musesandlyrics prompt set 3.22 [lyrics prompt]
22. Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up // In the morning when the day is new // And after having spent the day together // Hold each other close the whole night through -- Wouldn't It Be Nice - The Beach Boys
11:03 a.m.
Claire looked up from the book she had been trying to occupy herself with but it was proving to be impossible. Every time she tried to focus on the words, she found her attention straying and she knew it was largely the fault of the man in her hotel room. Sighing, even if she wasn't frustrated, she tossed the book onto the nightstand with a slight groan. "I give up."
The lightsaber pieces that Galen had been trying to assemble fell to the table with a soft clatter, but he wasn't annoyed by the intrusion into his concentration. Truthfully, it had been just as impossible for him to focus as well. Deft fingers picked up the pieces cautiously and began to assemble the hilt by hand; it was a familiar enough practice that he didn't have to watch too closely as he worked, and could glance over at her occasionally.
"What's wrong?"
Wincing a little as the lightsaber pieces fell to the table, she sighed as she hadn't meant to distract him from what he was doing but it was hard to stay this quiet and this still for so long. "I can't stand being inside for this long." She admitted as she sat up, crossing her legs while pushing her fingers through her hair. "I wonder how long we're going to be trapped on this floor."
Not that she had a problem being with him.
He hummed softly in amusement, sliding the focus crystal into place and replacing the outward panels. "You would hate living in my world," he remarked absently. Well, perhaps the better term would've been his life. He was used to confinement on the Star Destroyer, but she could've happily settled on Corellia or some other planet buzzing with activity, commerce and people.
"What do you usually do to take your mind off of things?" he asked, triggering the blade and nodding once in approval as it responded quickly and cleanly as always.
"Not if you were there." She allowed herself a little smile as she tilted her head to the side, watching him as he put his lightsaber back together once more. But it was true, she liked being around people and noise. She hated being trapped, that was the problem.
"Cook, read, take a shower..." She trailed off then, considering her options before looking at him once more. "Do you mind if I go take a shower?"
"Of course I don't mind, you should do whatever you normally do," he assured her, deactivating the blade and turning in the chair to face her with a slight smile. "I promise to be a gentleman." He could do that every once and a while. Really.
"You? A gentleman?" She scoffed lightly, teasing him as she slid off the bed. Padding over to him, she paused with a little smile before leaning down to kiss his cheek. "I'll only be a few minutes." She let her fingers dance along his jaw line before she walked over to her bathroom.
Opening the door, she was about to step in but then she stopped dead as she found her bathroom wasn't as empty as she thought it was going to be. "Uh....Galen?"
Picking up on the tone of her voice and the emotions behind it, he triggered his lightsaber blade and was at her side in a moment--possibly a part of him had been tensed for an attack from the moment the doors of the elevator and stairwell refused to open.
Of course, there was nothing threatening in the bathroom. At least, not anymore, since PROXY's primary programming had been erased.
"Ah, Master!" the droid called, rising from his seated position on the closed toilet seat lid. "I had wondered why I suddenly found myself in an unfamiliar facility room! I was concerned when you didn't return to your living quarters last evening!"
"PROXY, what're you doing here?" Galen asked, deactivating his lightsaber and shaking his head in amusement and mystification. "How'd you even get here?"
"I'm not altogether certain, Master. I have so far been unable to decipher this environment's algorithms. I was going to come and find you when you did not return, but I was unable to leave the lower levels. I had just given up when I found myself here!"
When Galen was at her side quicker than she could blink, with his lightsaber no less, she quickly jumped to the side as she was fully expecting him to attack whatever it was he thought was probably attacking her. Standing to the side, she smirked a little as she watched the two of them and then she sighed. "This place is so weird." She shook her head, brushing some hair back from her face.
"First it locks us in and then it magically teleports your droid to my room....and where is Mr. Muggles?" Suddenly she looked panicked, her eyes flickering to PROXY. No sooner had the question been asked did she hear a bark. Blinking, she turned around with a frown. "Mr. Muggles?"
Another bark had her hurrying towards her closet and the next bark had her opening the doors to reveal an irritated looking Pomeranian. With a huff, he shot past her and she turned to watch him before glancing back. Just as she was about to close the doors, she paused. "What the...."
She was really going to have to stop doing that, but Galen didn't rush to arms, this time. Making an idiot out of himself once was enough. "What is it?" he called, peering around the corner with a frown.
"Uh, these are not mine." She stepped forward, picking at the sleeve of a shirt that she felt she should recognize but she hadn't bought anything of that style before.
Perplexed, Galen stepped around the corner and came up behind her to peer into the closet. And there were his clothes, hanging there, his training gear and robes, loose trousers and tunics, his t-shirts and jeans.
"...They're mine..."
It seemed she was just as confused as she turned her head to look at him, wondering what the hell was going on. Why would the village trap them and then bring his droid along with his clothes? Looking back at his clothes which were hanging beside hers, she only had one reply. "Huh."
-------
1:24 p.m.
It didn't take Force sensitivity for him to be able to tell that his pupil was thoroughly distracted. "You're supposed to be focusing, Claire."
Claire really didn't see how he thought she would be able to focus. She was trying her best after all but he was making it difficult! "I am!" She huffed, shifting her weight a little. No, she wasn't squirming at all!
"Your back is hunched, and you're shifting every six to twelve seconds," he murmured, inhaling deeply and exhaling with a sigh. "Close your eyes. I know they're open. Focus."
Her eyes narrowed a little as he pointed out everything she was doing and she leaned forward to get a better look at him. "Are you peeking?"
"I don't have to peek," he murmured, raising an eyebrow with his eyes still comfortably closed. "You wanted to learn how to meditate. This is meditating. Now focus."
She still didn't buy it and so he got a suspicious look before she tried closing her eyes. She did well for a little while, for about...oh, ten seconds....and then she was peeking again.
With a heavy sigh, his shoulders fell forward for a moment before straightening again. "...Do I need to put a shirt on?"
Claire felt her cheeks start to burn as she bit her bottom lip. "...Maybe."
The smile came to his lips despite his best efforts to keep it down. Now he did, finally, squint an eye open as he reached out with one hand and Force pulled the tunic draped across a nearby chair to him.
He took advantage of the moment when he drug the sandy colored material over his head, thereby hiding his face for a few seconds, to let the tiny smile turn into a smug grin, before he wiped the expression from his face completely.
he pulled the tunic over his head, she rolled her eyes when he couldn't see it and bit back her own smirk. Really now, he shouldn't be surprised she was having a hard time focusing when he was sitting half naked in front of her. Silly man.
Now fully clothed, he resettled into his comfortable meditation position and squared his shoulders. "Now can you focus?"
Claire giggled softly because she couldn't remember who had suggested that she try meditation but she was beginning to think it just wouldn't work for her. Still, for him, she would try. "I think so." She sat a little straighter while closing her eyes but then she had to smirk because she was going to tease him now. "You know it'd help if you stopped talking, right?"
Galen's brow furrowed, his lips forming something very like a pout.
A moment later, a rolled up pair of socks thumped Claire on the back of the head.
------
6:32 p.m.
With Galen in the bathroom and supper cooking, Claire didn’t worry too much as she bounced around the kitchen. ‘Put A Ring On It’ by Beyonce was playing from the little stereo on the counter next to her as she tilted her head to the side, dancing a little as she turned around to open the stove. A quick glance told her the lasagne was doing just fine and so she closed the oven before doing a full twirl.
Galen didn't take very long showers. He hadn't meant to sneak up on something he was fairly sure she wouldn't want him to see her doing, but when he came upon her dancing around in the kitchen like a Twi'lek in a cantina, he couldn't help but silently lean against the doorway and watch her, skin still damp and a towel slung casually around his neck. He had no clue what this woman was singing about--she must be of the same species as the man from the action movie, with the same gift of speaking very quickly--but he could appreciate how graceful and lithe Claire was when she danced. He could appreciate it very much.
Claire was completely unaware of the fact that she had an audience, mainly because of how quiet he could be at times. She was honestly going to put a bell on him at some point, just so he couldn't sneak up on her anymore! She was just turning around once more after shimmying her hips and that's when she saw him. With a startled squeak, she almost dropped the plate she was carrying but she managed to keep a hold on it. Good thing or they would have had a mess!
Instinctively, he reached out with the Force to steady her and catch the plate if he needed to, unable to keep from smirking.
"I'm sorry--I didn't mean to startle you..." He should really wipe the smirk off of his face.
Her eyes narrowed playfully at the sight of the smirk on his face. "Oh yeah, you look real sorry. Definitely."
"You dance well," he replied by way of explanation, moving forward to help her with the dishes. "I was mesmerized. It's your fault, really."
Now he had her smiling as she blushed faintly. "Thanks, must have been all the training." She chuckled as she placed the plate on the counter before glancing over at him again. "Supper is almost done."
"Training?" He raised an eyebrow, rubbed the towel slung around his neck over his hair. "You were trained as a dancer?"
"Well, not really? Kind of?" She shrugged her shoulders a little bit before glancing over at him again, her eyes slipping over him. He was cute when he was damp. "I...uh, did gymnastics and I was a cheerleader." She rolled her eyes briefly at the last part.
He gave her a blank look, fingers wrapping around either end of the towel and pulling it snug against the back of his neck. "...A 'cheerleader,'" he repeated slowly. "...What is that?"
"Uh." Right, he wouldn't know what a cheerleader was. "Basically we went to football games and cheered for the team. We did little routines to get people going and to raise the energy."
Galen continued to stare at her blankly. "...It's a sporting event of some sort, then," he murmured, trying very hard to understand. Of course, the only sport he really knew of was pod racing.
"Yes." She nodded her head once more, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "We wore little dresses and did dances, gymnastics, flips and jumps.....different things." Then she arched a brow while tilting her head to the side. "I could show you something, if you wanted." She would feel a bit dumb but it would be easier to explain if he saw it firsthand.
"I think you may have to," he replied, raising an eyebrow and looking rather dubious about the whole business.
For a moment she wondered if perhaps he was tricking her somehow but then she decided against it as she motioned for him to back up so she that she could move into a bigger part of the room. She'd knock something over in the kitchen if she tried something in there. "Okay, grab a seat."
Still looking rather doubtful, Galen followed her and lowered himself into a chair, folding his arms across his chest and fighting not to smile in amusement. "All right."
Rubbing her fingers over her forehead, she tried to think of what to show him while pursing her lips. "Okay." Wetting her lips, she stood in front of him before bringing her hands together in a sharp clap followed by making a v-shape with them in the air. She showed him a simple cheer she could do on her own, her voice ringing out as she went through the steps before finishing off with a toe touch and a back handspring.
He raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised at the impressive display of gymnastic ability; he supposed he hadn't given her enough credit, but then he hadn't really...explored, how muscular she was. "That was very impressive...I'm still not entirely sure that I see the point beyond it being..."
He bit his lower lip and fell silent for a moment. "...Very pleasant to watch," he finally finished, clearing his throat.
He was still a guy, after all.
Straightening after she landed, she brushed some hair back from her face and then she chuckled softly as she watched his reaction. "Yeah, I...uh, didn't really see the point of them either?" She offered with a shrug, starting to smirk at him. "So you liked it?"
He blushed just a little himself and cleared his throat. "You're very, ah...yes. I liked it."
The smirk on her mouth only grew as she looked decidedly smug while turning back to head into the kitchen. That was good to know, very good.
-----
12:39 a.m.
Claire sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck, fighting off a yawn as she walked towards the bed. "Okay, I put Mr. Muggles in the bathroom for the night." She chuckled softly, shaking her head as she looked at Galen. "You know I'm going to be on his bad side for days, right?"
"You feed him, somehow I think he'll live." Galen shot her a mild look from where he knelt down next to PROXY, setting him up to switch off and recharge for the night. "G'night, PROXY."
"And to you as well, Master. Do sleep well, Miss Claire," PROXY called a second before the yellow lights of his eyes went dim and he slumped in the chair.
Galen patted the droid affectionately on the shoulder as he rose and made his way towards the bed as well, staring rather broodingly down at the neatly made sheets and comforter, then back up at his--and he blushed to even think the words--sleeping companion. "Um...Claire?"
"Of course you think it's that easy." She rolled her eyes a little bit as she walked around to the left side of the bed. She was actually casual, like it wasn't a big deal they were about to crawl into bed with each other. The night before, that had been an accident of sort. Yes, Rachel had given her the idea of falling asleep on Galen and now she was glad she had considering Galen was there now, while they were trapped, but this was different.
They were crawling into bed with the knowledge he'd be there all night and every night till the weird spell was lifted off the hotel and people weren't trapped on the different floors.
“Goodnight, PROXY.” She smiled at the droid as she picked up her brush. When Galen said her name, she looked up at him as she ran her brush through her hair. Arching a brow at him while ignoring the slight flutter of nerves in the pit of her stomach, she looked at him curiously. "Yes?"
"Ah...it's just, that I..." He floundered for words, glancing down at the bed and back up to her. "...don't usually wear very much to bed," he finally finished, his face immediately flushing a little.
"Oh." Now she could feel some heat crawling into her cheeks as her stomach tightened with the idea. Or maybe it had something to do with what she was envisioning. "..What...do you normally wear?"
He reached down to pluck lightly at the leg of the loose trousers he currently wore, indicating the answer to her question--and the only real reason he wore them was because PROXY had made it a habit on more than one occasion to attack him in his sleep, and running around the lowest level of the Star Destroyer fighting naked with lightsabers...wasn't the most fun he'd ever had. Even though the programming that had driven PROXY to attack him constantly had been wiped, old habits died hard.
Claire's eyes dropped to the sight of his trousers he was wearing and then she looked back up at him. "That works fine for me. I...uh...I usually only wear a top and my....." She trailed off, wondering how to explain to him that she usually only wore a tank top and panties. "I'll wear some shorts or something." She finished lamely.
"It's all right, you...whatever you're comfortable in." To set a good example, he tugged off his t-shirt and tossed it aside before he tugged the covers back and tried not to act like it was an incredibly awkward moment for the both of them.
For a moment she just eyed his shirt as he tossed it to the side and then she looked over at him. "Can I borrow your shirt?" She felt a bit silly for asking but she had a reason. "It would be long on me."
"Ah...I, uh...yeah, sure." He held his hand out and Force pulled the discarded shirt, guiding it with the Force until it floated in front of her.
"Thanks." She nibbled on her bottom lip before glancing at him again. "Close your eyes?"
She would wait till he did and then she would put his shirt on the bed before grabbing the bottom of her shirt to peel it off. Tossing her own shirt aside, it was quickly followed by the shorts she had been wearing and then she grabbed his shirt to pull it on. Luckily it covered everything like she had thought it would, so she wouldn't be flashing her panties at him. After a few seconds of working underneath the shirt, she quickly tucked her bra away somewhere and then hurried under the covers as well.
He was a very good boy. He kept his eyes closed and his hand covering them. Of course...he didn't always need his eyes to see and sense. He did his best to shut down those extra senses as well. It was going to be difficult enough to feel her against him with nothing but thin, skin-warmed material between them and not...embarrass himself with his body's reaction to her, without adding to that little problem.
He wasn't certain if he should reach for her when she slid under the sheets, so he busied himself by arranging the pillows the way he liked them. They far too big, firm and fluffy for his tastes, and he usually had to beat them down quite a bit before he could comfortably rest his head on them. "So...uh...should I get the lights?" he asked, raising a hand and preparing to reach out with the Force to flick the few remaining lamps and light switches off.
It's funny because half way through undressing, she remembered that he had extra senses or something which had only made her rush a little faster to get changed but then she told herself not to worry. This was Galen after all, she had nothing to worry about from him. Still, she felt like her whole body was vibrating with energy as she slid under the covers beside him and tried not to think about how there was very little separating skin from skin.
Letting her head rest against her pillow, she watched him occupy himself with beating on his own pillow till he got it to where he felt it would be comfortable to sleep on. "Uh, yeah." She nodded a little, wetting her lips as she tucked some hair back from her face.
"All right." He laid back on the pillow and closed his eyes, lifting a hand and twitching his fingers. One by one, the lights went out, until the only one remaining was the one in the bathroom, for Mr. Muggles. He had thought, maybe, the dark would help the tension that was so thick through the air that he could scarcely breathe. He was quite clearly an idiot for ever thinking so.
Swallowing, he rolled to his side and tucked his arm back and beneath his pillow, shifting to face her. "What do you miss the most about where you came from?" he asked, his voice little more than whisper in the dark.
Falling silent as the lights started to go out, she looked around as she let her eyes adjust quickly to the dark. She wondered if it would help the tension at all but she wasn't so sure. They were still lying close to each other with very little on after all. Clearing her throat softly, she shifted her weight as he rolled onto his side and she did the same to face him.
Curling her arm under her own pillow, she smiled faintly as she thought about what it was she missed the most. "Probably my mom and my dad." She nodded her head, tucking some hair back from her face. "What about you? What do you miss?"
He had to think about it for far longer than she, his brow furrowed in the dark. He had so little that he was attached to, so few possessions and precious people. What was there for a dead man to wish to go back to, or to wish into existence here?
"Space," he finally replied. "There's something about knowing the stars are so close. That you're drifting among them. It's too warm here, too...I was never on a planet for very long, you see."
She wasn't sure about asking him what he missed the most from his old life, mainly because she didn't want to upset him but she was curious if there was anything. But his answer made sense as she nodded her head slowly. "I remember you saying that." Reaching out, she let her fingers skim lightly over his arm. "Sometimes you can see the stars in the park late at night. I know it's not the same but once we can go out, we could go to the park and look at the stars?"
It wasn't the same, he knew--he'd gone to the roof for much the same reason--but he wasn't going to say no to anything that allowed him to spend time with her. Her fingers trailing down his bare skin sent a shiver of sensations crawling up his muscles and down his spine, and he swallowed thickly before he could manage a reply. "That would--I'd like that."
"We'll have to take a couple blankets since it's getting colder." She liked the idea but she was fond of anything that allowed her to spend time with him of course. As she thought about it, her fingers continued to trace up his arm, searching and learning the lines as she moved her fingers over his shoulder and then down his chest.
Normally, he would've pulled away, or at least caught her hand and stopped it's wandering path, but he was becoming used to the sensations her touches ignited, enough that they no longer overwhelmed him. He closed his eyes for a moment, shifting to lay his hand on her hip, then sliding his fingers up along the line of her body, tracing over the soft feminine curves.
Claire wasn't touching him for anything more than simple exploration, or at least that's what she told herself. She was fascinated by the rippling of his muscles when they tightened beneath her fingers and she found she enjoyed tracing the definition lines that came with those muscles. But even with simple exploration, she found it a bit harder to breath as her fingers started to drift over his stomach at the same time his own fingers were starting to trace over her curves.
He hadn't given much thought to his own body, really, except that combined with the Force, it could be used as a formidable weapon. He wasn't at all vain about his appearance, but she found his form so pleasing made him pause and wonder why, and if she would've found him just as pleasing before Lord Vader had rebuilt him and removed his scars.
His hand skirted to the side to trace up her back before he reached the swell of her breasts, and he pressed his palm against her skin, gently urging her closer.
As she shifted closer to him, her foot brushed lightly over his before she gently worked a leg between his. There was barely any space between their bodies as she brushed her fingers back up his chest and then down his side. The tension in the dark was palpable, so much so that she was sure they could cut it with a knife or his lightsaber. She felt warm as she lifted her eyes to his face, her lips parting a little as she drew in a small breath.
"Galen." She murmured his name softly before she leaned up to kiss him, tugging gently at his bottom lip.
His answering moan was swallowed by her lips, and he had to shift their bodies together in a way that didn't reveal just how much he was enjoying the press her thigh against the inside of his. He slid his fingers up into her hair, because it was safest, far away from the places that some red-hazed corner of his mind wanted to explore. He wasn't sure if she was ready for that. He wasn't sure if he was, either.
Claire knew they weren't quite ready yet. They were moving closer and closer to that time but it wasn't just yet. So after a moment of kissing him till she was breathless, she pulled back with a little moan and a sigh. "I...we should sleep." She swallowed thickly before pressing a lighter, and quick, kiss to his mouth.
"We should sleep," he agreed quickly, winding his fingers through her hair and tightening them just a little, just for a moment, before relaxing his hand and moving his arm back down to wrap loosely around her waist.
"Goodnight, Claire," he murmured, closing his eyes and doing his best to go to a quiet, serene place in his mind, slipping into a half-meditative state. It was the only way he was going to get any sleep tonight.
She wasn't so sure she'd be as lucky because she had a distinct feeling she would be getting hardly any sleep but that was mostly her fault. Still, she smiled a little as she kept her arm around him and her hand pressed lightly against his back. At least she had the morning to look forward to because then she would be waking up in his arms.
"Goodnight, Galen." She murmured as she curled into him a little more, enjoying the heat wrapped around her. As she closed her eyes, she waited for sleep to come which actually did eventually. Being content in his arms definitely helped.
WC: 4799
[cowritten with
starkiller_sith , takes place during the floor plot where Galen is trapped on Claire's floor. Not that either of them mind. ;P]
11:03 a.m.
Claire looked up from the book she had been trying to occupy herself with but it was proving to be impossible. Every time she tried to focus on the words, she found her attention straying and she knew it was largely the fault of the man in her hotel room. Sighing, even if she wasn't frustrated, she tossed the book onto the nightstand with a slight groan. "I give up."
The lightsaber pieces that Galen had been trying to assemble fell to the table with a soft clatter, but he wasn't annoyed by the intrusion into his concentration. Truthfully, it had been just as impossible for him to focus as well. Deft fingers picked up the pieces cautiously and began to assemble the hilt by hand; it was a familiar enough practice that he didn't have to watch too closely as he worked, and could glance over at her occasionally.
"What's wrong?"
Wincing a little as the lightsaber pieces fell to the table, she sighed as she hadn't meant to distract him from what he was doing but it was hard to stay this quiet and this still for so long. "I can't stand being inside for this long." She admitted as she sat up, crossing her legs while pushing her fingers through her hair. "I wonder how long we're going to be trapped on this floor."
Not that she had a problem being with him.
He hummed softly in amusement, sliding the focus crystal into place and replacing the outward panels. "You would hate living in my world," he remarked absently. Well, perhaps the better term would've been his life. He was used to confinement on the Star Destroyer, but she could've happily settled on Corellia or some other planet buzzing with activity, commerce and people.
"What do you usually do to take your mind off of things?" he asked, triggering the blade and nodding once in approval as it responded quickly and cleanly as always.
"Not if you were there." She allowed herself a little smile as she tilted her head to the side, watching him as he put his lightsaber back together once more. But it was true, she liked being around people and noise. She hated being trapped, that was the problem.
"Cook, read, take a shower..." She trailed off then, considering her options before looking at him once more. "Do you mind if I go take a shower?"
"Of course I don't mind, you should do whatever you normally do," he assured her, deactivating the blade and turning in the chair to face her with a slight smile. "I promise to be a gentleman." He could do that every once and a while. Really.
"You? A gentleman?" She scoffed lightly, teasing him as she slid off the bed. Padding over to him, she paused with a little smile before leaning down to kiss his cheek. "I'll only be a few minutes." She let her fingers dance along his jaw line before she walked over to her bathroom.
Opening the door, she was about to step in but then she stopped dead as she found her bathroom wasn't as empty as she thought it was going to be. "Uh....Galen?"
Picking up on the tone of her voice and the emotions behind it, he triggered his lightsaber blade and was at her side in a moment--possibly a part of him had been tensed for an attack from the moment the doors of the elevator and stairwell refused to open.
Of course, there was nothing threatening in the bathroom. At least, not anymore, since PROXY's primary programming had been erased.
"Ah, Master!" the droid called, rising from his seated position on the closed toilet seat lid. "I had wondered why I suddenly found myself in an unfamiliar facility room! I was concerned when you didn't return to your living quarters last evening!"
"PROXY, what're you doing here?" Galen asked, deactivating his lightsaber and shaking his head in amusement and mystification. "How'd you even get here?"
"I'm not altogether certain, Master. I have so far been unable to decipher this environment's algorithms. I was going to come and find you when you did not return, but I was unable to leave the lower levels. I had just given up when I found myself here!"
When Galen was at her side quicker than she could blink, with his lightsaber no less, she quickly jumped to the side as she was fully expecting him to attack whatever it was he thought was probably attacking her. Standing to the side, she smirked a little as she watched the two of them and then she sighed. "This place is so weird." She shook her head, brushing some hair back from her face.
"First it locks us in and then it magically teleports your droid to my room....and where is Mr. Muggles?" Suddenly she looked panicked, her eyes flickering to PROXY. No sooner had the question been asked did she hear a bark. Blinking, she turned around with a frown. "Mr. Muggles?"
Another bark had her hurrying towards her closet and the next bark had her opening the doors to reveal an irritated looking Pomeranian. With a huff, he shot past her and she turned to watch him before glancing back. Just as she was about to close the doors, she paused. "What the...."
She was really going to have to stop doing that, but Galen didn't rush to arms, this time. Making an idiot out of himself once was enough. "What is it?" he called, peering around the corner with a frown.
"Uh, these are not mine." She stepped forward, picking at the sleeve of a shirt that she felt she should recognize but she hadn't bought anything of that style before.
Perplexed, Galen stepped around the corner and came up behind her to peer into the closet. And there were his clothes, hanging there, his training gear and robes, loose trousers and tunics, his t-shirts and jeans.
"...They're mine..."
It seemed she was just as confused as she turned her head to look at him, wondering what the hell was going on. Why would the village trap them and then bring his droid along with his clothes? Looking back at his clothes which were hanging beside hers, she only had one reply. "Huh."
-------
1:24 p.m.
It didn't take Force sensitivity for him to be able to tell that his pupil was thoroughly distracted. "You're supposed to be focusing, Claire."
Claire really didn't see how he thought she would be able to focus. She was trying her best after all but he was making it difficult! "I am!" She huffed, shifting her weight a little. No, she wasn't squirming at all!
"Your back is hunched, and you're shifting every six to twelve seconds," he murmured, inhaling deeply and exhaling with a sigh. "Close your eyes. I know they're open. Focus."
Her eyes narrowed a little as he pointed out everything she was doing and she leaned forward to get a better look at him. "Are you peeking?"
"I don't have to peek," he murmured, raising an eyebrow with his eyes still comfortably closed. "You wanted to learn how to meditate. This is meditating. Now focus."
She still didn't buy it and so he got a suspicious look before she tried closing her eyes. She did well for a little while, for about...oh, ten seconds....and then she was peeking again.
With a heavy sigh, his shoulders fell forward for a moment before straightening again. "...Do I need to put a shirt on?"
Claire felt her cheeks start to burn as she bit her bottom lip. "...Maybe."
The smile came to his lips despite his best efforts to keep it down. Now he did, finally, squint an eye open as he reached out with one hand and Force pulled the tunic draped across a nearby chair to him.
He took advantage of the moment when he drug the sandy colored material over his head, thereby hiding his face for a few seconds, to let the tiny smile turn into a smug grin, before he wiped the expression from his face completely.
he pulled the tunic over his head, she rolled her eyes when he couldn't see it and bit back her own smirk. Really now, he shouldn't be surprised she was having a hard time focusing when he was sitting half naked in front of her. Silly man.
Now fully clothed, he resettled into his comfortable meditation position and squared his shoulders. "Now can you focus?"
Claire giggled softly because she couldn't remember who had suggested that she try meditation but she was beginning to think it just wouldn't work for her. Still, for him, she would try. "I think so." She sat a little straighter while closing her eyes but then she had to smirk because she was going to tease him now. "You know it'd help if you stopped talking, right?"
Galen's brow furrowed, his lips forming something very like a pout.
A moment later, a rolled up pair of socks thumped Claire on the back of the head.
------
6:32 p.m.
With Galen in the bathroom and supper cooking, Claire didn’t worry too much as she bounced around the kitchen. ‘Put A Ring On It’ by Beyonce was playing from the little stereo on the counter next to her as she tilted her head to the side, dancing a little as she turned around to open the stove. A quick glance told her the lasagne was doing just fine and so she closed the oven before doing a full twirl.
Galen didn't take very long showers. He hadn't meant to sneak up on something he was fairly sure she wouldn't want him to see her doing, but when he came upon her dancing around in the kitchen like a Twi'lek in a cantina, he couldn't help but silently lean against the doorway and watch her, skin still damp and a towel slung casually around his neck. He had no clue what this woman was singing about--she must be of the same species as the man from the action movie, with the same gift of speaking very quickly--but he could appreciate how graceful and lithe Claire was when she danced. He could appreciate it very much.
Claire was completely unaware of the fact that she had an audience, mainly because of how quiet he could be at times. She was honestly going to put a bell on him at some point, just so he couldn't sneak up on her anymore! She was just turning around once more after shimmying her hips and that's when she saw him. With a startled squeak, she almost dropped the plate she was carrying but she managed to keep a hold on it. Good thing or they would have had a mess!
Instinctively, he reached out with the Force to steady her and catch the plate if he needed to, unable to keep from smirking.
"I'm sorry--I didn't mean to startle you..." He should really wipe the smirk off of his face.
Her eyes narrowed playfully at the sight of the smirk on his face. "Oh yeah, you look real sorry. Definitely."
"You dance well," he replied by way of explanation, moving forward to help her with the dishes. "I was mesmerized. It's your fault, really."
Now he had her smiling as she blushed faintly. "Thanks, must have been all the training." She chuckled as she placed the plate on the counter before glancing over at him again. "Supper is almost done."
"Training?" He raised an eyebrow, rubbed the towel slung around his neck over his hair. "You were trained as a dancer?"
"Well, not really? Kind of?" She shrugged her shoulders a little bit before glancing over at him again, her eyes slipping over him. He was cute when he was damp. "I...uh, did gymnastics and I was a cheerleader." She rolled her eyes briefly at the last part.
He gave her a blank look, fingers wrapping around either end of the towel and pulling it snug against the back of his neck. "...A 'cheerleader,'" he repeated slowly. "...What is that?"
"Uh." Right, he wouldn't know what a cheerleader was. "Basically we went to football games and cheered for the team. We did little routines to get people going and to raise the energy."
Galen continued to stare at her blankly. "...It's a sporting event of some sort, then," he murmured, trying very hard to understand. Of course, the only sport he really knew of was pod racing.
"Yes." She nodded her head once more, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "We wore little dresses and did dances, gymnastics, flips and jumps.....different things." Then she arched a brow while tilting her head to the side. "I could show you something, if you wanted." She would feel a bit dumb but it would be easier to explain if he saw it firsthand.
"I think you may have to," he replied, raising an eyebrow and looking rather dubious about the whole business.
For a moment she wondered if perhaps he was tricking her somehow but then she decided against it as she motioned for him to back up so she that she could move into a bigger part of the room. She'd knock something over in the kitchen if she tried something in there. "Okay, grab a seat."
Still looking rather doubtful, Galen followed her and lowered himself into a chair, folding his arms across his chest and fighting not to smile in amusement. "All right."
Rubbing her fingers over her forehead, she tried to think of what to show him while pursing her lips. "Okay." Wetting her lips, she stood in front of him before bringing her hands together in a sharp clap followed by making a v-shape with them in the air. She showed him a simple cheer she could do on her own, her voice ringing out as she went through the steps before finishing off with a toe touch and a back handspring.
He raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised at the impressive display of gymnastic ability; he supposed he hadn't given her enough credit, but then he hadn't really...explored, how muscular she was. "That was very impressive...I'm still not entirely sure that I see the point beyond it being..."
He bit his lower lip and fell silent for a moment. "...Very pleasant to watch," he finally finished, clearing his throat.
He was still a guy, after all.
Straightening after she landed, she brushed some hair back from her face and then she chuckled softly as she watched his reaction. "Yeah, I...uh, didn't really see the point of them either?" She offered with a shrug, starting to smirk at him. "So you liked it?"
He blushed just a little himself and cleared his throat. "You're very, ah...yes. I liked it."
The smirk on her mouth only grew as she looked decidedly smug while turning back to head into the kitchen. That was good to know, very good.
-----
12:39 a.m.
Claire sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck, fighting off a yawn as she walked towards the bed. "Okay, I put Mr. Muggles in the bathroom for the night." She chuckled softly, shaking her head as she looked at Galen. "You know I'm going to be on his bad side for days, right?"
"You feed him, somehow I think he'll live." Galen shot her a mild look from where he knelt down next to PROXY, setting him up to switch off and recharge for the night. "G'night, PROXY."
"And to you as well, Master. Do sleep well, Miss Claire," PROXY called a second before the yellow lights of his eyes went dim and he slumped in the chair.
Galen patted the droid affectionately on the shoulder as he rose and made his way towards the bed as well, staring rather broodingly down at the neatly made sheets and comforter, then back up at his--and he blushed to even think the words--sleeping companion. "Um...Claire?"
"Of course you think it's that easy." She rolled her eyes a little bit as she walked around to the left side of the bed. She was actually casual, like it wasn't a big deal they were about to crawl into bed with each other. The night before, that had been an accident of sort. Yes, Rachel had given her the idea of falling asleep on Galen and now she was glad she had considering Galen was there now, while they were trapped, but this was different.
They were crawling into bed with the knowledge he'd be there all night and every night till the weird spell was lifted off the hotel and people weren't trapped on the different floors.
“Goodnight, PROXY.” She smiled at the droid as she picked up her brush. When Galen said her name, she looked up at him as she ran her brush through her hair. Arching a brow at him while ignoring the slight flutter of nerves in the pit of her stomach, she looked at him curiously. "Yes?"
"Ah...it's just, that I..." He floundered for words, glancing down at the bed and back up to her. "...don't usually wear very much to bed," he finally finished, his face immediately flushing a little.
"Oh." Now she could feel some heat crawling into her cheeks as her stomach tightened with the idea. Or maybe it had something to do with what she was envisioning. "..What...do you normally wear?"
He reached down to pluck lightly at the leg of the loose trousers he currently wore, indicating the answer to her question--and the only real reason he wore them was because PROXY had made it a habit on more than one occasion to attack him in his sleep, and running around the lowest level of the Star Destroyer fighting naked with lightsabers...wasn't the most fun he'd ever had. Even though the programming that had driven PROXY to attack him constantly had been wiped, old habits died hard.
Claire's eyes dropped to the sight of his trousers he was wearing and then she looked back up at him. "That works fine for me. I...uh...I usually only wear a top and my....." She trailed off, wondering how to explain to him that she usually only wore a tank top and panties. "I'll wear some shorts or something." She finished lamely.
"It's all right, you...whatever you're comfortable in." To set a good example, he tugged off his t-shirt and tossed it aside before he tugged the covers back and tried not to act like it was an incredibly awkward moment for the both of them.
For a moment she just eyed his shirt as he tossed it to the side and then she looked over at him. "Can I borrow your shirt?" She felt a bit silly for asking but she had a reason. "It would be long on me."
"Ah...I, uh...yeah, sure." He held his hand out and Force pulled the discarded shirt, guiding it with the Force until it floated in front of her.
"Thanks." She nibbled on her bottom lip before glancing at him again. "Close your eyes?"
She would wait till he did and then she would put his shirt on the bed before grabbing the bottom of her shirt to peel it off. Tossing her own shirt aside, it was quickly followed by the shorts she had been wearing and then she grabbed his shirt to pull it on. Luckily it covered everything like she had thought it would, so she wouldn't be flashing her panties at him. After a few seconds of working underneath the shirt, she quickly tucked her bra away somewhere and then hurried under the covers as well.
He was a very good boy. He kept his eyes closed and his hand covering them. Of course...he didn't always need his eyes to see and sense. He did his best to shut down those extra senses as well. It was going to be difficult enough to feel her against him with nothing but thin, skin-warmed material between them and not...embarrass himself with his body's reaction to her, without adding to that little problem.
He wasn't certain if he should reach for her when she slid under the sheets, so he busied himself by arranging the pillows the way he liked them. They far too big, firm and fluffy for his tastes, and he usually had to beat them down quite a bit before he could comfortably rest his head on them. "So...uh...should I get the lights?" he asked, raising a hand and preparing to reach out with the Force to flick the few remaining lamps and light switches off.
It's funny because half way through undressing, she remembered that he had extra senses or something which had only made her rush a little faster to get changed but then she told herself not to worry. This was Galen after all, she had nothing to worry about from him. Still, she felt like her whole body was vibrating with energy as she slid under the covers beside him and tried not to think about how there was very little separating skin from skin.
Letting her head rest against her pillow, she watched him occupy himself with beating on his own pillow till he got it to where he felt it would be comfortable to sleep on. "Uh, yeah." She nodded a little, wetting her lips as she tucked some hair back from her face.
"All right." He laid back on the pillow and closed his eyes, lifting a hand and twitching his fingers. One by one, the lights went out, until the only one remaining was the one in the bathroom, for Mr. Muggles. He had thought, maybe, the dark would help the tension that was so thick through the air that he could scarcely breathe. He was quite clearly an idiot for ever thinking so.
Swallowing, he rolled to his side and tucked his arm back and beneath his pillow, shifting to face her. "What do you miss the most about where you came from?" he asked, his voice little more than whisper in the dark.
Falling silent as the lights started to go out, she looked around as she let her eyes adjust quickly to the dark. She wondered if it would help the tension at all but she wasn't so sure. They were still lying close to each other with very little on after all. Clearing her throat softly, she shifted her weight as he rolled onto his side and she did the same to face him.
Curling her arm under her own pillow, she smiled faintly as she thought about what it was she missed the most. "Probably my mom and my dad." She nodded her head, tucking some hair back from her face. "What about you? What do you miss?"
He had to think about it for far longer than she, his brow furrowed in the dark. He had so little that he was attached to, so few possessions and precious people. What was there for a dead man to wish to go back to, or to wish into existence here?
"Space," he finally replied. "There's something about knowing the stars are so close. That you're drifting among them. It's too warm here, too...I was never on a planet for very long, you see."
She wasn't sure about asking him what he missed the most from his old life, mainly because she didn't want to upset him but she was curious if there was anything. But his answer made sense as she nodded her head slowly. "I remember you saying that." Reaching out, she let her fingers skim lightly over his arm. "Sometimes you can see the stars in the park late at night. I know it's not the same but once we can go out, we could go to the park and look at the stars?"
It wasn't the same, he knew--he'd gone to the roof for much the same reason--but he wasn't going to say no to anything that allowed him to spend time with her. Her fingers trailing down his bare skin sent a shiver of sensations crawling up his muscles and down his spine, and he swallowed thickly before he could manage a reply. "That would--I'd like that."
"We'll have to take a couple blankets since it's getting colder." She liked the idea but she was fond of anything that allowed her to spend time with him of course. As she thought about it, her fingers continued to trace up his arm, searching and learning the lines as she moved her fingers over his shoulder and then down his chest.
Normally, he would've pulled away, or at least caught her hand and stopped it's wandering path, but he was becoming used to the sensations her touches ignited, enough that they no longer overwhelmed him. He closed his eyes for a moment, shifting to lay his hand on her hip, then sliding his fingers up along the line of her body, tracing over the soft feminine curves.
Claire wasn't touching him for anything more than simple exploration, or at least that's what she told herself. She was fascinated by the rippling of his muscles when they tightened beneath her fingers and she found she enjoyed tracing the definition lines that came with those muscles. But even with simple exploration, she found it a bit harder to breath as her fingers started to drift over his stomach at the same time his own fingers were starting to trace over her curves.
He hadn't given much thought to his own body, really, except that combined with the Force, it could be used as a formidable weapon. He wasn't at all vain about his appearance, but she found his form so pleasing made him pause and wonder why, and if she would've found him just as pleasing before Lord Vader had rebuilt him and removed his scars.
His hand skirted to the side to trace up her back before he reached the swell of her breasts, and he pressed his palm against her skin, gently urging her closer.
As she shifted closer to him, her foot brushed lightly over his before she gently worked a leg between his. There was barely any space between their bodies as she brushed her fingers back up his chest and then down his side. The tension in the dark was palpable, so much so that she was sure they could cut it with a knife or his lightsaber. She felt warm as she lifted her eyes to his face, her lips parting a little as she drew in a small breath.
"Galen." She murmured his name softly before she leaned up to kiss him, tugging gently at his bottom lip.
His answering moan was swallowed by her lips, and he had to shift their bodies together in a way that didn't reveal just how much he was enjoying the press her thigh against the inside of his. He slid his fingers up into her hair, because it was safest, far away from the places that some red-hazed corner of his mind wanted to explore. He wasn't sure if she was ready for that. He wasn't sure if he was, either.
Claire knew they weren't quite ready yet. They were moving closer and closer to that time but it wasn't just yet. So after a moment of kissing him till she was breathless, she pulled back with a little moan and a sigh. "I...we should sleep." She swallowed thickly before pressing a lighter, and quick, kiss to his mouth.
"We should sleep," he agreed quickly, winding his fingers through her hair and tightening them just a little, just for a moment, before relaxing his hand and moving his arm back down to wrap loosely around her waist.
"Goodnight, Claire," he murmured, closing his eyes and doing his best to go to a quiet, serene place in his mind, slipping into a half-meditative state. It was the only way he was going to get any sleep tonight.
She wasn't so sure she'd be as lucky because she had a distinct feeling she would be getting hardly any sleep but that was mostly her fault. Still, she smiled a little as she kept her arm around him and her hand pressed lightly against his back. At least she had the morning to look forward to because then she would be waking up in his arms.
"Goodnight, Galen." She murmured as she curled into him a little more, enjoying the heat wrapped around her. As she closed her eyes, she waited for sleep to come which actually did eventually. Being content in his arms definitely helped.
WC: 4799
[cowritten with
starkiller_sith , takes place during the floor plot where Galen is trapped on Claire's floor. Not that either of them mind. ;P]