island, but he found himself listening to your every word, your voice seemed to have a soothing effect on him that he could not explain.
As you chatted with Mrs. Junperi, you watched from the corner of your eye how Crosshair diligently helped the older woman and her husband despite being unenthusiastic about the holiday. It also warmed your heart because of how standoffish he was when you first met him.
“Is there anything else Crosshair can do for you?" you grinned and playfully elbowed him in the ribs. You got the reaction you hoped for which was an apathetic roll of his eyes.
Mrs. Junperi retrieved a square dish with lid and handles and held it out. “If you could be a dear and take this casserole to Galia. I think she is such a wonderful addition to our community, such a good nurse.”
Crosshair wasted no time accepting the task, and took the casserole dish. Maybe he thought of it like a mission, orders to follow. Trying to grasp for that part of his life when he felt like everything was sorted out and his existence meant something.
But lately he had been feeling meaning in his life. Not only because of Omega and even being reunited with his brothers, but because of you. He watched you smile and wish the old couple well as you gently took the dish from his awkward hold on it due to his prosthetic hand which still gave him trouble grasping delicate items that required a double hand hold. Maybe the mission was just to spend more time with you.
Once at Galia's residence, the young woman accepted the dish with great enthusiasm. She then asked the two of you to deliver a homegrown herbal medicine to Dr. Belsing, one of the island's doctors.
Crosshair once again accepted the task, allowing you to take the jar and you were on your way.
You wondered how many tasks you two would get asked to do, it was almost like the chain missions in the hologame you played. Crosshair seemed at ease with the tasks though. Maybe he just liked to help. Either way, it only reimbursed the feelings you had for him. And made you feel like you were a good team even if he didn't do much of the speaking.
Dr. Belsing accepted the medicine with care and gratitude. "Thank you ever so much. Won't you please do me a favor and hand these extra decorations to someone who needs them?" He handed the crate to Crosshair before even receiving an answer.
"Sure!" you smiled and waved goodbye.
Crosshair looked down at the ornaments and other odds and ends he carried. “We started out with a crate of decorations and ended with one,” he mused.
You hummed in agreement and shrugged. “As the old saying goes, right back where we started.”
“Story of my life,” Crosshair mumbled under his breath with a despondent sigh.
You shook your head disapprovingly at him and tried to lighten the mood. “Maybe we should just randomly use these decorations ourselves. Then we end the chain of command.” You raised your eyebrows at him and tried to smile with your eyes like Omega, because you knew he wouldn't be able to say no.
“Chain of command? You've been hanging around us too much."
"Is that a bad thing?"
For me? No, Crosshair thought unable to help himself. Even if he didn't want to admit it. Even if he wanted to play it cool and definitely standoffish. Why did he have to behave that way? You were someone he enjoyed being around, a friend even if he didn't deserve to have any no matter what Omega said.
Finally he replied, "It could be if you get stuck near Wrecker after he's had Shep's chili."
You could not stifle your snorting laughter. You didn't know what was funnier, the joke itself or Crosshair's deadpan delivery of it.
There it was again, that relaxed and relieved feeling Crosshair had when you smiled or laughed.
"Ok, Crosshair, here." He stopped and you scrounged around in the crate he still held. You pulled out some boughs of holly and hung them along the wall where steps led to the commons. You continued on for several more random places until you come upon an arch which was the perfect place for something that caught your eye earlier. Maybe you could give an innocent hint that you wouldn't mind being more than friends.
"Last one, I found the perfect spot for this." You held up the green leaved twig with trailing shimmery gold ribbon.
"Knock yourself out.” Crosshair dropped the crate and leaned against a wall, fidgeting with the toothpick in the corner of his mouth absentmindedly as he observed you.
As you tried to reach upwards to place the decoration, you quizzed him. “Do you know what mistletoe is?
“Don't really care." He twirled the toothpick between his slender fingers and bit down on it. He started to feel a little nervous. His heart beat a little faster. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with you stretching your body and bouncing up to hang that decoration. "I told you I heard enough Life Day trivia.”
“You're supposed to kiss under it.” You ignored his pessimism.
Crosshair froze a moment and then rolled his eyes. “You've been hanging around Tech too much. I didn't ask for a history lesson.”
Your heart deflated a little bit. Why did you have feelings for this man, when all he did was rain on your parade. Maybe that was fitting since he was from Kamino, you pondered.
But then you thought of the smiles he unwittingly caused today and you knew why, because you knew deep down he was a good person. Maybe he just didn't know it or believe it.
“Can you at least help me hang it, please?” You got on your tippytoes and demonstrated how you were having trouble.
Crosshair took the toothpick out of his mouth and made a sarcastic gesture toward you with the little wooden splinter. “It's not my fault you're so short,” he drawled. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smug smirk as he inserted the chewed up toothpick back in and lackadaisically stared you down with his arms folded across his chest, completely unwilling to help.
That was it. You narrowed your eyes at him. The corner of your mouth twisting into a disgusted sneer. You've seen him begrudgingly help other people all day, but when you ask for help, all you get is sarcasm. You didn't have Crosshair's great vision, but through the annoyed slits of your eyes, you did notice a sudden sobering of his expression, as if he had gone too far. You didn't care though. You were done with him. “Kriff you, Crosshair!”
You grabbed the crate and turned it over, stepping on top of it precariously as it had uneven edges and was a little wobbly. Once you got used to keeping your balance, with your feet teetering back and forth, you lifted your arms to hang up the decoration. You saw out of the corner of your eye, that Crosshair moved toward you, in a half assed way to spot you.
“I said kriff off!” you turned to him sharply. His face straightened, and maybe for the first time since you had known him, he seemed genuinely regretful. But you only noticed in a split second, because that little outburst put you off balance and you had to make a series of comical arm swings and back arches to keep your balance. Only thing was, the more you tried to compensate, the more balance you lost.
It seemed to all happen in slow motion. Your arms flailed out wildly, your right leg flung upward as your left toes made a futile attempt to maintain contact with the flat surface of the crate. The ribbon of the mistletoe sailed in slow streaming waves as it got flung from your hand. You closed your eyes as you braced for impact with -
Crosshair's arms?
You opened one eye and then the other as you stared up at Crosshair who was staring down at you. Your heart was racing, but you weren't sure if it was from the fear of falling or feeling Crosshair's arms protectively squeezing you to his chest.
“Are you all right?” There was actual concern in his voice.
For once you didn't have any words. “Uhh....ummm....” Your mind fluttered with all sorts of vowels and consonants, but none of them coherent as your heart. Warmth flushed to your face from a mix of embarrassment and adoration.
Crosshair found his mind doing the same thing. Holding you, actually embracing you in his arms and feeling the softness and warmth of your body against his seemed to jolt his senses. You were right to tell him off earlier. Why had he been standoffish when he had been trying to impress you all day? Couldn't he do anything right? Was he going to have to ask....Tech? For relationship advice!?
Auuuughhh! He growled, much to his chagrin out loud because he saw the surprise in your expression. He set you back on your feet and then picked up the fallen decoration and handed it back to you. He then turned you around so your back was to him and lifted you up by your waist, taking care to grip you firmly, but not enough to hurt you just as he had with Omega earlier.
You finished hanging the mistletoe and Crosshair set you on the ground and looked down at you awkwardly and maybe a little too sarcastically, said, “Happy now?”
You looked into his eyes and seemed to get lost in them a moment until you realized that with his sarcastic demeanor and reaching into his pouch for a new toothpick that he had no intention of kissing you under the mistletoe as you had been clearly hinting for him to do.
He asked if you were happy and you could answer that question honestly. No. No, you weren't. You and Crosshair had such a good friendship. You knew that he knew that you knew just how caring he was. Yet, you must have misread him; he seemed to not care for you as much as you cared for him.
“Happy Life Day, Crosshair,” you blurted out with just as much sarcasm as he ever used. Before he could reply, and before your stupid tears fell, you turned to stomp off unhappily. Maybe your day would have been better spent staring at that tree you helped decorate on the commons instead of tagging along with him.
But before you could take your first step, you felt a hand firmly grip your arm and hold you in place. Crosshair spun you around and pulled you closer to him, making sure you were directly under the mistletoe. Again, it all was happening so fast, yet in slow motion. He spit out his toothpick. His hands framed your face and directed your eyes to stare into his. All of the emotions you had sensed in him before seemed to flood from his gaze.
Crosshair didn't know quite what he was doing. He never cared if he made anyone else angry, with few exceptions. He couldn't just let you march off unhappily. He'd rather you didn't march off at all. He knew what you were hinting at, he just couldn't shake off that part of his character that seemed to weigh him down. But the thought of you being mad at him was a little more than he could take. He wasn't Tech, but he knew he had to fix things.
He always thought it was endearing how much shorter than he you were, but now it seemed a little inconvenient. Nevertheless, he leaned further down until you both closed your eyes, signaling that you were both ready to not only feel each other's lips, but savor the moment as well. And savor it he did, a combination of softness, warmth, passion, and what could only be described as love poured from your heart to his.
You melted into his embrace. You weren't falling to the ground this time, you were most assuredly falling in love as his hands grasped your waist and brought you closer to him. Weren't you mad at him, shouldn't you be telling him to kriff off?
Crosshair realized he had been kissing you for a little longer than he had planned. He gently broke the kiss and looked down at you, up at the mistletoe, and then back to you. “Happy now?” he asked.
There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but more charming than offensive so you let it slide. As tempting as it was to answer that question sarcastically yourself, you answered honestly. "Yes. I guess it's a happy Life Day after all?" you grinned mischievously.
"Auuuughhh..." Crosshair sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not saying it."
"You don't have to," you let him off the hook. "But we are still standing under the mistletoe."
"So we are..." Crosshair studied you a moment, taking in all of the subtle expressions that made you you.
A happy life day indeed.