OOM: By the Lake
The cold air blows by and Jaina hugs the poncho closer to her body as she stares out at the lake. She hears someone utter a familiar curse, and the sensation of damp coldness creeps up her leg for a second or two.
Shaking her head, Jaina turns around, shaking her head at Zekk. “Next time avoid the snow drift, please?”
Zekk rolls his eyes, coming to a stop a few feet in front of the other Jedi. Sarcastically, “Sorry, Goddess.”
She opens her mouth to retort, but nothing comes out. Instead, there’s a long moment’s silence as the Joiners stare at each other, thoughts and minds racing in unison. Both start to click loudly in their throats, shifting uncomfortably as the awkwardness fills their bond. Zekk takes a step forward and at the same time Jaina takes a step back, causing small nervous chuckles to replace the clicks.
After another minute’s passed, Zekk smiles softly at her, running a hand through his hair. “Don’t like it when we fight. Especially when-”
“Yeah,” she interrupts, burrowing her hands in the folds of the poncho. “Doesn’t help that we have-”
“-this connection. But we-”
“-like it.” For the first time in the past day or so, she gives a genuine grin. “Know that. …We do, too.”
Zekk nods and takes another step closer to Jaina, pleased when she doesn’t retreat. “About the other-”
Sorry. It’s easier to think it at him than to actually vocalize the sentiment. Shouldn’t have reacted like-
He shakes his head. “No, but we understand-”
“That’s cause you won’t stay out of our-”
Our mind, too Zekk throws in, laughing. “Face it, Jay, we know everything you thought and did yesterday. Even the-”
A small blush creeps its way on to her cheeks. “Ignore that. Not going to kill either-”
“We’re glad.”
Things fall silent again between the Jedi and Jaina turns to look back at the lake, biting down on her lower lip. Zekk moves to stand next to her, watching the sunlight sparkle off the water.
You two were disgustingly cute the other morning. It’s not necessarily directed at her mindmate, but Jaina knows he’ll pick up on the thought anyway.
Zekk flashes her a grin and a wink. “And we’ve known Dathomarian Nightsisters with better attitudes than you had yesterday.”
Jaina’s head snaps up at the comment, an annoyed look in her eyes. He shakes his head and shrugs, ignoring the veiled threat. “Who would’ve thought the sandflea could be-”
Her eyes widen and Jaina smacks his arm hard. “Get that thought out of-”
“Now you know how we feel whenever you-”
“Kriff, Zekk!”
“Yes, Jaina?” he answers, smirking.
She sighs, glaring up at Zekk’s amused expression. “It’s not-”
“Yes, it is,” he answers with a laugh as he rubs his hands together to conserver heat. “We’ve had to deal with you and Fel for almost a year now.”
“So?”
“So? Think of it as pay…OW!” He rubs furiously at his arm, glowering at Jaina. What was-
Deserved-
Did not!
“Yes, you did,” Jaina concludes out loud, putting an end to their argument, and their conversation.
Zekk sighs loudly and turns his attention back to the lake, allowing Jaina’s thoughts to once again interweave with his. Patience always seemed to work best with her. So he waits a little while longer until she’s calmed down before talking again.
“You’re not going to lose us, you know.” He smiles down at her, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Not going anywhere.”
“Zekk…” Jaina shakes her head, biting down on her lip to prevent the formation of tears in her eyes. “Kriff, it’s… You’ve always been there for us, even when we didn’t want you there and vape it, we’re selfish and…”
Zekk places his hands on her shoulders. “No one’s ever going to take your place in our heart, Jay. We’ve been friends all those years, and that’s not going to stop now. Do you know how hard it was to feel everything you felt for -”
She nods reluctantly, not tearing her eyes away from his. Felt it. Ignored it, but felt it.
Zekk grins wryly. “That’s cause you loved Jag. You love him a lot and we’re finally starting to realize that. Blast, you’re going to be married soon enough. We need to move on, Jaina. Tahiri’s helping with that.”
Jaina nods again, reaching a hand up to brush back tears. There’s a sadness in the meld, and she can’t tell if it’s hers or Zekk’s or both. Softly, “Sorry we couldn’t ever love you back.”
“Some things just aren’t meant to be.”
“And some are?”
He nods and wraps his arms around Jaina, pulling her in for a tight hug. She closes her eyes, leaning her head against her friend as she wraps her arms best she can around his waist. Zekk smiles, resting his head on top of Jaina’s, content just to hold her for a few minutes.
“We’ll always be your friend, Zekk,” she whispers.
Wouldn’t want it any other-
Us neither.
Shaking her head, Jaina turns around, shaking her head at Zekk. “Next time avoid the snow drift, please?”
Zekk rolls his eyes, coming to a stop a few feet in front of the other Jedi. Sarcastically, “Sorry, Goddess.”
She opens her mouth to retort, but nothing comes out. Instead, there’s a long moment’s silence as the Joiners stare at each other, thoughts and minds racing in unison. Both start to click loudly in their throats, shifting uncomfortably as the awkwardness fills their bond. Zekk takes a step forward and at the same time Jaina takes a step back, causing small nervous chuckles to replace the clicks.
After another minute’s passed, Zekk smiles softly at her, running a hand through his hair. “Don’t like it when we fight. Especially when-”
“Yeah,” she interrupts, burrowing her hands in the folds of the poncho. “Doesn’t help that we have-”
“-this connection. But we-”
“-like it.” For the first time in the past day or so, she gives a genuine grin. “Know that. …We do, too.”
Zekk nods and takes another step closer to Jaina, pleased when she doesn’t retreat. “About the other-”
Sorry. It’s easier to think it at him than to actually vocalize the sentiment. Shouldn’t have reacted like-
He shakes his head. “No, but we understand-”
“That’s cause you won’t stay out of our-”
Our mind, too Zekk throws in, laughing. “Face it, Jay, we know everything you thought and did yesterday. Even the-”
A small blush creeps its way on to her cheeks. “Ignore that. Not going to kill either-”
“We’re glad.”
Things fall silent again between the Jedi and Jaina turns to look back at the lake, biting down on her lower lip. Zekk moves to stand next to her, watching the sunlight sparkle off the water.
You two were disgustingly cute the other morning. It’s not necessarily directed at her mindmate, but Jaina knows he’ll pick up on the thought anyway.
Zekk flashes her a grin and a wink. “And we’ve known Dathomarian Nightsisters with better attitudes than you had yesterday.”
Jaina’s head snaps up at the comment, an annoyed look in her eyes. He shakes his head and shrugs, ignoring the veiled threat. “Who would’ve thought the sandflea could be-”
Her eyes widen and Jaina smacks his arm hard. “Get that thought out of-”
“Now you know how we feel whenever you-”
“Kriff, Zekk!”
“Yes, Jaina?” he answers, smirking.
She sighs, glaring up at Zekk’s amused expression. “It’s not-”
“Yes, it is,” he answers with a laugh as he rubs his hands together to conserver heat. “We’ve had to deal with you and Fel for almost a year now.”
“So?”
“So? Think of it as pay…OW!” He rubs furiously at his arm, glowering at Jaina. What was-
Deserved-
Did not!
“Yes, you did,” Jaina concludes out loud, putting an end to their argument, and their conversation.
Zekk sighs loudly and turns his attention back to the lake, allowing Jaina’s thoughts to once again interweave with his. Patience always seemed to work best with her. So he waits a little while longer until she’s calmed down before talking again.
“You’re not going to lose us, you know.” He smiles down at her, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Not going anywhere.”
“Zekk…” Jaina shakes her head, biting down on her lip to prevent the formation of tears in her eyes. “Kriff, it’s… You’ve always been there for us, even when we didn’t want you there and vape it, we’re selfish and…”
Zekk places his hands on her shoulders. “No one’s ever going to take your place in our heart, Jay. We’ve been friends all those years, and that’s not going to stop now. Do you know how hard it was to feel everything you felt for -”
She nods reluctantly, not tearing her eyes away from his. Felt it. Ignored it, but felt it.
Zekk grins wryly. “That’s cause you loved Jag. You love him a lot and we’re finally starting to realize that. Blast, you’re going to be married soon enough. We need to move on, Jaina. Tahiri’s helping with that.”
Jaina nods again, reaching a hand up to brush back tears. There’s a sadness in the meld, and she can’t tell if it’s hers or Zekk’s or both. Softly, “Sorry we couldn’t ever love you back.”
“Some things just aren’t meant to be.”
“And some are?”
He nods and wraps his arms around Jaina, pulling her in for a tight hug. She closes her eyes, leaning her head against her friend as she wraps her arms best she can around his waist. Zekk smiles, resting his head on top of Jaina’s, content just to hold her for a few minutes.
“We’ll always be your friend, Zekk,” she whispers.
Wouldn’t want it any other-
Us neither.